Background field method at finite temperature and density

In this letter we make use of the Background Field Method (BFM) to compute the effective potential of an SU(2) gauge field theory, in the presence of chemical potential and temperature. The main idea is to consider the chemical potential as the background field. The gauge fixing condition required by the BFM turns out to be exactly the one we found in a previous article in a different context.Comment: 6 pages, no figure

Clinical use of fungal PCR from deep tissue samples in the diagnosis of invasive fungal diseases : a retrospective observational study

Objectives: To assess the clinical use of panfungal PCR for diagnosis of invasive fungal diseases (IFDs). We focused on the deep tissue samples. Methods: We first described the design of panfungal PCR, which is in clinical use at Helsinki University Hospital. Next we retrospectively evaluated the results of 307 fungal PCR tests performed from 2013 to 2015. Samples were taken from normally sterile tissues and fluids. The patient population was nonselected. We classified the likelihood of IFD according to the criteria of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Invasive Fungal Infections Cooperative Group and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG), comparing the fungal PCR results to the likelihood of IFD along with culture and microscopy results. Results: There were 48 positive (16%) and 259 negative (84%) PCR results. The sensitivity and specificity of PCR for diagnosing IFDs were 60.5% and 91.7%, respectively, while the negative predictive value and positive predictive value were 93.4% and 54.2%, respectively. The concordance between the PCR and the culture results was 86% and 87% between PCR and microscopy, respectively. Of the 48 patients with positive PCR results, 23 had a proven or probable IFD. Conclusions: Fungal PCR can be useful for diagnosing IFDs in deep tissue samples. It is beneficial to combine fungal PCR with culture and microscopy. M. Ala-Houhala, Clin Microbiol Infect 2018;24:301 (C) 2017 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Short-term prospective memory deficits in chronic back pain patients

Objective: Chronic pain, particularly low back pain, is widespread. Although a great deal is known about the impact that this has on quality of life and physical activity, relatively little has been established regarding the more cognitive effects of pain. This study aims to find out whether individuals with chronic pain experience memory deficits in prospective memory (PM), the process of remembering to do things at some future point in time. Examples of PM include remembering to keep an appointment, such as a visit to a clinic, or to perform a particular task, such as paying a bill on time. Methods: The PM of 50 participants with chronic pain was compared with 50 pain-free participants. Each participant completed the Prospective Memory Questionnaire, which assesses three aspects of prospective memory (short-term habitual, long-term episodic, and internally cued), and records the use of strategies to aid remembering. Results: In comparison to those not in pain, participants with chronic pain had significantly impaired short-term prospective memory, an effect which was evident even after co-varying use of analgesics and other drugs. Conclusions: These findings provide new insights into prospective memory dysfunction in people with chronic pain. Possible mechanisms for this dysfunction are discussed and suggestions for future research given

Diabetes, pulse pressure and cardiovascular mortality: the Hoorn Study

Objective: Type 2 diabetic patients have an increased arterial stiffness and a very high risk of cardiovascular death. The present study investigated the relationship between pulse pressure, an indicator of vascular stiffness, and risk of cardiovascular mortality among type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic individuals. Second, we determined the relationship between pulse pressure and its main determinant (i.e. age), and the influence of diabetes and mean arterial pressure on this relationship. Design and methods: We studied a cohort of 2484 individuals including 208 type 2 diabetic patients. Mean age and median follow-up for non-diabetic and diabetic individuals, respectively, were 61 and 66 years, and 8.8 and 8.6 years. One-hundred and sixteen non-diabetic and 34 diabetic individuals died of cardiovascular causes. Relative risks of cardiovascular mortality were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression adjusted for age, gender and mean arterial pressure. Results: Pulse pressure was associated with cardiovascular mortality among the diabetic, but not among the non-diabetic individuals [adjusted relative risk (95% confidence interval) per 10 mmHg increase, 1.27 (1.00-1.61) and 0.98 (0.85-1.13), P interaction = 0.07]. Further adjustment for other risk factors gave similar results. The association, at baseline, between age and pulse pressure was dependent on the presence of diabetes (P interaction = 0.03) and on the mean arterial pressure (P interaction < 0.001) (i.e. there was a stronger association when diabetes was present and when mean arterial pressure was higher). Conclusions: We conclude that, in type 2 diabetes, pulse pressure is positively associated with cardiovascular mortality. The association between age and pulse pressure is influenced by the presence of type 2 diabetes and by the height of the mean arterial pressure. These findings support the concept of accelerated vascular aging in type 2 diabetes. © 2002 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Dual-pump Kerr micro-cavity optical frequency comb with varying FSR spacing

