Sense of coherence predicts adolescent mental health

Background: Strong sense of coherence (SOC) has been shown to predict good mental health among adults whereas its predictive value in adolescence is unclear. This life-course oriented prospective study explores whether SOC predicts mental health in a three-year follow-up.Methods: The data is part of the ongoing 'Finnish Family Competence Study' launched in 1986 in southwestern Finland (baseline n = 1287). The outcome variable was adolescents mental health at 18 years of age, measured on the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) scale. The main predictor was Antonovsky's SOC score (1987) measured at the age of 15. A total of 498 adolescents were included in the present analyses. Poisson regression was used by univariate and multivariable models using the parents' age and socioeconomic status and adolescents' gender as covariates.Results: Multivariable analysis showed that a one-unit increase in SOC decreased the relative risk of a DAWBAbased diagnosis by 4 % (RR [95% CI] 0.96 [0.94-0.98], p Limitations: Typical of very long follow-up, as in our study of nearly two decades, a substantial proportion of the original population-based cohort was lost to follow-up weakening the representability of our cohort.Conclusions: Sense of coherence is a useful and clinically sensitive tool to predict mental health in adolescence. The easily administered, coping-oriented SOC questionnaire is an appropriate instrument in screening for adolescents who would benefit from supportive measures to strengthen their mental well-being.</div

Parental distress rating at the child's age of 15 years predicts probable mental diagnosis: a three-year follow-up

Background: Mental health in adolescence is an increasing global public health concern. Over half of all mental disorders debut by 14 years of age and remain largely untreated up to adulthood, underlining the significance of early detection. The study aimed to investigate whether parental distress rating at the child's age of 15 predicts a probable mental diagnosis in a three-year follow-up.Methods: All data was derived from the Finnish Family Competence (FFC) Study. The analysis focused on whether parental CBCL (Child Behavior Checklist) rating (n = 441) at the child's age of 15 years predicted the outcome of the child's standardised DAWBA (Development and Well-Being Assessment) interview at offspring's 18 years.Results: Multivariable analysis showed that a one-unit increase in the total CBCL scores increased the relative risk of a DAWBA-based diagnosis by 3% (RR [95% CI] 1.03 [1.02-1.04], p Conclusions: Parental CBCL rating in a community sample at the adolescent's age of 15 contributes to early identification of adolescents potentially at risk and thus benefitting from early interventions.</p

Teenagers' mental health problems predict probable mental diagnosis 3 years later among girls, but what about the boys?

Background The prevalence of mental disorders is increasing, and there seems to be a gender difference in prevalence, with girls reporting more mental health problems than boys, especially regarding internalizing problems. Most mental disorders debut early but often remain untreated into adulthood. Early detection of mental disorders is essential for successful treatment, which is not always happening. The study aimed to estimate to what extent teenagers' self-reports predict probable mental diagnosis as they enter adulthood, particularly regarding gender differences. MethodsSelf-reported mental health problems, Youth Self-Report (YSR) at 15 years (range 3-110, n = 504) from the ongoing Finnish family competence study (FFC) using modified multivariable Poisson regression analysis for prediction of DAWBA (Development and Wellbeing Assessment) interview outcomes 3 years later. Results One unit's increase in YSR was estimated to correspond to an increase in the relative risk of a probable DAWBA-based diagnosis by 3.3% [RR (95% CI) 1.03 (1.03-1.04), p ConclusionsYouth Self-Report (YSR) scores at pubertal age predicted the risk of a probable mental diagnosis at the onset of adulthood, particularly in girls. Further research is needed to explain the lower sensitivity of YSR among boys.</p

