Familial aggregation of type 1 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy in Finland

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a common, multifactorial disease with strong familial clustering. In Finland, the incidence of T1D among children aged 14 years or under is the highest in the world. The increase in incidence has been approximately 2.4% per year. Although most new T1D cases are sporadic the first-degree relatives are at an increased risk of developing the same disease. This study was designed to examine the familial aggregation of T1D and one of its serious complications, diabetic nephropathy (DN). More specifically the study aimed (1) to determine the concordance rates of T1D in monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins and to estimate the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors to the variability in liability to T1D as well as to study the age at onset of diabetes in twins; (2) to obtain long-term empirical estimates of the risk of T1D among siblings of T1D patients and the factors related to this risk, especially the effect of age at onset of diabetes in the proband and the birth cohort effect; (3) to establish if DN is aggregating in a Finnish population-based cohort of families with multiple cases of T1D, and to assess its magnitude and particularly to find out whether the risk of DN in siblings is varying according to the severity of DN in the proband and/or the age at onset of T1D: (4) to assess the recurrence risk of T1D in the offspring of a Finnish population-based cohort of patients with childhood onset T1D, and to investigate potential sex-related effects in the transmission of T1D from the diabetic parents to their offspring as well as to study whether there is a temporal trend in the incidence. The study population comprised of the Finnish Young Twin Cohort (22,650 twin pairs), a population-based cohort of patients with T1D diagnosed at the age of 17 years or earlier between 1965 and 1979 (n=5,144) and all their siblings (n=10,168) and offspring (n=5,291). A polygenic, multifactorial liability model was fitted to the twin data. Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to provide the cumulative incidence for the development of T1D and DN. Cox s proportional hazards models were fitted to the data. Poisson regression analysis was used to evaluate temporal trends in incidence. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) between the first-degree relatives of T1D patients and background population were determined. The twin study showed that the vast majority of affected MZ twin pairs remained discordant. Pairwise concordance for T1D was 27.3% in MZ and 3.8% in DZ twins. The probandwise concordance estimates were 42.9% and 7.4%, respectively. The model with additive genetic and individual environmental effects was the best-fitting liability model to T1D, with 88% of the phenotypic variance due to genetic factors. The second paper showed that the 50-year cumulative incidence of T1D in the siblings of diabetic probands was 6.9%. A young age at diagnosis in the probands considerably increased the risk. If the proband was diagnosed at the age of 0-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15 or more, the corresponding 40-year cumulative risks were 13.2%, 7.8%, 4.7% and 3.4%. The cumulative incidence increased with increasing birth year. However, SIR among children aged 14 years or under was approximately 12 throughout the follow-up. The third paper showed that diabetic siblings of the probands with nephropathy had a 2.3 times higher risk of DN compared with siblings of probands free of nephropathy. The presence of end stage renal disease (ESRD) in the proband increases the risk three-fold for diabetic siblings. Being diagnosed with diabetes during puberty (10-14) or a few years before (5-9) increased the susceptibility for DN in the siblings. The fourth paper revealed that of the offspring of male probands, 7.8% were affected by the age of 20 compared with 5.3% of the offspring of female probands. Offspring of fathers with T1D have 1.7 times greater risk to be affected with T1D than the offspring of mothers with T1D. The excess risk in the offspring of male fathers manifested itself through the higher risk the younger the father was when diagnosed with T1D. Young age at onset of diabetes in fathers increased the risk of T1D greatly in the offspring, but no such pattern was seen in the offspring of diabetic mothers. The SIR among offspring aged 14 years or under remained fairly constant throughout the follow-up, approximately 10. The present study has provided new knowledge on T1D recurrence risk in the first-degree relatives and the risk factors modifying the risk. Twin data demonstrated high genetic liability for T1D and increased heritability. The vast majority of affected MZ twin pairs, however, remain discordant for T1D. This study confirmed the drastic impact of the young age at onset of diabetes in the probands on the increased risk of T1D in the first-degree relatives. The only exception was the absence of this pattern in the offspring of T1D mothers. Both the sibling and the offspring recurrence risk studies revealed dynamic changes in the cumulative incidence of T1D in the first-degree relatives. SIRs among the first-degree relatives of T1D patients seems to remain fairly constant. The study demonstrates that the penetrance of the susceptibility genes for T1D may be low, although strongly influenced by the environmental factors. Presence of familial aggregation of DN was confirmed for the first time in a population-based study. Although the majority of the sibling pairs with T1D were discordant for DN, its presence in one sibling doubles and presence of ESRD triples the risk of DN in the other diabetic sibling. An encouraging observation was that although the proportion of children to be diagnosed with T1D at the age of 4 or under is increasing, they seem to have a decreased risk of DN or at least delayed onset.

