Ruokaportaat-työkalun kehittäminen Keravan perhetyön käyttöön

Toiminnallisena opinnäytetyönä Keravan perhetyön käyttöön kehitettiin Ruokaportaat -työkalu. Ruokaportaat-työkalu auttaa vanhempia tukemaan lapsen ruokailutaitojen kehitystä, sillä se antaa vanhemmille tietoa lapsen ruoan rakenteen ja ruokailutaitojen muuttumisesta. Työkalu on toiminnallinen tehtävä, jossa vanhemmat yrittävät selvittää, miten lapsen ruokai-lutaidot kehittyvät missäkin iässä. Opinnäytetyö toteutettiin Lapsen ja nuoren hyvä arki –hankkeen sisällä, jonka päätavoite on edistää lapsen ja lapsiperheiden hyvinvointia. Työkalu edistää lapsen hyvinvointia vanhempien kautta. Opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli saada työkalus-ta toimiva. Alan kirjallisuudessa on esitelty ruokaportaat ja näiden tietojen pohjalta lähdet-tiin kehittämään konkreettista työkalua. Lopullinen tuotos valmistettiin paperille, joka laminoitiin kestävään muotoon. Työkalun val-mistuttua sen toimivuutta kokeiltiin kolmessa perhetyön asiakasperheessä. Opinnäytetyön tekijät ohjasivat vanhempia perheiden kotona perhetyöntekijöiden seuratessa työskentelyä. Kokeilujen jälkeen perhetyöntekijät perehdytettiin perusteellisesti työkalun käyttöön. Työka-lu arvioitiin vanhempien ja perhetyöntekijöiden antaman palautteen perusteella. Perheiltä palautetta kerättiin haastattelun avulla työkalun käytön jälkeen. Perhetyön kanssa käytiin avoin palautekeskustelu, jonka teemoina oli työkalun tavoitteiden täyttymisen sekä yhteis-työn toimivuuden arviointi. Työkalun todettiin olevan toimiva ja hyödyllinen. Työkalu antoi vanhemmille perustietoa lap-sen ruoan rakenteen ja ravitsemustaitojen kehityksestä. Tämän opinnäytetyön puitteissa van-hemmat valmiuksia vaikuttaa lapsen hyvinvointiin. Tulos työkalun vaikutuksesta lapsen hyvin-vointiin tulee näkymään tulevaisuudessa, kun sen käyttöä on jatkettu. Työkalu jäi perhetyön käyttöön ja toimii tarvittaessa ravitsemusneuvonnan tukena asiakasperheissä. Työkalua voisi käyttää hyödyksi myös muun muassa neuvolan ravitsemusohjauksessa. Työkalua voisi jatkossa kehittää sähköiseksi versioksi, jonka käyttö tapahtuisi internetin välityksellä.Developing the Food Steps -tool for Kerava’s family counsellors A Food steps -tool was devised for Kerava’s family counselors in this functional thesis. The Food steps tool helps parents to support their children in developing their own eating skills. Parents get information about children’s food structure, and alterations in eating habits. The tool is a functional task. Parents try to solve how their children’s eating habits develop at different ages. The thesis is part of the “Good Life of Children and Adolescents” project. The project’s main goal is to contribute to the welfare of children and to the welfare of families with children. The information that parents get from the tool helps contribute to the welfare of children. The goal of the thesis was to generate a workable tool. The start of developing the food steps tool was based on the information of food steps found in literature of nutri-tion. The final tool was made in paperboard, which was then laminated to last. After finishing the tool, it was tested in three families, who were customers at family counseling. People who devised the thesis guided parents on how to use the tool while a family counselor was moni-toring the guidance situation. After testing the tool, the family counselors were informed on how to use the tool. The tool was assessed through the parents’ and counselors’ feedback. The feedback was collected through parent interviews after testing the tool. The family coun-selors’ feedback was processed through the means of conversation. One subject of the con-versation was how, if at all, the tool worked and met the designers’ expectations, and, on the other hand, how well the co-operation worked. The tool proved to be a useful and workable method. The tool provided basic knowledge about the change in children’s food structure and eating habits for the parents. Through this thesis the parents get the possibility to have a bearing on their child’s welfare. The tool‘s effects on the welfare of children remain to be seen in the future. The family counselors ac-cepted the tool as part of their nutritional counseling. The children’s health care centre could also benefit from the tool and use it when counseling about nutrition. In the future, the tool could be made into an online resource

Epithelial N-cadherin and nuclear β-catenin are up-regulated during early development of human lung

