Regional Innovation Policy: Effect on SMEs in Five EU-Regions

Valtaosa eurooppalaisista yrityksistä on pk-yrityksiä, mutta tästä huolimatta seudullisen innovaatiopolitiikan vaikutusta juuri pk-yrityksiin on tutkittu melko vähän. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on luoda yleiskuva pk-yritysten näkemykseen oman seutunsa innovaatiopolitiikasta viidellä EU:n alueella sijaitsevalla seudulla. Kirjallisuuden perusteella rakennettiin seudullista innovaatiopolitiikkaa kuvaava kysely, johon joukko pk-yrityksiä viideltä seudulta vastasi. Kyselyn tulokset kuvailtiin graafisesti, minkä lisäksi etsittiin vastauksiin vaikuttaneita tekijöitä ja yhteyksiä yritysten vastausten välillä. Tutkimus oli luonteeltaan lähinnä kvantitatiivinen. Tutkimus osoittaa, että seudullisessa innovaatiopolitiikassa on vielä paljon kehitettävää, jotta se tavoittaisi kattavasti pk-yritykset. Pk-yritysten tietoisuutta tulisi lisätä, sillä nämä eivät yleisesti ottaen näytä pitävän seudullista innovaatiopolitiikkaa menetykseen vaikuttavana tekijänä tai siihen liittyviä yhteistyömahdollisuuksia tärkeinä omalle toiminnalleen. Erot innovaatiotoiminnan seudullisessa roolissa tulivat esiin tuloksissa. Yritysten vastauksia selittäviä tekijöitä löydettiin, samoin yhteyksiä vastausten välillä, mutta varsinaisten johtopäätösten tekeminen edellyttänee laajempaa tutkimusta.

Distance Transforms on Gray-Level Surfaces

This thesis studies gray-level distance transforms, particularly the Distance Transform on Curved Space (DTOCS). The transform is produced by calculating distances on a gray-level surface. The DTOCS is improved by definingmore accurate local distances, and developing a faster transformation algorithm. The Optimal DTOCS enhances the locally Euclidean Weighted DTOCS (WDTOCS) with local distance coefficients, which minimize the maximum error from the Euclideandistance in the image plane, and produce more accurate global distance values.Convergence properties of the traditional mask operation, or sequential localtransformation, and the ordered propagation approach are analyzed, and compared to the new efficient priority pixel queue algorithm. The Route DTOCS algorithmdeveloped in this work can be used to find and visualize shortest routes between two points, or two point sets, along a varying height surface. In a digital image, there can be several paths sharing the same minimal length, and the Route DTOCS visualizes them all. A single optimal path can be extracted from the route set using a simple backtracking algorithm. A new extension of the priority pixel queue algorithm produces the nearest neighbor transform, or Voronoi or Dirichlet tessellation, simultaneously with the distance map. The transformation divides the image into regions so that each pixel belongs to the region surrounding the reference point, which is nearest according to the distance definition used. Applications and application ideas for the DTOCS and its extensions are presented, including obstacle avoidance, image compression and surface roughness evaluation.

Patterns of nucleotide diversity at the regions encompassing the Drosophila insulin-like peptide (dilp) genes: demography vs positive selection in Drosophila melanogaster.

In Drosophila, the insulin-signaling pathway controls some life history traits, such as fertility and lifespan, and it is considered to be the main metabolic pathway involved in establishing adult body size. Several observations concerning variation in body size in the Drosophila genus are suggestive of its adaptive character. Genes encoding proteins in this pathway are, therefore, good candidates to have experienced adaptive changes and to reveal the footprint of positive selection. The Drosophila insulin-like peptides (DILPs) are the ligands that trigger the insulin-signaling cascade. In Drosophila melanogaster, there are several peptides that are structurally similar to the single mammalian insulin peptide. The footprint of recent adaptive changes on nucleotide variation can be unveiled through the analysis of polymorphism and divergence. With this aim, we have surveyed nucleotide sequence variation at the dilp1-7 genes in a natural population of D. melanogaster. The comparison of polymorphism in D. melanogaster and divergence from D. simulans at different functional classes of the dilp genes provided no evidence of adaptive protein evolution after the split of the D. melanogaster and D. simulans lineages. However, our survey of polymorphism at the dilp gene regions of D. melanogaster has provided some evidence for the action of positive selection at or near these genes. The regions encompassing the dilp1-4 genes and the dilp6 gene stand out as likely affected by recent adaptive events.

