Endotoxemia is associated with an adverse metabolic profile

Our aim was to analyze whether endotoxemia, i.e. translocation of LPS to circulation, is reflected in the serum metabolic profile in a general population and in participants with cardiometabolic disorders. We investigated three Finnish cohorts separately and in a meta-analysis (n = 7178), namely population-based FINRISK97, FinnTwin16 consisting of young adult twins, and Parogene, a random cohort of cardiac patients. Endotoxemia was determined as serum LPS activity and metabolome by an NMR platform. Potential effects of body mass index (BMI), smoking, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and coronary heart disease (CHD) status were considered. Endotoxemia was directly associated with concentrations of VLDL, IDL, LDL, and small HDL lipoproteins, VLDL particle diameter, total fatty acids (FA), glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA), aromatic and branched-chain amino acids, and Glc, and inversely associated with concentration of large HDL, diameters of LDL and HDL, as well as unsaturation degree of FAs. Some of these disadvantageous associations were significantly stronger in smokers and subjects with high BMI, but did not differ between participants with different CHD status. In participants with MetS, however, the associations of endotoxemia with FA parameters and GlycA were particularly strong. The metabolic profile in endotoxemia appears highly adverse, involving several inflammatory characters and risk factors for cardiometabolic disorders.Peer reviewe

Atomic layer deposition of lanthanum oxide with heteroleptic cyclopentadienyl-amidinate lanthanum precursor - Effect of the oxygen source on the film growth and properties

La2O3 thin films were deposited by atomic layer deposition from a liquid heteroleptic La precursor, La(iPrCp)2(iPr-amd), with either water, ozone, ethanol, or both water and ozone (separated by a purge) as the oxygen source. The effect of the oxygen source on the film growth rate and properties such as crystallinity and impurities was studied. Saturation of the growth rate was achieved at 225 °C with O3 as the oxygen source. With water, very long purge times were used due to the hygroscopicity of La2O3 but saturation of the growth rate was not achieved. Interestingly, when an O3 pulse was added after the water pulse with a purge in between, the growth rate decreased and the growth saturated at 200 °C. With ethanol lanthanum hydroxide was formed instead of La2O3 at 200–275 °C whereas hexagonal La2O3 films were obtained at 300 °C but the growth was not saturative. Using the separate pulses of water and ozone in the same deposition provided the best results from the four studied deposition processes. After annealing the films deposited with the La(iPrCp)2(iPrAMD)/H2O/O3 process showed pure hexagonal phase in all the films regardless of the deposition temperature, whereas mixtures of cubic and hexagonal La2O3 were seen with the other processes.Peer reviewe

Severity and progression rate of periodontitis are associated with an increased risk of hypertension of patients attending the university clinic

Peer reviewe

Early Svecofennian rift-related magmatism: Geochemistry, U-Pb-Hf zircon isotope data and tectonic setting of the Au-hosting Uunimäki gabbro, SW Finland

We characterise the geochemistry, zircon Lu-Hf composition, age and the structure of the Uunimaki gabbro (UGB) in south-western Finland to improve the understanding of i) the early Svecofennian (1.92-1.89 Ga) crustal evolution of the central Fennoscandian Shield, ii) the potential role of rift-related magmatism for the build-up of the Paleoproterozoic accretionary orogens and iii) evaluate, which geological features provide the primary control over the localization of an orogenic gold mineralisation. The zircon U-Pb geochronology defines an age of 1891 +/- 5 Ma for the UGB, which is slightly older than most mafic intrusions in south-western Finland. The obtained chondritic initial zircon eHf values with E-MORB type geochemical affinity suggest a sub continental lithospheric mantle source for the UGB. The overall geochemistry indicates that the UGB magma as well as other E-MORB type rocks in the Pirkanmaa and Hame belts were formed in a rift-related environment in a fore-arc region at 1.89 Ga, predated by arc-type magmatism at similar to ~1.90 Ga and back-arc magmatism at similar to ~1.92 Ga in the Tampere belt. Slab retreat due to roll-back is suggested to cause the extension and related magmatism in the forearc region. Moreover, the timing and compositional and isotopic changes of early-orogenic magmatism are broadly compatible with intervals of extension and contraction, i.e., a tectonic switching model, and may provide a perspective to rapid build-up of Paleoproterozoic crust. Structural characterisation provides a framework where gold mineralisations are preferentially located within the high-strain north-eastern domain of the UGB, within fracture networks adjoining the high-strain zones. Our results indicate that neither the geochemical composition nor age of the intermediate-mafic intrusive host rocks play a major role in controlling the formation of gold mineralisation. By contrast, the localization of orogenic gold is controlled by localised structures (shear zones, fractures), and the variation in lithological composition of the intrusive host may contribute to the style of the mineralisation.</p

