Southwestern Finland Research Articles

Comparing prenatal and postpartum stress among women with previous adverse pregnancy outcomes and normal obstetric histories: A longitudinal cohort study

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to compare subjectively and objectively measured stress during pregnancy and the three months postpartum in women with previous adverse pregnancy outcomes and women with normal obstetric histories. MethodsWe recruited two cohorts in southwestern Finland for this longitudinal study: (1) pregnant women (n = 32) with histories of preterm births or late miscarriages January–December 2019 and (2) pregnant women (n = 30) with histories of full-term births October 2019–March 2020. We continuously measured heart rate variability (HRV) using a smartwatch from 12 to 15 weeks of pregnancy until three months postpartum, and subjective stress was assessed with a smartphone application. ResultsWe recruited the women in both cohorts at a median of 14.2 weeks of pregnancy. The women with previous adverse pregnancy outcomes delivered earlier and more often through Caesarean section compared with the women with normal obstetric histories. We found differences in subjective stress between the cohorts in pregnancy weeks 29 and 34. The cohort of women with previous adverse pregnancy outcomes had a higher root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats (RMSSD), a well-known HRV parameter, compared with the other cohort in pregnancy weeks 26 (64.9 vs 55.0, p = 0.04) and 32 (63.0 vs 52.3, p = 0.04). Subjective stress did not correlate with HRV parameters. ConclusionsWomen with previous adverse pregnancy outcomes do not suffer from stress in subsequent pregnancies more than women with normal obstetric histories. Healthcare professionals need to be aware that interindividual variation in stress during pregnancy is considerable.

Voles, shrews and red squirrels as sources of tick blood meals and tick-borne pathogens on an island in southwestern Finland

Molecular identification of the previous blood meal source of a questing tick (Acari: Ixodidae) from blood meal fragments was proposed a few decades ago. Following this, several blood meal assays have been developed and published, but none of them have been taken into widespread use. Recently, novel retrotransposon-based qPCR assays designed for detecting blood meal fragments of North American host species were published. We wanted to assess their function with host species present in Finland.Questing ticks were collected by cloth dragging in August-September 2021 from an island in southwestern Finland. DNA was extracted from Ixodes ricinus nymphs (n=438) and qPCR assays applied to identify larval blood meal sources (voles, shrews and red squirrels) and screen for several tick-borne human pathogens and other microbes with pathogenic potential [Borrelia spp. (including specific assays for Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii, Borrelia valaisiana), Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Neoehrlichia mikurensis].The probability of a nymph having fed as larva on either a vole, shrew or red squirrel was 0.34 (0.30 – 0.38; 95% confidence interval). Bacteria of the genus Borrelia were the most common pathogens detected, with host-specific probabilities of carrying Borrelia of 0.30 (0.18 – 0.44) for nymphs that had fed on voles, 0.23 (0.14 – 0.35) for nymphs that had fed on shrews, and 0.42 (0.28 – 0.58) for nymphs that had fed on red squirrels. Other microbes were rarely acquired from these hosts, apart from N. mikurensis from voles.This study highlights that shrews and red squirrels may equal voles as blood meal sources for I. ricinus larvae. Overall, variation in proportions of blood meals provided by these animals may be high across even proximate study areas. All studied host species appeared to be important sources for particularly Borrelia afzelii, and voles also for N. mikurensis.

Bacterial meningitis in adults: a retrospective study among 148 patients in an 8-year period in a university hospital, Finland