Patent claims in certain geographical regions

Työn tavoitteena oli käsitellä mahdollisuutta laatia patenttihakemuksen vaatimuksia siten, että patenttihakemukset toimisivat eri oikeusalueilla, jotka ovat tässä Eurooppa, Suomi ja USA. Aluksi käsiteltiin patentointia ja eri patenttijärjestelmiä yleisesti, jonka jälkeen käsiteltiin lähemmin patenttivaatimuksia, niiden muotoja ja eri vaatimusten edellytyksiä, joita vaaditaan Euroopan patenttisopimuksessa, suomalaisessa ja USA:laisessa patenttijärjestelmässä. Vaikka uutuus, keksinnöllisyys ja teollinen käyttökelpoisuus ovat tärkeimmät edellytykset kun määritetään patenttivaatimuksia, niitä ei käsitelty työn empiirisessä osassa. Työn empiirinen osuus osoittaa selvästi, että erilaiset muodolliset vaatimukset Euroopan patenttisopimuksessa, suomalaisessa ja USA:laisessa patenttijärjestelmässä hankaloittavat patenttivaatimusten laatimista siten että ne toimisivat yhdessä patenttihakemuksessa yllä mainituissa patenttijärjestelmissä. Empiirisen tutkimuksen ja eri oikeusalueilla patenttivaatimusten edellytysten perusteella, ei ole yksinkertaista ratkaisua laatia patenttivaatimuksia (ja myös patenttiselostuksia), jotka toimisivat monilla oikeusalueilla. Eräs ratkaisu ongelmaan on laatia yksi sarja patenttivaatimuksia, jotka täyttävät Euroopan patenttisopimuksen käytännön mukaiset edellytykset (täyttävät myös Suomalaisen patenttijärjestelmän edellytykset) ja toinen sarja patenttivaatimuksia, jotka täyttävät USA:laisen patenttijärjestelmän edellytykset samassa patenttihakemuksessa. Hakemuksen käsittelyvaiheessa hakija voi pudottaa patenttivaatimukset, jotka eivät täytä kansallisen patenttijärjestelmän edellytyksiä patenttihakemuksesta.

Sciatic and femoral nerve sensory neurones occupy different regions of the L4 dorsal root ganglion in the adult rat.

The topographical distribution of sciatic and femoral nerve sensory neuronal somata in the L4 dorsal root ganglion of the adult rat was mapped after retrograde tracing with one or two of the dyes Fast Blue, Fluoro-Gold, or Diamidino Yellow. The tracers were applied to the proximal transected end of either nerve alone, or from both nerves in the same animal using separate tracers. Three-dimensional reconstructions of the distribution of labelled neurones were made from serial sections of the L4 dorsal root ganglion which is the only ganglion that these two nerves share. The results showed that with little overlap, femoral nerve neurones distribute dorsally and rostrally whereas sciatic nerve neurones distribute medially and ventrally. This finding indicates the existence of a somatotopical organisation for the representation of different peripheral nerves in dorsal root ganglia of adult animals.

Nkx2.1-derived astrocytes and neurons together with Slit2 are indispensable for anterior commissure formation.

Guidepost cells present at and surrounding the midline provide guidance cues that orient the growing axons through commissures. Here we show that the transcription factor Nkx2.1 known to control the specification of GABAergic interneurons also regulates the differentiation of astroglia and polydendrocytes within the mouse anterior commissure (AC). Nkx2.1-positive glia were found to originate from three germinal regions of the ventral telencephalon. Nkx2.1-derived glia were observed in and around the AC region by E14.5. Thereafter, a selective cell ablation strategy showed a synergistic role of Nkx2.1-derived cells, both GABAergic interneurons and astroglia, towards the proper formation of the AC. Finally, our results reveal that the Nkx2.1-regulated cells mediate AC axon guidance through the expression of the repellent cue, Slit2. These results bring forth interesting insights about the spatial and temporal origin of midline telencephalic glia, and highlight the importance of neurons and astroglia towards the formation of midline commissures.

