Taste compound - Nanocellulose interaction assessment by fluorescence indicator displacement assay

Interactions between taste compounds and nanofibrillar cellulose were studied. For this, a new fluorescent indicator displacement method was developed. Two fluorescent indicators, namely, Calcofluor white and Congo red, were chosen because of their specific binding to cellulose and intrinsic fluorescence. Seven taste compounds with different structures were successfully measured together with nanofibrillar cellulose (NFC) and ranked according to their binding constants. The most pronounced interactions were found between quinine and NFC (1.4 x 10(4)M(-1)) whereas sucrose, aspartame and glutamic acid did not bind at all. Naringin showed moderate binding while stevioside and caffeine exhibited low binding. The comparison with microcrystalline cellulose indicates that the larger surface area of nanofibrillated cellulose enables stronger binding between the binder and macromolecules. The developed method can be further utilized to study interactions of different compound classes with nanocellulose materials in food, pharmaceutical and dye applications, using a conventional plate reader in a high-throughput manner.Peer reviewe

Co-culture of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells and endothelial cells on double collagen-coated honeycomb films

In vitro cell culture models representing the physiological and pathological features of the outer retina are urgently needed. Artificial tissue replacements for patients suffering from degenerative retinal diseases are similarly in great demand. Here, we developed a co-culture system based solely on the use of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cells. For the first time, hiPSC-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and endothelial cells (EC) were cultured on opposite sides of porous polylactide substrates prepared by breath figures (BF), where both surfaces had been collagen-coated by Langmuir–Schaefer (LS) technology. Small modifications of casting conditions during material preparation allowed the production of free-standing materials with distinct porosity, wettability and ion diffusion capacity. Complete pore coverage was achieved by the collagen coating procedure, resulting in a detectable nanoscale topography. Primary retinal endothelial cells (ACBRI181) and umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (hUVEC) were utilised as EC references. Mono-cultures of all ECs were prepared for comparison. All tested materials supported cell attachment and growth. In mono-culture, properties of the materials had a major effect on the growth of all ECs. In co-culture, the presence of hiPSC-RPE affected the primary ECs more significantly than hiPSC-EC. In consistency, hiPSC-RPE were also less affected by hiPSC-EC than by the primary ECs. Finally, our results show that the modulation of the porosity of the materials can promote or prevent EC migration. In short, we showed that the behaviour of the cells is highly dependent on the three main variables of the study: the presence of a second cell type in co-culture, the source of endothelial cells and the biomaterial properties. The combination of BF and LS methodologies is a powerful strategy to develop thin but stable materials enabling cell growth and modulation of cell-cell contact. Statement of significance: Artificial blood-retinal barriers (BRB), mimicking the interface at the back of the eye, are urgently needed as physiological and disease models, and for tissue transplantation targeting patients suffering from degenerative retinal diseases. Here, we developed a new co-culture model based on thin, biodegradable porous films, coated on both sides with collagen, one of the main components of the natural BRB, and cultivated endothelial and retinal pigment epithelial cells on opposite sides of the films, forming a three-layer structure. Importantly, our hiPSC-EC and hiPSC-RPE co-culture model is the first to exclusively use human induced pluripotent stem cells as cell source, which have been widely regarded as an practical candidate for therapeutic applications in regenerative medicine.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Pain-coping scale for children and their parents : a cross-sectional study in children with musculoskeletal pain

BackgroundIn a chronic pain-causing disease such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis, the quality of coping with pain is crucial. Parents have a substantial influence on their children's pain-coping strategies. This study aimed to develop scales for assessing parents' strategies for coping with their children's pain and a shorter improved scale for children usable in clinical practice.MethodsThe number of items in the Finnish version of the pain-coping questionnaire for children was reduced from 39 to 20. A corresponding reduced scale was created for parental use. We recruited consecutive patients from nine hospitals evenly distributed throughout Finland, aged 8-16 years who visited a paediatric rheumatology outpatient clinic and reported musculoskeletal pain during the past week. The patients and parents rated the child's pain on a visual analogue scale from 0 to 100 and completed pain-coping questionnaires and depression inventories. The selection process of pain questionnaire items was performed using factor analyses.ResultsThe average (standard deviation) age of the 130 patients was 13.0 (2.3) years; 91 (70%) were girls. Four factors were retained in the new, improved Pain-Coping Scales for children and parents. Both scales had 15 items with 2-5 items/factor. The goodness-of-fit statistics and Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficients were satisfactory to good in both scaled. The criterion validity was acceptable as the demographic, disease related, and the depression and stress questionnaires correlated with the subscales.ConclusionsWe created a shorter, feasible pain-coping scale for children and a novel scale for caregivers. In clinical work, the pain coping scales may serve as a visualisation of different types of coping strategies for paediatric patients with pain and their parents and facilitate the identification of families in need of psychological support.Peer reviewe

