Artification in Natural History Museums

Natural history exhibitions have changed considerably over recent decades concurring with a rise of a general movement of aestheticization in the Western culture. This usually results from an attempt to make the exhibitions more appealing to provide the public numerous ways of enjoying themselves, but they are also used to communicate information, especially of an ethical and affective kind. In this paper I will consider the effects of a particular kind of aestheticization, namely artification, of these kinds of exhibitions. Artification, i.e, the process of regarding non-art objects as art, appears to be in conflict with the science-based purposes of these exhibitions. Is this truly so? Does science and the viewer\u27s understanding of scientific knowledge change when science is presented and exerienced as art or as art-like or as something aesthetic? I will approach this question phenomenologically by pondering my own experience in the Natural Bistory Museum in Helsinki and the relation of aesthetics, science and art on that basis. Instead of trying to define how art-like the exhibit in question as a whole is, I will concentrate on certain characters the exhibit has that are perhaps more readily associated with the artisitc: uniqueness and presence, and how through these concepts we may gain a look into the interrelation between art and science

Backward in Coming Forward.

As far back as the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, physicians have observed and interpreted the arterial pulse to help diagnose certain illnesses. However, until William Harvey’s discoveries in the 17th century, some of the basic concepts were misunderstood. Harvey described the circular blood flow in the body and discovered that the arterial pulse is generated by the contraction of the left ventricle. He also came up with the concept that the arterial pulse is a wave, thus paving the way for modern studies in pulse wave analysis. Another pivotal discovery was the introduction of pulse wave velocity (PWV) by Crighton Bramwell in the early 20th century. He recognised that PWV changes in proportion to the arterial wall tension and blood pressure, and thus, is an indirect measure of atrial wall elasticity1. Despite these important historic discoveries, it has only been in the last 20 years, with advances in modern engineering, that the pulse wave analysis has become more widely available, reliable, and reproducible technique to assess arterial pulse waves.Professor Wilkinson is funded by British Heart Foundation (Grant number: FS/12/8/29377)

Muutos viestinnän haasteena. Henkilöstön viestintätyytyväisyys aluehallinnon uudistuksessa

Työyhteisössä syntyviin viestintäkokemuksiin vaikuttavat monet organisaation toimintaan ja yksilön ammatti- ja viestintäosaamiseen sekä asenteisiin liittyvät tekijät. Hyviä viestinnän käytänteitä noudattamalla muutoksessa ja organisaation arkiviestinnässä saavutetaan hyvä viestintäilmasto työyhteisössä. Vaikka muutostilanteessa tiedon tarpeet lisääntyvät, hyvässä viestintäilmastossa viestintätyytyväisyys voidaan säilyttää. Muutoksessa viestintätyytyväisyyttä säilytetään aloittamalla muutosviestintä mahdollisimman aikaisin ja viestimällä säännöllisesti muutoksen etenemisestä. Lisäksi muutoksen tarve on perusteltava työyhteisölle. Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan Vaasan, Seinäjoen ja Oulun aluehallinnon henkilöstön viestintäkokemuksia aluehallinnon uudistushankkeesta. ALKU-hankkeen tuloksena valtion aluehallinto jaettiin kahteen uuteen viranomaiseen, Avi- ja Ely-virastoihin 1.1.2010 alkaen. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on selvittää, miten aluehallinnon henkilöstö koki muutosviestinnän onnistuneen. Tutkimusta varten toteutettiin strukturoitu kysely, jossa henkilöstö arvioi viestintäkokemuksiaan. Vastauksia analysoitiin määrällisen tutkimuksen periaatteiden mukaisesti. Tutkimuksessa selvisi, että Vaasassa koettiin tiedon muutoksesta tulleen liian myöhään ja muutosviestinnän olleen riittämätöntä sekä määrältään, että sisällöltään. Viestintävajetta oli koettu myös Seinäjoella ja Oulussa, mutta vähemmän kuin Vaasassa. Syiksi erilaisten viestintäkokemusten syntyyn osoittautuivat kaksikielisyyden erilainen asema vertailukaupungeissa, erot työntekijöiden muutosvalmiudessa sekä muutoksessa koettujen negatiivisten tunteiden esiintymisen määrä ja kesto. Muutosviestinnässä oli onnistuttu aikataulun suhteen niin, että viestinnän koettiin olleen säännöllistä. Parannettavaa löytyi erityisesti lähiesimiehen ja organisaation johdon viestinnästä sekä muutoksen vaikutuksista omiin työtehtäviin kertovasta viestinnästä. Yleisesti tutkimustulokset vahvistavat, että henkilöstön osallistaminen ja ajoissa aloitettu muutosviestintä lisäävät viestintätyytyväisyyttä muutoksessa.fi=Opinnäytetyö kokotekstinä PDF-muodossa.|en=Thesis fulltext in PDF format.|sv=Lärdomsprov tillgängligt som fulltext i PDF-format

