Faddeev-Hopf knots: Dynamics of linked un-knots

We have studied numerically Faddeev-Hopf knots, which are defined as those unit-vector fields in $R^3$ that have a nontrivial Hopf charge and minimize Faddeev's Lagrangian. A given initial configuration was allowed to relax into a (local) minimum using the first order dissipative dynamics corresponding to the steepest descent method. A linked combination of two un-knots was seen to relax into different minimum energy configurations depending on their charges and their relative handedness and direction. In order to visualize the results we plot certain gauge-invariant iso-surfaces.Comment: 11 pages with 6 figures (3 in color

Työssäoppimisen arki teknillisten alojen 2 asteen ammatillisissa oppilaitoksissa

Kehittämishankkeemme nimi on Työssäoppimisen arki teknillisten alojen 2 asteen ammatillisissa oppilaitoksissa. Opettajan näkökulma. Työelämän ammattitaitovaatimuksissa on viimeisten vuosien aikana tapahtunut paljon muutoksia eikä muutosnopeus näytä laantumisen merkkejä. Siksi ammatillisen koulutuksen on sopeuduttava muuttuvaan maailmaan ja se aiheuttaa paljon paineita niin koulutukselle, työpaikkaohjaajille kuin opiskelijoillekin. Opettajien on seurattava entistä tarkemmin työelämän muutoksia, ja tässä auttaa työssäoppimisalueen tunteminen sekä sen kehittämisessä mukana oleminen. Opiskelijaryhmät ovat nykyään paljon heterogeenisempiä ja siksi opettajalla täytyy olla hyvät kontaktit työelämään, jotta erilaisista lähtökohdista tuleville opiskelijoille osataan valita heille sopivat työssäoppimispaikat. Työssäoppiminen nykymuodossaan haastaa opettajan ja opettajuuden, koska opettaja joutuu toimimaan lähes yksinään laajassa työssäoppimisen kentässä, lisäksi hän joutuu opiskelemaan uudenlaisia pedagogisia taitoja selvitäkseen muuttuvassa työelämässä. Kehittämishankkeemme antaa lukijalle syvällisemmän kuvan siitä, millaista on 2 asteen opettajan arki, kun hän toimii opiskelijoiden ja työpaikan edustajien joukossa. Olemme ensin käyneet kirjallisuuden kautta läpi alan valtakunnallisia käytänteitä ja laki- ja määritelmäkirjoa. Sitten paneudumme tarkemmin siihen millaista 2 asteen am-matillisessa koulutuksessa työssäoppiminen on käytännössä

Tracheal and laryngotracheal resections and reconstructions-a single-centre experience

Background: Surgical resection has proven to be the most effective long-term treatment in managing airway stenoses and has shown to decrease the risk of tumor recurrence and mortality in patients with tumor infiltration to the airways. However, there are only a few Nordic reports on the results of a tracheal resection (TR) and cricotracheal resection (CTR). This study aimed to evaluate the volume and short-term outcome of TR and CTR at our institution. Methods: Retrospective review of patients who underwent TR or CTR between 2004 and 2019 at the Results: Forty-four patients were included, of which 21 (47.7%) underwent surgery for a tumor, whereas 23 (52.3%) were operated for a benign stenosis. The most common tumor type was thyroid carcinoma with tracheal invasion (15.9%). The distance between the upper margin of the stenosis or tumor infiltration and the vocal cords was in median 3 [interquartile range (IQR), 2???5] cm and the median length of resection 2.5 (IQR, 2???3.5) cm. Overall success rate was 75% (no need for reoperation or postoperative intervention). Complications occurred in 20 (45.5%) patients, of which 10 patients were operated for a tumor, and 10 for a benign stenosis. Conclusions: Tracheal and CTRs were effective in treating tracheal and subglottic stenoses with variable etiology. However, complications were common especially following cricotracheal tumor resections. These procedures show a clear need for further centralization due to their complex nature and should therefore be performed primarily at institutes with highly experienced multi-professional teams.Peer reviewe

