Investigating the Role of Mineralocorticoid Receptor Signaling in Cancer Biology in the Genomic Era

In the last decades, advances that take place in the next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics research have helped reveal tissue- and cancer-specific gene expression patterns and mutation landscapes. Indeed, such data are now easily accessible via online genome browsers and different types and levels of public data compendia. Appropriate use of these tools eventually can lead to better patient stratification for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of cancers. Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), encoded by NR3C2 gene, has long been implicated in the development and progression of multiple cancers. Nevertheless, MR has remained relatively understudied at the genomic and transcriptomic levels. In this review, we present the current, literature-based state of knowledge on the role of MR primarily in epithelial cancers. At the same time, we summarize the gene expression, mutation, and copy number variation data on MR obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We also show that MR expression could be a promising prognostic marker in different cancers using online tools for survival data analysis. Accordingly, this review strongly demonstrates the emerging potential of studying MR using available tools from the genomics/transcriptomics field for improving cancer diagnosis and prognostication

“Maailma vaan vei vähän mennessään” : luokanopettajan työuran muutos

Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on kuvata luokanopettajan uramuutospolkua sekä uramuutokseen liittyviä tekijöitä. Kuudesta tutkittavasta viisi on valmistunut luokanopettajaksi ja yksi on vaihtanut pääainetta luokanopettajakoulutuksesta yleiseen kasvatustieteeseen maisterivaiheessa. Uramuutos tarkoittaa tässä tutkimuksessa sitä, että tutkittava on tehnyt tietoisen valinnan olla tekemättä luokanopettajan työtä. Aineistona toimii kuusi puolistrukturoitua teemahaastattelua, jotka on analysoitu laadullisella sisällönanalyysillä. Tutkimuksen metodologinen lähestymistapa on fenomenologia. Ihminen nähdään ainutkertaisena kokijana, jonka kokemuksellisuuteen vaikuttaa myös ympäristö jossa hän elää. Teoreettisessa viitekehyksessä uraa kuvataan jatkuvasti kehittyvänä ja muuttuvana. Yksilön uravalintaan vaikuttavat sekä yksilölliset että yhteiskunnalliset tekijät. Se on kokonaisvaltaista elämänkulun suunnittelua, eikä sitä voida tarkastella ilman elämäntilanteen huomioimista. Työuran muutos on pitkäaikainen prosessi eri vaiheineen, ja se sulautuu luonnollisena osana ihmisen elämänkaareen. Joustavaan urakehitykseen liittyy yksilön kyky hallita omaa uraansa, sekä reflektoida ja muokata jatkuvasti omaa ammatillista identiteettiään. Opettajan uraliikkuvuus on yleistynyt, mikä nähdään yhteiskunnallisesti huolestuttavana. Tärkeimpänä keinona opettajien työssä pysymiseen pidetään työhön suunnattuja tukitoimia. Tuloksissa esitellään kuuden tutkittavan uramuutospolku. Jokaisella päätös uramuutoksesta on tapahtunut eri vaiheessa elämänkaarta. Työuran muutokseen vaikuttavat tekijät jakautuvat tuloksissa kolmeen osaan: luokanopettajan työhön, henkilökohtaisiin intresseihin, sekä elämäntilanteeseen liittyviin tekijöihin. Merkittävimmäksi uramuutoksen kannalta tässä tutkimuksessa nousevat henkilökohtaisiin intresseihin liittyvät tekijät. Niitä ovat omat kiinnostuksen kohteet, arvot ja uraan liittyvät tavoitteet. Työuran muutos on monisäikeinen prosessi, joka ei ole seurausta mistään yksittäisestä syystä. Se on monen tekijän summa, johon liittyy olennaisena osana oman elämän hallinta

