The role of productivity in the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of predator-prey interaction

Productivity is predicted to drive the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of predator-prey interaction through changes in resource allocation between different traits. However, resources are seldom constantly available and thus temporal variation in productivity could have considerable effect on the species' potential to evolve. To study this, three long-term microbial laboratory experiments were established where Serratia marcescens prey bacteria was exposed to predation of protist Tetrahymena thermophila in different prey resource environments. The consequences of prey resource availability for the ecological properties of the predator-prey system, such as trophic dynamics, stability, and virulence, were determined. The evolutionary changes in species traits and prey genetic diversity were measured. The prey defence evolved stronger in high productivity environment. Increased allocation to defence incurred cost in terms of reduced prey resource use ability, which probably constrained prey evolution by increasing the effect of resource competition. However, the magnitude of this trade-off diminished when measured in high resource concentrations. Predation selected for white, non-pigmented, highly defensive prey clones that produced predation resistant biofilm. The biofilm defence was also potentially accompanied with cytotoxicity for predators and could have been traded off with high motility. Evidence for the evolution of predators was also found in one experiment suggesting that co-evolutionary dynamics could affect the evolution and ecology of predator-prey interaction. Temporal variation in resource availability increased variation in predator densities leading to temporally fluctuating selection for prey defences and resource use ability. Temporal variation in resource availability was also able to constrain prey evolution when the allocation to defence incurred high cost. However, when the magnitude of prey trade-off was small and the resource turnover was periodically high, temporal variation facilitated the formation of predator resistant biofilm. The evolution of prey defence constrained the transfer of energy from basal to higher trophic levels, decreasing the strength of top-down regulation on prey community. Predation and temporal variation in productivity decreased the stability of populations and prey traits in general. However, predation-induced destabilization was less pronounced in the high productivity environment where the evolution of prey defence was stronger. In addition, evolution of prey defence weakened the environmental variation induced destabilization of predator population dynamics. Moreover, protozoan predation decreased the S. marcescens virulence in the insect host moth (Parasemia plantaginis) suggesting that species interactions outside the context of host-pathogen relationship could be important indirect drivers for the evolution of pathogenesis. This thesis demonstrates that rapid evolution can affect various ecological properties of predator-prey interaction. The effect of evolution on the ecological dynamics depended on the productivity of the environment, being most evident in the constant environments with high productivity.

Sustainable development indicators : Much wanted, less used?

For the past twenty years, several indicator sets have been produced on international, national and regional levels. Most of the work has concentrated on the selection of the indicators and on collection of the pertinent data, but less attention has been given to the actual users and their needs. This dissertation focuses on the use of sustainable development indicator sets. The dissertation explores the reasons that have deterred the use of the indicators, discusses the role of sustainable development indicators in a policy-cycle and broadens the view of use by recognising three different types of use. The work presents two indicator development processes: The Finnish national sustainable development indicators and the socio-cultural indicators supporting the measurement of eco-efficiency in the Kymenlaakso Region. The sets are compared by using a framework created in this work to describe indicator process quality. It includes five principles supported by more specific criteria. The principles are high policy relevance, sound indicator quality, efficient participation, effective dissemination and long-term institutionalisation. The framework provided a way to identify the key obstacles for use. The two immediate problems with current indicator sets are that the users are unaware of them and the indicators are often unsuitable to their needs. The reasons for these major flaws are irrelevance of the indicators to the policy needs, technical shortcomings in the context and presentation, failure to engage the users in the development process, non-existent dissemination strategies and lack of institutionalisation to promote and update the indicators. The importance of the different obstacles differs among the users and use types. In addition to the indicator projects, materials used in the dissertation include 38 interviews of high-level policy-makers or civil servants close to them, statistics of the national indicator Internet-page downloads, citations of the national indicator publication, and the media coverage of both indicator sets. According to the results, the most likely use for a sustainable development indicator set by policy-makers is to learn about the concept. Very little evidence of direct use to support decision-making was available. Conceptual use is also common for other user groups, namely the media, civil servants, researchers, students and teachers. Decision-makers themselves consider the most obvious use for the indicators to be the promotion of their own views which is a form of legitimising use. The sustainable development indicators have different types of use in the policy cycle and most commonly expected instrumental use is not very likely or even desirable at all stages. Stages of persuading the public and the decision-makers about new problems as well as in formulating new policies employ legitimising use. Learning by conceptual use is also inherent to policy-making as people involved learn about the new situation. Instrumental use is most likely in policy formulation, implementation and evaluation. The dissertation is an article dissertation, including five papers that are published in scientific journals and an extensive introductory chapter that discusses and weaves together the papers.

