Oral malodour : background and diagnostics

Bad breath or oral malodour can be related to gingival diseases, trimethylaminuria, various inflammation diseases of upper respiratory tract, foreign bodies in nasal cavity etc. Bad breath is usually, in 85 % to 95 % of cases, inflicted by gram negative anaerobic bacteria in tongue coating. These bacteria have a tendency of producing foul-smelling sulphur containing gases called volatile sulphur compounds or VSC. Main cause of bad breath is parodontitis or postnasal drip into posterior part of the tongue. Detecting bad breath is most efficiently done by organoleptic method. By skilled analyser the reason for oral malodour can be determined with great accuracy. For scientific study the most effective method is gas chromatography (GC) with flame photometric detector (FPD). With it almost every component of exhaled air can be detected both quantitative and qualitative. Effective chairside methods include portable sulphur monitors and saliva tests

Tanniinipitoisuudesta härkäpavun (Vicia faba L.) siemenissä

vokKirjasto Aj-

The androgen receptor and signal-transduction pathways in hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Part 2: androgen-receptor cofactors and bypass pathways

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in men from the western world. Treatment of prostate cancer has relied on androgen deprivation therapy for the past 50 years. Response rates are initially high (70-80%), however almost all patients develop androgen escape and subsequently die within 1-2 years. Unlike breast cancer, alternative approaches (chemotherapy and radiotherapy) do not increase survival time. The high rate of prostate cancer mortality is therefore strongly linked to both development of androgen escape and the lack of alternate therapies. AR mutations and amplifications can not explain all cases of androgen escape and post-translational modification of the AR has become an alternative theory. However recently it has been suggested that AR co-activators e.g. SRC-1 or pathways the bypass the AR (Ras/MAP kinase or PI3K/Akt) may stimulated prostate cancer progression independent of the AR. This review will focus on how AR coactivators may act to increase AR transactivation during sub-optimal DHT concentrations and also how signal transduction pathways may promote androgen escape via activation of transcription factors, e.g. AP-1, c-Myc and Myb, that induce cell proliferation or inhibit apoptosis

EFFECT OF SHORT-STORAGE HRGCs ON DRIVER DECISION BEHAVIOR AND SAFETY CONCERNS: REAL-WORLD ANALYSIS AND EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE

Vehicle-train collisions at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs) continue to be a safety concern, and despite improvements in warnings, many of these incidents are attributed to human error. In some cases, distractions other than railroad traffic, such as HRGCs with limited space between the railroad tracks and the highway intersection, may create additional cognitive burdens for drivers. We investigated the effect of HRGC type (short-storage vs. non-short storage) on driver attention and decision-making in two studies. In Study 1, we systematically analyzed 996 incidents from 2017-2019 from the Federal Railroad Administration’s Safety database. Driver decision making and outcomes were different depending on HRGC type, with more train strikes in short storage incidents, as opposed to vehicle strikes. Study 2 was a controlled lab experiment in which drivers identified safety concerns in driving images. Drivers reported more safety concerns, and rated them more important in images of short-storage HRGCs than non-short storage HRGCs. This pattern did not depend on their rural or urban driving experience. Eye-tracking analysis found some differences in search behavior depending on the type of HRGC. This research contributes to a new area of research in rail safety, as studies comparing the two types of HRGCs have previously not been done. Interventions for non-short-storage HRGCs may not apply to short-storage HRGCs if it is found that drivers approach them differently

EXPLICIT RULE LEARNING: A COGNITIVE TUTORIAL METHOD TO TRAIN USERS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/MACHINE LEARNING SYSTEMS

