Aavan meren täällä puolen : Arkkityyppiset piirteet ja amerikkalaisvaikutteet suosituimmissa suomalaisissa molli-iskelmissä

What are the musical features that turn a song into a hit? The aim of this research is to explore the musical features of hit tunes by studying the 224 most popular Finnish evergreens from the 1930s to the 1990s. It is remarkable, that 80-90% of Finnish oldies are in a minor key, though parallel major keys have also been widely employed within single pieces through, for example, modulations. Furthermore, melodies are usually diatonic, staying mostly in the same key. Consequently, chromatically altered tones in the melody and short modulations in the bridge sections become more prominent. I have concentrated in particular on the melodic lines in order to find the most typical melodic formulas from the data. These analyzed melodic formulas play an important role, because they serve as leading phrases and punchlines in songs. Analysis has revealed three major melodic formulas, which most often appear in the melodic lines of hit tunes. All of these formulas share common thematic ground, because they originate from the triadic tonic chord. Because the tonic chord is the most conventional opening chord in the verse parts, it is logical that these formulas occur most often in verses. The strong dominance of these formulas is very much a result of the rhythmic flexibility they possess; for instance, they can be found in every musical style from waltz to foxtrot. Alongside the major formulas lies a miscellaneous group of other tonic-related melodic formulas. One group of melodic formulas consists of melodic quotations. These quotations appear in a different musical context, for instance in a harmonically altered form, and are therefore often difficult to recognize as such. Yet despite the contextual manipulation, the distinctive character of the cited melody usually remains the same. Composers have also made use of certain popular chord-progressions in order to create new but familiar-sounding melodies. The most important individual progression in this case is what is known as a "circle of fifths" and its shortened, prolonged and altered versions. Because that progression is harmonically strong, it is also a contrastive tool used especially in chorus parts and middle sections (AABA). I have also paid attention to ragtime and jazz influences, which can be found in harmony parts and certain melody notes, which extend, suspend or alter the accompaning chords. Other influences from jazz and ragtime in the Finnish evergreen are evident in the use of typical Tin Pan Alley popular song forms. The most important is the AABA form, which dominates over the data along with the verse/chorus-type popular song form. To briefly illustrate the main results, the basic concept of the hit tune can be traced back to Tin Pan Alley songs, whereas the major stylistic aspects, such as minor keys and musical styles, bear influences from Russian, Western European, and Finnish traditions.

Kokoomus, Kekkonen ja NKP:n luottamus : Kansallisen Kokoomuksen toiminta hallitusaseman saavuttamiseksi 1969-1981

Tutkielmani käsittelee Kokoomuksen suhdetta presidentti Urho Kekkoseen ja Neuvostoliiton Kommunistiseen puolueeseen NKP:hen. Tutkielmassa selvitetään, mitä kokoomuslaiset poliitikot tekivät näiden suhteiden kehittämiseksi ja puolueensa hallitusaseman saavuttamiseksi vuosina 1969-1981. Suomi solmi toisen maailmansodan jälkeen yya-sopimuksen Neuvostoliiton kanssa ja sitoutui noudattamaan ystävällismielistä politiikkaa Neuvostoliittoa kohtaan. Presidentti J. K. Paasikiven kaudella (1946-56) aloitettu ystävyyspolitiikka oli kehittynyt varsin pitkälle 1960-luvun loppuun mennessä. Vuonna 1956 presidentiksi valitun Urho Kekkosen johdolla hyvistä neuvostosuhteista muodostui Suomessa huipputason politiikan teon edellytys. Kekkonen vaati ehdotonta kuuliaisuutta Paasikivi-Kekkosen ulkopoliittiselle linjalle, niin puolueilta kuin yksittäisiltä poliitikoiltakin. Tämän linjan noudattaminen merkitsi Neuvostoliiton arvostelusta pidättäytymistä ja sitä kautta luottamusta Kekkosen ja NKP:n piirissä. Suomettumisen kaudeksi kutsuttuna aikana 1960-70-luvuilla Kokoomuksen asema oli erityisen vaikea, sillä tietyt puolueen poliitikot jatkoivat Kekkosen ja NL:n arvostelua. Muut keskeiset puolueet olivat päässeet Kekkosen ja Neuvostoliiton suosioon, mutta Kokoomusta ei näiden taholta hyväksytty hallituspuolueeksi vuoden 1966 jälkeen. Suurista puolueista SDP lunasti ulkopoliittisen luottamuksen Kekkoselta ja NKP:ltä 1966, eikä Kokoomusta enää välttämättä tarvittu enemmistöhallituksiin Keskustapuolueen pariksi. Kokoomuksen nuorempi polvi ymmärsi, että vaalimenestyksestä riippumatta hallitusasemaa ei enää saavuteta ilman Kekkosen ja NKP:n luottamusta. Vanhempi polvi puolestaan vastusti Urho Kekkosta ja hänen johdollaan kehittynyttä poliittista kulttuuria. Kokoomuksessa alkoi vuonna 1969 taistelu suhtautumisesta Kekkosen presidenttiyteen ja toiminta puolueen neuvostosuhteiden parantamiseksi. Tutkielma perustuu Porvarillisen Työn Arkiston lähdemateriaaliin, aiheesta julkaistuun kirjallisuuteen, Urho Kekkosen päiväkirjoihin ja arkistomateriaaliin sekä henkilöhaastatteluihin.

