Aivoterveyden ylläpitäminen : Kuvaileva kirjallisuuskatsaus

Tämän opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena on tukea toimeksiantajan, Hyvinvointiteknologia-hankkeen, ideaa luoda pelisovelluksia muistisairauksien ennaltaehkäisemiseksi ja aivoterveyden ylläpitämiseksi. Tavoitteena on koota tutkimuksia ja raportteja aivoterveyden ja muistin ylläpitämisen sekä muistisairauksien ennaltaehkäisyn keinoista. Katsauksen tutkimuskysymyksiä on kaksi: millä tavoilla voi ylläpitää aivoterveyttä ja muistia sekä miten voi ennaltaehkäistä muistisairauksia. Kirjallisuuskatsauksen teoriatiedoksi hain tietoa aivoterveydestä, muistista ja muistisairauksista sekä hyvinvointiteknologiasta. Opinnäytetyön toteutusmetodina oli kuvaileva kirjallisuuskatsaus ja analysointi metodina sovellettua sisällönanalyysia. Aineiston haussa käytin Medic sekä Pubmed -tietokantoja. Katsauksen analysoitava aineisto koostui kahdeksasta tutkimusartikkelista. Katsauksen tuloksista pystyttiin vetämään johtopäätökset, että pohjoismaisten ravintosuositusten mukainen ravintorikas ja terveellinen ruokavalio, riittävä fyysinen aktiivisuus sekä aivojen harjoittaminen ylläpitävät aivoterveyttä, muistia ja ennaltaehkäisevät muistisairauksia. Oikealla ohjauksella ja neuvonnalla on myönteinen vaikutus aivoterveyteen. Lapsuuden ympäristötekijöillä on myös vaikutusta aivoterveyteen, mutta näihin tekijöihin ei pysty itse lapsena vaikuttamaan. Jatkotutkimusehdotuksena on katsauksen tuloksien erittely omiksi tutkimuskohteiksi.The goal of this thesis was to contribute to a project of the client on wellness technology. The idea of the project is to create game applications to prevent dementia and maintain brain health. This paper aims to make a review of studies and reports dealing with ways to maintain brain health and memory and prevent dementia. The first research question was how individuals can maintain brain health and memory, and the second research question was how individuals can prevent dementia. The theory section examines brain health, memory, dementia and wellness technology. The research method was descriptive literature review and the analysis method was content analysis. The Medic and the Pubmed databases were used to search for studies and reports. Eight research articles were analyzed. The reviews’s conclusions were that nutritious and healthy diet after following the Nordic nutrition recommendations, physical activity and brain training help to maintain brain health and prevent dementia. The right kind of guidance and advice also help to maintain brain health. The childhood’s environment factors have an influence on brain health, but these are factors that are beyond the person’s own control. A subject for further research could be to analyze the results of the review topic by topic

Evolved high aerobic capacity has context-specific effects on gut microbiota

Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Hanhimäki, Watts, Koskela, Koteja, Mappes and Hämäläinen.Gut microbiota is expected to coevolve with the host's physiology and may play a role in adjusting the host's energy metabolism to suit the host's environment. To evaluate the effects of both evolved host metabolism and the environmental context in shaping the gut microbiota, we used a unique combination of (1) experimental evolution to create selection lines for a fast metabolism and (2) a laboratory-to-field translocation study. Mature bank voles Myodes glareolus from lines selected for high aerobic capacity (A lines) and from unselected control (C lines) were released into large (0.2 ha) outdoor enclosures for longitudinal monitoring. To examine whether the natural environment elicited a similar or more pronounced impact on the gut microbiota of the next generation, we also sampled the field-reared offspring. The gut microbiota were characterized using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of fecal samples. The artificial selection for fast metabolism had minimal impact on the gut microbiota in laboratory conditions but in field conditions, there were differences between the selection lines (A lines vs. C lines) in the diversity, community, and resilience of the gut microbiota. Notably, the selection lines differed in the less abundant bacteria throughout the experiment. The lab-to-field transition resulted in an increase in alpha diversity and an altered community composition in the gut microbiota, characterized by a significant increase in the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and a decrease of Patescibacteria. Also, the selection lines showed different temporal patterns in changes in microbiota composition, as the average gut microbiota alpha diversity of the C lines, but not A lines, was temporarily reduced during the initial transition to the field. In surviving young voles, the alpha diversity of gut microbiota was significantly higher in A-line than C-line voles. These results indicate that the association of host metabolism and gut microbiota is context-specific, likely mediated by behavioral or physiological modifications in response to the environment.Peer reviewe