Hakeutumisvaiheen merkitys opintojen henkilökohtaistamisessa

The article describes how, in the phase of seeking for individual competence recognition, a student is created a meaningful learning path availing of his/ her earlier acquired competences. According to our experiences, the phase of seeking for individualization is the most important stage in the whole system. It creates prospects to the student about his/her learning path and a strategy to the supervisors about the meaningful ways of acting with each student. The present article reports of the enquiry which measured the appropriateness of the seeking phase actions. The target group is composed of the students who started their education for vocational skills demonstration supervisors in 2010 and 2011 and finished it by September 2011. 93, 8% of the respondents agreed fully or nearly fully on the statement that they had demonstrated their competence according to their individual learning plan. The plan had been accepted before the start of the skills competence demonstration, and its realization had been followed by ongoing supervision. Consequently, we can notice that the learning path created at the beginning of the studies was realized. A well planned phase of seeking for individual competence recognition seems to have led to a successful outcome among the respondents.Artikkelissa kuvataan, miten henkilökohtaistamisen hakeutumisvaiheessa opiskelijan aikaisemmin hankkimaa osaamista hyödyntäen hänelle rakennetaan tarkoituksenmukainen oppimispolku. Hakeutumisvaihe on kokemuksiemme mukaan koko henkilökohtaistamistoiminnan tärkein vaihe. Se tuottaa opiskelijalle vision hänen oppimispolustaan ja ohjaajille syntyy strategia siitä, miten kulloisenkin opiskelijan kanssa on tarkoituksenmukaista toimia. Artikkelissa hakeutumisvaiheen onnistumista on mitattu kyselyn avulla. Kohdejoukko muodostuu Oulun seudun ammattikorkeakoulun ammatillisen korkeakoulun vuonna 2010 ja 2011 opintonsa aloittaneista ja syyskuuhun 2011 mennessä valmistuneista näyttötutkintomestareista. Lähes kaikki vastanneet olivat lähes tai täysin samaa mieltä siitä, että he olivat osoittaneet osaamisensa tekemänsä suunnitelman (Hensu) mukaan. Ohjaajat olivat hyväksyneet suunnitelman ennen osaamisen osoittamisen aloittamista. Sen toteutumista on seurattu jatkuvan ohjaamisen avulla. Voidaan siis havaita, että hakeutumisvaiheessa rakentunut opintopolku on toteutunut. Hyvin suunniteltu ja ohjattu hakeutumisvaihe näyttää vastanneiden kohdalla johtaneen onnistuneeseen oppimistulokseen

Loss of skeletal muscle mass during neoadjuvant treatments correlates with worse prognosis in esophageal cancer : a retrospective cohort study

Background: Nutritional deficits, cachexia, and sarcopenia are extremely common in esophageal cancer. The aim of this article was to assess the effect of loss of skeletal muscle mass during neoadjuvant treatment on the prognosis of esophageal cancer patients. Methods: Esophageal cancer patients (N = 115) undergoing neoadjuvant therapy and surgery between 2010 and 2014 were identified from our surgery database and retrospectively analyzed. Computed tomography imaging of the total cross-sectional muscle tissue measured at the third lumbar level defined the skeletal muscle index, which defined sarcopenia (SMI <52.4 cm2/m2 for men and <38.5 cm2/m2 for women). Images were collected before and after neoadjuvant treatments. Results: Sarcopenia in preoperative imaging was prevalent in 92 patients (80%). Median overall survival was 900 days (interquartile range 334-1447) with no difference between sarcopenic (median = 900) and non-sarcopenic (median = 914) groups (p = 0.872). Complication rates did not differ (26.1% vs 32.6%, p = 0.725). A 2.98% decrease in skeletal muscle index during neoadjuvant treatment correlated with poor 2-year survival (log-rank p = 0.04). Conclusion: Loss of skeletal muscle tissue during neoadjuvant treatment correlates with worse overall survival.Peer reviewe