Structural Insight into CVB3-VLP Non-Adjuvanted Vaccine

Coxsackievirus B (CVB) enteroviruses are common pathogens that can cause acute and chronic myocarditis, dilated cardiomyopathy, aseptic meningitis, and they are hypothesized to be a causal factor in type 1 diabetes. The licensed enterovirus vaccines and those currently in clinical development are traditional inactivated or live attenuated vaccines. Even though these vaccines work well in the prevention of enterovirus diseases, new vaccine technologies, like virus-like particles (VLPs), can offer important advantages in the manufacturing and epitope engineering. We have previously produced VLPs for CVB3 and CVB1 in insect cells. Here, we describe the production of CVB3-VLPs with enhanced production yield and purity using an improved purification method consisting of tangential flow filtration and ion exchange chromatography, which is compatible with industrial scale production. We also resolved the CVB3-VLP structure by Cryo-Electron Microscopy imaging and single particle reconstruction. The VLP diameter is 30.9 nm on average, and it is similar to Coxsackievirus A VLPs and the expanded enterovirus cell-entry intermediate (the 135s particle), which is similar to 2 nm larger than the mature virion. High neutralizing and total IgG antibody levels, the latter being a predominantly Th2 type (IgG1) phenotype, were detected in C57BL/6J mice immunized with non-adjuvanted CVB3-VLP vaccine. The structural and immunogenic data presented here indicate the potential of this improved methodology to produce highly immunogenic enterovirus VLP-vaccines in the future.Peer reviewe

Allergy from infancy to adolescence. A population-based 18-year follow-up cohort

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Anxious parents have many concerns about the future health of their atopic infants. Paediatricians and primary care practitioners need to seek knowledge on long-term outcomes in order to cope with the increasing caseload of suspected allergy and the concerns of parents. The aim of the study was to assess suspected and diagnosed allergy in infancy as predictors of allergy and asthma in adolescence.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Families expecting their first baby and making their first visit to a maternity health care clinic in 1986 were selected as the study population in a random sample. There were 1278 eligible study families. The data were provided of the children at the ages of 9 and 18 months and 3, 5, 12, 15 and 18 years by health care professionals, parents, and adolescents (themselves).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At the age of 9 months, the prevalence of allergy suspicions was distinctly higher than that of allergy diagnoses. At the age of five years suspected allergy approaches were nil, and the prevalence of diagnosed allergy was about 9%. During the adolescence, the prevalence of self-reported allergy increases steadily up to the age of 18 years, and that of asthma remains at approximately 5%. Suspected allergy at the age of 9 or 18 months and at the 5 years of age does not predict allergy at adolescence. Compared with non-allergic children, children with definite allergy at the age of 5 were over 8 times more likely to have allergy and nearly 7 times more likely to have asthma in adolescence.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>An early ascertained diagnosis of allergy, but not suspicions of allergy, predicts prevailing allergy in adolescence. Efforts need to be focused on accurate diagnosis of early childhood allergies.</p

A novel rat CVB1-VP1 monoclonal antibody 3A6 detects a broad range of enteroviruses

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer Nature via the DOI in this record.Enteroviruses (EVs) are common RNA viruses that cause diseases ranging from rash to paralytic poliomyelitis. For example, EV-A and EV-C viruses cause hand-foot and mouth disease and EV-B viruses cause encephalitis and myocarditis, which can result in severe morbidity and mortality. While new vaccines and treatments for EVs are under development, methods for studying and diagnosing EV infections are still limited and therefore new diagnostic tools are required. Our aim was to produce and characterize new antibodies that work in multiple applications and detect EVs in tissues and in vitro. Rats were immunized with Coxsackievirus B1 capsid protein VP1 and hybridomas were produced. Hybridoma clones were selected based on their reactivity in different immunoassays. The most promising clone, 3A6, was characterized and it performed well in multiple techniques including ELISA, immunoelectron microscopy, immunocyto- and histochemistry and in Western blotting, detecting EVs in infected cells and tissues. It recognized several EV-Bs and also the EV-C representative Poliovirus 3, making it a broad-spectrum EV specific antibody. The 3A6 rat monoclonal antibody can help to overcome some of the challenges faced with commonly used EV antibodies: it enables simultaneous use of mouse-derived antibodies in double staining and it is useful in murine models.This study was supported by TEKES – the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation (project THERDIAB 1843/31/2014) as well as JDRF grants for the nPOD-Virus Group, JDRF 25-2012-516 to A. Pugliese and JDRF 25-2012-770 to M.A. Atkinson for the nPOD-Virus Group, the Diabetes Research Foundation in Finland, the Sigrid Juselius Foundation, Reino Lahtikari Foundation, the Academy of Finland and the European Commission (Persistent Virus Infection in Diabetes Network (PEVNET), Frame Programme 7, Contract No. 261441) and the Swedish Child Diabetes Research Foundation. Additional support was given by a Diabetes Research Wellness Foundation Non-Clinical Research Fellowship and, since 2014, a JDRF Career Development Award (5-CDA-2014-221-A-N) to S.J.R