Vedenpuhdistusjärjestelmän mitoittaminen viljelytilalle

Viljan viljelyyn keskittyvän kahden hengen maatalousyrityksen käyttöön halutaan uusia vedenpuhdistusjärjestelmä. Tilan vesi pumpataan omasta kallioporakaivosta. Opinnäytetyön tarkoitus on ollut selvittää veden laatuun vaikuttavat tekijät kotitalous- ja viljelykäytössä. Tarkoituksena on ollut mitoittaa uusi vedenpuhdistusjärjestelmä koko viljelytilalle sopivaksi. Tavoitteena on vähentää käyttöveden maku-, haju- ja värihaittoja. Lisäksi tavoitteena on pidentää kotitalouden ja maatalouden laitteiden ja niiden osien käyttöikää vähentämällä korroosiota ja tukkeutumia. Veden laadun tutkimisella tavoitellaan viljelysadon tuottavuuden parantamista. STM:n asetus 401/2001 antaa yksittäisen kotitalouden käyttövedelle terveyteen liittyvät laatuvaatimukset tiettyjen parametrien enimmäispitoisuuksista. Näitä parametreja ovat: veden sameus, väri, haju, maku ja pH, E.coli ja koliformiset bakteerit, rauta, mangaani, kaliumpermanganaattiluku, kloridi, ammonium, nitraatti, nitriitti ja fluoridi sekä kallioporakaivon ollessa kyseessä arseeni ja radon. Viljelyssä käytettävien kasvinsuojeluaineiden käyttöön ja toimivuuteen vaikuttavat veden pH, kovuus ja lämpötila. Viljelytilan veden laatuun vaikuttaa sen suuri raudan pitoisuus, 9,9 mg/l, jota esiintyy niin hapettuneessa kuin hapettumattomassa muodossa. Myös mangaania esiintyy suurena pitoisuutena, 0,23 mg/l. Rauta ja mangaani aiheuttavat esteettisiä haittoja ja korroosiota. Hapettunut rauta tukkii laitteistojen osia. Mangaanin on tutkittu aiheuttavan terveydelle haittaa suurina pitoisuuksina. Viljelytilan vedenpuhdistusjärjestelmä jaotellaan kolmeen osaan. Viljelykäytössä vettä seisotetaan näkyvän raudan poistamiseksi. Konehallin käyttöön vesi voidaan karkeasuodattaa. Kotitalouden käyttöön vedenpuhdistus toteutetaan karkeasuodatuksen ja katalyyttisen massasuodatuksen yhteistoiminnalla.A new water purification system is needed for a grain cultivation focused farm with a two person household. The water is pumped from a well bored into rock. The purpose of the thesis was to determine water quality in household and cultivation use. A new water purification system was designed for the entire farm. The aim was to improve water quality in terms of taste, odor and color. A further aim was to extend the factors affecting household and agricultural equipment life by reducing corrosion and clog. Water quality is designed to enhance crop cultivation. The Ministry of social Affairs and Health regulation 401/2001 on the quality requirements for household water sets the maximum values for the following parameters: water turbidity, color, odour, taste and pH, E.coli and coliforms, iron, manganese, potassium permanganate, chloride, ammonium, nitrate, nitrite and fluoride and in the case of a rock drilled well also arsenic and radon. The water pH, hardness and temperature affect the use and performance of pesticides in cultivation. The water at the farm has a high iron concentration, 9.9 mg/l, occurring in the form of both oxidized and unoxidized iron. The manganese concentration is also high, 0.23 mg/l. Iron and manganese give vise to aesthetic detriments and corrosion. Oxidized iron clogs the parts of the equipment. Manganese has been found to cause health problems in high concentrations. The water purification system is to be divided into three sections: water for irrigation, water supply for the farm machinery repair hall and household water

