Sensitivity analysis of biophysically-detailed tripartite synapse model

publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Boron neutron capture therapy for locally recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma : An analysis of dose response and survival

Background and purpose: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) that recurs locally is a therapeutic challenge. We investigated the efficacy of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) in the treatment of such patients and the factors associated with treatment response and survival. Methods and materials: Seventy-nine patients with inoperable, locally recurred HNSCC were treated with L-boronophenylalanine-mediated BNCT in Espoo, Finland, between February, 2003 and January, 2012. Prior treatments consisted of surgery and conventionally fractionated radiotherapy to a median cumulative dose of 66 Gy (interquartile range [IQR], 59-70 Gy) administered with or without concomitant chemotherapy. Tumor response was assessed using the RECISTv. 1.0 criteria. Results: Forty patients received BNCT once (on 1 day), and 39 twice. The median time between the 2 treatments was 6 weeks. Forty-seven (68%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 57-79%) of the 69 evaluable patients responded; 25 (36%) had a complete response, 22 (32%) a partial response, 17 (25%) a stable disease lasting for a median of 4.2 months, and 5 (7%) progressed. The patients treated with BNCT twice responded more often than those treated once. The median follow-up time after BNCT was 7.8 years. The 2-year locoregional progression-free survival rate was 38% and the overall survival rate 21%. A high minimum tumor dose and a small volume were independently associated with long survival in a multi-variable analysis. Conclusions: Most patients responded to BNCT. A high minimum tumor dose from BNCT was predictive for response and survival. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

Smooth muscle cells in human atherosclerosis: proteomic profiling reveals differences in expression of Annexin A1 and mitochondrial proteins in carotid disease.

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Interleukin-6 and microRNA profiles induced by oral bacteria in human atheroma derived and healthy smooth muscle cells

Background Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease with possible contributions from bacterial antigens. We aimed to investigate the role of oral bacteria as inducers of inflammatory cascades in smooth muscle cells from carotid endarterectomy patients (AthSMCs) and healthy controls (HSMCs). Findings Inactivated Streptococcus mitis, S. sanguinis, S. gorgonii, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis were used to stimulate inflammation in HSMCs and AthSMCs. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) was used as a positive control in all stimulations. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were determined from cell culture supernatants and microRNA expression profiles from cells after 24 h of bacterial stimulation. Genome wide expression (GWE) analyses were performed after 5 h stimulation. All studied bacteria induced pro inflammatory IL-6 production in both SMCs. The most powerful inducer of IL-6 was A. actinomycetemcomitans (p < 0.001). Of the 84 studied miRNAs, expression of 9 miRNAs differed significantly (p ≤ 0.001) between HSMCs and AthSMCs stimulated with inactivated bacteria or TNFα. The data was divided into two groups: high IL-6 producers (A. actinomytectemcomititans and TNFα) and low IL-6 producers (streptococcal strains and P. gingivalis). The expression of 4 miRNAs (miR-181-5p, −186-5p, −28-5p and −155-5p) differed statistically significantly (p < 0.001) between healthy HSMCs and AthSMCs in the low IL-6 producer group. According to multidimensional scaling, two gene expression clusters were seen: one in HSMCs and one AthSMCs. Conclusions Our results suggest that inactivated oral bacteria induce inflammation that is differently regulated in healthy and atherosclerotic SMCs.BioMed Central/SpringerOpen Journa

