T-helper Cell-Mediated Proliferation and Cytokine Responses against Recombinant Merkel Cell Polyomavirus-Like Particles

The newly discovered Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (MCPyV) resides in approximately 80% of Merkel cell carcinomas (MCC). Causal role of MCPyV for this rare and aggressive skin cancer is suggested by monoclonal integration and truncation of large T (LT) viral antigen in MCC cells. The mutated MCPyV has recently been found in highly purified leukemic cells from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), suggesting a pathogenic role also in CLL. About 50–80% of adults display MCPyVspecific antibodies. The humoral immunity does not protect against the development of MCC, as neutralizing MCPyV antibodies occur in higher levels among MCC patients than healthy controls. Impaired T-cell immunity has been linked with aggressive MCC behavior. Therefore, cellular immunity appears to be important in MCPyV infection surveillance. In order to elucidate the role of MCPyV-specific Th-cell immunity, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of healthy adults were stimulated with MCPyV VP1 virus-like particles (VLPs), using human bocavirus (HBoV) VLPs and Candida albicans antigen as positive controls. Proliferation, IFN-c, IL-13 and IL-10 responses were examined in 15 MCPyV-seropositive and 15 seronegative volunteers. With the MCPyV antigen, significantly stronger Th-cell responses were found in MCPyVseropositive than MCPyV-seronegative subjects, whereas with the control antigens, the responses were statistically similar. The most readily detectable cytokine was IFN-c. The MCPyV antigen tended to induce stronger IFN-c responses than HBoV VLP antigen. Taken together, MCPyV-specific Th-cells elicit vigorous IFN-c responses. IFN-c being a cytokine with major antiviral and tumor suppressing functions, Th-cells are suggested to be important mediators of MCPyV-specific immune surveillance.Peer reviewe

Cutavirus DNA in Malignant and Nonmalignant Skin of Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma and Organ Transplant Patients but Not of Healthy Adults

Peer reviewe

Coolest Student Papers at Finland Futures Research Centre 2015–2016 : Tulevaisuuden tutkimuskeskuksen valittuja opiskelijatöitä 2015–2016

Welcome to read inspired and inspirational picks from Finland Future Research Centre’s students papers from the study year 2015–16. With this publication, we at the FFRC want to create a channel for making visible the hard work, academic talent and creativity featured in our courses. This Special Issue covers six courses from the international Master’s Degree Programme in Futures Studies (FUTU), two courses organised by Finland Futures Academy (FFA) (taught in Finnish), and the interdisciplinary teamwork course of Sustainability Studies (KEKO) (includes both English and Finnish speaking teams). FUTU, FFA and KEKO studies are all coordinated by the FFRC. In this Special Issue each course forms its own section with an introduction by the teacher(s), followed by the papers

Fructose intervention for 12 weeks does not impair glycemic control or incretin hormone responses during oral glucose or mixed meal tests in obese men

Background and aims: Incretin hormones glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) are affected early on in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Epidemiologic studies consistently link high fructose consumption to insulin resistance but whether fructose consumption impairs the incretin response remains unknown. Methods and results: As many as 66 obese (BMI 26-40 kg/m(2)) male subjects consumed fructose-sweetened beverages containing 75 g fructose/day for 12 weeks while continuing their usual lifestyle. Glucose, insulin, GLP-1 and GIP were measured during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and triglycerides (TG), GLP-1, GIP and PYY during a mixed meal test before and after fructose intervention. Fructose intervention did not worsen glucose and insulin responses during OGTT, and GLP-1 and GIP responses during OGTT and fat-rich meal were unchanged. Postprandial TG response increased significantly, p = 0.004, and we observed small but significant increases in weight and liver fat content, but not in visceral or subcutaneous fat depots. However, even the subgroups who gained weight or liver fat during fructose intervention did not worsen their glucose, insulin, GLP-1 or PYY responses. A minor increase in GIP response during OGTT occurred in subjects who gained liver fat (p = 0.049). Conclusion: In obese males with features of metabolic syndrome, 12 weeks fructose intervention 75 g/day did not change glucose, insulin, GLP-1 or GIP responses during OGTT or GLP-1, GIP or PYY responses during a mixed meal. Therefore, fructose intake, even accompanied with mild weight gain, increases in liver fat and worsening of postprandial TG profile, does not impair glucose tolerance or gut incretin response to oral glucose or mixed meal challenge. (C) 2017 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

An Integrated Understanding of the Rapid Metabolic Benefits of a Carbohydrate-Restricted Diet on Hepatic Steatosis in Humans

A carbohydrate-restricted diet is a widely recommended intervention for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but a systematic perspective on the multiple benefits of this diet is lacking. Here, we performed a short-term intervention with an isocaloric low-carbohydrate diet with increased protein content in obese subjects with NAFLD and characterized the resulting alterations in metabolism and the gut microbiota using a multi-omics approach. We observed rapid and dramatic reductions of liver fat and other cardiometabolic risk factors paralleled by (1) marked decreases in hepatic de novo lipogenesis; (2) large increases in serum beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations, reflecting increased mitochondrial beta-oxidation; and (3) rapid increases in folate-producing Streptococcus and serum folate concentrations. Liver transcriptomic analysis on biopsy samples from a second cohort revealed downregulation of the fatty acid synthesis pathway and upregulation of folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism and fatty acid oxidation pathways. Our results highlight the potential of exploring diet-microbiota interactions for treating NAFLD.Peer reviewe

Taksiyrityksen tilinpäätös- ja skenaarioanalyysi: Yrittäjän ajopanoksen korvaaminen työntekijän työpanoksella

Opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli tarkastella kohdeyrityksen taloudellista tilannetta ja sen kehitystä. Lisäksi työssä analysoidaan ja selvitetään miten toimeksiantajayrityksen tulos ja yrittäjän tulo muuttuu, mikäli yrittäjä keskittyy yrityksen ydintoiminnon eli ajamisen sijaan yrityksen hallinnollisiin työtehtäviin. Opinnäytteenä toteutettu tutkimus on laadittu taksialan yrittäjän toimeksiannosta päätöksenteon tueksi. Opinnäytetyön toimeksiantaja on pääkaupunkiseudulla toimiva yksityinen elinkeinonharjoittaja, jolla on kaksi taksilupaa. Opinnäytetyö koostuu teoreettisen viitekehyksen ja empiirisen tutkimuksen yhdistelmästä. Taksiala on luvanvaraista henkilöliikennettä, jota valvoo elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus. Työn teoriaosuudessa käsitellään luvanvaraisen liikenteen liiketoiminnassa huomioon otettavia alan erityispiirteitä ja taksialan yrityksen tilinpäätöksen analysointiin soveltuvia menetelmiä, kuten tunnuslukuanalyysia, prosenttilukumuotoista tilinpäätöstä sekä trendianalyysia. Empiriaosuudessa laskettiin toimeksiantajayrityksen tilinpäätöksien pohjalta taksialan yritykselle oleellisia kannattavuuden ja vakavaraisuuden tunnuslukuja. Yrityksen taloudellisen tilan kokonaiskuvan saamiseksi tilinpäätökset muutettiin prosenttilukumuotoon ja niistä tehtiin trendianalyysi. Skenaariomenetelmien avulla etsittiin vastausta siihen, kannattaako yritys, mikäli yrittäjä keskittyy ajamisen sijaan vain yrityksen hallinnollisiin työtehtäviin. Ensimmäisessä skenaariossa yrittäjän ajama liikevaihto muunnettiin työntekijän ajamaksi tuotoksi. Työntekijästä aiheutuneet henkilöstökustannukset lisättiin tuloslaskelman kuluihin. Toisessa skenaariossa tutkittiin, paljonko liikevaihdon tulisi kasvaa, jotta yrityksen tulos pysyisi ennallaan. Työssä lasketut tunnusluvut eivät ole yleistettävissä toimialalle yleisesti, sillä jokaisella yrityksellä on yksilöllinen kulurakenne. Tunnuslukuanalyysi toteutettiin oikaisemattomista tilinpäätöksistä. Huomioitavaa on, että oikaisemattomasta tilinpäätöksestä lasketut kannattavuuden tunnusluvut eivät välttämättä ole vertailukelpoisia, sillä esimerkiksi oikaisemattomasta tilinpäätöksestä laskettu käyttökateprosentti saattaa olla huomattavasti korkeampi kuin palkkakorjauksella oikaistusta tilinpäätöksestä laskettu tunnusluku. Tutkimuksessa käytettiin sekä kvalitatiivisia että kvantitatiivisia tutkimusmenetelmiä. Työn teoriapohja perustuu alan kirjallisuuteen, lakiteksteihin ja Internet-lähteisiin. Empiirinen aineisto pohjautuu toimeksiantajayrityksen vuosien 2012–2014 tilinpäätösmateriaaleihin. Tilinpäätösanalyysin tunnusluvut laskettiin Excel-taulukkolaskentaohjelman avulla. Toimeksiantajan teemahaastattelusta saatiin tärkeää tietoa tunnuslukuanalyysin tueksi. Toimeksiantajayrityksen taloudellinen tila on tarkastelujakson aikana pysynyt suhteellisen vakaana. Tutkimus osoittaa, että toimeksiantajayritys on tunnuslukujen perusteella arvioituna kannattava ja vakavarainen. Yrityksen omavaraisuuden ja suhteellisen velkaantuneisuuden taso on erittäin hyvä. Skenaariomenetelmien avulla saatiin selville, että liikevaihdon pysyessä ennallaan yrityksen tulos laskee 27,61 %, ja vastaavasti liikevaihdon tulisi kasvaa 27,04 %, jotta tulos pysyisi ennallaan.Case Taxi: Financial Statement and Scenario Analysis - Replacing the Entrepreneur’s Labour Contribution by Employees This Bachelor’s thesis focuses on analysing a taxi company’s financial situation and its development. The case company operates in the metropolitan area and has two taxi cars. The primary purpose of the study was to provide information that helps the entrepreneur in decision-making regarding the company’s future. This thesis includes a theory section and an empirical section that deals with the case company. The theory section discusses the taxi industry, its regulations and characteristics. It also deals with common methods of financial statement analysis which are the use of financial ratios and horizontal and vertical analysis (also known as trend analysis and common-size analysis). The empirical part focuses on analysing the case company’s profitability and solidity by calculating the relevant financial ratios. The case company’s financial situation and its development were also analysed by using a trend analysis and a common-size analysis. The financial statement analysis covers the period between 2012 and 2014. Additionally, two scenarios were used in order to determine how replacing the entrepreneur’s labour contribution by an employee would influence the profit before taxes. The study involved both quantitative and qualitative methods. The financial statement analysis was made by using Excel spreadsheets. A theme interview was carried out with the entrepreneur of the case company. The financial statement analysis indicated that the financial situation of the case company has been stable during the analysed period. The company is profitable and its solidity is at an excellent level. If the entrepreneur does not do the driving, but the turnover remains unchanged, the profit before taxes will decrease 27.61 %. To keep the profit before taxes unchanged, the turnover should increase 27.04 %