Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment : Prosperity, competitiveness, sustainable development

Broschure of Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment.

Strategy for 2012–2015 : The Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment create sustainable well-being

ELY Centres strategy brocshure.

Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment at Your Service

Broschure of The Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment.

Turun seudun turvallisen ja kestävän liikkumisen suunnitelma

Turun seudun turvallisen ja kestävän liikkumisen suunnitelma on laadittu seudun kuntien ja Varsinais-Suomen ELY-keskuksen yhteistyönä. Suunnitelmassa on selvitetty liikenneturvallisuuden, liikkumisen, toimintaympäristön ja liikennejärjestelmän nykytilaa sekä kartoitettu liikenneturvallisuusongelmia erilaisten analyysien ja kyselyiden avulla. Nykytila-analyysin pohjalta on asetettu liikenneturvallisuustyön visio ja tavoitteet sekä määritetty toimenpide-ehdotukset. Tavoitteisiin pääsemistä tukevat liikenneympäristön parantamistoimenpiteiden ohjelma, liikkumisen ohjauksen toimintaohjelma sekä hallintokuntien liikenneturvallisuustyön toimenpiteistä kootut toimintasuunnitelmat. Onnettomuusanalyysin perusteella liikenneturvallisuuden tila oli Turun seudulla hieman koko Suomen keskiarvoa heikompi. Seudulla tapahtui vuosina 2001-2010 henkilövahinkoon johtaneita onnettomuuksia keskimäärin 132 / 100 000 asukasta, kun vastaava luku oli 126 koko maan osalta. Kuolemaan johtaneita onnettomuuksia tapahtui seudulla vähemmän, mutta loukkaantumiseen johtaneita onnettomuuksia koko maan keskiarvoa enemmän. Onnettomuuksissa kuoli tai loukkaantui koko maan keskiarvoa enemmän jalankulkijoita ja polkupyöräilijöitä. Lukumäärällisesti eniten onnettomuuksia tapahtui 18–19-vuotiaille, mutta henkilövahinkoon johtaneita onnettomuuksia tapahtui selvästi eniten 15–16-vuotiaille. Seudulla tapahtuneista liikenneonnettomuuksista aiheutui vuosittain keskimäärin 127,2 miljoonan euron kustannukset, josta kuntien osuus oli vuosittain noin 22,3 miljoonaa euroa. Asukkaille suunnatun kyselyn mukaan sekä työmatkat että lyhyet vapaa-ajan matkat tehtiin useimmiten henkilöautolla. Koululaisia pidettiin turvattomimpana tienkäyttäjäryhmänä, ja kävelyä sekä pyöräilyä turvattomimpina kulkutapoina. Välinpitämättömyyttä pidettiin merkittävimpänä syynä erilaisiin liikennerikkomuksiin ja tärkeimmäksi kehittämistarpeeksi nousi liikennekäyttäytyminen. Yhdyskuntarakenteen ja toimintaympäristön analyysin perusteella seudulla on hyvät edellytykset kestävien kulkumuotojen kuten joukkoliikenteen houkuttelevuuden lisäämiselle sekä kävelyn ja pyöräilyn verkoston kehittämiselle. Onnettomuusanalyysin ja valtakunnallisten tavoitteiden pohjalta Turun seudulle asetettiin liikenneturvallisuustyön tavoitteet. Tavoitelaskelman mukaan liikennekuolemien ja loukkaantuneiden määrä tulee puolittaa vuosien 2006-2010 keskiarvosta vuoteen 2020 mennessä. Tavoitteen mukaan liikenteessä kuolee enintään 6 (lähtötaso 12) ja loukkaantuu 236 (lähtötaso 471) vuonna 2020. Vaikutusarvion perusteella voidaan arvioida päästävän tavoitteeseen suunnitelmakauden aikana. Tavoitteiden saavuttaminen on kuitenkin haasteellista ja edellyttää tehokasta yhteistyötä eri tahojen välillä. Tavoitteeseen tulee pyrkiä laajaa keinovalikoimaa käyttäen. Suunnitelmatyön aikana aktivoitiin kuntien turvallisen ja kestävän liikkumisen ryhmät, joiden toiminnan tueksi laadittiin toimintasuunnitelmat sekä vuosikello työn eri vaiheista. Ryhmät vastaavat suunnitelman toteuttamisesta, toteutumisen seurannasta ja tarvittaessa päivittämisestä.