Today’s intelligent software systems, such as Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning systems, are sophisticated, complicated, sometimes complex systems. In order to effectively interact with these systems, novice users need to have a certain level of understanding. An awareness of a system’s underlying principles, rationale, logic, and goals can enhance the synergistic human-machine interaction. It also benefits the user to know when they can trust the systems’ output, and to discern boundary conditions that might change the output. The purpose of this research is to empirically test the viability of a Cognitive Tutorial approach, called Explicit Rule Learning. Several approaches have been used to train humans in intelligent software systems; one of them is exemplar-based training. Although there has been some success, depending on the structure of the system, there are limitations to exemplars, which oftentimes are post hoc and case-based. Explicit Rule Learning is a global and rule-based training method that incorporates exemplars, but goes beyond specific cases. It provides learners with rich, robust mental models and the ability to transfer the learned skills to novel, previously unencountered situations. Learners are given verbalizable, probabilistic if...then statements, supplemented with exemplars. This is followed up with a series of practice problems, to which learners respond and receive immediate feedback on their correctness. The expectation is that this method will result in a refined representation of the system’s underlying principles, and a richer and more robust mental model that will enable the learner to simulate future states. Preliminary research helped to evaluate and refine Explicit Rule Learning. The final study in this research applied Explicit Rule Learning to a more real-world system, autonomous driving. The mixed-method within-subject study used a more naturalistic environment. Participants were given training material using the Explicit Rule Learning method and were subsequently tested on their ability to predict the autonomous vehicle’s actions. The results indicate that the participants trained with the Explicit Rule Learning method were more proficient at predicting the autonomous vehicle’s actions. These results, together with the results of preceding studies indicate that Explicit Rule Learning is an effective method to accelerate the proficiency of learners of intelligent software systems. Explicit Rule Learning is a low-cost training intervention that can be adapted to many intelligent software systems, including the many types of AI/ML systems in today’s world

WNT signaling regulates self-renewal and differentiation of prostate cancer cells with stem cell characteristics

Prostate cancer cells with stem cell characteristics were identified in human prostate cancer cell lines by their ability to form from single cells self-renewing prostaspheres in non-adherent cultures. Prostaspheres exhibited heterogeneous expression of proliferation, differentiation and stem cell-associated makers CD44, ABCG2 and CD133. Treatment with WNT inhibitors reduced both prostasphere size and self-renewal. In contrast, addition of Wnt3a caused increased prostasphere size and self-renewal, which was associated with a significant increase in nuclear Β-catenin, keratin 18, CD133 and CD44 expression. As a high proportion of LNCaP and C4-2B cancer cells express androgen receptor we determined the effect of the androgen receptor antagonist bicalutamide. Androgen receptor inhibition reduced prostasphere size and expression of PSA, but did not inhibit prostasphere formation. These effects are consistent with the androgen-independent self-renewal of cells with stem cell characteristics and the androgen-dependent proliferation of transit amplifying cells. As the canonical WNT signaling effector Β-catenin can also associate with the androgen receptor, we propose a model for tumour propagation involving a balance between WNT and androgen receptor activity. That would affect the self-renewal of a cancer cell with stem cell characteristics and drive transit amplifying cell proliferation and differentiation. In conclusion, we provide evidence that WNT activity regulates the self-renewal of prostate cancer cells with stem cell characteristics independently of androgen receptor activity. Inhibition of WNT signaling therefore has the potential to reduce the self-renewal of prostate cancer cells with stem cell characteristics and improve the therapeutic outcome.Peer reviewe

The impact of point mutations in the human androgen receptor : classification of mutations on the basis of transcriptional activity

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Hybridirunkoisen koulurakennuksen hiilijalanjäljen laskenta

Opinnäytetyössä käsiteltiin hybridirunkoisen koulurakennuksen hiilijalanjäljen laskentaa ja uuden rakentamislain vaikutuksia vähähiiliseen rakentamiseen. Rakentamisen hiilidioksidipäästöjen vähentäminen on ajankohtainen aihe, sillä rakennussektori vastaa noin 30 % Suomen päästöistä. Työn taustalla oli tarve selvittää, miten uudistettu rakentamislaki ja sen määräykset vaikuttavat vähähiiliseen rakentamiseen. Lisäksi haluttiin laskea konkreettisesti yhden koulurakennuksen hiilijalanjälki ja tuottaa tietoa ympäristöystävällisempien rakennusratkaisujen edistämiseksi. Työn toimeksiantajana toimi Brado Oy, joka on kiinteistö- ja rakennusalalla toimiva asiantuntijayritys. Opinnäytetyössä käytettiin One Click LCA -ohjelmistoa hybridirunkoisen koulurakennuksen kantavien rakenteiden hiilijalanjäljen laskemiseen. Laskennassa keskityttiin erityisesti runkorakenteisiin, kuten kantavaan runkoon, vaakarakenteisiin ja julkisivuun. Laskennan aineistona käytettiin rakennuspiirustuksia ja määrälaskentaluetteloita. Hiilijalanjälki laskettiin rakennuksen tuotevaiheen ajalta, ja tarkastelu kohdistettiin erityisesti rakennusmateriaalien valmistuksesta aiheutuviin päästöihin. Laskenta suoritettiin vaiheittain ohjelmiston ohjaamien prosessien mukaisesti. Tuloksissa ilmeni, että suurimmat hiilidioksidipäästöt syntyivät betonirakenteista, erityisesti kantavista elementeistä, kuten välipohjista ja perustuksista. Puumateriaalien käyttö vähensi merkittävästi rakennuksen hiilijalanjälkeä, mutta betonin käyttö kantavissa rakenteissa nosti päästöjä. Johtopäätöksenä todettiin, että hybridirakenteet voivat tarjota ratkaisun vähähiiliseen rakentamiseen, mutta materiaalivalinnoilla on merkittävä vaikutus lopullisiin päästöihin. Tulokset osoittivat tarpeen jatkotutkimukselle erityisesti erilaisten materiaalien elinkaarivaikutuksista sekä vähähiilisemmän rakentamisen lisäämisestä suunnitteluvaiheessa. Hybridirakenteiden kehitystä pidettiin tärkeänä vähähiilisen rakentamisen tavoitteiden saavuttamiseksi

