Oxidative metabolism and non-invasive characterisation of brown adipose tissue in adult humans

In adult humans, brown adipose tissue (BAT) has been found to be metabolically active. However, the physiological relevance of BAT in adult humans is still imprecise and largely speculative. The study of oxidative metabolism of BAT during different physiological states can unravel the significance of BAT in whole-body energy metabolism; and meanwhile there is also a need to improve the characterisation of BAT using the existing non-invasive medical imaging methods. The aim of the doctoral work was to evaluate whether the oxygen consumption of BAT in adult humans, measured using positron emission tomography, is influenced by cold stress, and with the ingestion of a mixed meal. Cold-induced and meal-induced whole-body thermogenesis was also studied. Additionally, the utility of a non-invasive medical imaging method of x-ray computed tomography to provide metabolic information related to BAT was investigated. The results showed that cold stress, as well as ingestion of a mixed meal,increases the oxygen consumption of BAT. However, the overall capacity of BAT to contribute to cold-induced and meal-induced whole-body thermogenesis is limited. The x-ray computed tomography derived metrics of BAT has the potential to give an insight into underlying tissue composition and substrate metabolism, and this characteristic can be exploited to make a distinction between white adipose tissue and BAT.Ruskean rasvakudoksen oksidatiivinen aineenvaihdunta ja kajoamaton karakterisointi aikuisilla ihmisillä Aikuisilla ihmisillä ruskean rasvakudoksen (BAT) on todettu olevan toiminnallisesti aktiivinen. Ruskean rasvan fysiologinen merkitys on kuitenkin vielä epäselvä ja perustuu suurelta osin oletuksiin. Ruskean rasvan oksidatiivisen aineenvaihdunnan tutkiminen eri fysiologisissa tilanteissa voi selventää ruskean rasvan osuutta koko kehon energia-aineenvaihdunnassa. Samanaikaisesti on tarve kehittää entistä parempia menetelmiä ja kehittää olemassa olevia kajoamattomia lääketieteellisiä kuvantamismenetelmiä ruskean rasvan tarkempaan tunnistamiseen ja karakterisointiin. Väitöskirjatyön tavoitteena oli selvittää, miten ruskean rasvan hapenkulutus eli oksidatiivinen aineenvaihdunta, positroniemissiotomografialla (PET) mitattuna, muuttuu kylmäaltistuksen vaikutuksesta ja toisaalta yksittäisen aterian syömisen jälkeen. Koko kehon energiankulutus mitattiin samoissa tilanteissa epäsuoraa kalorimetriaa käyttäen. Tämän lisäksi selvitettiin kajoamattoman lääketieteellisen tietokonetomografian (TT) käytettävyyttä ruskean rasvan aineenvaihdunnan tutkimuksessa. Kylmäaltistus ja aterian syöminen lisäsivät molemmat ruskean rasvakudoksen hapenkulutusta. Koko kehon tasolla ruskean rasvan osuus kylmästimuloidusta ja ruokailun aiheuttamasta lämmöntuotannosta on kuitenkin rajallinen ja kudoksen pieni koko huomioiden pieni. Tietokonetomografian avulla mitattujen tunnuslukujen avulla on mahdollista saada käsitys ruskea rasvakudoksen koostumuksesta ja aineenvaihdunnasta, ja näitä ominaisuuksia voidaankin hyödyntää erottamaan ruskea rasvakudos valkoisesta rasvakudoksesta

Differentiation of Metabolically Distinct Areas within Head and Neck Region using Dynamic 18F-FDG Positron Emission Tomography Imaging