BackgroundBacterial meningitis (BM) causes significant morbidity and mortality. We investigated predisposing factors, clinical characteristics, spectrum of etiological bacteria, and clinical outcome of community-acquired and nosocomial BM.MethodsIn this retrospective study we analyzed data of 148 adults (age > 16 years) with BM treated in Turku University Hospital, Southwestern Finland, from 2011 to 2018. Besides culture- or polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive cases we also included culture-negative cases with laboratory parameters strongly suggestive of BM and those with meningitis-related findings in imaging. We used Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score 1–4 to determine unfavorable outcome.ResultsThe median age of patients was 57 years and 48.6% were male. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture for bacteria showed positivity in 50 (33.8%) cases, although pre-diagnostic antibiotic use was frequent (85, 57.4%). The most common pathogens in CSF culture were Streptococcus pneumoniae (11, 7.4%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (7, 4.7%), Staphylococcus aureus (6, 4.1%) and Neisseria meningitidis (6, 4.1%). Thirty-nine patients (26.4%) presented with the triad of fever, headache, and neck stiffness. A neurosurgical procedure or an acute cerebral incident prior BM was recorded in 74 patients (50%). Most of the patients had nosocomial BM (82, 55.4%) and the rest (66, 44.6%) community-acquired BM. Ceftriaxone and vancomycin were the most used antibiotics. Causative pathogens had resistances against the following antibiotics: cefuroxime with a frequency of 6.8%, ampicillin (6.1%), and tetracycline (6.1%). The case fatality rate was 8.8% and the additional likelihood of unfavorable outcome 40.5%. Headache, decreased general condition, head computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hypertension, altered mental status, confusion, operative treatment, neurological symptoms, pre-diagnostic antibiotic use and oral antibiotics on discharge were associated with unfavorable outcome.ConclusionsThe number of cases with nosocomial BM was surprisingly high and should be further investigated. The usage of pre-diagnostic antibiotics was also quite high. Headache was associated with unfavorable outcome. The frequency of unfavorable outcome of BM was 40.5%, although mortality in our patients was lower than in most previous studies.

Mobile samplers of particulate matter – Flying omnivorous insects in detection of industrial contamination

Flying insects are potential mobile samplers of airborne particulate matter (PM). However, current knowledge on their susceptibility to PM is limited to pollinators. Insects' capacity for particle surface accumulation depends on the lifestyle, structure of the body integuments, and behavioral patterns. Here, we investigate how two species of flying omnivorous insects from the genus Vespula, possessing direct interactions with air, soil, plants, and herbivores, indicate industrial pollution by accumulating coarse (PM10) and fine (PM2.5) particles on their bodies. The internal accumulation of particles in wasps' gut tissues is assessed considering heavy metals exposure to reveal and discuss the potential magnitude of ecotoxicological risks. Female individuals of Vespula vulgaris and V. germanica were sampled with a hand-netting near to Harjavalta Cu-Ni smelter and in the control areas in southwestern Finland. They were analyzed with light microscopy (LM), electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) methods. Near to the smelter, wasps trapped significantly more particles, which were of bigger size and their surface optical density was higher. Vespula vulgaris accumulated larger particles than V. germanica, but that wasn't associated with morphological characteristics such as body size or hairiness. In both areas, accumulated surface PM carried clays and silicates. Only in polluted environments PM consistently contained metallic and nonmetallic particles (from high to moderate weight %) of Fe, Ni, Cu, and S – major pollutants emitted from the smelter. Wasps from industrially polluted areas carried significantly more granules in the columnar epithelial midgut cells. TEM-EDX analyses identified those structures were associated with metal ions such as Cr, Cu, Ni, and Fe. As epithelial gut cells accumulated metal particles, midgut confirmed as a barrier for metal exposure in wasps. External PM contamination in wasps is suggested as a qualitative, yet a natural and simple descriptor of local industrial emissions.

Endophytic Fungus Negatively Affects Salt Tolerance of Tall Fescue.

Vertically transmitted endophytic fungi can mitigate the negative effects of salinity encountered by their host grass and alter the competitive interactions between plant individuals. To experimentally study the interactive effects of the fungal endophyte Epichloë coenophiala on salt tolerance and intraspecific competition of its host plant, tall fescue Festuca arundinacea, we subjected 15 maternal lines of each Epichloë associated (E+) and Epichloë free (E-) tall fescue to salt treatment and competition in the greenhouse and common garden. Then, to explore variation in endophyte incidence in natural populations of tall fescue, we surveyed 23 natural populations occurring on or near the Baltic Sea coast in Aland islands in southwestern Finland for endophyte incidence, distance to shore, and competitive environment. Under salinity in the greenhouse, E- plants grew larger than E+ plants, but there was no size difference in the control treatment. E- plants grew taller and were more likely to flower than E+ plants when grown in benign conditions in the common garden but not with salinity or competition. The frequency of Epichloë incidence was high (90%) in natural populations, and it decreased towards the shore and risk of salt exposure. These results demonstrate a negative effect of Epichloë endophyte on the salt tolerance of its host. The high incidence of Epichloë in natural populations of tall fescue in the northern part of the species distribution range is likely due to factors other than salinity.

