Resting state fMRI reveals a default mode dissociation between retrosplenial and medial prefrontal subnetworks in ASD despite motion scrubbing

In resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) decreased frontal-posterior functional connectivity is a persistent finding. However, the picture of the default mode network (DMN) hypoconnectivity remains incomplete. In addition, the functional connectivity analyses have been shown to be susceptible even to subtle motion. DMN hypoconnectivity in ASD has been specifically called for re-evaluation with stringent motion correction, which we aimed to conduct by so-called scrubbing. A rich set of default mode subnetworks can be obtained with high dimensional group independent component analysis (ICA) which can potentially provide more detailed view of the connectivity alterations. We compared the DMN connectivity in high-functioning adolescents with ASDs to typically developing controls using ICA dual-regression with decompositions from typical to high dimensionality. Dual-regression analysis within DMN subnetworks did not reveal alterations but connectivity between anterior and posterior DMN subnetworks was decreased in ASD. The results were very similar with and without motion scrubbing thus indicating the efficacy of the conventional motion correction methods combined with ICA dual-regression. Specific dissociation between DMN subnetworks was revealed on high ICA dimensionality, where networks centered at the medial prefrontal cortex and retrosplenial cortex showed weakened coupling in adolescents with ASDs compared to typically developing control participants. Generally the results speak for disruption in the anterior-posterior DMN interplay on the network level whereas local functional connectivity in DMN seems relatively unaltered

Age-Related Differences in Functional Nodes of the Brain Cortex – A High Model Order Group ICA Study

Functional MRI measured with blood oxygen dependent (BOLD) contrast in the absence of intermittent tasks reflects spontaneous activity of so-called resting state networks (RSN) of the brain. Group level independent component analysis (ICA) of BOLD data can separate the human brain cortex into 42 independent RSNs. In this study we evaluated age-related effects from primary motor and sensory, and, higher level control RSNs. One hundred sixty-eight healthy subjects were scanned and divided into three groups: 55 adolescents (ADO, 13.2 ± 2.4 years), 59 young adults (YA, 22.2 ± 0.6 years), and 54 older adults (OA, 42.7 ± 0.5 years), all with normal IQ. High model order group probabilistic ICA components (70) were calculated and dual-regression analysis was used to compare 21 RSN's spatial differences between groups. The power spectra were derived from individual ICA mixing matrix time series of the group analyses for frequency domain analysis. We show that primary sensory and motor networks tend to alter more in younger age groups, whereas associative and higher level cognitive networks consolidate and re-arrange until older adulthood. The change has a common trend: both spatial extent and the low frequency power of the RSN's reduce with increasing age. We interpret these result as a sign of normal pruning via focusing of activity to less distributed local hubs

