Winning time in land warfare : a reading of the classical strategists prior to the age of mechanization

We live in an age where rationalization and demands of efficiency taint every aspect of our lives both as individuals and as a society. Even warfare cannot escape the increased speed of human interaction. Time is a resource to be managed. It has to be optimized, saved and won in military affairs as well. The purpose of this research paper is to analyze the dogmatic texts of military thought to search for answers what the classics of strategy saw in the interrelations of temporality and warfare and if their thoughts remain meaningful in the contemporary conjunction. Since the way a society functions is reflected in the way it conducts its wars, there naturally are differences between an agrarian, industrial and information society. Theorists of different eras emphasize things specific to their times, but warfare, like any human interaction, is always bounded by temporality. Not only is the pace of warfare dependent on the progress of the society, but time permeates warfare in all its aspects. This research paper focuses on two specific topics that arose from the texts themselves; how should time be managed and manipulated in warfare and how to economize and “win” it from the enemy. A method where lengthy quotations are used to illustrate the main point of the strategists has been chosen for this research paper. While Clausewitz is the most prominent source of quotations, thoughts from ancient India and China are represented as well to prove that the combination of right force in the right place at the right time is still the way of the victorious. Tactics change in the course of time but the principles of strategy remain unaltered and are only adapted to suit new situations. While ancient and pre-modern societies had their focus on finding auspicious moments for battle in the flow of kronos-time based on divinities, portents and auguries, we can trace elements of manipulation of time in warfare from the earliest surviving texts. While time as a fourth dimension of the battlespace emerged only in the modern era, all through the history of military thought it has had a profound meaning. In the past time could be squandered, today it always has to be won. This paper asks the question “why”.

A Method for reducing throughput-time in industrial electronics

Lyhyet toimitusajat tuovat yrityksille kilpailuetua nopeasti muuttuvassa teollisuusympäristössä. Tämän diplomityön ensisijaisena tavoitteena on löytää kirjallisuuden avulla yrityksen käyttöön soveltuva menetelmä, joka soveltuu systemaattiseen läpimenoaikojen lyhentämiseen. Tärkeää on myös varmistaa valitun menetelmän soveltuvuus kohdeyrityksen ympäristöön. Työn toisena tavoitteena on ymmärtää, että minkälaisella panostuksella yhden päivän läpimenoaika voidaan saavuttaa. Kirjallisuustutkimuksen avulla on valittu tarkoitukseen sopiva toimintamalli. Menetelmä on testattu yhdellä tuotantolinjalla ja saadut tulokset sekä palaute osoittavat, että se näyttäisi soveltuvan kohdeyrityksen käyttöön. Tuotantolinjalle on tehty toimintasuunnitelma yhden päivän toimitusajan saavuttamiseksi vuoden 2013 aikana. Haasteen laajuutta koko kohdeyrityksessä on tutkittu erillisessä ideointisessiossa. Session tulosten perusteella on tehty prioriteettilista, joka antaa käsityksen toimitusajan merkittävän lyhentämisen vaatimuksista. Yleisesti ottaen kysynnän vaihtelun hallinta on suurin haaste, mutta useita ratkaisuvaihtoehtoja tämän hallitsemiseksi on tunnistettu.

Green diesel synthesis by hydrodeoxygenation of lipids extracted from Chlorella algae in supercritical hexane

Lipids were extracted from Chlorella algae with supercritical hexane. The high lipids yield of approximately 10% was obtained at optimum conditions of 300 rpm stirring speed and 2 h duration compared to the total contents of lipids being 12%. Furthermore, an easiness of hexane recovery may be considered as economically and ecologically attractive. For the first time, in the current work catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of Chlorella algal lipids was studied over 5 wt% Ni/H-Y-80 and 5 wt% Ni/SiO2 at 300 C and under 30 bar total pressure in H2. A comparative HDO of stearic acid was carried out under similar conditions. The conversion of lipids was about 35% over 5 wt% Ni/H-Y-80 after 6h, whereas, 5 wt% Ni/SiO2 was totally deactivated after 60 min. The selectivity to hydrocarbons (C15-C18) is 6%. As a comparison, complete conversion of stearic acid over 5 wt% Ni/H-Y-80 was achieved in 6 h. The transformation of lipids proceeded mostly via hydrogenation and hydrolysis with formation of free fatty acid (FFA). The lower activity might be attributed to deactivation of catalysts caused by chlorophylls and carotenoids. Even though the conversion is low, future studies in HDO of lipids extracted from other algae species having higher lipid content could be proposed. Coke resistant catalyst might be considered to improve catalytic activity.

