Koduhooldus koerte ja kasside periodontaalhaiguse ennetuseks: omanike teadlikkus ja suhtumine

Final Thesis Curriculum in Veterinary MedicinePeriodontal disease is a major problem in dogs and cats and has also been studied extensively. Hand in hand with advancement of veterinary medicine, the knowledge of extent and consequences of periodontal disease and importance the of homecare is increasing. Homecare plays a critical role in prevention of periodontal disease and there are numerous oral homecare solutions available, but one must be aware of different efficacy of various products and methods. Also, anesthesia-free dental procedures have increasingly been on public display but are considered insufficient and even detrimental by the veterinary profession due to causing delay in correct assessment and treatment. The material was collected in the form of questionnaires from dog and cat owners visiting a veterinary clinic, in total 299 responses were received. Questions inquired about extent and methods of oral homecare applied, owner’s assessment of their pet’s oral health, awareness of signs of dental problems and required procedures. Results indicated that a majority of dog (73%) and cat (90%) owners did not brush their pet’s teeth at all with the main reason given that they have not received an advice to do so. In cats use of dental complementary products (special diets. chews. feed additives etc.) was not popular but in dogs, majority of owners were using them at different frequencies. Some strong associations were also found between history of visits due dental problems, pet’s higher age and owner’s desire to gain more information about oral health with the higher risk of pet’s worse oral health status as assessed by the owner.Periodontaalhaigus on koerte ja kasside puhul oluline probleem ja seda on ka põhjalikult uuritud. Käsikäes veterinarmeditsiini arenguga süveneb ka teadmus periodontaalhaiguse ulatusest ja tagajärgedest ning suuõõne koduhoolduse tähtsusest. Koduhooldus omab olulist rolli periodontaalhaiguse ennetuses ning suuõõne koduhoolduse lahendus on mitmeid, ent on vaja olla teadlik erinevate toodete ja meetodite erinevast efektiivsusest. Samuti on anesteesiata hambapuhastusprotseduurid kasvavalt esile kerkinud, kuid professionaalsest veterinaarsest vaatepunkt loenb neid ebapiisavateks ja isegi kahjulikeks, kuna nad viivad diagnoosimise ja ravi hilinemisele. Uurimismaterjal koguti küsimustike abil, mida täitsid loomakliinikud külastanud koera- ja kassiomanikud. Küsimused hõlmasid rakendatava suuõõne koduhoolduse ulatust ja meetodeid, omanikupoolset hinnangut oma lemmiku suuõõne tervisele, teadlikkust hambaprobleemide tunnustest ja vajalikest protseduuridest. Tulemused näitasid, et enamik koera- (73%) ja kassiomanikke (90%) ei harja oma lemmiku hambaid üldse ja peamise põhjusena mainivad omanikud sellekohase nõuande puudumist. Kasside puhul ei olnud hammaste ja suuõõne tervist toetavate toodete (erisöödad, närimismaiused, söödalisandid jne.) kasutamine populaarne, ent koerte puhul kasutas neid enamik omanikest erineva sagedusega. Samuti olid hambaprobleemidest tingitud varasemad kliinikukülastused, lemmiku kõrgem vanus ja omaniku soov saada rohkem informatsiooni lemmiku suuõõne tervise kohta tugevalt seotud riskiga, et omanik hindab oma lemmiku suuõõne tervisestaatust halvemaks

Do uncertainty indicators affect realized green bond volatility?

