Omistus, kontrolli ja päämies-agentti- ongelmat osakeyhtiössä

Tutkielman tavoitteena on selvittää osakeyhtiön määräysvaltasuhteet ja miten päämies-agentti- ongelmat vaikeuttavat määräysvallan käyttöä. Tutkimusmetodi on lainopillinen ja lähestyminen aiheeseen tapahtuu sekä yhtiöoikeudellisesta, että oikeustaloustieteellisestä näkökulmasta. Aineistona tutkielmassa käytetään lähinnä voimassa olevaa lainsäädäntöä ja oikeuskirjallisuutta. Päämies-agentti- ongelmalla tarkoitetaan osakeyhtiössä määräysvallan osittaista luisumista omistajalta (päämies) yritysjohdolle (agentti) tai vähemmistöomistajalta (päämies) kontrolloivalle omistajalle (agentti). Tärkeimpiä ongelman lähteitä ovat epäsymmetrinen informaatio ja intressiristiriidat yhtiön johdon ja omistajien välillä tai toisaalta yhtiötä lähellä olevien omistajien ja muiden omistajien välillä. Epäsymmetrinen informaatio luo osaltaan puitteet agenttitahojen opportunistiselle käyttäytymiselle. Ratkaisuja päämies-agentti- ongelmiin ovat ennen kaikkea päämiestahoja suojaava lainsäädäntö ja ulkoiset yritysjohtajien käyttäytymistä ohjaavat keinot, kuten erilaiset kannustinjärjestelmät ja hyvät hallintotavat. Kontrolloivien omistajien käyttäytymistä on puolestaan vaikea ohjata ja erilaisilla määräysvaltaa keskittävillä omistusrakenteilla onkin taipumus voimistaa päämies-agentti- ongelmien vaikutusta. Erityisiä tilanteita osaltaan luovat myös luonteiltaan erilaiset omistajatahot, kuten institutionaaliset omistajat.

Fabrication technology and applications of fiber Bragg gratings

In this thesis theoretical and technological aspects of fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) are considered. The fabrication of uniform and chirped fiber Bragg gratings using phase mask technique has been exploited throughout this study. Different requires of FBG inscription were considered and implemented experimentally to find economical and effective procedure. The hydrogen loading was used as a method for enhancement the photosensitivity of the fiber. The minimum loading time for uniform and chirped fiber Bragg gratings was determined as 3 days and 7 days at T = 50°C and hydrogen pressure 140 bar, respectively. The post-inscription annealing was considered to avoid excess losses induced by the hydrogen. The wavelength evolution during annealing was measured. The strain and temperature sensor application of FBG was considered. The wavelength shifts caused by tension and temperature were studied for both uniform and chirp fiber Bragg gratings.

Neck Muscle Function and Adolescent Headache

Muscular function of the neck region may be of importance for the etiology of headache, especially of tension-type headache. However, very few data exist on the association of neck muscle function with different types of headache in adolescents. The main aim of the study was to examine the association of neck muscle function with adolescent headache. The associations between leisure time activities, endurance strength of the upper extremities (UE endurance) and mobility of the neck-shoulder region and adolescent headache were studied. In addition, the associations of force production, EMG/force ratio, co-activation and fatigue characteristics, and cross-sectional area (CSA) of neck muscles with adolescent headache were studied. The study is part of a population-based cohort study of 12-year-old children with and without headache. The study had five phases (years 1998-2003). At the age of 13 years, a sample of 183 adolescents (183/311) participated in endurance strength and mobility measurements of the neck-shoulder region. In addition, the type and level of physical and other leisure activity were elicited with open and structured questions. At the age of 17 years, a random sample of 89 adolescents (89/202) participated in force and EMG measurements of the neck-shoulder muscles. In addition, at the age of 17 years, a sample of 65 adolescents (65/89) participated in CSA measurements of the neck muscles. At the age of 13 years, intensive participation in overall sports activity was associated with migraine. Frequent computer use was associated both with migraine and tension-type headache. The type of sports or other leisure activity classified them on the basis of body loading was not associated with headache type. In girls, low UE endurance of both sides, and low cervical rotation of the dominant side, were associated with tension-type headache, and low UE endurance of non-dominant side with migraine. In boys, no associations occurred between UE endurance and mobility variables and headache types. At the age of 17 years, in girls, high EMG/force ratios between the EMG of the left agonist sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) and maximal neck flexion and neck rotation force to the right side as well as high co-activation of right antagonist cervical erector spinae (CES) muscles during maximal neck flexion force were associated with migraine-type headache. In girls, neck force production was not associated with headache types but low left shoulder flexion force was associated with tension-type headache. In boys, no associations were found between EMG and force variables and headache. Increased SCM muscles fatigue of both sides was associated with tension-type headache. In boys, the small CSA of the right SCM muscle and, in girls, of combined right SCM and scalenus muscles was associated with tension-type headache. Similarly, in boys, the large CSA of the right SCM muscle, of the combined right SCM and scalenus muscles, of the left semispinalis capitis muscle, of the combined left semispinalis and splenius muscles was associated with migraine. No other differences in the CSA of neck flexion or extension muscles were found. Differences in the neuromucular function of the neck-shoulder muscles were associated with adolescent headache, especially in girls. Differences in the cross-sectional area of unilateral neck muscles were associated with headache, especially in boys. Differences in the neuromuscular function and in the cross-sectional area of the neck muscles also occurred between different types of headache. It remains to be established whether the findings are primary or secondary to adolescent migraine and tension headache. Keywords: adolescent, cross-sectional area, electromyography, endurance strength, fatigue, force, headache, leisure time activity, migraine, mobility, neck muscles, tension-type headache