Quantum transport phenomena and shallow impurity states in CdSb

This work is dedicated to investigation of the energy spectrum of one of the most anisotropic narrow-gap semiconductors, CdSb. At the beginning of the present studies even the model of its energy band structure was not clear. Measurements of galvanomagnetic effects in wide temperature range (1.6 - 300 K) and in magnetic fields up to 30 T were chosen for clarifying of the energy spectrum in the intentionally undoped CdSb single crystals and doped with shallow impurities (In, Ag). Detection of the Shubnikov - de Haas oscillations allowed estimating the fundamental energy spectrum parameters. The shapes of the Fermi surfaces of electrons (sphere) and holes (ellipsoid), the number of the equivalent extremums for valence band (2) and their positions in the Brillouin zone were determined for the first time in this work. Also anisotropy coefficients, components of the tensor of effective masses of carriers, effective masses of density of states, nonparabolicity of the conduction and valence bands, g-factor and its anisotropy for n- and p-CdSb were estimated for the first time during these studies. All the results obtained are compared with the cyclotron resonance data and the corresponding theoretical calculations for p-CdSb. This is basic information for the analyses of the complex transport properties of CdSb and for working out the energy spectrum model of the shallow energy levels of defects and impurities in this semiconductor. It was found out existence of different mechanisms of hopping conductivity in the presence of metal - insulator transition induced by magnetic field in n- and p-CdSb. Quite unusual feature opened in CdSb is that different types of hopping conductivity may take place in the same crystal depending on temperature, magnetic field or even orientation of crystal in magnetic field. Transport properties of undoped p-CdSb samples show that the anisotropy of the resistivity in weak and strong magnetic fields is determined completely by the anisotropy of the effective mass of the holes. Temperature and magnetic field dependence of the Hall coefficient and magnetoresistance is attributed to presence of two groups of holes with different concentrations and mobilities. The analysis demonstrates that below Tcr ~ 20 K and down to ~ 6 - 7 K the low-mobile carriers are itinerant holes with energy E2 ≈ 6 meV. The high-mobile carriers, at all temperatures T < Tcr, are holes activated thermally from a deeper acceptor band to itinerant states of a shallower acceptor band with energy E1 ≈ 3 meV. Analysis of temperature dependences of mobilities confirms the existence of the heavy-hole band or a non-equivalent maximum and two equivalent maxima of the light-hole valence band. Galvanomagnetic effects in n-CdSb reveal the existence of two groups of carriers. These are the electrons of a single minimum in isotropic conduction band and the itinerant electrons of the narrow impurity band, having at low temperatures the energies above the bottom of the conduction band. It is found that above this impurity band exists second impurity band of only localized states and the energy of both impurity bands depend on temperature so that they sink into the band gap when temperature is increased. The bands are splitted by the spin, and in strong magnetic fields the energy difference between them decreases and redistribution of the electrons between the two impurity bands takes place. Mobility of the conduction band carriers demonstrates that scattering in n-CdSb at low temperatures is strongly anisotropic. This is because of domination from scattering on the neutral impurity centers and increasing of the contribution to mobility from scattering by acoustic phonons when temperature increases. Metallic conductivity in zero or weak magnetic field is changed to activated conductivity with increasing of magnetic field. This exhibits a metal-insulator transition (MIT) induced by the magnetic field due to shift of the Fermi level from the interval of extended states to that of the localized states of the electron spectrum near the edge of the conduction band. The Mott variablerange hopping conductivity is observed in the low- and high-field intervals on the insulating side of the MIT. The results yield information about the density of states, the localization radius of the resonant impurity band with completely localized states and about the donor band. In high magnetic fields this band is separated from the conduction band and lies below the resonant impurity bands.