Growing awareness for climate and environment related problems during the last decade has been creating a positive trend for socially responsible investing. This has led to an increasing demand for alternative investments possibilities among market participants. One these new sustainable investing instruments are the so-called green bonds. A green bond is, by definition, a fixed-income instrument established to raise money for environmentally friendly project. This thesis explores the relationship between various uncertainty indices and green bond market volatility. These uncertainty meters include the implied stock market volatility index (VIX), the implied oil market volatility index (OVX), the global economic policy uncertainty index (GEPU), the geopolitical risk index (GPR) and lastly the daily infectious disease equity market volatility tracker (EMVID). More specifically, this study concentrates on how changes in monthly denoted uncertainty variables influence the daily computed range-based realized volatility of two different green bond ETFs. Green bond data used are from the iShares USD Green Bond ETF (BGRN) and the VanEck Green Bond ETF (GRNB). Data period for this study is between 3.12.2018 and 28.2.2023. In order to capture this relationship from two different data intervals, this study is using the mixed-data-sampling (MIDAS) framework for regression modeling. Range-based realized volatilities for the green bond ETFs are computed using two different methods. The findings in this study indicate that there is statistically significant positive relationship between changes in implied oil market volatility and the green bond market risk measured by range-based realized volatility. This study also finds evidence indicating that the green bond market volatility does not seem to significantly react to changes in macroeconomic conditions or stock market volatility.Viimeisen vuosikymmenen aikana lisääntynyt tietoisuus ilmaston lämpenemisestä ja ympäristöön vaikuttavista tekijöistä on luonut positiivisen trendin sosiaalisesti vastuullisen sijoittamisen ympärille. Tämä on johtanut markkinoilla kasvavaan kysyntään vaihtoehtoisia sijoitusmahdollisuuksia kohtaan. Yksi näistä uusista instrumenteista on vihreä joukkovelkakirjalaina eli green bond. Vihreällä joukkovelkakirjalainalla tarkoitetaan kiinteätuottoista arvopaperia, joka on luotu tietyn ympäristöystävällisen projektin rahoittamiseksi. Tämä tutkielma perehtyy useiden eri epävarmuusindeksien ja vihreiden joukkovelkakirjamarkkinoiden väliseen yhteyteen. Tutkielmassa käytetyt epävarmuusmittarit ovat osakemarkkinoiden implisiittistä volatiliteettiä kuvaava indeksi (VIX), öljymarkkinoiden implisiittistä volatiliteettiä kuvaava indeksi (OVX), globaalin talouspolitiikan epävarmuutta kuvaava indeksi (GEPU), geopoliittista riskiä kuvaava indeksi (GPR) sekä infektiotaudeista johtuvaa osake-markkinoiden volatiliteettiä seuraava indeksi (EMVID). Tämä tutkielma keskittyy erityisesti siihen miten valituissa kuukausittain noteeratuissa epävarmuusindekseissä tapahtuvat muutokset vaikuttavat päivittäin noteerattujen vihreiden joukkovelkakirjamarkkinoiden realisoituneeseen volatiliteettiin. Vihreää joukkovelkakirjamarkkinaa kuvaavat tässä tutkimuksessa iShares USD Green Bond ETF (BGRN) ja sekä VanEck Green Bond ETF (GRNB). Tutkimuksessa käytetty data alkaa 3.12.2018 ja päättyy 28.2.2023 Tässä tutkielmassa regressioiden mallintamiseen käytetään MIDAS-viitekehystä (Mixed data sampling) kahdessa eri intervallissa noteerattujen aikasarjojen välisten yhteyksien havaitsemiseksi. Lisäksi vihreiden joukkovelkakirjamarkkinoiden realisoituneen volatiliteetin laskemiseksi käytetään kahta eri laskentatapaa. Tämän tutkielman tulokset osoittavat, että öljymarkkinoiden implisiittisen volatiliteetin muutosten ja vihreiden joukkovelkakirjamarkkinoiden välillä on tilastollisesti merkittävä positiivinen yhteys. Lisäksi tutkielma löytää merkkejä, että vihreiden joukkovelkakirjamarkkinoiden volatiliteetti ei näyttäisi ainakaan tilastollisesti merkittävällä tavalla reagoivan makrotaloudellisiin muutoksiin tai muutoksiin osakemarkkinoiden volatiliteetissä

Sugar sensing by ChREBP/Mondo-Mlx - new insight into downstream regulatory networks and integration of nutrient-derived signals

