New-build gentrification in Helsinki

This master's thesis discusses the applicability of the concept of new-build gentrification in the context of Helsinki. The aim is to offer new ways to structure the framework of socio-economic change in Helsinki through this theoretical perspective and to explore the suitability of the concept of new-build gentrification in a context where the construction of new housing is under strict municipal regulations. The conceptual understanding of gentrification has expanded since the term's coinage, and has been enlarged to encompass a variety of new actors, causalities and both physical and social outcomes. New-build gentrification on its behalf is one of the manifestations of the current, third-wave gentrification. Over the upcoming years Helsinki is expected to face growth varying from moderate to rapid increase of the population. The last decade has been characterized by the planning of extensive residential areas in the immediate vicinity of the Helsinki CBD and the seaside due to the relocation of inner city cargo shipping. Accompanied with characteristics of local housing policy and existing housing stock, these developments form the framework where the prerequisites for the existence of new-build gentrification are discussed. The empirical part of this thesis concentrates on exploring the socio-economic and demographic structure of the resident base of Helsinki's new-build housing areas. The main research method is a GIS- analysis based on the appliance of the YKR Database by SYKE and the Grid Database by Statistics Finland. Besides the quantitative analysis, the existence of new-build gentrification in Helsinki is discussed in the context of general argumentation for the phenomenon's applicability by the critical gentrification research perspective. The results of the study lead to the conclusion, that new-build gentrification does not occur in the chosen case areas as the process described in international case-studies suggest, but several of the characteristics of the phenomenon are however present in the local housing policies, housing market and development of new residential areas. In Helsinki the regulation of the tenure structure concerning the new-build housing stock has led to a situation, where the difference between new-build housing developments' and the surrounding areas' socio-economic status varies between the inner-and outer parts of the city. These results bear close resemblance to the outcomes of recent Western European studies highlighting the importance of comprehensive understanding of the local context in the contemporary gentrification research. The development of new-build housing areas in Helsinki is to some extent in line with international trends, but the specificities of national and local policy practices have led to distinct socio-cultural outcomes. The results support the notion that the concept of new-build gentrification becomes purposeful when accompanied with a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the local processes of urban change