Logistics Development in Finnish and Swedish Companies with Respect of Russia and Four Asian Countries: Traffic Flow and Warehousing Analysis from Current Situation and Likely Development Trends

On selvää, että tänä päivänä maailmankaupan painopiste on hiljalleen siirtymässä Aasiaan ja varsinkin Kiina on ollut huomion keskipisteessä. Erityisesti valmistavien yritysten perspektiivistä muutos on ollut merkittävä ja tämä tosiasia kasvattaa yrityksissä paineita luoda kustannustehokkaita toimitusketjuratkaisuja,joiden vasteaika on mahdollisimman lyhyt. Samaan aikaan kun tarkastellaan kuljetusvirtoja, huomattaan että maanosien välillä on suuri epätasapaino. Tämä on enimmäkseen seurausta suurten globaalisti toimivien yritysten toimitusketjustrategioista. Useimmat näistä toimijoista optimoivat verkostonsa turvautumalla 'paikalliseen hankintaan', jotta he voisivat paremmin hallita toimitusketjujaan ja saada näitä reagointiherkimmiksi. Valmistusyksiköillä onkin monesti Euroopassa pakko käyttää kalliita raaka-aineita ja puolivalmisteita. Kriittisiksi tekijöiksi osoittautuvat kuljetus- ja varastointikustannukset sekä näiden seurauksena hukka-aika, joka aiheutuu viivästyksistä. Voidakseen saavuttaa optimiratkaisun, on tehtävä päätös miten tuotteet varastoidaan: keskitetysti tai hajautetusti ja integroida tämä valinta sopivien kuljetusmuotojen kanssa. Aasiasta Pohjois-Eurooppaan on halpaa käyttää merikuljetusta, mutta operaatio kestää hyvin pitkään - joissain tapauksessa jopa kahdeksan viikkoa. Toisaalta lentokuljetus on sekä kallis että rajoittaa siirrettävien tuotteiden eräkokoa.On olemassa kolmaskin vaihtoehto, josta voisi olla ratkaisuksi: rautatiekuljetus on halvempi kuin lentokuljetus ja vasteajat ovat lyhyemmät kuin merikuljetuksissa. Tässä tutkimuksessa tilannetta selvitetään kyselyllä, joka suunnattiin Suomessa ja Ruotsissa toimiville yrityksille. Tuloksien perusteella teemme johtopäätökset siitä, mitkä kuljetusmuotojen markkinaosuudet tulevat olemaan tulevaisuudessa sekä luomme kuvan kuljetusvirroista Euroopan, Venäjän, Etelä-Korea, Intian, Kiinan ja Japanin välillä. Samalla on tarkoitus ennakoida sitä, miten tarkastelun kohteena olevat yritykset aikovat kehittää kuljetuksiaan ja varastointiaan tulevien vuosien aikana. Tulosten perusteella näyttää siltä, että seuraavan viiden vuoden kuluessa kuljetuskustannukset eivät merkittävissä määrin tule muuttuman ja meri- sekä kumipyöräkuljetukset pysyvät suosituimpina vaihtoehtoina.Kuitenkin lentokuljetusten osuus laskee hiukan, kun taas rautatiekuljetusten painotus kasvaa. Tulokset paljastavat, että Kiinassa ja Venäjällä kuljetettava konttimäärä kasvaa; Intiassa tulos on saman suuntainen, joskaan ei niin voimakas. Analyysimme mukaan kuljetusvirtoihin liittyvä epätasapaino säilyy Venäjän kuljetusten suhteen: yritykset jatkavat tulevaisuudessakin vientiperusteista strategiaansa. Varastoinnin puolella tunnistamme pienemmän muutoksen, jonka mukaan pienikokoisten varastojen määrät todennäköisesti vähenevät tulevaisuudessa ja kiinnostus isoja varastoja kohtaan lisääntyy. Tässä kohtaa on mainittava, että suomalaisilla yrityksillä on enemmän varastoja Keski- ja Itä-Euroopassa verrattuna ruotsalaisiin toimijoihin, jotka keskittyvät selkeämmin Länsi-Euroopan maihin. Varastoja yrityksillä on molemmissa tapaukissa paljolti kotimaassaan. Valitessaan varastojensa sijoituskohteita yritykset painottavat seuraavia kriteereitä: alhaiset jakelukustannukset, kokoamispaikan/valmistustehtaan läheisyys, saapuvan logistiikan integroitavuus ja saatavilla olevat logistiikkapalvelut. Tutkimuksemme lopussa päädymme siihen, että varastojen sijoituspaikat eivät muutu satamien rakenteen ja liikenneyhteyksien takia kovinkaan nopeasti.