Animals regulate their physiology with respect to nutrient status, which requires nutrient sensing pathways. Simple carbohydrates, sugars, are sensed by the basic-helix-loop-helix leucine zipper transcription factors ChREBP/Mondo, together with their heterodimerization partner Mlx, which are well-established activators of sugar-induced lipogenesis. Loss of ChREBP/Mondo-Mlx in mouse and Drosophila leads to sugar intolerance, that is, inability to survive on sugar containing diet. Recent evidence has revealed that ChREBP/Mondo-Mlx responds to sugar and fatty acid-derived metabolites through several mechanisms and cross-connects with other nutrient sensing pathways. ChREBP/Mondo-Mlx controls several downstream transcription factors and hormones, which mediate not only readjustment of metabolic pathways, but also control feeding behavior, intestinal digestion, and circadian rhythm.Peer reviewe

Systematic Screen for Drosophila Transcriptional Regulators Phosphorylated in Response to Insulin/mTOR Pathway

Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling (IIS) is a conserved mechanism to regulate animal physiology in response to nutrition. IIS activity controls gene expression, but only a subset of transcriptional regulators (TRs) targeted by the IIS pathway is currently known. Here we report the results of an unbiased screen forDrosophilaTRs phosphorylated in an IIS-dependent manner. To conduct the screen, we built a library of 857 V5/Strep-tagged TRs under the control of Copper-inducible metallothionein promoter (pMt). The insulin-induced phosphorylation changes were detected by using Phos-tag SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. Eight proteins were found to display increased phosphorylation after acute insulin treatment. In each case, the insulin-induced phosphorylation was abrogated by mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin. The hits included two components of the NURF complex (NURF38 and NURF55), bHLHZip transcription factor Max, as well as theDrosophilaortholog of human proliferation-associated 2G4 (dPA2G4). Subsequent experiments revealed that the expression of thedPA2G4gene was promoted by the mTOR pathway, likely through transcription factor Myc. Furthermore, NURF38 was found to be necessary for growth in larvae, consistent with the role of IIS/mTOR pathway in growth control.Peer reviewe

Korona koulussa - kriisistä normaaliin rehtorin johtamana

Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää, millaisia valmiuksia rehtoreilla oli korona-kriisin johtamiseen. Tutkimuksen aineisto kerättiin laadullisin menetelmin kolmella puolistrukturoidulla teemahaastattelulla vuoden 2021 aikana. Aineisto analysoitiin aineistolähtöisen sisällönanalyysin menetelmin. Tutkimukseen haastateltiin kolmea Lapin kunnan rehtoria. He olivat koko koronakriisin ajan rehtorin tehtävissä ja koulut olivat eri kokoisia eri puolella Lappia. Analysoinnissa etsin yhteneväisyyksiä ja eroavaisuuksia haastattelun teemojen mukaisesti. Lisäksi kiinnitin huomiota myös rehtoreiden jaksamiseen sekä jaksamisen tukemiseen. Tutkimuksessa kävi ilmi, että kunnat olivat varautuneet kriisiin eri tavalla. Myös kriisin hoitamisessa oli eroavaisuuksia. Tähän vaikutti kunnan toimintamalli, miten kouluilla oli säännöllisiä palavereita sekä miten oli hankittu opetusmateriaalia, esimerkiksi tietokoneita. Kunnan koulutoimen johtamisessa oli myös eroavaisuuksia, joka vaikutti rehtorin päätösprosesseihin. Rehtorin jaksamisen kannalta kävi ilmi, että heidän työnsä kriisin aikana oli hyvin tiivistä sekä sisälsi hyvin paljon erilaisia päätöksiä. Tehtäviin kului mm. koulun toiminnan suunnittelua, hallinnollisia päätöksiä sekä olla tukena opettajille. Kuitenkin kävi ilmi, että rehtoreiden jaksamiseen ja hyvinvointiin ei oltu kiinnitetty kovinkaan paljon huomiota. Tämä olisi tärkeää, jotta kriisistä siirryttäessä toipumiseen rehtorit jaksaisivat myös tämän vaiheen

p53-and ERK7-Dependent Ribosome Surveillance Response Regulates Drosophila Insulin-Like Peptide Secretion

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PWP1 promotes nutrient-responsive expression of 5S ribosomal RNA

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Whole-genome association analysis of pork meat pH revealed three significant regions and several potential genes in Finnish Yorkshire pigs