The effects of unemployment benefits on migration in lagging regions

[spa] En este trabajo se analizan los efectos sobre la movilidad geográfica de una política pública (SIPTEA) que aumenta la protección por desempleo en Extremadura y Andalucía. Utilizando la discontinuidad geográfica en la política estudiada y datos de los Censos de Población de 1981 y 1991 a nivel municipal, se estima el efecto de SIPTEA en el crecimiento de la población y en las probabilidades de emigrar e inmigrar en áreas rurales que experimentan elevadas tasas de paro y de emigración. Los resultados del trabajo indican que la política mitigó estas pérdidas de población aunque los efectos son cuantitativamente moderados. También se exploran los efectos de dicha política en el ámbito laboral, encontrándose un incremento de la tasa del desempleo asociado a la implementación de la política de entre 10 y 13 puntos porcentuales.

The effects of unemployment benefits on migration in lagging regions

[spa] En este trabajo se analizan los efectos sobre la movilidad geográfica de una política pública (SIPTEA) que aumenta la protección por desempleo en Extremadura y Andalucía. Utilizando la discontinuidad geográfica en la política estudiada y datos de los Censos de Población de 1981 y 1991 a nivel municipal, se estima el efecto de SIPTEA en el crecimiento de la población y en las probabilidades de emigrar e inmigrar en áreas rurales que experimentan elevadas tasas de paro y de emigración. Los resultados del trabajo indican que la política mitigó estas pérdidas de población aunque los efectos son cuantitativamente moderados. También se exploran los efectos de dicha política en el ámbito laboral, encontrándose un incremento de la tasa del desempleo asociado a la implementación de la política de entre 10 y 13 puntos porcentuales.

STUDY ON THE SUGAR-ACID RATIO AND RELEVANT METABOLIZING ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN NAVEL ORANGE FRUITS FROM DIFFERENT ECO-REGIONS

ABSTRACT The flavor quality of citrus fruits is largely determined by the sugar-acid ratio, but it remains uncertain how sugar- and/or acid-metabolizing enzymes regulate the sugar-acid ratio of navel oranges and further affect the fruit quality. In the present study, Robertson navel oranges (Citrus sinesis Osb.) were collected from six representative habitats in three eco-regions of Sichuan, China. The changes in the sugar-acid ratio and the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), sucrose synthase (SS), cytosolic cio-aconitase (ACO), and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) were examined in navel oranges during fruit development. The results indicated that the sugar-acid ratio of fruits in different eco-regions changed significantly from 150 days after full bloom. The SPS and cytosolic ACO fruit activities had minor changes among different ecoregions throughout the experimental periods, whereas the activities of SS and IDH changed significantly in fruits among three eco-regions. Furthermore, the sugar-acid ratio and the activities of SS in the synthetic direction and IDH were the highest in south subtropics and the lowest in north mid-subtropics, probably due to the effects of climate conditions and/or other relevant eco-factors. It demonstrated that SS in the synthetic direction and IDH were of greater importance in regulating the sugar-acid ratio of navel oranges in different eco-regions, which provided new insights into the factors that determine the flavor quality of navel oranges and valuable data for guiding relevant agricultural practices.

Reconstructing native American migrations from whole-genome and whole-exome data.

There is great scientific and popular interest in understanding the genetic history of populations in the Americas. We wish to understand when different regions of the continent were inhabited, where settlers came from, and how current inhabitants relate genetically to earlier populations. Recent studies unraveled parts of the genetic history of the continent using genotyping arrays and uniparental markers. The 1000 Genomes Project provides a unique opportunity for improving our understanding of population genetic history by providing over a hundred sequenced low coverage genomes and exomes from Colombian (CLM), Mexican-American (MXL), and Puerto Rican (PUR) populations. Here, we explore the genomic contributions of African, European, and especially Native American ancestry to these populations. Estimated Native American ancestry is 48% in MXL, 25% in CLM, and 13% in PUR. Native American ancestry in PUR is most closely related to populations surrounding the Orinoco River basin, confirming the Southern American ancestry of the Taíno people of the Caribbean. We present new methods to estimate the allele frequencies in the Native American fraction of the populations, and model their distribution using a demographic model for three ancestral Native American populations. These ancestral populations likely split in close succession: the most likely scenario, based on a peopling of the Americas 16 thousand years ago (kya), supports that the MXL Ancestors split 12.2kya, with a subsequent split of the ancestors to CLM and PUR 11.7kya. The model also features effective populations of 62,000 in Mexico, 8,700 in Colombia, and 1,900 in Puerto Rico. Modeling Identity-by-descent (IBD) and ancestry tract length, we show that post-contact populations also differ markedly in their effective sizes and migration patterns, with Puerto Rico showing the smallest effective size and the earlier migration from Europe. Finally, we compare IBD and ancestry assignments to find evidence for relatedness among European founders to the three populations.

