Supporting lifestyle change in obese pregnant mothers through the wearable internet-of-things (SLIM) -intervention for overweight pregnant women : Study protocol for a quasi-experimental trial

ObjectivesTo assess, in terms of self-efficacy in weight management, the effectiveness of the SLIM lifestyle intervention among overweight or obese women during pregnancy and after delivery, and further to exploit machine learning and event mining approaches to build personalized models. Additionally, the aim is to evaluate the implementation of the SLIM intervention.MethodsThis prospective trial, which is a non-randomized, quasi-experimental, pre-post intervention, includes an embedded mixed-method process evaluation. The SLIM Intervention is delivered by public health nurses (n = 9) working in maternity clinics. The public health nurses recruited overweight women (n = 54) at their first antenatal visit using convenience sampling. The core components of the intervention i.e. health technology, motivational interviewing, feedback, and goal setting, are utilized in antenatal visits in maternity clinics starting from gestational week 15 or less and continuing to 12 weeks after delivery. Mixed effect models are used to evaluate change over time in self-efficacy, weight management and weight change. Simple mediation models are used to assess calories consumed and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as mediators between self-efficacy and weight change. Signal processing and machine learning techniques are exploited to extract events from the data collected via the Oura ring and smartphone-based questionnaires.DiscussionThe SLIM intervention was developed in collaboration with overweight women and public health nurses working in maternity clinics. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the intervention among overweight women in increasing self-efficacy and achieving a healthy weight; thus, impacting the healthy lifestyle and long-term health of the whole family. The long-term objective is to contribute to women's health by supporting weight-management through behavior change via interventions conducted in maternity clinics.Peer reviewe

The use of unlicensed bone marrow-derived platelet lysate-expanded mesenchymal stromal cells in colitis : a pre-clinical study

Background: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a promising candidate for treatment of inflammatory disorders, but their efficacy in human inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) has been inconsistent. Comparing the results from various preclinical and clinical IBD studies is also challenging due to a large variation in study designs. Methods: In this comparative pre-clinical study, we compared two administration routes and investigated the safety and feasibility of both fresh and cryo-preserved platelet-lysate-expanded human bone marrow-derived MSCs without additional licensing in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) colitis mouse model both in the acute and regenerative phases of colitis. Body weight, macroscopic score for inflammation and colonic interleukin (IL)-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha concentrations were determined in both phases of colitis. Additionally, histopathology was assessed and Il-1 beta and Agtr1a messenger RNA (mRNA) levels and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) protein levels were measured in the colon in the regenerative phase of colitis. Results: Intravenously administered MSCs exhibited modest anti-inflammatory capacity in the acute phase of colitis by reducing IL-1 beta protein levels in the inflamed colon. There were no clear improvements in mice treated with fresh or cryopreserved unlicensed MSCs according to weight monitoring results, histopathology and macroscopic score results. Pro-inflammatory ACE protein expression and shedding were reduced by cryopreserved MSCs in the colon. Conclusions: In conclusion, we observed a good safety profile for bone marrow-derived platelet lysate-expanded MSCs in a mouse pre-clinical colitis model, but the therapeutic effect of MSCs prepared without additional licensing (i.e. such as MSCs are administered in graft-versus-host disease) was modest in the chosen in vivo model system and limited to biochemical improvements in cytokines without a clear benefit in histopathology or body weight development.Peer reviewe

Genome sequence of the model plant pathogen Pectobacterium carotovorum SCC1

Bacteria of the genus Pectobacterium are economically important plant pathogens that cause soft rot disease on a wide variety of plant species. Here, we report the genome sequence of Pectobacterium carotovorum strain SCC1, a Finnish soft rot model strain isolated from a diseased potato tuber in the early 1980's. The genome of strain SCC1 consists of one circular chromosome of 4,974,798 bp and one circular plasmid of 5524 bp. In total 4451 genes were predicted, of which 4349 are protein coding and 102 are RNA genes.Peer reviewe

SNCA mutation p.Ala53Glu is derived from a common founder in the Finnish population

Peer reviewe

Human placental proteomics and exon variant studies link AAT/SERPINA1 with spontaneous preterm birth