Baldinia droopii sp. nov. (Suessiales, Dinophyceae), a new species from a small rainwater rock pool near Tvärminne, south-western Finland

ABSTRACT A dinoflagellate isolated from a small rainwater rockpool in Finland was found to be a new species of Baldinia, here described as B. droopii sp. nov. This is only the third formally described Baldinia species and the second described by modern methods. The new species had a complement of generic characters that clearly affiliated it to Baldinia: presence of an internal honeycomb structure, termed a lamellar body, a ventral fibre associated with the longitudinal basal body and a pentagonal resting cyst; and the absence of an apical structure, thecal plates and trichocysts. The most distinctive species-specific characters were the presence of a resting cyst with tubiform processes, a paratabulation matching the pattern of the motile cell, and a life cycle exhibiting a diel rhythm, alternating between motile and non-motile coccoid cells. Motile cells occurred during the light period, peaking after 3–4 h of light period, while practically no motile cells occurred during the dark period. LSU rDNA sequences confirmed B. droopii as a new species, showing c. 14% sequence difference compared to B. anauniensis. Asexual reproduction occurred primarily by binary fission or via a so-called division cyst. Sexual reproduction occurred in the culture indicating that D. droopii is homothallic. The zygote may form a resistant cyst with tubiform processes, but there were indications that this stage may be by-passed. Different stages of the asexual and putative sexual reproduction were observed and documented by video recordings.

Transitive kriging for modeling tailings deposits: A case study in southwest Finland

Global mining generates a large amount of mine tailings, which can produce negative effects on the environment. To counteract this, government guidelines and scientific interest have emerged to reuse tailings deposits in innovative ways, converting them from an environmental liability to an economic asset. Thus, the characterization of a tailings deposit is of great importance to analyze the content of critical raw materials, as well as for a possible revaluation of the deposit, facilitating the mining process to be carried out in a more sustainable way. To characterize their chemical composition, information from drilling campaigns can be used. However, the evaluation of resources in tailings deposits has several complexities such as the poor grade spatial continuity and its narrow geometry, reasons for which traditional geostatistics is not adapted to model this type of deposit. In contrast, transitive geostatistics can be an opportunity to tackle this taking advantage of the fully delimited domain in a tailings dam and a different structural analysis. By achieving a better characterization of tailings composition, it is possible to make better decisions for their reprocessing, thus supporting cleaner mining production.This study aims to provide a framework for the geostatistical modeling and prediction of remaining metal resources of the Haveri tailings in southwestern Finland. The modeled variables are the gold, cobalt, copper and iron grades, with cobalt being of special interest as a critical material. The grades have been measured at 165 drill holes, totaling 1201 samples composited at 1 meter.An exploratory data analysis is performed first to clean the database and to identify the statistical and spatial distributions of the data. Then a structural analysis is applied to model the grade spatial continuity. Leave-one-out cross-validation is subsequently used to validate the fitted model and to quantify the prediction errors. Finally, 3D block models of the gold, cobalt, copper and iron grade are constructed with ordinary kriging and transitive kriging and are compared.Cross-validation shows that both kriging methods yield a good precision of the predictions and perform equally well for copper and iron, but transitive kriging significantly outperforms ordinary kriging for gold and cobalt and also provides less smoothed block models than ordinary kriging. Transitive kriging thus appears as an effective alternative for assessing resources in tailings and other narrow deposits. Recommendations on the sampling design to optimize the coverage of the target area and to ease the covariogram inference are also given.

Isotopic insights into the early Medieval (600–1100 CE) diet in the Luistari cemetery at Eura, Finland

In this article, we present the results of an isotopic study of diet for the early medieval (Merovingian, Viking, Early Christian) humans buried in the unique Luistari cemetery at Eura (ca. 600–1400 CE), southwestern Finland, the largest cemetery of the region. Isotope analysis was conducted on 37 humans for dentine and bone collagen (δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S), and five of them were also studied using compound-specific nitrogen isotope analysis. Dental enamel and/or bone carbonate δ13C values were studied from altogether 65 humans, five cattle, and five sheep/goats. The bone and dentine collagen and carbonate data show that throughout the centuries, freshwater fish was a stable part of the diet for the population. Our results do not show systematic dietary differences between estimated males and females, but differences can be large on the individual level. We also discovered a possible temporal change in the enamel carbonate ẟ13C values that could be related to the increasing role of carbohydrates (e.g., crops) in the diet. Luistari burials are well comparable to contemporary Swedish Viking trading communities like Birka in their higher protein intake. But contrary to the wider Viking network, they do not show the same marine signal.

