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Karihtala T, Puttonen S, Valtonen AM, Kautiainen H, Hopsu L, Heinonen A. Role of physical activity in the relationship between recovery from work and insomnia among early childhood education and care professionals: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e079746. [PMID: 38508638 PMCID: PMC10953046 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate the association between recovery from work and insomnia and the role of objectively measured leisure-time physical activity and occupational physical activity in this association. DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Study with female early childhood education and care professionals (N=224) in Finland was conducted between April 2017 and September 2018. METHODS Recovery from work was measured with the Need for Recovery scale and insomnia with the Jenkins Sleep Scale. Physical activity was measured with an accelerometer for 7 days and analysed to represent leisure-time physical activity and occupational physical activity (min/day). RESULTS Both Jenkins Sleep Scale and occupational physical activity significantly predicted Need for Recovery (β=0.29; 95% CI 0.17 to 0.42 and β=0.14; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.27, respectively). A low relationship was observed between the Need for Recovery and Jenkins Sleep Scale (r=0.32, 95% Cl 0.19 to 0.44). After categorising participants into four groups based on median splits of occupational and leisure-time physical activity, relationships between the Need for Recovery and Jenkins Sleep Scale were low to moderate in the high occupational physical activity and leisure time physical activity group (r=0.38, 95% Cl 0.14 to 0.61), and in the high occupational physical activity and low leisure-time physical activity group (r=0.40, 95% Cl 0.18 to 0.63). CONCLUSION Both insomnia and physical activity at work seem to be relevant in recovery from work. To enhance recovery, especially those involved in high physical activity at work, should seek methods to improve recovery, by incorporating activities that promote recuperation both during their workday and in their leisure time. Further research on the relevance of physical activity in recovery with longitudinal setting is warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT03854877.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiina Karihtala
- University of Jyväskylä Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences, Jyvaskyla, Finland
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland
- Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sampsa Puttonen
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Anu M Valtonen
- Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hannu Kautiainen
- Primary Health Care Unit, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Leila Hopsu
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ari Heinonen
- University of Jyväskylä Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences, Jyvaskyla, Finland
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2
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Löytömäki J, Laakso ML, Huttunen K. Social-Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Emotion Perception in Daily Life and in a Formal Assessment Context. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:4744-4758. [PMID: 36184695 PMCID: PMC10627915 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05768-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/10/2022]
Abstract
Children with neurodevelopmental disorders often have social-emotional and behavioural difficulties. The present study explored these difficulties in children (n = 50, aged 6-10 years) with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and developmental language disorder. Parents, teachers and therapists evaluated children's social-emotional and behavioural difficulties through a self-devised questionnaire and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Additionally, the children, along with their typically developing age peers (n = 106), completed six emotion discrimination tasks. Analysis revealed some impaired emotion discrimination skills that were predictive for behavioural challenges in daily life and associated with the parent-reported existence of friends. Timely intervention in these children is needed, and it should also include emotion perception training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Löytömäki
- Faculty of Humanities/Research Unit of Logopedics, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 1000, 90014, Oulun yliopisto, Finland.