Power cycling lifetime estimation of IGBT power modules based on chip temperature modeling

In this doctoral thesis, methods to estimate the expected power cycling life of power semiconductor modules based on chip temperature modeling are developed. Frequency converters operate under dynamic loads in most electric drives. The varying loads cause thermal expansion and contraction, which stresses the internal boundaries between the material layers in the power module. Eventually, the stress wears out the semiconductor modules. The wear-out cannot be detected by traditional temperature or current measurements inside the frequency converter. Therefore, it is important to develop a method to predict the end of the converter lifetime. The thesis concentrates on power-cycling-related failures of insulated gate bipolar transistors. Two types of power modules are discussed: a direct bonded copper (DBC) sandwich structure with and without a baseplate. Most common failure mechanisms are reviewed, and methods to improve the power cycling lifetime of the power modules are presented. Power cycling curves are determined for a module with a lead-free solder by accelerated power cycling tests. A lifetime model is selected and the parameters are updated based on the power cycling test results. According to the measurements, the factor of improvement in the power cycling lifetime of modern IGBT power modules is greater than 10 during the last decade. Also, it is noticed that a 10 C increase in the chip temperature cycle amplitude decreases the lifetime by 40%. A thermal model for the chip temperature estimation is developed. The model is based on power loss estimation of the chip from the output current of the frequency converter. The model is verified with a purpose-built test equipment, which allows simultaneous measurement and simulation of the chip temperature with an arbitrary load waveform. The measurement system is shown to be convenient for studying the thermal behavior of the chip. It is found that the thermal model has a 5 C accuracy in the temperature estimation. The temperature cycles that the power semiconductor chip has experienced are counted by the rainflow algorithm. The counted cycles are compared with the experimentally verified power cycling curves to estimate the life consumption based on the mission profile of the drive. The methods are validated by the lifetime estimation of a power module in a direct-driven wind turbine. The estimated lifetime of the IGBT power module in a direct-driven wind turbine is 15 000 years, if the turbine is located in south-eastern Finland.

Ansökan om transportbidrag för transport av kompletteringsmjölk …

21 x 29 cm

Bestämmelser angående transport av reglementering underkastade förnödenheter

17 x 25 cm

Fordson - produktivare jordbruk fördelaktigare transport

kuv., 24 x 12 cm

Transport-küsimuse lahendus

kuv., 14 x 22 cm

1936 Ford V-8 alltid redo till ekonomisk transport

kuv., 17 x 23 cm

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.

A global transport packaging guideline for selected business areas

In this Master’s Thesis a global transport packaging guideline for selected business areas was compiled for the Fiskars the company, which provides branded consumer goods for home, garden and outdoor use. The business areas included were Home and Garden business areas. The aim of the guideline was to be a comprehensive guide for the suppliers, product development, operations and external vendors of the company. The guideline consists of written instructions, tables and illustrations that provide useful information for players working with transport packages from sourcing through to shipments. As the role of corporate responsibility and sustainability has grown, a part of responsible manufacturing strategy includes using materials that are re-usable, recyclable or recoverable as energy or through composting. Hence packaging waste management implementations of different regions were also inspected. The resulting guide covers a range of topics concerning packaging and its transport. The topics include legal requirements, restricted materials and substances, preferred materials, markings, labeling of boxes, logistics and distribution center requirements, physical testing and an inspection checklist.

Deregulation’s Impact on the Railway Freight Transport Sector’s Future in the Baltic Sea Region