Serum lipopolysaccharide neutralizing capacity in ischemic stroke.

Introduction Periodontitis is associated with increased serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activity, which may be one mechanism linking periodontitis with the risk of cardiovascular diseases. As LPS-carrying proteins including lipoproteins modify LPS-activity, we investigated the determinants of serum LPS-neutralizing capacity (LPS-NC) in ischemic stroke. The association of LPS-NC and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, a major microbial biomarker in periodontitis, was also investigated. Materials and methods The assay to measure LPS-NC was set up by spiking serum samples with E. coli LPS. The LPS-NC, LPS-binding protein (LBP), soluble CD14 (sCD14), lipoprotein profiles, apo(lipoprotein) A-I, apoB, and phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) activity, were determined in 98 ischemic stroke patients and 100 age- and sex-matched controls. Serum and saliva immune response to A. actinomycetemcomitans, its concentration in saliva, and serotype-distribution were examined. Results LPS-NC values ranged between 51-83% in the whole population. Although several of the LPS-NC determinants differed significantly between cases and controls (PLTP, sCD14, apoA-I, HDL-cholesterol), the levels did not (p = 0.056). The main determinants of LPS-NC were i) triglycerides (beta = -0.68, p Conclusion Serum LPS-NC comprised low PLTP-activity, triglyceride and LDL cholesterol concentrations, as well as high HDL cholesterol and IgG against A. actinomycetemcomitans. The present findings let us to conclude that LPS-NC did not associate with stroke.Peer reviewe

LITHOSPHERE 2018: TENTH SYMPOSIUM ON STRUCTURE, COMPOSITION AND EVOLUTION OF THE LITHOSPHERE: PROGRAMME AND EXTENDED ABSTRACTS

The Uunimäki gabbro was studied by zircon U-Pb geochronology which yielded an age of ~1.89 Ga, making it one of the oldest plutonic rocks in the Häme Belt. Geochemical analysis of the gabbro reveals that it lacks several characteristics for typical subduction zone rocks: (i) it does not have a negative Ta-Nb anomaly compared to average NMORB-composition, (ii) it shows a rather unfractionated REE pattern, (iii) it lacks clear enrichment of fluid-mobile elements (e.g. Ba, Rb, Th, Pb). Structurally, the Uunimäki gabbro is located at the intersection of several regional features: (i) steep NE-plunging folds, (ii) a ENE-WSW-trending deformation zone immediately to the north and (iii) a large N-S-trending deformation zone to the west. The gabbro itself has been deformed under both brittle and ductile conditions by primarily NW-SE-trending faults and shears.</p

LITHOSPHERE 2018: TENTH SYMPOSIUM ON STRUCTURE, COMPOSITION AND EVOLUTION OF THE LITHOSPHERE: PROGRAMME AND EXTENDED ABSTRACTS

Field work was conducted in the Kullaa area in SW Finland to study the tectonic evolution and structural setting of the gold mineralisations in the area. Our structural data and interpretation recognises the structural complexity associated with the mineralised zone. We suggest that the NE-SW trending faults in association with the second-order structures related to the NW-SE trending Kynsikangas shear zone have controlled the precipitation of the gold-bearing fluids.</p