Vihreän kasvun mahdollisuudet

Raportissa etsitään vastausta kysymykseen siitä, millaisilla poliittisilla päätöksillä (askelmerkeillä) Suomessa voidaan luoda edellytyksiä vihreälle kasvulle. Ehdotetut askelmerkit pohjautuvat katsaukseen aiemmista tutkimuksista ja selvityksistä liittyen Suomen keskeisiin kulutus- ja tuotantojärjestelmiin (ruoka, asuminen, liikkuminen ja energia) ja eräisiin vihreän talouden edelläkävijämaihin (Alankomaat, Saksa, Ruotsi, Brasilia). Lisäksi tarkastellaan erilaisia malleja, joilla systeemistä muutosta kohti vihreää taloutta voidaan tukea. Raportissa nostetaan esiin myös onnistuneita esimerkkejä vihreästä liiketoiminnasta ja vihreää kasvua edistävistä toimista. Vihreällä kasvulla tarkoitetaan vähähiilisyyteen ja resurssitehokkuuteen perustuvaa, ekosysteemien toimintakyvyn turvaavaa taloudellista kasvua, joka edistää hyvinvointia ja sosiaalista oikeudenmukaisuutta. Vihreässä kasvussa nähdään maailmanlaajuisesti huomattavaa potentiaalia, joka tällä hetkellä ilmenee etenkin cleantechin kysynnän nopeana kasvuna. Tulevaisuuden menestyjät ovat kilpailijoitaan materiaali- ja energiatehokkaampia, ja ne pystyvät tuottamaan joustavasti vähähiilisiin yhteiskuntiin sopivia palveluita ja tuotteita. Vihreän kasvun mahdollisuuksia on kaikilla yhteiskunnan sektoreilla. Vihreä kasvu voi muodostua kokonaan uudenlaisesta liiketoiminnasta ja synnyttää uusia yrityksiä, mutta mahdollisuuksia on myös perinteisessä energia- ja resurssi-intensiivisessä teollisuudessamme. Kasvun avainasemassa ovat yritykset, mutta tuotannon ohella vihreän kasvun toteutuminen vaatii muutoksia myös kulutuksessa. Valtion-, alue- ja kuntahallinto toimii mahdollistajana luoden edellytyksiä vihreälle kasvulle. Raportissa esitettiin joukko politiikkatoimia ja prosesseja, joilla Suomi voi tukea vihreää kasvua. Ehdotukset vihreän kasvun askelmerkeiksi ovat: A. Luodaan vihreän kasvun edellytykset yhteisen tahtotilan ja poliittisen sitoutumisen avulla. B. Vauhditetaan yritysten vihreää kasvupotentiaalia ja vahvistetaan vihreää kysyntää. C. Mahdollistetaan vihreitä pilotteja ja kokeiluja koti- ja vientimarkkinoita varten. D. Synnytetään kansainvälisiä ja kotimaisia strategisia avauksia ja kumppanuuksia. E. Luodaan vihreälle kasvulle tilaa purkamalla tuhlaavia järjestelmiä. F. Vaalitaan jatkuvaa ja järjestelmällistä oppimista vihreän kasvun vauhdittajana

Atomic layer deposition of tin oxide thin films from bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)amino]tin(II) with ozone and water

Tin oxide thin films were grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) from bis[bis(trimethylsilyl) amino]tin(II) with ozone and water. The ALD growth rate of tin oxide films was examined with respect to substrate temperature, precursor doses, and number of ALD cycles. With ozone two ALD windows were observed, between 80 and 100 C and between 125 and 200 C. The films grown on soda lime glass and silicon substrates were uniform across the substrates. With the water process the growth rate at 100–250 C was 0.05–0.18A ° /cycle, and with the ozone process, the growth rate at 80–200 C was 0.05–0.11A ° /cycle. The films were further studied for composition and morphology. The films deposited with water showed crystallinity with the tetragonal SnO phase, and annealing in air increased the conductivity of the films while the SnO2 phase appeared. All the films deposited with ozone contained silicon as an impurity and were amorphous and nonconductive both as-deposited and after annealing. The films were further deposited in TiO2 nanotubes aiming to create a pn-junction which was studied by I-V measurements. The TiO2 nanostructure functioned also as a test structure for conformality of the processes.Peer reviewe

Åtgärdsprogram för vattenvården för åren 2022–2027 i Södra Österbotten, Österbotten och Mellersta Österbotten.

