Kotitalous- ja hoivatyötä Italian malliin

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Biometriikka ja älypuhelimien sormenjälkitunnistus

Ihmisten mitattaviin biometrisiin piirteisiin kuuluvat muun muassa sormenjälki-, kasvo-, iiris-, verkkokalvo-, DNA- ja kämmentunnistus. Näistä kolmea ensimmäistä käsitellään tutkielmassa tarkemmin. Työssä selvennetään, mitä biometriikka ja biometriset tunnistusjärjestelmät ovat ja tutkitaan, millä tavoin sormenjälkitunnistusta voidaan käyttää älypuhelimissa. Vertailukohteina käytetään Apple iPhone 5s- ja Samsung Galaxy S5 - älypuhelimia. Tutkielma koostuu asiapohjaisen lähdemateriaalin monipuolisesta käsittelystä. Ensimmäisissä luvuissa esitellään biometrisiä tunnistusjärjestelmiä lähdemateriaalien avulla. Luvuissa tutkitaan järjestelemien mahdollisia käyttökohteita, yleistä toimintaperiaatetta sekä ongelmia. Viimeisessä luvussa käsitellään ja pohditaan kattavasti älypuhelimien sormenjälkitunnistusta lähdemateriaaleihin ja tutkielman aiempiin tuloksiin nojaten. Lopputuloksina biometristen tunnistusjärjestelmien todetaan olevan tehokkaita menetelmiä yksityisyyden suojaamiseen. Älypuhelimien sormenjälkitunnistus on tällä hetkellä käytössä olevista keinoista yksi parhaista mahdollisista laitteen suojaukseen. Sillä voidaan nopeuttaa ja helpottaa laitteen käyttöä. Vertailussa huomataan Applen passiivisen lukumenetelmän olevan käyttäjäystävällisempi kuin Samsungin pyyhkäisyyn perustuva lukumenetelmä.

Acellular dermal matrix as a barrier in guided bone regeneration: a clinical, radiographic and histomorphometric study in dogs

Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the acellular dermal matrix (ADM) as a membrane for guided bone regeneration (GBR), in comparison with a bioabsorbable membrane. Material and methods In seven dogs, the mandibular pre-molars were extracted. After 8 weeks, one bone defect was surgically created bilaterally and the GBR was performed. Each side was randomly assigned to the control group (CG: bioabsorbable membrane made of glycolide and lactide copolymer) or the test group (TG: ADM as a membrane). Immediately following GBR, standardized digital X-ray radiographs were taken, and were repeated at 8 and 16 weeks post-operatively. Before the GBR and euthanasia, clinical measurements of the width and thickness of the keratinized tissue (WKT and TKT, respectively) were performed. One animal was excluded from the study due to complications in the TG during wound healing; therefore, six dogs remained in the sample. The dogs were sacrificed 16 weeks following GBR, and a histomorphometric analysis was performed. Area measurements of new tissue and new bone, and linear measurements of bone height were performed. Results Post-operative healing of the CG was uneventful. In the TG membrane was exposed in two animals, and one of them was excluded from the sample. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups for any histomorphometric measurement. Clinically, both groups showed an increase in the TKT and a reduction in the WKT. Radiographically, an image suggestive of new bone formation could be observed in both groups at 8 and 16 weeks following GBR. Conclusion ADM acted as a barrier in GBR, with clinical, radiographic and histomorphometric results similar to those obtained with the bioabsorbable membrane. To cite this article:Borges GJ, Novaes AB Jr, de Moraes Grisi MF, Palioto DB, Taba M Jr, de Souza SLS. Acellular dermal matrix as a barrier in guided bone regeneration: a clinical, radiographic and histomorphometric study in dogs.Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 20, 2009; 1105-1115.

Comparison Between Micro- and Macrosurgical Techniques for the Treatment of Localized Gingival Recessions Using Coronally Positioned Flaps and Enamel Matrix Derivative

Background: The aim of this study is to compare the macro- and microsurgery techniques for root coverage using a coronally positioned flap (CPF) associated with enamel matrix derivative (EMD). Methods: Thirty patients were selected for the treatment of localized gingival recessions (GRs) using CPF associated to EMD. Fifteen patients were randomly assigned to the test group (TG), and 15 patients were randomly assigned to the control group (CG). The microsurgical approach was performed in the TG, and the conventional macrosurgical technique was performed in the CG. The clinical parameters evaluated before surgery and after 6 months were GR, probing depth, relative clinical attachment level, width of keratinized tissue (WKT), and thickness of keratinized tissue (TKT). The discomfort evaluation was performed 1 week postoperative. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between groups for all parameters at baseline. At 6 months, there was no statistically significant difference between the techniques in achieving root coverage. The percentage of root coverage was 92% and 83% for TG and CG, respectively. After 6 months, there was a statistically significant increase of WKT and TKT in TG only. Both procedures were well tolerated by all patients. Conclusions: The macro- and microsurgery techniques provided a statistically significant reduction in GR height. After 6 months, there was no statistically significant difference between the techniques regarding root coverage, and the microsurgical technique demonstrated a statistically significant increase in WKT and TKT. J Periodontol 2010;81:1572-1579.