| | - Marja-Leena Laakso
- Department of Education, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland PL 35, 40014, Jyvaskylan yliopisto, Finland
| | - Kerttu Huttunen
- Faculty of Humanities/Research Unit of Logopedics, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 1000, 90014, Oulun yliopisto, Finland
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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3
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Lehtokari VL, Similä M, Tammepuu M, Wallgren-Pettersson C, Strang-Karlsson S, Hiekkala S. Self-reported functioning among patients with ultra-rare nemaline myopathy or a related disorder in Finland: a pilot study. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2023; 18:374. [PMID: 38037113 PMCID: PMC10691147 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-023-02973-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nemaline myopathy (NM) and related disorders (NMr) form a heterogenous group of ultra-rare (1:50,000 live births or less) congenital muscle disorders. To elucidate the self-reported physical, psychological, and social functioning in the daily lives of adult persons with congenital muscle disorders, we designed a survey using items primarily from the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System, PROMIS®, and conducted a pilot study in patients with NM and NMr in Finland. The items were linked to International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) categories. RESULTS In total, 20 (62.5%) out of 32 invited persons resident in Finland participated in the study; 12 had NM and 8 NMr, 15 were women and 5 men aged 19-75 years. Sixteen (80%) were ambulatory and 4 (20%) NM patients used wheelchairs. The results from the PROMIS measuring system and ICF categories both indicated that non-ambulatory patients of this study faced more challenges in all areas of functioning than ambulatory ones, but the differences were smaller in the domains measuring psychological and social functioning than in physical functioning. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the functioning of non-ambulatory patients more than that of ambulatory patients. The interindividual differences were, however, noticeable. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this pilot study is the first comprehensive survey-based study of the physical, psychological, and social functioning of adult persons with nemaline myopathy or related disorders. The results indicate vulnerability of non-ambulatory patients being at higher risk to a decrease in general functioning during global or national exceptional periods. The responses also gave directions for modifying and improving the survey for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vilma-Lotta Lehtokari
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland.
- Medicum, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Minna Similä
- Clinical Nutrition Unit, Internal Medicine and Rehabilitation, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marianne Tammepuu
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, New Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Sonja Strang-Karlsson
- Department of Clinical Genetics, HUS Diagnostic Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sinikka Hiekkala
- The Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities, Helsinki, Finland
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4
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Mahran R, Vello N, Komulainen A, Malakoutikhah M, Härmä H, Kopra K. Isothermal chemical denaturation assay for monitoring protein stability and inhibitor interactions. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20066. [PMID: 37973851 PMCID: PMC10654576 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46720-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Thermal shift assay (TSA) with altered temperature has been the most widely used method for monitoring protein stability for drug research. However, there is a pressing need for isothermal techniques as alternatives. This urgent demand arises from the limitations of TSA, which can sometimes provide misleading ranking of protein stability and fail to accurately reflect protein stability under physiological conditions. Although differential scanning fluorimetry has significantly improved throughput in comparison to differential scanning calorimetry and differential static light scattering throughput, all these methods exhibit moderate sensitivity. In contrast, current isothermal chemical denaturation (ICD) techniques may not offer the same throughput capabilities as TSA, but it provides more precise information about protein stability and interactions. Unfortunately, ICD also suffers from limited sensitivity, typically in micromolar range. We have developed a novel method to overcome these challenges, namely throughput and sensitivity. The novel Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)-Probe as an external probe is highly applicable to isothermal protein stability monitoring but also to conventional TSA. We have investigated ICD for multiple proteins with focus on KRASG12C with covalent inhibitors and three chemical denaturants performed at nanomolar protein concentration. Data showed corresponding inhibitor-induced stabilization of KRASG12C to those reported by nucleotide exchange assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randa Mahran
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, Henrikinkatu 2, 20500, Turku, Finland.