Pain in juvenile idiopathic arthritis : parents and children as agents of disease management

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a severe childhood disease usually characterized by long-term morbidity, unpredictable course, pain, and limitations in daily activities and social participation. The disease affects not only the child but also the whole family. The family is expected to adhere to an often very laborious regimen over a long period of time. However, the parental role is incoherently conceptualized in the research field. Pain in JIA is of somatic origin, but psychosocial factors, such as mood and self-efficacy, are critical in the perception of pain and in its impact on functioning. This study examined the factors correlating and possibly explaining pain in JIA, with a special emphasis on the mutual relations between parent- and patient-driven variables. In this patient series pain was not associated with the disease activity. The degree of pain was on average fairly low in children with JIA. When the children were clustered according to age, anxiety and depression, four distinguishable cluster groups significantly associated with pain emerged. One of the groups was described by concept vulnerability because of unfavorable variable associations. Parental depressive and anxiety symptoms accompanied by illness management had a predictive power in discriminating groups of children with varying distress levels. The parent’s and child’s perception of a child’s functional capability, distress, and somatic self-efficacy had independent explanatory power predicting the child’s pain. Of special interest in the current study was self-efficacy, which refers to the belief of an individual that he/she has the ability to engage in the behavior required for tackling the disease. In children with JIA, strong self-efficacy was related to lower levels of pain, depressive symptoms and trait anxiety. This suggests strengthening a child’s sense of self-efficacy, when helping the child to cope with his or her disease. Pain experienced by a child with JIA needs to be viewed in a multidimensional bio-psycho-social context that covers biological, environmental and cognitive behavioral mechanisms. The relations between the parent-child variables are complex and affect pain both directly and indirectly. Developing pain-treatment modalities that recognize the family as a system is also warranted.Lastenreuma on pitkäaikainen ja vakava lapsuus- ja nuoruusiän sairaus, jonka kulkua on lapsen sairastuessa vaikea ennustaa. Lastenreuma voi vaikuttaa lapsen ja nuoren toimintakykyyn, se voi rajoittaa lapsen osallistumista arkipäivän toimintoihin sekä lapsen ja perheen sosiaalisia suhteita. Myös kipu liittyy lastenreumaan. Sairauden hoidossa ja kuntoutuksessa koko perheeltä, erityisesti vanhemmilta edellytetään pitkäaikaista sitoutumista. Kuitenkin vanhempien rooli kuntoutuksessa ja hoidossa on toistaiseksi jäänyt melko vähälle huomiolle. Lastenreumaan liittyvässä kivussa on usein tautiin liittyvä alkuperä. Kuitenkin psyykkis-sosiaaliset tekijät, kuten masentuneisuus, pystyvyyden tunne ja vanhempien kyky tukea lasta sairauteen liittyvissä haasteissa vaikuttavat ratkaisevasti, millaisen merkityksen kipu saa lapsen ja perheen elämässä, ja muodostuuko kivusta haittaava pitkittyvä oire. Näin ollen psyykkis-sosiaalisten tekijöiden tutkiminen lastenreumassa on teoreettisesti ja kliinisesti tärkeää. Tässä väitöskirjassa selvitetään, mikä selittää lastenreumaa sairastavien lasten ja nuorten kipua, sekä kuinka vanhemmuuteen ja lapseen liittyvät tekijät ovat keskenään yhteydessä lastenreumaan liittyvän kivun selittäjinä. Tutkitussa aineistossa kipuoireita oli melko vähän, eikä kipu ollut yhteydessä tautiaktiivisuuteen. Lastenreumaa sairastavissa lapsissa ja nuorissa on kuitenkin iän, masentuneisuus- ja ahdistuneisuusoireiden perusteella toisistaan eroavia alaryhmiä. Erityisesti yhdellä näistä ryhmistä havaittiin sellaisia muuttujien välisiä yhteyksiä, joita kuvataan haavoittuvuuden käsitteellä. Tällä ryhmällä myös kipuoireita oli muita ryhmiä enemmän. Lisäksi vanhempien hyvinvointiin ja sairauden kanssa selviämiseen liittyvät tekijät ovat yhteydessä lapsen haavoittuvuuteen. Itsenäisesti lapsen kipua ennustivat tekijät ”lapsen ja vanhemman arvio lapsen toimintakyvystä”, “lapsen psyykkinen pärjäävyys” sekä “lapsen pystyvyyskäsitys taudin somaattisten tekijöiden osalta”. Pystyvyyskäsitys tarkoittaa henkilön luottamusta pystyvyyteensä sairauteen liittyvissä somaattisissa, psyykkisissä ja sosiaalisissa haasteissa. Yhteydet lapsen kivun sekä vanhemman ja lapsen psyykkisen voinnin ja pystyvyyskäsityksen välillä ovat suoria ja epäsuoria. Lastenreumaan liittyvää kipua voidaan ymmärtää käyttäen apuna bio-psyko-sosiaalista mallia, jossa kivun luonne tulee huomioitua somaattisena, psyykkisenä ja ympäröiviin sosiaalisiin suhteisiin liittyvänä tekijänä. Kokonaisuudessaan tutkimus osoitti sekä lapsen että vanhemman psyykkisen voinnin ja pystyvyyden tunteen olevan merkityksellisiä tekijöitä kuntoutuksen suunnittelun ja kipuoireiden kroonistumisen kannalta. Kuntoutuksessa perhe ja sen sisäiset vuorovaikutussuhteet tulee ottaa huomioon