Alternative solutions for advanced security of supply

The restrictions regarding the maximal length of outages especially under major storms has resulted in massive underground cabling projects in the network companies in Finland and Sweden. Due to these expensive investments the network fees of many network companies have increased to the extent that the customers have reacted. In both countries, the authorities have announced restrictions to the rate of increase of the network fees. Thus, the network companies are now searching for alternative solutions to underground cabling. This task is here addressed by performing case studies on the network of a rural primary distribution substation area of the Vaasan Sähköverkko distribution company.Technologies surveyed include low voltage (LV) connected battery energy storage (BES), implementation of the 1000 V distribution system in low-power feeder laterals, feeder automation(FA) and both mobile and fixedbackup power generation. The impact of implementing these technologies is then compared to increasing the underground cabling level of the case study network. The results are typical investment costs, distribution system reliability indices, annual total outage costs, annual regulatory incentives and payback times of the alternative technologies as well as recommendable implementations of different technologies. The study presents a cost-effective strategy for the infrastructure of electricity distribution of sub-urban and rural distribution areas.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Surgically Treated Unsuspected N2-Positive NSCLC : Role of Extent and Location of Lymph Node Metastasis

The role of positive lymph node location in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and effects on survival was assessed. A total of 88 operated patients with unsuspected N2 disease or station 10 lymph nodes were included. No difference was found in survival between inferior positive mediastinal N2 node patients compared to multilevel N2 disease patients. The survival of patients with positive hilar disease was similar to the inferior mediastinal positive N2 group. Background: The role of surgery in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer that has spread to ipsilateral mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes (LNs) is controversial. We examined whether the location of LNs positive for non-small-cell lung cancer in mediastinum or hilum influences the survival of these patients. Patients and Methods: We reviewed data from 881 patients and analyzed those with unsuspected N2 disease or hilar (station 10) LNs. The patients were stratified into the following groups: group A, positive hilar Naruke 10; group B, superior mediastinal and aortic nodes (Naruke 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6); group C, inferior mediastinal nodes (Naruke 7, 8, and 9), and multilevel group D (2 or more positive N2 levels). Results: A total of 69 pN2 and 19 pN1 patients were included. Progression-free survival (PFS) was statistically significant better in group B versus group C (P = .044) and group B versus group D (P = .0086). The overall survival (OS) of group A did not differ from that of group C. A statistically significant better OS was found between groups B and D (P= .051). Conclusion: Inferior positive mediastinal N2 node patients seem to have an OS and PFS as poor as multilevel N2 disease patients. The OS and PFS of patients with positive hilar disease are similar to those in the inferior mediastinal positive N2 group. Superior positive mediastinal N2 node patients have better OS and PFS than the inferior mediastinal positive N2 group. (C) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Prognostic role of radiological peritoneal cancer index in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma : national cohort study

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPeM) is a rare cancer of the mesothelial cells of the peritoneum. Computed tomography (CT) is considered the standard for first-line imaging of MPeM, diagnosis and risk stratification remains challenging. Peritoneal cancer index (PCI), as assessed by CT, is utilized in the prognostic assessment of other malignant intra-abdominal conditions; however, there is limited data concerning the utility of PCI in the diagnosis and workup of MPeM. We studied a retrospective cohort of all patients diagnosed with MPeM from 2000 to 2012 in Finland. CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were reviewed and scored by an experienced and blinded, board-certified abdominal radiologist. Additional clinical data and outcomes were obtained from Finnish Cancer Registry (FCR), the Workers' Compensations Center (WCC), and Statistics Finland (SF). Abdominal CT or MRI was available for 53 of 90 patients. The median radiographic PCI was 25. PCI score was correlated with overall survival (p = 0.004, Exp(B) = 1.064, 95% CI 1.020-1.110). PCI score >= 30 was associated with worse survival (p = 0.002), while PCIPeer reviewe