Browsing by Subject "growth"

Childhood hyperphosphatasemia is usually transient and may be associated with infections. It remains less well known how hyperphosphatasemia is related to growth and bone mineralization. We explored alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentrations and prevalence of hyperphosphatasemia, and their association with vitamin D, growth, infections, and bone parameters in healthy children. The study was a secondary analysis of a vitamin D intervention trial. Participants received vitamin D3 10 or 30 µg daily from age 2 weeks to 2 years. Children with data on ALP at 12 and/or 24 months (n = 813, girls 51.9%) were included. Anthropometrics and bone parameters were measured at 12 and 24 months. Infections were recorded prospectively by the parents. Boys had higher ALP than girls at 12 months (median [IQR] 287 [241-345] U/L vs 266 [218-341] U/L; P = .02). At 24 months concentrations were lower than at 12 months (240 [202-284]; P < .001) but without sex difference. The prevalence of hyperphosphatasemia (ALP > 1000 U/L) at 12 months was 5.3% and at 24 months 0.6%. Body size, growth rate, and bone mineral content associated positively with ALP, while vitamin D intervention had no effect. Infants with hyperphosphatasemia were smaller than infants with ALP ≤ 1000 U/L. Hyperphosphatasemia was not associated with previous infections. Approximately 5% of infants had hyperphosphatasemia at 12 months, but <1% at 24 months. ALP concentrations and hyperphosphatasemia were associated with sex, anthropometry, and bone mineralization. Infections did not contribute to hyperphosphatasemia.

Clostridium botulinum on anaerobinen, itiöitä tuottava, gram-positiivinen bakteeri, joka tuottaa vahvinta tunnettua luonnollista myrkkyä, botulinumneurotoksiinia. Se aiheuttaa ihmisessä ja eläimissä harvinaista botulismia, joka on vakava, mahdollisesti kuolemaan johtava hermoston halvaustila. Botulismia tavataan säilöttyjen ja pakattujen elintarvikkeiden välityksellä leviävänä klassisena ruokamyrkytyksenä sekä suolistokolonisaationa imeväisikäisillä ja haavainfektiona ruiskuhuumeiden käyttäjillä. C. botulinumin luontaisesta elinympäristöstä ja ravinnosta tiedetään vähän. Samankaltaisen itiöllisen bakteerin, Bacillus subtiliksen, on todistettu käyttävän muita bakteereita ravinnokseen, mikä herättää kysymyksen myös C. botulinumin ravinnonhankinnasta ja samalla neurotoksiinituotannon merkityksestä bakteerin biologiassa. On kiinnostava kysymys, voisiko myrkyllä olla rooli ravinnonhankinnassa. Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin, käyttääkö C. botulinum ravinnokseen erilaisia gram-positiivisista ja -negatiivisista bakteereista tai luonnossa bakteerin elinympäristössä mahdollisesti esiintyvistä selkärangattomista peräisin olevia komponentteja, ja vaikuttavatko nämä substraatit C. botulinumin itiöitymiseen tai hermomyrkyntuotantoon. Substraatteina tutkittiin muun muassa kuollutta bakteerisolumassaa, bakteerien soluseinässä ja hyönteisten tai äyriäisten kuoressa esiintyvää kitiiniä sekä sen rakenneainetta, N-asetyyli-D-glukosamiinia (GlcNAc), sekä positiivisena kontrollina glukoosia. Tarkoitus oli kerryttää tietämystä C. botulinumin mahdollisesta luontaisesta elinympäristöstä ja ravinnosta ja sitä kautta etsiä yhteyksiä hermomyrkyntuottoon tai itiöitymiseen. Testikantana käytettiin C. botulinum ryhmän II Beluga Ei -kantaa, joka tuottaa rakenteellisesti autenttista mutta biologisesti inaktiivista toksiinia (toksoidi). Bakteerit kasvatettiin anaerobisissa olosuhteissa vähäravinteisessa kasvatusliemessä, johon lisättiin testattavia substraatteja. Negatiiviseen kontrollielatusaineeseen ei lisätty substraattia. Bakteerikasvua seurattiin mittaamalla kasvuston optista tiheyttä spektrofotometrilla sekä seuraamalla elävien bakteerien ja itiöiden määrää ja pH:ta kasvustossa. Tuotetun hermomyrkyn määrää seurattiin käyttämällä immunologista testiä (sandwich-ELISA). Bakteerien solumorfologiaa tarkasteltiin faasikontrastimikroskopian avulla. Tutkimuksessa selvisi, että bakteeriperäiset substraatit elatusaineessa lisäsivät C. botulinumin toksiinituotantoa elatusaineessa. Tämä saattaisi mahdollisesti liittyä ravinnonhankintaan, mikä viittaisi C. botulinumin kykyyn hyödyntää muita bakteereja ravinnokseen. Eri lajin bakteerimassa elatusaineessa lisäsi toksiinituotantoa enemmän kuin saman lajin, mikä voisi viitata C. botulinumin suosivan saaliskäyttäytymistä kannibalismin sijaan. Kaikkein suurimmat toksiinipitoisuudet mitattiin GlcNAc:a ja glukoosia sisältävistä elatusaineista. Botulinumneurotoksiinin hyöty bakteerille ja sen rooli ravinnonhankinnassa vaativat lisätutkimuksia. Bakteeriperäiset substraatit elatusaineessa lisäsivät C. botulinumin kasvua ja itiöitymistä. Sen sijaan GlcNAc ja glukoosi elatusaineessa laskivat elatusaineiden pH:ta huomattavasti, mikä johti itiöitymisen vähenemiseen. Tutkimuksen tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää elintarviketurvallisuustutkimuksissa ja pyrkiä siten etsimään keinoja C. botulinumin toksiinituotannon hallitsemiseen elintarvikkeissa.

