Application of surface-wave tomography to mineral exploration : a case study from Siilinjarvi, Finland

In order to assess the feasibility and validity of surface-wave tomography as a tool for mineral exploration, we present an active seismic three-dimensional case study from the Siilinjarvi mine in Eastern Finland. The aim of the survey is to identify the formation carrying the mineralization in an area south of the main pit, which will be mined in the future. Before acquiring the data, we performed an accurate survey design to maximize data coverage and minimize the time for deployment and recollection of the equipment. We extract path-averaged Rayleigh-wave phase-velocity dispersion curves by means of a two-station method. We invert them using a computationally efficient tomographic code which does not require the computation of phase-velocity maps and inverts directly for one-dimensional S-wave velocity models. The retrieved velocities are in good agreement with the data from a borehole in the vicinity, and the pseudo three-dimensional S-wave velocity volume allows us to identify the geological contact between the formation hosting most of the mineralization and the surrounding rock. We conclude that the proposed method is a valid tool, given the small amount of equipment used and the acceptable amount of time required to process the data.Peer reviewe

A molecular-based identification resource for the arthropods of Finland

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Resources published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.To associate specimens identified by molecular characters to other biological knowledge, we need reference sequences annotated by Linnaean taxonomy. In this study, we (1) report the creation of a comprehensive reference library of DNA barcodes for the arthropods of an entire country (Finland), (2) publish this library, and (3) deliver a new identification tool for insects and spiders, as based on this resource. The reference library contains mtDNA COI barcodes for 11,275 (43%) of 26,437 arthropod species known from Finland, including 10,811 (45%) of 23,956 insect species. To quantify the improvement in identification accuracy enabled by the current reference library, we ran 1000 Finnish insect and spider species through the Barcode of Life Data system (BOLD) identification engine. Of these, 91% were correctly assigned to a unique species when compared to the new reference library alone, 85% were correctly identified when compared to BOLD with the new material included, and 75% with the new material excluded. To capitalize on this resource, we used the new reference material to train a probabilistic taxonomic assignment tool, FinPROTAX, scoring high success. For the full-length barcode region, the accuracy of taxonomic assignments at the level of classes, orders, families, subfamilies, tribes, genera, and species reached 99.9%, 99.9%, 99.8%, 99.7%, 99.4%, 96.8%, and 88.5%, respectively. The FinBOL arthropod reference library and FinPROTAX are available through the Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility (www.laji.fi) at https://laji.fi/en/theme/protax. Overall, the FinBOL investment represents a massive capacity-transfer from the taxonomic community of Finland to all sectors of society.Peer reviewe

Toxicological Profile of Ultrapure 2,2 ',3,4,4 ',5,5 '-Heptachlorbiphenyl (PCB 180) in Adult Rats

Peer reviewe

Normaalipaineisen hydrokefaluksen kliininen kuva, diagnostiset tutkimukset ja hoito

Abstract Acute hydrocephalus is a life-threatening emergency. Primary diagnosis and suspected shunt malfunction requires immediate CT or MR imaging and neurosurgical consultation. Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a chronic degenerative disease but requires prompt diagnosis and treatment due to progressive nature. Recent studies indicate apparent specific disease mechanisms of idiopathic NPH including potential genetic risk factors. CSF shunt may significantly improve gait, urinary incontinence and cognitive symptoms in selected patients. Noteworthy, iNPH seems to progress frequently despite of shunt emphasizing the need for active follow-up. Recognition and appropriate treatment of potential comorbid neurodegenerative diseases like vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are needed in case of cognitive deterioration.Tiivistelmä Akuutti hydrokefalia on henkeä uhkaava tila kaikenikäisillä. Mikäli sunttiriippuvaisella potilaalla epäillään suntin toimintahäiriötä, on pään TT (tai MK) tehtävä viipymättä ja tarvitessa konsultoitava päivystävää neurokirurgista yksikköä välittömästi. Normaalipaineinen hydrokefalia (NPH) on harvoin päivystyksellinen ongelma, mutta tauti on selkeästi etenevä ja hoidon viivästyminen heikentää ennustetta. Tuoreet tutkimukset avaavat idiopaattisen NPH-taudin (iNPH) etiologiaa ja patofysiologisia mekanismeja sekä ennustetta. Osalla potilaista likvorisuntti voi merkittävästi lievittää oireita, erityisesti liikkumisvaikeuksia mutta myös inkontinenssia ja tiedonkäsittelyn ongelmia. Suntista huolimatta tauti pyrkii vuosien myötä etenemään, korostaen seurannan merkitystä. iNPH potilailla on usein myös samanaikainen vaskulaarinen kognitiivinen heikkenemä, Alzheimerin tauti tai muu aivorappeumasairaus, joka on myös diagnosoitava ja hoidettava