Det centrala syftet med vattenvården är att hindra att tillståndet i vattendragen, sjöarna och kustvattnen försämras och att sträva efter att alla vatten uppnår åtminstone god status. Tillståndet i vatten som bedömts ha hög eller god status får inte försämras. För att nå målet planerar och vidtar man åtgärder som förbättrar vattnens status samt följer upp effekterna. I vattenvården beaktar man också målen för havsvården, för hanteringen av översvämnings-risker och för naturskyddet. Vattenvården planeras enligt vattenförvaltningsområden, av vilka det finns sju i Fastlandsfinland. Ett vattenför-valtningsområde bildas av ett eller flera vattendragsområden. Planeringen av vattenvården framskrider i sexårspe-rioder. De första åtgärdsprogrammen som sträcker sig fram till 2015 utarbetades i ett brett samarbete under 2008–2009. Mer information om vattenvården och organiseringen av den inom vattenförvaltningsområdet finns på https://www.ymparisto.fi/sv-FI/Vatten/Vattenskydd/Vattenvardsplanering_och_samarbete/Vattenforvaltningsomraden/Kumo_alvSkargardshavetBottenhavet och i förvaltningsplanen för Kumo älvs-Skärgårdshavets-Bottenhavets vattenförvaltningsområde. I förvaltningsplanen för vattenvården beskrivs lagstiftningen och andra planer och strategier som rör vattenvården mer i detalj. Dessutom har man i vattenförvaltningsplanen gjort en granskning av alternativ för vattenvårdsåtgär-derna i hela vattenförvaltningsområdet

Genetic Profiling Using Genome-Wide Significant Coronary Artery Disease Risk Variants Does Not Improve the Prediction of Subclinical Atherosclerosis: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, the Bogalusa Heart Study and the Health 2000 Survey – A Meta-Analysis of Three Independent Studies

Background Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified a large number of variants (SNPs) associating with an increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). Recently, the CARDIoGRAM consortium published a GWAS based on the largest study population so far. They successfully replicated twelve already known associations and discovered thirteen new SNPs associating with CAD. We examined whether the genetic profiling of these variants improves prediction of subclinical atherosclerosis – i.e., carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and carotid artery elasticity (CAE) – beyond classical risk factors. Subjects and Methods We genotyped 24 variants found in a population of European ancestry and measured CIMT and CAE in 2001 and 2007 from 2,081, and 2,015 subjects (aged 30–45 years in 2007) respectively, participating in the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (YFS). The Bogalusa Heart Study (BHS; n = 1179) was used as a replication cohort (mean age of 37.5). For additional replication, a sub-sample of 5 SNPs was genotyped for 1,291 individuals aged 46–76 years participating in the Health 2000 population survey. We tested the impact of genetic risk score (GRS24SNP/CAD) calculated as a weighted (by allelic odds ratios for CAD) sum of CAD risk alleles from the studied 24 variants on CIMT, CAE, the incidence of carotid atherosclerosis and the progression of CIMT and CAE during a 6-year follow-up. Results CIMT or CAE did not significantly associate with GRS24SNP/CAD before or after adjusting for classical CAD risk factors (p>0.05 for all) in YFS or in the BHS. CIMT and CAE associated with only one SNP each in the YFS. The findings were not replicated in the replication cohorts. In the meta-analysis CIMT or CAE did not associate with any of the SNPs. Conclusion Genetic profiling, by using known CAD risk variants, should not improve risk stratification for subclinical atherosclerosis beyond conventional risk factors among healthy young adults.Public Library of Science open acces

Is the water footprint an appropriate tool for forestry and forest products: The Fennoscandian case

The water footprint by the Water Footprint Network (WF) is an ambitious tool for measuring human appropriation and promoting sustainable use of fresh water. Using recent case studies and examples from water-abundant Fennoscandia, we consider whether it is an appropriate tool for evaluating the water use of forestry and forest-based products. We show that aggregating catchment level water consumption over a product life cycle does not consider fresh water as a renewable resource and is inconsistent with the principles of the hydrologic cycle. Currently, the WF assumes that all evapotranspiration (ET) from forests is a human appropriation of water although ET from managed forests in Fennoscandia is indistinguishable from that of unmanaged forests. We suggest that ET should not be included in the water footprint of rain-fed forestry and forest-based products. Tools for sustainable water management should always contextualize water use and water impacts with local water availability and environmental sensitivity