Henkilökunnan perehdytyskansio Vuokatti Safaris Oy:lle

Opinnäytetyönä tehtiin perehdytyskansio Vuokatti Safaris Oy:n huskyaktiviteeteille. Yrityksellä ei ollut ajantasaista perehdytysmateriaalia, vaan perehdytys suoritettiin pääosin mentoroimalla. Perehdytyskansio on tarkoitettu sekä uusille työntekijöille että yrityksessä jo kauemmin työskennelleille henkilöille. Perehdytyskansion on tarkoitus antaa uudelle työntekijälle käsitys yrityksestä ja sen erilaisista työtehtävistä ennen työn aloittamista ja olla tukena perehdyttämisen aikana. Kokeneempi työntekijä voi tarkistaa unohtuneita asioita kansiosta. Opinnäytetyö on toiminnallinen opinnäytetyö, mutta siinä on käytetty laadullisen tutkimuksen menetelmiä (haastatteluja) sisällön tuottamiseksi ja tarkentamiseksi. Prosessi eteni suunnitelman mukaisesti: ensin tehtiin toimeksiantajan sisältötoiveiden mukainen perehdytyskansio samalla laatien sopivaa rakennetta teorialle. Suomenkielisen perehdytyskansion valmistuessa aloitettiin teoriaosuuden kokoamisen rinnalle myös käännöstyö - toimeksiantaja toivoi perehdytyskansion myös englanninkielisenä, koska kyseessä on monikulttuurinen työyhteisö. Tuotoksena oli perehdytyskansio, joka käännettiin myös englannin kielelle. Perehdytyskansiossa kerrotaan perustiedot yrityksestä sekä selitetään hyvin tarkasti, kuinka yrityksen erilaiset työtehtävät hoidetaan. Perehdytyskansiossa on selitetty rekikoiraurheiluun liittyvää sanastoa, jota tarvitaan yrityksessä työskentelyyn. Kansion ulkoasussa on käytetty yrityksen käyttämää logoa ja värimaailmaa. Kansio on yli 60 sivuinen ja sisältää havainnollistavia kuvia. Perehdytyskansiosta tuli onnistunut, ja toimeksiantaja oli siihen erittäin tyytyväinen. Varsinkin englanninkielinen versio koettiin tarpeelliseksi. Perehdytyskansion käyttökokemuksesta ei valitettavasti ehditty saada palautetta opinnäytetyöprosessin aikana, mutta yrityksen on tarkoitus ottaa perehdytyskansio mahdollisimman pian käyttöön.This thesis consists of an orientation folder for the staff of Vuokatti Safaris concerning their husky activities. The company does not have any up-to-date orientation material and orientation is mainly conducted with a mentor. The orientation folder is meant for both new employees/trainees and older employees. The purpose of the orientation folder is to provide an overall impression of the company and its work before trainees/employees start working and to also support them during the orientation period. More experienced employees can use the folder to check items they may have forgotten. This is a functional thesis but qualitative research methods (interview) have been used to create and specify content. The thesis process proceeded as planned: first, the Finnish version of the orientation folder was made according to the client’s wishes, and at the same time, the theoretical framework and the report were formulated. When the Finnish version of the folder was complete, it was translated into English as the report and theory were compiled. The client had hoped that the folder would also be in English because the staff of the company is multicultural. The final output was the orientation folder which was translated into English. It contains basic information about the company and detailed instructions concerning specific duties. It also explains some work related mushing and sleddog vocabulary. The company logo and color scheme were used in the folder. The orientation folder is over 60 pages long and has descriptive pictures. The orientation folder was deemed excellent and the client was very pleased with it. In particular, there was an acute need for the English version of the folder. Unfortunately, there was no time to collect feedback from the users during the thesis process but the company intends to start using the folder as soon as possible.Salassa pidettävä perehdytyskansi

Associations of physical activity, fitness, and body composition with heart rate variability-based indicators of stress and recovery on workdays : a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate how physical activity (PA), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and body composition are associated with heart rate variability (HRV)-based indicators of stress and recovery on workdays. Additionally, we evaluated the association of objectively measured stress with self-reported burnout symptoms. METHODS: Participants of this cross-sectional study were 81 healthy males (age range 26-40 y). Stress and recovery on workdays were measured objectively based on HRV recordings. CRF and anthropometry were assessed in laboratory conditions. The level of PA was based on a detailed PA interview (MET index [MET-h/d]) and self-reported activity class. RESULTS: PA, CRF, and body composition were significantly associated with levels of stress and recovery on workdays. MET index (P < 0.001), activity class (P = 0.001), and CRF (P = 0.019) were negatively associated with stress during working hours whereas body fat percentage (P = 0.005) was positively associated. Overall, 27.5% of the variance of total stress on workdays (P = 0.001) was accounted for by PA, CRF, and body composition. Body fat percentage and body mass index were negatively associated with night-time recovery whereas CRF was positively associated. Objective work stress was associated (P = 0.003) with subjective burnout symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: PA, CRF, and body composition are associated with HRV-based stress and recovery levels, which needs to be taken into account in the measurement, prevention, and treatment of work-related stress. The HRV-based method used to determine work-related stress and recovery was associated with self-reported burnout symptoms, but more research on the clinical importance of the methodology is needed.Peer reviewe

