Management of postoperative complications may favour the centralization of distal pancreatectomies. Nationwide data on pancreatic distal resections in Finland 2012-2014

Background: Centralization of pancreatic surgery has proceeded in the last few years in many countries. However, information on the effect of hospital volume specifically on distal pancreatic resections (DP) is lacking. Aim: To investigate the effect of hospital volume on postoperative complications in DP patients in Finland. Methods: All DP performed in Finland during the period 2012-2014 were analyzed, information having been retrieved from the appropriate national registers. Hospital volumes, postoperative pancreatic fistulae (POPF) and overall complications were graded. High volume centre (HVC) was defined as performing > 10 DPs, median volume centre (MVC) 4-9 DPs and low volume centre (LVC) fewer than 4 DP annually. Results: A total of 194 DPs were performed at 18 different hospitals. Of these 42% (81) were performed in HVCs (2 hospitals), 43% (84) in MVCs (6 hospitals) and the remaining 15% (29) in LVCs (10 hospitals). Patient demographics did not differ between the hospital volume groups. The overall rate of clinically relevant POPF, Clavien-Dindo grade 3-5 complications, and 90-day mortality showed no significant differences between the different hospital volumes. Grade C POPF was found more often in LVCs, being 1.2% in HVCs, 0% in MCVs and 6.9% in LVCs, p = 0.030. More reoperations were performed in LVCs (10.3%) than in HVCs (1.2%) or MVCs (1.2%); p = 0.025. Conclusions: Even though the rate of postoperative complications after DP is not affected by hospital volume, reoperations were performed ten times more often in the low-volume centres. Optimal management of postoperative complications may favour centralization not only of PD, but also of DP. (C) 2018 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Butterfly genomics : insights from the genome of Melitaea cinxia

The first lepidopteran genome (Bombyx mori) was published in 2004. Ten years later the genome of Melitaea cinxia came out as the third butterfly genome published, and the first eukaryotic genome sequenced in Finland. Owing to Ilkka Hanski, the M. cinxia system in the angstrom land Islands has become a famous model for metapopulation biology. More than 20 years of research on this system provides a strong ecological basis upon which a genetic framework could be built. Genetic knowledge is an essential addition for understanding eco-evolutionary dynamics and the genetic basis of variability in life history traits. Here we review the process of the M. cinxia genome project, its implications for lepidopteran genome evolution, and describe how the genome has been used for gene expression studies to identify genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation. Finally, we introduce some future possibilities and challenges for genomic research in M. cinxia and other Lepidoptera.Peer reviewe

Adherence to special diets and its association with meeting the nutrient recommendations in individuals with type 1 diabetes

Not much is known about adherence to special diets in type 1 diabetes, characteristics of individuals with special diets, and whether such practices should raise concerns with respect to meeting the dietary recommendations. In this study, we assessed the frequencies of adherence to special diets, in a population of individuals with type 1 diabetes, and investigated the association between special diet adherence and dietary intake, measured as dietary patterns and nutrient intakes. During the Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy Study visit, participants with type 1 diabetes (n = 1429) were instructed to complete a diet questionnaire inquiring about the adherence to special diets. The participants also completed a food record, from which energy and nutrient intakes were calculated. In all, 36.6% participants reported adhering to some special diet. Most commonly reported special diets were lactose-free (17.1%), protein restriction (10.0%), vegetarian (7.0%), and gluten-free (5.6%) diet. Special diet adherents were more frequently women, older, had longer diabetes duration, and more frequently had various diabetes complications. Mean carbohydrate intakes were close to the lower levels of the recommendation in all diet groups, which was reflected in low mean fibre intakes but high frequencies of meeting the sucrose recommendations. The recommendation for saturated fatty acid intake was frequently unmet, with the highest frequencies observed in vegetarians. Of the micronutrients, vitamin D, folate, and iron recommendations were most frequently unmet, with some differences between the diet groups. Special diets are frequently followed by individuals with type 1 diabetes. The adherents are more frequently women, and have longer diabetes duration and more diabetes complications. Achieving the dietary recommendations differed between diets, and depended on the nutrient in question. Overall, intakes of fibre, vitamin D, folate, and iron fell short of the recommendations.Peer reviewe

Purification of Highly Active Alphavirus Replication Complexes Demonstrates Altered Fractionation of Multiple Cellular Membranes