The effect of brown-rot decay on water adsorption and chemical composition of Scots pine heartwood

Abstract - • The effect of brown-rot (Coniophora puteana) decay on the water adsorption capacity and concentration of extractives of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) heartwood were studied by comparing corresponding properties of decayed and undecayed wood samples. • The samples derived from 39 felled trees having a large between-tree variation in the extractive concentrations, and subsequently in the mass loss in the decay test. The water adsorption capacity, expressed as equilibrium moisture content (EMC), was measured at a high relative humidity (RH ∼100%, 21 • C). • In contrast to the widely held belief, the water adsorption capacity of brow-rotted heartwood appeared to be significantly higher than that of undecayed heartwood. • The chemical composition of heartwood was changed radically by the fungus: the concentration of stilbenes, resin acids and free fatty acids decreased, while the concentration of soluble sugars increased as a result of decay. In addition, fungal sugars were found in the decayed samples. The concentration of total phenolics increased, which obviously reflected chemical changes in cell wall constituents other than extractives. • As a conclusion, the information concerning the hygroscopicity of brown-rotted wood might be valuable e.g. when carrying out repairs on buildings damaged by advanced decay. brown-rot decay / extractives / Scots pine heartwood / mass loss / moisture content Résumé -Effet des pourritures brunes sur l'adsorption de l'eau et la composition chimique du bois de Coeur du pin sylvestre. • Nous avons étudié l'effet de la présence de pourriture brune (Coniophora puteana) sur la capacité d'adsorption de l'eau et sur la concentration d'extractibles du bois de coeur du pin sylvestre (Pinus sylvestris L.) en comparant des échantillons contaminés et sains obtenus pour 39 arbres échantillonnés. • Dans les essais de décomposition, on obtient une grande variation entre arbres de la concentration en extractibles et de la perte de masse. La capacité d'adsorption de l'eau, exprimée comme l'humidité d'équilibre, a été mesurée à une humidité relative de 100 % à 21 • C. • Contrairement à ce qui était attendu, la décomposition augmente la capacité d'adsorption de l'eau du bois de coeur en atmosphère très humide. La différence entre arbres des variations de l'humidité d'équilibre (décomposé-contrôle) augmente significativement avec l'augmentation de la perte de masse. • La composition chimique du bois de coeur est radicalement modifiée par le champignon : la concentration de stilbènes, de résines acides et d'acides gras libres décroît tandis que la concentration de sucres solubles augmente, cela résultant de la décomposition. La concentration de composés phéno-liques totaux, mesurée par le test de décomposition de Folin-Ciocalteu, augmente. De plus des sucres fongiques dérivant des hyphes de C. puteana ont été retrouvés dans les échantillons décomposés. • En conclusion, les informations concernant l'hygroscopicité du bois brun pourraient être utiles par exemple au moment de procéder à la réparation de bâtiments endommagés par une dégradation avancée. pourriture brune / extractibles / perte de masse / teneur en eau / humidité relativ

Cost-effective survival prediction for patients with advanced prostate cancer using clinical trial and real-world hospital registry datasets