Animals in an Urban Context. A Zooarchaeological study of the Medieval and Post-Medieval town of Turku

The aim of this study is to explore the role and importance of different animal species in Turku through an analysis of osteological data and documentary evidence. The osteological material used in this study is derived from two town plots in Turku dating from the 13th century to the 19th century. The osteological material deposited in Turku represents animals bred both in the town and in the surrounding landscape. Animal husbandry in SW-Finland can also be examined through a number of historical documents. The importance of animals in Turku and its hinterland are closely connected and therefore the roles of the animals in both urban and rural settings are examined. The study has revealed the complexity of the depositional patterns in medieval and post-medieval Turku. In the different areas of Turku, characteristic patterns in the osteological material and different deposit types were evident. These patterns are reflections of the activities and therefore of the lifestyles practiced in Turku. The results emphasise the importance of context- awareness in the study of material culture from archaeological sites. Both the zooarchaeological and historical sources indicate that cattle were important in animal husbandry in Turku from the Middle Ages up to the 19th century. Sheep were the second most common species. When taking into consideration the larger size of cattle, the dominance of these animals when it come to meat consumption seems clear even in those phases where sheep bones are more abundant. Pig is less abundant in the material than either cattle or sheep and their importance for subsistence was probably fairly modest, albeit constant. Goats were not abundant in the material. Most of the identified goat bones came from low utility body parts (e.g. skulls and lower extremities), but some amount of goat meat was also consumed. Wild species were of minor importance when it came to consumption practices in Turku. The changes in Turku’s animal husbandry patterns between the medieval and post medieval periods is reflected in the change in age of the animals slaughtered, which was part of a wider pattern seen in North- and Central Europe. More mature animals are also present in the assemblages. This pattern is related to the more pronounced importance of cattle as a manure producer and a draught animal as a result of the intensification of crop cultivation. This change seems to occur later in Finland than in the more Southerly regions, and indeed it did not necessarily take hold in all parts of the country.

Cognitive anatomy of the temporal lobe: Effect of personality in population with mild cognitive impairment & Functional specialization for memory systems in healthy individuals.