Mallinnuksen käyttö arvioitaessa ilmastonmuutoksen vaikutusta havu- ja lehtinunnan levinneisyyteen

Seloste artikkelista: Vanhanen, H., Veteli, T. O., Päivinen, S., Kellomäki, S. & Niemelä, P. 2007. Climate change and range shifts in two insect defoliators: gypsy moth and nun moth - a model study. Silva Fennica 41 (4) : 621-638

Reagenssin pinta-aktiivisuuden hyödyntäminen sinkin uutossa

Työssä tutkittiin sinkin uutossa käytettävän di(2-etyyliheksyyli)fosforihappo (D2EHPA) -uuttoreagenssin faasikäyttäytymistä ja miten laimentimen koostumus, lämpötila ja orgaanisen faasin sinkkipitoisuus vaikuttavat faasitasapainoon. Laimentimen vaikutuksen havaittiin olevan pientä, kun taas lämpötilan nostaminen yli huoneenlämpötilan leventää faasidiagrammin yksifaasialuetta. Pienet orgaanisen faasin sinkkipitoisuudet eivät juuri vaikuta faasitasapainoon. Sinkin ja D2EHPA:n moolisuhteen ollessa välillä 0,1–0,2 kompleksin rakenne ilmeisesti muuttuu. Sinkkipitoisuuden kasvaessa yksifaasialue muodostuu pienemmillä ammoniakkimäärillä. Suurilla orgaanisen faasin sinkkipitoisuuksilla ja ammoniakkimäärillä muodostuu orgaanisen faasin ja vesifaasin välille kolmas nestefaasi. D2EHPA:n (40 p %) vesipitoisuuden ja viskositeetin pH riippuvuutta tutkittiin, kun laimentimena oli alifaattinen hiilivetyliuotin. Nostettaessa pH yli 3,5:n uuttoreagenssi alkoi muodostaa käänteismisellejä, jolloin orgaanisen faasin vesipitoisuus ja viskositeetti kasvoivat eksponentiaalisesti. Sinkin mukana uuttautuu epäpuhtauksia kuten Al3+, Co2+, Cu2+, Na+, Ni2+, Cl- ja F-. Takaisinuuton kautta epäpuhtaudet joutuvat talteenottoelektrolyysiin, jossa ne voivat vaikuttaa tuotteen laatuun ja laskea virtahyötysuhdetta. Tarkoituksena oli tutkia väheneekö epäpuhtauksien myötäuuttautuminen jollakin tietyllä sinkin latausasteella. Fluoridin ja kuparin uuttautumisen havaittiin vähenevän vasta, kun sinkin pitoisuus orgaanisessa faasissa oli yli 20 g/L lämpötilasta riippumatta. Fluoridi uuttautuu mahdollisesti alumiinikompleksina ja/tai fluorihappona. Koboltin ja nikkelin myötäuuttautumisen havaittiin vähenevän, kun sinkin latausaste oli yli 10 g/L. Natrium ja kloridi eivät myötäuuttautuneet.