Impact of constitutional TET2 haploinsufficiency on molecular and clinical phenotype in humans

Clonal hematopoiesis driven by somatic heterozygous TET2 loss is linked to malignant degeneration via consequent aberrant DNA methylation, and possibly to cardiovascular disease via increased cytokine and chemokine expression as reported in mice. Here, we discover a germline TET2 mutation in a lymphoma family. We observe neither unusual predisposition to atherosclerosis nor abnormal pro-inflammatory cytokine or chemokine expression. The latter finding is confirmed in cells from three additional unrelated TET2 germline mutation carriers. The TET2 defect elevates blood DNA methylation levels, especially at active enhancers and cell-type specific regulatory regions with binding sequences of master transcription factors involved in hematopoiesis. The regions display reduced methylation relative to all open chromatin regions in four DNMT3A germline mutation carriers, potentially due to TET2-mediated oxidation. Our findings provide insight into the interplay between epigenetic modulators and transcription factor activity in hematological neoplasia, but do not confirm the putative role of TET2 in atherosclerosis.Peer reviewe

The N-glycome of human embryonic stem cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Complex carbohydrate structures, glycans, are essential components of glycoproteins, glycolipids, and proteoglycans. While individual glycan structures including the SSEA and Tra antigens are already used to define undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESC), the whole spectrum of stem cell glycans has remained unknown. We undertook a global study of the asparagine-linked glycoprotein glycans (N-glycans) of hESC and their differentiated progeny using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric and NMR spectroscopic profiling. Structural analyses were performed by specific glycosidase enzymes and mass spectrometric fragmentation analyses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The data demonstrated that hESC have a characteristic N-glycome which consists of both a constant part and a variable part that changes during hESC differentiation. hESC-associated N-glycans were downregulated and new structures emerged in the differentiated cells. Previously mouse embryonic stem cells have been associated with complex fucosylation by use of SSEA-1 antibody. In the present study we found that complex fucosylation was the most characteristic glycosylation feature also in undifferentiated hESC. The most abundant complex fucosylated structures were Le^xand H type 2 antennae in sialylated complex-type N-glycans.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The N-glycan phenotype of hESC was shown to reflect their differentiation stage. During differentiation, hESC-associated N-glycan features were replaced by differentiated cell-associated structures. The results indicated that hESC differentiation stage can be determined by direct analysis of the N-glycan profile. These results provide the first overview of the N-glycan profile of hESC and form the basis for future strategies to target stem cell glycans.</p

Teaching practice in the training of special education teachers in Finland

Abstract The aim of this study was to explore the core of teaching practice as a part of the curricula for master’s degree in special teacher education. The data consisted of the curricula of teaching practice of all six universities in Finland that offer this program, along with the results of an electronic questionnaire administered to students. The curricula were obtained from the internet and the questionnaire was delivered to special education students at two of the six universities. Content analysis was used as a method. According to the results the curricula could be compressed into eight key elements, main of which were basic special education competence, advanced methods, collaboration, and interaction skills. Unfortunately, just 54 students responded to the questionnaire. However, they considered teaching practice a relevant part of their studies. They were satisfied with the supervision although, they commented, it could have been more frequent. The results are discussed using a four point frame of curriculum, pointing to the rare possibilities of students to negotiate or to feel empowered