Activation of pregnane X receptor induces atherogenic lipids and PCSK9 by a SREBP2-mediated mechanism

Abstract Background and purpose: Many drugs and environmental contaminants induce hypercholesterolemia and promote the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We tested the hypothesis that pregnane X receptor (PXR), a xenobiotic-sensing nuclear receptor, regulates the level of circulating atherogenic lipids in humans and utilized mouse experiments to identify the mechanisms involved. Experimental approach: We performed serum NMR metabolomics in healthy volunteers administered rifampicin, a prototypical human PXR ligand or placebo in a crossover setting. We used high-fat diet fed wild-type and PXR knockout mice to investigate the mechanisms mediating the PXR-induced alterations in cholesterol homeostasis. Key results: Activation of PXR induced cholesterogenesis both in pre-clinical and clinical settings. In human volunteers, rifampicin increased intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol and lathosterol–cholesterol ratio, a marker of cholesterol synthesis, suggesting increased cholesterol synthesis. Experiments in mice indicated that PXR activation causes widespread induction of the cholesterol synthesis genes including the rate-limiting Hmgcr and upregulates the intermediates in the Kandutsch–Russell cholesterol synthesis pathway in the liver. Additionally, PXR activation induced plasma proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a negative regulator of hepatic LDL uptake, in both mice and humans. We propose that these effects were mediated through increased proteolytic activation of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2) in response to PXR activation. Conclusions and implications: PXR activation induces cholesterol synthesis, elevating LDL and total cholesterol in humans. The PXR–SREBP2 pathway is a novel regulator of the cholesterol and PCSK9 synthesis and a molecular mechanism for drug- and chemical-induced hypercholesterolemia

Genome-wide association study of polymorphisms predisposing to bronchiolitis

Abstract Bronchiolitis is a major cause of hospitalization among infants. Severe bronchiolitis is associated with later asthma, suggesting a common genetic predisposition. Genetic background of bronchiolitis is not well characterized. To identify polymorphisms associated with bronchiolitis, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in which 5,300,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were tested for association in a Finnish–Swedish population of 217 children hospitalized for bronchiolitis and 778 controls. The most promising SNPs (n = 77) were genotyped in a Dutch replication population of 416 cases and 432 controls. Finally, we used a set of 202 Finnish bronchiolitis cases to further investigate candidate SNPs. We did not detect genome-wide significant associations, but several suggestive association signals (p < 10⁻⁵) were observed in the GWAS. In the replication population, three SNPs were nominally associated (p < 0.05). Of them, rs269094 was an expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) for KCND3, previously shown to be associated with occupational asthma. In the additional set of Finnish cases, the association for another SNP (rs9591920) within a noncoding RNA locus was further strengthened. Our results provide a first genome-wide examination of the genetics underlying bronchiolitis. These preliminary findings require further validation in a larger sample size

Cognitive Network Management Framework and Approach for Video Streaming Optimization in Heterogeneous Networks

The future Internet will be highly heterogeneous in supporting a multitude of access technologies and networks with overlapping coverages. Optimization of network operations like management of resources, mobility or Quality of Service in order to ensure smooth network operation and high user satisfaction will be very challenging in the future networks. Cognitive network management can provide a solution of managing such complex systems. This paper studies cognitive network management in the context of optimizing video streaming performance in heterogeneous multi-access networks. The paper proposes a network management framework that relies on cognitive decision techniques in the joint optimization of network and video service performance. The proposed solution is also implemented and validated in part in a testbed environment. The results attest the feasibility of the solution as well as the benefits of cognitive decision techniques over non-learning or non-adaptive approaches