The purpose of the study was to identify the differences between forest machine enter-prises’ operational environments in Finland and Sweden and to find out what kind of rela-tionships and contracts these enterprises have with their clients. The purpose was also to identify what kind of growth strategies are implemented and what sort of financing op-portunities are offered in forest machine industry. The aim of this study was also to con-duct an evaluation of financial potential of the forest machine industry in both countries. This study uses qualitative methods. The material was gathered through five interviews conducted in Finland and five in Sweden during the summer and autumn of 2015. The material was analyzed through thematizing. The interviews hold four main themes which included operational environment, relationships and contracts, growth and success and finance. The operational environment was considered more positive in Finland, due to the future large investments targeted to the country`s forest industry. The main difference between the two countries is that most of the clients use key contractor model in Finland which is not commonly applied in Sweden and this had clear effects on the results of this study. Also, contractors in Finland often have more clients than in Sweden. The service contracts contained the same basic conditions in both countries except the duration of the contract, which was longer in Finland. Contractors generally used internal growth and corporate acquisition as their growth strategy in both countries. Contractors were more expansionary and open to growth in Finland than in Sweden. They also used the same kind of financial products in both countries. According to the results, the forest machine industry has the same financial potential in both countries, since the urge of financing will not disappear in the future.

MODY-diabetekset ovat yhden geenin virheen aiheuttamia diabeteksen muotoja. Glukoosiaineenvaihdunnan häiriön lisäksi osaan MODY-geeneistä on yhdistetty muita ilmentymiä, kuten munuaisten matala glukoosikynnys, eksokriinisen haiman toimintahäiriö ja vaikutuksia sikiöaikaiseen kasvuun. HNF1A-geeni on yksi monogeenisen diabeteksen aiheuttavista geeneistä ja diabetesta kutsutaan nimellä HNF1A-diabetes tai MODY3. P.Gly292fs on HNF1A-geenin tunnettu patogeeninen alleeli, joka johtaa varhaiseen diabeteksen puhkeamiseen. Tiedossamme on suomalaisia sukuja, joissa tämä geenivirhe on. Syventävien opintojeni tavoitteena oli selvittää, onko geenivirheen kantajien ja heidän ei-kantaja sukulaistensa välillä eroa syntymämitoissa ja kasvussa. Keräsimme kyseiseen sukuun kuuluvilta henkilöiltä heidän kasvutietojaan syntymämitoista aikuismittoihin asti. Mukaan saatiin 214 henkilön kasvutietoja. Vertailimme syntymäpainoa ja -pituutta sekä aikuisiän painoa, pituutta ja painoindeksia geenivirheen kantajien ja ei-kantajien välillä. Geenivirheen kantajuuden lisäksi jaoimme joukon alaryhmiin sukupuolen ja äidin geenivirheen kantajuuden mukaan. Vertailu suoritettiin IBM SPSS Statistics 25 -ohjelmalla. Tuloksissa ei tullut esiin johdonmukaisia eroja geenivirheen kantajien ja ei-kantajien kasvun välillä. Alaryhmissä tuli esiin tilastollisesti merkitseviä tuloksia. Geenivirhettä kantaneet tytöt, joiden äideillä ei ollut geenivirhettä, syntyivät tutkituista ryhmistä kevyimpinä ja lyhimpinä. Sitä vastoin geenivirhettä kantaneet tytöt, joiden äideilläkin oli geenivirhe, olivat painavimpia ja pisimpiä tyttövauvoista. Miehissä geenivirheen kantajat olivat aikuisina kevyempiä kuin ei-kantajat. Tuloksista näkyi ennakko-odotusten ja aiemman tiedon mukaisesti, että äidin geenivirheen kantajuudella ja diabeteksella oli suurempi vaikutus sikiöiden kasvuun sitä suurentaen, kuin sikiön omalla geenivirheellä. Aikuisiän matalamman painon ajateltiin olevan merkittäviltä osin seurausta tiiviimmästä kontaktista terveydenhuollon palveluihin ja kiinnostuksesta terveellisempiin elintapoihin. Tutkimukseni perusteella HNF1A-geenivirheen kantajien kasvussa ei ole selvää eroa terveisiin verrokkeihin nähden, vaikka yksittäisissä alaryhmissä löytyi eroja. Aikuisiässä HNF1A-geenivirheen kantajat olivat ei-kantajia kevyempiä.