Wellbeing tourism in Finland - A wide perspective

The aim of this paper is to discuss wellbeing tourism in Finland with reference to destination development, and to contribute to the ongoing discussion of how to conceptualize wellbeing tourism. Wellbeing tourism has been identified by the Finnish Tourism Board as a potential resource area for future tourism development in Finland, a strategic decision to be operationalized in different parts of the country. Findings from three laboratory areas in Finland are presented and analyzed in this article. In light of face-to-face interviews with key tourism actors in the regions of Jyväskylä, Kainuu and Vuokatti, and Vaasa, we conclude that the destinations’ host resources, such as nature, culture, knowledge and technology are of importance for wellbeing tourism, and that destination-specific service packages are in the making. Wellbeing tourism policies and development plans, two central dimensions in the wellbeing tourism destination management model presented are still to be developed. Wellbeing tourism may assume different forms and be practiced differently in different parts of Finland. It is therefore suggested that wellbeing tourism in Finland is discussed in a wide, non-exclusive way at this early phase of development.The aim of this paper is to discuss wellbeing tourism in Finland with reference to destination development, and to contribute to the ongoing discussion of how to conceptualize wellbeing tourism. Wellbeing tourism has been identified by the Finnish Tourism Board as a potential resource area for future tourism development in Finland, a strategic decision to be operationalized in different parts of the country. Findings from three laboratory areas in Finland are presented and analyzed in this article. In light of face-to-face interviews with key tourism actors in the regions of Jyväskylä, Kainuu and Vuokatti, and Vaasa, we conclude that the destinations’ host resources, such as nature, culture, knowledge and technology are of importance for wellbeing tourism, and that destination-specific service packages are in the making. Wellbeing tourism policies and development plans, two central dimensions in the wellbeing tourism destination management model presented are still to be developed. Wellbeing tourism may assume different forms and be practiced differently in different parts of Finland. It is therefore suggested that wellbeing tourism in Finland is discussed in a wide, non-exclusive way at this early phase of development

Genetic modification of the ant Lasius niger using CRISPR-Cas9 technology

Abstract CRISPR-Cas9 has become one of the most prominent gene editing tools available and it has been utilized in various organisms from bacteria to fungi, plants, and animals. In this study, we developed a CRISPR-Cas9 protocol for the black garden ant Lasius niger, a common and easily available study species for lab and field experiments. To create indel mutations using CRISPR-Cas9 in L. niger, we targeted three different locations in a well-studied eye pigmentation gene cinnabar, generating several mutations that disrupt the ommochrome biosynthesis pathway and result in the lack of the pigment and therefore, abnormal eye coloration in adult workers. We also developed a protocol to collect L. niger eggs, inject them with CRISPR-Cas9 construct, and rear the eggs into mature adult workers with the assistance of nursing workers. We demonstrated for the first time in L. niger that CRISPR-Cas9 is an excellent tool to create targeted mutations for this species. Our protocol can be referred to when developing similar studies for other species of ants and eusocial insects.CRISPR-Cas9 has become one of the most prominent gene editing tools available and it has been utilized in various organisms from bacteria to fungi, plants, and animals. In this study, we developed a CRISPR-Cas9 protocol for the black garden ant Lasius niger, a common and easily available study species for lab and field experiments. To create indel mutations using CRISPR-Cas9 in L. niger, we targeted three different locations in a well-studied eye pigmentation gene cinnabar, generating several mutations that disrupt the ommochrome biosynthesis pathway and result in the lack of the pigment and therefore, abnormal eye coloration in adult workers. We also developed a protocol to collect L. niger eggs, inject them with CRISPR-Cas9 construct, and rear the eggs into mature adult workers with the assistance of nursing workers. We demonstrated for the first time in L. niger that CRISPR-Cas9 is an excellent tool to create targeted mutations for this species. Our protocol can be referred to when developing similar studies for other species of ants and eusocial insects.Peer reviewe

