Composition, phosphorylation and dynamic organization of photosynthetic protein complexes in plant thylakoid membrane

The photosystems (PS), catalyzing the photosynthetic reactions of higher plants, are unevenly distributed in the thylakoid membrane: PSII, together with its light harvesting complex (LHC)II, is enriched in the appressed grana stacks, while PSI-LHCI resides in the non-appressed stroma thylakoids, which wind around the grana stacks. The two photosystems interact in a third membrane domain, the grana margins, which connect the grana and stroma thylakoids and allow the loosely bound LHCII to serve as an additional antenna for PSI. The light harvesting is balanced by reversible phosphorylation of LHCII proteins. Nevertheless, light energy also damages PSII and the repair process is regulated by reversible phosphorylation of PSII core proteins. Here, we discuss the detailed composition and organization of PSII-LHCII and PSI-LHCI (super)complexes in the thylakoid membrane of angiosperm chloroplasts and address the role of thylakoid protein phosphorylation in dynamics of the entire protein complex network of the photosynthetic membrane. Finally, we scrutinize the phosphorylation-dependent dynamics of the protein complexes in context of thylakoid ultrastructure and present a model on the reorganization of the entire thylakoid network in response to changes in thylakoid protein phosphorylation

The quantum phase slip phenomenon in superconducting nanowires with high-impedance environment

Quantum phase slip (QPS) is the particular manifestation of quantum fluctuations of the order parameter of a current-biased quasi-1D superconductor. The QPS event(s) can be considered a dynamic equivalent of tunneling through conventional Josephson junction containing static in space and time weak link(s). At low temperatures T<<Tc the QPS effect leads to finite resistivity of narrow superconducting channels and suppresses persistent currents in tiny nanorings. Here we demonstrate that the quantum tunneling of phase may result in Coulomb blockade: superconducting nanowire, imbedded in high-Ohmic environment, below a certain bias voltage behaves as an insulator.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figure

Multiple Stellar Evolution: a population synthesis algorithm to model the stellar, binary, and dynamical evolution of multiple-star systems

In recent years, observations have shown that multiple-star systems such as hierarchical triple and quadruple-star systems are common, especially among massive stars. They are potential sources of interesting astrophysical phenomena such as compact object mergers, leading to supernovae, and gravitational wave events. However, many uncertainties remain in their often complex evolution. Here, we present the population synthesis code Multiple Stellar Evolution (MSE), designed to rapidly model the stellar, binary, and dynamical evolution of multiple-star systems. MSE includes a number of new features not present in previous population synthesis codes: (1) an arbitrary number of stars, as long as the initial system is hierarchical, (2) dynamic switching between secular and direct N-body integration for efficient computation of the gravitational dynamics, (3) treatment of mass transfer in eccentric orbits, which occurs commonly in multiple-star systems, (4) a simple treatment of tidal, common-envelope, and mass transfer evolution in which the accretor is a binary instead of a single star, (5) taking into account planets within the stellar system, and (6) including gravitational perturbations from passing field stars. MSE, written primarily in the C++ language, will be made publicly available and has few prerequisites; a convenient Python interface is provided. We give a detailed description of MSE and illustrate how to use the code in practice. We demonstrate its operation in a number of examples.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS (fixed typos and updated references). 35 pages, 8 figures. Code can be found at https://github.com/hamers/ms

DigiBuzz-VTT – Towards digital twin’s concrete commercial exploitation

The DigiBuzz-VTT project, a part of the DigiBuzz common effort, focused on the applications of digital twins in manufacturing industry ecosystems. The DigiBuzz-VTT project had two main focuses, 1) functional digital twins, or simulation-based digital twins, of machines and machine systems and their applications, and 2) the life cycle management of digital twins (the digital part of the twin), emphasising data modelling and data management. These themes were studied from the technical and from the business point of views. The detailed research topics were:• Business opportunities and added value of digital twins for manufacturing industry• Data-based digital twins, use of machine learning for feature recognition• The status of standardisation for the lifecycle data management of digital twins, means for preserving model data• Hybrid modelling with digital twins, combination of experimental and simulation data• The optimisation of the measurement points location, method development• The use of Kalman filters in estimating simulation data correlation with measured data• The status of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for digital twinsThis report summarises the implementation of the DigiBuzz-VTT project and lists the main deliverables of the project. The project produced several scientific articles and research reports, which report the research results in detail

Hepatic Ultrasonography Compared with Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging at Diagnosis of Metastatic Uveal Melanoma