Temporomandibular Disorders and Headache in Adolescents

13-16-vuotiaiden purentaelimistön toimintahäiriöt ja päänsärky Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää purentaelimistön toimintahäiriöihin (TMD) liittyvien oireiden ja kliinisten löydösten esiintyvyyttä ja muutosta kolmen vuoden seurannan aikana päänsärystä kärsivillä nuorilla ja heidän verrokeillaan, TMD-löydösten yhteyttä eri tyyppisiin päänsärkyihin ja päänsärkyyn liittyviin tekijöihin, TMD-löydöksiä ennustavia tekijöitä sekä perhetaustan osuutta TMD-löydösten esiintyvyyteen. Tutkimus perustui kahteen laajaan koululaismateriaaliin Turun seudulla. Ensimmäinen 13-vuotiaiden nuorten ryhmä (n = 311) osallistui myös 16-vuotiaana seuranta-tutkimukseen. Toisen 13-vuotiaiden nuorten ryhmän (n = 154) äidit (n = 154) osallistuivat myös tutkimukseen, jossa selvitettiin tapaus-verrokkiasetelmassa TMD-löydösten ja päänsärkyjen esiintyvyyttä kahdessa sukupolvessa. Nuoret jaettiin päänsärkyryhmiin ja terveisiin kontrolleihin IHS (1988) päänsärky-kriteerien mukaisesti kyselykaavakkeen ja lääkärin suorittaman haastattelun ja kliinisen tutkimuksen antamien tietojen perusteella. Lääkäri määritteli äitien päänsärkydiagnoosin kyselykaavakkeen tietojen perusteella. Kaikki nuoret ja heidän äitinsä haastateltiin ja heille tehtiin kliininen purentafysiologinen tutkimus sokkoutetusti. Tutkimuksen tulokset osoittivat, että tytöillä esiintyi TMD-löydöksiä selvästi enemmän kuin pojilla sekä ennen puberteettia että sen jälkeen. Tutkimuksessa havaittiin selkeä yhteys TMD-löydösten ja molempien päänsärkytyyppien, migreenin ja episodisen tensiotyyppisen päänsäryn, välillä. Kolmen vuoden seurannan aikana TMD-löydöksissä havaittiin runsasta muutosta ja iän myötä vähenemistä, mutta TMD-oireiden kohdalla ei vastaavaa muutosta todettu. TMD-löydösten ja niska-hartiaseudun lihaskipujen välillä havaittiin yhteys 13-vuotiailla nuorilla. Mikään päänsärkyyn liittyvistä tekijöistä 13-vuotiailla ei osoittautunut ennustavaksi taustatekijäksi myöhemmille TMD-löydöksille. TMD-löydösten suhteen ei todettu perheyhteyttä. Päänsäryistä kärsivillä nuorilla on enemmän myös muita kiputiloja, kuten purentaelimistön toimintahäiriöitä ja niska-hartiaseudun kipuja, kuin heidän terveillä verrokeillaan. 1316 vuoden iässä nämä löydökset ovat valtaosaltaan lieviä ja vaihtelevia.

