Verkottuva liiketoiminta, arvoverkosto, partneroituminen, prosessi-integraatio

Tutkielmassa tarkasteltiin muodostuvan RosettaNet-palvelun toteuttamiseen tarvittavia osaamisia ja valittiin osaamisien perusteella parhaat mahdolliset partnerit. Aluksi selvitettiin verkottuvan liiketoiminnan periaatteita sekä verkostoitumisen vaikutusta yritysten nykyiseen toimintaympäristöön. Verkostoista siirryttiin arvoverkostoihin sekä niiden sisälle muodostuvien arvontuotantojärjestelmien toimintaan, joiden pohjalta luotiin RosettaNet-palvelun ympärille muodostuva arvoverkosto ja havaittiin sen sisältävän useita erillisiä arvontuotantojärjestelmiä. Arvontuotantojärjestelmien ja empiirisen kokemuksen pohjalta hahmotettiin palveluun tarvittavat osaamiset, joita olivat teknologia-alustaosaaminen, myynti ja konsultointiosaaminen, ratkaisusuunnitteluja integraatio-osaaminen. Näiden osaamisten perusteella kartoitettiin kaikki mahdolliset partnerit, joiden kanssa tuleva palvelu voitaisiin toteuttaa. Tällöin pääkriteereinä olivat partnerin osaaminen ja sopivuus palveluntarjoajan nykyiseen toimintaympäristöön. Alustavien tutkimuskierrosten jälkeen jäljelle jääneille partneriehdokkaille suoritettiin teemahaastattelut ja yritysten taustojen selvitys. Näiden tutkimusten perusteella yritysten osaamiset ja soveltuvuudet arvioitiin ja tehtiin ehdotus siitä, kuinka Palveluntarjoajan tulisi partneroitua RosettaNet-palvelun osalta. Tutkielmassa muodostettu arvoverkosto ja sen perusteella tehty partnerikartoitus on tehty Palveluntarjoajan tarpeiden pohjalta, eikä se sellaisenaan sovellu käytettäväksi yleisenä toimintamallina johtuen jokaiselle yritykselle ominaisesta toimintaympäristöstä ja tarpeista.

Prolonged Period of Cortical Plasticity upon Redox Dysregulation in Fast-Spiking Interneurons.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress and the specific impairment of perisomatic gamma-aminobutyric acid circuits are hallmarks of the schizophrenic brain and its animal models. Proper maturation of these fast-spiking inhibitory interneurons normally defines critical periods of experience-dependent cortical plasticity. METHODS: Here, we linked these processes by genetically inducing a redox dysregulation restricted to such parvalbumin-positive cells and examined the impact on critical period plasticity using the visual system as a model (3-6 mice/group). RESULTS: Oxidative stress was accompanied by a significant loss of perineuronal nets, which normally enwrap mature fast-spiking cells to limit adult plasticity. Accordingly, the neocortex remained plastic even beyond the peak of its natural critical period. These effects were not seen when redox dysregulation was targeted in excitatory principal cells. CONCLUSIONS: A cell-specific regulation of redox state thus balances plasticity and stability of cortical networks. Mistimed developmental trajectories of brain plasticity may underlie, in part, the pathophysiology of mental illness. Such prolonged developmental plasticity may, in turn, offer a therapeutic opportunity for cognitive interventions targeting brain plasticity in schizophrenia.

Hyvinvointipalvelutuottajien uudet yhteistyön toimintamallit - Orimattilalaisten yritysten työhyvinvointipilotti

Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin pk-sektorilla toimivien yritysten tarpeita liittyen hyvinvointipalvelujen tarjontaan sekä palvelujen koettuun laatuun. Lisäksi selvitettiin millainen hyvinvointitoimijoiden joukko toimii pk-yritysten ympärillä ja millaiset ovat näiden toimijoiden yhteistyön ja verkostoitumisen mahdollisuudet. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli luoda malleja ja ideoita siihen, miten hajallaan oleva palvelutarjonta saataisiin paremmin kohtaamaan pk-yritysten moninaiset tarpeet. Tutkimuksessa haastateltiin 20 Orimattilalaista pk-yritystä teollisuuden sekä kaupan- ja palvelun alalta. Lisäksi kerättiin tietoa muiden toimijoiden kuten työterveyshuoltojen ja hyvinvointipalveluntuottajien tarjontatavoista. Tutkimuksen teoriaosuudessa tutkittiin hyvinvointipalvelutuottajien verkostoitumisen edellytyksiä arvoverkkojen, yritysten välisen yhteistyön mallien sekä liiketoiminnan uudelleen konseptoinnin kautta. Tutkimuksen tuloksista ilmeni, että yritysten, työterveyshuoltojen ja hyvinvointipalveluntuottajien yhteistyön lisäämisellä voidaan kehittää palveluntarjontatapoja paremmin kysyntää vastaavaksi. Erityisesti työterveyshuoltojen rooli yritysten työhyvinvointiprosesseissa korostui. Niiden mukanaolon koetaan parantavan palvelun laatua.

Fast oscillatory activity in the anterior cingulate cortex: dopaminergic modulation and effect of perineuronal net loss.

Dopamine release in the prefrontal cortex plays a critical role in cognitive function such as working memory, attention and planning. Dopamine exerts complex modulation on excitability of pyramidal neurons and interneurons, and regulates excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission. Because of the complexity of this modulation, it is difficult to fully comprehend the effect of dopamine on neuronal network activity. In this study, we investigated the effect of dopamine on local high-frequency oscillatory neuronal activity (in β band) in slices of the mouse anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). We found that dopamine enhanced the power of these oscillations induced by kainate and carbachol, but did not affect their peak frequency. Activation of D2R and in a lesser degree D1R increased the oscillation power, while activation of D4R had no effect. These high-frequency oscillations in the ACC relied on both phasic inhibitory and excitatory transmission and functional gap junctions. Thus, dopamine released in the ACC promotes high-frequency synchronized local cortical activity which is known to favor information transfer, fast selection and binding of distributed neuronal responses. Finally, the power of these oscillations was significantly enhanced after degradation of the perineuronal nets (PNNs) enwrapping most parvalbumin interneurons. This study provides new insights for a better understanding of the abnormal prefrontal gamma activity in schizophrenia (SZ) patients who display prefrontal anomalies of both the dopaminergic system and the PNNs.

OLFM4 : a neutrophil shield against autoimmunity?