Henkilöstöresurssien optimointi ja hallinta sataman operaattoriyhtiössä

Työn tavoitteena on selvittää erilaisten työaikamallien ja henkilöstön määrän vaikutuksia Finnsteven henkilöstökustannuksiin ja ylitöiden määrään. Selvitystyö toteutetaan simuloimalla vaihtoehtoisia työaikamalleja ja henkilöstömääriä tilastollisten menetelmien avulla. Työn toisena tavoitteena on ehdottaa yritykselle toimintatapaa suorittaa lopullinen henkilöstöresurssien optimointi. Työn teoriaosuudessa esitellään aluksi yritystä ja sen toimintaympäristöä. Tämän jälkeen tarkastellaan nykyisen TE-sopimuksen mahdollistamia työaikamalleja. Seuraavaksi perustellaan käytettävät tilastolliset menetelmät ja tiedonkeruumenetelmät. Edetessään työ syventyy tarkastelemaan yrityksen tekemän työn kohdentumista aikatyöhön ja ylityöhön sekä viikonpäiville että työvuoroille. Lopuksi kuvataan työn optimoinnissa käytetty logiikka, analysoidaan saatuja tuloksia ja esitellään optimointityökalun toteutussuunnitelma. Diplomityössä tehdyn selvityksen mukaan satamatyössä tehdään nykyisellään erittäin paljon ylitöitä. Siten työaikamallien optimointi on perusteltua. Optimoinnilla saavutettavat potentiaaliset kustannussäästöt ovat erittäin huomattavia. Lopullinen optimointi on haastava tehtävä, jota henkilöstöhallinto ei pysty ratkaisemaan pelkkään kokemukseensa luottaen. Tuotannonsuunnittelun avuksi tarvitaan täten työkalu, joka palvelee paitsi mallien luontia, toimii suunnittelun apuna jatkossakin.

Past, present and future - assessing changes in aquatic environments using subfossil diatoms

The deterioration of surface waters is one of the most important issues in the environmental management of the European Union. Thus, the EU Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) requires “good ecological and chemical status” of surface waters by 2015 allowing only a slight departure from ecological reference conditions characterized by the biological communities typical for the conditions of minimal anthropogenic impact. The WFD requires the determination of ecological reference conditions and the present ecological status of surface waters. To meet this legislative demand, sedimentary diatom assemblages were used in these studies with various methods 1) to assess natural and human activity induced environmental changes, 2) to characterize background conditions 3) to evaluate the present ecological status and 4) to predict the future of the water bodies in the light of palaeolimnological data. As the WFD refers to all surface waters, both coastal and inland sites were included. Two long and two short sediment cores from the Archipelago Sea in the northern Baltic Sea were examined for their siliceous microfossils in order to assess (1) the Holocene palaeoenvironmental history and (2) the recent eutrophication of the area. The diatom record was divided into local diatom assemblage zones (LDAZ, long cores) and diatom assemblage zones (DAZ, short cores). Locally weighted weighted averaging regression and calibration (LWWA) was applied for the quantitative reconstruction of past TN concentrations (short cores). An age model for the long cores was constructed by using independent palaeomagnetic and AMS-14C methods. The short cores were dated using radiometric (210Pb, 226Ra and 137Cs) methods. The long cores date back to the early history of the Archipelago Sea, which was freshwater – no salinity increase referable to the brackish phase of the Yoldia Sea is recognized. The nutrient status of the lacustrine phase was slightly higher in the Archipelago Sea than in the Baltic Proper. Initial brackish-water influence is observed at 8 150 ±80 cal. BP (LDAZ4), but fully brackish conditions were established at 7 700 ±80 cal. BP (LDAZ5). The diatom assemblages indicate increasing salinity, warming climate and possible eutrophic conditions during the lacustrine to brackish-water transition. The decreasing abundance of Pseudosolenia calcar-avis (Schultze) Sundström and the increasing abundance of the ice-cover indicator species Pauliella taeniata (Grunow) Round and Basson indicate decreasing salinity and climatic cooling after ca. 5 000 cal. BP. Signs of eutrophication are visible in the most recent diatom assemblage zones of both short cores. Diatom-inferred total nitrogen (DI-TN) reconstructions partially fail to trace the actual measured total nitrogen concentrations especially from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s. This is most likely due to the dominating diatom species Pauliella taeniata, Thalassiosira levanderi Van Goor and Fragilariopsis cylindrus (Grunow) W. Krieger being more influenced by factors such as the length of the ice-season rather than nutrient concentrations. It is concluded that the diatom assemblages of the study sites are principally governed by climate fluctuations, with a slight influence of eutrophication visible in the most recent sediments. There are indications that global warming, with reduced ice cover, could impact the spring blooming diatom species composition in the Archipelago Sea. In addition, increased sediment accumulation in the early 90s coincides with the short ice-seasons suggesting that warming climate with decreasing ice-cover may increase sedimentation in the study area. The diverse diatom assemblages dominated by benthic species (54 %) in DAZ1 in the Käldö Fjärd core can be taken as background diatom assemblages for the Archipelago Sea. Since then turbidity has increased and the diatom assemblages have been dominated by planktonic diatoms from around the mid 1800s onwards. The reconstructed reference conditions for the total nitrogen concentrations fluctuate around 400 μg l-1. Altogether two short sediment cores and eight short cores for top-bottom analysis were retrieved from Lake Orijärvi and Lake Määrjärvi to assess the impact of the acid mine drainage (AMD) derived metals from the Orijärvi mine tailings on the diatom communities of the lakes. The Cu (Pb, Zn) mine of Orijärvi (1757 – 1956) was the first one in Finland where flotation techniques (1911 – 1955) were used to enrich ore and large quantities of tailings were produced. The AMD derived metal impact to the lakes was found to be among the heaviest thus far recorded in Finland. Concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn in Lake Orijärvi sediments are two to three orders of magnitude higher than background values. The metal inputs have affected Lake Orijärvi and Lake Määrjärvi diatom communities at the community levels through shifts in dominant taxa (both lakes) and at the individual level through alteration in frustule morphology (Lake Orijärvi). At present, lake water still has elevated heavy metal levels, indicating that the impact from the tailings area continues to affect both lakes. Lake Orijärvi diatom assemblages are completely dominated by benthic species and are lacking planktonic diatoms. In Lake Määrjärvi the proportion of benthic and tychoplanktonic diatoms has increased and the planktonic taxa have decreased in abundance. Achnanthidium minutissimum Kützing and Brachysira vitrea (Grun.) R. Ross in Hartley were the most tolerant species to increased metal concentrations. Planktonic diatoms are more sensitive to metal contamination than benthic taxa, especially species in the genus Cyclotella (Kützing) Brébisson. The ecological reference conditions assessed in this study for Lake Orijärvi and Lake Määrjärvi comprise diverse planktonic and benthic communitites typical of circumneutral oligotrophic lakes, where the planktonic diatoms belonging to genera Cyclotella , Aulacoseira Thwaites, Tabellaria Ehrenberg and Asterionella Hassall dominate in relative abundances up to ca. 70%. The benthic communities are more diverse than the planktonic consisting of diatoms belonging to the genera Achnanthes Bory, Fragilaria Lyngbye and Navicula St. Vincent. This study clearly demonstrates that palaeolimnological methods, especially diatom analysis, provide a powerful tool for the EU Water Frame Work Directive for defining reference conditions, natural variability and current status of surface waters. The top/bottom approach is a very useful tool in larger-scale studies needed for management purposes. This “before and after” type of sediment sampling method can provide a very time and cost effective assessment of ecological reference conditions of surface waters.