Résumé: L'impact de la maladie d'Alzheimer (MA) est dévastateur pour la vie quotidienne de la personne affectée, avec perte progressive de la mémoire et d'autres facultés cognitives jusqu'à la démence. Il n'existe toujours pas de traitement contre cette maladie et il y a aussi une grande incertitude sur le diagnostic des premiers stades de la MA. La signature anatomique de la MA, en particulier l'atrophie du lobe temporal moyen (LTM) mesurée avec la neuroimagerie, peut être utilisée comme un biomarqueur précoce, in vivo, des premiers stades de la MA. Toutefois, malgré le rôle évident du LMT dans les processus de la mémoire, nous savons que les modèles anatomiques prédictifs de la MA basés seulement sur des mesures d'atrophie du LTM n'expliquent pas tous les cas cliniques. Au cours de ma thèse, j'ai conduit trois projets pour comprendre l'anatomie et le fonctionnement du LMT dans (1) les processus de la maladie et dans (2) les processus de mémoire ainsi que (3) ceux de l'apprentissage. Je me suis intéressée à une population avec déficit cognitif léger (« Mild Cognitive Impairment », MCI), à risque pour la MA. Le but du premier projet était de tester l'hypothèse que des facteurs, autres que ceux cognitifs, tels que les traits de personnalité peuvent expliquer les différences interindividuelles dans le LTM. De plus, la diversité phénotypique des manifestations précliniques de la MA provient aussi d'une connaissance limitée des processus de mémoire et d'apprentissage dans le cerveau sain. L'objectif du deuxième projet porte sur l'investigation des sous-régions du LTM, et plus particulièrement de leur contribution dans différentes composantes de la mémoire de reconnaissance chez le sujet sain. Pour étudier cela, j'ai utilisé une nouvelle méthode multivariée ainsi que l'IRM à haute résolution pour tester la contribution de ces sous-régions dans les processus de familiarité (« ou Know ») et de remémoration (ou « Recollection »). Finalement, l'objectif du troisième projet était de tester la contribution du LTM en tant que système de mémoire dans l'apprentissage et l'interaction dynamique entre différents systèmes de mémoire durant l'apprentissage. Les résultats du premier projet montrent que, en plus du déficit cognitif observé dans une population avec MCI, les traits de personnalité peuvent expliquer les différences interindividuelles du LTM ; notamment avec une plus grande contribution du neuroticisme liée à une vulnérabilité au stress et à la dépression. Mon étude a permis d'identifier un pattern d'anormalité anatomique dans le LTM associé à la personnalité avec des mesures de volume et de diffusion moyenne du tissu. Ce pattern est caractérisé par une asymétrie droite-gauche du LTM et un gradient antéro-postérieur dans le LTM. J'ai interprété ce résultat par des propriétés tissulaires et neurochimiques différemment sensibles au stress. Les résultats de mon deuxième projet ont contribué au débat actuel sur la contribution des sous-régions du LTM dans les processus de familiarité et de remémoration. Utilisant une nouvelle méthode multivariée, les résultats supportent premièrement une dissociation des sous-régions associées aux différentes composantes de la mémoire. L'hippocampe est le plus associé à la mémoire de type remémoration et le cortex parahippocampique, à la mémoire de type familiarité. Deuxièmement, l'activation correspondant à la trace mnésique pour chaque type de mémoire est caractérisée par une distribution spatiale distincte. La représentation neuronale spécifique, « sparse-distributed», associée à la mémoire de remémoration dans l'hippocampe serait la meilleure manière d'encoder rapidement des souvenirs détaillés sans interférer les souvenirs précédemment stockés. Dans mon troisième projet, j'ai mis en place une tâche d'apprentissage en IRM fonctionnelle pour étudier les processus d'apprentissage d'associations probabilistes basé sur le feedback/récompense. Cette étude m'a permis de mettre en évidence le rôle du LTM dans l'apprentissage et l'interaction entre différents systèmes de mémoire comme la mémoire procédurale, perceptuelle ou d'amorçage et la mémoire de travail. Nous avons trouvé des activations dans le LTM correspondant à un processus de mémoire épisodique; les ganglions de la base (GB), à la mémoire procédurale et la récompense; le cortex occipito-temporal (OT), à la mémoire de représentation perceptive ou l'amorçage et le cortex préfrontal, à la mémoire de travail. Nous avons également observé que ces régions peuvent interagir; le type de relation entre le LTM et les GB a été interprété comme une compétition, ce qui a déjà été reporté dans des études récentes. De plus, avec un modèle dynamique causal, j'ai démontré l'existence d'une connectivité effective entre des régions. Elle se caractérise par une influence causale de type « top-down » venant de régions corticales associées avec des processus de plus haut niveau venant du cortex préfrontal sur des régions corticales plus primaires comme le OT cortex. Cette influence diminue au cours du de l'apprentissage; cela pourrait correspondre à un mécanisme de diminution de l'erreur de prédiction. Mon interprétation est que cela est à l'origine de la connaissance sémantique. J'ai également montré que les choix du sujet et l'activation cérébrale associée sont influencés par les traits de personnalité et des états affectifs négatifs. Les résultats de cette thèse m'ont amenée à proposer (1) un modèle expliquant les mécanismes possibles liés à l'influence de la personnalité sur le LTM dans une population avec MCI, (2) une dissociation des sous-régions du LTM dans différents types de mémoire et une représentation neuronale spécifique à ces régions. Cela pourrait être une piste pour résoudre les débats actuels sur la mémoire de reconnaissance. Finalement, (3) le LTM est aussi un système de mémoire impliqué dans l'apprentissage et qui