Outer Membrane Protease/Adhesin PgtE of Salmonella enterica: Role in Salmonella-Host Interaction

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a common cause of gastroenteritis in humans and, occasionally, also causes systemic infection. During systemic infection an important characteristic of Salmonella is its ability to survive and replicate within macrophages. The outer membrane protease PgtE of S. enterica is a member of the omptin family of outer membrane aspartate proteases, which are beta-barrel proteins with five surface-exposed loops. The main goals of this study were to characterize biological substrates and pathogenesis-associated functions of PgtE and to determine the conditions where PgtE is fully active. In this study we found that PgtE requires rough lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to be functional but is sterically inhibited by the long O-antigen side chain in smooth LPS. Salmonella isolates normally are smooth with a long oligosaccharide O-antigen, and PgtE remains functionally cryptic in wild-type Salmonella cultivated in vitro. Interestingly, our results showed that due to increased expression of PgtE and to reduced length of the LPS O-antigen chains, the wild-type Salmonella expresses highly functional PgtE when isolated from mouse macrophage-like J774A.1 cells. Salmonella is thought to be continuously released from macrophages to infect new ones, and our results suggest that PgtE is functional during these transient extracellular growth phases. Six novel host protein substrates were identified for PgtE in this work. PgtE was previously known to activate human plasminogen (Plg) to plasmin, a broad-spectrum serine protease, and in this study PgtE was shown to interfere with the Plg system by inactivating the main inhibitor of plasmin, alpha2-antiplasmin. PgtE also interferes with another important proteolytic system of mammals by activating pro-matrix metalloproteinase-9 to an active gelatinase. PgtE also directly degrades gelatin, a component of extracellular matrices. PgtE also increases bacterial resistance against complement-mediated killing in human serum and enhances survival of Salmonella within murine macrophages as well as in the liver and spleen of intraperitoneally infected mice. Taken together, the results in this study suggest that PgtE is a virulence factor of Salmonella that has adapted to interfere with host proteolytic systems and to modify extracellular matrix; these features likely assist the migration of Salmonella during systemic salmonellosis.

Characterization of inhibition of platelet function by paracetamol and its interaction with diclofenac and parecoxib

Aim: To characterize the inhibition of platelet function by paracetamol in vivo and in vitro, and to evaluate the possible interaction of paracetamol and diclofenac or valdecoxib in vivo. To assess the analgesic effect of the drugs in an experimental pain model. Methods: Healthy volunteers received increasing doses of intravenous paracetamol (15, 22.5 and 30 mg/kg), or the combination of paracetamol 1 g and diclofenac 1.1 mg/kg or valdecoxib 40 mg (as the pro-drug parecoxib). Inhibition of platelet function was assessed with photometric aggregometry, the platelet function analyzer (PFA-100), and release of thromboxane B2. Analgesia was assessed with the cold pressor test. The inhibition coefficient of platelet aggregation by paracetamol was determined as well as the nature of interaction between paracetamol and diclofenac by an isobolographic analysis in vitro. Results: Paracetamol inhibited platelet aggregation and TxB2-release dose-dependently in volunteers and concentration-dependently in vitro. The inhibition coefficient was 15.2 mg/L (95% CI 11.8 - 18.6). Paracetamol augmented the platelet inhibition by diclofenac in vivo, and the isobole showed that this interaction is synergistic. Paracetamol showed no interaction with valdecoxib. PFA-100 appeared insensitive in detecting platelet dysfunction by paracetamol, and the cold-pressor test showed no analgesia. Conclusions: Paracetamol inhibits platelet function in vivo and shows synergism when combined with diclofenac. This effect may increase the risk of bleeding in surgical patients with an impaired haemostatic system. The combination of paracetamol and valdecoxib may be useful in patients with low risk for thromboembolism. The PFA-100 seems unsuitable for detection of platelet dysfunction and the cold-pressor test seems unsuitable for detection of analgesia by paracetamol.