A joint hazard and time scaling model to compare survival curves.

To provide a more general method for comparing survival experience, we propose a model that independently scales both hazard and time dimensions. To test the curve shape similarity of two time-dependent hazards, h1(t) and h2(t), we apply the proposed hazard relationship, h12(tKt)/ h1(t) = Kh, to h1. This relationship doubly scales h1 by the constant hazard and time scale factors, Kh and Kt, producing a transformed hazard, h12, with the same underlying curve shape as h1. We optimize the match of h12 to h2 by adjusting Kh and Kt. The corresponding survival relationship S12(tKt) = [S1(t)]KtKh transforms S1 into a new curve S12 of the same underlying shape that can be matched to the original S2. We apply this model to the curves for regional and local breast cancer contained in the National Cancer Institute's End Results Registry (1950-1973). Scaling the original regional curves, h1 and S1 with Kt = 1.769 and Kh = 0.263 produces transformed curves h12 and S12 that display congruence with the respective local curves, h2 and S2. This similarity of curve shapes suggests the application of the more complete curve shapes for regional disease as templates to predict the long-term survival pattern for local disease. By extension, this similarity raises the possibility of scaling early data for clinical trial curves according to templates of registry or previous trial curves, projecting long-term outcomes and reducing costs. The proposed model includes as special cases the widely used proportional hazards (Kt = 1) and accelerated life (KtKh = 1) models.

A tyrosine kinase profile of prostate carcinoma.

Tyrosine kinases play central roles in the growth and differentiation of normal and tumor cells. In this study, we have analyzed the general tyrosine kinase expression profile of a prostate carcinoma (PCA) xenograft, CWR22. We describe here an improved reverse transcriptase-PCR approach that permits identification of nearly 40 different kinases in a single screening; several of these kinases are newly cloned kinases and some are novel. According to this, there are 11 receptor kinases, 9 nonreceptor kinases, and at least 7 dual kinases expressed in the xenograft tissue. The receptor kinases include erbB2, erbB3, Ret, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, sky, nyk, eph, htk, sek (eph), ddr, and tkt. The nonreceptor kinases are lck, yes, abl, arg, JakI, tyk2, and etk/bmx. Most of the dual kinases are in the mitogen-activating protein (MAP) kinase-kinase (MKK) family, which includes MKK3, MKK4, MEK5, and a novel one. As a complementary approach, we also analyzed by specific reverse transcriptase-PCR primers the expression profile of erbB/epidermal growth factor receptor family receptors in a variety of PCA specimens, cell lines, and benign prostatic hyperplasia. We found that erbB1, -2, and -3 are often coexpressed in prostate tissues, but not in erbB4. The information established here should provide a base line to study the possible growth and oncogenic signals of PCA.