| | - Niklas Vello
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, Henrikinkatu 2, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Anita Komulainen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, Henrikinkatu 2, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Harri Härmä
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, Henrikinkatu 2, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Kari Kopra
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, Henrikinkatu 2, 20500, Turku, Finland
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5
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Partanen I, Al-Saedy O, Eskelinen T, Karttunen AJ, Saarinen JJ, Mrózek O, Steffen A, Belyaev A, Chou PT, Koshevoy IO. Fast and Tunable Phosphorescence from Organic Ionic Crystals. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202305108. [PMID: 37227225 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202305108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Crystalline diphosphonium iodides [MeR2 P-spacer-R2 Me]I with phenylene (1, 2), naphthalene (3, 4), biphenyl (5) and anthracene (6) as aromatic spacers, are photoemissive under ambient conditions. The emission colors (λem values from 550 to 880 nm) and intensities (Φem reaching 0.75) are defined by the composition and substitution geometry of the central conjugated chromophore motif, and the anion-π interactions. Time-resolved and variable-temperature luminescence studies suggest phosphorescence for all the titled compounds, which demonstrate observed lifetimes of 0.46-92.23 μs at 297 K. Radiative rate constants kr as high as 2.8×105 s-1 deduced for salts 1-3 were assigned to strong spin-orbit coupling enhanced by an external heavy atom effect arising from the anion-π charge-transfer character of the triplet excited state. These rates of anomalously fast metal-free phosphorescence are comparable to those of transition metal complexes and organic luminophores that utilize triplet excitons via a thermally activated delayed fluorescence mechanism, making such ionic luminophores a new paradigm for the design of photofunctional and responsive molecular materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iida Partanen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistokatu 7, 80101, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Omar Al-Saedy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistokatu 7, 80101, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Toni Eskelinen
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Aalto University, 00076, Aalto, Finland
| | - Antti J Karttunen
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Aalto University, 00076, Aalto, Finland
| | - Jarkko J Saarinen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistokatu 7, 80101, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Ondrej Mrózek
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Andreas Steffen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Andrey Belyaev
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
- Department of Chemistry/Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, Survontie 9C, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Pi-Tai Chou
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, 10617 (ROC)
| | - Igor O Koshevoy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistokatu 7, 80101, Joensuu, Finland
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6
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Rauniyar K, Bokharaie H, Jeltsch M. Expansion and collapse of VEGF diversity in major clades of the animal kingdom. Angiogenesis 2023; 26:437-461. [PMID: 37017884 PMCID: PMC10328876 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-023-09874-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Together with the platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs), the vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) form the PDGF/VEGF subgroup among cystine knot growth factors. The evolutionary relationships within this subgroup have not been examined thoroughly to date. Here, we comprehensively analyze the PDGF/VEGF growth factors throughout all animal phyla and propose a phylogenetic tree. Vertebrate whole-genome duplications play a role in expanding PDGF/VEGF diversity, but several limited duplications are necessary to account for the temporal pattern of emergence. The phylogenetically oldest PDGF/VEGF-like growth factor likely featured a C-terminus with a BR3P signature, a hallmark of the modern-day lymphangiogenic growth factors VEGF-C and VEGF-D. Some younger VEGF genes, such as VEGFB and PGF, appeared completely absent in important vertebrate clades such as birds and amphibia, respectively. In contrast, individual PDGF/VEGF gene duplications frequently occurred in fish on top of the known fish-specific whole-genome duplications. The lack of precise counterparts for human genes poses limitations but also offers opportunities for research using organisms that diverge considerably from humans. Sources for the graphical abstract: 326 MYA and older [1]; 72-240 MYA [2]; 235-65 MYA [3].
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushbu Rauniyar
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Biocenter 2, (Viikinkaari 5E), P.O. Box. 56, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Honey Bokharaie
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Biocenter 2, (Viikinkaari 5E), P.O. Box. 56, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Michael Jeltsch
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Biocenter 2, (Viikinkaari 5E), P.O. Box. 56, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
- Individualized Drug Therapy Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Wihuri Research Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
- Helsinki One Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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7
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Najer A, Blight J, Ducker CB, Gasbarri M, Brown JC, Che J, Høgset H, Saunders C, Ojansivu M, Lu Z, Lin Y, Yeow J, Rifaie-Graham O, Potter M, Tonkin R, Penders J, Doutch JJ, Georgiadou A, Barriga HMG, Holme MN, Cunnington AJ, Bugeon L, Dallman MJ, Barclay WS, Stellacci F, Baum J, Stevens MM. Potent Virustatic Polymer-Lipid Nanomimics Block Viral Entry and Inhibit Malaria Parasites In Vivo. ACS Cent Sci 2022; 8:1238-1257. [PMID: 36188342 PMCID: PMC9092191 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c01368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases continue to pose a substantial burden on global populations, requiring innovative broad-spectrum prophylactic and treatment alternatives. Here, we have designed modular synthetic polymer nanoparticles that mimic functional components of host cell membranes, yielding multivalent nanomimics that act by directly binding to varied pathogens. Nanomimic blood circulation time was prolonged by reformulating polymer-lipid hybrids. Femtomolar concentrations of the polymer nanomimics were sufficient to inhibit herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) entry into epithelial cells, while higher doses were needed against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Given their observed virustatic mode of action, the nanomimics were also tested with malaria parasite blood-stage merozoites, which lose their invasive capacity after a few minutes. Efficient inhibition of merozoite invasion of red blood cells was demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo using a preclinical rodent malaria model. We envision these nanomimics forming an adaptable platform for developing pathogen entry inhibitors and as immunomodulators, wherein nanomimic-inhibited pathogens can be secondarily targeted to sites of immune recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Najer
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Joshua Blight
- Department
of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | | | - Matteo Gasbarri
- Institute
of Materials, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan C. Brown
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Imperial College
London, London, W2 1PG, U.K.