Diabeteslääke repaglinidin lääkeyhteisvaikutukset

Introduction Repaglinide is a short-acting drug, used to reduce postprandial hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetic patients. Repaglinide is extensively metabolised, and its oral bioavailability is about 60%; its metabolites are mainly excreted into bile. In previous studies, the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 inhibitors itraconazole and clarithromycin have moderately increased the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of repaglinide. Gemfibrozil, a CYP2C8 inhibitor, has greatly increased repaglinide AUC, enhancing and prolonging its blood glucose-lowering effect. Rifampicin has decreased the AUC and effects of repaglinide. Aims The aims of this work were to investigate the contribution of CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 to the metabolism of repaglinide, and to study other potential drug interactions affecting the pharmacokinetics of repaglinide, and the mechanisms of observed interactions. Methods The metabolism of repaglinide was studied in vitro using recombinant human CYP enzymes and pooled human liver microsomes (HLM). The effect of trimethoprim, cyclosporine, bezafibrate, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, and rifampicin on the metabolism of repaglinide, and the effect of fibrates and rifampicin on the activity of CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 were investigated in vitro. Randomised, placebo-controlled cross-over studies were carried out in healthy human volunteers to investigate the effect of bezafibrate, fenofibrate, trimethoprim, cyclosporine, telithromycin, montelukast and pioglitazone on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of repaglinide. Pretreatment with clinically relevant doses of the study drug or placebo was followed by a single dose of repaglinide, after which blood and urine samples were collected to determine pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters. Results In vitro, the contribution of CYP2C8 was similar to that of CYP3A4 in the metabolism of repaglinide (< 2 μM). Bezafibrate, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, and rifampicin moderately inhibited CYP2C8 and repaglinide metabolism, but only rifampicin inhibited CYP3A4 in vitro. Bezafibrate, fenofibrate, montelukast, and pioglitazone had no effect on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of repaglinide in vivo. The CYP2C8 inhibitor trimethoprim inhibited repaglinide metabolism by HLM in vitro and increased repaglinide AUC by 61% in vivo (P < .001). The CYP3A4 inhibitor telithromycin increased repaglinide AUC 1.8-fold (P < .001) and enhanced its blood glucose-lowering effect in vivo. Cyclosporine inhibited the CYP3A4-mediated (but not CYP2C8-mediated) metabolism of repaglinide in vitro and increased repaglinide AUC 2.4-fold in vivo (P < .001). The effect of cyclosporine on repaglinide AUC in vivo correlated with the SLCO1B1 (encoding organic anion transporting polypeptide 1, OATP1B1) genotype. Conclusions The relative contributions of CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 to the metabolism of repaglinide are similar in vitro, when therapeutic repaglinide concentrations are used. In vivo, repaglinide AUC was considerably increased by inhibition of both CYP2C8 (by trimethoprim) and CYP3A4 (by telithromycin). Cyclosporine raised repaglinide AUC even higher, probably by inhibiting the CYP3A4-mediated biotransformation and OATP1B1-mediated hepatic uptake of repaglinide. Bezafibrate, fenofibrate, montelukast, and pioglitazone had no effect on the pharmacokinetics of repaglinide, suggesting that they do not significantly inhibit CYP2C8 or CYP3A4 in vivo. Coadministration of drugs that inhibit CYP2C8, CYP3A4 or OATP1B1 may increase the plasma concentrations and blood glucose-lowering effect of repaglinide, requiring closer monitoring of blood glucose concentrations to avoid hypoglycaemia, and adjustment of repaglinide dosage as necessary.Tyypin 2 diabeetikoiden hoidossa käytetään yleisesti insuliinin eritystä lisääviä lääkeaineita, kuten sulfonyyliurea-ryhmän lääkkeitä, sekä näitä uudempia ja lyhytvaikutteisempia lääkkeitä, kuten repaglinidia (kauppanimi NovoNorm). Insuliinin eritystä lisäävien lääkkeiden käyttöön voi liittyä haittavaikutuksia, tyypillisenä riskinä on verensokerin laskeminen liian matalaksi (hypoglykemia). Erityisesti diabeteslääkkeiden pitoisuuksia kohottavat lääkeyhteisvaikutukset saattavat aiheuttaa yllättäviä ja vaarallisia hypoglykemioita. Repaglinidi hajoaa elimistössä entsymaattisen aineenvaihdunnan välityksellä, pääosin sytokromi P450-ryhmän entsyymien (CYP-entsyymit) avulla. CYP-entsyymejä on mm. maksassa ja ohutsuolessa. Aikaisemmissa suomalaisissa tutkimuksissa on havaittu, että lipidilääke gemfibrotsiili nostaa voimakkaasti repaglinidin pitoisuuksia veressä, sekä voimistaa ja pidentää sen verensokeria laskevaa vaikutusta. Gemfibrotsiililla on useita muitakin merkittäviä yhteisvaikutuksia, mutta sen tarkempi yhteisvaikutusmekanismi on ollut epäselvä. Tässä työssä selvitettiin in vitro-tutkimuksilla (koeputkiolosuhteissa) CYP2C8- ja CYP3A4-entsyymien merkitystä repaglinidin hajoamisessa, käyttäen terapeuttisia repaglinidipitoisuuksia vastaavaa tasoa. Koehenkilötutkimusten (in vivo-tutkimukset) ja in vitro-tutkimusten avulla tutkittiin repaglinidin mahdollisia yhteisvaikutuksia muiden lääkkeiden kanssa, sekä selvitettiin havaittujen yhteisvaikutusten mekanismeja. In vitro-tutkimuksissa käytettiin ihmisen maksan mikrosomeja ja CYP-entsyymejä. Kliinisissä lääketutkimuksissa selvitettiin seitsemän eri lääkkeen vaikutusta repaglinidin pitoisuuksiin ja vaikutuksiin. Tutkimukset tehtiin vapaaehtoisilla koehenkilöillä käyttäen lumekontrolloitua ja vaihtovuoroista koeasetelmaa. Koehenkilöille annettiin tavanomaisia hoitoannoksia tutkimuslääkkeitä muutaman päivän ajan, ja tämän jälkeen kerta-annos repaglinidia. Koehenkilöistä kerättiin useita verinäytteitä, joista lääkepitoisuudet määritettiin käyttäen herkkiä massaspektrometrisiä menetelmiä. CYP2C8-entsyymiä estävä mikrobilääke trimetopriimi nosti repaglinidin pitoisuuksia 61 % in vivo, ja esti repaglinidin metaboliaa myös in vitro. CYP3A4-entsyymiä estävä antibiootti telitromysiini nosti repaglinidipitoisuudet 1,8-kertaisiksi in vivo, ja voimisti sen verensokeria laskevaa vaikutusta. Immunosuppressiivinen lääkeaine siklosporiini nosti repaglinidipitoisuuksia tutkituista lääkkeistä voimakkaimmin, 2,4-kertaisiksi, todennäköisesti estämällä CYP3A4-entsyymiä ja repaglinidin siirtymistä maksaan OATP1B1-kuljetusproteiinin välityksellä. Lipidilääkkeet betsa- ja fenofibraatti eivät vaikuttaneet repaglinidin pitoisuuksiin, vaikka niillä oli in vitro-olosuhteissa samanlainen estovaikutus repaglinidin metaboliaan kuin niiden sukulaislääke gemfibrotsiililla. Astmalääke montelukasti ja diabeteslääke pioglitatsoni eivät myöskään vaikuttaneet repaglinidin pitoisuuksiin, vaikka aikaisempien in vitro-tutkimusten perusteella yhteisvaikutusta oli pidetty todennäköisenä. In vitro-tutkimuksissa CYP3A4:n ja CYP2C8:n osuudet repaglinidin hajoamisessa olivat yhtä suuret käytettäessä terapeuttisia repaglinidipitoisuuksia. Nyt tehdyt havainnot ovat hoidollisesti merkittäviä, ja selittävät aiemmin tehtyjä havaintoja repaglinidin yhteisvaikutuksista. CYP2C8- ja CYP3A4-entsyymejä tai OATP1B1-kuljettajaproteiinia estävien lääkkeiden samanaikainen käyttö voi nostaa repaglinidin pitoisuuksia ja voimistaa sen verensokeria laskevaa vaikutusta. Tällaisessa tilanteessa verensokeritasoa on seurattava hypoglykemian välttämiseksi, ja repaglinidin annostusta tarvittaessa pienennettävä. Betsa- ja fenofibraatti, montelukasti, ja pioglitatsoni eivät vaikuttaneet repaglinidipitoisuuksiin viitaten siihen, että ne eivät potilailla käytetyillä annoksilla merkittävästi estä CYP2C8- tai CYP3A4-välitteistä lääkeainemetaboliaa. Yleisemmällä tasolla tulokset korostavat kliinisten tutkimusten tärkeyttä varmistettaessa in vitro-löydöksiin perustuvia ennusteita lääkeyhteisvaikutuksista