Introduction Predictive survival modeling offers systematic tools for clinical decision-making and individualized tailoring of treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes while reducing overall healthcare costs. In 2015, a number of machine learning and statistical models were benchmarked in the DREAM 9.5 Prostate Cancer Challenge, based on open clinical trial data for metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). However, applying these models into clinical practice poses a practical challenge due to the inclusion of a large number of model variables, some of which are not routinely monitored or are expensive to measure. Objectives To develop cost-specified variable selection algorithms for constructing cost-effective prognostic models of overall survival that still preserve sufficient model performance for clinical decision making. Methods Penalized Cox regression models were used for the survival prediction. For the variable selection, we implemented two algorithms: (i) LASSO regularization approach; and (ii) a greedy cost-specified variable selection algorithm. The models were compared in three cohorts of mCRPC patients from randomized clinical trials (RCT), as well as in a real-world cohort (RWC) of advanced prostate cancer patients treated at the Turku University Hospital. Hospital laboratory expenses were utilized as a reference for computing the costs of introducing new variables into the models. Results Compared to measuring the full set of clinical variables, economic costs could be reduced by half without a significant loss of model performance. The greedy algorithm outperformed the LASSO-based variable selection with the lowest tested budgets. The overall top performance was higher with the LASSO algorithm. Conclusion The cost-specified variable selection offers significant budget optimization capability for the real-world survival prediction without compromising the predictive power of the model.Peer reviewe

Self-sampling in cervical cancer screening : comparison of a brush-based and a lavage-based cervicovaginal self-sampling device

Background: High coverage and attendance is essential for cervical cancer screening success. We investigated whether the previous positive experiences on increasing screening attendance by self-sampling in Finland are sampler device dependent. Methods: All women identified to cervical cancer screening in 2013 in 28 Finnish municipalities were randomised to receive a lavage- (n = 6030) or a brush type of self-sampling device (n = 6045) in case of non-attendance after two invitation letters. Seven hundred seventy non-attending women in the lavage device group and 734 in the brush group received the self-sampling offer. Women's experiences were enquired with an enclosed questionnaire. Results: Total attendance in the lavage group increased from 71.0 to 77.7 % by reminder letters and further to 80.5 % by self-sampling. Respective increase in the brush group was from 72.2 to 78.6 % and then to 81.5 %. The participation by self-sampling was 21.7 % (95 % CI 18.8-24.6) in the lavage group and 23.8 % (95 % CI 20.8-26.9) in the brush group. Women's self-sampling experiences were mainly positive and the sampler devices were equally well accepted by the women. Conclusion: Our study shows that the lavage device and brush device perform similarly in terms of uptake by non-attending women and user comfort. If self-sampling is integrated to the routine screening program in Finland, either of the devices can be chosen without the fear of losing participants due to a less acceptable device.Peer reviewe

Annual cycle of Scots pine photosynthesis

Photosynthesis, i.e. the assimilation of atmospheric carbon to organic molecules with the help of solar energy, is a fundamental and well-understood process. Here, we connect theoretically the fundamental concepts affecting C-3 photosynthesis with the main environmental drivers (ambient temperature and solar light intensity), using six axioms based on physiological and physical knowledge, and yield straightforward and simple mathematical equations. The light and carbon reactions in photosynthesis are based on the coherent operation of the photosynthetic machinery, which is formed of a complicated chain of enzymes, membrane pumps and pigments. A powerful biochemical regulation system has emerged through evolution to match photosynthesis with the annual cycle of solar light and temperature. The action of the biochemical regulation system generates the annual cycle of photosynthesis and emergent properties, the state of the photosynthetic machinery and the efficiency of photosynthesis. The state and the efficiency of the photosynthetic machinery is dynamically changing due to biosynthesis and decomposition of the molecules. The mathematical analysis of the system, defined by the very fundamental concepts and axioms, resulted in exact predictions of the behaviour of daily and annual patterns in photosynthesis. We tested the predictions with extensive field measurements of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) photosynthesis on a branch scale in northern Finland. Our theory gained strong support through rigorous testing.Peer reviewe

Is Decreased Xylem Sap Surface Tension Associated With Embolism and Loss of Xylem Hydraulic Conductivity in Pathogen-Infected Norway Spruce Saplings?