More than writing on the wall

Abstract This article is dedicated to the analysis of visual multimodality and agency in a school unit situated in Southwestern Finland. The school unit is approached as a node of intersecting discourses and its visible features are investigated as materialized discourses. The results indicate that writing is the preferred mode of visual expression in this learning environment and that there is a shift in modes from image to writing as students progress in the school system, which reflects the existing de jure educational discourses. Moreover, while teachers and school staff are the most active agents in the school unit, the assessment of multimodality indicates that students appear more passive than they are if research focuses only on writing. Moreover, not taking images into account risks reinforcing the traditional notion of writing as the only proper form of expression.

Measurement report: Atmospheric new particle formation in a coastal agricultural site explained with binPMF analysis of nitrate CI-APi-TOF spectra

Abstract. The occurrence of new particle formation (NPF) events detected in a coastal agricultural site, at Qvidja, in Southwestern Finland, was investigated using the data measured with a nitrate ion-based chemical-ionization atmospheric-pressure-interface time-of-flight (CI-APi-TOF) mass spectrometer. The binned positive matrix factorization method (binPMF) was applied to the measured spectra. It resulted in eight factors describing the time series of ambient gas and cluster composition at Qvidja during spring 2019. The most interesting factors related to the observed NPF events were the two factors with the highest mass-to-charge ratios, numbered 7 and 8, both having profiles with patterns of highly oxygenated organic molecules with one nitrogen atom. It was observed that factor 7 had elevated intensities during the NPF events. A variable with an even better connection to the observed NPF events is fF7, which denotes the fraction of the total spectra within the studied mass-to-charge ratio range between 169 and 450 Th being in a form of factor 7. Values of fF7 higher than 0.50±0.05 were observed during the NPF events, of which durations also correlated with the duration of fF7 exceeding this critical value. It was also observed that factor 8 acts like a precursor for factor 7 with solar radiation and that the formation of factor 8 is associated with ozone levels.

Breastfeeding in low-income families of the turn of the 19th-century town of Rauma, Southwestern Finland, according to stable isotope analyses of archaeological teeth

We explore breastfeeding practices among low-income families in the late 18th to early 19th-century town of Rauma in Southwestern Finland. The breastfeeding practices in the area of the current nation of Finland (at the time belonging to first Sweden and then Russia) had been under debate. While in certain regions artificial infant feeding was common and was linked to high infant mortality, breastfeeding was also known to be practiced in certain regions of Finland. To explore this, we analyzed the δ15N and δ13C values in collagen of horizontally cut dentin segments of permanent first molars (M1; n = 7) collected from 19th century human skeletal remains from the deconsecrated Holy Trinity churchyard excavated in 2016. The resulting isotopic profiles were similarly patterned across the seven individuals. The emerging pattern revealed a period of exclusive breastfeeding during approximately the first six months of life, followed by weaning until the latter half of the second year. We further investigated diet during mid-childhood by comparing the stable isotope ratios in collagen of the M1 and premolar roots. This comparison suggested that the mid-childhood diets may have contained more plant-based foods than those consumed earlier in childhood.

Genetic, clinic and histopathologic characterization of BRCA-associated hereditary breast and ovarian cancer in southwestern Finland

