Observation of defect complexes containing Ga vacancies in GaAsN

Positron annihilation spectroscopy was used to study GaAsN/GaAs epilayers. GaAsN layers were found to contain Ga vacancies in defect complexes. The density of the vacancy complexes increases rapidly to the order of 1018 cm−3 with increasing N composition and decreases after annealing at 700 °C. The anticorrelation of the vacancy concentration and the integrated photoluminescence intensity suggests that the Ga vacancy complexes act as nonradiative recombination centers.Peer reviewe

Probiotic With or Without Fiber Controls Body Fat Mass, Associated With Serum Zonulin, in Overweight and Obese Adults—Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract The gut microbiota is interlinked with obesity, but direct evidence of effects of its modulation on body fat mass is still scarce. We investigated the possible effects of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis 420 (B420) and the dietary fiber Litesse® Ultra polydextrose (LU) on body fat mass and other obesity-related parameters. 225 healthy volunteers (healthy, BMI 28–34.9) were randomized into four groups (1:1:1:1), using a computer-generated sequence, for 6months of double-blind, parallel treatment: 1) Placebo, microcrystalline cellulose, 12g/d; 2) LU, 12g/d; 3) B420, 1010CFU/d in microcrystalline cellulose, 12g/d; 4) LU+B420, 12g+1010CFU/d. Body composition was monitored with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the primary outcome was relative change in body fat mass, comparing treatment groups to Placebo. Other outcomes included anthropometric measurements, food intake and blood and fecal biomarkers. The study was registered in Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01978691). There were marked differences in the results of the Intention-To-Treat (ITT; n=209) and Per Protocol (PP; n=134) study populations. The PP analysis included only those participants who completed the intervention with >80% product compliance and no antibiotic use. In addition, three participants were excluded from DXA analyses for PP due to a long delay between the end of intervention and the last DXA measurement. There were no significant differences between groups in body fat mass in the ITT population. However, LU+B420 and B420 seemed to improve weight management in the PP population. For relative change in body fat mass, LU+B420 showed a−4.5% (−1.4kg, P=0.02, N=37) difference to the Placebo group, whereas LU (+0.3%, P=1.00, N=35) and B420 (−3.0%, P=0.28, N=24) alone had no effect (overall ANOVA P=0.095, Placebo N=35). A post-hoc factorial analysis was significant for B420 (−4.0%, P=0.002 vs. Placebo). Changes in fat mass were most pronounced in the abdominal region, and were reflected by similar changes in waist circumference. B420 and LU+B420 also significantly reduced energy intake compared to Placebo. Changes in blood zonulin levels and hsCRP were associated with corresponding changes in trunk fat mass in the LU+B420 group and in the overall population. There were no differences between groups in the incidence of adverse events. This clinical trial demonstrates that a probiotic product with or without dietary fiber controls body fat mass. B420 and LU+B420 also reduced waist circumference and food intake, whereas LU alone had no effect on the measured outcomes.Peer reviewe

Probiotic With or Without Fiber Controls Body Fat Mass, Associated With Serum Zonulin, in Overweight and Obese Adults-Randomized Contolled Trial

DiscussionThis clinical trial demonstrates that a probiotic product with or without dietary fiber controls body fat mass. B420 and LU + B420 also reduced waist circumference and food intake, whereas LU alone had no effect on the measured outcomes.</p

Genes Involved in Systemic and Arterial Bed Dependent Atherosclerosis - Tampere Vascular Study