Positive-strand RNA viruses replicate their genomes in membrane-associated structures; alphaviruses and many other groups induce membrane invaginations called spherules. Here, we established a protocol to purify these membranous replication complexes (RCs) from cells infected with Semliki Forest virus (SFV). We isolated SFV spherules located on the plasma membrane and further purified them using two consecutive density gradients. This revealed that SFV infection strongly modifies cellular membranes. We removed soluble proteins, the Golgi membranes, and most of the mitochondria, but plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and late endosome markers were retained in the membrane fraction that contained viral RNA synthesizing activity, replicase proteins, and minus-and plus-strand RNA. Electron microscopy revealed that the purified membranes displayed spherule-like structures with a narrow neck. This membrane enrichment was specific to viral replication, as such a distribution of membrane markers was only observed after infection. Besides the plasma membrane, SFV infection remodeled the ER, and the cofractionation of the RC-carrying plasma membrane and ER suggests that SFV recruits ER proteins or membrane to the site of replication. The purified RCs were highly active in synthesizing both genomic and subgenomic RNA. Detergent solubilization destroyed the replication activity, demonstrating that the membrane association of the complex is essential. Most of the newly made RNA was in double-stranded replicative molecules, but the purified complexes also produced single-stranded RNA as well as released newly made RNA. This indicates that the purification established here maintained the functionality of RCs and thus enables further structural and functional studies of active RCs. IMPORTANCE Similar to all positive-strand RNA viruses, the arthropod-borne alpha-viruses induce membranous genome factories, but little is known about the arrangement of viral replicase proteins and the presence of host proteins in these replication complexes. To improve our knowledge of alphavirus RNA-synthesizing complexes, we isolated and purified them from infected mammalian cells. Detection of viral RNA and in vitro replication assays revealed that these complexes are abundant and highly active when located on the plasma membrane. After multiple purification steps, they remain functional in synthesizing and releasing viral RNA. Besides the plasma membrane, markers for the endoplasmic reticulum and late endosomes were enriched with the replication complexes, demonstrating that alphavirus infection modified cellular membranes beyond inducing replication spherules on the plasma membrane. We have developed here a gentle purification method to obtain large quantities of highly active replication complexes, and similar methods can be applied to other positive-strand RNA viruses.Peer reviewe

Biokatalyysi orgaanisessa synteesissä

Tiivistelmä. Tässä kirjallisuuskatsauksessa perehdytään biokatalyyttien käyttöön orgaanisessa synteesissä ja erityisesti havainnollistetaan C-C-sidosten entsymaattista muodostumista. Lisäksi työssä käydään läpi biokatalyyttien käyttöä teollisessa mittakaavassa ja kuinka erilaiset entsymaattiset reaktiot on optimoitu toimimaan halutulla tavalla, jotta saadaan kustannustehokas teollisuuteen valmis biokatalyyttinen prosessi. Biokatalyysistä on tullut vakiintunut vaihtoehto perinteisille kemiallisille prosesseille. Entsyymien korkea selektiivisyys sekä niiden kyky katalysoida reaktioita miedoissa olosuhteissa, ovat kannustaneet niiden käyttöönottoon teollisuudessa. Monia biokatalyyttisiä prosesseja on toteutettu useilla kemian-, lääke-, maatalous- ja elintarviketeollisuuden aloilla. Entsyymien erilaiset immobilisointmenetelmät tuovat myös useita etuja niiden käyttöön teollisuudessa, jotka pääasiallisesti liittyvät entsyymien parempaan talteenottoon ja kierrätykseen. Hiili-hiili sidosten muodostuminen orgaanisen synteesin keinoin on avainasemassa orgaanisessa synteesissä ja aktiiviset C-C sidosten entsymaattiseen muodostumiseen liittyvät biokatalyytit ovat olleet kiinnostuksen kohteena jo kauan. Tässä tutkielmassa perehdytään erityisesti lyaasien ja oksidoreduktaasien käyttöön C-C-sidosten muodostumisessa, sekä havainnollistetaan niiden toimintamekanismeja sekä ominaisuuksia. Tuloksista voidaan huomata, että selektiivisyydeltään biokatalyytit ja erityisesti C-C-sidosten muodostumiseen osallistuvat entsyymit ovat erinomaisia, mutta laajemman teollisuuskäytön hidasteena on kuitenkin niiden vaihteleva stabiilisuus ja kapea valikoima käyttövalmiita biokatalyyttejä

Depression-related work disability: socioeconomic inequalities in onset, duration and recurrence

Objective: Depression is a major cause of disability in working populations and the reduction of socioeconomic inequalities in disability is an important public health challenge. We examined work disability due to depression with four indicators of socioeconomic status. Methods: A prospective cohort study of 125 355 Finnish public sector employees was linked to national register data on work disability (>9 days) due to depressive disorders (International Classification of Diseases, codes F32–F34) from January 2005 to December 2011. Primary outcomes were the onset of work disability due to depressive disorders and, among those with such disability, return to work after and recurrent episodes of work disability due to depression. Results: We found a consistent inverse socioeconomic gradient in work disability due to depression. Lower occupational position, lower educational level, smaller residence size, and rented (vs. owner-occupied) residence were all associated with an increased risk of work disability. Return to work was slower for employees with basic education (cumulative odds ratio = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05–1.39) compared to those with higher education. Recurrent work disability episodes due to depression were less common among upper-grade non-manual workers (the highest occupational group) than among lower-grade non-manual (hazard ratio = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.07–1.25) and manual (hazard ratio = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.02–1.26) workers. Conclusions: These data from Finnish public sector employees show persistent socioeconomic inequalities in work disability due to depression from 2005 to 2011 in terms of onset, recovery and recurrence

Perceived Stress and Adherence to the Dietary Recommendations and Blood Glucose Levels in Type 1 Diabetes