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation is a cell death mechanism characterized by the extrusion of DNA fibers associated to antimicrobial peptides such as LL37. Beside their antimicrobial role, NETs are highly immunogenic by their ability to activate plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). In this context, LL37 binds to NET-DNA, leading to endosomal Toll¬like-receptor (TLR) 9 binding, resulting in Interferon alpha (IFNa) production by pDCs. Uncontrolled pDC activation by NETs is an important player in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease such as Lupus Erythematosus (LE); however the regulation of NET- driven pDC activation is poorly characterized. Olfactomedin 4 (OLFM4) is a granule protein present in a subset of circulating neutrophils and was shown to bear anti-inflammatory properties in a mouse model, raising the possibility that it may regulate neutrophil-induced inflammation. Therefore, in this project, we aimed at deciphering the mechanism by which OLFM4 may regulate inflammation induced by NET-activated pDC and its relevance in the pathogenesis of Lupus Erythematosus (LE). First, we show that OLFM4 directly interacted with LL37 in neutrophils, impairing LL37/DNA complexes formation and pDC activation to produce IFNa. Then, by using an in vivo model of acute inflammation depending on NET- driven activation of pDCs, we observed that the absence of Olfm4 led to uncontrolled type I IFN production, confirming the regulatory role of neutrophil-derived OLFM4. Beyond controlling NET-induced inflammation, we also show that OLFM4 could inhibit pDC activation mediated by DNA-containing immune complexes (ICs), suggesting that OLFM4 holds anti¬inflammatory properties in the context of LE. Of note, we identified a previously unknown population of OLFM4hi9h neutrophils in healthy individuals that may belong to the immunosuppressive subset of granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (g-MDSCs). Strikingly, we observed a decreased frequency of OLFM4h'9h cells among inflammatory Low density granulocytes (LDGs) neutrophils in LE patients, suggesting that a disequilibrium between pro- and anti-inflammatory neutrophils may participate to the disease pathogenesis. Altogether, this study demonstrates that OLFM4 is involved in the resolution of inflammation. -- La NETose (formation de Neutrophil Extracellular Traps, NETs) est une réponse à un stimulus inflammatoire caractérisée par l'expulsion de l'ADN lié à des peptides antimicrobiens comme le LL37, induisant la mort de la cellule. Les NETs possèdent des propriétés antibactériennes et sont pro-inflammatoires via leur capacité à activer les cellules dendritiques plasmacytoïdes (pDCs). Dans ce contexte, les complexes ADN/LL37 libérés lient le récepteur Toll-like 9 des pDCs, induisant la production d'Interféron alpha (IFNa). La production incontrôlée d'IFNa par les pDCs est impliquée dans la pathogenèse du Lupus Erythemateux (LE), cependant la régulation de l'activation des pDCs reste mal connue. L'Oflactomédine 4 (OLFM4) est une protéine produite par une sous-population de neutrophiles, avec des propriétés anti-inflammatoires possibles. Le but de ce projet était d'identifier les mécanismes par lesquels l'OLFM4 pourrait réguler l'inflammation induite par les NETs et sa relevance dans la pathogenèse du LE. Tout d'abord, nous avons montré que l'OLFM4 interagissait avec le LL37, empêchant la production des complexes ADN/LL37 qui activent les pDCs. Nous avons vérifié notre hypothèse in vivo en utilisant un modèle murin d'inflammation locale dépendant des pDCs et des NETs. Dans ce contexte, le déficit en Olfm4 était associé à une production accrue d'IFNa, confirmant le rôle de l'OLFM4 dans le contrôle de l'inflammation. De plus, l'OLFM4 pouvait également inhiber l'activation des pDCs induite par des complexes immuns, suggérant que l'OLFM4 serait aussi anti-inflammatoire dans le contexte du LE. Ensuite, nous avons identifié une nouvelle population de neutrophiles OLFM4h'9h chez les sujets sains qui pourraient appartenir au sous-type anti¬inflammatoire des g-MDSCs (granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells). Nous avons observé une diminution de ces cellules parmi les neutrophiles pro-inflammatoires LDGs (Low Density Granulocytes) dans le LE suggérant qu'un déséquilibre entre les sous-types de neutrophiles pourrait participer à l'inflammation excessive de cette maladie. Ces travaux mettent en évidence l'implication de l'OLFM4 dans la résolution de l'inflammation et suggèrent qu'une expression altérée de l'OLFM4 pourrait participer à la pathogenèse du LE. -- Les neutrophils constituent la majorité des globules blancs circulants et sont rapidement mobilisés depuis le sang dans un organe lésé en cas d'infection ou de blessure. Ils représentent la première ligne de défense du système immunitaire. Ils sont indispensables dans la défense contre les infections par leur capacité à tuer les bactéries, par exemple en produisant des peptides antimicrobiens (AMPs) qui fonctionnent comme des antibiotiques naturels. De plus, les neutrophiles recrutent les autres membres du système immunitaire qui sont nécessaires à l'éradication complète des microbes et à la réparation des tissus. Les nombreux outils permettant aux neutrophiles de contrôler les infections ne sont cependant pas sans danger pour les tissus. En effet, diverses molécules comme les AMPs peuvent induire des dommages tissulaires substantiels en participant au développement d'une inflammation chronique. Ceci est particulièrement le cas lorsque les neutrophiles meurent par un processus nommé NETose. Dans ce contexte, la cellule subit une dissolution de sa membrane suivie de l'expulsion de son ADN associé à des AMPs. Ces complexes formés d'ADN et d'AMPs induisent la production de cytokines pro-inflammatoires dont l'Interféron alpha (IFNa). Certaines maladies auto-immunes comme le lupus érythémateux sont associées à un excès de NETose produit par les neutrophiles et à un excès d'IFNa qui participe au développement de la maladie. Dans cette thèse, nous avons montré que l'Olfactomédine 4 (OLFM4), une protéine produite par les neutrophiles eux-mêmes, est un inhibiteur de cette inflammation. Nous avons démontré que TOLFM4 empêchait la formation des complexes ADN/AMPs, réduisant par là la production d'IFNa in vitro et in vivo. Finalement, nos recherches ont suggéré que l'OLFM4 pourrait être insuffisamment produite chez les patients souffrant de lupus, ce qui pourrait participer à l'inflammation chronique associée à la maladie.