The growth and development of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is affected by photoperiod and temperature. Photoperiod has various signalling functions affecting reproductive development and its rate. It also affects the rates of leaf area extensions and dry matter production. Increase in photoperiod hastens the plant developmental processes and affects the leaf area and tiller formation. Primary tillers form from axillary buds in the leaf nodes on the main culm and increase the leaf area of the plant. Under favourable conditions, initiated tillers grow to separate culms with grain bearing ears. However, the environmental conditions during the growing season in northern latitudes affect tiller formation. The aims of the experiments were to investigate the effects of photoperiod on barley leaf and tiller development. Other aims were to compare the differences expressed by the two row-types and tillering habits. Seven barley accessions, differing in tillering habit and row-type, were used in the experiments. Three pairs of near-isogenic accessions six-rowed ‘Morex’ and ‘Uniculm Morex’, ‘Kindred’ and ‘Uniculm Kindred’, two-rowed ‘Ingrid’ and ‘3-503’, differing in tillering habit, and two-rowed ‘Saana’ were grown in growth chamber at humidity of 60/70 % and at temperature 18/12 ºC (day/night), in three different photoperiods (15 h, 18 h and 21 h). The leaf length and width were measured from the full-grown leaves. The samples to identify main culm and tillers were taken after the plants reached the 4-leaf-stage. The effects of photoperiod, accession, tillering habit and row-type on the plant, leaf and tiller growth were statistically analysed. Increase in photoperiod hastened the plant development as well as leaf and tiller emergence rates. The leaf size and main culm leaf area decreased as the photoperiod increased. The number of tillers increased as photoperiod increased. The uniculm accessions had larger leaves and a larger main culm leaf area than the conventional tillering accessions. Six-rowed accessions had larger leaves and a larger main culm leaf area than the two-rowed accessions. The two-rowed accessions had a faster tiller emergence rate and a higher tiller number compared to the six-rowed accessions. Photoperiod treatments affected the leaf and tiller growth and development as expected apart from the number of tillers produced in the longest, 21h photoperiod. Differences between the two tillering habits and row-types were also as expected, although some exceptions occurred. Potentials and limitations of uniculm growth habit in agricultural production were also discussed.