Mikä yliopisto-opiskelijaa kiihdyttää? : Opiskeluympäristöjen tutkimusta CASS-kokemusotantamenetelmällä flow-teoriaa ja ydintunneteorioita soveltaen

Flow experience is often defined either as an experience of high concentration and enjoyment or as a situation, where high challenges are matched with high skills. According to core-emotion theories, the experience of any emotion contains two core emotions: valence and arousal. Through an accurate mathematical model, the present study investigated, whether the experience of concentration and enjoyment is related to situations where both challenge and skills are high and in balance. Further, it was investigated what sort of core emotions are related to differing relationships between challenge and skills. Finally, university students’ experiences of their natural study environments were described in terms of core emotions and in terms of relationships between challenge and skills. Participants were 55 university students who participated two weeks research period. Altogether 3367 questionnaire answers were collected with the CASS experience-sampling method, operating in 3G-mobile phones. The relationship between challenge and skills (competence) was defined in an exact way in polar coordinates. An enjoyable and concentrated flow experience was defined as a sum variable of absorption, interest and enthusiasm. Core emotions were calculated with factor analysis from nine emotion variables. As expected, an experience of concentration and enjoyment was, on average, related to the situations where both challenge and skills were high and in balance. This was not, however, the case in every situation. Thus, it should be taken into consideration how flow experience is operationalised in experience sampling studies. When flow experience was defined as a situation of high challenge and high skills, it was often related to high valence and arousal emotions such as excitement or enthusiasm. A happier or a more tranquil enjoyment was related to situations of moderate challenge and high skills. Experiences differed clearly between various natural study environments. At lectures students were often bored or mentally absent, and did not experience challenges. In a small group students were often excited or enthusiastic, and showed optimal balance between challenge and skills. At library students felt satisfied and were engaged in highly challenging work.

I konstens namn - scenen som arbetsmiljö : Arbetsplatsmobbning ur skådespelarperspektiv

Workplace bullying is a topic of current interest in Finland. Workplace bullying is found in all professions, including the artistic ones. This thesis aims to explore workplace bullying from the view of the Finland-Swedish actors as a phenomenon that within dramatic art is difficult to define due to the fact that the body and emotions of an actor constitute his or her working tools. The research aims to deepen the understanding of the actors’ working situation, and particularly of the difficulties and problems actors face when exercising their job. The research problems are: What forms of bullying are the actors exposed to? Who is bullying? How is the bullying received by the actors, and what are the possible consequences? The theoretical orientation of this thesis is based upon dialogical philosophy where phenomenology, hermeneutics and dialog meet in an orientation where the unseen is emphasized and made visible. Artistic leadership should be based upon a pedagogic understanding that by an open and equal dialog with the Other recognizes human diversity. The narrative research was undertaken by using an interview guide for the interviews with eleven actors, six women and five men with the voice of a sixth man represented by an article. The interviews, each on average 118 minutes, were recorded and transcribed. The method of discursive analysis was initiated by numerous reflective readings based on analytic induction. The inductive part of the analysis consisted of mapping out the individual experiences of bullying where after the process of finding connecting common features in the extensive material took place. The coded data was then deductively grouped together according to the research problems, and subgroups were formed for deeper description. The research findings show that workplace bullying is an everyday occurrence within the field of dramatic art. Actors are bullied by theatre managers and directors as well as by colleagues and other personnel. The main areas of bullying is depreciation of one’s professional skills, the existing jargon, sexual harassment, collective bullying and bullying because of personal qualities. A significant finding concerning this problem was the existing culture of silence. Even if actually seeing and hearing a colleague being bullied, few stood up to defend the person being bullied because of fear of retaliation. Even the person actually being the object for bullying found it difficult to take any actions.