Synnytyskulttuurit ja medikalisaatio : kirjallisuuskatsaus

Tämän opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena on tarkastella medikalisaation vaikutusta synnytyskulttuureihin. Lisäksi tarkoituksena on tarkastella synnytyskulttuurin vaikutuksia synnytykseen synnyttäjän roolin ja hänelle tarjotun tuen kautta. Opinnäytetyö on osa Hyvä syntymä -hanketta Metropolia Ammattikorkeakoulussa. Opinnäytetyö toteutettiin integroivana kirjallisuuskatsauksena, jossa käytettiin induktiivista eli aineistolähtöistä sisällönanalyysiä tulosten keräämiseksi. Aineisto hankittiin systemaattisen tiedonhaun avulla. Synnytyskulttuureihin ja medikalisaation liittyvät 17 lähdettä analysoitiin sekä ryhmiteltiin ja abstrahoitiin tuloskategorioihin. Tulosten mukaan medikalisaatio vaikuttaa synnytyskulttuureihin ja muun muassa synnytystavan valintaan. Medikalisaatio kasvattaa keisarileikkausten suosiota sekä synnyttäjien että lääkärien keskuudessa. Se lisää myös muita synnytykseen liittyviä interventioita. Medikalisaatio syrjäyttää kulttuurien aikaisempia synnytystapoja ja keskittää huomion synnytyksen riskeihin. Medikalisaatiolla on kuitenkin myös positiivisia vaikutuksia. Tukihenkilöt ja tuen muodot vaihtelevat eri synnytyskulttuureissa, mutta synnyttäjät kokevat yksilöllisen tuen saannin tärkeäksi. Kätilön tuki koetaan hyväksi ja rauhoittavaksi. Tukea halutaan vaikka koulutettua avustajaa ei olisikaan saatavilla. Synnytysympäristö vaikuttaa synnytyskokemukseen. Synnytyskokemus oli parempi, jos synnyttäjä sai olla aktiivisessa roolissa omassa synnytyksessään. Synnyttäjän passivointi ja rajoittaminen sai synnyttäjän tunte-maan kontrollinpuutetta. Synnyttäjät kokivat synnytyssuunnitelmien käytön voimauttavana, mutta osa lääkäreistä vastusti niiden käyttöä. Johtopäätöksiksi muodostuivat muun muassa: monissa synnytyskulttuureissa puututaan usein synnytyksen kulkuun ilman näyttöä sen tehokkuudesta, synnyttäjille pitäisi tarjota enemmän tietoa, jotta he osaisivat kyseenalaistaa tietyt rutiinitoimenpiteet, synnyttäjän pitäisi saada aidosti vaikuttaa synnytyspaikan valintaan ja jokaiselle synnyttävälle naiselle pitäisi tarjota yksilöllistä tukea.The purpose of this final project is to observe the effects of medicazation on birth cultures. In addition this final project examines the role of birth cultures in terms of what kind of role the woman is allowed to have and what kind of support the woman is offered in labour. Our final project is part of the Hyvä syntymä –project of Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. This integrated literature review was conducted by using inductive content analysis. After a systematic retrieval of information from databases such as EBSCO and CINAHL, we chose 17 sources that discuss birth cultures and medicalization in different ways. We classified these studies into different categories according to our research questions before abstracting the findings into our final results. We found that medicalization affects birth cultures for example by changing views of what is the most desirable way to give birth. The popularity of caesarean section is on the rise in many countries among doctors and the women giving birth. Medicalization increases the amount of other interventions in labour. Medicalization and western medicine has replaced the previous birth cultures in many countries around the world and increased the focus on the risks surrounding childbirth. However medicalization also has many positive effects on the care of mothers and children. The ways to support women in childbirth and the support persons vary in different cultures. The women feel that personal support is important to them. Midwife support was described positively in many researches. Women wanted support even if the supporting person wasn’t a health care professional. In the researches we found, the women described the experience of giving birth more positively when they were in an active role in their own labour. Woman’s passive position made her feel a lack of control in labour and the birth experience was more negative when the woman felt she was treated as an object by nurses and doctors. Writing birth plans was empowering for women, but some doctors objected to the use of birth plans. Our conclusions are that in many birth cultures interventions are used routinely although there might not be strong evidence of their effectiveness; women should be offered more information, so they could make informed decisions about their own care; the pregnant women should be allowed to freely decide where they want to give birth and that every woman giving birth should receive personal support

Understanding Heterogeneity in the Content of Self-Generated Thought

Self-generated thought is an integral part of our lives. Previous work suggests that our thoughts consist of diverse content that varies across individuals and over time. It is clear from the literature that what, when and how we think have great implications for our behaviour. It is less clear however, what exactly gives rise to the content of our self-generated thoughts. This thesis aims to discuss the cognitive, neural, dispositional and contextual influences on the contents of our self-generated thoughts. Multidimensional experience sampling is used throughout the empirical chapters of this thesis to identify common patterns in the content of self-generated thought. The first empirical chapter (Chapter 2) investigates the neural mechanisms that might support the content of self-generated thought and examines whether patterns of thought are consistent within individuals. The second empirical chapter (Chapter 3) assesses the influence of context and individual differences on self-generated thought. The last empirical chapter (Chapter 4) investigates the relationship between the persistence of thoughts over time and the ongoing influence of context. The findings suggest that: 1) the ventromedial prefrontal cortex might support episodic and social features of thought content, 2) the content of thought can be shaped by context as well as individual differences and 3) individual differences in the expression of some thought content are more consistent across contexts than other thought content. Additionally, these findings demonstrate that multidimensional experience sampling is a reliable tool to capture the heterogeneity of thought content, influence of context, and individual differences. This thesis provides an original contribution to knowledge by investigating the possible cognitive, neural, contextual, and dispositional determinants of the content of self-generated thought