Toiminnallisen käsikirjan luominen : Case Relex, Atria Suomi Oy

Elintarviketeollisuuden kilpailutilanteen yhä kiristyessä yritysten tulee pyrkiä saavuttamaan kilpailuetua kaikin mahdollisin keinoin. Toiminnan tehostaminen laadusta tinkimättä on yksi keino kilpailuedun saavuttamiseksi. Tilaus-toimitusketjun hallinta on merkittävässä osassa yrityksen toiminnan tehosta-misessa. Sillä pyritään siihen, että yritys tuottaa tavaraa oikean määrän oikeaan paikkaan ja oikeaan aikaan. Onnistunut tilaus-toimitusketjun hallinta mahdollistaa kustannusten minimoimisen ja laadullisten vaatimusten täyttämisen. Toiminnanohjaus on yksi merkittävimmistä osa-alueista yrityksen tilaus-toimitusketjun hallinnassa. Toiminnanohjaukseen liittyvät oleellisesti yrityksen tuotannonohjaus, varastonohjaus ja tuotannonsuunnittelu sisältäen menekin ennustamisen. Toiminnanohjausjärjestelmä toimii työkaluna yrityksen resurssien hallinnassa, ja siihen on yleensä integroitu tuotannonohjaus-, varastonohjaus- ja tuotannonsuunnitteluun liittyvä ennustejärjestelmä. Menekin ennustaminen on tärkeä osa elintarviketeollisuutta harjoittavan yrityksen laadunhallintaa, sillä onnistunut menekin ennustaminen tarkoittaa tuotteiden toimitusvarmuutta mahdollisimman pitkällä myyntiajalla. Tämän kehittämishankkeen tuloksena laadittiin käsikirja Atria Suomi Oy:n tuotannonsuunnittelun käyttämään, Relexin toimittamaan ennustejärjestelmään. Käsikirja suunnattiin erityisesti Atrian menekin suunnittelijoille. Käsikirjan tavoitteena on varmistaa Atrian menekin ennustamisprosessin laatu.As competition in the food industry markets increases, enterprises must achieve competitive edge by all available means. One method for achieving a competitive edge is to be more efficient without losing any degree of quality. Supply chain management plays a major role in enhancing enterprises’ operational efficiency. The target of supply chain management is to produce the right quantity of products and to deliver them to the right place at the right time. Successful supply chain management helps enterprises minimize costs and meet the quality criteria. Operations management is one of the major components of supply chain management. Operations management essentially includes also the enterprise’s manufacturing management, warehouse management, and demand forecasting. Enterprise Resource Planning is a data system for operations management. Usually, systems of manufacturing resource planning, warehouse management and advanced scheduling and planning systems are also integrated in the ERP system. Demand forecasting is an important part of food industry enterprises’ quality management, as successful demand forecasting guarantees the reliability of delivery with the longest possible shelf-life. The main object of this thesis was to create a handbook for Atria Suomi Oy for an advanced scheduling and planning system developed by Relex. This handbook is especially intended for Atria’s demand planners. The aim of the handbook is to se-cure the quality of Atria’s demand forecasting process

Institutional Logics, ICT and Stability of Management Accounting

The purpose of this paper is to study the institutional logics of how and why two case units in the Finnish Defence Forces have reacted differently to external pressures originating from the State Audit Office to change their management accounting systems. The situation is made complex due to the fact that in military organisations, accountants' tasks have traditionally consisted of bookkeeping and financial reporting, while management accounting tasks especially (e.g. planning and control) have been performed predominantly by military personnel, who can be called hybrid accountants. The data for this study consists of project memos and interviews with people involved in designing and implementing enterprise-resource-planning (ERP)-linked cost accounting and reporting systems. In the case unit where management accounting and control had become institutionalised as a part of the uniformed officer's professional sphere, various resistance strategies (i.e. compromise strategy/pacifying tactics, avoidance strategy/buffering tactics and defiance strategy/dismissing tactics) were adopted. However, where this was not the case, the response was acquiescence. Despite the differences in responses to institutional pressure, the outcome for management accounting was the same. In the first case, demands for change were resisted, and in the second case, the old management accounting system was transferred into new information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure without any significant change in content.

Attention and Working Memory in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder : A Functional MRI Study

The present study examined attention and memory load-dependent differences in the brain activation and deactivation patterns between adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and typically developing (TD) controls using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Attentional (0-back) and working memory (WM; 2-back) processing and load differences (0 vs. 2-back) were analysed. WM-related areas activated and default mode network deactivated normally in ASDs as a function of task load. ASDs performed the attentional 0-back task similarly to TD controls but showed increased deactivation in cerebellum and right temporal cortical areas and weaker activation in other cerebellar areas. Increasing task load resulted in multiple responses in ASDs compared to TD and in inadequate modulation of brain activity in right insula, primary somatosensory, motor and auditory cortices. The changes during attentional task may reflect compensatory mechanisms enabling normal behavioral performance. The inadequate memory load-dependent modulation of activity suggests diminished compensatory potential in ASD.Peer reviewe