Laadukasta yliopisto-opetusta kehittämässä : Laadukkaan yliopisto-opetuksen kehittäminen ja yliopistopedagogisen koulutuksen yhteys opetuksen kehittämiseen Helsingin yliopiston opettajilla

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to examine the development of high-quality university teaching among the teachers of the University of Helsinki. Furthermore, the relation of university pedagogical training to development of teaching was analyzed. This study introduces a new perspective to the research of quality of university teaching by considering quality from the teaching development perspective. The individual level examination was done from teacher's perspective. The development of high-quality university teaching was approached through three factors of teaching development defined by Biggs (2003). These factors are 1) the level of thinking about teaching on which the teaching development is based on (can also be called the quality model), 2) the methods for and 3) the impediments to teaching development. The research of Trigwell and Prosser (1996), Lindblom-Ylänne, Nevgi and Postareff (2004) and Postareff, Lindblom-Ylänne and Nevgi (2007) and the ideas of Ramsden (1992) have been central sources to this study. Methods. This study was a survey study. The data was collected with an electronic questionnaire in the spring of 2007. The sample consisted of 655 person of which some had and some had not university pedagogical training. Total of 251 answered the study. The data was mainly analyzed with SPSS statistical programme. Item analysis, principal component analysis, nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests, correlation and crosstabulation were the methods used to analyze the data. Results and conclusions. According to the results it seems that the teachers of the University of Helsinki have good basis for developing high-quality university teaching. The 3rd level of thinking about teaching, which emphasizes student-centred features, could be identified on majority of the teachers. The use of teaching development methods was comprehensive. Most frequently used methods were related to the enhancement of content knowledge. In general the impediments to teaching development were not considered to be very significant. The most significant impediments were the factors related to lack of appreciation of teaching and factors related to lack of time meant for the planning and developing of teaching. Differences were found according to sex, teaching experience, degree, position and faculty. This study also showed that university pedagogical training seems to have a positive relation to the development of high-quality university teaching among the teachers of University of Helsinki. According to the results when the amount of teachers university pedagogical training increased, the 3rd level of thinking about teaching could be identified more often. Teachers also used more often teaching development methods related to cooperation and active participation and enhancement of pedagogical skills. Furthermore, they considered the factors related to lack of pedagogical skills and motivation to be lesser impediments to teaching development.

Mutation analysis of TGF-β signaling pathway genes among Finnish patients with primary pulmonary hypertension and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia

Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), or according to the recent classification idiopathic pulmonary hypertension (IPAH), is a rare, progressive disease of pulmonary vasculature leading to pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure. Most of the patients are sporadic but in about 6% of cases the disease is familial (FPPH). In 2000 two different groups identified the gene predisposing to PPH. This gene, Bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2 (BMPR2), encodes a subunit of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) receptor complex. There is a genetic connection between PPH and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), a bleeding disorder characterized by local telangiectasias and sometimes with pulmonary hypertension. In HHT, mutations in ALK1 (activin like kinase type 1) and Endoglin, another members of the TGF-β signaling pathway are found. In this study we identified all of the Finnish PPH patients for the years 1986-1999 using the hospital discharge registries of Finnish university hospitals. During this period we found a total of 59 confirmed PPH patients: 55 sporadic and 4 familial representing 3 different families. In 1999 the prevalence of PPH was 5.8 per million and the annual incidence varied between 0.2-1.3 per million. Among 28 PPH patients studied, heterozygous BMPR2 mutations were found in 12% (3/26) of sporadic patients and in 33% of the PPH families (1/3). All the mutations found were different. Large deletions of BMPR2 were excluded by single-stranded chain polymomorphism analysis. As a candidate gene approach we also studied ALK1, Endoglin, Bone Morphogenetic Receptor Type IA (BMPR1A or ALK3), Mothers Against Decapentaplegic Homolog 4 (SMAD4) and Serotonine Transporter Gene (SLC6A4) using single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and direct sequencing. Among patients and family members studied, we found two mutations in ALK1 in two unrelated samples. We also identified all the HHT patients treated at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Helsinki University Central Hospital between the years of 1990-2005 and 8 of the patients were studied for Endoglin and ALK1 mutations using direct sequencing. A total of seven mutations were found and all the mutations were different. The absence of a founder mutation in the Finnish population in both PPH and HHT was somewhat surprising. This suggests that the mutations of BMPR2, ALK1 and Endoglin are quite young and the older mutations have been lost due to repetitive genetic bottlenecks and/or negative selection. Also, other genes than BMPR2 may be involved in the pathogenesis of PPH. No founder mutations were found in PPH or HHT and thus no simple genetic test is available for diagnostics.