Magnetic Resonance Experiments with Atomic Hydrogen

In this thesis three experiments with atomic hydrogen (H) at low temperatures T<1 K are presented. Experiments were carried out with two- (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) H gas, and with H atoms trapped in solid H2 matrix. The main focus of this work is on interatomic interactions, which have certain specific features in these three systems considered. A common feature is the very high density of atomic hydrogen, the systems are close to quantum degeneracy. Short range interactions in collisions between atoms are important in gaseous H. The system of H in H₂ differ dramatically because atoms remain fixed in the H₂ lattice and properties are governed by long-range interactions with the solid matrix and with H atoms. The main tools in our studies were the methods of magnetic resonance, with electron spin resonance (ESR) at 128 GHz being used as the principal detection method. For the first time in experiments with H in high magnetic fields and at low temperatures we combined ESR and NMR to perform electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) as well as coherent two-photon spectroscopy. This allowed to distinguish between different types of interactions in the magnetic resonance spectra. Experiments with 2D H gas utilized the thermal compression method in homogeneous magnetic field, developed in our laboratory. In this work methods were developed for direct studies of 3D H at high density, and for creating high density samples of H in H₂. We measured magnetic resonance line shifts due to collisions in the 2D and 3D H gases. First we observed that the cold collision shift in 2D H gas composed of atoms in a single hyperfine state is much smaller than predicted by the mean-field theory. This motivated us to carry out similar experiments with 3D H. In 3D H the cold collision shift was found to be an order of magnitude smaller for atoms in a single hyperfine state than that for a mixture of atoms in two different hyperfine states. The collisional shifts were found to be in fair agreement with the theory, which takes into account symmetrization of the wave functions of the colliding atoms. The origin of the small shift in the 2D H composed of single hyperfine state atoms is not yet understood. The measurement of the shift in 3D H provides experimental determination for the difference of the scattering lengths of ground state atoms. The experiment with H atoms captured in H2 matrix at temperatures below 1 K originated from our work with H gas. We found out that samples of H in H2 were formed during recombination of gas phase H, enabling sample preparation at temperatures below 0.5 K. Alternatively, we created the samples by electron impact dissociation of H₂ molecules in situ in the solid. By the latter method we reached highest densities of H atoms reported so far, 3.5(5)x10¹⁹ cm^-3. The H atoms were found to be stable for weeks at temperatures below 0.5 K. The observation of dipolar interaction effects provides a verification for the density measurement. Our results point to two different sites for H atoms in H2 lattice. The steady-state nuclear polarizations of the atoms were found to be non-thermal. The possibility for further increase of the impurity H density is considered. At higher densities and lower temperatures it might be possible to observe phenomena related to quantum degeneracy in solid.