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this study was to analyze the cell-specific expression of E- and N-cadherin and β-catenin in developing human lung tissues from 12 to 40 weeks of gestation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fortyseven cases of developing human lung including pseudoglandular, canalicular, saccular and alveolar periods were analyzed by immunohistochemisty for E- and N-cadherin and β-catenin and twentyone cases were also investigated by RT-PCR for E- and N-cadherin and β-catenin. For identifying the lung cells, the sections were also stained with antibodies against thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) and caveolin-1. Normal adult lung tissue was used as a control.</p> <p>E-cadherin was strongly expressed in epithelium of bronchi and large bronchioles from week 12 onwards and it was also positive in alveoli in pretype II cells and type II cells. N-cadherin was present in most of the epithelial cells of bronchi and the largest bronchioles during the pseudo-glandular and canalicular periods. N-cadherin was not detected in epithelium of developing alveoli. β-catenin was strongly membrane-bound and positively expressed in bronchial epithelium from week 12 to week 40; it showed nuclear positivity in both developing airway epithelium and in the cells underneath the epithelium during pseudo-glandular period and to a lesser degree also in the canalicular period. β-catenin was positive in pretype II cells as well as in type I and type II pneumocytes within alveoli.</p> <p>RT-PCR analyses revealed detectable amounts of RNAs of E- and N-cadherin and β-catenin in all cases studied. The amounts of RNAs were higher in early stages of gestation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>E-cadherin is widely expressed in bronchial and alveolar epithelial cells. N-cadherin exhibit extensive epithelial positivity in bronchial epithelial cells during early lung development. The presence of β-catenin was observed in several cell types with a distinct location in tissue and cells in various gestational stages, indicating that it possesses several roles during lung development. The expressions of protein and mRNAs of E- and N-cadherin and β-catenin were higher in early gestation compared to of the end. Moreover, the expressions of these factors were higher during the lung development than in the adult human lung.</p

Two novel direct SPIO labels and in vivo MRI detection of labeled cells after acute myocardial infarct

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cellular decay due hypoxia requires rapid and validated methods for possible therapeutic cell transplantation. Purpose: To develop direct and rapid superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) cell label for a large-animal model and to assess in vivo cell targeting by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in an experimental AMI model. Material and Methods: Bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) were labeled with SPIO particles using two novel direct labeling methods (rotating incubation method and electroporation). Labeling, iron incorporation in cells and label distribution, cellular viability, and proliferation were validated in vitro. An AMI porcine model was used to evaluate the direct labeling method (rotating incubation method) by examining targeting of labeled BMMNCs using MRI and histology. Results: Labeling (1 h) did not alter either cellular differentiation potential or viability of cells in vitro. Cellular relaxation values at 9.4 T correlated with label concentration and MRI at 1.5 T showing 894% signal reduction compared with non-labeled cells in vitro. In vivo, a high spatial correlation between MRI and histology was observed. The extent of macroscopic pathological myocardial changes (hemorrhage) correlated with altered function detected on MRI. Conclusion: We demonstrated two novel direct SPIO labeling methods and demonstrated the feasibility of clinical MRI for monitoring targeting of the labeled cells in animal models of AMI.Peer reviewe

FUNGI : FUsioN Gene Integration toolset

Motivation: Fusion genes are both useful cancer biomarkers and important drug targets. Finding relevant fusion genes is challenging due to genomic instability resulting in a high number of passenger events. To reveal and prioritize relevant gene fusion events we have developed FUsionN Gene Identification toolset (FUNGI) that uses an ensemble of fusion detection algorithms with prioritization and visualization modules. Results: We applied FUNGI to an ovarian cancer dataset of 107 tumor samples from 36 patients. Ten out of 11 detected and prioritized fusion genes were validated. Many of detected fusion genes affect the PI3K-AKT pathway with potential role in treatment resistance.Peer reviewe

FUNGI: Fusion Gene Integration Toolset

Motivation: Fusion genes are both useful cancer biomarkers and important drug targets. Finding relevant fusion genes is challenging due to genomic instability resulting in a high number of passenger events. To reveal and prioritize relevant gene fusion events we have developed FUNGI (FUsionN Gene Identification toolset) that uses an ensemble of fusion detection algorithms with prioritization and visualization modules.Results: We applied FUNGI to an ovarian cancer dataset of 107 tumor samples from 36 patients. Ten out of 11 detected and prioritized fusion genes were validated. Many of detected fusion genes affect the PI3K-AKT pathway with potential role in treatment resistance.</p

Loss of DIAPH1 causes SCBMS, combined immunodeficiency, and mitochondrial dysfunction