Modern diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus infections and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease

Infection by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) occurs in approximately 95% of the world s population. EBV was the first human virus implicated in oncogenesis. Characteristic for EBV primary infection are detectable IgM and IgG antibodies against viral capsid antigen (VCA). During convalescence the VCA IgM disappears while the VCA IgG persists for life. Reactivations of EBV occur both among immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. In serological diagnosis, measurement of avidity of VCA IgG separates primary from secondary infections. However, in serodiagnosis of mononucleosis it is quite common to encounter, paradoxically, VCA IgM together with high-avidity VCA IgG, indicating past immunity. We determined the etiology of this phenomenon and found that, among patients with cytomegalovirus (CMV) primary infection a large proportion (23%) showed antibody profiles of EBV reactivation. In contrast, EBV primary infection did not appear to induce immunoreactivation of CMV. EBV-associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is a life threatening complication of allogeneic stem cell or solid organ transplantation. PTLD may present with a diverse spectrum of clinical symptoms and signs. Due to rapidity of PTLD progression especially after stem cell transplantation, the diagnosis must be obtained quickly. Pending timely detection, the evolution of the fatal disease may be halted by reduction of immunosuppression. A promising new PTLD treatment (also in Finland) is based on anti-CD-20 monoclonal antibodies. Diagnosis of PTLD has been demanding because of immunosuppression, blood transfusions and the latent nature of the virus. We set up in 1999 to our knowledge first in Finland for any microbial pathogen a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) for detection of EBV DNA in blood serum/plasma. In addition, we set up an in situ hybridisation assay for EBV RNA in tissue sections. In collaboration with a group of haematologists at Helsinki University Central Hospital we retrospectively determined the incidence of PTLD among 257 allogenic stem cell transplantations (SCT) performed during 1994-1999. Post-mortem analysis revealed 18 cases of PTLD. From a subset of PTLD cases (12/18) and a series of corresponding controls (36), consecutive samples of serum were studied by the new EBV-qPCR. All the PTLD patients were positive for EBV-DNA with progressively rising copy numbers. In most PTLD patients EBV DNA became detectable within 70 days of SCT. Of note, the appearance of EBV DNA preceded the PTLD symptoms (fever, lymphadenopathy, atypical lymphocytes). Among the SCT controls, EBV DNA occurred only sporadically, and the EBV-DNA levels remained relatively low. We concluded that EBV qPCR is a highly sensitive (100%) and specific (96%) new diagnostic approach. We also looked for and found risk factors for the development of PTLD. Together with a liver transplantation group at the Transplantation and Liver Surgery Clinic we wanted to clarify how often and how severely do EBV infections occur after liver transplantation. We studied by the EBV qPCR 1284 plasma samples obtained from 105 adult liver transplant recipients. EBV DNA was detected in 14 patients (13%) during the first 12 months. The peak viral loads of 13 asymptomatic patients were relatively low (<6600/ml), and EBV DNA subsided quickly from circulation. Fatal PTLD was diagnosed in one patient. Finally, we wanted to determine the number and clinical significance of EBV infections of various types occurring among a large, retrospective, nonselected cohort of allogenic SCT recipients. We analysed by EBV qPCR 5479 serum samples of 406 SCT recipients obtained during 1988-1999. EBV DNA was seen in 57 (14%) patients, of whom 22 (5%) showed progressively rising and ultimately high levels of EBV DNA (median 54 million /ml). Among the SCT survivors, EBV DNA was transiently detectable in 19 (5%) asymptomatic patients. Thereby, low-level EBV-DNA positivity in serum occurs relatively often after SCT and may subside without specific treatment. However, high molecular copy numbers (>50 000) are diagnostic for life-threatening EBV infection. We furthermore developed a mathematical algorithm for the prediction of development of life-threatening EBV infection.

