Initial results of in vivo non-invasive cancer imaging in the human breast using near-infrared photoacoustics

Near-infrared photoacoustic images of regions-of-interest in 4 of the 5 cases of patients with symptomatic breasts reveal higher intensity regions which we attribute to vascular distribution associated with cancer. Of the 2 cases presented here, one is especially significant where benign indicators dominate in conventional radiological images, while photoacoustic images reveal vascular features suggestive of malignancy, which is corroborated by histopathology. The results show that photoacoustic imaging may have potential in visualizing certain breast cancers based on intrinsic optical absorption contrast. A future role for the approach could be in supplementing conventional breast imaging to assist detection and/or diagnosis.\ud \u

Eye–hand coordination during manual object transport with the affected and less affected hand in adolescents with hemiparetic cerebral palsy

In the present study we investigated eye–hand coordination in adolescents with hemiparetic cerebral palsy (CP) and neurologically healthy controls. Using an object prehension and transport task, we addressed two hypotheses, motivated by the question whether early brain damage and the ensuing limitations of motor activity lead to general and/or effector-specific effects in visuomotor control of manual actions. We hypothesized that individuals with hemiparetic CP would more closely visually monitor actions with their affected hand, compared to both their less affected hand and to control participants without a sensorimotor impairment. A second, more speculative hypothesis was that, in relation to previously established deficits in prospective action control in individuals with hemiparetic CP, gaze patterns might be less anticipatory in general, also during actions performed with the less affected hand. Analysis of the gaze and hand movement data revealed the increased visual monitoring of participants with CP when using their affected hand at the beginning as well as during object transport. In contrast, no general deficit in anticipatory gaze control in the participants with hemiparetic CP could be observed. Collectively, these findings are the first to directly show that individuals with hemiparetic CP adapt eye–hand coordination to the specific constraints of the moving limb, presumably to compensate for sensorimotor deficits

Actor roles in transition: Insights from sociological perspectives

AbstractTo date, the field of transition research lacks a suitable vocabulary to analyse the (changing) interactions and relations of actors as part of a sustainability transition. This article addresses this knowledge gap by exploring the potential of the concept of ‘roles’ from social interaction research. The role concept is operationalized for transition research to allow the analysis of (changing) roles and relations between actor roles as indicative of changes in the social fabric and shared values, norms and beliefs. It also allows considering the use of roles as a transition governance intervention. This includes creating new roles, breaking down or altering existing ones and explicitly negotiating or purposefully assigning roles, as well as the flexible use of roles as resources

Kokemuksia Oman muotoinen koti -hankkeesta nuorten silmin

Opinnäytetyön tilaaja on Helsingin kaupungin nuorisoasiainkeskuksen Oman muotoinen koti -hanke. Hanke on aloitettu 2015 ja se tarjoaa nuorille eri asumiskokeilujen avulla ratkaisua haastaviin asumistilanteisiin Helsingissä. Oman muotoinen koti -hankkeessa nuoret muuttivat 2017 vuoden alussa asumaan Kannelmäkeen. Asunnon lisäksi nuorille avautui mahdollisuus tehdä töitä 20 tuntia kuukaudessa yhdessä mietittyjen tehtävien parissa. Opinnäytetyön idea oli seurata neljän nuoren alkuvaihetta Oman muotoinen koti -hankkeessa. Opinnäytetyöni tavoite oli keskittyä nuorten kokemusten taltiointiin hankkeen edetessä, mistä saatu tieto auttaisi hankkeen kehittämisessä tilaajaa. Sain tilaajalta vapaat kädet opinnäytetyön toteuttamiseen. Valitsin nuorten kokemusten taltioimiseen teemahaastattelun menetelmän. Haastateltavien keski-ikä oli 20 vuotta, joista osa oli maahanmuuttajataustaisia ja osa kantasuomalaisia. Kaikki haastateltavat olivat erilaisia, tein haastatteluun kysymysrungon, mutta annoin tilaa haastattelussa nuorille kertoa valitsemasta aiheesta enemmän. Äänitin haastattelut ja litteroin ne. Haastattelun teemat vaihtelivat haastateltavan kanssa. Vaikka kysymykset olivat samat, tunsi osa nuorista tarvetta puhua enemmän toisesta teemasta. Tein haastattelut hankkeen alkuvaiheessa, joten haastattelujen tulokset puhuvat vain hankkeen alkuvaiheen tunnelmista. Opinnäytetyön teoreettisessa viitekehyksessä käsittelen asunnottomuuden lisäksi nuorten työllisyyttä. Pohdin mikä motivoi nuoria työllistymiseen ja mitkä keinot auttavat nuoria löytämään sopivaa työtä ja mitkä asiat voivat vaikuttaa nuorten työllistymiseen. Aineiston analyysiosiossa avaan nuorten ajatuksia hankkeesta ja työnteosta. Yhdistän teoreettista viitekehystä omaan pohdintaan. Oman muotoinen koti hankkeen alkuvaiheen aineiston analyysin perusteella, hankkeelle on kova tarve ja sitä olisi hyvä laajentaa isommaksi eri puolille pääkaupunkiseutua. Hanke tukee nuorten hankalaa asumistilannetta ja työllistymistä alati muuttuvassa työelämässä.The thesis focuses on City of Helsinki’s youth Departments Home That Fits Project. The project started at the beginning of 2015 and its objective is to provide solution for the housing crisis among the youth population in Helsinki. Home That Fits project’s youth moved to shared apartment in Kannelmäki at the beginning of 2017. Apart from housing the youth were provided with opportunity to work 20 hours a month in a agreed contract between all the partners involved. The thesis goal was to follow four young people in the project’s early stage. The main focus was to understand on how the project can be develop through the experiences of the young participants in the Home That Fits project. From the young people’s experiences I did choose with the cooperation of the parties involved a particular themes that we could base our questions on. The interviewee’s average age was early 20’s. All the participants shared their experiences differently. The interview’s theme changed from time to time although the questions stayed the same. Some of the youth felt the need to talk more about other subject than the agreed themes. The interviews were conducted at the early stages of the project. Therefore the results are based on that. The Thesis theory part deals with the youth's employment: What motivates young people to seek employment , what are the mechanisms that have been created to help the youth find the right work and the issues that can affect youth employment. The findings shows that there is a certain need for Home That Fits project in the Helsinki area of Kannelmäki and it could expand to other parts of Helsinki metropolitan area