Increased abiotic stress along with increasing temperatures, dry periods and forest disturbances may favor biotic stressors such as simultaneous invasion of bark beetle and ophiostomatoid fungi. It is not fully understood how tree desiccation is associated with colonization of sapwood by fungi. A decrease in xylem sap surface tension (sigma(xylem)) as a result of infection has been hypothesized to cause xylem embolism by lowering the threshold for air-seeding at the pits between conduits and disruptions in tree water transport. However, this hypothesis has not yet been tested. We investigated tree water relations by measuring the stem xylem hydraulic conductivity (K-stem), sigma(xylem), stem relative water content (RWCstem), and water potential (psi(stem)), and canopy conductance (g(canopy)), as well as the compound composition in xylem sap in Norway spruce (Picea abies) saplings. We conducted our measurements at the later stage ofEndoconidiophora polonicainfection when visible symptoms had occurred in xylem. Saplings of two clones (44 trees altogether) were allocated to treatments of inoculated, wounded control and intact control trees in a greenhouse. The saplings were destructively sampled every second week during summer 2016. sigma(xylem), K(stem)and RWC(stem)decreased following the inoculation, which may indicate that decreased sigma(xylem)resulted in increased embolism. g(canopy)did not differ between treatments indicating that stomata responded to psi(stem)rather than to embolism formation. Concentrations of quinic acid, myo-inositol, sucrose and alkylphenol increased in the xylem sap of inoculated trees. Myo-inositol concentrations also correlated negatively with sigma(xylem)and K-stem. Our study is a preliminary investigation of the role of sigma(xylem)inE. polonicainfected trees based on previous hypotheses. The results suggest thatE. polonicainfection can lead to a simultaneous decrease in xylem sap surface tension and a decline in tree hydraulic conductivity, thus hampering tree water transport.Peer reviewe

Is Decreased Xylem Sap Surface Tension Associated With Embolism and Loss of Xylem Hydraulic Conductivity in Pathogen-Infected Norway Spruce Saplings?

Increased abiotic stress along with increasing temperatures, dry periods and forest disturbances may favor biotic stressors such as simultaneous invasion of bark beetle and ophiostomatoid fungi. It is not fully understood how tree desiccation is associated with colonization of sapwood by fungi. A decrease in xylem sap surface tension (sigma(xylem)) as a result of infection has been hypothesized to cause xylem embolism by lowering the threshold for air-seeding at the pits between conduits and disruptions in tree water transport. However, this hypothesis has not yet been tested. We investigated tree water relations by measuring the stem xylem hydraulic conductivity (K-stem), sigma(xylem), stem relative water content (RWCstem), and water potential (psi(stem)), and canopy conductance (g(canopy)), as well as the compound composition in xylem sap in Norway spruce (Picea abies) saplings. We conducted our measurements at the later stage ofEndoconidiophora polonicainfection when visible symptoms had occurred in xylem. Saplings of two clones (44 trees altogether) were allocated to treatments of inoculated, wounded control and intact control trees in a greenhouse. The saplings were destructively sampled every second week during summer 2016. sigma(xylem), K(stem)and RWC(stem)decreased following the inoculation, which may indicate that decreased sigma(xylem)resulted in increased embolism. g(canopy)did not differ between treatments indicating that stomata responded to psi(stem)rather than to embolism formation. Concentrations of quinic acid, myo-inositol, sucrose and alkylphenol increased in the xylem sap of inoculated trees. Myo-inositol concentrations also correlated negatively with sigma(xylem)and K-stem. Our study is a preliminary investigation of the role of sigma(xylem)inE. polonicainfected trees based on previous hypotheses. The results suggest thatE. polonicainfection can lead to a simultaneous decrease in xylem sap surface tension and a decline in tree hydraulic conductivity, thus hampering tree water transport.Peer reviewe