Mercury (Hg) is a heavy metal acknowledged as a worldwide contaminant that accumulates in organisms and biomagnifies in food webs. The organic methylmercury (MeHg) species is harmful to animals, including humans, and mainly derived from the diet. The dietary Hg consumed by fish is mostly removed through the intestine, but some of the MeHg bioaccumulates, especially in the white muscle tissue of fish. Perch (Perca fluviatilis) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) are commonly found fish species in Finland. Perch has additional im-portance as it is the national fish of Finland, a popular food fish, as well as a monitoring species used to evaluate the chemical status of lakes. Seasonal variation of Hg in muscle tissue of fish is supposedly caused by starvation in winter, which condenses Hg in the muscle, and growth dilution in summer, which refers to fast somatic growth during the growing season, which dilutes Hg in the muscle. Similar to winter, spawning has also been found to condense Hg in muscle tissue of fish due to high energy investment into gonad development. Seasonal variation of Hg and variables driving seasonal changes have been shown to differ between fish species. Seasonal variation has been studied mainly during the open-water season. However, less is known about how winter conditions under ice affect Hg levels in fish. In this MSc thesis, I asked (Q1) How total mercury (THg) content in the muscle tissue of perch and roach change annually? (Q2) How THg bioaccumulation in the muscle tissue of perch and roach change annually? (Q3) What are the factors explaining annual variation in THg content in the muscle tissue of perch and roach? The practical application of results was to discuss if annual variation should be considered in monitoring programs and human health questions. The materials used in this study were collected from Lake Pääjärvi monthly from March 2020 to March 2021. Fish were collected using gillnet series. Length, weight, sex, sexual maturity, stomach fullness, Fulton’s condition factor (K), and muscle THg were determined from each fish. The annual length-corrected THg content variation was tested using analysis of variance. The annual THg bioaccumulation variation in the relationship between muscle and fish length was tested using simple linear regression analysis, and the seasonal variation in THg bioaccumulation was tested with LOESS regression analysis. Variables affecting seasonal variation were tested with stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. THg content of perch was the highest in winter and spring and the lowest in fall, while roach showed no significant seasonal variation. THg bioaccumulation of both species was highest in winter, spring, and early summer and lowest in fall. Perch displayed more substantial seasonal variation than roach. Biological and environmental variables that explained the THg content of perch were length, ice thickness, gonadosomatic index (GSI), light, and condition factor. Variables that explained the THg content of roach were length, sex, and total phosphorus (Tot-P). This study confirmed that starvation in winter, growth dilution in summer, and spawning in spring/early summer are vital factors driving seasonal variation. Due to evident seasonal variation, monitoring month should be pre-set in current monitoring programs.

In winter plants are exposed to harsh winter conditions with low temperatures being one of the major challenging factors. Traditionally winter has been considered a period unfavourable for plant growth and activity, but newer findings reveal higher levels of activity than previously assumed possible. Adaptations to different winter conditions are observed between species but also within species between populations which can be expressed in differing phenology between populations. Dormancy is a widespread phenomenon in the plant kingdom with major importance in plant evolution. Dormancy is considered to be present in seeds and buds of a wide spectre of plant groups, but asexual reproductive units like bulbils have been thought to lack the ability to undergo the phenomenon of dormancy. Findings suggest that a dormancy-like phenomenon can also be present in bulbils. Allium oleraceum is a bulb forming geophyte with a widespread distribution in Europe that grows on many differing habitats. The predominate form of reproduction in the species is the vegetative formation of bulbils. The wide distribution has led to adaptation to different environmental conditions, furthermore the species displays six levels of polyploidi partially differing in traits like ecology. The differences between cytotypes are regional and there are large intracytotytpic variations. In Finland tetra- and pentaploid populations have been reported, differing in their distribution patterns. The Finnish cytotypes exhibit differences in morphology but there is also evidence for ecological differences between the cytotypes. In addition, there is an atypical tetraploid population which differ significantly morphologically from other tetraploid populations. The objective of this master’s project was to examine the growth of bulbils from three different origins of Allium oleraceum. Another objective of the experiment was to give information on differences between the cytotypes in Finland, tetra- and pentaploids, but also the atypical tetraploid cytotype. Furthermore, I investigated whether the bulbils exhibit a dormancy-like phenomenon, with a special focal point on dormancy according to Vegis’ theory (1964). Earlier findings have shown considerable capability of growth during winter in Allium oleraceum, which is also examined in this project. The experiment included collected bulbils from two localities. Tetra- and pentaploid bulbils were collected from a mixed population of both cytotypes in Tvärminne, Hangö, and tetraploid bulbils were also collected from the atypical tetraploid population on Sveaborg, Helsingfors. Growth experiments were done outside and in growth chambers with controlled temperature and light conditions. The bulbils were planted outside in early autumn. Of each origin one group was kept outside during the entire winter, one group was put in growth chambers in December and one group was put in growth chambers in February to examine the effect of differing winter length on growth. During the experiment, the timing of growth onset in bulbs and leaf growth was followed up. The origins included in this project exhibited considerable differences. The pentaploid cytotype from Tvärminne had bulbils of greater size than the tetraploid cytotypes, between which there was only an indication of a difference. For the bulbils from the atypical tetraploid population growth onset took place early in the autumn and the vast majority of the bulbils started growing in a short period of time. For the two origins from Tvärminne the growth onset took place later and a considerable number of bulbils started growing in the spring. The tetraploid cytotype from Tvärminne exhibited earlier growth onset and a higher share of bulbils started growing in the autumn than the pentaploid cytotype from Tvärminne. In the growth chambers the differences between the three origins were not as obvious but the two cytotypes from Tvärminne were affected by the timing of the experiment more than the atypical tetraploid cytotype from Sveaborg. The observed differences between the origins in the experiment are thought reflect the different distribution patterns of the cytotypes and could hence be adaptations to different conditions. The atypical tetraploid population could be of Central European origin which would mean that it could have adaptations to mild winters which would explain the big difference between this origin and the two other origins. Between the two experiments in the growth chambers significant differences were observed. The growth was considerably greater in February than in December for all origins, especially in the midmost temperatures. The observed differences between the two experiments signifies that bulbils of Allium oleraceum exhibits a dormancy-like phenomenon and according to Vegis’ theory. In contrary to earlier findings, only little growth was observed during winter. The lack of considerable growth could be explained by the thick snow cover which made the amount of light that reached the plants very low which then led to little growth. The results from this project suggest that there are differences between the three different origins of bulbils included. Further studies are needed to find out if the observer differences are adaptations to local conditions or if there are differences on a higher level between the Finnish cytotypes.