The Influence of Diet and Microbes on Colonic Immune Regulation and their Implications on Type 1 Diabetes

Dietary and microbial factors are thought to contribute to the rapidly increasing prevalence of T1D in many countries worldwide. The impact of these factors on immune regulation and diabetes development in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice are investigated in this thesis. Diabetes can be prevented in NOD mice through dietary manipulation. Diet affects the composition of intestinal microbiota, which may subsequently influence intestinal immune homeostasis. However, the specific effects of anti-diabetogenic diets on gut immunity and the explicit associations between intestinal immune disruption and type 1 diabetes onset remain unclear. The research presented herein demonstrates that newly weaned NOD mice suffer from a mild level of colitis, which shifts the colonic immune cell balance towards a proinflammatory status. Several aberrations can also be observed in the peritoneal B cells of NOD mice; an increase in activation marker expression, increased trafficking to the pancreatic lymph nodes and significantly higher antigen presenting cell (APC) efficiency towards insulin-specific T cells. A shift towards inflammation is likewise observed in the colon of germ-free NOD mice, but signs of peritoneal B cell activation are lacking in these mice. Remarkably, most of the abnormalities in the colon, peritoneal macrophages and the peritoneal B cell APC activity of NOD mice are abrogated when NOD mice are maintained on a diabetes-preventive, soy-based diet (ProSobee) from the time of weaning. Dietary and microbial factors hence have a significant impact on colonic immune regulation and peritoneal B cell activation and it is suggested that these factors influence diabetes development in NOD mice.

The Effect of Dividend Yield to Stocks’ Performance on Bullish and Bearish Finnish Stock Market

This study examines the relationship between dividend yield and stock return over bullish and bearish Finnish stock market by testing for alpha and beta shifts across bull and bear markets. In addition, this study examines if various factors, such as a standard deviation of dividends, firm size and profitability have an effect on the size, of the firms’ dividends and systematic risk of the stocks. We divide stocks into five portfolios on the basis of their past average dividend yields and investigate if the highest yielding portfolios outperform the lowest yielding portfolios during the different market conditions. As a result, high yielding stocks were most stable during the examination period and offered downside protection on bear markets. However, a strategy of forming portfolios with past dividend yields led to negative alphas even in bull markets. Standard deviation of dividends, firm size and profitability were found to have no effect on the size of dividends and systematic risk of the stocks.

Frequency-Domain and Wide-Pulse Time-Domain Measurements of Lanthanide Luminescence and Lanthanide-Based Resonance Energy Transfer

Resonance energy transfer (RET) is a non-radiative transfer of the excitation energy from the initially excited luminescent donor to an acceptor. The requirements for the resonance energy transfer are: i) the spectral overlap between the donor emission spectrum and the acceptor absorption spectrum, ii) the close proximity of the donor and the acceptor, and iii) the suitable relative orientations of the donor emission and the acceptor absorption transition dipoles. As a result of the RET process the donor luminescence intensity and the donor lifetime are decreased. If the acceptor is luminescent, a sensitized acceptor emission appears. The rate of RET depends strongly on the donor–acceptor distance (r) and is inversely proportional to r6. The distance dependence of RET is utilized in binding assays. The proximity requirement and the selective detection of the RET-modified emission signal allow homogeneous separation free assays. The term lanthanide-based RET is used when luminescent lanthanide compounds are used as donors. The long luminescence lifetimes, the large Stokes’ shifts and the intense, sharply-spiked emission spectra of the lanthanide donors offer advantages over the conventional organic donor molecules. Both the organic lanthanide chelates and the inorganic up-converting phosphor (UCP) particles have been used as donor labels in the RET based binding assays. In the present work lanthanide luminescence and lanthanide-based resonance energy transfer phenomena were studied. Luminescence lifetime measurements had an essential role in the research. Modular frequency-domain and time-domain luminometers were assembled and used successfully in the lifetime measurements. The frequency-domain luminometer operated in the low frequency domain ( 100 kHz) and utilized a novel dual-phase lock-in detection of the luminescence. One of the studied phenomena was the recently discovered non-overlapping fluorescence resonance energy transfer (nFRET). The studied properties were the distance and temperature dependences of nFRET. The distance dependence was found to deviate from the Förster theory and a clear temperature dependence was observed whereas conventional RET was completely independent of the temperature. Based on the experimental results two thermally activated mechanisms were proposed for the nFRET process. The work with the UCP particles involved the measurement of the luminescence properties of the UCP particles synthesized in our laboratory. The goal of the UCP particle research is to develop UCP donor labels for binding assays. In the present work the effect of the dopant concentrations and the core–shell structure on the total up-conversion luminescence intensity, the red–green emission ratio, and the luminescence lifetime was studied. Also the non-radiative nature of the energy transfer from the UCP particle donors to organic acceptors was demonstrated for the first time in aqueous environment and with a controlled donor–acceptor distance.