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) using 18F-FDG is playing a vital role in the diagnosis and treatment planning of cancer. However, the most widely used radiotracer, 18F-FDG, is not specific for tumours and can also accumulate in inflammatory lesions as well as normal physiologically active tissues making diagnosis and treatment planning complicated for the physicians. Malignant, inflammatory and normal tissues are known to have different pathways for glucose metabolism which could possibly be evident from different characteristics of the time activity curves from a dynamic PET acquisition protocol. Therefore, we aimed to develop new image analysis methods, for PET scans of the head and neck region, which could differentiate between inflammation, tumour and normal tissues using this functional information within these radiotracer uptake areas. We developed different dynamic features from the time activity curves of voxels in these areas and compared them with the widely used static parameter, SUV, using Gaussian Mixture Model algorithm as well as K-means algorithm in order to assess their effectiveness in discriminating metabolically different areas. Moreover, we also correlated dynamic features with other clinical metrics obtained independently of PET imaging. The results show that some of the developed features can prove to be useful in differentiating tumour tissues from inflammatory regions and some dynamic features also provide positive correlations with clinical metrics. If these proposed methods are further explored then they can prove to be useful in reducing false positive tumour detections and developing real world applications for tumour diagnosis and contouring.Siirretty Doriast

Impact of the global financial crisis 2008 on bank efficiency : an experience of the Anglo-Saxon countries : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Banking Studies at Massey University, Manawatu Campus, New Zealand

This thesis investigates the differences in the impact of the Global Financial Crisis 2008 (GFC) on the banking sectors of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, and the United States from 2003 to 2015. The selected banking sectors are based on a common Anglo-Saxon banking system and belong to developed economies for which the GFC showed varying degrees of severity. The measures of cost, profit, alternative profit, and shareholder value efficiency are used to assess the impact of the GFC on bank efficiency of the five countries. The aim of this study is achieved with four major objectives: first, the theoretical analysis of the varying impact of the GFC on the banking sectors of the developed and integrated economies is confirmed with econometric analyses; second, the impact of different banking environment variables on bank efficiency is assessed to identify the reasons behind the variation in the impact of the GFC on the efficiency of the selected banking sectors; third, this study compares the results for the U.S. banking sector with other developed economies using a common frontier; fourth, it assesses the change in banking risk, structure, and shareholder value during the study period. A common frontier is drawn with a one-stage Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) model among the selected group of relatively homogenous economies, and remaining economic variations are controlled with banking environment variables. A group of 29 large and systemically important banks is selected from all five countries for this study. The empirical results confirm the superiority of the Australian and Canadian banking sectors in cost efficiency compared to New Zealand, UK, and U.S. sectors from 2003 to 2015. Profit efficiency of the U.S. and British banks is most negatively impacted by the GFC, and the banking sectors of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand are among the least impacted. A significant impact of the GFC is observed during 2008 and 2009, and the selected banking sectors are not able to achieve pre-GFC efficiency levels in the post-GFC period. Cost-efficient banking is found to be more resilient, and the level of bank liquidity and equity play a vital role in the stability of the banks during the crisis period. The level of risk has declined over the study period, however, the negative influence of the risk on bank efficiency is reported. A higher ratio of lending assets provided earning stability for banks during the crisis period. Bank size, market concentration, and population density of chosen economies are not favorable for bank efficiency. Shareholder value was also impacted by the GFC during the same period and was found to be closely associated with the profit efficiencies of the banks during the study period. The trend and scores of the selected four efficiency models are consistent over the study period and found to be robust to various alternative tests. The findings of this thesis support the enhanced standards of the bank liquidity and equity, however, we recommend some regulatory initiatives to lower regulatory cost, bank size, and market concentration of selected banking sectors. A few limitations of the thesis are identified, and some guidelines for future research are also provided

BREAST CANCER VACCINATION- AN ENVISIONED FUTURE

It is possible to make breast cancer vaccine however using body’s own immune system to cure this cancer. Preventing breast cancer in the manner we prevent early diseases as cholera, influenza and polio is the key investigation of today’s work. Further prototypical strategies are presented for the development of prophylactic breast cancer vaccines. The main focus of this review is about various researches (2000-2014) and hypothesis for breast cancer vaccination which are on the main platform. To know various mechanism employed to treat breast cancer and if it is long living and effective or not. .A virus, called HMTV or human mammary tumor virus, has been found in 40% of breast tumors. Thus if we know the causative agent, a vaccine is possible. Various researches used various proteins and virus plus prophylactic techniques to get a vaccination and remained successful or progressing towards it. This review article depicts all those mechanisms one by one. Similarly what future vision can be drawn using all the recent work on breast cancer vaccination