Parisuhdetyössä toimivien vapaaehtoisten motivaatio ja sitoutuminen : Tutkimus HNMKY:n parisuhderyhmien ryhmänjohtajista

Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on tarkastella kristillisessä parisuhdetyössä toimivien, HNMKY:n vapaaehtoisten ryhmänjohtajien motivaatiota ja sitoutumista sekä näiden välistä yhteyttä. Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin, keitä HNMKY:n avioliittoleirin vapaaehtoiset ryhmänjohtajat ovat, mitkä ovat heidän motivaatiot ryhmänvetäjinä sekä, mihin he ovat sitoutuneet ja, mikä heitä sitouttaa. Tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin erityisesti arvoihin ja organisaatioon sitoutumista. Tutkimuksen empiirinen aineisto koostui Paremman avioliiton perheleirien 2007 ja 2008 vapaaehtoisien parisuhderyhmien ryhmänjohtajina toimineilta kerätystä kyselyaineistosta (N=163). Tutkimusote oli kvantitatiivinen. Teoreettinen viitekehys muodostui motiivien osalta Claryn ja kumppaneiden kehittelemästä The Volunteer Functions Inventory -mallista (VFI), joka on kehitetty vapaaehtoisten motiivien mittaamiseen sekä muusta aiemmasta motiivitutkimuksesta. Sitoutumisen osalta teoreettinen viitekehys muodostui vapaaehtoisten sitoutumiseen liittyvästä teoriasta sekä aiemmasta sitoutumisen tutkimuksesta. Parisuhdetyön ryhmänvetäjiltä löydettiin faktorianalyyseilla aiemmasta tutkimuksesta osittain poiketen neljä erilaista motivaatiota: 1) Oman parisuhteen hoito, 2) Auttamisen arvot, 3) Itselle saaminen sekä 4) Toimiminen yhdessä. Merkittävin vapaaehtoisuuteen motivoiva tekijä oli Oman parisuhteen hoito, joka sisälsi oman parisuhteen hoidon lisäksi omien vaikeuksien käsittelyä sekä vertaistukeen liittyviä motivaatioita. Auttamisen arvot sisälsivät toisten auttamisen tärkeyden sekä kristilliset arvot. Itselle saaminen piti sisällä oppimismotiiveja sekä omat vaikeudet motiiveja. Toimiminen yhdessä käsittää itsetuntomotiiveja ja sosiaalisia motiiveja. Näistä Itselle saaminen ja Toimiminen yhdessä liittyivät merkittävästi toisiinsa. Ryhmänvetäjiltä löydettiin faktorianalyyseilla neljä erilaista sitotuttavaa tekijää: 1) Saatu tuki, 2) Osa identiteettiä, 3) Palkitsevuus sekä 4) Onnistuminen auttamisessa. Merkittävin syy vapaaehtoisuuteen sitoutumiseen on Saatu tuki, joka sisältää sekä HNMKY:ltä että myös muilta ryhmänjohtajilta saadun tuen. Osa identiteettiä sisältää sen, että ryhmänjohtamisesta on tullut osa minua, ja että toiminta on vahvistanut itsetuntoa sekä sopii elämäntilanteeseen. Tähän sisältyi myös toisten auttamisen tärkeys. Sitouttavista tekijöistä vahvimmin toisiinsa liittyvät Saatu tuki ja Osa identiteettiä. Motivaatio ja sitoutuminen liittyvät monella tavoin toisiinsa. Merkittävimmin toisiinsa liittyvät motivaatiossa Auttamisen arvot ja sitoutumisessa Osa identiteettiä. Näille ihmisille auttamisen arvoissa tärkeää ovat kristillisten arvojen edistäminen parisuhdetyössä sekä merkittävien asioiden tekeminen itselle tärkeässä tehtävässä. Heitä motivoi toisten auttaminen ja sama asia sitouttaa heitä myös vapaaehtoiseen parisuhdetyöhön. Niitä ryhmänjohtajia, joita motivoi vapaaehtoistoimintaan oma parisuhteen hoito, sitouttaa tähän työhön sen palkitsevuus. Niitä, joita motivoivat Auttamisen arvot tai Itselle saaminen, sitouttaa Saatu tuki, Osa identiteettiä ja Palkitsevuus. Kun motivoivana tekijänä on Toiminen yhdessä, silloin sitouttaa Saatu tuki ja Osa identiteettiä. Ryhmänjohtajat ovat erittäin sitoutuneita HNMKY:n arvoihin ja opetukseen. Vastaajille on erittäin merkittävää kristillisten arvojen edistäminen parisuhdetyössä. Kristillisyyden ja sen arvojen merkityksellisyys, auttamisen sekä oman parisuhteen ja perheen tärkeys liittyvät toisiinsa. Avainsanat – Nyckelord Vapaaehtoistyö, motiivit, sitoutuminen, parisuhde Säilytyspaikka – Förvaringställe Teologisen tiedekunnan kirjasto