We have analyzed the histopathological, clinical, and genetic characteristics in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer patients of counselled families from 1996 up to today in the southwestern Finland population. In this study we analyzed the incidence of different BRCA1 and BRCA2 pathogenic variants (PV). 1211 families were evaluated, and the families were classified as 38 BRCA1 families, 48 BRCA2 families, 689 non-BRCA families and 436 other counselled families (criteria for genetic testing was not met). In those families, the study consisted of 44 BRCA1 breast and/or ovarian cancer patients, 58 BRCA2 cancer patients, 602 non-BRCA patients and 328 other counselled patients. Breast cancer mean onset was 4.6 years earlier in BRCA1 carriers compared to BRCA2 (p = 0.07, a trend) and ovarian cancer onset almost 11 years earlier in BRCA1 families (p < 0.05). In BRCA families the onset of ovarian cancer was later than 40 years, and BRCA2-origin breast cancer was seen as late as 78 years. The BRCA PV (9%) increases the risk for same patient having both ovarian and breast cancer with a twofold risk when compared to non-BRCA group (4%) (95% CI p < 0.05). Triple-negativity in BRCA1 (42%) carriers is approximately 2.6 times vs more common than in BRCA2 carriers (16%) (p < 0.05). The risk ratio for bilateral breast cancer is approximately four times when compared BRCA2 (17%) and other counselled patients’ group (4%) (p < 0.05). 27% southwestern BRCA2-families have a unique PV, and correspondingly 39% of BRCA1-families. The results of this analysis allow improved prediction of cancer risk in high-risk hereditary breast and ovarian families in southwestern Finland and improve long term follow-up programs. According to the result it could be justified to have the discussion about prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy by the age of 40 years. The possibility of late breast cancer onset in BRCA2 carriers supports the lifelong follow-up in BRCA carriers. Cancer onset is similar between BRCA2 carries and non-BRCA high-risk families. This study evaluated mutation profile of BRCA in southwestern Finland. In this study genotype–phenotype correlation was not found

Common Cyber Situational Awareness: An Important Part of Modern Public Protection and Disaster Relief

European Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) services such as law enforcement, firefighting, emergency medical and disaster recovery services have recognized that the lack of interoperability of technical systems limit the cooperation between authorities. Also Finnish PPDR authorities and politicians have recognized the importance of a common situational awareness in preparation for the future. When the purpose is to work effectively towards a common goal or solve various challenges, accurate and reliable information as a basis for situational awareness is needed. Cyber situational awareness is the part of situational awareness which concerns the “cyber” environment. Such situational awareness can be reached, e.g., by the use of data from IT sensors that can be fed to a data fusion process or be interpreted directly by the decision-maker. This study was conducted on the ground by visiting situation and command centers located in the Turku area in Southwestern Finland. The Southwestern Finland Police department, the Southwest Finland Emergency Services, the Hospital District of Southwest Finland and the Finnish Border Guard in Turku have their own situation/ command centers. The main purpose of the study was to find out local level factors which affect to utilization of situational awareness system. The aim was also to research the level of preparedness in regional administration including local PPDR departments. The main results can be summarized so that the operational field work of the PPDR authorities should be more standardized so that implementing new technology would be profitable. The lack of cooperation between situation centers prevent to create common situational awareness. In the future, cyber situational awareness can play an important role in emergency and crisis management because the scene of PPDR will increasingly often be a cyber-physical system.

The use of chemical plant protection products in field vegetable farms in a central industrial vegetable growing area in Finland

Progress in the reduction of environmental and health risks of PPPs (plant protection products) using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in the EU needs to be gauged. Here, we report, for the first time, the exact quantities of PPP used in carrot, potato, swede, and fresh pea production in southwestern Finland from 2003 to 2019. Fresh peas and swede represent exceptionally low or decreasing use of PPPs, respectively. The number of treatments per field showed an increasing trend for fungicides used on potato, despite per unit area treatments have not increased. Furthermore, for carrots, insecticide and herbicide spray frequencies increased more than treatment volumes. The results of this study form a basis for analyzing ecotoxicological risks of PPP use in the studied crops because usage and spray frequencies alone do not convey the risk levels accurately. Research needs to be continued to better guide the recording of farmers’ plant protection activities and corresponding analysis to verify the impacts of IPM implementation.

Identifying Late Iron Age textile plant fibre materials with microscopy and X-ray methods \u2014 a study on finds from Ravattula Ristim\xe4ki (Kaarina, Finland)

In Finland, the earliest remains of a Christian church and cemetery date to the Late Iron Age (800–1150/1300 AD) and have been excavated in Ravattula Ristimäki, in Kaarina, southwestern Finland. In this study, seven assumingly plant fibre textile samples from individual inhumation graves were analysed to identify their materials. The aim of the study was to investigate the possibilities of identifying archaeological plant fibre samples using a three-stage procedure by observing the surface characteristics, microfibrillar orientation and cross section of the fibres via transmitted light microscopy (TLM). The identification process was based on such a TLM characterisation. Additionally, parts of the samples were studied with X-ray microtomography (micro-CT) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) to test the possibilities of using the X-ray methods in research and to identify bast fibre textiles. Both flax and nettle were found in the samples, indicating a preference for these two fibre plants in Late Iron Age Finland.

Population genomics of a forest fungus reveals high gene flow and climate adaptation signatures.