In this paper, we demonstrate a novel dual-pump approach to generate robust optical frequency comb with varying free spectral range (FSR) spacing in a CMOS-compatible high-Q micro-ring resonator (MRR). The frequency spacing of the comb can be tuned by an integer number FSR of the MRR freely in our dual-pump scheme. The dual pumps are self-oscillated in the laser cavity loop and their wavelengths can be tuned flexibly by programming the tunable filter embedded in the cavity. By tuning the pump wavelength, broadband OFC with the bandwidth of >180nm and the frequency-spacing varying from 6 to 46-fold FSRs is realized at a low pump power. This approach could find potential and practical applications in many areas, such as optical metrology, optical communication, and signal processing systems, for its excellent flexibility and robustness

Vanhus ja helle : suojaudu, viilennä, nesteytä

TiivistelmäSuomessa helteet (lämpötila yli +25 °C) ovat yleistyneet 2010-luvulla, ja ne tulevat haittaamaan etenkin ikääntyneitä (1). Terveydenhuollon ammattilaisten on tärkeää ymmärtää kuuman ympäristön terveysvaikutukset, kun he antavat ohjeita ja huolehtivat ikääntyneiden tarkoituksenmukaisesta suojautumisesta. Kuvaamme artikkelissamme helteestä aiheutuvia riskejä ikääntyneen terveydelle ja keinoja hallita niitä.AbstractOlder people and hot spells : protect, cool and hydrateClimate warming increases the occurrence of hot spells with detrimental health effects especially on older people. Hot spells cause heat illnesses and worsen chronic diseases, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. The ageing population is susceptible to these effects because of their altered thermoregulation (reduced capacity to lose heat), high prevalence of chronic diseases and related medication, as well as due to behavioural, environmental, housing and social factors. Heat action plans are needed for systematic long- and short-term preparedness and require national, regional and local multisector co-operation. These activities include developing early warning systems, practising long-term urban planning, reducing indoor heat exposure, increasing preparedness of health care, caring for vulnerable populations and developing real-time surveillance and monitoring. Increasing awareness among the elderly themselves, as well as among their caretakers, is crucial for protection from the health risks of hot spells. Older people need instructions regarding adequate and sustained hydration, how their health condition can be affected by heat, use of appropriate clothing, how and when to engage in physical activity and how to cool their homes or cool themselves by regular cool showers or baths. Equally important is to increase awareness among caretakers of older people in healthcare facilities or care homes. During hot spells the personnel in healthcare facilities need to identify symptoms of heat illnesses and apply cooling methods and related treatment, consider the use and monitor the effects of medication, as well as monitoring water intake. In addition, the indoor temperature of healthcare facilities needs to be kept below 25°C. If air conditioning is not available, facilities can be cooled through increasing ventilation and passive cooling methods. In the worst case, older people need to be evacuated from the healthcare facilities or homes.Tiivistelmä Suomessa helteet (lämpötila yli +25 °C) ovat yleistyneet 2010-luvulla, ja ne tulevat haittaamaan etenkin ikääntyneitä (1). Terveydenhuollon ammattilaisten on tärkeää ymmärtää kuuman ympäristön terveysvaikutukset, kun he antavat ohjeita ja huolehtivat ikääntyneiden tarkoituksenmukaisesta suojautumisesta. Kuvaamme artikkelissamme helteestä aiheutuvia riskejä ikääntyneen terveydelle ja keinoja hallita niitä.Abstract Older people and hot spells : protect, cool and hydrate Climate warming increases the occurrence of hot spells with detrimental health effects especially on older people. Hot spells cause heat illnesses and worsen chronic diseases, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. The ageing population is susceptible to these effects because of their altered thermoregulation (reduced capacity to lose heat), high prevalence of chronic diseases and related medication, as well as due to behavioural, environmental, housing and social factors. Heat action plans are needed for systematic long- and short-term preparedness and require national, regional and local multisector co-operation. These activities include developing early warning systems, practising long-term urban planning, reducing indoor heat exposure, increasing preparedness of health care, caring for vulnerable populations and developing real-time surveillance and monitoring. Increasing awareness among the elderly themselves, as well as among their caretakers, is crucial for protection from the health risks of hot spells. Older people need instructions regarding adequate and sustained hydration, how their health condition can be affected by heat, use of appropriate clothing, how and when to engage in physical activity and how to cool their homes or cool themselves by regular cool showers or baths. Equally important is to increase awareness among caretakers of older people in healthcare facilities or care homes. During hot spells the personnel in healthcare facilities need to identify symptoms of heat illnesses and apply cooling methods and related treatment, consider the use and monitor the effects of medication, as well as monitoring water intake. In addition, the indoor temperature of healthcare facilities needs to be kept below 25°C. If air conditioning is not available, facilities can be cooled through increasing ventilation and passive cooling methods. In the worst case, older people need to be evacuated from the healthcare facilities or homes