The Finnish Paper Workers' Union at a crossroads: Labor union representativeness in a changing environment, 1980-2008

This thesis consists of four articles and an introductory section. The main research questions in all the articles refer to the changes in the representativeness of the Finnish Paper Workers' Union. Representativeness stands for the entire entity of external, internal, legal and reputational factors that enable the labor union to represent its members and achieve its goals. This concept is based on an extensive reading of quantitative and qualitative industrial relations literature, which includes works based on Marxist labor-capital relations (such as Hyman's industrial relations studies), and more recent union density studies as well as gender- and ethnic diversity-based 'union revitalization' studies. Müller-Jentsch's German studies of industrial relations have been of particular importance as well as Streeck's industrial unionism and technology studies. The concept of representativeness is an attempt to combine the insights of these diverse strands of literature and bring the scientific discussion of labor unions back to the core of a union's function: representing its members. As such, it can be seen as a theoretical innovation. The concept helps to acknowledge both the heterogeneity of the membership and the totality of a labor union organization. The concept of representativeness aims to move beyond notions of 'power'. External representativeness can be expressed through the position of the labor union in the industrial relations system and the economy. Internal representativeness focuses on the aspects of labor unions that relate to the function of the union as an association with members, such as internal democracy. Legal representativeness lies in the formal legal position of the union – its rights and instruments. This includes collective bargaining legislation, co-decision rules and industrial conflict legislation. Reputational representativeness is related to how the union is seen by other actors and the general public, and can be approximated using data on strike activity. All these aspects of representativeness are path-dependent, and show the results of previous struggles over issues. The concept of representativeness goes beyond notions of labor union power and symbolizes an attempt to bring back the focus of industrial relations studies to the union's basic function of representing its members. The first article shows in detail the industrial conflict of the Finnish paper industry in 2005. The intended focus was the issue of gender in the negotiations over a new collective agreement, but the focal point of the industrial conflict was the issue of outsourcing and how this should be organized. Also, the issue of continuous shifts as an issue of working time was very important. The drawn-out conflict can be seen as a struggle over principles, and under pressure the labor union had to concede ground on the aforementioned issues. The article concludes that in this specific conflict, the union represented its' female members to a lesser extent, because the other issues took such priority. Furthermore, because of the substantive concessions. the union lost some of its internal representativeness, and the stubbornness of the union may have even harmed the reputation of the union. This article also includes an early version of the representativeness framework, through which this conflict is analyzed. The second article discusses wage developments, union density and collective bargaining within the context of representativeness. It is shown that the union has been able to secure substantial benefits for its members, regardless of declining employment. Collective agreements have often been based on centralized incomes policies, but the paper sector has not always joined these. Attention is furthermore paid to the changing competition of the General Assembly, with a surprisingly strong position of the Left Alliance still. In an attempt to replicate analysis of union density measures, an analysis of sectoral union density shows that similar factors as in aggregate data influence this measure, though – due to methodological issues – the results may not be robust. On this issue, it can be said that the method of analysis for aggregate union density is not suitable for sectoral union density analysis. The increasingly conflict-ridden industrial relations predicted have not actually materialized. The article concludes by asking whether the aim of ever-increasing wages is a sustainable one in the light of the pressures of globalization, though wage costs are a relatively small part of total costs. The third article discusses the history and use of outsourcing in the Finnish paper industry. It is shown using Hyman's framework of constituencies that over time, the perspective of the union changed from 'members of the Paper Workers' Union' to a more specific view of who is a core member of the union. Within the context of the industrial unionism that the union claims to practice, this is an important change. The article shows that the union more and more caters for a core group, while auxiliary personnel is less important to the union's identity and constituencies, which means that the union's internal representativeness has decreased. Maintenance workers are an exception; the union and employers have developed a rotating system that increases the efficient allocation of these employees. The core reason of the exceptional status of maintenance personnel is their high level of non-transferable skills. In the end it is debatable whether the compromise on outsourcing solves the challenges facing the industry. The fourth article shows diverging discourses within the union with regard to union-employer partnership for competitiveness improvements and instruments of local union representatives. In the collective agreement of 2008, the provision regulating wage effects of significant changes in the organization or content of work was thoroughly changed, though this mainly reflected decisions by the Labor Court on the pre-2008 version of the provision. This change laid bare the deep rift between the Social Democratic and Left Alliance (ex-Communist) factions of the union. The article argues that through the changed legal meaning of the provision, the union was able to transform concession bargaining into a basis for partnership. The internal discontent about this issue is nonetheless substantial and a threat to the unity of the union, both locally and at the union level. On the basis of the results of the articles, other factors influencing representativeness, such as technology and EU law and an overview of the main changes in the Finnish paper industry, it is concluded that, especially in recent years, the Finnish Paper Workers' Union has lost some of its representativeness. In particular, the loss of the efficiency of strikes is noted, the compromise on outsourcing which may have alienated a substantial part of the union's membership, and the change in the collective agreement of 2008 have caused this decline. In the latter case, the internal disunion on that issue shows the constraints of the union's internal democracy. Furthermore, the failure of the union to join the TEAM industrial union (by democratic means), the internal conflicts and a narrow focus on its own sector may also hurt the union in the future, as the paper industry in Finland is going through a structural change. None of these changes in representativeness would have been so drastic without the considerable pressure of globalization - in particular changing markets, changing technology and a loss of domestic investments to foreign investments, which in the end have benefited the corporations more than the Finnish employees of these corporations. Taken together, the union risks becoming socially irrelevant in time, though it will remain formally very strong on the basis of its institutional setting and financial situation.