peut interagir avec les GB par une compétition. Nous avons aussi mis en évidence une interaction dynamique de type « top -down » et « bottom-up » entre le cortex préfrontal et le cortex OT. En conclusion, les résultats peuvent donner des indices afin de mieux comprendre certains dysfonctionnements de la mémoire liés à l'âge et la maladie d'Alzheimer ainsi qu'à améliorer le développement de traitement. Abstract: The impact of Alzheimer's disease is devastating for the daily life of the affected patients, with progressive loss of memory and other cognitive skills until dementia. We still lack disease modifying treatment and there is also a great amount of uncertainty regarding the accuracy of diagnostic classification in the early stages of AD. The anatomical signature of AD, in particular the medial temporal lobe (MTL) atrophy measured with neuroimaging, can be used as an early in vivo biomarker in early stages of AD. However, despite the evident role of MTL in memory, we know that the derived predictive anatomical model based only on measures of brain atrophy in MTL does not explain all clinical cases. Throughout my thesis, I have conducted three projects to understand the anatomy and the functioning of MTL on (1) disease's progression, (2) memory process and (3) learning process. I was interested in a population with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), at risk for AD. The objective of the first project was to test the hypothesis that factors, other than the cognitive ones, such as the personality traits, can explain inter-individual differences in the MTL. Moreover, the phenotypic diversity in the manifestations of preclinical AD arises also from the limited knowledge of memory and learning processes in healthy brain. The objective of the second project concerns the investigation of sub-regions of the MTL, and more particularly their contributions in the different components of recognition memory in healthy subjects. To study that, I have used a new multivariate method as well as MRI at high resolution to test the contribution of those sub-regions in the processes of familiarity and recollection. Finally, the objective of the third project was to test the contribution of the MTL as a memory system in learning and the dynamic interaction between memory systems during learning. The results of the first project show that, beyond cognitive state of impairment observed in the population with MCI, the personality traits can explain the inter-individual differences in the MTL; notably with a higher contribution of neuroticism linked to proneness to stress and depression. My study has allowed identifying a pattern of anatomical abnormality in the MTL related to personality with measures of volume and mean diffusion of the tissue. That pattern is characterized by right-left asymmetry in MTL and an anterior to posterior gradient within MTL. I have interpreted that result by tissue and neurochemical properties differently sensitive to stress. Results of my second project have contributed to the actual debate on the contribution of MTL sub-regions in the processes of familiarity and recollection. Using a new multivariate method, the results support firstly a dissociation of the subregions associated with different memory components. The hippocampus was mostly associated with recollection and the surrounding parahippocampal cortex, with familiarity type of memory. Secondly, the activation corresponding to the mensic trace for each type of memory is characterized by a distinct spatial distribution. The specific neuronal representation, "sparse-distributed", associated with recollection in the hippocampus would be the best way to rapidly encode detailed memories without overwriting previously stored memories. In the third project, I have created a learning task with functional MRI to sudy the processes of learning of probabilistic associations based on feedback/reward. That study allowed me to highlight the role of the MTL in learning and the interaction between different memory systems such as the procedural memory, the perceptual memory or priming and the working memory. We have found activations in the MTL corresponding to a process of episodic memory; the basal ganglia (BG), to a procedural memory and reward; the occipito-temporal (OT) cortex, to a perceptive memory or priming and the prefrontal cortex, to working memory. We have also observed that those regions can interact; the relation type between the MTL and the BG has been interpreted as a competition. In addition, with a dynamic causal model, I have demonstrated a "top-down" influence from cortical regions associated with high level cortical area such as the prefrontal cortex on lower level cortical regions such as the OT cortex. That influence decreases during learning; that could correspond to a mechanism linked to a diminution of prediction error. My interpretation is that this is at the origin of the semantic knowledge. I have also shown that the subject's choice and the associated brain activation are influenced by personality traits and negative affects. Overall results of this thesis have brought me to propose (1) a model explaining the possible mechanism linked to the influence of personality on the MTL in a population with MCI, (2) a dissociation of MTL sub-regions in different memory types and a neuronal representation specific to each region. This could be a cue to resolve the actual debates on recognition memory. Finally, (3) the MTL is also a system involved in learning and that can interact with the BG by a competition. We have also shown a dynamic interaction of « top -down » and « bottom-up » types between the pre-frontal cortex and the OT cortex. In conclusion, the results could give cues to better understand some memory dysfunctions in aging and Alzheimer's disease and to improve development of treatment.