Genome sequencing of spatially distributed individuals sheds light on how evolution structures genetic variation. Populations of Phellopilus nigrolimitatus, a red-listed wood-inhabiting fungus associated with old-growth coniferous forests, have decreased in size over the last century due to a loss of suitable habitats. We assessed the population genetic structure and investigated local adaptation in P. nigrolimitatus, by establishing a reference genome and genotyping 327 individuals sampled from 24locations in Northern Europe by RAD sequencing. We revealed a shallow population genetic structure, indicating large historical population sizes and high levels of gene flow. Despite this weak substructuring, two genetic groups were recognized; a western group distributed mostly in Norway and an eastern group covering most of Finland, Poland and Russia. This substructuring may reflect coimmigration with the main host, Norway spruce (Picea abies), into Northern Europe after the last ice age. We found evidence of low levels of genetic diversity in southwestern Finland, which has a long history of intensive forestry and urbanization. Numerous loci were significantly associated with one or more environmental factors, indicating adaptation to specific environments. These loci clustered into two groups with different associations with temperature and precipitation. Overall, our findings indicate that the current population genetic structure of P. nigrolimitatus results from a combination of gene flow, genetic drift and selection. The acquisition of similar knowledge especially over broad geographic scales, linking signatures of adaptive genetic variation to evolutionary processes and environmental variation, for other fungal species will undoubtedly be useful for assessment of the combined effects of habitat fragmentation and climate change on fungi strongly bound to old-growth forests.

Niche differentiation within a cryptic pathogen complex: climatic drivers and hyperparasitism at multiple spatial scales

Pathogens are embedded in multi‐trophic food webs, which often include co‐occurring cryptic species within the same pathogen complex. Nonetheless, we still lack an understanding of what dimensions of the ecological niche might allow these cryptic species to coexist. We explored the role of climate, host characteristics (tree autumn phenology) and attack by the fungal hyperparasite Ampelomyces (a group of fungi attacking plant pathogens) in defining the niches of three powdery mildew species (Erysiphe alphitoides, E. hypophylla and E. quercicola) within a cryptic pathogen complex on the pedunculate oak Quercus robur at the continental (Europe), national (Sweden and France) and landscape scales (a 5 km2 island in southwestern Finland). Previous studies have shown that climate separated the niches of three powdery mildew species (E. alphitoides, E. hypophylla and E. quercicola) in Europe and two species (E. alphitoides and E. quercicola) in France. In our study, we did not detect a significant relationship between temperature or precipitation and the distribution of E. alphitoides and E. hypophylla present in Sweden, while at the landscape scale, temperature, but not relative humidity, negatively affected disease incidence of E. alphitoides in an exceptionally warm year. Tree variation in autumn phenology did not influence disease incidence of powdery mildew species, and hyperparasite presence did not differ among powdery mildew species at the continental, national and landscape scale. Climate did not affect the distribution of the hyperparasite at the continental scale and at the national scale in Sweden. However, climate affected the hyperparasite distribution in France, with a negative relationship between non‐growing season temperature and presence of the hyperparasite. Overall, our findings, in combination with earlier evidence, suggest that climatic factors are more important than species interactions in defining the niches of cryptic species within a pathogen complex on oak.

Precambrian fault reactivation revealed by structural and K-Ar geochronological data from the spent nuclear fuel repository in Olkiluoto, southwestern Finland

Integrated structural/geochronological studies help unraveling complex brittle deformation histories. We have analysed the structural geological database of brittle faults from the ONKALO™ underground facility for spent nuclear fuel in Olkiluoto in southwestern Finland. Based on the structural geological data from eleven representative fault zones, we classify the Olkiluoto brittle structural features into four fault systems, referred to as Fault system I to IV. The classification is based on their structural properties and tectonic history, crosscutting relationships, fault rock mineralogical characterization and 3D modelling. Some constraints on the timing of faulting are provided by K-Ar dates on synkinematic illite from fault gouge samples. Our results show that the bedrock in southwestern Finland experienced numerous brittle deformation phases between ca. 1.75 and 0.9 Ga. N-S strike-slip faults (Fault systems I and II) formed at mid-crustal levels ca. 1.79–1.75 Ga ago in response to NW-SE/NNW-SSE compression soon after the Svecofennian orogeny. Later E-W striking oblique dextral/normal faults (Fault system III) are tentatively associated with the Gothian orogeny 1.6 Ga ago. These three fault systems were reactivated during NE-SW compression ca. 1.3–1.2 Ga ago, coeval with intrusion of a regional swarm of olivine diabase sills. E-W compression at the onset of the Sveconorwegian orogeny ca. 1.1–1.0 Ga ago resulted in the formation of SE dipping low-angle thrust faults (Fault system IV) and the selective reactivation of fault system II and III. Overall E-W extension during the collapse of the Sveconorwegian orogen ca. 0.97–0.87 Ga ago caused the localised reactivation of fault systems III and IV. Our research approach, which is integral to the siting process of repositories for spent nuclear fuel, demonstrates that the basement in southwestern Finland experienced repeated reactivation since the Mesoproterozoic, suggesting that future deformation localization is likely to be also accommodated by reactivation of existing brittle structures rather than formation of new faults.

