The COVID-19 pandemic and regional economic resilience in northern Finland, Norway, and Sweden – bouncing back or not?

Source at https://arcticyearbook.com/.The COVID-19 pandemic has been first and foremost a health crisis, but it has also had severe negative impacts on the global economy. It has shaken regional economies, especially labour markets, over the last two years. Arctic regions are no exception. The aim of this article is to analyse the regional economic impacts, as well as the recovery processes, of the COVID19 pandemic in Arctic 5 cities in Northern Finland, Sweden, and Norway (Oulu and Rovaniemi in Finland, Luleå and Umeå in Sweden and Tromsø in Norway). In many countries, including Finland, Sweden and Norway, governments decreed various types of lockdown policies to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to such policies, the pandemic has had an asymmetrical impact not only on individuals but also on communities and regions. This has given new urgency to a place-based approach to regional development, mitigating territorial inequalities. Our goal is to study how hard the Arctic 5 cities have been hit by the COVID-19 shock and how well they have been able to absorb, adapt to and recover from the crisis. The research question thus focuses on the resilience of the regions. In this study, we focus on the analysis of public statistics concerning the development of labour markets. We also analyse change

HIF-P4H-2 inhibition enhances intestinal fructose metabolism and induces thermogenesis protecting against NAFLD

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) parallels the global obesity epidemic with unmet therapeutic needs. We investigated whether inhibition of hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl 4-hydroxylase-2 (HIF-P4H-2), a key cellular oxygen sensor whose inhibition stabilizes HIF, would protect from NAFLD by subjecting HIF-P4H-2-deficient (Hif-p4h-2(gt/gt)) mice to a high-fat, high-fructose (HFHF) or high-fat, methionine-choline-deficient (HF-MCD) diet. On both diets, the Hif-p4h-2(gt/gt) mice gained less weight and had less white adipose tissue (WAT) and its inflammation, lower serum cholesterol levels, and lighter livers with less steatosis and lower serum ALT levels than the wild type (WT). The intake of fructose in majority of the Hif-p4h-2(gt/gt) tissues, including the liver, was 15-35% less than in the WT. We found upregulation of the key fructose transporter and metabolizing enzyme mRNAs, Slc2a2, Khka, and Khkc, and higher ketohexokinase activity in the Hif-p4h-2(gt/gt) small intestine relative to the WT, suggesting enhanced metabolism of fructose in the former. On the HF-MCD diet, the Hif-p4h-2(gt/gt) mice showed more browning of the WAT and increased thermogenesis. A pharmacological pan-HIF-P4H inhibitor protected WT mice on both diets against obesity, metabolic dysfunction, and liver damage. These data suggest that HIF-P4H-2 inhibition could be studied as a novel, comprehensive treatment strategy for NAFLD. Key messages center dot HIF-P4H-2 inhibition enhances intestinal fructose metabolism protecting the liver. center dot HIF-P4H-2 inhibition downregulates hepatic lipogenesis. center dot Induced browning of WAT and increased thermogenesis can also mediate protection. center dot HIF-P4H-2 inhibition offers a novel, comprehensive treatment strategy for NAFLD.Peer reviewe

