Tuning cell motility : roles of nestin and vimentin in cancer cell invasion and motility

The cytoskeleton is a key feature of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Itis comprised of three protein families, one of which is the intermediate filaments (IFs). Of these, the IFs are the largest and most diverse. The IFs are expressed throughout life, and are involved in the regulation of cell differentiation, homeostasis, ageing and pathogenesis. The IFs not only provide structural integrity to the cell, they are also involved in a range of cellular functions from organelle trafficking and cell migration to signalling transduction. The IFs are highly dynamic proteins, able to respond and adapt their network rapidly in response to intra- and extra- cellular cues. Consequently they interact with a whole host of cellular signalling proteins, regulating function, and activity, and cellular localisation. While the function of some of the better-known IFs such as the keratins is well studied, the understanding of the function of two IFs, nestin and vimentin, is poor. Nestin is well known as a marker of differentiation and is expressed in some cancers. In cancer, nestin is primarily described as is a promoter of cell motility, however, how it fulfils this role remains undefined. Vimentin too is expressed in cancer, and is known to promote cell motility and is used as a marker for epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). It is only in the last decade that studies have addressed the role that vimentin plays in cell motility and EMT. This work provides novel insight into how the IFs, nestin and vimentin regulate cell motility and invasion. In particular we show that nestin regulates the cellular localisation and organisation of two key facilitators of cell migration, focal adhesion kinase and integrins. We identify nestin as a regulator of extracellular matrix degradation and integrin-mediated cell invasion. Two further studies address the specific regulation of vimentin by phosphorylation. A detailed characterisation study identified key phosphorylation sites on vimentin, which are critical for proper organisation of the vimentin network. Furthermore, we show that the bioactive sphingolipids are vimentin network regulators. Specifically, the sphingolipids induced RhoA kinasedependent (ROCK) phosphorylation at vimentin S71, which lead to filament reorganisation and inhibition of cell migration. Together these studies shed new light into the regulation of nestin and vimentin during cell motility.

Comparison between dSPACE and NI systems based on real-time intelligent control of a teleoperated hydraulic servo system

The Laboratory of Intelligent Machine researches and develops energy-efficient power transmissions and automation for mobile construction machines and industrial processes. The laboratory's particular areas of expertise include mechatronic machine design using virtual technologies and simulators and demanding industrial robotics. The laboratory has collaborated extensively with industrial actors and it has participated in significant international research projects, particularly in the field of robotics. For years, dSPACE tools were the lonely hardware which was used in the lab to develop different control algorithms in real-time. dSPACE's hardware systems are in widespread use in the automotive industry and are also employed in drives, aerospace, and industrial automation. But new competitors are developing new sophisticated systems and their features convinced the laboratory to test new products. One of these competitors is National Instrument (NI). In order to get to know the specifications and capabilities of NI tools, an agreement was made to test a NI evolutionary system. This system is used to control a 1-D hydraulic slider. The objective of this research project is to develop a control scheme for the teleoperation of a hydraulically driven manipulator, and to implement a control algorithm between human and machine interaction, and machine and task environment interaction both on NI and dSPACE systems simultaneously and to compare the results.

Ei kaikkea pidä sekoittaa ahdisteluun”. Tyttöjen internetissä saamat ja lähettämät seksiin liittyvät viestit

Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkastelen seksiin liittyviä viestejä, joita 11–18-vuotiaat tytöt ovat vastaanottaneet ja lähettäneet internetissä. Aineisto on kerätty kyselytutkimuksella, johon vastasi 1269 suomalaista, internetiä aktiivisesti käyttävää nuorta. Julkisessa keskustelussa lasten internetissä saamat seksiin liittyvät yhteydenotot tuomitaan haitallisiksi. Lähettäjien epäillään yleensä olevan aikuisia. Aineiston analyysi kuitenkin osoittaa, että haittojen lisäksi tyttöjen nettiseksikulttuuriin kuuluu paljon positiivisiksi koettuja asioita. Tytöt esimerkiksi pelaavat keskenään seksuaalissävytteisiä roolipelejä, harrastavat nettiseksiä omana itsenään, juttelevat toisten kanssa kokemuksista ja oppivat lisää seksiin liittyvistä asioista. 65 prosenttia tutkituista tytöistä on vastaanottanut seksiin liittyviä viestejä internetissä. Itse niitä on lähettänyt 20 prosenttia vastaajista. Tytöt ovat saaneet viestejä niin toisilta nuorilta kuin aikuisiltakin. Osa viesteistä koetaan epämiellyttävinä, osa mukavina ja osa vitseinä. Merkittävä osa vastaajista ei pohdi viestejä sen tarkemmin: Ne koetaan luonnolliseksi osaksi nettikulttuuria tai niiden ajatellaan olevan harmittomia. Aineiston analyysin lisäksi tutkimuksessa käsitellään lasten netinkäyttöön liitettyjä riskejä, jotka liittyvät jollakin tavalla seksiin. Näitä ovat esimerkiksi pedofilia ja lapsipornokuvat. Aiempaa tutkimusta keskustelutetaan aineiston kanssa. Erityisenä keskustelukumppanina käytetään EU Kids Online -projektin tutkimuksia niin Suomesta kuin muistakin Euroopan maista.