Comparison of NIRS based methods to determine legume content of mixed swards

Four established and two new NIRS calibrations for the determination of legume content in dry ground mixtures were used to estimate clover content in ten Finnish red clover-grass mixtures of known legume content

Low energy electron beam induced vacancy activation in GaN

Experimental evidence on low energy electron beam induced point defect activation in GaN grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy(MOVPE) is presented. The GaN samples are irradiated with a 5–20 keV electron beam of a scanning electron microscope and investigated by photoluminescence and positron annihilation spectroscopy measurements. The degradation of the band-to-band luminescence of the irradiatedGaN films is associated with the activation of point defects. The activated defects were identified as in-grown Ga-vacancies. We propose that MOVPE-GaN contains a significant concentration of passive VGa-H n complexes that can be activated by H removal during low energy electron irradiation.Peer reviewe

Digitaalisen pelitarinan teemat ja kirjallisuusterapeuttiset elementit Kingdom Hearts -pelisarjassa

Tiivistelmä. Tämän pro gradu -tutkielman tavoitteena oli tarkastella digitaalisesta viihdepelistä ilmeneviä teemoja sekä kirjallisuusterapeuttisia tekijöitä. Tarkoituksena oli selvittää sisällönanalyysin ja CHARP-menetelmän avulla, millaisia ihmiselämään liittyviä teemoja ja kirjallisuusterapeuttisia asioita Kingdom Hearts -pelisarjassa ilmenee. Interaktiiviset digitaaliset viihdepelit ovat nyky-yhteiskunnassa keskeinen osa ihmiselämää pelitarinoina ja siksi digitaaliset pelit valittiin tämän pro gradu -tutkielman tutkimusaineistoksi. Tutkimuksen taustalla on ajatus interaktiivisten tarinoiden herättämistä teemoista sekä terapeuttisista mahdollisuuksista. Tutkimuksen aineisto kerättiin litteroimalla YouTubesta löytyviä Kingdom Hearts Timeline-videoita. Koottu aineisto analysoitiin aluksi sisällönanalyysilla ja myöhemmin soveltamalla Venian (2013) CHARP-menetelmää. CHARP-menetelmässä tarkastellaan kirjoista löytyviä kirjallisuusterapeuttisia piirteitä, kuten selviytymisstrategiaa, ongelmallista tilannetta, samaistuttavaa hahmoa ja keskustelua herättävää asiaa. Teoreettisena viitekehyksenä eli lähdeteoksina käytettiin aikaisempaa kirjallisuutta, muun muassa digitaalisia pelejä ja kirjallisuusterapiaa koskevia teoksia. Tutkimuksen keskeisenä tavoitteena oli päästä syvemmälle Kingdom Hearts-pelisarjan sisältä löytyviin terapeuttisiin elementteihin. Tulokset osoittivat, että Kingdom Hearts-sarjan viihdepeleistä löytyi ihmiselämään liittyviä teemoja sekä kirjallisuusterapeuttisia elementtejä. Sisällönanalyysilla löydetyt keskeiset teemat olivat sydän, pimeys, usko, ystävyys ja valo. Nämä löydetyt teemat kuvaavat ihmisen sisäisiä kokemuksia. Teemojen lainauksia tarkasteltiin kirjallisuusterapian näkökulmasta CHARP-menetelmän avulla, kuten esimerkiksi samaistuttavia hahmoja sekä tunteita kuvaavia teemoja tarkastelemalla. Kirjallisuusterapeuttisia elementtejä olivat muun muassa selviytymisstrategia, ongelmallinen tilanne ja muut CHARP-menetelmän piirteet. Tutkimustuloksien luotettavuutta pyrittiin parantamaan muun muassa tutkimuksen tarkalla kuvailulla ja empiirisen aineiston analysoinnilla tutkimusmenetelmiä soveltamalla. Digitaalisista viihdepeleistä löytyi kirjallisuusterapeuttisia elementtejä, mikä tukee osittain aikaisemman tutkimuksen tuloksia. Aikaisempi tutkimus on kuitenkin keskittynyt kirjallisuuteen, kun taas tässä tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan digitaalista pelisarjaa. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli tuoda esille esimerkinomaisesti, että digitaaliset viihdepelit voivat sisältää teemoja sekä mahdollisia kirjallisuusterapeuttisia elementtejä. Digitaaliset viihdepelit ansaitsivat tulla tutkituksi laajemminkin terapeuttisina välineinä, esimerkiksi pelaajille tehtyinä haastatteluina

Monogenic gene variants in lung transplant recipients with usual interstitial pneumonia

Aim The prevalence of monogenic disease-causing gene variants in lung transplant recipients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is not fully known. Their impact on clinical outcomes before and after transplantation requires more evidence. Patients and methods We retrospectively performed sequence analysis of genes associated with pulmonary fibrosis in a cohort of 23 patients with histologically confirmed usual interstitial pneumonia that had previously undergone double lung transplantation. We evaluated the impact of confirmed molecular diagnoses on disease progression, clinical outcomes and incidence of acute rejection or chronic lung allograft dysfunction after transplantation. Results 15 patients out of 23 (65%) had a variant in a gene associated with interstitial lung disease. 11 patients (48%) received a molecular diagnosis, of which nine involved genes for telomerase function. Five diagnostic variants were found in the gene for Telomerase reverse transcriptase. Two of these variants, p.(Asp684Gly) and p.(Arg774*), seemed to be enriched in Finnish lung transplant recipients. Disease progression and the incidence of acute rejection and chronic lung allograft dysfunction was similar between patients with telomere-related disease and the rest of the study population. The incidence of renal or bone marrow insufficiency or skin malignancies did not differ between the groups. Conclusion Genetic variants are common in lung transplant recipients with pulmonary fibrosis and are most often related to telomerase function. A molecular diagnosis for telomeropathy does not seem to impact disease progression or the risk of complications or allograft dysfunction after transplantation.Peer reviewe