Background: One of the most commonly used quality measurements of pork is pH measured 24 h after slaughter. The most probable mode of inheritance for this trait is oligogenic with several known major genes, such as PRKAG3. In this study, we used whole-genome SNP genotypes of over 700 AI boars; after a quality check, 42,385 SNPs remained for association analysis. All the boars were purebred Finnish Yorkshire. To account for relatedness of the animals, a pedigree-based relationship matrix was used in a mixed linear model to test the effect of SNPs on pH measured from loin. A bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify the most promising genes in the significant regions related to meat quality. Results: Genome-wide association study (GWAS) revealed three significant chromosomal regions: one on chromosome 3 (39.9 Mb-40.1 Mb) and two on chromosome 15 (58.5 Mb-60.5 Mb and 132 Mb-135 Mb including PRKAG3). A conditional analysis with a significant SNP in the PRKAG3 region, MARC0083357, as a covariate in the model retained the significant SNPs on chromosome 3. Even though linkage disequilibrium was relatively high over a long distance between MARC0083357 and other significant SNPs on chromosome 15, some SNPs retained their significance in the conditional analysis, even in the vicinity of PRKAG3. The significant regions harbored several genes, including two genes involved in cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling: ADCY9 and CREBBP. Based on functional and transcription factor-gene networks, the most promising candidate genes for meat pH are ADCY9, CREBBP, TRAP1, NRG1, PRKAG3, VIL1, TNS1, and IGFBP5, and the key transcription factors related to these genes are HNF4A, PPARG, and Nkx2-5. Conclusions: Based on SNP association, pathway, and transcription factor analysis, we were able to identify several genes with potential to control muscle cell homeostasis and meat quality. The associated SNPs can be used in selection for better pork. We also showed that post-GWAS analysis reveals important information about the genes' potential role on meat quality. The gained information can be used in later functional studies.Peer reviewe

Effects on Dopaminergic Neurons Are Secondary in COX-Deficient Locomotor Dysfunction in Drosophila

Dopaminergic (DA) neurons have been implicated as key targets in neurological disorders, notably those involving locomotor impairment, and are considered to be highly vulnerable to mitochondrial dysfunction, a common feature of such diseases. Here we investigated a Drosophila model of locomotor disorders in which functional impairment is brought about by pan-neuronal RNAi knockdown of subunit COX7A of cytochrome oxidase (COX). Despite minimal neuronal loss by apoptosis, the expression and activity of tyrosine hydroxylase was decreased by half. Surprisingly, COX7A knockdown specifically targeted to DA neurons did not produce locomotor defect. Instead, using various drivers, we found that COX7A knockdown in specific groups of cholinergic and glutamatergic neurons underlay the phenotype. Based on our main finding, the vulnerability of DA neurons to mitochondrial dysfunction as a cause of impaired locomotion in other organisms, including mammals, warrants detailed investigation.Peer reviewe

Coordinated control of adiposity and growth by anti-anabolic kinase ERK7

Energy storage and growth are coordinated in response to nutrient status of animals. How nutrient-regulated signaling pathways control these processes in vivo remains insufficiently understood. Here, we establish an atypical MAP kinase, ERK7, as an inhibitor of adiposity and growth in Drosophila. ERK7 mutant larvae display elevated triacylglycerol (TAG) stores and accelerated growth rate, while overexpressed ERK7 is sufficient to inhibit lipid storage and growth. ERK7 expression is elevated upon fasting and ERK7 mutant larvae display impaired survival during nutrient deprivation. ERK7 acts in the fat body, the insect counterpart of liver and adipose tissue, where it controls the subcellular localization of chromatin-binding protein PWP1, a growth-promoting downstream effector of mTOR. PWP1 maintains the expression of sugarbabe, encoding a lipogenic Gli-similar family transcription factor. Both PWP1 and Sugarbabe are necessary for the increased growth and adiposity phenotypes of ERK7 loss-of-function animals. In conclusion, ERK7 is an anti-anabolic kinase that inhibits lipid storage and growth while promoting survival on fasting conditions.Peer reviewe