Forage crops are an important part of agriculture in worldwide since about 69 % of the agricultural area is covered with permanent meadows and pastures. In Finland forages cover up to 29 % of the agricultural area and production is based on intensive cultivation. The most cultivated species in Finland is timothy grass (Phleum pratense ssp. pratense L.). It is very frost resistant and that is why it is suited for northern growth environment. Timothy cultivars can be divided based on their genotypic origin to southern, northern and intermediate types. Cultivars differ in their growth and development habit. Along climate change extreme weather conditions become more frequent, mean temperature will rise and winters will be rainier. This research tries to find out how the different cultivars from different origins differ in their cold tolerance, growth and development speed and how vernalisation affects. Besides these it was researched if different methods for evaluating the vernalisation response in winter crops were useful methods to evaluate vernalisation response in forage grasses. Research composed two years long field trial and growth chamber trial. Vernalisation accelerated the growth and development of timothy. Based on this research the southern cultivars already had readiness for growth and development despite of the vernalisation if environmental conditions were favourable. Northern cultivars attained this readiness along the vernalisation. Vernalisation affected also to the architecture of the grasses. The number of generative tillers, that produce the inflorescence, increased due to vernalisation response. The number of vegetative tiller, not inflorescence tiller, became less due to vernalisation. The research revealed that cold tolerance was dependent on the temperature of the autumn hardening period (FH-COLD). High mean temperature during the hardening period decreased the cold tolerance. If the temperature was between 0 °C and + 5 °C cold tolerance increased. According to this research vernalisation had a clear effect on timothy growth and development for example. Northern cultivars do not necessarily need such a long vernalisation as Finnish winter is. Also methods for evaluating the vernalisation response in winter crops are partly useful in pure timothy cultivars too.

In this thesis, I analyse Helsinki’s city strategy for 2017-2021 through questions of community membership, social inequality and immigration. Building on Benedict Anderson’s ‘imagined communities’ I analyse the community building and citizen-making processes that the city strategy describes. The purpose of the study is to unveil the underlying values of the strategy, which functions as a guide for political decision-making and thus is sociologically interesting. Through the theoretical framework of critical discourse analysis I illuminate how the city image, the city community and its residents are imagined. I argue that Helsinki is imagined as an international metropolitan forerunner, where social inequality is pictured as an economic problem, and immigration is pictured as a source of unemployment. Growth is an important factor of Helsinki’s identity as a leading city, and it is recognised that growth may increase social problems. Helsinki’s way of handling social differentiation is used for identity construction, where economic productivity rises as a central factor beside social welfare. Immigration, which counts for the positively perceived growth, is, however, mainly described as a problem. Immigrants are discussed in a very generalising manner and mainly in terms of employability, and it is further underlined that the residents’ worth is measured in their economic contribution to the community. My conclusions are that there is a conflict between the welfare society and the idea of economic productivity in Helsinki, as the strategy aims to please audiences interested in both functioning welfare services and innovative business possibilities. I argue that the prejudiced idea of problematic immigration and of integration as employment only does not contribute to the picture of Helsinki as an internationally attractive city for immigrants, and it contradicts the previously mentioned welfare society aspirations.