Clinical spectrum and geographic distribution of keratitis fugax hereditaria caused by the pathogenic variant c.61G&gt;C in NLRP3

AbstractPurposeTo chart clinical findings in individuals with keratitis fugax hereditaria (KFH) and the geographic distribution of their ancestors.MethodsPatient population included 84 Finnish patients (55% female) from 25 families with the pathogenic NLRP3 variant c.61G&gt;C. Procedures and main outcome measures were Sanger sequencing, clinical examination, corneal imaging, and a questionnaire regarding symptoms, quality‐of‐life, treatment, and comorbidities.ResultsThe oldest members in each family were born in Ostrobothnia in Western Finland or Southwestern Finland with historical ties to Sweden. One carrier was asymptomatic. Most (77%) experienced their first attack between 6 and 20 years of age. Three quarters had unilateral attacks 3‐5 times annually, primarily triggered by cold wind or air, or stress. Eighty percent reported ocular pain (median, 7 on scale 1‐10), conjunctival injection, photophobia, foreign body sensation, and tearing during attacks. Visual blur occurred 75% and 91% during and after the attack, respectively, for 1 day to 2 months (median, 10 days). Forty‐seven percent had corneal oval opacities with irregular tomography patterns and mild to moderate decrease (20/60 or better) in best‐corrected visual acuity that improved with scleral contact lenses. Except for headache in 40%, systemic symptoms were absent during the attacks.ConclusionsSymptoms and signs of KFH are restricted to the anterior segment of the eye, and they vary widely between individuals. We recommend scleral contact lenses as first‐line treatment for reduced vision. Allele frequencies suggest that KFH goes unrecognized in Sweden and populations with Scandinavian heritage.

Clinical Spectrum and Geographic Distribution of Keratitis Fugax Hereditaria Caused by the Pathogenic Variant c.61G>C in NLRP3

To chart clinical findings in individuals with keratitis fugax hereditaria (KFH) and the geographic distribution of their ancestors. A prospective cross-sectional study. This study took place in a tertiary referral center with a cohort of 84 Finnish patients (55% female) from 25 families with the pathogenic nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat (NLR) family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) variant c.61G>C. Observation procedures and main outcome measures were Sanger sequencing, clinical examination, corneal imaging, and a questionnaire regarding symptoms, quality of life, treatment, and comorbidities. The oldest members in each family were born in Ostrobothnia in Western Finland or in Southwestern Finland with historical ties to Sweden. One carrier was asymptomatic. Most (77%, 46/60) experienced their first attack between age 6 and 20 years. Three-quarters had unilateral attacks 3 to 5 times annually, primarily triggered by cold wind or air, or stress. Eighty percent (48/60) reported ocular pain (median, 7 on scale 1-10), conjunctival injection, photophobia, foreign body sensation, and tearing during attacks. Visual blur occurred in 75% (45/60) and 91% (55/60) during and after the attack, respectively, for a median of 10 days (range, 1 day-2 months). Forty-seven percent (39/60) had corneal oval opacities with irregular tomography patterns and mild to moderate decrease (20/60 or better) in best-corrected visual acuity that improved with scleral contact lenses. Except for headache in 40%, systemic symptoms were absent during the attacks. Symptoms and signs of KFH are restricted to the anterior segment of the eye and vary widely between individuals. We recommend scleral contact lenses as the first-line treatment for reduced vision. Allele frequencies suggest that KFH goes unrecognized in Sweden and populations with Scandinavian heritage.