Active lifestyle as a reflection of cognitive reserve : The Modified Cognitive Reserve Scale

Cognitive reserve (CR) refers to individual differences in cognitive processing that can protect from and compensate for functional decline related to ageing or brain pathology. The CR theory postulates that attaining an active and cognitively stimulating lifestyle can accumulate CR. The Cognitive Reserve Scale (CRS) is a questionnaire that measures lifelong attainment in leisure activities. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the usefulness, validity and reliability of a modified Finnish translation of the CRS, the Modified Cognitive Reserve Scale (mCRS). The mCRS consists of 20 questions concerning studying and information seeking, hobbies and social relationships during three age phases: young adulthood (18-35 years), adulthood (36-64 years) and late adulthood (>= 65 years). A group of 69 neurologically healthy adults aged 26-78 filled the mCRS and completed a neuropsychological test battery. We examined the internal consistency of the mCRS and associations between the mCRS, demographical variables and cognitive performance. The mCRS was normally distributed and showed satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.81). It was significantly associated with occupation (ԑ(2) = 0.14) and education (rho = 0.51) but not with age or gender. There were significant associations between the mCRS and verbal reasoning (rho = .306), visual reasoning (r = .319), learning (r = .293) and inhibition (rho = -.368). Our study suggests that the mCRS is a reliable and valid method to assess lifelong leisure activity. The mCRS is related to other factors that enhance CR, occupation and education, and associated with cognitive performance of healthy adults. It provides an easily administrable means to assess lifelong attainment in stimulating leisure activities.Peer reviewe

Perceived Injustice After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Objective: To examine perceived injustice and its associations with self-reported symptoms and return to work at 3months after injury in a prospectively recruited sample of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Design: Observational study. Setting: TBI outpatient unit. Participants: Adult patients aged 18 to 68 years with mTBI (n = 100) or orthopedic injury ([OI]; n = 34). Main Measures: The Injustice Experience Questionnaire (IEQ) and its associations with the Rivermead Post Concussion Questionnaire (RPQ), Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II), PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C), and Pain Visual Analog Scale (PVAS). Information on injury-related characteristics, compensation seeking and litigation, and return-to-work status was also collected. Results: Median IEQ total score was 3 (range, 0-23) in the mTBI group and 2.5 (range, 0-25) in the OI group. In the mTBI group, IEQ was significantly correlated with RPQ (rs = 0.638, PPeer reviewe

Lasten ja nuorten ylipaino ja lihavuus 2019 : Joka neljäs poika ja lähes joka viides tyttö oli ylipainoinen tai lihava

Lasten ja nuorten ylipaino ja lihavuus 2019 tilastoraportti sisältää uusimmat, vertailukelpoiset ja luotettavat tiedot lasten ja nuorten ylipainon ja lihavuuden yleisyydestä

Return to work after mild traumatic brain injury : association with positive CT and MRI findings

Background Return to work (RTW) might be delayed in patients with complicated mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), i.e., MTBI patients with associated traumatic intracranial lesions. However, the effect of different types of lesions on RTW has not studied before. We investigated whether traumatic intracranial lesions detected by CT and MRI are associated with return to work and post-concussion symptoms in patients with MTBI. Methods We prospectively followed up 113 adult patients with MTBI that underwent a brain MRI within 3-17 days after injury. Return to work was assessed with one-day accuracy up to one year after injury. Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ) and Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOS-E) were conducted one month after injury. A Kaplan-Meier log-rank analysis was performed to analyze the differences in RTW. Results Full RTW-% one year after injury was 98%. There were 38 patients with complicated MTBI, who had delayed median RTW compared to uncomplicated MTBI group (17 vs. 6 days), and more post-concussion symptoms (median RPQ 12.0 vs. 6.5). Further, RTW was more delayed in patients with multiple types of traumatic intracranial lesions visible in MRI (31 days, n = 19) and when lesions were detected in the primary CT (31 days, n = 24). There were no significant differences in GOS-E. Conclusions The imaging results that were most clearly associated with delayed RTW were positive primary CT and multiple types of lesions in MRI. RTW-% of patients with MTBI was excellent and a single intracranial lesion does not seem to be a predictive factor of disability to work.Peer reviewe

Traumatic Microbleeds in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Are Not Associated with Delayed Return to Work or Persisting Post-Concussion Symptoms