Interaction of alcohol and smoking in the pathogenesis of upper digestive tract cancers - possible chemoprevention with cysteine

Background: Alcohol consumption and smoking are the main causes of upper digestive tract cancers. These risk factors account for over 75% of all cases in developed countries. Epidemiological studies have shown that alcohol and tobacco interact in a multiplicative way to the cancer risk, but the pathogenetic mechanism behind this is poorly understood. Strong experimental and human genetic linkage data suggest that acetaldehyde is one of the major factors behind the carcinogenic effect. In the digestive tract, acetaldehyde is mainly formed by microbial metabolism of ethanol. Acetaldehyde is also a major constituent of tobacco smoke. Thus, acetaldehyde from both of these sources may have an interacting carcinogenic effect in the human upper digestive tract. Aims: The first aim of this thesis was to investigate acetaldehyde production and exposure in the human mouth resulting from alcohol ingestion and tobacco smoking in vivo. Secondly, specific L-cysteine products were prepared to examine their efficacy in the binding of salivary acetaldehyde in order to reduce the exposure of the upper digestive tract to acetaldehyde. Methods: Acetaldehyde levels in saliva were measured from human volunteers during alcohol metabolism, during tobacco smoking and during the combined use of alcohol and tobacco. The ability of L-cysteine to eliminate acetaldehyde during alcohol metabolism and tobacco smoking was also investigated with specifically developed tablets. Also the acetaldehyde production of Escherichia coli - an important member of the human microbiota - was measured in different conditions prevailing in the digestive tract. Results and conclusions: These studies established that smokers have significantly increased acetaldehyde exposure during ethanol consumption even when not actively smoking. Acetaldehyde exposure was dramatically further increased during active tobacco smoking. Thus, the elevated aerodigestive tract cancer risk observed in smokers and drinkers may be the result of the increased acetaldehyde exposure. Acetaldehyde produced in the oral cavity during ethanol challenge was significantly decreased by a buccal L-cysteine -releasing tablet. Also smoking-derived acetaldehyde could be totally removed by using a tablet containing L-cysteine. In conclusion, this thesis confirms the essential role of acetaldehyde in the pathogenesis of alcohol- and smoking-induced cancers. This thesis presents a novel experimental approach to decrease the local acetaldehyde exposure of the upper digestive tract with L-cysteine, with the eventual goal of reducting the prevalence of upper digestive tract cancers.

Ionosphere-atmosphere interaction during solar proton events

Among the most striking natural phenomena affecting ozone are solar proton events (SPE), during which high-energy protons precipitate into the middle atmosphere in the polar regions. Ionisation caused by the protons results in changes in the lower ionosphere, and in production of neutral odd nitrogen and odd hydrogen species which then destroy ozone in well-known catalytic chemical reaction chains. Large SPEs are able to decrease the ozone concentration of upper stratosphere and mesosphere, but are not expected to significantly affect the ozone layer at 15--30~km altitude. In this work we have used the Sodankylä Ion and Neutral Chemistry Model (SIC) in studies of the short-term effects caused by SPEs. The model results were found to be in a good agreement with ionospheric observations from incoherent scatter radars, riometers, and VLF radio receivers as well as with measurements from the GOMOS/Envisat satellite instrument. For the first time, GOMOS was able to observe the SPE effects on odd nitrogen and ozone in the winter polar region. Ozone observations from GOMOS were validated against those from MIPAS/Envisat instrument, and a good agreement was found throughout the middle atmosphere. For the case of the SPE of October/November 2003, long-term ozone depletion was observed in the upper stratosphere. The depletion was further enhanced by the descent of odd nitrogen from the mesosphere inside the polar vortex, until the recovery occurred in late December. During the event, substantial diurnal variation of ozone depletion was seen in the mesosphere, caused mainly by the the strong diurnal cycle of the odd hydrogen species. In the lower ionosphere, SPEs increase the electron density which is very low in normal conditions. Therefore, SPEs make radar observations easier. In the case of the SPE of October, 1989, we studied the sunset transition of negative charge from electrons to ions, a long-standing problem. The observed phenomenon, which is controlled by the amount of solar radiation, was successfully explained by considering twilight changes in both the rate of photodetachment of negative ions and concentrations of minor neutral species. Changes in the magnetic field of the Earth control the extent of SPE-affected area. For the SPE of November 2001, the results indicated that for low and middle levels of geomagnetic disturbance the estimated cosmic radio noise absorption levels based on a magnetic field model are in a good agreement with ionospheric observations. For high levels of disturbance, the model overestimates the stretching of the geomagnetic field and the geographical extent of SPE-affected area. This work shows the importance of ionosphere-atmosphere interaction for SPE studies. By using both ionospheric and atmospheric observations, we have been able to cover for the most part the whole chain of SPE-triggered processes, from proton-induced ionisation to depletion of ozone.