Netting neutrophils in skin wounds recruit and activate plasmacytoid dentritic cells

Les mécanismes qui régulent le processus de guérison de la peau lésée ne sont pas entièrement compris. Nous avons précédemment montré que les cellules dendritiques plasmocytoïdes (pDCs) sont normalement absentes de la peau saine mais infiltrent rapidement la peau humaine ainsi que celle des souris après une blessure cutanée. Après avoir infiltré la peau, ces pDCs sont capables de détecter les acides nucléiques par l'expression des récepteurs de type Toll 7 et 9 ce qui les active à produire de 1' interféron (IFN) de type I. Ce processus est primordial pour la re- épithélisation des blessures cutanées. Cependant, les mécanismes conduisant à l'infiltration et à 1'activation des pDCs restent inconnus. Dans notre projet, nous montrons que la chimiokine CxcllO est responsable de l'infiltration des pDCs. De façon importante, nous démontrons que les neutrophiles qui infiltrent également la peau lésée sont la source majeure de cette chimiokine. La déplétion des neutrophiles abolit d'ailleurs le recrutement des pDCs confirmant ainsi que CxcllO produit par les neutrophiles est responsable de l'infiltration des pDCs dans la peau endommagée. De façon intéressante, nous avons trouvé que CxcllO en plus de son activité chimiotactique, est capable de former des complexes avec l'ADN et d'activer ainsi les pDCs à produire de l'IFN de type I. De plus, nous avons observé que les neutrophiles qui infiltrent la peau forment des Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs). Ces NETs sont constitués de filaments extracellulaires d'ADN recouverts par de nombreuses protéines principalement d'origine granulaire. D'une manière frappante, le blocage de la NETose ou l'utilisation de souris déficientes pour la formation de NETs altère le recrutement et l'activation des pDCs ainsi que la réponse inflammatoire qui en découle ainsi que le processus de re-epithélisation qui s'ensuit. En prenant en compte toutes ces données, nos résultats démontrent que suite à une blessure de la peau, les neutrophiles par la production de CxcllO contrôlent l'infiltration des pDCs dans la peau lésée et par la formation de NETs, promeuvent l'activation des pDCs. Notre étude fournit donc de nouvelles informations sur les mécanismes de guérison de la peau et ouvre de nouvelles perspectives thérapeutiques quant à la réparation tissulaire de la peau soit dans le but de l'amplifier ou de l'inhiber. -- The mechanisms that regulate healing of the injured skin are not well understood. We have previously shown that plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are normally absent from the healthy skin, but rapidly infiltrate both murine and human skin upon injury. Upon skin infiltration, pDCs sense nucleic acids via TLR7/TLR9 and are activated to produce type I interferon (IFN), a process that is crucial for re-epithelialisation of skin wounds. However, the mechanisms that drive pDCs recruitment and activation in injured skin remain unclear. We show that CxcllO is responsible for pDCs infiltration. Importantly, we demonstrate that skin infiltrating neutrophils are the major source of this chemokine. Neutrophils depletion completely abrogated pDCs recruitment confirming that CxcllO- driven pDCs recruitment is controlled by neutrophils. Interestingly, CxcllO was also found to form complexes with DNA and to activate pDCs to produce Type I IFN in addition to its chemotactic activity. Moreover, we observed that infiltrating neutrophils release Neutrophils Extracellular Traps (NETs) composed of DNA filaments decorated with neutrophils-derived proteins. Strikingly, blocking NETosis or using mice deficient for NETs production impaired pDCs recruitment and activation as well as the subsequent inflammatory response and the re-epithelialisation process. Altogether, these data demonstrate that upon skin injury, neutrophils control pDCs infiltration into the injured skin by the release of CxcllO and via the production of NETs, they allow complex formation between CxcllO and NET-DNA leading to pDCs activation. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of wound healing and open new avenues for potential therapeutic interventions to boost or inhibit wound repair in the skin.