Background: Preterm birth is defined as live birth before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy, and it is a major problem worldwide. The molecular mechanisms that lead to onset of spontaneous preterm birth are incompletely understood. Prediction and evaluation of the risk of preterm birth is challenging as there is a lack of accurate biomarkers. In this study, our aim was to identify placental proteins that associate with spontaneous preterm birth. Methods: We analyzed the proteomes from placentas to identify proteins that associate with both gestational age and spontaneous labor. Next, rare and potentially damaging gene variants of the identified protein candidates were sought for from our whole exome sequencing data. Further experiments we performed on placental samples and placenta-associated cells to explore the location and function of the spontaneous preterm labor-associated proteins in placentas. Results: Exome sequencing data revealed rare damaging variants in SERPINA1 in families with recurrent spontaneous preterm deliveries. Protein and mRNA levels of alpha-1 antitrypsin/SERPINA1 from the maternal side of the placenta were downregulated in spontaneous preterm births. Alpha-1 antitrypsin was expressed by villous trophoblasts in the placenta, and immunoelectron microscopy showed localization in decidual fibrinoid deposits in association with specific extracellular proteins. siRNA knockdown in trophoblast-derived HTR8/SVneo cells revealed that SERPINA1 had a marked effect on regulation of the actin cytoskeleton pathway, Slit–Robo signaling, and extracellular matrix organization. Conclusions: Alpha-1 antitrypsin is a protease inhibitor. We propose that loss of the protease inhibition effects of alpha-1 antitrypsin renders structures critical to maintaining pregnancy susceptible to proteases and inflammatory activation. This may lead to spontaneous premature birth.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Oligogenic basis of sporadic ALS The example of SOD1 p.Ala90Val mutation

Objective To characterize the clinical and neuropathologic features of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) p.Ala90Val mutation, as well as the mutation frequency and the role of oligogenic mechanisms in disease penetrance. Methods An index patient with autopsy-proven ALS was discovered to have the SOD1 p.Ala90Val mutation, which was screened in 2 Finnish ALS cohorts (n = 453). Additional contributing variants were analyzed from whole-genome or whole-exome sequencing data. Results Seven screened patients (1.5%) were found to carry the SOD1 heterozygous mutation. Allele-sharing analysis suggested a common founder haplotype. Common clinical features included limb-onset, long disease course, and sensory symptoms. No TDP43 pathology was observed. All cases were apparently sporadic, and pedigree analysis demonstrated that the mutation has reduced penetrance. Analysis of other contributing genes revealed a unique set of additional variants in each patient. These included previously described rare ANG and SPG11 mutations. One patient was compound heterozygous for SOD1 p.Ala90Val and p.Asp91Ala. Conclusions Our data suggest that the penetrance of SOD1 p.Ala90Val is modulated by other genes and indicates highly individual oligogenic basis of apparently sporadic ALS. Additional genetic variants likely contributing to disease penetrance were very heterogeneous, even among Finnish patients carrying the SOD1 founder mutation

Oligogenic basis of sporadic ALS The example of SOD1 p.Ala90Val mutation

Objective To characterize the clinical and neuropathologic features of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) p.Ala90Val mutation, as well as the mutation frequency and the role of oligogenic mechanisms in disease penetrance. Methods An index patient with autopsy-proven ALS was discovered to have the SOD1 p.Ala90Val mutation, which was screened in 2 Finnish ALS cohorts (n = 453). Additional contributing variants were analyzed from whole-genome or whole-exome sequencing data. Results Seven screened patients (1.5%) were found to carry the SOD1 heterozygous mutation. Allele-sharing analysis suggested a common founder haplotype. Common clinical features included limb-onset, long disease course, and sensory symptoms. No TDP43 pathology was observed. All cases were apparently sporadic, and pedigree analysis demonstrated that the mutation has reduced penetrance. Analysis of other contributing genes revealed a unique set of additional variants in each patient. These included previously described rare ANG and SPG11 mutations. One patient was compound heterozygous for SOD1 p.Ala90Val and p.Asp91Ala. Conclusions Our data suggest that the penetrance of SOD1 p.Ala90Val is modulated by other genes and indicates highly individual oligogenic basis of apparently sporadic ALS. Additional genetic variants likely contributing to disease penetrance were very heterogeneous, even among Finnish patients carrying the SOD1 founder mutation.Peer reviewe