Synthetic long peptide booster immunization in rhesus macaques primed with replication-competent NYVAC-C-KC induces a balanced CD4/CD8 T-cell and antibody response against the conserved regions of HIV-1.

The Thai trial (RV144) indicates that a prime-boost vaccine combination that induces both T-cell and antibody responses may be desirable for an effective HIV vaccine. We have previously shown that immunization with synthetic long peptides (SLP), covering the conserved parts of SIV, induced strong CD4 T-cell and antibody responses, but only modest CD8 T-cell responses. To generate a more balanced CD4/CD8 T-cell and antibody response, this study evaluated a pox-vector prime/SLP boost strategy in rhesus macaques. Priming with a replication-competent NYVAC, encoding HIV-1 clade C gag, pol and nef, induced modest IFNγ T-cell immune responses, predominantly directed against HIV-1 Gag. Booster immunization with SLP, covering the conserved parts of HIV-1 Gag, Pol and Env, resulted in a more than 10-fold increase in IFNγ ELISpot responses in four of six animals, which were predominantly HIV-1 Pol-specific. The animals showed a balanced polyfunctional CD4 and CD8 T-cell response and high Ab titres.

Meaning in life and perceived quality of life in Switzerland: results of a representative survey in the German, French and Italian regions.

BACKGROUND: The concept of meaning in life (MIL) has become a central one in recent years, particularly in psycho-oncology and palliative care. The Schedule for Meaning in Life Evaluation (SMILE) has been developed to allow individuals to choose the life areas that they consider to be important for their own MIL. This approach relates to the "World Health Organisation" definition of quality of life (QOL) as an individual's perception of his own position. The aims of this study were (i) to assess MIL in a representative sample of the Swiss population according to the three linguistic regions and (ii) to evaluate whether MIL constitutes a significant determinant of the perceived QOL. METHODS: A telephone survey of the Swiss population, performed by a professional survey company, was conducted between November and December 2013. The interview included the SMILE, perceived QOL (0-10) and health status (1-5), and various sociodemographic variables. In the SMILE, an index of weighting (IOW, 20-100), an index of satisfaction (IOS, 0-100), and a total SMILE index (IOWS, 0-100) are calculated from the areas mentioned by the participants as providing MIL. RESULTS: Among the 6671 telephonic contacts realized, 1015 (15 %) participants completed the survey: 405 French, 400 German and 210 Italian participants. "Family" (80.2 %), "occupation/work" (51 %), and "social relations" (43.3 %) were the most cited MIL-relevant categories. Italian participants listed "health" more frequently than German and French participants (50.4 % vs 31.5 % and 24.8 % respectively, χ(2) = 12.229, p = .002). Age, gender, education, employment, and marital status significantly influenced either the MIL scores or the MIL-relevant categories. Linear regression analyses indicate that 24.3 % of the QOL variance (p = .000) is explained by health status (B = .609, IC = .490-.728, p = .000), MIL (B = .034, IC = .028-.041, p = .000) and socioeconomic status (F = 11.01, p = .000). CONCLUSION: The major finding of our analysis highlights the positive and significant influence of MIL on the perceived QOL in a representative sample of a general, multilingual and multicultural population. This result indicates that the existential dimension is not only determinant for QOL in some critical life events, as shown e.g. in psycho-oncology and palliative care, but also in everyday life.

Domains of importance to the quality of life of older people from two Swiss regions

BACKGROUND: quality of life (QoL) is a subjective perception whose components may vary in importance between individuals. Little is known about which domains of QoL older people deem most important. OBJECTIVE: this study investigated in community-dwelling older people the relationships between the importance given to domains defining their QoL and socioeconomic, demographic and health status. METHODS: data were compiled from older people enrolled in the Lc65+ cohort study and two additional, population-based, stratified random samples (n = 5,300). Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to determine the underlying domains among 28 items that participants defined as important to their QoL. The components extracted were used as dependent variables in multiple linear regression models to explore their associations with socioeconomic, demographic and health status. RESULTS: PCA identified seven domains that older persons considered important to their QoL. In order of importance (highest to lowest): feeling of safety, health and mobility, autonomy, close entourage, material resources, esteem and recognition, and social and cultural life. A total of six and five domains of importance were significantly associated with education and depressive symptoms, respectively. The importance of material resources was significantly associated with a good financial situation (β = 0.16, P = 0.011), as was close entourage with living with others (β = 0.20, P = 0.007) and as was health and mobility with age (β = -0.16, P = 0.014). CONCLUSION: the importance older people give to domains of their QoL appears strongly related to their actual resources and experienced losses. These findings may help clinicians, researchers and policy makers better adapt strategies to individuals' needs.