Present-day deformation of the Pyrenees revealed by GPS surveying and earthquake focal mechanisms until 2011

The Pyrenean mountain range is a slowly deforming belt with continuous and moderate seismic activity. To quantify its deformation field, we present the velocity field estimated from a GPS survey of the Pyrenees spanning 18 yr. The PotSis and ResPyr networks, including a total of 85 GPS sites, were installed and first measured in 1992 and 1995 1997, respectively, and remeasured in 2008 and 2010. We obtain a deformation field with velocities less than 1 mm yr−1 across the range. The estimated velocities for individual stations do not differ significantly from zero with 95 per cent confidence. Even so, we estimate a maximum extensional horizontal strain rate of 2.0 ± 1.7 nanostrain per year in a N S direction in the western part of the range. We do not interpret the vertical displacements due to their large uncertainties. In order to compare the horizontal strain rates with the seismic activity, we analyse a set of 194 focal mechanisms using three methods: (i) the 'r' factor relating their P and T axes, (ii) the stress tensors obtained by fault slip inversion and (iii) the strain-rate tensors. Stress and strain-rate tensors are estimated for: (i) the whole data set, (ii) the eastern and western parts of the range separately, and (iii) eight zones, which are defined based on the seismicity and the tectonic patterns of the Pyrenees. Each of these analyses reveals a lateral variation of the deformation style from compression and extension in the east to extension and strike-slip in the west of the range. Although the horizontal components of the strain-rate tensors estimated from the seismic data are slightly smaller in magnitude than those computed from the GPS velocity field, they are consistent within the 2σ uncertainties. Furthermore, the orientations of their principal axes agree with the mapped active faults.

Automatització d'una planta de processos químics

Resum L’any 1969 es van començar a comercialitzar els sistemes digitals programables coneguts com autòmats programables o PLC’s, utilitzats per controlar qualsevol tipus de procés industrial. Al llarg de tots aquests anys, aquests sistemes i tota la tecnologia en general han evolucionat molt, i només és qüestió de temps que la tecnologia que utilitzem avui en dia quedi obsoleta i substituïda per una de millors característiques i amb més avantatges. Aquest és el motiu de l’elaboració d’aquest treball, que com a objectiu pretén modernitzar un procés de fabricació d’una industria química que ha quedat molt limitat a causa de l’antiguitat de la instal•lació. Per dur a terme aquesta modernització, s’introdueixen sistemes de control amb majors prestacions, s’utilitzen xarxes de comunicacions per facilitar el muntatge elèctric de la instal•lació i un sistema de supervisió i adquisició de dades per poder obtenir un control més estricte del procés de fabricació i de tots els factors que intervenen. El funcionament del procés de fabricació és que a partir d’unes matèries primeres líquides emmagatzemades en dipòsits, es dosifiquin aquestes matèries en l’ordre i la quantitat desitjada dins un o diversos recipients per barrejar-les i aplicar els tractaments que siguin necessaris. Tot aquest procés està controlat per un autòmat programable, i disposa de diferents terminals operadors per poder interactuar amb el sistema. També té implementat un sistema SCADA en diversos ordinadors per aportar una visió general de la planta en temps real, un registre de dades dels paràmetres que es controlen i alhora serveix per enllaçar amb la xarxa d’ordinadors existent. Com annex d’aquest treball, es presenten els esquemes elèctrics i el programa de l’autòmat programable per veure totes les característiques elèctriques dels dispositius i el mètode de funcionament del procés. S’ha aconseguit donar un salt tecnològic i poder gaudir de tots els avantatges que ofereixen les noves tecnologies, que com a resultat s’ha optimitzat i millorat el procés de fabricació. De totes les conclusions, la més destacada és la d’haver dissenyat un sistema de control basat en una estructura descentralitzada molt flexible, que es pot expandir i adaptar fàcilment als possibles canvis.