Verkkokauppa mahdollisuutena : Case: Pukumies Oy

Tämän opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli pohtia, olisiko Pukumies Oy:lle verkkokaupan perustaminen mahdollinen ja kiinnostava idea. Tutkimuksen taustatieto kerättiin Seinäjoen Pukumies-liikkeessä toteutettuna asiakaskyselynä, jonka perusteella tehtiin johtopäätöksiä kiinnostuneisuudesta. Lopputuloksena päädyttiin siihen, että verkkokaupan perustaminen olisi vielä epävarmaa, mutta tulevaisuuteen tulisi suhtautua avoimin mielin. Työssä tutustuttiin lisäksi verkkokauppatermistöön, verkkokaupan historiaan ja tulevaisuuteen. Suomalaisten verkkokauppakäyttäytymistä tarkasteltiin myös tarkemmin. Työssä perehdyttiin toimivan verkkokaupan rakenteeseen, eli millaisia palveluita tai toimintoja hyvä sivusto tulisi sisältää. Mallia Pukumiehen verkkokaupalle etsittiin kolmesta case-tapauksesta, ja näitä vertailtiin keskenään.The purpose of this thesis work was to analyse the opportunity for Pukumies Oy to establish an electronic marketplace. The background information was collected in the Pukumies store in Seinäjoki. A customer survey provided information about how interested the customers were in an electronic marketplace. The results showed that an electronic marketplace is not a topical issue but eyes should be open for the future. In this work, also the terminology, history and future of e-commerce are dealt with. Finnish e-commerce behaviour is also looked at closely. This thesis also deals with a web shop’s structure, and what kinds of services or functions a good web shop should include. Three cases examples were analysed and compared to each other

Kehittämissuunnitelma nuorisokahvila Wanalle

Tiivistelmä Tämän opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli laatia Varkauden nuorisokahvila Wanalle kehittämissuunni-telma, jonka avulla kahvila voisi kehittää toimintaansa enemmän nuorten tarpeita vastaavaksi. Työ toteutettiin teemahaastatteluilla sekä kyselylomakkeella. Työn teoriaosuudessa käsitellään tutkimuksellista kehittämistyötä, organisatorista kehittämistä, organisaation kehittämiskohteita sekä palvelun kehittämistä. Työn avulla haluttiin saada selville nuorisokahvilan työntekijöiden sekä kahvilassa asioivien nuorten mielipiteitä kahvilan toiminnasta ja sen eri osa-alueista ja siitä, kuinka näitä osa-alueita voitaisiin kehittää. Tutkimusaineisto kerättiin kahvilassa tehdyillä teemahaastatteluilla sekä Varkauden yläkouluille suunnatulla kyselyllä. Haastattelut kohdistettiin nuorisokahvilan vapaaehtoistyöntekijöille sekä kah-vilassa asioiville nuorille. Kyselyyn vastasi kolme vuosiluokkaa kummaltakin yläasteelta, Päiviön-saaresta ja Kuoppakankaalta. Haastatteluista saatiin yhteensä 31 vastausta ja kyselylomakkeista 141 vastausta. Tulosten perusteella nuorisokahvila Wanalle laadittiin kehittämissuunnitelma, jossa on otettu huo-mioon nuorisokahvilan tilat, toiminta, tiedotus, kävijämäärät, rahoitus, tukijat sekä toimijat. Lisäksi suunnitelmalle on laadittu suuntaa antava aikataulutus, jonka avulla voidaan nähdä, millaisessa ajassa mikäkin suunnitelma on mahdollista toteuttaa. Nuorisokahvilan kannattaa esimerkiksi vuo-den päästä tehdä kävijöilleen tyytyväisyyskysely, josta nähdään ovatko tehdyt toimet vieneet kahvi-laa toivottuun suuntaan.Abstract o The goal of this thesis was to create a development plan for the youth cafe Wana, which could use it to develop the cafe's operation to correspond more to the needs of the youth. The thesis was executed as theme interviews and a questionnaire. Exploratory development, organizational developing, development targets of organization and de-veloping the service are handled in the theory part. Opinions from the cafe's employees and youth doing business in the cafe on cafe's operation and its different sectors and how these sectors could be improved were matters wanted to find out with the thesis. The research material was collected as theme interviews held in the cafe and a query directed for middle schools of Varkaus. The interviews were directed for the voluntary employees of the youth cafe and youth visiting there. The query were answered by three grades of different years of both middle school, Päiviönsaari's and Kuoppakangas. The interviews gave 31 replies and the ques-tionnaires 141 replies. In the light of results a development plan were created for youth cafe Wana. The spaces, opera-tion, informing, number of visitors, finance, supporters and activators of the cafe are taken in con-sideration in the plan. Additionally a directional time schedule was created for the plan. With schedule it is possible to check out how much time is needed to execute each plan. For example, the youth cafe should arrange a query for its visitors to see if the made actions have been worth-while