Unlocking the power of big data in new product development

This study explores how big data can be used to enable customers to express unrecognised needs. By acquiring this information, managers can gain opportunities to develop customer-centred products. Big data can be defined as multimedia-rich and interactive low-cost information resulting from mass communication. It offers customers a better understanding of new products and provides new, simplified modes of large-scale interaction between customers and firms. Although previous studies have pointed out that firms can better understand customers’ preferences and needs by leveraging different types of available data, the situation is evolving, with increasing application of big data analytics for product development, operations and supply chain management. In order to utilise the customer information available from big data to a larger extent, managers need to identify how to establish a customer-involving environment that encourages customers to share their ideas with managers, contribute their know-how, fiddle around with new products, and express their actual preferences. We investigate a new product development project at an electronics company, STE, and describe how big data is used to connect to, interact with and involve customers in new product development in practice. Our findings reveal that big data can offer customer involvement so as to provide valuable input for developing new products. In this paper, we introduce a customer involvement approach as a new means of coming up with customer-centred new product development

The Prevalence of Frailty Using Three Different Frailty Measurements in Two Finnish Cohorts Born Before and After the Second World War

AbstractObjectives: To study the prevalence of frailty and its relationship to mortality in cohorts born before and after the Second World War using three different frailty measures.Methods: Cross-sectional data from two cohorts born in 1935 (n=593) and 1945 (n=714) were studied for frailty at the mean age of 70.7 (SD 1.8) years. Frailty was measured using the Frailty Phenotype (FP), the Frail Scale (FS) and the 74-item Frailty Index (FI>0.21 denoted frailty). Information on socioeconomic factors was obtained via a study questionnaire and the data on mortality were obtained from the Population Information System.Results: The prevalence of frailty by FI was more common in the older 1935 cohort than in the 1945 cohort (pConclusions: Improved living conditions and health care may have resulted in the lower prevalence of frailty in the 1945 cohort. The present study further strengthens the association between frailty and mortality & poor economic status and frailty. Frailty definitions are in need of further study.Abstract Objectives: To study the prevalence of frailty and its relationship to mortality in cohorts born before and after the Second World War using three different frailty measures. Methods: Cross-sectional data from two cohorts born in 1935 (n=593) and 1945 (n=714) were studied for frailty at the mean age of 70.7 (SD 1.8) years. Frailty was measured using the Frailty Phenotype (FP), the Frail Scale (FS) and the 74-item Frailty Index (FI>0.21 denoted frailty). Information on socioeconomic factors was obtained via a study questionnaire and the data on mortality were obtained from the Population Information System. Results: The prevalence of frailty by FI was more common in the older 1935 cohort than in the 1945 cohort (p<0.001). The percentage of robust subjects was higher in both sexes in the 1945 cohort using both FI and FS. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, the difference in the prevalence of frailty between the cohorts remained significant in women only (OR 1.9 (95% CI 1.3–2.9), p=0.001). The FI classified people as frail more often (30.2% in the 1935 cohort and 17.5% in the 1945 cohort) than the FS (13.1% and 8.8%) or FP (1.8% and 1.6%). Low financial satisfaction was associated significantly with frailty in both sexes. Low level of education was associated with frailty in women and being unmarried or divorced in men. Frailty was associated to increased mortality using all frailty definitions in the 1935 cohort with a longer follow-up time. Conclusions: Improved living conditions and health care may have resulted in the lower prevalence of frailty in the 1945 cohort. The present study further strengthens the association between frailty and mortality & poor economic status and frailty. Frailty definitions are in need of further study

