A novel high resolution contactless technique for thermal field mapping and thermal conductivity determination: Two-Laser Raman Thermometry

We present a novel high resolution contactless technique for thermal conductivity determination and thermal field mapping based on creating a thermal distribution of phonons using a heating laser, while a second laser probes the local temperature through the spectral position of a Raman active mode. The spatial resolution can be as small as $300$ nm, whereas its temperature accuracy is $\pm 2$ K. We validate this technique investigating the thermal properties of three free-standing single crystalline Si membranes with thickness of 250, 1000, and 2000 nm. We show that for 2-dimensional materials such as free-standing membranes or thin films, and for small temperature gradients, the thermal field decays as $T(r) \propto ln(r)$ in the diffusive limit. The case of large temperature gradients within the membranes leads to an exponential decay of the thermal field, $T \propto exp[-A \cdot ln(r)]$. The results demonstrate the full potential of this new contactless method for quantitative determination of thermal properties. The range of materials to which this method is applicable reaches far beyond the here demonstrated case of Si, as the only requirement is the presence of a Raman active mode

Varhaiskasvatuksen opettajan ja lapsen välinen vuorovaikutus leikissä

Tiivistelmä. Tämän kandidaatin tutkielman tarkoituksena on selvittää miten varhaiskasvatuksen opettajan eri roolit vaikuttavat lapsen ja opettajan väliseen vuorovaikutukseen leikissä. Niin leikin kuin vuorovaikutuksenkin rooli on näkyvä varhaiskasvatuksen kentällä, mutta millaisena vuorovaikutus näyttäytyy leikin kontekstissa? Varhaiskasvatussuunnitelman perusteissa (2018) leikki ja vuorovaikutus nähdään molemmat merkittävänä osana laadukasta varhaiskasvatusta. Tutkielma on toteutettu kirjallisuuskatsauksena ja aineistona on käytetty niin suomenkielistä kuin kansainvälistäkin kirjallisuutta, teoksia, artikkeleita ja väitöskirjoja. Tutkielmassa ei ole rajattu lasten ikäryhmää, joka mahdollisti laajan tarkastelun kaikista ikäryhmistä. Teoreettisessa viitekehyksessä on avattu tutkielman kannalta keskeisimmät käsitteet, kuten varhaiskasvatuksen, vuorovaikutuksen, opettajan ja lapsen välisen vuorovaikutuksen, leikin, leikin eri vaiheiden ja vapaan sekä ohjatun leikin käsitteet. Tutkimuksen tuloksissa selviää, että vuorovaikutukseen vaikuttavat ihmiset sekä muuttuvat tilanteet. Opettajan eri rooleilla ja toiminnalla on merkitystä vuorovaikutukseen. Nämä roolit voivat liittyä rooleihin leikissä tai opettajan rooleihin lapsen kasvun ja kehityksen tukijana. Myös nämä tulevat kuitenkin ilmi leikin kontekstissa. Opettajan toiminta ja sensitiivisyys lasten aloitteille vaikuttavat vuorovaikutussuhteisiin. Lapsi lähestyy helpommin sellaista aikuista, jonka kokee kuuntelevan ja arvostavan. Opettajan ja lapsen väliseen vuorovaikutukseen liittyy myös haasteita. Haasteet voivat liittyä niin ihmisiin, kuten lapsiin ja opettajaan sekä opettajan toimintaan leikissä. Myös tunteilla ja kokemuksilla on oma osansa. Opettaja voi siis omalla toiminnallaan vaikuttaa joko positiivisesti tai negatiivisesti vuorovaikutukseen

A novel strategy to identify asthma-associated microbial clusters Reply

Non peer reviewe

Perinatal factors and high-sensitive C-reactive protein levels during adolescence