Residential relocation and travel behavior change:Investigating the effects of changes in the built environment, activity space dispersion, car and bike ownership, and travel attitudes

The influence of residential relocation, as a life event, on travel behavior has become the focus of research on determinants of travel behavior in recent years. Although several studies have investigated the influence of changes in the built environment of the residential environment, the complex relationships between the built environment, travel attitudes and travel behavior has remained controversial. One crucial research gap in this area is the paucity of longitudinal and semi-longitudinal research designs that could capture the influence of changes in the built environment, activity space dispersion, car and bike ownership, latent attitudes towards travel, as well as travel behavior, and the interrelationships between these factors. This study attempts to fill this gap by collecting retrospective travel behavior and attitudinal data in Helsinki Metro- politan Area using an online map-based survey tool. In total, 1321 residents who had relocated to a new residential location between three to eleven months prior to the survey date participated in the study. The study collected data related to common home-based trips during a typical week in September 2017 and September 2018, stated change in the use of different modes of transport after the move, as well as socio-demographic, and attitudinal data before and after the move. Based on residential location and the visited destinations during a typical week, respondents’ activity space dispersion was measured. Structural equation modelling was then used to inves- tigate the interrelationships between changes in the built environment, activity space dispersion, car and bike ownership, travel attitudes, and travel behavior. Results indicate the existence of reciprocal influences between changes in car and bike ownership, travel attitudes, and travel behavior. It is also found that the built environment can modify and change travel related atti- tudes and influence activity space dispersion, which in turn affects travel behavior. The results of this study support theeffectiveness of nudging approaches rather than marketing activities in changing travel attitudes and encouraging sustainable travel behavior.Peer reviewe

Coping With Crisis: Green Space Use in Helsinki Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Peer reviewe

Prioritizing participatory planning solutions: Developing place-based priority categories based on public participation GIS data

Prioritization of knowledge produced in participatory planning has been approached mainly from the perspective of whose perspectives are most in need of consideration. We ask, whether it is also possible to consider which locations, based on the knowledge from participants, should be prioritized. We developed a place-based approach to inform spatial decision making especially when the prioritization of limited resources is necessary. In the place-based prioritization model frequency of use and perceived quality of everyday places were used to identify various priority categories. We argued that especially places that are perceived negatively but used often in daily life pose a risk to wellbeing and the quality of life and should thus be prioritized in development. Such places belonged to the Development priority category, but also three other categories, Development potential, Management potential and Management priority were identified. The prioritization model was tested empirically by using placebased knowledge about inhabitants everyday and quality networks collected in the Finnish city of Espoo. According to the results, the Development priority category was represented only in about 5% of places, most often in land associated with road and rail networks as well as in continuous urban fabric. As hypothesized, high share of the Development priority places in everyday networks reduced individual's quality of life. We also found that a rather high share of these places was located within existing planning areas of the city