Hybrid Modelling of Titan's Interaction with the Magnetosphere of Saturn

In this dissertation we study the interaction between Saturn's moon Titan and the magnetospheric plasma and magnetic field. The method of research is a three-dimensional computer simulation model, that is used to simulate this interaction. The simulation model used is a hybrid model. Hybrid models enable individual tracking or tracing of ions and also take into account the particle motion in the propagation of the electromagnetic fields. The hybrid model has been developed at the Finnish Meteorological Institute. This thesis gives a general description of the effects that the solar wind has on Earth and other planets of our solar system. Planetary satellites can also have similar interactions with the solar wind but also with the plasma flows of planetary magnetospheres. Titan is clearly the largest among the satellites of Saturn and also the only known satellite with a dense atmosphere. It is the atmosphere that makes Titan's plasma interaction with the magnetosphere of Saturn so unique. Nevertheless, comparisons with the plasma interactions of other solar system bodies are valuable. Detecting charged plasma particles requires in situ measurements obtainable through scientific spacecraft. The Cassini mission has been one of the most remarkable international efforts in space science. Since 2004 the measurements and images obtained from instruments onboard the Cassini spacecraft have increased the scientific knowledge of Saturn as well as its satellites and magnetosphere in a way no one was probably able to predict. The current level of science on Titan is practically unthinkable without the Cassini mission. Many of the observations by Cassini instrument teams have influenced this research both the direct measurements of Titan as well as observations of its plasma environment. The theoretical principles of the hybrid modelling approach are presented in connection to the broader context of plasma simulations. The developed hybrid model is described in detail: e.g. the way the equations of the hybrid model are solved is shown explicitly. Several simulation techniques, such as the grid structure and various boundary conditions, are discussed in detail as well. The testing and monitoring of simulation runs is presented as an essential routine when running sophisticated and complex models. Several significant improvements of the model, that are in preparation, are also discussed. A main part of this dissertation are four scientific articles based on the results of the Titan model. The Titan model developed during the course of the Ph.D. research has been shown to be an important tool to understand Titan's plasma interaction. One reason for this is that the structures of the magnetic field around Titan are very much three-dimensional. The simulation results give a general picture of the magnetic fields in the vicinity of Titan. The magnetic fine structure of Titan's wake as seen in the simulations seems connected to Alfvén waves an important wave mode in space plasmas. The particle escape from Titan is also a major part of these studies. Our simulations show a bending or turning of Titan's ionotail that we have shown to be a direct result of the basic principles in plasma physics. Furthermore, the ion flux from the magnetosphere of Saturn into Titan's upper atmosphere has been studied. The modelled ion flux has asymmetries that would likely have a large impact in the heating in different parts of Titan's upper atmosphere.

Monimuotoisuus ja esteettömyys : Näkövammaisten asiantuntijoiden työelämäkokemuksia

The purpose of this study is to analyse education, employment, and work-life experiences of visually impaired persons in expert jobs. The empirical data consists of 30 thematic interviews (24 visually impaired persons, 1 family-member of a visually impaired person, 5 persons working with diversity issues), of supplementary articles, and of statistics on the socio-economic status of the visually impaired. The interviewees experiences of education and employment have been analysed by a qualitative method. The analysis has been deepened by reflecting it against the recent discussion on the concept of diversity. The author s methodological choice as a disability researcher has been to treat the interviewees as co-researchers rather than objects of research. Accessibility in its different forms is a prerequisite of diversity in the workplace, and this study examines what kind of accessibility is required by visually impaired professionals. Access to working life depends on the attitudes prejudices and expectations that society has towards a minority group. Social accessibility is connected with internal relationships in the workplace, and achieving social accessibility is a bilateral process. Information technology has revolutionised the visually impaired people s possibilities of accessing information and performing expert tasks. Accessible environment, good mobility skills, and transportation services enable visually impaired employees to get to their workplaces and to navigate there with ease. Integration has raised the level of education and widened the selection of career options for the visually impaired. However, even visually impaired people with academic degrees often need employment support services. Visually impaired professionals are mainly employed in the public and third sector. Achieving diversity in the labour market is a multiactor process. Social support services are needed, as well as courage and readiness from employers to hire people with disabilities. The organisations of the visually impaired play an important role in affecting the attitudes and providing peer support. Visually impaired employees need good professional skills, blindness skills, and social courage, and they need to be comfortable with their disability. In the workplace, diversity may actualise as diverse ways of working: the work is done by using technical aids or other means of compensating for the lack of eyesight. When an employee must find compensatory solutions for disability-related limitations at work, this will also develop his/her problem-solving abilities. Key words: visually impaired, diversity, accessibility, working life