Elastomeerien kesto viherlipeäkäsittelyissä

Työssä on tutkittu eri kumilaatujen soveltuvuutta viherlipeäympäristöön laboratoriomittausten avulla. Kumia tultaisiin käyttämään viherlipeälinjan letkuventtiilissä. Suomalaisista sellutehtaista saaduista viherlipeänäytteistä mitattiin alkali- ja vierasainepitoisuudet. Kumitestauksissa viherlipeässä pyrittiin selvittämään kumien kesto prosessiolosuhteita vastaavissa olosuhteissa. Kumit asetettiin kuumaan viherlipeään jännitettynä ja pidettiin siinä kolme vuorokautta. Kumista tutkittavia ominaisuuksia olivat kumin massan muutos, kovuus, vetolujuus sekä murtovenymä. Kolmen vuorokauden testien tulosten perusteella valittiin kolme kumilaatua tuhannen tunnin kestotestiin, joissa seurattiin kumin massan käyttäytymistä sekä kumin pitkäaikaisen altistamisen viherlipeässä vaikutusta lujuusominaisuuksiin. Kokeissa havaittiin osan testatuista kumeista sitovan viherlipeää itseensä, mikä aiheuttaisi viherlipeän pääsyn letkun vahvikkeisiin ja aiheuttaisi letkun hajoamisen. Osa kumeista kului kemiallisesti, mikä taas aiheuttaisi letkun rasitustilanteissa repeämiä letkun pinnassa ja lopulta letkun hajoamisen. Kuitenkin suuressa osassa testatuissa kumimateriaaleissa ei ollut suuria massanmuutoksia. Tällöin lujuusmittaukset kertoivat muilta osin kumin kestosta. Muutamilla kumeilla massanmuutokset olivat alhaisia, mutta lujuusarvot olivat romahtaneet. Kuitenkin laboratoriomittausten tulosten perusteella pystyttiin löytämään kumimateriaali, joka kestäisi paremmin viherlipeäprosessissa kuin teollisuudessa käytössä ollut kumimateriaali. Kuitenkin lopullinen varmuus tästä voidaan saada teollisuudessa tehtyjen testausten avulla.

Wavelet Analysis in Turbulence

The objective of this thesis is to study wavelets and their role in turbulence applications. Under scrutiny in the thesis is the intermittency in turbulence models. Wavelets are used as a mathematical tool to study the intermittent activities that turbulence models produce. The first section generally introduces wavelets and wavelet transforms as a mathematical tool. Moreover, the basic properties of turbulence are discussed and classical methods for modeling turbulent flows are explained. Wavelets are implemented to model the turbulence as well as to analyze turbulent signals. The model studied here is the GOY (Gledzer 1973, Ohkitani & Yamada 1989) shell model of turbulence, which is a popular model for explaining intermittency based on the cascade of kinetic energy. The goal is to introduce better quantification method for intermittency obtained in a shell model. Wavelets are localized in both space (time) and scale, therefore, they are suitable candidates for the study of singular bursts, that interrupt the calm periods of an energy flow through various scales. The study concerns two questions, namely the frequency of the occurrence as well as the intensity of the singular bursts at various Reynolds numbers. The results gave an insight that singularities become more local as Reynolds number increases. The singularities become more local also when the shell number is increased at certain Reynolds number. The study revealed that the singular bursts are more frequent at Re ~ 107 than other cases with lower Re. The intermittency of bursts for the cases with Re ~ 106 and Re ~ 105 was similar, but for the case with Re ~ 104 bursts occured after long waiting time in a different fashion so that it could not be scaled with higher Re.