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis is a complex disease with hundreds of genes influencing its progression. In addition, the phenotype of the disease varies significantly depending on the arterial bed. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We characterized the genes generally involved in human advanced atherosclerotic (AHA type V-VI) plaques in carotid and femoral arteries as well as aortas from 24 subjects of Tampere Vascular study and compared the results to non-atherosclerotic internal thoracic arteries (n=6) using genome-wide expression array and QRT-PCR. In addition we determined genes that were typical for each arterial plaque studied. To gain a comprehensive insight into the pathologic processes in the plaques we also analyzed pathways and gene sets dysregulated in this disease using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). According to the selection criteria used (>3.0 fold change and p-value <0.05), 235 genes were up-regulated and 68 genes down-regulated in the carotid plaques, 242 genes up-regulated and 116 down-regulated in the femoral plaques and 256 genes up-regulated and 49 genes down-regulated in the aortic plaques. Nine genes were found to be specifically induced predominantly in aortic plaques, e.g., lactoferrin, and three genes in femoral plaques, e.g., chondroadherin, whereas no gene was found to be specific for carotid plaques. In pathway analysis, a total of 28 pathways or gene sets were found to be significantly dysregulated in atherosclerotic plaques (false discovery rate [FDR] <0.25). CONCLUSIONS: This study describes comprehensively the gene expression changes that generally prevail in human atherosclerotic plaques. In addition, site specific genes induced only in femoral or aortic plaques were found, reflecting that atherosclerotic process has unique features in different vascular beds

The social networks of young people with intellectual disabilities during the On-Campus supported adult education programme

Peer reviewe

Kampus kaupunkina — kaupunkikampus:keskustakampuksen merkitys Oulun yliopistolle ja Oululle

Tiivistelmä Oulun yliopiston hallitus päätti 28.4.2020 kiinteistöstrategian selvitystyön pohjalta, että yliopisto aloittaa hankesuunnittelun uuden kampuksen ensimmäisen vaiheen rakentamiseksi Raksilaan Oulun keskustassa. Taustalla on Oulun yliopiston tilannekuva, jossa yliopiston vetovoimaisuutta tulee aktiivisesti kehittää, jotta yliopisto ja Oulun kaupunki pärjäisivät tulevaisuudessa kaupunkiseutujen välisessä kilpailussa opiskelijoista ja työntekijöistä. Oulun yliopistolla on keskeinen rooli kaupungin elinvoimaisuudelle, ja yliopiston tarjoaman koulutuksen merkitys on kiistaton Oulun kaupunki- ja aluekehitykselle. Näin ollen tulevaisuuden muutostekijöiden silmällä pitäminen, niihin varautuminen ja Oulun yliopiston vetovoimaisuudesta huolehtiminen ovat tärkeitä näkökulmia. Tämän perusteella esitämme, että Oulun yliopiston keskustakampuksen suunnitteluvaraukselle ja -työlle annettaisiin sen ansaitsema mahdollisuus. Oulun yliopiston ja kaupungin kehitys on tulossa uuteen murrosvaiheeseen. Yliopiston keskustakampuksen kaavoituksen selvittäminen tarjoaa mahdollisuuksia pohtia ja löytää uudenlaisia ja ratkaisukeskeisiä vastauksia tuleviin alue- ja väestörakenteen muutoksiin. Kyse on samalla Oulun ja Oulun yliopiston asemoitumisesta Suomen aluerakenteessa, mutta myös sitä koskevan muutoksen hallinnasta ja muutokseen vastaamisesta. Historiallisesti Oulun kaupungin ja seudun lähimenneisyys ja sopeutuminen aiempiin rakennemuutoksiin ovat olleet elimellisesti sidoksissa Oulun yliopiston perustamiseen ja yliopiston vetovoimaisuuteen. Tässä kohtalonyhteydessä yliopisto on toiminnallaan ja omilla ennakkoluulottomilla valinnoillaan mahdollistanut alueen elinkeinorakenteen muutoksen, monipuolistumisen ja menestyksen. On erittäin todennäköistä, että myös kaupungin tulevaisuus on kiinteästi sidoksissa yliopiston toimintaan ja vetovoimaisuuteen. Kuten aiemmin, myös tuleva Oulun yliopiston vetovoimaisuus rakentuu ensisijaisesti sen itsensä tekemien strategisten valintojen kautta. Yliopistolla tulee olla keskeinen rooli määrittäessään omaa tahtotilaansa, jolla se pyrkii omalta osaltaan osoittamaan muutosherkkyyttä ja -joustavuutta tulevaisuutensa rakentamisessa ja toimintaympäristönsä kehittämisessä yhteistyössä kaupungin ja eri sidosryhmien kanssa. Yliopiston ensisijainen tehtävä ja velvollisuus on katsoa tulevaisuuteen, mahdollistaen ja rakentaen tieteen, koulutuksen ja yhteiskuntien kehitystä ja kestävyyttä. Suunnittelun käynnistäminen Oulun yliopiston mahdollisen uuden keskustakampuksen sijainnista on nähtävä keskeisenä keinona vaikuttaa siihen, kuinka vetovoimainen Oulu on yliopistokaupunkina ja opiskelupaikkana ja kuinka viihtyisä Oulu on tulevaisuuden asuinpaikkana. Toiseksi keskustakampuksen suunnittelu auttaa sekä Oulun yliopistoa että kaupunkia tulevaisuustyössään, jonka avulla ne voivat yhdessä varautua aluerakenteen ennakoituun muutokseen. Siinä yhtenä keskeisimpänä tekijänä on Pohjois-Suomen nuorten ikäluokkien pieneneminen 2030-luvulla. Kolmanneksi selvitystarvetta tukevat tulevan maankäytön ja yhdyskuntasuunnittelun kestävyystavoitteet. Näiden tekijöiden suhteen Oulun yliopiston keskustakampus avaa mahdollisuuksia, jotka tulisi huolella selvittää