Proteomics of Deep Cervical Lymph Nodes after Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) damages the glymphatic-lymphatic system. We hypothesized that brain injury associated with trauma results in the enrichment of brain-relevant proteins in deep cervical lymph nodes (DCLNs), the end station of meningeal lymphatic vessels, and that some of these proteins will present mechanistic tissue biomarkers for TBI. Proteomes of rat DCLNs were investigated in the left DCLN (ipsilateral to injury) and right DCLN at 6.5 months after severe TBI induced by lateral fluid percussion injury or after sham operation. DCLN proteomes were identified using sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra. Group comparisons, together with functional protein annotation analyses, were used to identify regulated protein candidates for further validation and pathway analyses. Validation of a selected candidate was assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Analysis comparing post-TBI animals with sham-operated controls revealed 25 upregulated and 16 downregulated proteins in the ipsilateral DCLN and 20 upregulated and 28 downregulated proteins in the contralateral DCLN of post-TBI animals. Protein class and function analyses highlighted the dysregulation of enzymes and binding proteins. Pathway analysis indicated an increase in autophagy. Biomarker analysis suggested that a subgroup of post-TBI animals had an increase in zonula occludens-1 coexpressed with proteins linked to molecular transport and amyloid precursor protein. We propose here that, after TBI, a subgroup of animals exhibit dysregulation of the TBI-relevant protein interactome in DCLNs, and that DCLNs might thus serve as an interesting biomarker source in future studies aiming to elucidate pathological brain functioning.Peer reviewe

Nitric oxide synthetic pathway and cGMP levels are altered in red blood cells from end-stage renal disease patients

Red blood cells (RBCs) enzymatically produce nitric oxide (NO) by a functional RBC-nitric oxide synthase (RBC-NOS). NO is a vascular key regulatory molecule. In RBCs its generation is complex and influenced by several factors, including insulin, acetylcholine, and calcium. NO availability is reduced in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and associated with endothelial dysfunction. We previously demonstrated that, through increased phosphatidylserine membrane exposure, ESRD-RBCs augmented their adhesion to human cultured endothelium, in which NO bioavailability decreased. Since RBC-NOS-dependent NO production in ESRD is unknown, this study aimed to investigate RBC-NOS levels/activation, NO production/bioavailability in RBCs from healthy control subjects (C, N = 18) and ESRD patients (N = 27). Although RBC-NOS expression was lower in ESRD-RBCs, NO, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), RBC-NOS Serine1177 phosphorylation level and eNOS/Calmodulin (CaM)/Heat Shock Protein-90 (HSP90) interaction levels were higher in ESRD-RBCs, indicating increased enzyme activation. Conversely, following RBCs stimulation with insulin or ionomycin, NO and cGMP levels were significantly lower in ESRD- than in C-RBCs, suggesting that uremia might reduce the RBC-NOS response to further stimuli. Additionally, the activity of multidrug-resistance-associated protein-4 (MRP4; cGMP-membrane transporter) was significantly lower in ESRD-RBCs, suggesting a possible compromised efflux of cGMP across the ESRD-RBCs membrane. This study for the first time showed highest basal RBC-NOS activation in ESRD-RBCs, possibly to reduce the negative impact of decreased NOS expression. It is further conceivable that high NO production only partially affects cell function of ESRD-RBCs maybe because in vivo they are unable to respond to physiologic stimuli, such as calcium and/or insulin