Ruumis ja rauta : esseitä esineiden sosiaalisuudesta

"Body and Iron: Essays on the Socialness of Objects" focuses on the bodily-material interaction of human subjects and technical objects. It poses a question, how is it possible that objects have an impact on their human users and examines the preconditions of active efficacy of objects. In this theoretical task the work relies on various discussions drawing from realistic ontology, phenomenology of body, neurophysiology of Antonio Damasio and psychoanalysis to establish both objects and bodies as material entities related in a causal interaction with each other. Out of material interaction emerge a symbolic field, psyche and culture that produce representations of interactions with material world they remain dependent on and conditioned by. Interaction with objects informs the human body via its somatosensory systems: interoseptive and proprioseptive (or kinesthetic) systems provide information to central nervous system of the internal state of the body and muscle tensions and motor activity of the limbs. Capability to control the movements of one's body by the internal "feel" of being a body turns out to be a precondition to the ability to control artificial extensions of the body. Motor activity of the body is involved in every perception of environment as the feel of one's own body is constitutive of any perception of external objects. Perception of an object cause changes in the internal milieu of the body and these changes in the organism form a bodily representation of an external object. Via these "muscle images" the subject can develop a feel for an instrument. Bodily feel for an object is pre-conceptual, practical knowledge that resists articulation but allows sensing the world through the object. This is what I would call sensual knowledge. Technical objects intervene between body and environment, transforming the relation of perception and motor activity. Once connected to a vehicle, human subject has to calibrate visual information of his or her position and movement in space to the bodily actions controlling the machine. It is the machine that mediates the relation of human actions to the relation of her body to its environment. Learning to use the machine necessarily means adjusting his or her bodily actions to the responses of the machine in relation to environmental changes it causes. Responsiveness of the machine to human touch "teaches" its subject by providing feedback of the "correctitude" of his or her bodily actions. Correct actions form a body technique of handling the object. This is the way of socialness of objects. While responding to human actions they generate their subjects. Learning to handle a machine means accepting the position of the user in the program of action materialized in the construction of the object. Objects mediate, channel and transform the relation of the body to its environment and via environment to the body itself according to their material and technical construction. Objects are sensory media: they channel signals and information from the environment thus constituting a representation of environment, a virtual or artificial reality. They also feed the body directly with their powers equipping their user with means of regulating somatic and psychic states of her self. For these reasons humans look for the company of objects. Keywords: material objects, material culture, sociology of technology, sociology of body, mobility, driving

The effects of marriage partners' socio-economic positions on the risk of divorce in Finland

Väitöskirjatutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää, miten aviopuolisoiden sosioekonominen asema vaikuttaa avioeroriskiin Suomessa. Tutkimuksessa käytettiin Tilastokeskuksen rekistereistä koottua aineistoa, joka koskee suomalaisten ensimmäisiä avioliittoja vuoden 1990 lopussa ja avioeroja vuosina 1991−93. Väitöskirjaan sisältyy kolme osatutkimusta. Ensimmäinen osatutkimus käsitteli avioeroriskin vaihtelua aviopuolisoiden sosioekonomisen aseman eri osatekijöiden (koulutusaste, sosiaaliryhmä, pääasiallinen toiminta, tulotaso, asunnon omistaminen ja asumisahtaus) mukaan. Kaiken kaikkiaan avioeroriski oli sitä pienempi, mitä paremmassa taloudellisessa ja sosiaalisessa asemassa aviopuolisot olivat. Esimerkiksi miehen ja vaimon korkea koulutusaste, toimihenkilöammatti, työssäkäynti (etenkin verrattuna työttömyyteen) sekä omistusasunnossa asuminen liittyivät pienentyneeseen avioeroriskiin. Vaimon sosioekonomisen aseman yhteys avioeroriskiin oli paljolti samanlainen kuin miehen aseman yhteys. Huomattavin poikkeus tähän oli, että vaimon suuret tulot lisäsivät avioeroriskiä, vaikka miehen suurilla tuloilla oli päinvastainen vaikutus. Lisäksi kotitaloustyötä pääasiallisena toimintanaan tekevillä naisilla (pääasiallisen toiminnan luokka ”muut”) oli vielä pienempi avioeroriski kuin työssäkäyvillä naisilla. Toisessa osatutkimuksessa keskityttiin aviomiehen ja vaimon aseman yhdistettyyn vaikutukseen. Selviä viitteitä siitä, että puolisoiden koulutustasojen erilaisuus lisäisi eroriskiä, ei saatu. Pareilla, joissa molemmilla oli enintään perusasteen koulutus, oli kuitenkin odotettua pienempi avioeroriski. Eroriski oli suhteellisen alhainen pareilla, joissa vaimo oli työssäkäyvä tai kotitaloustyötä tekevä ja aviomies työssäkäyvä. Eroriskiä kasvatti se, että aviomies, vaimo tai molemmat puolisot olivat työttömiä. Vaimon korkea tulotaso lisäsi eroriskiä miehen kaikilla tulotasoilla mutta erityisen voimakkaasti silloin, kun miehen tulotaso oli alhainen. Kolmanneksi selvitettiin, vaikuttaako puolisoiden sosioekonominen asema avioeroriskiin eri tavalla riippuen siitä, kauanko avioliitto on kestänyt. Tällöin havaittiin, että vähän koulutettujen ja työntekijäammateissa toimivien puolisoiden suuri eroriski rajoittuu paljolti nuorimpiin avioliittoihin. Sen sijaan esim. puolisoiden työttömyys, vaimon korkea tulotaso ja vuokra-asunnossa asuminen kasvattivat eroriskiä riippumatta siitä, kuinka kauan avioliitto oli kestänyt. Kaiken kaikkiaan eroriski oli siis sitä pienempi, mitä paremmassa taloudellisessa ja sosiaalisessa asemassa puolisot olivat. Vaimon taloudellisilla ja sosiaalisilla resursseilla näyttää kuitenkin olevan myös joitakin avioeroriskiä lisääviä vaikutuksia.

Opettajien teknologiasuhteen luonne ja muodostuminen

This study investigates primary and secondary school teachers’ social representations and ways to conceptualise new technologies. The focus is both on teachers’ descriptions, interpretations and conceptions of technology and on the adoption and formation of these conceptions. In addition, the purpose of this study is to analyse how the national objectives of the information society and the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT) in schools reflect teachers’ thinking and everyday practices. The starting point for the study is the idea of a dynamic and mutual relationship between teachers and technology so that technology does not affect one-sidedly teachers’ thinking. This relationship is described in this study as the teachers’ technology relationship. This concept emphasises that technology cannot be separated from society, social relations and the context where it is used but it is intertwined with societal practices and is therefore formed in interaction with the material and social factors. The theoretical part of this study encompasses three different research traditions: 1) the social shaping of technology, 2) research on how schools and teachers use technology and 3) social representations theory. The study was part of the Helmi Project (Holistic development of e-Learning and business models) in 2001–2005 at the Helsinki University of Technology, SimLab research unit. The Helmi Project focused on different aspects of the utilisation of ICT in teaching. The research data consisted of interviews of teachers and principals. Altogether 37 interviews were conducted in 2003 and 2004 in six different primary and secondary schools in Espoo, Finland. The data was analysed applying grounded theory. The results showed that the teachers’ technology relationship was diverse and context specific. Technology was interpreted differently depending on the context: the teachers’ technology related descriptions and metaphors illustrated on one hand the benefits and the possibilities and on the other hand the problems and threats of different technologies. The dualist nature of technology was also expressed in the teachers’ thinking about technology as a deterministic and irrevocable force and as a controllable and functional tool at the same time. Teachers did not consider technology as having a stable character but they interpreted technology in relation to the variable context of use. This way they positioned or anchored technology into their everyday practices. The study also analysed the formation of the teachers’ technology relationship and the ways teachers familiarise themselves with new technologies. Comparison of different technologies as well as technology related metaphors turned out to be significant in forming the technology relationship. Also the ways teachers described the familiarisation process and the interpretations of their own technical skills affected the formation of technology relationship. In addition, teachers defined technology together with other teachers, and the discussions reflected teachers’ interpretations and descriptions.