Coronary stenosis as a modifier of the effect of cold spells on the risk of sudden cardiac death : a case-crossover study in Finland

AbstractObjective: To test the a priori hypothesis that the association between cold spells and ischaemic sudden cardiac death (SCD) is modified by the severity of coronary stenosis.Methods: The home coordinates of 2572 autopsy-verified cases of ischaemic SCD aged ≥35 in the Province of Oulu, Finland, were linked to 51 years of weather data. Cold spell was statistically defined for each home address as unusually cold weather pertinent to the location and time of year. We estimated the occurrence of cold spells during the hazard period (7 days preceding death) and reference periods (the same calendar days over 51 years) in a case-crossover setting applying conditional logistic regression, controlling for temporal trends and stratifying by severity of coronary stenosis.Results: The association between cold spells and ischaemic SCD was stronger among patients with 75%–95% stenosis (OR 2.03; 95% CI 1.31 to 3.17), and weaker to non-existent among patients with Conclusions: We provide evidence that the association between cold spells and ischaemic SCD is modified by the severity of coronary stenosis. The findings suggest that disturbances in coronary circulation play part in the pathogenesis of SCD during cold weather.Abstract Objective: To test the a priori hypothesis that the association between cold spells and ischaemic sudden cardiac death (SCD) is modified by the severity of coronary stenosis. Methods: The home coordinates of 2572 autopsy-verified cases of ischaemic SCD aged ≥35 in the Province of Oulu, Finland, were linked to 51 years of weather data. Cold spell was statistically defined for each home address as unusually cold weather pertinent to the location and time of year. We estimated the occurrence of cold spells during the hazard period (7 days preceding death) and reference periods (the same calendar days over 51 years) in a case-crossover setting applying conditional logistic regression, controlling for temporal trends and stratifying by severity of coronary stenosis. Results: The association between cold spells and ischaemic SCD was stronger among patients with 75%–95% stenosis (OR 2.03; 95% CI 1.31 to 3.17), and weaker to non-existent among patients with <75% stenosis (OR 0.97; 95% CI 0.37 to 2.55) or coronary total occlusion (100% stenosis) (OR 1.01; 95% CI 0.52 to 1.96). Lack of calcium-channel blockers and statin therapy seemed to accentuate the role of stenosis during cold spells. Conclusions: We provide evidence that the association between cold spells and ischaemic SCD is modified by the severity of coronary stenosis. The findings suggest that disturbances in coronary circulation play part in the pathogenesis of SCD during cold weather

Embracing open innovation to acquire external ideas and technologies and to transfer internal ideas and technologies outside

The objective of this dissertation is to increase understanding of how organizations can embrace open innovation in order to acquire external ideas and technologies from outside the organization, and to transfer internal ideas and technologies to outside the organization. The objective encompasses six sub-objectives, each addressed in one or more substudies. Altogether, the dissertation consists of nine substudies and a compendium summarizing the substudies. An extensive literature review was conducted on open innovation and crowdsourcing literature (substudies 1–4). In the subsequent empirical substudies, both qualitative research methods (substudies 5–7) and quantitative research methods (substudies 8–9) were applied. The four literature review substudies provided insights on the body of knowledge on open innovation and crowdsourcing. These substudies unveiled most of the influential articles, authors, and journals of open innovation and crowdsourcing disciplines. Moreover, they identified research gaps in the current literature. The empirical substudies offer several insightful findings. Substudy 5 shows how non-core ideas and technologies of a large firm can become valuable, especially for small firms. Intermediary platforms can find solutions to many pressing problems of large organizations by engaging renowned scientists from all over world (substudy 6). Intermediary platforms can also bring breakthrough innovations with novel mechanisms (substudy 7). Large firms are not only able to garner ideas by engaging their customers through crowdsourcing but they can also build long-lasting relations with their customers (substudies 8 and 9). Embracing open innovation brings challenges for firms too. Firms need to change their organizational structures in order to be able to fully benefit from open innovation. When crowdsourcing is successful, it produces a very large number of new ideas. This has the consequence that firms need to allocate a significant amount of resources in order to identify the most promising ideas. In an idea contest, customarily, only one or a few best ideas are rewarded (substudy 7). Sometimes, no reward is provided for the selected idea (substudies 8 and 9). Most of the ideas that are received are not implemented in practice