Vainajan sähköisen viestinnän yleisseuraantona siirtymisen estävät seikat

Tutkielmassa selvitetään siirtyvätkö vainajan sosiaalisessa mediassa ja sähköpostipalvelussa olevat henkilökohtaiset sähköiset viestit kuolinpesälle yleisseuraantona. Oikeuskirjallisuudessa ja oikeuskäytännössä on hiljattain hyväksytty vainajan sähköisen viestinnän yleisseuraantoluonne. Yleisseuraannon mukaan vainajan oikeudet ja velvollisuudet siirtyvät sellaisenaan kuolinpesälle. Näkemystä on kritisoitu erityisesti vainajan luottamuksellisen viestin suojan ja viestinnän toisen osapuolen oikeuksien vaarantumisella. Lisäksi perustuslakivaliokunta on katsonut, että vainajan mahdollisuus saada perusoikeussuojaa ihmisarvon loukkaamattomuuden kautta on vielä selvittämättä. Vainajan sähköisten viestien siirtyminen kuolinpesälle on edelleen vailla lain nimenomaista säädöstä. Toiseksi tutkielmassa tarkastellaan niitä keinoja, joiden avulla luonnollinen henkilö voi estää hänen sähköistä viestintää siirtymästä yleisseuraantona kuolinpesälle. Testamentti ei ole paras tapa määrätä sähköisestä viestinnästä. Erityisesti siksi, että tällaisen testamenttiehdon tehokkuudesta ei ole varmuutta ja sähköistä viestintää koskevat ehdot eivät ole vielä vakiintuneet. Sosiaalisen median palveluiden ja sähköpostipalveluiden käyttöehdot voivat vaikuttaa testamenttia tehokkaammin vainajan sähköisten viestien siirtymiseen. Käyttöehtojen ongelmana on, että yritykset ovat tavallisesti pidättäneet oikeuden muuttaa käyttöehtoja ja tällöin käyttäjän tulisi seurata näitä muutoksia. Tutkimuksen perusteella parhaiten vainajan viestintää näyttäisi suojaavan yritysten tarjoamat mahdollisuudet, jotka antavat käyttäjän itse määrätä tilillä olevan sähköisen viestinnän siirtymisestä kuolinpesälle. Ongelmana on, että näitä palveluita tarjoaa vain osa yrityksistä. Tutkielman metodi on pääasiassa oikeusdogmaattinen eli lainopillinen. Vainajan viestinnän siirtymistä yleisseuraantona ja yleisseuraannon estäviä oikeuskeinoja tulkitaan ja systematisoidaan nykyisen lainsäädännön ja periaatteiden valossa. Tutkielman tutkimuskohde on vielä osittain lainsäädännön tasolla ratkaisematta. Tämän vuoksi työssä tarkastellaan kattavasti lainvalmisteluaineistoa ja oikeuskirjallisuudessa esitettyjä kannanottoja. Kansallisten lähteiden lisäksi tutkielmassa on käytetty kansainvälisiä lähteitä. Tutkielmassa esitetään vainajan sähköisen viestinnän siirtymisen osalta ratkaisuehdotuksia de lege ferenda. De lege ferenda metodilla tutkitaan, minkälaista vainajan sähköisen viestinnän sääntelyn pitäisi tulevaisuudessa olla.

Unravelling metabolism of Leishmania by metabolomics

The leishmaniases are neglected tropical diseases with an urgent need for effective drugs. Better understanding of the metabolism of the causative parasites will hopefully lead to development of new compounds targeted at critical points of the parasite’s biochemical pathways. In my work I focused on the pentose phosphate pathway of Leishmania, specifically on transketolase, sugar utilisation, and comparison between insect and mammalian infective stages of the parasites. The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is the major cellular source of NADPH, an agent critical for oxidative stress defence. The PPP uses glucose, reduces the NADP+ cofactor and produces various sugar phosphates by mutual interconversions. One of the enzymes involved in this latter part is transketolase (TKT). A Leishmania mexicana cell line deleted in transketolase (Δtkt) was assessed regarding viability, sensitivity to a range of drugs, changes in metabolism, and infectivity. The Δtkt cell line had no obvious growth defect in the promastigote stage, but it was more sensitive to an oxidative stress inducing agent and most of the drugs tested. Most importantly, the Δtkt cells were not infective to mice, establishing TKT as a new potential drug target. Metabolomic analyses revealed multiple changes as a consequence of TKT deletion. Levels of the PPP intermediates upstream of TKT increased substantially, and were diverted into additional reactions. The perturbation triggered further changes in metabolism, resembling the ‘stringent metabolic response’ of amastigotes. The Δtkt cells consumed less glucose and glycolytic intermediates were decreased indicating a decrease in flux, and metabolic end products were diminished in production. The decrease in glycolysis was possibly caused by inhibition of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase by accumulation of the PPP intermediates 6-phosphogluconate and ribose 5-phosphate. The TCA cycle was fuelled by alternative carbon sources, most likely amino acids, instead of glucose. It remains unclear why deletion of TKT is lethal for amastigotes, increased sensitivity to oxidative stress or drop in mannogen levels may contribute, but no definite conclusions can be made. TKT localisation indicated interesting trends too. The WT enzyme is present in the cytosol and glycosomes, whereas a mutant version, truncated by ten amino acids, but retaining a C-terminal targeting sequence, localised solely to glycosomes. Surprisingly, cells expressing purely cytosolic or glycosomal TKT did not have different phenotypes regarding growth, oxidative stress sensitivity or any detected changes in metabolism. Hence, control of the subcellular localisation remains unclear as well as its function. However, these data are in agreement with the presumed semipermeable nature of the glycosome. Further, L. mexicana promastigote cultures were grown in media with different combinations of labelled glucose and ribose and their incorporation into metabolism was followed. Glucose was the preferred carbon source, but when not available, it could be fully replaced with ribose. I also compared metabolic profiles from splenic amastigotes, axenic amastigotes and promastigotes of L. donovani. Metabolomic analysis revealed a substantial drop in amino acids and other indications coherent with a stringent metabolic response in amastigotes. Despite some notable differences, axenic and splenic amastigotes demonstrated fairly similar results both regarding the total metabolic profile and specific metabolites of interest.