Best food - good life

Visio tulevaisuuden ruokajärjestelmästä vastaa niin globaaleihin kuin paikallisiinkin haasteisiin, jotka johtuvat ilmastonmuutoksesta, ekosysteemipalvelujen heikkenemisestä, resurssien niukkenemisesta, ruoan ja energian lisääntyvästä tarpeesta, nopeasta sosiaalisesta eriarvoistumisesta, maahanmuutosta ja kansalaisten etääntymisestä ruoan alkuperästä. Visio ottaa kantaa ruoan huoltovarmuuteen kansallisesti ja ruokaan globaalina ihmisoikeutena. Visiossa hahmotellaan tulevaisuuden ruokajärjestelmä ja keinot sen toteuttamiseksi viiden seuraavan kokonaisuuden avulla. 1. Tavoitteena ruokaturva Kotimainen ruokaturva perustuu kannattavaan ja ympäristöystävälliseen, paikalliseen ja verkottuneeseen tuotantojärjestelmään, joka on tärkeimpien tuotannontekijöitten suhteen kansallisesti omavarainen. Järjestelmän perusominaisuuksiin kuuluu kierrätys ja vähäiset hävikit. Ruokajärjestelmä pystyy takaamaan kansalaisille kaikissa olosuhteissa ravitsemuksellisesti riittävän ruoan, samalla kun se tuottaa muita biotuotannon raaka-aineita ja energiaa. Ruokajärjestelmälle on annettu yhteisöjä vahvistava tehtävä, ja sen sosiaalipoliittinen merkitys on huomattu. 2. Kuluttamisesta osallistumiseen Osallistava ruokajärjestelmä kytkee jokaisen ihmisen ruoantuotantoon ja lisää näin tietoisuutta sekä arvostusta ruoan tuottamisesta ja ympäristöstä. Ruokakansalainen on tietoinen ruoan laadun eri ulottuvuuksista. Osallistuminen mm. lähiruokayhteisöihin luo merkityksellisyyttä ja hyvinvointia. 3. Ihmisten yhteisöjä ja luonnon resursseja vaalien Tehokkain ekologisin menetelmin viljelty maa tuottaa ravitsemuksellisesti korkeita ja varmoja satoja. Viljelymaat sitovat hiiltä maaperään ja hidastavat ilmastonmuutosta. Tasapainoinen tuotantorakenne on mahdollistanut kierrätysmaatalouden: rehu- ja ravinnevirrat ovat paikallisia. Maatalousmaan väheneminen on estetty maankäytön kokonaisvaltaisella suunnittelulla, ja maanvuokrausta on kehitetty pitkäjänteiseksi mahdollistamaan investoinnit maan laatuun. Maatalouden ja elintarvikejalostuksen paikalliset, integroidut järjestelmät ovat tuoneet ruoan huoltovarmuuden kannalta merkityksellistä sitkeyttä ja vakautta, ne mahdollistavat tehokkaan uusiutuvan energian tuotannon sekä ravinteiden kierrätyksen. Maaseudun yhteisöt ovat vahvistuneet ja niiden yhteydet kaupunkialueisiin konkretisoituneet. Maaseutu on jälleen paikka työskennellä, harrastaa, asua ja elää. 4. Ruoantuotanto turvaa ja tuottaa ekosysteemipalveluja Uudet tuotantotavat nojaavat ekosysteemipalveluihin. Ruoka ymmärretään ekosysteemipalveluna, ja viljely-ympäristöjen monimuotoinen eliöstö ymmärretään ekosysteemipalvelujen perustaksi. Ekosysteeminen ajattelu huomioidaan läpäisevästi niin perus- ja ammattiopetuksessa kuin maankäytön suunnittelussakin. Ruoan lisäksi viljelijät luonnon- ja maisemanhoitajina ansaitsevat muiden ekosysteemipalvelujen tuottamisesta sekä monimuotoisuuden vaalimisesta. 5. Maatalouspolitiikasta ruokapolitiikkaan Uusi ruokapolitiikka vähentää maataloustuotannon tukiriippuvuutta ja kannustaa ekologisesti tehokkaaseen korkeatuottoiseen, korkea-arvoisen ruoan tuotantoon. Politiikkatoimin on ohjattu ruokajärjestelmä toteuttamaan paitsi ravitsemuksellisia ja terveydellisiä, myös ympäristöllisiä, sosiaalisia ja taloudellisia tavoitteita. Ruokaturva, oikeus hyvään ravitsemukseen on nostettu ruokapolitiikan perustaksi, ja Suomi edistää tätä näkemystä kansainvälisesti

Systematic evaluation of the association between hemoglobin levels and metabolic profile implicates beneficial effects of hypoxia

Activation of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway reprograms energy metabolism. Hemoglobin (Hb) is the main carrier of oxygen. Using its normal variation as a surrogate measure for hypoxia, we explored whether lower Hb levels could lead to healthier metabolic profiles in mice and humans (n = 7175) and used Mendelian randomization (MR) to evaluate potential causality (n = 173,480). The results showed evidence for lower Hb levels being associated with lower body mass index, better glucose tolerance and other metabolic profiles, lower inflammatory load, and blood pressure. Expression of the key HIF target genes SLC2A4 and Slc2a1 in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, respectively, associated with systolic blood pressure in MR analyses and body weight, liver weight, and adiposity in mice. Last, manipulation of murine Hb levels mediated changes to key metabolic parameters. In conclusion, low-end normal Hb levels may be favorable for metabolic health involving mild chronic activation of the HIF response