Stress may negatively impact self-management of diabetes and thereby deteriorate glycaemic control. Eating is the most frequently reported stress-release method. In this study, we investigated the association between perceived stress (PS), dietary adherence, and glycaemic control. Data from participants in the FinnDiane Study with type 1 diabetes who had completed a diet questionnaire and Cohen's perceived stress scale (PSS) were included. In addition to using a continuous PSS score, participants were divided into three groups based on the PSS scores: the first PSS quartile, low levels of PS; second and third quartiles, moderate levels of PS; and fourth quartile, high levels of PS. A diet score reflecting the level of adherence to dietary recommendations was calculated. Analyses were conducted in the whole sample and in subgroups divided by body mass index (BMI = 25 kg/m(2)). In the whole sample, high PS and continuous stress score were negatively associated with the diet score and with adherence to fish, fresh vegetable, low-fat liquid milk product, and vegetable oil-based cooking fat recommendations. The stress score was negatively associated with the diet score both in lean and in those overweight or obese. However, fish and fresh vegetable recommendations were only affected in those with corpulence. PS was not associated with mean blood glucose concentrations in the whole sample. When divided by BMI status, worse glycaemic control was observed in lean subjects reporting stress. In individuals with overweight or obesity, instead, high glucose concentrations were observed regardless of the level of perceived stress. Interventions to improve stress management could improve dietary adherence and glycaemic control and could thereby have the potential to improve long-term health and well-being of individuals with type 1 diabetes.Peer reviewe

Patterns of gene flow and selection across multiple species of Acrocephalus warblers: footprints of parallel selection on the Z chromosome

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Luokanopettajien interkulttuurinen kompetenssi:kokemuksia ja valmiuksia maahanmuuttajataustaisten vanhempien kanssa tehtävään yhteistyöhön

Tiivistelmä. Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan luokanopettajien kokemuksia ja valmiuksia liittyen maahanmuuttajataustaisten vanhempien kanssa tehtävään yhteistyöhön. Luokanopettajien valmiuksia kuvataan interkulttuurisen kompetenssin käsitteellä, jolla viitataan tässä tutkimuksessa niihin valmiuksiin, joita opettaja tarvitsee toimivaan yhteistyöhön eri kulttuuritaustoista tulevien vanhempien kanssa. Kyseessä on laadullinen tutkimus. Aineistonkeruu tapahtui avoimia kysymyksiä sisältävällä sähköisellä kyselylomakkeella kahdessa osassa. Tutkimukseen osallistui ensin erään kaupungin koulujen luokanopettajia ja toisella aineistonkeruukerralla luokanopettajia eri puolilta Suomea. Kyselyyn vastasi yhteensä 47 luokanopettajaa. Aineisto analysoitiin aineistolähtöisen sisällönanalyysin avulla. Analysointivaiheessa pääteemoiksi nousivat tutkimustehtävän mukaisesti luokanopettajien kokemukset yhteistyöstä maahanmuuttajataustaisten vanhempien kanssa sekä luokanopettajien valmiudet yhteistyöhön maahanmuuttajataustaisten vanhempien kanssa. Tutkimuksessa selvisi, että luokanopettajat kokevat maahanmuuttajataustaisten vanhempien suomen kielen taidottomuuden sekä suomalaisen koulujärjestelmän tuntemuksen puutteen heikentävän opettajan ja vanhemman yhteistyötä. Kulttuurierot, kuten luokanopettajan ja maahanmuuttajataustaisen vanhemman erilainen aikakäsitys nähtiin merkityksellisenä yhteistyön kannalta. Tämä näkyi siinä, että vanhemman oli haastavaa ymmärtää, että oppilaan tulee mennä kouluun tiettynä aikana tai että kasvatuskeskustelut voidaan järjestää tiettyinä ennalta sovittuina ajankohtina. Luokanopettajat kokivat yhteistyön maahanmuuttajataustaisten vanhempien kanssa pääosin myönteiseksi, jolloin yhteistyön kuvattiin sisältävän luottamusta, kunnioitusta ja arvostusta. Tutkimustulosten mukaan luokanopettajien valmiudet eivät juurikaan kehittyneet opettajankoulutuksessa. Sen sijaan interkulttuurisessa ympäristössä työskentelyllä oli merkittävä rooli heidän valmiuksiensa kehittymisessä. Luokanopettajilla esiintyi niin interkulttuuriseen tietoisuuteen, taitoihin kuin toimintaan liittyviä valmiuksia. Näin ollen luokanopettajilla oli tietoa eri kulttuureille tyypillisistä arvoista ja normeista, vuorovaikutus- ja kommunikaatiotaitoja, jotka helpottivat kulttuurienvälistä vuorovaikutusta sekä kykyä tunnistaa syrjiviä ja rasismia sisältäviä ajatus- ja käyttäytymismalleja, joita piilee niin kouluyhteisössä kuin laajemmin yhteiskunnassa. Tutkimustulosten pohjalta voidaan todeta, että opettajankoulutuksen on kyettävä jatkossa tarjoamaan tuleville luokanopettajille parempia valmiuksia kulttuurienväliseen kohtaamiseen ja tarjota kasvualustan luokanopettajan interkulttuurisen kompetenssin kehittymiselle