Enhanced light extraction from InGaN/GaN quantum wells with silver gratings

We demonstrate that an extraction enhancement by a factor of 2.8 can be obtained for a GaN quantum well structure using metallic nanostructures, compared to a flat semiconductor. The InGaN/GaN quantum well is inserted into a dielectric waveguide, naturally formed in the structure, and a silver grating is deposited on the surface and covered with a polymer film. The polymer layer greatly improves the extraction compared to a single metallic grating. The comparison of the experiments with simulations gives strong indications on the key role of weakly guided modes in the polymer layer diffracted by the grating.Peer reviewe

Transient DUX4 expression in human embryonic stem cells induces blastomere-like expression program that is marked by SLC34A2

Embryonic genome activation (EGA) is critical for embryonic development. However, our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of human EGA is still incomplete. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are an established model for studying developmental processes, but they resemble epiblast and are sub-optimal for modeling EGA. DUX4 regulates human EGA by inducing cleavage-stage-specific genes, while it also induces cell death. We report here that a short-pulsed expression of DUX4 in primed hESCs activates an EGA-like gene expression program in up to 17% of the cells, retaining cell viability. These DUX4-induced cells resembled eight-cell stage blastomeres and were named induced blastomere-like (iBM) cells. The iBM cells showed marked reduction of POU5F1 protein, as previously observed in mouse two-cell-like cells. Finally, the iBM cells were successfully enriched using an antibody against NaPi2b (SLC34A2), which is expressed in human blastomeres. The iBM cells provide an improved model system to study human EGA transcriptome.Peer reviewe

Online Guide for Electronic Health Evaluation Approaches: Systematic Scoping Review and Concept Mapping Study

BACKGROUND: Despite the increase in use and high expectations of digital health solutions, scientific evidence about the effectiveness of electronic health (eHealth) and other aspects such as usability and accuracy is lagging behind. eHealth solutions are complex interventions, which require a wide array of evaluation approaches that are capable of answering the many different questions that arise during the consecutive study phases of eHealth development and implementation. However, evaluators seem to struggle in choosing suitable evaluation approaches in relation to a specific study phase. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this project was to provide a structured overview of the existing eHealth evaluation approaches, with the aim of assisting eHealth evaluators in selecting a suitable approach for evaluating their eHealth solution at a specific evaluation study phase. METHODS: Three consecutive steps were followed. Step 1 was a systematic scoping review, summarizing existing eHealth evaluation approaches. Step 2 was a concept mapping study asking eHealth researchers about approaches for evaluating eHealth. In step 3, the results of step 1 and 2 were used to develop an "eHealth evaluation cycle" and subsequently compose the online "eHealth methodology guide." RESULTS: The scoping review yielded 57 articles describing 50 unique evaluation approaches. The concept mapping study questioned 43 eHealth researchers, resulting in 48 unique approaches. After removing duplicates, 75 unique evaluation approaches remained. Thereafter, an "eHealth evaluation cycle" was developed, consisting of six evaluation study phases: conceptual and planning, design, development and usability, pilot (feasibility), effectiveness (impact), uptake (implementation), and all phases. Finally, the "eHealth methodology guide" was composed by assigning the 75 evaluation approaches to the specific study phases of the "eHealth evaluation cycle." CONCLUSIONS: Seventy-five unique evaluation approaches were found in the literature and suggested by eHealth researchers, which served as content for the online "eHealth methodology guide." By assisting evaluators in selecting a suitable evaluation approach in relation to a specific study phase of the "eHealth evaluation cycle," the guide aims to enhance the quality, safety, and successful long-term implementation of novel eHealth solutions

Artificial Intelligence in Clinical Decision Support : Challenges for Evaluating AI and Practical Implications

OBJECTIVES This paper draws attention to: i) key considerations for evaluating artificial intelligence (AI) enabled clinical decision support; and ii) challenges and practical implications of AI design, development, selection, use, and ongoing surveillance. METHOD A narrative review of existing research and evaluation approaches along with expert perspectives drawn from the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) Working Group on Technology Assessment and Quality Development in Health Informatics and the European Federation for Medical Informatics (EFMI) Working Group for Assessment of Health Information Systems. RESULTS There is a rich history and tradition of evaluating AI in healthcare. While evaluators can learn from past efforts, and build on best practice evaluation frameworks and methodologies, questions remain about how to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of AI that dynamically harness vast amounts of genomic, biomarker, phenotype, electronic record, and care delivery data from across health systems. This paper first provides a historical perspective about the evaluation of AI in healthcare. It then examines key challenges of evaluating AI-enabled clinical decision support during design, development, selection, use, and ongoing surveillance. Practical aspects of evaluating AI in healthcare, including approaches to evaluation and indicators to monitor AI are also discussed. CONCLUSION Commitment to rigorous initial and ongoing evaluation will be critical to ensuring the safe and effective integration of AI in complex sociotechnical settings. Specific enhancements that are required for the new generation of AI-enabled clinical decision support will emerge through practical application