Measurement of the top quark forward-backward production asymmetry and the anomalous chromoelectric and chromomagnetic moments in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV

Abstract The parton-level top quark (t) forward-backward asymmetry and the anomalous chromoelectric (d̂ t) and chromomagnetic (μ̂ t) moments have been measured using LHC pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected in the CMS detector in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb−1. The linearized variable AFB(1) is used to approximate the asymmetry. Candidate t t ¯ events decaying to a muon or electron and jets in final states with low and high Lorentz boosts are selected and reconstructed using a fit of the kinematic distributions of the decay products to those expected for t t ¯ final states. The values found for the parameters are AFB(1)=0.048−0.087+0.095(stat)−0.029+0.020(syst),μ̂t=−0.024−0.009+0.013(stat)−0.011+0.016(syst), and a limit is placed on the magnitude of | d̂ t| < 0.03 at 95% confidence level. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Measurement of t(t)over-bar normalised multi-differential cross sections in pp collisions at root s=13 TeV, and simultaneous determination of the strong coupling strength, top quark pole mass, and parton distribution functions

Peer reviewe

An embedding technique to determine ττ backgrounds in proton-proton collision data

An embedding technique is presented to estimate standard model tau tau backgrounds from data with minimal simulation input. In the data, the muons are removed from reconstructed mu mu events and replaced with simulated tau leptons with the same kinematic properties. In this way, a set of hybrid events is obtained that does not rely on simulation except for the decay of the tau leptons. The challenges in describing the underlying event or the production of associated jets in the simulation are avoided. The technique described in this paper was developed for CMS. Its validation and the inherent uncertainties are also discussed. The demonstration of the performance of the technique is based on a sample of proton-proton collisions collected by CMS in 2017 at root s = 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 41.5 fb(-1).Peer reviewe

MUSiC : a model-unspecific search for new physics in proton-proton collisions at root s=13TeV

Results of the Model Unspecific Search in CMS (MUSiC), using proton-proton collision data recorded at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1), are presented. The MUSiC analysis searches for anomalies that could be signatures of physics beyond the standard model. The analysis is based on the comparison of observed data with the standard model prediction, as determined from simulation, in several hundred final states and multiple kinematic distributions. Events containing at least one electron or muon are classified based on their final state topology, and an automated search algorithm surveys the observed data for deviations from the prediction. The sensitivity of the search is validated using multiple methods. No significant deviations from the predictions have been observed. For a wide range of final state topologies, agreement is found between the data and the standard model simulation. This analysis complements dedicated search analyses by significantly expanding the range of final states covered using a model independent approach with the largest data set to date to probe phase space regions beyond the reach of previous general searches.Peer reviewe

Search for new particles in events with energetic jets and large missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

A search is presented for new particles produced at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV, using events with energetic jets and large missing transverse momentum. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 101 fb(-1), collected in 2017-2018 with the CMS detector. Machine learning techniques are used to define separate categories for events with narrow jets from initial-state radiation and events with large-radius jets consistent with a hadronic decay of a W or Z boson. A statistical combination is made with an earlier search based on a data sample of 36 fb(-1), collected in 2016. No significant excess of events is observed with respect to the standard model background expectation determined from control samples in data. The results are interpreted in terms of limits on the branching fraction of an invisible decay of the Higgs boson, as well as constraints on simplified models of dark matter, on first-generation scalar leptoquarks decaying to quarks and neutrinos, and on models with large extra dimensions. Several of the new limits, specifically for spin-1 dark matter mediators, pseudoscalar mediators, colored mediators, and leptoquarks, are the most restrictive to date.Peer reviewe

Measurement of prompt open-charm production cross sections in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

The production cross sections for prompt open-charm mesons in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13TeV are reported. The measurement is performed using a data sample collected by the CMS experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 29 nb(-1). The differential production cross sections of the D*(+/-), D-+/-, and D-0 ((D) over bar (0)) mesons are presented in ranges of transverse momentum and pseudorapidity 4 < p(T) < 100 GeV and vertical bar eta vertical bar < 2.1, respectively. The results are compared to several theoretical calculations and to previous measurements.Peer reviewe