Long-term clinical outcome after liver transplantation

With transplant rejection rendered a minor concern and survival rates after liver transplantation (LT) steadily improving, long-term complications are attracting more attention. Current immunosuppressive therapies, together with other factors, are accompanied by considerable long-term toxicity, which clinically manifests as renal dysfunction, high risk for cardiovascular disease, and cancer. This thesis investigates the incidence, causes, and risk factors for such renal dysfunction, cardiovascular risk, and cancer after LT. Long-term effects of LT are further addressed by surveying the quality of life and employment status of LT recipients. The consecutive patients included had undergone LT at Helsinki University Hospital from 1982 onwards. Data regarding renal function – creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) – were recorded before and repeatedly after LT in 396 patients. The presence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, and overweight/obesity before and 5 years after LT was determined among 77 patients transplanted for acute liver failure. The entire cohort of LT patients (540 patients), including both children and adults, was linked with the Finnish Cancer Registry, and numbers of cancers observed were compared to site-specific expected numbers based on national cancer incidence rates stratified by age, gender, and calendar time. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL), measured by the 15D instrument, and employment status were surveyed among all adult patients alive in 2007 (401 patients). The response rate was 89%. Posttransplant cardiovascular risk factor prevalence and HRQoL were compared with that in the age- and gender-matched Finnish general population. The cumulative risk for chronic kidney disease increased from 10% at 5 years to 16% at 10 years following LT. GFR up to 10 years after LT could be predicted by the GFR at 1 year. In patients transplanted for chronic liver disease, a moderate correlation of pretransplant GFR with later GFR was also evident, whereas in acute liver failure patients after LT, even severe pretransplant renal dysfunction often recovered. By 5 years after LT, 71% of acute liver failure patients were receiving antihypertensive medications, 61% were exhibiting dyslipidemia, 10% were diabetic, 32% were overweight, and 13% obese. Compared with the general population, only hypertension displayed a significantly elevated prevalence among patients – 2.7-fold – whereas patients exhibited 30% less dyslipidemia and 71% less impaired fasting glucose. The cumulative incidence of cancer was 5% at 5 years and 13% at 10. Compared with the general population, patients were subject to a 2.6-fold cancer risk, with non-melanoma skin cancer (standardized incidence ratio, SIR, 38.5) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR 13.9) being the predominant malignancies. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma was associated with male gender, young age, and the immediate posttransplant period, whereas old age and antibody induction therapy raised skin-cancer risk. HRQoL deviated clinically unimportantly from the values in the general population, but significant deficits among patients were evident in some physical domains. HRQoL did not seem to decrease with longer follow-up. Although 87% of patients reported improved working capacity, data on return to working life showed marked age-dependency: Among patients aged less than 40 at LT, 70 to 80% returned to work, among those aged 40 to 50, 55%, and among those above 50, 15% to 28%. The most common cause for unemployment was early retirement before LT. Those patients employed exhibited better HRQoL than those unemployed. In conclusion, although renal impairment, hypertension, and cancer are evidently common after LT and increase with time, patients’ quality of life remains comparable with that of the general population.