Study content integreated learning in 1st grade

Šī diplomdarba temats ir “Mācību satura integrēta apguve 1.klasē. ” Tā mērķis ir pētīt un analizēt mācību satura integrētu procesu 1.klasē un apkopot pētījuma rezultātus. Tika vadītas septiņpadsmit nodarbības 1.klases skolēniem dažādos mācību priekšmetos, lai noskaidrotu, kuras mācību metodes un paņēmieni ir piemērotāki integrēta satura apguvē. Empīriskā pētījuma izmantotās metodes: novērošana, anketēšana un empīrisko datu analīze, vadīto mācību stundu analīze. Darba nobeigumā ir secinājumi, izmantotās literatūras avotu saraksts, pielikums, kurā ietilpst anketa, bērnu darbi un vadīto mācību stundu plāni. Darba vizualizācijai izmantoti 3 attēli. Pētījums veikts Kalnciema pagasta vidusskolā. Bakalaura darba apjoms 69 lappuses. Darbs ietver 37 literatūras avotus un 3 pielikumus. Atslēgas vārdi: integrēts mācību saturs, integrētas mācību stundas, mācību metodes un paņēmieni, daudzveidīgi materiāli.The theme of this annual paper is “Study content integreated learning in 1st grade.” Its aim is to study and analyze the integrated process of study content in the 1st grade and to summarize the research results. Seventeen classes were conducted for 1st grade students in different subjects to find out which teaching methods and techniques are more suitable for learning integrated content. Methods used in the empirical research: observation, questionnaire and analysis of empirical data, analysis of conducted lessons. At the end of the work there are conclusions, a list of used literature sources, an appendix, which includes a questionnaire, children's works and lesson plans. 3 images were used to visualize the work. The research was conducted in Kalnciems Parish Secondary School. Diploma Paper contains 69 pages, 37 literature sources and 3 appendixes. Keywords: integrated teaching content, integrated lessons, teaching methods and techniques, diverse materials

Cerebrospinal fluid biomarker and brain biopsy findings in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus

Objective: To investigate the role of soluble APP (sAPP) and amyloid beta (Ab) isoforms, proinflammatory cytokines, and biomarkers of neuronal damage in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in relation to brain biopsy Ab and hyperphosphorylated tau (HPt) findings. Methods: The study population comprised 102 patients with possible NPH with cortical brain biopsies, ventricular and lumbar CSF samples, and DNA available. The final clinical diagnoses were: 53 iNPH (91% shunt-responders), 26 AD (10 mixed iNPH+AD), and 23 others. Biopsy samples were immunostained against Ab and HPt. CSF levels of AD-related biomarkers (Ab42, p-tau, total tau), non-AD-related Ab isoforms (Ab38, Ab40), sAPP isoforms (sAPPa, sAPPb), proinflammatory cytokines (several interleukins (IL), interferon-gamma, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and biomarkers of neuronal damage (neurofilament light and myelin basic protein) were measured. All patients were genotyped for APOE. Results: Lumbar CSF levels of sAPP alpha were lower (p<0.05) in patients with shunt-responsive iNPH compared to non-iNPH patients. sAPPb showed a similar trend (p = 0.06). CSF sAPP isoform levels showed no association to Ab or HPt in the brain biopsy. Quantified Ab load in the brain biopsy showed a negative correlation with CSF levels of Ab42 in ventricular (r = 20.295, p = 0.003) and lumbar (r = 20.356, p = 0.01) samples, while the levels of Ab38 and Ab40 showed no correlation. CSF levels of proinflammatory cytokines and biomarkers of neuronal damage did not associate to the brain biopsy findings, diagnosis, or shunt response. Higher lumbar/ventricular CSF IL-8 ratios (p<0.001) were seen in lumbar samples collected after ventriculostomy compared to the samples collected before the procedure. Conclusions: The role of sAPP isoforms in iNPH seems to be independent from the amyloid cascade. No neuroinflammatory background was observed in iNPH or AD