Myynnin kasvun mahdollisuudet vakuutusalalla

Kasvun mahdollisuuksien löytäminen vakuutusalalla on yhä haasteellisempaa. Elinkeinoelämän muuttuessa myös yritysten vakuuttamistarpeet muuttuvat, eikä perinteinen vahinkovakuuttaminen tuo enää samanlaisia mahdollisuuksia kuin aiemmin. Työn toimeksiantajana toimii vakuutusyhtiö, joka on havainnut merkittävää kasvupotentiaalia erityisesti henkilövakuutuksissa, mutta ei ole saavuttanut toivottuja tuloksia. Opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli selvittää, millä keinoin yritys voisi kasvattaa myyntiä. Tarkoituksena oli haastatella myynnin henkilöitä ja saada parempi käsitys myynnin haasteista ja vahvuuksista ja laatia tulosten perusteella toimenpidesuositukset myynnin edistämiseksi. Työn teoriaosuudessa perehdyttiin keskeisiin B2B-myynnin muutostrendeihin sekä myynnin mahdollistamisen (sales enablement) periaatteisiin. Selvitystyön menetelmänä käytettiin teemahaastattelua. Sen avulla selvitettiin, millaisia vahvuuksia ja heikkouksia myyjät kokevat olevan henkilövakuutusmyynnissä. Haastatteluihin osallistui 20 myynnin eri tehtävissä työskentelevää henkilöä. Tulosten analysointi tapahtui teorialähtöisen sisällönanalyysin periaatteilla. Kirjallisuuden perusteella valittiin myynnin mahdollistamisen viitekehys, jonka peruspilarit (ihmiset, prosessit ja suorituskyky) muodostivat pääluokat ja niiden alle luotiin teemoittelun avulla alaluokat. Alaluokissa eroteltiin vahvuuksia ja heikkouksia tulkintaa ja johtopäätösten tekoa helpottamaan. Työn tuloksena syntyi konkreettisia toimenpide-ehdotuksia henkilövakuutusmyynnin edistämiseksi. Ne laadittiin yksittäisiksi toimenpiteiksi helpottamaan johdon valintoja ja priorisointia. Tätä kirjoitettaessa osa suosituksista onkin jo toteutusvaiheessa. Tehdyt johtopäätökset antavat kuitenkin mahdollisuuden myös strategisemmalle kehittämiselle soveltaen hyödynnettyä myynnin edistämisen viitekehystä. Tarpeita jäi myös jatkotutkimukselle; erityisesti yliorganisaatiorajojen tapahtuvan yhteistyön taso ja myyntikanavakohtaiset erityispiirteet vaativat lisäselvitystä.Finding growth opportunities in the insurance industry is becoming increasingly challenging because of changes in business sector. This study was made to an insurance company which has been identified significant growth potential in personal insurance segment but has not achieved desired results. The aim of this study was to determine how an insurance company could increase its sales. The purpose was to interview sales personnel to get better understanding of the strengths and challenges in personal insurance sales. Recommendations for increasing sales were developed based on interviews. The theoretical part of the work focused on the key trends in B2B sales and the principles of sales enablement. The research method was a thematic interview. Twenty employees in various sales roles participated in the interviews. The results were analyzed using theory-driven content analysis principles. As the result of this study concrete recommendations were developed to increase personal insurance sales. The conclusions also provide an opportunity for more strategic development by applying the utilized sales enablement framework. There are also needs for further research especially in cross-organizational collaboration and the specific characteristics of different sales channels