Enhancing Bioaccessibility of Plant Protein Using Probiotics: An In Vitro Study

As plant-based diets become more popular, there is an interest in developing innovations to improve the bioaccessibility of plant protein. In this study, seven probiotic strains (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis B420, B. lactis Bl-04, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HN001, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei Lpc-37, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Lp-115, and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis Ll-23) were evaluated for their capacity to hydrolyze soy and pea protein ingredients in an in vitro digestion model of the upper gastrointestinal tract (UGIT). Compared to the control digestion of protein without a probiotic, all the studied strains were able to increase the digestion of soy or pea protein, as evidenced by an increase in free α-amino nitrogen (FAN) and/or free amino acid concentration. The increase in FAN varied between 13 and 33% depending on the protein substrate and probiotic strain. The survival of probiotic bacteria after exposure to digestive fluids was strain-dependent and may have affected the strain’s capacity to function and aid in protein digestion in the gastrointestinal environment. Overall, our results from the standardized in vitro digestion model provide an approach to explore probiotics for improved plant protein digestion and bioaccessibility of amino acids; however, human clinical research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of probiotics on amino acid absorption and bioavailability in vivo

Coping with spring frost-effects on polyamine metabolism of Scots pine seedlings

Abstract Polyamines (PA) are ubiquitous polycations known to be involved in several phases of plant development as well as in tolerance to abiotic stresses. Phenols are complex secondary metabolites produced via the phenylpropanoid pathway that contain, e.g., cell wall compounds and antioxidants. Phenols are known to enhance chilling tolerance of plants. PA and phenolic pathways are connected via conjugation. In boreal coniferous forests spring frost has been considered to have severe effects on the survival of tree seedlings. Such effects are likely to increase in the future. The present study focuses on the role of PA and phenylpropanoid syntheses in the coping strategies of Scots pine exposed to cold temperatures during the vulnerable early seedling phase in late spring and early summer. We found that spring frost affects the expression of genes regulating PA metabolism and phenylpropanoid synthesis differently in above and below ground parts of the seedlings, whereas PA or phenol contents in tissues were not affected. The results suggest that Scots pine seedlings may not have time to develop metabolite level responses during a short period of freezing stress and, therefore, the originally different PA levels, especially in roots, may influence the tolerance of Scots pine seedlings to spring frost