Maze of Media : A Multiple Case Study on Brand Message Coordination of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods

Technological advancements have initiated the development of a dispersed media landscape, and expanded possibilities for multichannel brand communication. The shift encourages brands in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry to establish seamless channel integration, and examine interactions in the stakeholder network. Respectively, this research explores how FMCG companies can coordinate brand messages in the dispersed media landscape. The purpose of this thesis is to conceptualize what the underlying elements are regarding brand message coordination by examining the interdependence of the actors in the network. The study contributes to branding literature by supplementing traditional concepts of branding and multichannel management with service-dominant logic. The empirical research was conducted as a qualitative case study of three low-involvement FMCG brands. The conclusions demonstrate that an extensive and hierarchical stakeholder network can restrict brand message coordination. Furthermore, the stakeholder network should consist of dyadic and dynamic interactions. A focal actor in the network orchestrates brand messages and stakeholder interactions, which facilitates consistent brand communication. Additionally, the conclusions indicate that a change of the brand message might result in a positive outcome and control over the messages is improved when the core of the brand is solid

Lasten ja nuorten pitkittynyt kipu - hoito ja kuntoutus

• Lasten ja nuorten pitkittyneen kivun moniammatillinen hoito ja kuntoutus on tuloksellista. • Hoitotiimiin tulee kuulua ainakin lasten ja nuorten kivunhoitoon perehtynyt lääkäri, fysioterapeutti, psykologi ja sairaanhoitaja. • Kipuedukaatiolla luodaan tärkeä perusta hoitoon sitoutumiselle ja sen onnistumiselle. • Hoidossa ja kuntoutuksessa korostuvat yksilöllisesti valitut lääkkeettömät menetelmät ja perhekeskeisyys.Peer reviewe

Finnish diabetes‐related quality of life questionnaire for children and adolescents : reliability and validity

Aim To study the psychometric properties, reliability, and validity of the FinDiab quality of life questionnaire (FDQL), a strength‐oriented quality of life (QOL) questionnaire for children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods Participants were 215 youths with T1D (aged 10–17 years). They completed FDQL and comparison questionnaires (KINDL‐R and SDQ). Demographic and disease measures were collected from the participants’ medical records. The questionnaire’s psychometric properties were investigated. Construct validity was studied through principal component analysis using Promax rotation, reliability with alphas, and criterion and convergent validity with correlations between sum scale, subscales, demographic and disease factors, and comparison measures. Results FDQL demonstrated an adequate range of measurement and feasibility. The four‐factor solution was found to be optimal, resulting in the subscales of flexibility with diabetes, well‐being, social relations, and health behavior. The sum scale correlated significantly with glycemic control and the psychosocial and QOL comparison measures. Construct, criterion, and convergent validity of the subscales were also good. Children under 14 years of age reported better QOL than older adolescents. Conclusion FDQL is a practical QOL assessment method focusing on strengths. The questionnaire has good validity and reliability and is easy to use as a clinical tool.peerReviewe