JNK, a versatile regulator of kinesin-1 transport and cytoskeleton dynamics

C-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is traditionally recognized as a crucial factor in stress response and inducer of apoptosis upon various stimulations. Three isoforms build the JNK subfamily of MAPK; generally expressed JNK1 and JNK2 and brain specific JNK3. Degenerative potency placed JNK in the spotlight as potential pharmacological option for intervention. Unfortunately, adverse effects of potential drugs and observation that expression of only JNK2 and JNK3 are induced upon stress, restrained initial enthusiasm. Notably, JNK1 demonstrated atypical high constitutive activity in neurons that is not responsive to cellular stresses and indicated existence of physiological activity. This thesis aimed at revealing the physiological functions of JNK1 in actin homeostasis through novel effector MARCKS-Like 1 (MARCKSL1) protein, neuronal trafficking mediated by major kinesin-1 motor protein and microtubule (MT) dynamics via STMN2/SCG10. The screen for novel physiological JNK substrates revealed specific phosphorylation of C-terminal end of MARCKSL1 at S120, T148 and T183 both ex vivo and in vitro. By utilizing site-specific mutagenesis, various actin dynamics and migrations assays we were able to demonstrate that JNK1 phosphorylation specifically facilitates F-actin bundling and thus filament stabilisation. Consecutively, this molecular mechanism was proved to enhance formation of filopodia; cell surface projections that allow cell sensing surrounding environment and migrate efficiently. Our results visualize JNK dependent and MARCKSL1 executed induction of filopodia in neurons and fibroblast indicating general mechanism. Subsequently, inactivation of JNK action on MARCKSL1 shifts cellular actin machinery into lamellipodial dynamic arrangement. Tuning of actin cytoskeleton inevitably melds with cell migration. We observed that both active JNK and JNK pseudo-phosphorylated form of MARCKSL1 reduce actin turnover in intact cells leading to overall diminished cell motility. We demonstrate that tumour transformed cells from breast, prostate, lung and muscle-derived cancers upregulate MARCKSL1. We showed on the example of prostate cancer PC-3 cell line that JNK phosphorylation negatively controls MARCKSL1 ability to induce migration, which precedes cancer cell metastasis. The second round of identification of JNK physiological substrates resulted in detection of predominant motor protein kinesin-1 (Kif5). Mass spectrometry detailed analysis showed evident endogenous phosphorylation of kinesin-1 on S176 within motor domain that interacts with MT. In vitro phosphorylation of bacterially expressed kinesin heavy chain by JNK isoforms displayed higher specificity of JNK1 when compared to JNK3. Since, JNK1 is constitutively active in neurons it signified physiological aspect of kinesin-1 regulation. Subsequent biochemical examination revealed that kinesin-1, when not phosphorylated on JNK site, exhibits much higher affinity toward MTs. Expression of the JNK non-phosphorable kinesin-1 mutant in intact cells as well as in vitro single molecule imaging using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy indicated that the mutant loses normal speed and is not able to move processively into proper cellular compartments. We identify novel kinesin-1 cargo protein STMN2/SCG10, which along with known kinesin-1 cargo BDNF is showing impaired trafficking when JNK activity is inhibited. Our data postulates that constitutive JNK activity in neurons is crucial for unperturbed physiologically relevant transport of kinesin-1 dependant cargo. Additionally, my work helps to validate another novel physiological JNK1 effector STMN2/SCG10 as determinant of axodendritic neurites dynamics in the developing brain through regulation of MT turnover. We show successively that this increased MT dynamics is crucial during developmental radial migration when brain layering occurs. Successively, we are able to show that introduction of JNK phosphorylation mimicking STMN2/SCG10 S62/73D mutant rescues completely JNK1 genetic deletion migration phenotype. We prove that STMN2/SCG10 is predominant JNK effector responsible for MT depolymerising activity and neurite length during brain development. Summarizing, this work describes identification of three novel JNK substrates MARCKSL1, kinesin-1 and STMN2/SCG10 and investigation of their roles in cytoskeleton dynamics and cargo transport. This data is of high importance to understand physiological meaning of JNK activity, which might have an adverse effect during pharmaceutical intervention aiming at blocking pathological JNK action.