| | - Junyi Che
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Håkon Høgset
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Catherine Saunders
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Miina Ojansivu
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Zixuan Lu
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Yiyang Lin
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Jonathan Yeow
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Omar Rifaie-Graham
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Michael Potter
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Renée Tonkin
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Jelle Penders
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - James J. Doutch
- Rutherford
Appleton Laboratory, ISIS Neutron and Muon
Source, STFC, Didcot OX11 ODE, U.K.
| | - Athina Georgiadou
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Imperial College
London, London, W2 1PG, U.K.
| | - Hanna M. G. Barriga
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Margaret N. Holme
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Laurence Bugeon
- Department
of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | | | - Wendy S. Barclay
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Imperial College
London, London, W2 1PG, U.K.
| | - Francesco Stellacci
- Institute
of Materials, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute
of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jake Baum
- Department
of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Molly M. Stevens
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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8
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Mohanasundaram P, Coelho-Rato LS, Modi MK, Urbanska M, Lautenschläger F, Cheng F, Eriksson JE. Cytoskeletal vimentin regulates cell size and autophagy through mTORC1 signaling. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001737. [PMID: 36099296 PMCID: PMC9469959 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The nutrient-activated mTORC1 (mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase complex 1) signaling pathway determines cell size by controlling mRNA translation, ribosome biogenesis, protein synthesis, and autophagy. Here, we show that vimentin, a cytoskeletal intermediate filament protein that we have known to be important for wound healing and cancer progression, determines cell size through mTORC1 signaling, an effect that is also manifested at the organism level in mice. This vimentin-mediated regulation is manifested at all levels of mTOR downstream target activation and protein synthesis. We found that vimentin maintains normal cell size by supporting mTORC1 translocation and activation by regulating the activity of amino acid sensing Rag GTPase. We also show that vimentin inhibits the autophagic flux in the absence of growth factors and/or critical nutrients, demonstrating growth factor-independent inhibition of autophagy at the level of mTORC1. Our findings establish that vimentin couples cell size and autophagy through modulating Rag GTPase activity of the mTORC1 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ponnuswamy Mohanasundaram
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
- Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Leila S. Coelho-Rato
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
- Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Mayank Kumar Modi
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
- Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Marta Urbanska
- Biotechnology Center, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Franziska Lautenschläger
- Saarland University, NT Faculty, Experimental Physics, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, Germany
| | - Fang Cheng
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
- Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - John E. Eriksson
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
- Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
- * E-mail:
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9
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Gunko R, Rapeli L, Vuorisalo T, Scheinin M, Karell P. Does Water Quality Matter for Life Quality? A Study of the Impact of Water Quality on Well-being in a Coastal Community. Environ Manage 2022; 70:464-474. [PMID: 35751661 PMCID: PMC9381611 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-022-01673-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Most studies of life quality are concentrated on a country-level scale, while local differences within a country or area are less studied. Thus, the effect of the environment on life quality on a local scale remains understudied and is often represented by one generalized common factor. In this study, we investigated the effect of an objectively measured environmental quality variable and subjective reflections of this (perceptions of environmental quality) in relation to life quality in a coastal community. Hence, we tested the effect of objective and subjective water quality measures using a model, accounting for other traditional variables (e.g., income and health) that predict life quality variations. Our findings indicate that perceptions of the environment are strongly associated with life quality, whereas objectively measured environmental quality is associated with life quality to a lesser extent. Thus, our results suggest that the impact of the environment on life quality is mediated via the way the environment is perceived (psychological effects) and less by the actual conditions of the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruslan Gunko
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.
- Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, FI-10600, Ekenäs, Finland.
| | - Lauri Rapeli
- Social Science Research Institute, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Timo Vuorisalo
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Matias Scheinin
- Department of Environmental Protection, Hanko, Finland and Pro Litore Association, Raseborg, Finland
| | - Patrik Karell
- Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, FI-10600, Ekenäs, Finland
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
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10
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Pessi IS, Viitamäki S, Virkkala AM, Eronen-Rasimus E, Delmont TO, Marushchak ME, Luoto M, Hultman J. In-depth characterization of denitrifier communities across different soil ecosystems in the tundra. Environ Microbiome 2022; 17:30. [PMID: 35690846 PMCID: PMC9188126 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-022-00424-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In contrast to earlier assumptions, there is now mounting evidence for the role of tundra soils as important sources of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). However, the microorganisms involved in the cycling of N2O in this system remain largely uncharacterized. Since tundra soils are variable sources and sinks of N2O, we aimed at investigating differences in community structure across different soil ecosystems in the tundra. RESULTS We analysed 1.4 Tb of metagenomic data from soils in northern Finland covering a range of ecosystems from dry upland soils to water-logged fens and obtained 796 manually binned and curated metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). We then searched for MAGs harbouring genes involved in denitrification, an important process driving N2O emissions. Communities of potential denitrifiers were dominated by microorganisms with truncated denitrification pathways (i.e., lacking one or more denitrification genes) and differed across soil ecosystems. Upland soils showed a strong N2O sink potential and were dominated by members of the Alphaproteobacteria such as Bradyrhizobium and Reyranella. Fens, which had in general net-zero N2O fluxes, had a high abundance of poorly characterized taxa affiliated with the Chloroflexota lineage Ellin6529 and the Acidobacteriota subdivision Gp23. CONCLUSIONS By coupling an in-depth characterization of microbial communities with in situ measurements of N2O fluxes, our results suggest that the observed spatial patterns of N2O fluxes in the tundra are related to differences in the composition of denitrifier communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor S. Pessi
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), Yliopistonkatu 3, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sirja Viitamäki
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anna-Maria Virkkala
- Woodwell Climate Research Center, 149 Woods Hole Road, Falmouth, MA 02540-1644 USA
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Gustaf Hällströmin katu 2, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eeva Eronen-Rasimus
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Marine Research Centre, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tom O. Delmont
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d’Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France
| | - Maija E. Marushchak
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Miska Luoto
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Gustaf Hällströmin katu 2, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jenni Hultman
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), Yliopistonkatu 3, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE), Latokartanonkaari 9, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
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11
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Dahlström S, Wilken S, Zhang Y, Ahläng C, Barlow S, Nyman M, Marder SR, Österbacka R. Cross-Linking of Doped Organic Semiconductor Interlayers for Organic Solar Cells: Potential and Challenges. ACS Appl Energy Mater 2021; 4:14458-14466. [PMID: 34977476 PMCID: PMC8715538 DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.1c03127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Solution-processable interlayers are important building blocks for the commercialization of organic electronic devices such as organic solar cells. Here, the potential of cross-linking to provide an insoluble, stable, and versatile charge transport layer based on soluble organic semiconductors is studied. For this purpose, a photoreactive tris-azide cross-linker is synthesized. The capability of the small molecular cross-linker is illustrated by applying it to a p-doped polymer used as a hole transport layer in organic solar cells. High cross-linking efficiency and excellent charge extraction properties of the cross-linked doped hole transport layer are demonstrated. However, at high doping levels in the interlayer, the solar cell efficiency is found to deteriorate. Based on charge extraction measurements and numerical device simulations, it is shown that this is due to diffusion of dopants into the active layer of the solar cell. Thus, in the development of future cross-linker materials, care must be taken to ensure that they immobilize not only the host but also the dopants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Staffan Dahlström
- Physics,
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo
Akademi University, Henriksgatan 2, 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Sebastian Wilken
- Physics,
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo
Akademi University, Henriksgatan 2, 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Yadong Zhang
- School
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia
Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Renewable
and Sustainable Energy Institute, University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Christian Ahläng
- Physics,
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo
Akademi University, Henriksgatan 2, 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Stephen Barlow
- School
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia
Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Renewable
and Sustainable Energy Institute, University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Mathias Nyman
- Physics,
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo
Akademi University, Henriksgatan 2, 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Seth R. Marder
- School
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia
Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Renewable
and Sustainable Energy Institute, University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Ronald Österbacka
- Physics,
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo
Akademi University, Henriksgatan 2, 20500 Turku, Finland
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12
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Roustaei Z, Räisänen S, Gissler M, Heinonen S. Associations between maternal age and socioeconomic status with smoking during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy: a register-based study of 932 671 women in Finland from 2000 to 2015. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e034839. [PMID: 32847901 PMCID: PMC7451537 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-034839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore the association between maternal age and smoking during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy across socioeconomic groups and to evaluate the interacting effect of maternal age and socioeconomic status on smoking with a view to informing public health interventions. DESIGN This is a register-based study. SETTINGS Data from the Finnish Medical Birth Register were cross-linked with background data from Statistics Finland. PARTICIPANTS The information of 932 671 pregnant women who gave birth in Finland from 2000 to 2015. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Maternal smoking during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy by occupation and maternal age. RESULTS The proportion of women who smoked during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy was 10.5%. Using women 30-34 years as the reference group, adjusted ORs (aOR) and 95% CIs for smoking were 6.02 (5.81 to 6.24) in women below 20 years and 2.77 (2.71 to 2.84) in women 20 to 24 years. The prevalence of smoking across socioeconomic groups compared with upper-level employees increased, peaking for women in manual occupations (aOR 3.39, 95% CI 3.25 to 3.52) and unemployed women (aOR 4.49, 95% CI 4.30 to 4.68). Significant interactions on the additive scale with the relative excess risk due to interaction >2 were found for unemployed women aged 25-29 years and for teenage mothers and mothers aged 20-24 years across all socioeconomic groups, but not for self-employed women. CONCLUSIONS Smoking during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy was most common among teenage mothers across all socioeconomic groups. The association between maternal age and smoking differed by socioeconomic status for young mothers. Interventions should address a wider range of maternal risk factors among young mothers with low socioeconomic status and simultaneously target a broader number of women who smoke during the pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Roustaei
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Helsinki Faculty of Medicine, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sari Räisänen
- School of Health Care and Social Services, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland
| | - Mika Gissler
- Information Services Department, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Seppo Heinonen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
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13
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Jian C, Luukkonen P, Yki-Järvinen H, Salonen A, Korpela K. Quantitative PCR provides a simple and accessible method for quantitative microbiota profiling. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0227285. [PMID: 31940382 PMCID: PMC6961887 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of relative abundance data from next generation sequencing (NGS) can lead to misinterpretations of microbial community structures, as the increase of one taxon leads to the concurrent decrease of the other(s) in compositional data. Although different DNA- and cell-based methods as well as statistical approaches have been developed to overcome the compositionality problem, and the biological relevance of absolute bacterial abundances has been demonstrated, the human microbiome research has not yet adopted these methods, likely due to feasibility issues. Here, we describe how quantitative PCR (qPCR) done in parallel to NGS library preparation provides an accurate estimation of absolute taxon abundances from NGS data and hence provides an attainable solution to compositionality in high-throughput microbiome analyses. The advantages and potential challenges of the method are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching Jian
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Panu Luukkonen
- Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hannele Yki-Järvinen
- Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anne Salonen
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Katri Korpela
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- * E-mail:
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