Special Issue : Place, Space, and Mental Health

publishedVersionNon peer reviewe

Similar spaces, different usage : A comparative study on how residents in the capitals of Finland and Denmark use cemeteries as recreational landscapes

Several studies from the Nordic countries show that cemeteries not only fulfil an important societal function as places for the disposal of bodily remains; they are also recreational landscapes that people visit to reflect, experience nature or perhaps go for a walk with the dog. In this comparative study, based on PPGIS data collected between 2018 and 2020 from residents in Copenhagen (Denmark) and Helsinki (Finland), we explored the extent to which residents use urban cemeteries as everyday recreational landscapes. We also assessed users' characteristics and the values they attached to the cemeteries. The results show that several of Copenhagen's cemeteries were actively used for recreation, while those in Helsinki were used much less frequently for this purpose. Of the total 7276 mapped visiting points in Copenhagen, 16.5% were located within cemeteries, compared with 1.9% of the 4298 mapped visiting points in Helsinki, hence conclusions from Helsinki should be drawn with caution. Physical activity and experiencing nature were the most common values attached to cemeteries in Copenhagen, whereas social interaction, spirituality and tranquillity were most common for Helsinki cemeteries. The results also revealed that younger Danes were particularly inclined to use cemeteries for social interactions, physical activity and spirituality and tranquillity. In the discussion, we elaborate on spatial differences between the cases, such as the availability of other green spaces, the size of cemeteries or people living in proximity to a cemetery, as well as on differences in policies and practices, including how Copenhagen stands out in actively promoting municipal cemeteries as recreational landscapes

Similar spaces, different usage : A comparative study on how residents in the capitals of Finland and Denmark use cemeteries as recreational landscapes

Several studies from the Nordic countries show that cemeteries not only fulfil an important societal function as places for the disposal of bodily remains; they are also recreational landscapes that people visit to reflect, experience nature or perhaps go for a walk with the dog. In this comparative study, based on PPGIS data collected between 2018 and 2020 from residents in Copenhagen (Denmark) and Helsinki (Finland), we explored the extent to which residents use urban cemeteries as everyday recreational landscapes. We also assessed users' characteristics and the values they attached to the cemeteries. The results show that several of Copenhagen's cemeteries were actively used for recreation, while those in Helsinki were used much less frequently for this purpose. Of the total 7276 mapped visiting points in Copenhagen, 16.5% were located within cemeteries, compared with 1.9% of the 4298 mapped visiting points in Helsinki, hence conclusions from Helsinki should be drawn with caution. Physical activity and experiencing nature were the most common values attached to cemeteries in Copenhagen, whereas social interaction, spirituality and tranquillity were most common for Helsinki cemeteries. The results also revealed that younger Danes were particularly inclined to use cemeteries for social interactions, physical activity and spirituality and tranquillity. In the discussion, we elaborate on spatial differences between the cases, such as the availability of other green spaces, the size of cemeteries or people living in proximity to a cemetery, as well as on differences in policies and practices, including how Copenhagen stands out in actively promoting municipal cemeteries as recreational landscapes

Immunohistology and remodeling in fatal pediatric and adolescent asthma

Background: Thickening of reticular basement membrane, increased airway smooth muscle mass and eosinophilic inflammation are found in adult fatal asthma. At the present study the histopathology of fatal paediatric and adolescent asthma is evaluated. Methods: Post-mortem lung autopsies from 12 fatal asthma cases and 8 non-asthmatic control subjects were examined. Thickness of reticular basement membrane (RBM) and percentage of airway smooth muscle (ASM%) mass area were measured and inflammatory cells were counted. Patient records were reviewed for clinical history. Results: The age range of the cases was from 0.9 to 19.5 years, eight were males and five had received inhaled corticosteroids. Thickened RBM was detected in majority of the cases without any correlation to treatment delay, age at onset of symptoms or diagnosis. In the large airways ASM was clearly increased in one third of the cases whereas the median ASM% did not differ from that in healthy controls (14.0% vs. 14.0%). In small airways no increase of ASM was found, instead mucous plugs were seen in fatal asthma. The number of eosinophils, plasmacytoid dendritic cells, macrophages, and B-cells were significantly increased in fatal asthma cases compared with controls and the two latter correlated with the length of the fatal exacerbation. Conclusions: The findings highlight the strong presence of eosinophils and mucous plugs even in small airways in children and adolescents with fatal asthma. Thickened RBM was obvious in majority of the patients. Contrary to our hypothesis, increased ASM% was detected in only one third of the patients.Peer reviewe

High prevalence of bronchiectasis in patients with cartilage-hair hypoplasia

Non peer reviewe