Background: Homozygous loss of DIAPH1 results in seizures, cortical blindness, and microcephaly syndrome (SCBMS). We studied 5 Finnish and 2 Omani patients with loss of DIAPH1 presenting with SCBMS, mitochondrial dysfunction, and immunodeficiency. Objective: We sought to further characterize phenotypes and disease mechanisms associated with loss of DIAPH1. Methods: Exome sequencing, genotyping and haplotype analysis, B- and T-cell phenotyping, in vitro lymphocyte stimulation assays, analyses of mitochondrial function, immunofluorescence staining for cytoskeletal proteins and mitochondria, and CRISPR-Cas9 DIAPH1 knockout in heathy donor PBMCs were used. Results: Genetic analyses found all Finnish patients homozygous for a rare DIAPH1 splice-variant (NM_005219:c.68411G>A) enriched in the Finnish population, and Omani patients homozygous for a previously described pathogenic DIAPH1 frameshift-variant (NM_005219:c.2769delT;p.F923fs). In addition to microcephaly, epilepsy, and cortical blindness characteristic to SCBMS, the patients presented with infection susceptibility due to defective lymphocyte maturation and 3 patients developed B-cell lymphoma. Patients' immunophenotype was characterized by poor lymphocyte activation and proliferation, defective B-cell maturation, and lack of naive T cells. CRISPR-Cas9 knockout of DIAPH1 in PBMCs from healthy donors replicated the T-cell activation defect. Patient-derived peripheral blood T cells exhibited impaired adhesion and inefficient microtubule-organizing center repositioning to the immunologic synapse. The clinical symptoms and laboratory tests also suggested mitochondrial dysfunction. Experiments with immortalized, patient-derived fibroblasts indicated that DIAPH1 affects the amount of complex IV of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that individuals with SCBMS can have combined immune deficiency and implicate defective cytoskeletal organization and mitochondrial dysfunction in SCBMS pathogenesis.Peer reviewe

Electrochemical sensors annd physicochemical analysis as tools for studying human exposure to indoor air contaminants

Sisäilmayhdistys raportti 37, Toim. Mervi Ahola, Anna Merikari Julkaisija SIY Sisäilmatieto Oy, ISSN 1237-1866; ISBN 978-952-5236-49-1 Painopaikka Grano Oy, VaasaTutkimuskammioihin asennettiin 8 anturia: hiilidioksidi, happi, vetysyanidi, rikkivety, VOC anturi (tVOC ja CO2 ekvivalentti VOC), palavat kaasut, lämpötila, kosteus. Mittaustulokset tallentuivat Arduino-mikrokontrollerin kautta minuutin väliajoin PC-tietokoneelle AgilentVEE 9.3 ohjelmalla, joka toimi myös grafiikkanäyttönä. Vakavasti sisäilmahaittaisista rakennuksista peräisin olleet materiaalit kerryttivät kosteaan kammioilmaan atmosfäärin, jonka mittausvasteet poikkesivat verrokeista. Vetysyanidin lisäys kammioilmaan (> 5 ppm) pysäytti joidenkin materiaalien hiilidioksidi- ja tVOC emissiot, mutta emissiot palautuivat, mikä viittaa päästöjä emittoivien mikrobien syaniditoleranssiin. Kapillaarielektroforeettinen analyysi antoi viitteitä siitä, että sisäilmaongelmaisista tiloista kerätyt tiivistevedet sisälsivät jonitonta tensidiä ja / tai kationista alkyyliammonium kloridia, joita julkisten tilojen siivousaineet yleisesti sisältävät.Tutkimuskammioihin asennettiin 8 anturia: hiilidioksidi, happi, vetysyanidi, rikkivety, VOC anturi (TVOC ja CO2 ekvivalentti VOC), palavat kaasut, lämpötila, kosteus. Mittaustulokset tallentuivat Arduino-mikrokontrollerin kautta minuutin väliajoin PC-tietokoneelle Agilent VEE 9.3 ohjelmalla, joka toimi myös grafiikkanäyttönä. Vakavasti sisäilmahaittaisista rakennuksista peräisin olleet materiaalit kerryttivät kosteaan kammioilmaan atmosfäärin, jonka mittausvasteet poikkesivat verrokeista. Vetysyanidin lisäys kammioilmaan (>5 ppm) pysäytti joidenkin materiaalien hiilidioksidi- ja TVOC päästöt, mutta päästöt palautuivat, mikä viittaa päästöjä emittoivien mikrobien syaniditoleranssiin ja kykyyn tuottaa energiaa alternatiivisella oksidaasilla ympäristöissä, joissa muut mikrobit eivät menesty. Kapillaarielektroforeettinen analyysi antoi viitteitä siitä, että sisäilmaongelmaisista tiloista kerätyt tiivistevedet sisälsivät jonitonta tensidiä ja/tai kationista alkyyliammonium kloridia, joita julkisten tiojen siivousaineet yleisesti sisältävät.Peer reviewe

Vitamin D Deficiency in Children with a Chronic Illness-Seasonal and Age-Related Variations in Serum 25-hydroxy Vitamin D Concentrations

Peer reviewe

VII Scandinavian Copd Research Symposium, Holmenkollen, Oslo 18th-19th November 2016

Peer reviewe