Shadows of Empire: The Mughal and British Colonial Heritage of Lahore

The Pakistani city of Lahore is the capital of the Punjab province. The city itself has existed for over a thousand years. In 1947 the British rule in the Indian subcontinent ended, resulting in the partition of British India into the modern states of India and Pakistan. At the time the Punjab province was also partitioned, with the western half (including Lahore) going to Pakistan and the eastern half being awarded to India. Prior to partition, Lahore served as an important administrative and commercial center under the Mughal Empire (1526–1799), the Sikh Empire (1799–1849), the British East India Company (1849–1858), and the British government (1858–1947) when it took direct control of India. Several of the monuments built in and around Lahore under the Mughals, the Sikhs, and the British have survived. They are reminders of the vital role the city has played throughout the history of the Indian subcontinent. The Mughals were patrons of architecture, who left behind a rich heritage. Through an examination of select buildings, this paper will show that the Mughals built impressive structures in and around Lahore, as they did throughout the Indian subcontinent, not only for utilitarian purposes but also to impress their subjects with their power, influence, and importance. By examining a building from the Sikh–era and comparing it with the Mughal–era buildings, this paper will show how the architectural style of the Mughals lived on after their influence had ended. Like the Mughals, the British considered infrastructure essential for projection of power and maintenance of control. By examining the architecture of select buildings from the British period, this paper will demonstrate how the British combined the elements of the Mughal architectural style with European architectural elements as well as appropriated Mughal cultural symbols, in order to seek legitimacy and present themselves to the Indians as almost indigenous rulers and logical heirs to the great Mughals. Lahore’s monuments are reminders of the roles various rulers have played in the city’s history. They represent Pakistan’s equally important Mughal and British legacies. Pakistanis readily identify themselves with the Mughals because they were Muslim rulers. However, Lahore and Pakistan’s British legacy includes infrastructure, an education system, and the court system, among others. Therefore, all of Lahore’s monuments are an important part of the city’s history. They are all worth preserving

Impact of Family Ownership concentration on the Firm’s Performance: Evidence from Pakistani Capital Market

This study evaluates the impact family ownership on the firm‟s performance for the period of 2004 to 2009 considering a sample 29 manufacturing firms listed at KSE-100 index in the Pakistani capital market. The dependent variable is performance which is measured by ROA, ROE and Q of the sample firm and the independent variable is family ownership. Linear regression model is used for estimation along correlation analysis. The study reported positive relation between the ownership variable and performance variables. The results indicate negative association between the ownership variable and firm‟s dividend payment concluding that family control firms prefer to retain earning and investment opportunities rather to distribute the earnings. The empirical analysis reveal that the overall better governance practices have positive affect on financial decision. However, the firms with more family ownership do not adopt good practices and disclose less

Impact of Family Ownership concentration on the Firm’s Performance: Evidence from Pakistani Capital Market

This study evaluates the impact family ownership on the firm‟s performance for the period of 2004 to 2009 considering a sample 29 manufacturing firms listed at KSE-100 index in the Pakistani capital market. The dependent variable is performance which is measured by ROA, ROE and Q of the sample firm and the independent variable is family ownership. Linear regression model is used for estimation along correlation analysis. The study reported positive relation between the ownership variable and performance variables. The results indicate negative association between the ownership variable and firm‟s dividend payment concluding that family control firms prefer to retain earning and investment opportunities rather to distribute the earnings. The empirical analysis reveal that the overall better governance practices have positive affect on financial decision. However, the firms with more family ownership do not adopt good practices and disclose less