Measurement of the top quark mass in the dilepton channel using mT2 at CDF

We present measurements of the top quark mass using the \mT2, a variable related to the transverse mass in events with two missing particles. We use the template method applied to t\tbar dilepton events produced in p\pbar collisions at Fermilab's Tevatron and collected by the CDF detector. From a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.4 \invfb, we select 236 t\tbar candidate events. Using the \mT2 distribution, we measure the top quark mass to be M_{Top} = 168.0^{+4.8}_{-4.0} $\pm$ {2.9} GeV/c^{2}. By combining the \mT2 with the reconstructed top mass distributions based on a neutrino weighting method, we measure M_{top}=169.3 $\pm$ 2.7 $\pm$ 3.2 GeV/c^{2}. This is the first application of the \mT2 variable in a mass measurement at a hadron collider.

Measurement of the top quark mass in the dilepton channel using mT2 at CDF

We present measurements of the top quark mass using the \mT2, a variable related to the transverse mass in events with two missing particles. We use the template method applied to t\tbar dilepton events produced in p\pbar collisions at Fermilab's Tevatron and collected by the CDF detector. From a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.4 \invfb, we select 236 t\tbar candidate events. Using the \mT2 distribution, we measure the top quark mass to be M_{Top} = 168.0^{+4.8}_{-4.0} $\pm$ {2.9} GeV/c^{2}. By combining the \mT2 with the reconstructed top mass distributions based on a neutrino weighting method, we measure M_{top}=169.3 $\pm$ 2.7 $\pm$ 3.2 GeV/c^{2}. This is the first application of the \mT2 variable in a mass measurement at a hadron collider.

Future chemistry teachers use of knowledge dimensions and high-order cognitive skills in pre-laboratory concept maps

This poster describes a pilot case study, which aim is to study how future chemistry teachers use knowledge dimensions and high-order cognitive skills (HOCS) in their pre-laboratory concept maps to support chemistry laboratory work. The research data consisted of 168 pre-laboratory concept maps that 29 students constructed as a part of their chemistry laboratory studies. Concept maps were analyzed by using a theory based content analysis through Anderson & Krathwohls' learning taxonomy (2001). This study implicates that novice concept mapper students use all knowledge dimensions and applying, analyzing and evaluating HOCS to support the pre-laboratory work.

Pylväskäytävien suojassa : Pompejilainen peristyylipuutarha sosioekonomisen edustamisen muotona

Pro gradu -tutkielmani käsittelee pompejilaisessa yksityistalossa ollutta puutarhaa, jota kiertää pylväskäytävä tai useampia. Tätä tilaa kutsutaan peristyylipuutarhaksi. Peristyyli oli tärkeä osa roomalaisen ja siis myös pompejilaisen talon julkista osaa. Se oli avoin vierailijoille, siksi voidaan olettaa, että peristyylipuutarhalla olisi haluttu esittää omaa vaurautta ja sosiaalista asemaa. Työni keskittyy siihen, miten talon asukkaan varallisuus ja sosiaalinen asema näkyvät peristyylipuutarhassa. Tutkin myös, mitä muuta peristyyli viestii omistajastaan. Tutkimukseni liitteenä on lista Pompejin yksityistalojen peristyyleistä ja niiden tiedoista. Niitä vertailemalla analysoin sitä, millainen tila peristyylipuutarha on ollut. Aineistona tutkielmassani ovat konkreettisesti Pompejin yksityistalojen peristyylipuutarhat ja niiden rakenteet sekä arkeologiset löydöt. Peristyylipuutarhoja on 168 kappaletta. Lisäksi seinämaalaukset ja piirtokirjoitukset välittävät tietoa niin peristyylistä kuin sen omistajasta. Tiedot peristyyleistä olen kerännyt tutkimuskirjallisuudesta löytyneistä luetteloista, joissa on tietoa Pompejin taloista ja puutarhoista. Murto-osassa peristyylipuutarhoista olen käynyt ja kerännyt niistä tietoa työhöni. Huomioin antiikin kirjallisen tradition, sen käsitellessä aihettani. Ensimmäisenä käsittelen peristyylipuutarhaa arkkitehtuurin kannalta. Tutkin, mihin peristyyli on sijoitettu pompejilaisessa talossa ja millaisia arkkitehtonisia ratkaisuja tilassa on käytetty. Peristyyli on usein talon ovelta avautuvalla näköakselilla, joka leikkaa läpi talon tärkeimpien julkisten tilojen. Ne ovat atrium eli eteishalli, tablinum eli vastaanottohuone ja peristyylipuutarha. Aina peristyyli ei ole tällä akselilla. Joissain taloissa peristyyli voi olla atriumin tai tablinumin paikalla. Pompejin peristyyleissä on pylväskäytäviä yhdestä neljään. Usein puutarhaosa on erotettu pylväskäytävistä aidalla. Seuraavaksi tutkin peristyylipuutarhasta löytyneitä rakenteita, irtaimistoa, kasveja ja istutuksia. Tarkastelen näiden yleisyyttä ja sitä, mitä ne kertovat peristyylin käyttötarkoituksesta. Puutarhoissa on ollut vesikouruja, kaivoja, altaita, suihkulähteitä, vesisäiliöitä ja niiden suuaukkojen renkaita. Kiinteitä rakennelmia ovat tricliniumit eli oleskelu- ja ruokailuryhmät, kotijumalien pyhäköt, alttarit, nissit ja katokset. Irtaimia löytöjä on peristyyleissä monenlaisia. Yleisimpiä ovat pöydät, aurinkokellot, lamput, amforat ja erilaiset astiat sekä ruukut. Kasveja on huomioitu vähän Pompejin kaivauksissa, mutta peristyylipuutarhoista on löytynyt merkkejä puista ja pensaista sekä säännöllisistä ja epäsäännöllisistä istutuksista. Viimeisenä käsittelen peristyylipuutarhan koristelua, ja minkälaisen kuvan se välittää talon omistajasta. Puutarhoissa oli veistoksia ja seinämaalauksia. Molemmissa käsitellään luontoaiheita, jotka ovat helposti liitettävissä puutarhaan. Suosittuja ovat myös mytologiset aiheet. Veistoskoristelussa selkeästi yleisin on viinin jumala Dionysos ja häneen liittyvät hahmot. Myös muita jumaluuksia esiintyy kuten Venus. Se ja Dionysos liitettiin antiikissa luontoon ja puutarhaan. Peristyylipuutarha oli monipuolinen tila, jossa eri elämänalueet kohtasivat toisensa. Peristyyleissä voitiin työskennellä. Puutarhaosa saattoi olla hyötykäytössä esimerkiksi kasvimaana. Peristyylissä tai sen ympäristössä oleskeltiin, juhlittiin ja viihdytettiin vieraita, siksi siellä esitettiin omaa varakkuutta runsaalla veistoskoristelulla, altailla ja suihkulähteillä. Jo laaja pinta-alainen peristyyli oli osoitus vauraudesta. Aina ei haluttu näyttää varakkuutta, vaan joskus koristeellinen peristyyli oli syrjässä talon ovelta avautuvalta näköakselilta. Uskonto oli osa peristyyliä, vaikka uskonnon harjoittamiseen liittyvät rakenteet sijoitettiin yleensä talon muihin tiloihin. Uskonto ja mytologia ovat kuitenkin vahvasti läsnä peristyylien koristelussa. Selkeitä poliittisia viittauksia peristyylipuutarhoissa on vähän, mutta roomalaisia piirteitä niissä voidaan havaita. Roomalaiset vaikutteet peristyylin koristelussa ja arkkitehtuurissa viestittävät mahdollisesti talon omistajan roomalaismielisyydestä. Roomalaiset piirteet ovat myös olleet trendejä aikakauden peristyyleissä.

