Dissociable neuroanatomical correlates of subsecond and suprasecond time perception

The ability to estimate durations varies across individuals. Although previous studies have reported that individual differences in perceptual skills and cognitive capacities are reflected in brain structures, it remains unknown whether timing abilities are also reflected in the brain anatomy. Here, we show that individual differences in the ability to estimate subsecond and suprasecond durations correlate with gray matter (GM) volume in different parts of cortical and subcortical areas. Better ability to discriminate subsecond durations was associated with a larger GM volume in the bilateral anterior cerebellum, whereas better performance in estimating the suprasecond range was associated with a smaller GM volume in the inferior parietal lobule. These results indicate that regional GM volume is predictive of an individual's timing abilities. These morphological results support the notion that subsecond durations are processed in the motor system, whereas suprasecond durations are processed in the parietal cortex by utilizing the capacity of attention and working memory to keep track of time

Liikkuva potilas: moniparametrisen hengitystaajuusmittauksen käyttökelpoisuus

Respiratory rate is one of the vital signs used to measure the body’s general physical health. Abnormal respiratory rate or a change in breathing frequency may indicate deterioration in the condition of a patient. Thus, respiratory rate measurement would benefit the mobile patients on general hospital wards where no continuous monitoring exists. This environment requests wireless and reliable respiratory monitoring that would be robust against motion artefacts that impede the reliability of common respiratory rate measurements currently available. Electrocardiography (ECG) and photoplethysmography (PPG) are common measurements in intensive care but also in sub-acute care setting. Respiration modulates the ECG and PPG waveforms in several ways that can be exploited to derive respiratory rate from these physiological signals. In ECG, the effect of breathing is seen as both amplitude and frequency modulation, whereas in PPG also baseline modulation is present. This thesis investigated the feasibility of ECG and pulse oximetry derived respiratory rate measurements during different activities and motion states. The performances of these derived methods were evaluated together with impedance pneumography and respiratory inductive plethysmography against capnography reference using statistical analysis. A major part of this thesis consisted of the data collection, signal processing and algorithm development required to create these derived methods. According to the results acquired, the use of ECG-derived respiration (EDR) methods based on QRS-amplitude as part of a multi-parameter respiratory rate algorithm would be feasible. However, all evaluated pulse oximetry derived respiration (PDR) methods were found to be unfit for use due to high susceptibility to motion artefacts. The development of a multi-parameter respiratory rate algorithm continues.Hengitystaajuus luetaan yhdeksi kehon yleisestä terveydestä kertovaksi vitaaliparametriksi. Epänormaali hengitystaajuus tai hengitystaajuuden muutos voi olla merkki potilaan kunnon huononemisesta ja siksi hengitystaajuuden seurannasta olisi hyötyä myös sairaaloiden vuodeosastoilla, missä potilaat liikkuvat ilman jatkuvaa valvontaa. Tällaisessa ympäristössä hengityksen seurannan tulisi toimia langattomasti ja luotettavasti. Monet yleisesti käytetyt hengitystaajuusmittaukset kärsivät kuitenkin liikkeen aiheuttamista häiriöistä, jotka heikentävät menetelmien luotettavuutta. Elektrokardiografia (EKG) ja fotopletysmografia (PPG) ovat yleisiä mittauksia myös tehohoidon ulkopuolella. Hengitys vaikuttaa näiden fysiologisten signaalien muotoon usealla tavalla, joita voidaan hyödyntää hengitystiedon johtamiseen näistä parametreistä. Sydänsähkökäyrän QRS-kompeksien amplitudi ja sykevälivaihtelu ovat yhteydessä hengitykseen samoin kuin fotopletysmografisen pulssiaallon perusviiva, amplitudi sekä pulssivälivaihtelu. Tässä diplomityössä tutkittiin EKG:stä ja PPG:stä johdettujen hengitystaajuusmittausten käyttökelpoisuutta erilaisissa liiketilanteissa. Näiden johdettujen menetelmien suorituskykyä verrattiin tilastollisen analyysin keinoin impedanssipneumografian ja hengitysinduktiivisen pletysmografian kanssa kapnografialla mitattuja vertailuarvoja vastaan. Työ koostui suurelta osin myös näiden menetelmien luomiseen vaaditusta aineiston keräämisestä, signaalinkäsittelystä sekä algoritmikehityksestä. Saatujen tulosten perusteella EKG:stä johdetut amplitudipohjaiset menetelmät olisivat hyödyllisiä moniparametrisessa hengitystaajuusmittauksessa käytettynä. Sen sijaan kaikki kehitetyt PPG:stä johdetut hengitystaajuusmenetelmät todettiin käyttökelvottomiksi liikkeen aiheuttamien häiriöiden vuoksi. Moniparametrisen hengitystaajuusmittauksen kehitystyö jatkuu