Objective: To examine whether perinatal factors are associated with low-grade inflammation measured by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels during adolescence. Methods: Nested case-control study of 125 teenagers who were born by Cesarean delivery and had high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels determined at 15-17 years. Data on obstetric and perinatal factors were recorded prospectively at the time of their birth. Results: Median values of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were significantly higher in teenagers, who were born as large for gestational age or with maternal diabetes compared to others (2.54 vs 0.34 mg/L; p < 0.024), and born during spring or summer compared to those born during winter or autumn (0.48 vs 0.27 mg/L; p < 0.023). No other perinatal associations were detected (for ex. such as electivity of operation, onset of labor, rupture of fetal membranes, cervical dilatation at delivery, gestational age, Apgar scores at 5 min, umbilical blood pH value, administration of neonatal antibiotics or need of neonatal intensive care treatment) in CRP levels. Further, teenagers with current body mass index in the highest tertile, regular medication for chronic disease and girls using oral contraceptives had significantly higher high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels than others. Conclusion: Prenatal exposures such as maternal metabolic environment and seasonality may have longterm effects on the low-grade inflammation and later cardiometabolic risks. Seasonality might be partly explained by maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy, and thus future efforts are warranted to ensure sufficient vitamin D availability during pregnancy. Surprisingly, no other significant associations were detected between perinatal characteristics and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels.Peer reviewe

Reversible control of the electronic density of states at the Fermi level of Ca3Co4O9+δ misfit-layered oxide single crystals through O+/H+ plasma exposure

Misfit-layered Ca3Co4O9 crystals were grown and characterized via XRD, SEM, and photo-emission spectroscopy (PES). The evolution of the intensity at the Fermi level (E F) with varying oxygen content was studied by PES. Oxygen species were successfully introduced and removed through O+ and H+ microwave-plasma (2.45GHz, 2-5mbar) treatments, respectively. A 5min O+ plasma exposure was observed to result into a drastic enhancement in the E F intensity, demonstrating the influence of oxygen content to the charge carrier population in layered cobalt-oxide material

Lack of food access and food consumption patterns of late midlife women in southeast Michigan

Background: Food access is a key social determinant of health for older adults at high risk of chronic disease and physical disability. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis examined correlates of food access and the relationship between food access and food consumption characteristics in a sample of 316 late midlife women from Southeast Michigan in 2015-2016. Results: Lack of food access, defined as access to self-perceived adequate grocery shopping resources in one’s neighborhood, was reported by 20.9% of women. Women who reported lack of food access were less likely to report making meals at home (p=0.02) and had less frequent consumption of fresh fruits (p=0.04), fresh vegetables (p=0.001), and lean meats (p=0.048) as compared to those that did not report a lack of food access (p=0.04, p=0.001, p=0.048). Being African American (OR: 2.49; 95% CI: 1.20-5.17) and experiencing economic stress (OR: 2.86; 95% CI: 2.53-5.33) were major correlates of reporting lack of food access. Conclusion: Interventions to improve food access for midlife women may help address differences in chronic disease risk associated with diet quality among racial/ethnic groups and across socioeconomic status

Establishment and interspecific associations in two species of Ichthyocotylurus (Trematoda) parasites in perch (Perca fluviatilis)

Background: Co-infections of multiple parasite species in hosts may lead to interspecific associations and subsequently shape the structure of a parasite community. However, few studies have focused on these associations in highly abundant parasite species or, in particular, investigated how the associations develop with time in hosts exposed to co-infecting parasite species for the first time. We investigated metacercarial establishment and interspecific associations in the trematodes Ichthyocotylurus variegatus and I. pileatus co-infecting three age cohorts of young perch (Perca fluviatilis). Results: We found that the timing of transmission of the two Ichthyocotylurus species was very similar, but they showed differences in metacercarial development essentially so that the metacercariae of I. pileatus became encapsulated faster. Correlations between the abundances of the species were significantly positive after the first summer of host life and also within the main site of infection, the swim bladder. High or low abundances of both parasite species were also more frequent in the same host individuals than expected by chance, independently of host age or size. However, the highest abundances of the species were nevertheless observed in different host individuals and this pattern was consistent in all age cohorts. Conclusions: The results suggest similar temporal patterns of transmission, non-random establishment, and facilitative rather than competitive associations between the parasite species independently of the age of the infracommunities. However, we suggest that spatial differences in exposure are most likely responsible for the segregation of the parasite species observed in the few most heavily infected hosts. Regardless of the underlying mechanism, the result suggests that between-species associations should be interpreted with caution along with detailed examination of the parasite distribution among host individuals.peerReviewe