Cardan Gear Mechanism versus Slider-Crank Mechanism in Pumps and Engines

In machine design we always want to save space, save energy and produce as much power as possible. We can often reduce accelerations, inertial loads and energy consumption by changing construction. In this study the old cardan gear mechanism (hypocycloid mechanism) has been compared with the conventional slider-crank mechanism in air pumps and four-stroke engines. Comprehensive Newtonian dynamics has been derived for the both mechanisms. First the slidercrank and the cardan gear machines have been studied as lossless systems. Then the friction losses have been added to the calculations. The calculation results show that the cardan gear machines can be more efficient than the slider-crank machines. The smooth running, low mass inertia, high pressures and small frictional power losses make the cardan gear machines clearly better than the slider-crank machines. The dynamic tooth loads of the original cardan gear construction do not rise very high when the tooth clearances are kept tight. On the other hand the half-size crank length causes high bearing forces in the cardan gear machines. The friction losses of the cardan gear machines are generally quite small. The mechanical efficiencies are much higher in the cardan gear machines than in the slider-crank machines in normal use. Crankshaft torques and power needs are smaller in the cardan gear air pumps than in the equal slider-crank air pumps. The mean crankshaft torque and the mean output power are higher in the cardan gear four-stroke engines than in the slider-crank four-stroke engines in normal use. The cardan gear mechanism is at its best, when we want to build a pump or an engine with a long connecting rod (≈ 5⋅crank length) and a thin piston (≈ 1.5⋅crank length) rotating at high angular velocity and intermittently high angular acceleration. The cardan gear machines can be designed also as slide constructions without gears. Suitable applications of the cardan gear machines are three-cylinder half-radial engines for motorcycles, sixcylinder radial engines for airplanes and six-cylinder double half-radial engines for sport cars. The applied equations of Newtonian dynamics, comparative calculations, calculation results (tables, curves and surface plots) and recommendations presented in this study hold novelty value and are unpublished before. They have been made and written by the author first time in this study.

Managing Brand Equity over Time

The main concept of this paper is managing brand equity over time. In the theoretical section, a necessary basis for managing brand equity is first built by reviewing the most important themes related to branding. After this the concept of brand equity is discussed thoroughly, and a framework is built for managing brand equity over time. The empirical section illustrates how the case company, Masku, has built its brand equity over the history of the company. What can be derived from this research is that the process of managing brand equity over time can be an implicit process, and means of reinforcing the brand are often used without specific emphasis to generate business.

Market of biomass fuels in Finland : IEA Bioenergy Task 40 and EUBIONET III - Country report of Finland 2009

This study considered the current situation of solid and liquid biomass fuels in Finland. The fact that industry consumes more than half of the total primary energy, widely applied combined heat and power production and a high share of solid biomass fuels in the total energy consumption are specific to the Finnish energy system. Wood is the most important source of bioenergy in Finland, representing 20% of the total energy consumption in 2007. Almost 80% of the woodbased energy is recovered from industrial by-products and residues. As a member of the European Union, Finland has committed itself to the Union’s climate and energy targets, such as reducing its overall emissions of green house gases to at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, and increasing the share of renewable energy in the gross final consumption. The renewable energy target approved for Finland is 38%. The present National Climate and Energy Strategy was introduced in November 2008. The strategy covers climate and energy policy measures up to 2020, and in brief thereafter, up to 2050. In recent years, the actual emissions have exceeded the Kyoto commitment and the trend of emissions is on the increase. In 2007, the share of renewable energy in the gross final energy consumption was approximately 25% (360 PJ). Without new energy policy measures, the final consumption of renewable energy would increase to 380 PJ, which would be approximately only 31% of the final energy consumption. In addition, green house gas emissions would exceed the 1990 levels by 20%. Meeting the targets will need the adoption of more active energy policy measures in coming years. The international trade of biomass fuels has a substantial importance for the utilisation of bioenergy in Finland. In 2007, the total international trading of solid and liquid biomass fuels was approximately 77 PJ, of which import was 62 PJ. Most of the import is indirect and takes place within the forest industry’s raw wood imports. In 2007, as much as 21% of wood energy was based on foreign-origin wood. Wood pellets and tall oil form the majority of export streams of biomass fuels. The indirect import of wood fuels peaked in 2006 to 61 PJ. The foreseeable decline in raw wood import to Finland will decrease the indirect import of wood fuels. In 2004– 2007, the direct trade of solid and liquid biomass fuels has been on a moderate growth path. In 2007, the import of palm oil and export of bio-diesel emerged, as a large, 170 000 t/yr biodiesel plant came into operation in Porvoo.