Towards Explaining the Use of Control Mechanisms in Foreign Subsidiaries of MNCs (summary section only)

Control is central to management and there is already a considerable body of research on control. However, the emergence and growth of multinational corporations (MNCs) has renewed the interest in control, as MNCs are complex (often large) organizations that face circumstances beyond those of national business organizations. The geographical dispersion of MNC activities means that the headquarters controls subsidiaries that differ with regard to power and that are embedded in different cultural, political, legal and educational systems. Foreign subsidiary control also takes place across language boundaries and physical (i.e. geographical) distances. In face of these challenges, how are foreign subsidiaries controlled? The thesis explores different types of control mechanisms and attempts to explain the degree to which they are used to control foreign subsidiaries. It contributes to existing knowledge on control by exploring how five different control mechanisms are related to each other. Previous research has tended to focus only on one or two control mechanisms and seldom has their effect on each other been explored. The thesis also contributes by including two central aspects of the MNC that have been neglected in much of the research on foreign subsidiary control: language competence of subsidiary staff and physical distance between the headquarters and its subsidiaries. The findings indicate that specific control mechanisms should not be studied in isolation as there are intricate relationships among the different control mechanisms. Language competence of the subsidiary staff can furthermore affect the type and degree of control that the headquarters can exercise over a subsidiary. The findings also indicate that changes in the physical distance between subsidiaries and its headquarters (i.e. a relocation of the headquarters as part of a restructuring process) can have great consequences for the headquarters-subsidiary relationship.

The impact of stock option incentives on investment and firm value

This paper analyzes the relations among firm-level stock option portfolio incentives, investment, and firm value based on a sample of Finnish firms during the time period 1987 – 2000. Utilizing exact and complete information regarding stock option portfolio characteristics, we find some evidence that firm investment is increasing in the incentives to increase stock price (delta) and risk (vega). Furthermore, we find strong evidence of a positive relation between both incentive effects and firm value (Tobin’s Q). In contrast, when we allow for stock option incentives, investment, and firm value to be simultaneously determined, we find no evidence that investment is increasing in incentives. However, even after controlling for endogeneity, we find that both incentive effects arising from stock option compensation display a positive and significant effect on firm value. Finally, in contradiction to earlier findings, we observe that neither Tobin’s Q nor investment drives incentives.