Disturbance and ecosystem functioning : the role of changes in benthic biological traits

Rapid changes in biodiversity are occurring globally, as a consequence of anthropogenic disturbance. This has raised concerns, since biodiversity is known to significantly contribute to ecosystem functions and services. Marine benthic communities participate in numerous functions provided by soft-sedimentary ecosystems. Eutrophication-induced oxygen deficiency is a growing threat against infaunal communities, both in open sea areas and in coastal zones. There is thus a need to understand how such disturbance affects benthic communities, and what is lost in terms of ecosystem functioning if benthic communities are harmed. In this thesis, the status of benthic biodiversity was assessed for the open Baltic Sea, a system severely affected by broad-scale hypoxia. Long-term monitoring data made it possible to establish quantitative biodiversity baselines against which change could be compared. The findings show that benthic biodiversity is currently severely impaired in large areas of the open Baltic Sea, from the Bornholm Basin to the Gulf of Finland. The observed reduction in biodiversity indicates that benthic communities are structurally and functionally impoverished in several of the sub-basins due to the hypoxic stress. A more detailed examination of disturbance impacts (through field studies and -experiments) on benthic communities in coastal areas showed that changes in benthic community structure and function took place well before species were lost from the system. The degradation of benthic community structure and function was directed by the type of disturbance, and its specific temporal and spatial characteristics. The observed shifts in benthic trait composition were primarily the result of reductions in species’ abundances, or of changes in demographic characteristics, such as the loss of large, adult bivalves. Reduction in community functions was expressed as declines in the benthic bioturbation potential and in secondary biomass production. The benthic communities and their degradation accounted for a substantial proportion of the changes observed in ecosystem multifunctionality. Individual ecosystem functions (i.e. measures of sediment ecosystem metabolism, elemental cycling, biomass production, organic matter transformation and physical structuring) were observed to differ in their response to increasing hypoxic disturbance. Interestingly, the results suggested that an impairment of ecosystem functioning could be detected at an earlier stage if multiple functions were considered. Importantly, the findings indicate that even small-scale hypoxic disturbance can reduce the buffering capacity of sedimentary ecosystem, and increase the susceptibility of the system towards further stress. Although the results of the individual papers are context-dependent, their combined outcome implies that healthy benthic communities are important for sustaining overall ecosystem functioning as well as ecosystem resilience in the Baltic Sea.

Idiosyncratic volatility around information release date

Several papers document idiosyncratic volatility is time-varying and many attempts have been made to reveal whether idiosyncratic risk is priced. This research studies behavior of idiosyncratic volatility around information release dates and also its relation with return after public announcement. The results indicate that when a company discloses specific information to the market, firm’s specific volatility level shifts and short-horizon event-induced volatility vary significantly however, the category to which the announcement belongs is not important in magnitude of change. This event-induced volatility is not small in size and should not be downplayed in event studies. Moreover, this study shows stocks with higher contemporaneous realized idiosyncratic volatility earn lower return after public announcement consistent with “divergence of opinion hypothesis”. While no significant relation is found between EGARCH estimated idiosyncratic volatility and return and also between one-month lagged idiosyncratic volatility and return presumably due to significant jump around public announcement both may provide some signals regarding future idiosyncratic volatility through their correlations with contemporaneous realized idiosyncratic volatility. Finally, the study show that positive relation between return and idiosyncratic volatility based on under-diversification is inadequate to explain all different scenarios and this negative relation after public announcement may provide a useful trading rule.