Purpose To evaluate the consistency of hepatic ultrasonography (US) with staging computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to analyze why US was inconsistent with CT/MRI, and to compare CT/MRI. DESIGN Reliability analysis. METHODS Two hundred fifteen patients whose primary uveal melanoma was managed in the Helsinki University Hospital and who were diagnosed with hepatic metastases by US within 60 days of staging CT/MRI from January 1999 to December 2016, were included. Patients attended a real-life follow-up schedule including hepatic US, liver function tests (LFT), and a confirmatory CT/MRI. We evaluated the consistency of US with staging CT/MRI regarding the presence and number of metastases. RESULTS The enrolled patients underwent 215 US, 167 CT, and 69 MRI examinations, and 67% of them had biopsy-confirmed metastases. Screening was regular for 98% of the patients, and 66% were asymptomatic. US was fully consistent with CT/MRI in detecting metastases in 113 (53%) patients, in 63 (29%) CT/MRI showed more metastases, and in 16 (7%) less metastases than US. CT/MRI was inconsistent with US in 23 (11%) patients. The sensitivity of US in detecting metastases was 96% (95% confidence interval, 92-98). US failed to suggest metastases in 10 patients. LFT were abnormal in six of them, and a newly-detected hepatic lesion was present by US in four. CONCLUSIONS Hepatic US is a sensitive screening modality in detecting metastases in patients with primary uveal melanoma, if combined with LFT and in case of any new detected lesion, a confirmatory MRI.Peer reviewe

Metastatic uveal melanoma managed with best supportive care

Non peer reviewe

Multistakeholder environmental governance in action: REDD+ discourse coalitions in Tanzania

Balancing interests to achieve legitimate and effective policies is a primary and pressing challenge in countries' efforts to prepare their national reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) strategies. Using Tanzania as a country case, we investigated the most polarizing policy discourses and assessed the influence of competing discourse coalitions on the drafting of the national REDD+ strategy. We combined discourse and social network analysis to identify discourse coalitions and assess their influence. The findings indicate that the national REDD+ strategy largely reflects the positions of the discourse coalition that is controlled by powerful state actors who support central control of REDD+ financial mechanisms. The competing coalition, led by civil society organizations, has limited influence on the national strategy, despite discursive congruence and concerted political action. The findings further indicate that discursive practices and institutional rules codetermine policy outcomes

Verkkokiusaaminen ilmiönä peruskoulussa

Tiivistelmä. Sosiaalisessa mediassa tapahtuva kiusaaminen on nykyään jatkuvasti esillä. Eri sivustojen ja sovellusten tarjoama anonymiteetti mahdollistaa asiattoman käyttäytymisen verkossa entistä helpommin. Tämä onkin yksi syy sille, miksi nuorten välinen kiusaaminen on siirtynyt sosiaalisen median välityksellä myös koulun ulkopuolelle oppilaiden omalle vapaa-ajalle luoden uusia ongelmia nuorten hyvinvoinnille ja identiteetin kehitykselle. Tutkielman tavoitteena on perehtyä verkkokiusaamiseen ilmiönä peruskoulussa. Tämän lisäksi käsittelemme verkkokiusaamisen aiheuttamia vaikutuksia kiusatuilla ja sitä, miten verkkokiusaamista voitaisiin ehkäistä. Tutkimus on toteutettu kuvailevana kirjallisuuskatsauksena. Tutkimuskysymyksemme ovat “Mitä on verkossa tapahtuva koulukiusaaminen?”, “Miten verkossa tapahtuva koulukiusaaminen vaikuttaa kiusattuun?” ja “Miten verkossa tapahtuvaan kiusaamiseen voidaan puuttua?”. Tutkielman alussa avaamme kiusaamiseen liittyviä termejä ja määrittelemme käyttämämme kiusaamiskäsitteen. Verkkokiusaaminen tarkoittaa teknologisten laitteiden, kuten esimerkiksi puhelimen tai tietokoneen, väärinkäyttöä. Sen tarkoituksena on perinteisesti aiheuttaa ahdistusta ja pahaa oloa kiusatulle. Verkkokiusaamiselle on tyypillistä myös jatkuvuus ja valtasuhteiden epätasapaino. Tutkielmassamme käy ilmi, että verkkokiusaaminen on verrattain uusi ilmiö, jolla on arveltua vakavammat seuraukset. Sillä on pitkäkantoiset seuraamukset, jotka vaikuttavat vahvasti kiusatuksi tulleen henkilön minäkuvaan ja hyvinvointiin. Kiusatuksi tuleminen voi aiheuttaa esimerkiksi ahdistuneisuutta, huonoa itsetuntoa, itsetuhoisuutta ja masennusta. Verkkokiusaamisen ennaltaehkäiseminen ja siihen puuttuminen on haastavaa, muttei mahdotonta. Tärkeää on lasten ja nuorten sekä heidän vanhempiensa tarkkaivaisuus sekä varovaisuus internetissä