The Regulation of Skeletal and Cardiac Muscle Blood Flow in Humans. Studies by positron emission tomography with special reference to exercise, adenosine and nitric oxide

Virtually every cell and organ in the human body is dependent on a proper oxygen supply. This is taken care of by the cardiovascular system that supplies tissues with oxygen precisely according to their metabolic needs. Physical exercise is one of the most demanding challenges the human circulatory system can face. During exercise skeletal muscle blood flow can easily increase some 20-fold and its proper distribution to and within muscles is of importance for optimal oxygen delivery. The local regulation of skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise remains little understood, but adenosine and nitric oxide may take part in this process. In addition to acute exercise, long-term vigorous physical conditioning also induces changes in the cardiovasculature, which leads to improved maximal physical performance. The changes are largely central, such as structural and functional changes in the heart. The function and reserve of the heart’s own vasculature can be studied by adenosine infusion, which according to animal studies evokes vasodilation via it’s a_2A receptors. This has, however, never been addressed in humans in vivo and also studies in endurance athletes have shown inconsistent results regarding the effects of sport training on myocardial blood flow. This study was performed on healthy young adults and endurance athletes and local skeletal and cardiac muscle blod flow was measured by positron emission tomography. In the heart, myocardial blood flow reserve and adenosine A_2A receptor density, and in skeletal muscle, oxygen extraction and consumption was also measured. The role of adenosine in the control of skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise, and its vasodilator effects, were addressed by infusing competitive inhibitors and adenosine into the femoral artery. The formation of skeletal muscle nitric oxide was also inhibited by a drug, with and without prostanoid blockade. As a result and conclusion, it can be said that skeletal muscle blood flow heterogeneity decreases with increasing exercise intensity most likely due to increased vascular unit recruitment, but exercise hyperemia is a very complex phenomenon that cannot be mimicked by pharmacological infusions, and no single regulator factor (e.g. adenosine or nitric oxide) accounts for a significant part of exercise-induced muscle hyperemia. However, in the present study it was observed for the first time in humans that nitric oxide is not only important regulator of the basal level of muscle blood flow, but also oxygen consumption, and together with prostanoids affects muscle blood flow and oxygen consumption during exercise. Finally, even vigorous endurance training does not seem to lead to supranormal myocardial blood flow reserve, and also other receptors than A_2A mediate the vasodilator effects of adenosine. In respect to cardiac work, atheletes heart seems to be luxuriously perfused at rest, which may result from reduced oxygen extraction or impaired efficiency due to pronouncedly enhanced myocardial mass developed to excel in strenuous exercise.

Regime Switching Models for Electricity Time Series that Capture Fat Tailed Distributions

In the power market, electricity prices play an important role at the economic level. The behavior of a price trend usually known as a structural break may change over time in terms of its mean value, its volatility, or it may change for a period of time before reverting back to its original behavior or switching to another style of behavior, and the latter is typically termed a regime shift or regime switch. Our task in this thesis is to develop an electricity price time series model that captures fat tailed distributions which can explain this behavior and analyze it for better understanding. For NordPool data used, the obtained Markov Regime-Switching model operates on two regimes: regular and non-regular. Three criteria have been considered price difference criterion, capacity/flow difference criterion and spikes in Finland criterion. The suitability of GARCH modeling to simulate multi-regime modeling is also studied.

Salesperson's customer orientation in the personal selling process and in the use of personal selling techniques in the business-to-business setting

Selling is much maligned, often under-valued subject whose inadequate showing in business schools is in inverse proportion to the many job opportunities it offers and the importance of salespeople bringing incomes to companies. The purpose of this research is to increase the understanding of customer-oriented selling and examine the influence of customer-oriented philosophy on selling process, the applicability of selling techniques to this philosophy and the importance of them to salespeople. The empirical section of the study is two-fold. Firstly, the data of qualitative part was collected by conducting five thematic interviews among sales consultants and case company representatives. The findings of the study indicate that customer-oriented selling requires the activity of salespeople. In the customer-oriented personal selling process, salespeople invest time in the preplanning, the need analysis and the benefit demonstration stages. However, the findings propose that salespeople today must also have the basic capabilities for executing the traditional sales process, and the balance between traditional and consultative selling process will change as the duration of the relationship between the salesperson and customer increases. The study also proposes that selling techniques still belong to the customer-oriented selling process, although their roles might be modest. This thesis mapped 75 selling techniques and the quantitative part of the study explored what selling techniques are considered to be important by salespeople in direct selling industry when they make sales with new and existing customers. Response rate of the survey was 69.5%.