Hemodynamics and outcome of septic shock

Septic shock is a common killer in intensive care units (ICU). The most crucial issue concerning the outcome is the early and aggressive start of treatment aimed at normalization of hemodynamics and the early start of antibiotics during the very first hours. The optimal targets of hemodynamic treatment, or impact of hemodynamic treatment on survival after first resuscitation period are less known. The objective of this study was to evaluate different aspects of the hemodynamic pattern in septic shock with special attention to prediction of outcome. In particular components of early treatment and monitoring in the ICU were assessed. A total of 401 patients, 218 with septic shock and 192 with severe sepsis or septic shock were included in the study. The patients were treated in 24 Finnish ICUs during 1999-2005. 295 of the patients were included in the Finnish national epidemiologic Finnsepsis study. We found that the most important hemodynamic variables concerning the outcome were the mean arterial pressures (MAP) and lactate during the first six hours in ICU and the MAP and mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) under 70% during first 48 hours. The MAP levels under 65 mmHg and SvO2 below 70% were the best predictive thresholds. Also the high central venous pressure (CVP) correlated to adverse outcome. We assessed the correlation and agreement of SvO2 and mean central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2) in septic shock during first day in ICU. The mean SvO2 was below ScvO2 during early sepsis. Bias of difference was 4.2% (95% limits of agreement 8.1% to 16.5%) by Bland-Altman analysis. The difference between saturation values correlated significantly to cardiac index and oxygen delivery. Thus, the ScvO2 can not be used as a substitute of SvO2 in hemodynamic monitoring in ICU. Several biomarkers have been investigated for their ability to help in diagnosis or outcome prediction in sepsis. We assessed the predictive value of N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) on mortality in severe sepsis or septic shock. The NT-proBNP levels were significantly higher in hospital nonsurvivors. The NT-proBNP 72 hrs after inclusion was independent predictor of hospital mortality. The acute cardiac load contributed to NTproBNP values at admission, but renal failure was the main confounding factor later. The accuracy of NT-proBNP, however, was not sufficient for clinical decision-making concerning the outcome prediction. The delays in start of treatment are associated to poorer prognosis in sepsis. We assessed how the early treatment guidelines were adopted, and what was the impact of early treatment on mortality in septic shock in Finland. We found that the early treatment was not optimal in Finnish hospitals and this reflected to mortality. A delayed initiation of antimicrobial agents was especially associated with unfavorable outcome.

Search for the rare decays B+→μ+μ-K+, B0→μ+μ-K*(892)0, and Bs0→μ+μ-ϕ at CDF

We search for b→sμ+μ- transitions in B meson (B+, B0, or Bs0) decays with 924  pb-1 of pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96  TeV collected with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. We find excesses with significances of 4.5, 2.9, and 2.4 standard deviations in the B+→μ+μ-K+, B0→μ+μ-K*(892)0, and Bs0→μ+μ-ϕ decay modes, respectively. Using B→J/ψh (h=K+, K*(892)0, ϕ) decays as normalization channels, we report branching fractions for the previously observed B+ and B0 decays, B(B+→μ+μ-K+)=(0.59±0.15±0.04)×10-6, and B(B0→μ+μ-K*(892)0)=(0.81±0.30±0.10)×10-6, where the first uncertainty is statistical, and the second is systematic. We set an upper limit on the relative branching fraction B(Bs0→μ+μ-ϕ)/B(Bs0→J/ψϕ)&lt;2.6(2.3)×10-3 at the 95(90)% confidence level, which is the most stringent to date.

Measurement of the b-hadron production cross section using decays to μ-D0X final states in pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96 TeV

We report a measurement of the production cross section for b hadrons in pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96  TeV. Using a data sample derived from an integrated luminosity of 83  pb-1 collected with the upgraded Collider Detector (CDF II) at the Fermilab Tevatron, we analyze b hadrons, Hb, partially reconstructed in the semileptonic decay mode Hb→μ-D0X. Our measurement of the inclusive production cross section for b hadrons with transverse momentum pT>9  GeV/c and rapidity |y|&lt;0.6 is σ=1.30  μb±0.05  μb(stat)±0.14  μb(syst)±0.07  μb(B), where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and from branching fractions, respectively. The differential cross sections dσ/dpT are found to be in good agreement with recent measurements of the Hb cross section and well described by fixed-order next-to-leading logarithm predictions.