The main objective of this prospective cohort study was to evaluate whether traumatic microbleeds (TMBs) are a significant prognostic factor of return to work (RTW), post-traumatic symptoms, and overall recovery in patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). One hundred and thirteen patients with mTBI were recruited from the Helsinki University Hospital emergency units. All patients underwent multi-contrast 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 3-17 days after mTBI. Patients were evaluated in the Traumatic Brain Injury Outpatient Clinic of Helsinki University Hospital 1 month after injury. Post-concussion symptoms were assessed with the Post-Concussion Symptom Questionnaire (RPQ) and overall recovery was assessed with the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOS-E). Their time to RTW was continuously measured up to 1 year after TBI. Median RTW was 9 days (interquartile range [IQR] 4-30) after mTBI and full RTW rate after 1 year was 98%. Patients with TMBs (n = 22) did not have more post-concussion symptoms (median RPQ 10.0 vs. 7.0, p = 0.217) or worse overall recovery (58% vs. 56% with GOS-E = 8, p = 0.853) than patients without TMBs (n = 91). There was no significant difference in time to RTW (13.5 vs. 7.0 days, p = 0.063). In this study, patients with TMBs did not have delayed RTW or more post-concussion symptoms than other patients with mTBI. TMBs in mTBI do not seem to be a significant prognostic factor of RTW.Peer reviewe

Effects of oral lycopene supplementation on vascular function in patients with cardiovascular disease and healthy volunteers: a randomised controlled trial.

AIMS: The mechanisms by which a 'Mediterranean diet' reduces cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden remain poorly understood. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found in such diets with evidence suggesting beneficial effects. We wished to investigate the effects of lycopene on the vasculature in CVD patients and separately, in healthy volunteers (HV). METHODS AND RESULTS: We randomised 36 statin treated CVD patients and 36 healthy volunteers in a 2∶1 treatment allocation ratio to either 7 mg lycopene or placebo daily for 2 months in a double-blind trial. Forearm responses to intra-arterial infusions of acetylcholine (endothelium-dependent vasodilatation; EDV), sodium nitroprusside (endothelium-independent vasodilatation; EIDV), and NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (basal nitric oxide (NO) synthase activity) were measured using venous plethysmography. A range of vascular and biochemical secondary endpoints were also explored. EDV in CVD patients post-lycopene improved by 53% (95% CI: +9% to +93%, P = 0.03 vs. placebo) without changes to EIDV, or basal NO responses. HVs did not show changes in EDV after lycopene treatment. Blood pressure, arterial stiffness, lipids and hsCRP levels were unchanged for lycopene vs. placebo treatment groups in the CVD arm as well as the HV arm. At baseline, CVD patients had impaired EDV compared with HV (30% lower; 95% CI: -45% to -10%, P = 0.008), despite lower LDL cholesterol (1.2 mmol/L lower, 95% CI: -1.6 to -0.9 mmol/L, P<0.001). Post-therapy EDV responses for lycopene-treated CVD patients were similar to HVs at baseline (2% lower, 95% CI: -30% to +30%, P = 0.85), also suggesting lycopene improved endothelial function. CONCLUSIONS: Lycopene supplementation improves endothelial function in CVD patients on optimal secondary prevention, but not in HVs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01100385

Post-traumatic headache after mild traumatic brain injury in a one-year follow up study - risk factors and return to work

Background Post-traumatic headache (PTH) is a common symptom following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Patients at risk to develop acute PTH (aPTH) and further persistent PTH (pPTH) need to be recognized. Methods This is a one-year follow-up of 127 patients with mTBI, aged 18 to 68, referred to outpatient clinic in the Helsinki University Hospital. Symptoms were assessed at the emergency department (ED), with structured interview at outpatient clinic visit and with Rivermead post-concussion symptom questionnaire at one, three, and 12 months after injury. Psychiatric disorders were assessed with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders at 3-4 months and return to work (RTW) from patient records. Results At one month, 77/127 patients (61%) had aPTH. According to multiple logistic regression analysis, risk factors for aPTH were headache at the emergency department (ED) (OR 5.43), other pain (OR 3.19), insomnia (OR 3.23), and vertigo (OR 5.98). At three months, 17 patients (22% of aPTH patients) had developed pPTH, and at one year, 4 patients (24% of pPTH patients) still presented with pPTH. Risk factors for pPTH at three months were older age (OR 1.06) and current insomnia (OR 12.3). The frequency of psychiatric disorders did not differ between the groups. pPTH patients performed worse on their RTW. Conclusions Risk factors for aPTH were insomnia, headache at ED, other pain, and vertigo and for pPTH, insomnia and older age. RTW rate was lower among pPTH patients.Peer reviewe