LITHOSPHERE 2018: TENTH SYMPOSIUM ON STRUCTURE, COMPOSITION AND EVOLUTION OF THE LITHOSPHERE: PROGRAMME AND EXTENDED ABSTRACTS

Shear zones of various ages and orientations are common in Southern Finland. In the study area, E-W and N-S trending shear zones are the dominant structural feature. Mylonitic foliations were identified from the most intensely sheared rocks. Ductile shearing has mainly been of dip-slip type. Structural mapping revealed several larger map-scale folds, which appear to be relatively continuous across the study area from SE to NW. In the central area, folding interfered with the shear zones causing a complex crustal structure such as associated with the Uunimäki mineralization. Aeromagnetic and lithological maps, field observations, stereographic projections and oriented thin sections were used to determine the structural features of the study area.</p

Lineaarisen pelin kenttien luominen proseduraalisella generoinnilla

Opinnäytetyössä tutkittiin, miten proseduraalista generointia voisi hyödyntää kenttien luomiseen lineaarisessa pelissä. Opinnäytetyössä selvitettiin, miksi proseduraalista generointia harvemmin käytetään lineaarisien pelien kenttien luontiin ja mitkä ovat sen vahvuudet ja heikkoudet. Lisäksi opinnäytetyössä tutkittiin, kuinka helppoa proseduraalinen generointi olisi ottaa käyttöön. Tämä selvitettiin tutkimalla erilaisia proseduraalisen generoinnin työkaluja ja algoritmeja. Algoritmeista valittiin yksi ja lopuksi tehtiin yksinkertainen prototyyppi Unity-pelimoottorissa hyödyntämällä valmiiksi tehtyä työkalua. Opinnäytetyössä analysoitiin useampia algoritmeja ja niiden toimintaa. Lisäksi tutkittiin algoritmien yleisimpiä käyttötarkoituksia. Algoritmien käyttötarkoituksien ja käyttöönoton helppouden vertailun perusteella valittiin opinnäytetyössä käytettävä algoritmi WaveFunctionCollapse. Opinnäytetyössä käsiteltiin WaveFunctionCollapse- algoritmia hyödyntävän työkalun toimintaa ja tärkeimpiä siihen liittyviä skriptejä. Opinnäytetyössä selvitettiin, miksi proseduraalisen generoinnin työkalujen käyttö voi olla haastavaa. Opinnäytetyössä huomattiin, kuinka tasojen luomiseen käytettävät 3D-mallit tulee suunnitella proseduraalisen generoinnin työkaluja varten. Opinnäytetyön prototyypin tuloksena oli, että kenttien luonti proseduraalisella generoinnilla vaatii laajaa ymmärrystä työkalujen toiminnasta, varsinkin, jos työkaluja haluaa muokata. Opinnäytetyössä huomattiin, kuinka eri algoritmit erikoistuvat erilaisten kenttien luomiseen. Opinnäytetyössä pohdittiin, kuinka algoritmien toimintaa voisi kehittää erityisesti lineaarisien pelien kenttien luomiseen.The objective of this thesis was to gather information on how procedural generation can be used to create game levels. The aim was to find out why procedural generation is rarely used in linear games and discover the strengths and weaknesses of procedural generation in level creation. The thesis studied focuses on how easy it is to start using procedural generation in a game project. In this thesis, multiple procedural generation tools and algorithms were compared with each other based on their most common use cases and the ease of starting out. In the thesis, algorithm called WaveFunctionCollapse was chosen for a prototype that was created using Unity game engine. The thesis work used 3D-models for procedural generation. It was crucial for good results that the 3D-models were either specifically designed to be used with procedural generation or at the very least designed to fit in a uniform grid. The result of this thesis is that using procedural generation to create levels requires good knowledge of level design as it uses pre-made rules to create levels and needs clear rules to succeed