The European transport market has confronted several changes during the last decade. Due to European Union legislative mandates, the railway freight market was deregulated in 2007. The market followed the trend started by other transport modes as well as other previously regulated industries such as banking, telecommunications and energy. Globally, the first country to deregulate the railway freight market was the United States, with the introduction of the Staggers Rail Act in 1980. Some European countries decided to follow suit already before regulation was mandated; among the forerunners were the United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany. The previous research has concentrated only on these countries, which has provided an interesting research gap for this thesis. The Baltic Sea Region consists of countries with different kinds of liberalization paths, including Sweden and Germany, which have been on the frontline, whereas Lithuania and Finland have only one active railway undertaking, the incumbent. The transport market of the European Union is facing further challenges in the near future, due to the Sulphur Directive, oil dependency and the changing structure of European rail networks. In order to improve the accessibility of this peripheral area, further action is required. This research focuses on topics such as the progression of deregulation, barriers to entry, country-specific features, cooperation and internationalization. Based on the research results, it can be stated that the Baltic Sea Region’s railway freight market is expected to change in the future. Further private railway undertakings are anticipated, and these would change the market structure. The realization of European Union’s plans to increase the improved rail network to cover the Baltic States is strongly hoped for, and railway freight market counterparts inside and among countries are starting to enhance their level of cooperation. The Baltic Sea Region countries have several special national characteristics which influence the market and should be taken into account when companies evaluate possible market entry actions. According to thesis interviews, the Swedish market has a strong level of cooperation in the form of an old-boy network, and is supported by a positive attitude of the incumbent towards the private railway undertakings. This has facilitated the entry process of newcomers, and currently the market has numerous operating railway undertakings. A contrary example was found from Poland, where the incumbent sent old rolling stock to the scrap yard rather than sell it to private railway undertakings. The importance of personal relations is highlighted in Russia, followed by the railway market’s strong political bond with politics. Nonetheless, some barriers to entry are shared by the Baltic Sea Region, the main ones being acquisition of rolling stock, bureaucracy and needed investments. The railway freight market is internationalizing, which is perceived via several alliances as well as the increased number of mergers and acquisitions. After deregulation, markets seem to increase the number of railway undertakings at a rather fast pace, but with the passage of time, the larger operators tend to acquire smaller ones. Therefore, it is expected that in a decade’s time, the number of railway undertakings will start to decrease in the deregulation pioneer countries, while the ones coming from behind might still experience an increase. The Russian market is expected to be totally liberalized, and further alliances between the Russian Railways and European railway undertakings are expected to occur. The Baltic Sea Region’s railway freight market is anticipated to improve, and, based on the interviewees’ comments, attract more cargoes from road to rail.

Interpreting marine benthic ecosystem functioning in coastal waters: validating the biological trait concept

Coastal areas harbour high biodiversity, but are simultaneously affected by rapid degradations of species and habitats due to human interactions. Such alterations also affect the functioning of the ecosystem, which is primarily governed by the characteristics or traits expressed by the organisms present. Marine benthic fauna is nvolved in numerous functions such as organic matter transformation and transport, secondary production, oxygen transport as well as nutrient cycling. Approaches utilising the variety of faunal traits to assess benthic community functioning have rapidly increased and shown the need for further development of the concept. In this thesis, I applied biological trait analysis that allows for assessments of a multitude of categorical traits and thus evaluation of multiple functional aspects simultaneously. I determined the functional trait structure, diversity and variability of coastal zoobenthic communities in the Baltic Sea. The measures were related to recruitment processes, habitat heterogeneity, large-scale environmental and taxonomic gradients as well as anthropogenic impacts. The studies comprised spatial scales from metres to thousands of kilometres, and temporal scales spanning one season as well as a decade. The benthic functional structure was found to vary within and between seagrass landscape microhabitats and four different habitats within a coastal bay, in papers I and II respectively. Expressions of trait categories varied within habitats, while the density of individuals was found to drive the functional differences between habitats. The findings in paper III unveiled high trait richness of Finnish coastal benthos (25 traits and 102 cateogries) although this differed between areas high and low in salinity and human pressure. In paper IV, the natural reduction in taxonomic richness across the Baltic Sea led to an overall reduction in function. However, functional richness in terms of number of trait categories remained comparatively high at low taxon richness. Changes in number of taxa within trait categories were also subtle and some individual categories were maintained or even increased. The temporal analysis in papers I and III highlighted generalities in trait expressions and dominant trait categories in a seagrass landscape as well as a “type organism” for the northern Baltic Sea. Some initial findings were made in all four papers on the role of common and rare species and traits for benthic community functioning. The findings show that common and rare species may not always express the same trait categories in relation to each other. Rare species in general did not express unique functional properties. In order to advance the understanding of the approach, I also assessed some issues concerning the limitations of the concept. This was conducted by evaluating the link between trait category and taxonomic richness using especially univariate measures. My results also show the need to collaborate nationally and internationally on safeguarding the utility of taxonomic and trait data. The findings also highlight the importance of including functional trait information into current efforts in marine spatial planning and biomonitoring.