Tracking of Serum DHEAS Concentrations from Age 1 to 6 Years : A Prospective Cohort Study

Context: Adrenarche is a gradual process, but its programming is unknown. Objective: The objective of this article is to examine the trajectory of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) from age 1 to 6 years and the associations of early growth with DHEAS concentration by age 6 years. Design and participants: Longitudinal data from a population sample of 78 children (43 girls) with serum samples for DHEAS and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) measurements available at ages 1 and 6 years. Main outcome measure: Serum DHEAS concentration at age 6 years. Results: DHEAS concentration at age 1 year correlated with DHEAS concentration at age 6 years (r = 0.594, P <.001). DHEAS levels at age 6 years increased with tertiles of DHEAS at age 1 year (medians (mu g/dL); 4.2, 14.4, 22.6; P <.001) and with those of greater increase in length by age 1 year (6.0, 11.7, 16.4; P = .047), and decreased with Wailes of birth length (17.7, 13.3, 7.1; P = .042). In a regression model including birth size, biochemical covariates at age 1 year, and growth measures by age 6 years, higher DHEAS concentration at age 1 year was an independent determinant of falling into the highest DHEAS tertile at age 6 years. Conclusions: Higher serum DHEAS concentrations already at age 1 year are associated with those at age 6 years. Also, shorter birth length and rapid catch-up growth in length by age 1 year are associated with higher DHEAS concentrations at age 6 years. These results corroborate the early origin of adrenarche and strongly suggest that part of adrenarchal programming already takes place by the end of infancy. (C) Endocrine Society 2020.Peer reviewe

Application of the environmental relative moldiness index in Finland

The environmental relative moldiness index (ERMI) metric was previously developed to quantify mold contamination in U.S. homes. This study determined the applicability of the ERMI for quantifying mold and moisture damage in Finnish residences. Homes of the LUKAS2 birth cohort in Finland were visually inspected for moisture damage and mold, and vacuumed floor dust samples were collected. An ERMI analysis including 36 mold-specific quantitative PCR assays was performed on the dust samples (n = 144), and the ERMI metric was analyzed against inspection-based observations of moisture damage and mold. Our results show that the ERMI was significantly associated with certain observations of visible mold in Finnish homes but not with moisture damage. Several mold species occurred more frequently and at higher levels in Finnish than in U.S. homes. Modification of the ERMI toward Finnish conditions, using a subsample of LUKAS2 homes with and without moisture damage, resulted in a simplified metric based on 10 mold species. The Finnish ERMI (FERMI) performed substantially better in quantifying moisture and mold damage in Finnish homes, showing significant associations with various observations of visible mold, strongest when the damage was located in the child's main living area, as well as with mold odor and moisture damage. As shown in Finland, the ERMI as such is not equally well usable in different climates and geographic regions but may be remodeled to account for local outdoor and indoor fungal conditions as well as for moisture damage characteristics in a given country.Peer reviewe

What influences the speed of prototyping? An empirical investigation of twenty software startups

It is essential for startups to quickly experiment business ideas by building tangible prototypes and collecting user feedback on them. As prototyping is an inevitable part of learning for early stage software startups, how fast startups can learn depends on how fast they can prototype. Despite of the importance, there is a lack of research about prototyping in software startups. In this study, we aimed at understanding what are factors influencing different types of prototyping activities. We conducted a multiple case study on twenty European software startups. The results are two folds, firstly we propose a prototype-centric learning model in early stage software startups. Secondly, we identify factors occur as barriers but also facilitators for prototyping in early stage software startups. The factors are grouped into (1) artifacts, (2) team competence, (3) collaboration, (4) customer and (5) process dimensions. To speed up a startups progress at the early stage, it is important to incorporate the learning objective into a well-defined collaborative approach of prototypingComment: This is the author's version of the work. Copyright owner's version can be accessed at doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57633-6_2, XP2017, Cologne, German