Terveyteen liittyvien neuvontapalveluiden kartoitus Vantaan seniorineuvolassa

Opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli selvittää kotona asuvien ja kotihoidon piiriin kuulumattomien 75 - vuotiaiden ikäihmisten neuvontapalveluiden tarvetta Vantaalla. Opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli kehittää Vantaan seniorineuvolan toimintaa. Tutkimuskysymysten avulla selvitettiin millaisia terveyteen liittyviä neuvontapalveluita ikäihmiset toivovat Vantaalla olevan ja miksi osa seniorineuvolaan terveystapaamiseen kutsutuista 75- vuotiaista ei ole ottanut kutsua vastaan. Opinnäytetyön aineisto kerättiin puhelinhaastattelujen avulla seniorineuvolan tiloissa. Haastattelut toteutettiin etukäteen suunnitellun haastattelulomakkeen avulla. Haastattelukysymyksiä oli viisi ja lomakkeen loppuun kirjattiin haas-tateltavien kertomia asioita. Kahden päivän aikana haastateltiin 80 henkilöä. Vastaajista 40 oli miehiä ja 40 naisia. Vastaukset analysoitiin PASW – ohjelman avulla. Tulokset esiteltiin vastaajien määrinä, prosentteina ja kuvioina. Haastattelujen yhteydessä kävimme avointa keskustelua haastateltavien kanssa. Käytimme keskusteluissa ilmi tulleita tietoja tuloksien monipuolistamiseksi tulososiossa sekä johtopäätöksissä. Kaikki haastateltavat pitivät Vantaan seniorineuvolaa ja sen toimintaa hyvänä asiana. Terveyteen liittyvistä neuvontapalveluista toivottiin eniten henkilökohtaista palvelua tai puhelimella tapahtuvaa neuvontapalvelua. Internetiä kertoi käyttävänsä vain kahdeksan vastaajaa. Useimmilla vastaajilla ei edes ollut kotona Internetiä. Haastateltavista 16 koki, ettei tarvitse mitään neuvontapalveluita. Haastatteluhetkellä puolet vastaajista koki terveydentilansa kohtalaiseksi. Erinomaiseksi kuvasi viisi vastaajaa ja hyväksi 30 vastaajaa. Neljä vastaajaa koki terveydentilansa huonoksi. Miehet vastasivat haastatteluihin keskimääräisesti lyhyemmässä ajassa, kuin naiset. 25 vastaajaa koki, etteivät he tarvinneet terveystapaamista ja perustelivat sitä esimerkiksi hyvällä terveydentilalla. Haastateltavista 22 henkilöä kertoi, että he eivät muistaneet saaneensa kutsua tai eivät mielestään olleet saaneet sitä lainkaan. Lisäksi seitsemän vastaajaa oli unohtanut varata ajan. Lähes kaikille haastateltaville pystyttiin tarjoamaan uusi mahdollisuus ajan varaamiseen terveystapaamista varten. Vastaajista 15 varasi ajan. Kaikille halukkaille annettiin seniorineuvolan yhteystiedot ja kerrottiin Vantaalla jo olemassa olevista ikäihmisten palveluista haastateltavien asuinpaikan mukaan. Useat vastaajista olivat jo säännöllisten terveyspalveluiden piirissä kunnallisessa terveyskeskuksessa tai yksityisten terveyspalveluiden tarjoajien asiakkaana. Opinnäytetyön tulosten perusteella terveystapaamisen tarkoitusta ei täysin ymmärretä. Kutsun sisältöä kehittämällä, kutsun uudelleen lähettämisellä ja toisen toimipisteen perustamisella vantaalaisia ikäihmisiä voisi saapua enemmän terveystapaamiseen.Survey of self-related counselling services in the senior councelling bureau of Vantaa The aim of this thesis was to determine the need of counselling services among over 75-year old elderly persons living at their own homes and not using the home care services in Vantaa. The purpose of the thesis was to develop the operation of the senior counselling bureau in Vantaa. The thesis was qualitative. With the help of research questions it was defined what kind of counselling services the elderly people were hoping to get in Vantaa and why some of the people invited to the health meeting in the senior counselling bureau, declined or ignored the invitation. The material of this thesis was collected by telephone interviews in the premises of the counselling bureau. The interviews were carried out with an interview form including five questions created in advance. The issues the interviewees wanted to tell about were listed at the end of the interview form. 80 persons, of whom 40 were males and 40 females, were interviewed in two days. The answers were analyzed by the PASW-program. The results were introduced as the amount of the interviewees, in percentage and by diagrams. While interviewing we were having an open discussion with the interviewees. We used the information to diversify the results in both results section and conclusions. All interviewees considered the senior counselling bureau in Vantaa and its operation as a good thing. The most desired forms of health-related counselling services were personal services and counselling by phone. 25 interviewees said that they did not need the health meeting and they explained it by being in good health. 22 interviewees told they either forgot the invitation or they had not got an invitation at all. In addition, 7 interviewees had forgotten to make an appointment. Almost every interviewee was offered a chance to make a new appointment to the health meeting. 15 interviewees made the reservation. Based on the results of this thesis, the purpose of the health meetings is not very well understood. By developing the invitation, resending the invitation and establishing another meeting point there could be more elderly people arriving to the health meeting