PÄIVÄKODIN PEDAGOGINEN MUSIIKKIKANSIO

Leskinen, Sara. Päiväkodin pedagoginen musiikkikansio. Helsinki, syksy 2015, 70s., 2 liitettä. Diakonia-ammattikorkeakoulu, Sosiaalialan koulutusohjelma, sosionomi (AMK) + lastentarhanopettajan virkakelpoisuus. Opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli koota musiikkikansio erään helsinkiläisen yksityisen päiväkodin varhaiskasvattajille. Opinnäytetyö oli kehittämispainotteinen produkti. Tarkoituksena oli kehittää päiväkodin varhaiskasvattajille työväline, jota käyttämällä päiväkodin lapset saavat laadukasta varhaisiän musiikkikasvatusta. Varhaiskasvatusikäisten lasten musiikkikasvatus on tärkeää, sillä se edistää lasten tasapainoista kasvua. Musiikkikasvatus tuo lapselle kokemuksia ja kehittää lapsen musiikillisia valmiuksia. Hyvin toteutettu musiikkikasvatus voi tuoda lapselle iloa ja turvallisuuden tunteita, minkä lisäksi luovuus ja itseilmaisu kehittyvät musiikkikasvatuksen avulla. Varhaisiän musiikkikasvatuksen toimintatapoja ovat loruttelu, laulaminen, liikkuminen, soittaminen, kuuntelu, maalaaminen ja draama. Musiikkikansioon koottiin aluksi teoriaa 1–5-vuotiaiden lasten musiikkikasvatuksesta sekä ideoita päiväkodin musiikkihetkille. Päiväkodin varhaiskasvattajat saivat musiikkikansion ensimmäisen version käyttöönsä kahden viikon kokeilujaksolle, jonka jälkeen heiltä kerättiin musiikkikansiosta palaute. Musiikkikansio muokattiin lopulliseen muotoonsa hyödyntäen saatua palautetta. Varhaiskasvattajien antama palaute musiikkikansiosta oli pääosin positiivista. Musiikkikansiota pidettiin selkeänä kokonaisuutena, se koettiin tarpeelliseksi, ja varhaiskasvattajat saivat uusia ideoita musiikkikasvatukseen. Musiikkikansio jää päiväkotiin sähköisenä ja paperiversiona, jotta sitä voidaan muokata ja kehittää tulevaisuudessa. Asiasanat: varhaiskasvatus, musiikkikasvatus, päiväkodit, opetusaineistoLeskinen, Sara. Kindergarten’s pedagogical music material file. 70p., 2 appendices. Language: Finnish. Helsinki, Autumn 2015. Diaconia University of Applied Sciences. Degree Programme in Social Services, Option in Social Services and Education. Degree: Bachelor of Social Services. The aim of this product oriented thesis was to compile a music file for kindergarten’s early childhood educators. The thesis was produced in co-operation with a private kindergarten in Helsinki. The purpose of the music file was to develop the quality of early childhood music education in the kindergarten. Music education is important to children that are under the school age due to the fact that it enhances overall balanced growth. Music education brings joy and experience to children and it also makes them feel safe. Music education improves creativity and musical skills. Procedures of music education are singing, short rhymes, exercising, playing instruments, listening, painting and drama. In the early stages of the process the material for theory and music of early childhood music education were compiled into the music file. Kindergarten’s early childhood educators utilized the first version of the file for two weeks after which feedback was given. Based on the feedback the music file was edited to its final form. The feedback of the music file was mainly positive. The educators found the music file clear and useful. They gained new ideas to music education. The kindergarten now holds the music file in their possession as an electrical and a paper version which allows them to enhance the file and to utilize the outcome of this thesis as they wish in the future. The music file was a platform for the kindergarten’s music education material

Data from: Heterospecific female mimicry in Ficedula flycatchers

Mimicry is a widespread phenomenon. Vertebrate visual mimicry often operates in an intraspecific sexual context, with some males resembling conspecific females. Pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) dorsal plumage varies from the ancestral black to female-like brown. Experimental studies have shown that conspecific and heterospecific (collared flycatcher, F. albicollis) individuals of both sexes respond, at least initially, to brown individuals as if they were female. We quantified the perceptual and biochemical differences between brown feathers and found that brown pied flycatcher males are indistinguishable from heterospecific, but not from conspecific, females in both aspects. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of a visual mimetic signalling system in a sexual context where the model is heterospecific to the mimic. By only mimicking heterospecific females, brown pied flycatcher males can establish territories next to the more dominant collared flycatcher in sympatry, suffer less aggression by darker conspecifics in allopatry and preserve within-species sexual recognition throughout the breeding range. A closer look at the evolutionary history and ecology of these two species illustrates how such a mimetic system can evolve. Although likely rare, this phenomenon might not be unique to Ficedula flycatchers

EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON CARDIAC STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: A TWIN STUDY

Previous studies have shown that athletic training or other physical activity causes structural and functional adaptations in the heart, but less is known how long-term physical activity affects heart when genetic liability and childhood environment are taken into account. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term physical activity vs. inactivity on cardiac structure and function in twin pairs discordant for physical activity for 32 years. Twelve same-sex twin pairs (five monozygotic and seven dizygotic, 50-67 years) were studied as a part of the TWINACTIVE study. Discordance in physical activity was initially determined in 1975 and it remained significant throughout the follow-up. At the end of the follow-up in 2007, resting echocardiographic and electrocardiographic measurements were performed. During the follow-up period, the active co-twins were on average 8.2 (SD 4.0) MET hours/day more active than their inactive co-twins (p < 0.001). At the end of the follow-up, resting heart rate was lower in the active than inactive co-twins [59 (SD 5) vs. 68 (SD 10) bpm, p=0.03]. The heart rate-corrected QT interval was similar between the co-twins. Also, there was a tendency for left ventricular mass per body weight to be greater and T wave amplitude in lead II to be higher in the active co-twins (18% and 15%, respectively, p=0.08 for both). Similar trends were found for both monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs. In conclusion, the main adaptation to long- term physical activity is lowered resting heart rate, even after partially or fully controlling for genetic liability and childhood environmen