Lastensuojelun sosiaalityö asiakirjoina : Dokumentoinnin ja tiedonmuodostuksen dynamiikka

Tutkimuksen keskeinen tehtävä on selvittää, mikä on dokumentoinnin merkitys lastensuojelun sosiaalityön tiedonmuodostuksessa ja ammattikäytännöissä. Asiakirjateksteistä koostuvaa tutkimusaineistoa tarkastellaan kolmesta eri suunnasta kysymällä: 1)Miten asiakirjoja kirjoitetaan? 2) Mitä asiakirjoihin kirjoitetaan? 3) Miksi asiakirjoja kirjoitetaan niin kuin kirjoitetaan? Tutkimusaineisto muodostuu lastensuojelun sosiaalityöntekijöiden laatimista asiakastietojärjestelmään tallennetuista muistiinpanoista ja huostaanottopäätöksistä. Tutkimukseen on valittu 20 huostaanotetun eri-ikäisen lapsen ja heidän perheensä asiakirjat yhteensä 1613 asiakirjatulostussivua. Tekstit ajoittuvat vuodesta 1989 vuoteen 2000. Tutkimusmenetelmä on diskurssianalyyttinen ja tukeutuu Fairclough`n (1997)esittämään kolmiulotteiseen malliin, jossa diskurssi määritellään tekstin, käytäntöjen ja sosiokulttuurisen ympäristön suhteeksi. Diskurssianalyysi on näiden rakenteiden ja niiden välisten suhteiden kuvaamista, tulkintaa ja selittämistä. Fairclough’n mallia mukaillen tutkimuksen analyysi koostuu retoriikan ja tematiikan analyyseistä sekä pragmatiikan näkökulman sisältävästä tarkastelusta. Asiakirjatekstien pilkkominen puhujakategorioihin osoitti tekstien olevan moniäänisiä, useiden henkilöiden näkemyksiä ja mielipiteitä sisältäviä tekstipintoja. Retoriikan analyysi näytti, että lastensuojelun sosiaalityön asiakirjat sisältävät paljon dynaamisia kuvauksia työstä. Asiakirjojen kirjoittaminen moniäänisiksi tuo tekstiin uskottavuutta, ja se on myös yksi retorinen vaikuttamiskeino. Tematiikan tarkastelu osoitti,että asiakirjojen sisällölliset teemat (lapsen hoiva, arjen hallinta, yhteistyö ja päihteiden käyttö) ja kokemukselliset teemat (huoli, vastuu, yhteys ja moraali) toistuvat sisäkkäisinä ja päällekkäisinä säikeinä dynaamisesti vaihdellen. Sosiaalityöntekijät kirjaavat teksteihin monia yhtäaikaisia teemoja, joiden avulla rakentavat ammatillista ymmärrystä kyseessä olevasta tilanteesta. Asiakirjojen tutkiminen pragmatiikan suunnasta toi esiin, kirjoittamisen ja lukemisen kontekstiulottuvuudet sekä tiedonmuodostusprosessin. Asiakirjojen laatiminen on osa sosiaalityön käytäntöjä. Se on myös keskeinen alue ammattikunnan yhteisen ammatillisen ymmärryksen luomisessa ja ylläpitämisessä. Muistiinpanot, huostaanottopäätökset ja lakitekstit ovat intertekstuaalisia. Lastensuojelun sosiaalityön asiakirjojen tutkiminen on avannut uusia mahdollisuuksia ymmärtää sosiaalityön dokumentointiprosessia, merkitystä ja roolia sekä tiedonmuodostuksen dynamiikkaa. Tekstien kirjoittaminen, niiden lukeminen, tietojen siirtäminen ja asiakkaan kuuleminen samoin kuin kuulemisen kirjaaminen ovat sosiaalityön dokumentoinnin keskeisiä haasteita. Tutkimus pyrkii avaamaan ymmärrystä asiakirjatekstien monivivahteiseen ja dynaamiseen maailmaan ja siten myös sosiaalityön dokumentoinnin arkeen. Tarkastelut mahdollistavat työn kehittämisen erityisesti sosiaalityön asiakasvaikuttavuuden mittaamisen ja parantamisen suuntaan. Asiakirjoissa ilmenevä tiedonmuodostuksen dynamiikka syntyy kirjoittamiskäytäntöjen, kirjoittamisen ja lukemisen sekä toimintakäytäntöjen yhteisessä alueessa. Avainsanat: sosiaalityö, lastensuojelu, dokumentointi, asiakirja, diskurssianalyysi, tiedonmuodostus.