Search for Bs0→μ+μ- and B0→μ+μ- Decays with 2 fb-1 of pp̅ Collisions

We have performed a search for Bs0→μ+μ- and B0→μ+μ- decays in pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96  TeV using 2  fb-1 of integrated luminosity collected by the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The observed number of Bs0 and B0 candidates is consistent with background expectations. The resulting upper limits on the branching fractions are B(Bs0→μ+μ-)&lt;5.8×10-8 and B(B0→μ+μ-)&lt;1.8×10-8 at 95% C.L.

Measurement of the b-hadron production cross section using decays to μ-D0X final states in pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96 TeV

We report a measurement of the production cross section for b hadrons in pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96  TeV. Using a data sample derived from an integrated luminosity of 83  pb-1 collected with the upgraded Collider Detector (CDF II) at the Fermilab Tevatron, we analyze b hadrons, Hb, partially reconstructed in the semileptonic decay mode Hb→μ-D0X. Our measurement of the inclusive production cross section for b hadrons with transverse momentum pT>9  GeV/c and rapidity |y|&lt;0.6 is σ=1.30  μb±0.05  μb(stat)±0.14  μb(syst)±0.07  μb(B), where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and from branching fractions, respectively. The differential cross sections dσ/dpT are found to be in good agreement with recent measurements of the Hb cross section and well described by fixed-order next-to-leading logarithm predictions.

Kymmenen koirarodun perinnöllinen monimuotoisuus

Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää koirarotujen sisäistä ja välistä perinnöllistä muuntelua ja populaatioiden rakenteita. Tutkimuksessa käytettiin Finnzymes Oy:ltä saatua koirien mikrosatelliittimerkkeihin perustuvaa genotyypitysaineistoa. Lopullisessa aineistossa oli 395 koiraa kymmenestä keskenään varsin erilaisesta rodusta. Koirien määrä rotua kohti vaihteli 31:stä 53:een. Tutkimuksessa käytettiin 18 mikrosatelliittilokusta. Alleelirikkaus vaihteli mikrosatelliittilokuksissa välillä 2,0 – 9,9. Kaikkein muuntelevin lokus oli AHT137 ja vähiten muunteleva AHTk211. Jackrussellinterrierin alleelirikkaus oli yli kaikkien lokusten tarkasteltuna suurinta ja cavalier kingcharlesinspanielin pienintä. Eniten Hardy-Weinbergin tasapainosta poikkeavia mikrosatelliittilokuksia oli schipperke- rodulla. Coton de tulearin, saksanpaimenkoiran ja suomenlapinkoiran kaikki mikrosatelliittilokukset olivat Hardy-Weinbergin tasapainossa. Cavalier kingcharlesinspanielin havaittu heterotsygotia-aste oli matalin kaikkien lokusten yli tarkasteltuna (0,50) ja suomenlapinkoiran korkein (0,73). Ainoat tilastollisesti merkitsevät FIS-arvot olivat schipperken lokuksessa INU030 (0,39) ja kaikkien lokusten yli tarkasteltuna (0,11). Eniten populaatioiden välisiin eroihin perustuvaa muuntelua oli cavalier kingcharlesinspanielin ja pitkäkarvaisen collien välillä (FST = 0,34) ja vähiten chihuahuan ja coton de tulearin välillä (FST = 0,07). Koko aineistossa noin 17,7 % populaatioiden välisestä geneettisestä muuntelusta johtui populaatioiden välisistä eroista. Rodut ovat tulosten perusteella selvästi erillisiä populaatioita. Coton de tulearin alleeliparit olivat selvästi eniten kytkentäepätasapainossa keskenään (94) ja tiibetinspanielin vähiten (15). Pitkäkarvaisen collien tehollinen populaatiokoko oli pienin (35) ja chihuahuan suurin (86). U seiden populaatiogeneettisten tunnuslukujen perusteella nousivat esiin cavalier kingcharlesinspanieli, pitkäkarvainen collie ja schipperke perinnöllisen muuntelun vähäisyyden perusteella ja chihuahua, jackrussellinterrieri ja suomenlapinkoira keskimääräistä suuremman perinnöllisen muuntelun perusteella. Selityksiä geneettisen monimuotoisuuden vaihteluun näillä roduilla löytyy rotujen historiasta.