Vaccine-Induced Antibody Responses against SARS-CoV-2 Variants-Of-Concern Six Months after the BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants has raised concern about increased transmissibility, infectivity, and immune evasion from a vaccine and infection-induced immune responses. Although COVID-19 mRNA vaccines have proven to be highly effective against severe COVID-19 disease, the decrease in vaccine efficacy against emerged Beta and Delta variants emphasizes the need for constant monitoring of new virus lineages and studies on the persistence of vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies. To analyze the dynamics of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-induced antibody responses, we followed 52 health care workers in Finland for 6 months after receiving two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine with a 3-week interval. We demonstrate that, although anti-S1 antibody levels decrease 2.3-fold compared to peak antibody levels, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies persist for months after BNT162b2 vaccination. Variants D614G, Alpha, and Eta are neutralized by sera of 100% of vaccinees, whereas neutralization of Delta is 3.8-fold reduced and neutralization of Beta is 5.8-fold reduced compared to D614G. Despite this reduction, 85% of sera collected 6 months postvaccination neutralizes Delta variant. IMPORTANCE A decrease in vaccine efficacy against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants has increased the importance of assessing the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteinspecific antibodies and neutralizing antibodies. Our data show that after 6 months post two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine, antibody levels decrease yet remain detectable and capable of neutralizing emerging variants. By monitoring the vaccine-induced antibody responses, vaccination strategies and administration of booster doses can be optimized.Peer reviewe

COVID-19 mRNA vaccine induced antibody responses against three SARS-CoV-2 variants

As SARS-CoV-2 has been circulating for over a year, dozens of vaccine candidates are under development or in clinical use. The BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine induces spike protein-specific neutralizing antibodies associated with protective immunity. The emergence of the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants has raised concerns of reduced vaccine efficacy and increased re-infection rates. Here we show, that after the second dose, the sera of BNT162b2-vaccinated health care workers (n = 180) effectively neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 variant with the D614G substitution and the B.1.1.7 variant, whereas the neutralization of the B.1.351 variant is five-fold reduced. Despite the reduction, 92% of the seronegative vaccinees have a neutralization titre of >20 for the B.1.351 variant indicating some protection. The vaccinees’ neutralization titres exceeded those of recovered non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Our work provides evidence that the second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine induces cross-neutralization of at least some of the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants

COVID-19 mRNA vaccine induced antibody responses against three SARS-CoV-2 variants

As SARS-CoV-2 has been circulating for over a year, dozens of vaccine candidates are under development or in clinical use. The BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine induces spike protein-specific neutralizing antibodies associated with protective immunity. The emergence of the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants has raised concerns of reduced vaccine efficacy and increased re-infection rates. Here we show, that after the second dose, the sera of BNT162b2-vaccinated health care workers (n=180) effectively neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 variant with the D614G substitution and the B.1.1.7 variant, whereas the neutralization of the B.1.351 variant is five-fold reduced. Despite the reduction, 92% of the seronegative vaccinees have a neutralization titre of >20 for the B.1.351 variant indicating some protection. The vaccinees' neutralization titres exceeded those of recovered non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Our work provides evidence that the second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine induces cross-neutralization of at least some of the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants contain mutations in the spike protein that may affect vaccine efficacy. Here, Jalkanen et al. show, using sera from 180 BNT162b2-vaccinated health care workers, that neutralization of SARS-CoV2 variant B.1.1.7 is not affected, while neutralization of B.1.351 variant is five-fold reduced.Peer reviewe

COVID-19 mRNA vaccine induced antibody responses against three SARS-CoV-2 variants

As SARS-CoV-2 has been circulating for over a year, dozens of vaccine candidates are under development or in clinical use. The BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine induces spike protein-specific neutralizing antibodies associated with protective immunity. The emergence of the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants has raised concerns of reduced vaccine efficacy and increased re-infection rates. Here we show, that after the second dose, the sera of BNT162b2-vaccinated health care workers (n=180) effectively neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 variant with the D614G substitution and the B.1.1.7 variant, whereas the neutralization of the B.1.351 variant is five-fold reduced. Despite the reduction, 92% of the seronegative vaccinees have a neutralization titre of >20 for the B.1.351 variant indicating some protection. The vaccinees' neutralization titres exceeded those of recovered non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Our work provides evidence that the second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine induces cross-neutralization of at least some of the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants contain mutations in the spike protein that may affect vaccine efficacy. Here, Jalkanen et al. show, using sera from 180 BNT162b2-vaccinated health care workers, that neutralization of SARS-CoV2 variant B.1.1.7 is not affected, while neutralization of B.1.351 variant is five-fold reduced.</p