Hydrozoa e Scyphozoa existentes no instituto paulista de oceanografia

Continuing the inventory of the Coelenterate Fauna of the Brazilian coast, 23 species of Hydrozoa and a Scyphomedusa are recorded from different points of the coast aproximately between 22º and 24º lat. S. Of these, 14 species were already known from other points of the coast and the remaining 10 were unknown from this latitude. Two species are here listed as new, they are: Halocordyle fragHis and Calicella gabriellae. 1. - Halocordyle fragilis, Stechow's (1923) correction of the generic name Pennaria has been followed, shows remarkable distinctive specific characters such as: alternate distribution of the cladii which do not lie all in the same plane, they are inserted at random on the hydrocaulus with a tendency towards a spiral dexiotropic distribution, sparse distribution of the pedicels which are alternate and not all located on the same side of the hydrocladium, and, finally, the long, wiry aspect of the colony which is as brittle as light glass. This characteristics are not sufficient, to my belief, to establish a new genus, since the polyps and the gonophores are entirely of the Halocordyle type, but they confer upon the species a very peculiar habitus. 2. - Calicella gabriellae forms erect hydrocauli which are extremely soft and flexuose, with hydrothecate and intermediate internodes. The thecae are deep, cylindrical, with a conical base, there are 10-12 long and narrow opercular valves. The gonangia are small, conical, with a short distal digitiform process. The included sporosac exhibits maturing ova. Dynamena heteroclonta described by Jarvis (1922) as a new species, is here considered as a new form of the very variable species Dynamena quadridentata. Schizotricha billardi nom. nov., is specifically separated from Sch. diaphana (Heller) to which it had been identified up to know. The Brazilian colonies agree with the French Somaliland specimens described by Billard (1904) and they are reunited in a new species named after the French worker. The main difference, between the two mentioned species are: shape and size of the gonothecae, of the thecae and of the nematophores. A description is given of all the species not previously recorded from the Brazilian coast as well as biological observations on Olindias sambaquiensis whose shoals during winter months are very large and may entangle partially the fishermen's nets. Its feeding and swimming habits are described and the species proves to be an excellent laboratory animal both for class and research purposes, for it easily endures long transportation (even up to 12 hours during summer months) as well as unoxygenized acquaria and nevertheless greadily feeds on any animal food.

Kaivoksen arvoverkon kehittyminen ja toimijoiden välisen tiedonvaihdon tehostaminen

Diplomityön ensisijaisena tavoitteena on tuottaa tietoa kaivoksen arvoverkon kehittymisestä ja kaivoksen arvoverkkoon kuuluvista toimijoista. Toisena tavoitteena on tunnistaa kaivosteollisuuden potentiaalisten toimittajien alalle pääsyn esteitä ja etsiä niihin ratkaisuja. Työ perustuu kolmeen toisiaan täydentävään työmenetelmään, jotka ovat suhde- ja tietoverkostoon kuuluvien asiantuntijoiden haastattelut, toimintatutkimus sekä aihetta käsittelevät julkaisut. Työssä kuvataan (1) kaivosteollisuuden arvontuottamisjärjestelmään vaikuttavat taustatekijät; (2) kaivoksen arvoverkkoon kuuluvat toimijat ja niiden tehtävät sekä (3) kaivoksen liiketoimintaverkon tyypillinen rakenne ja sen muodostumiseen vaikuttavat tekijät. Tehtyjen havaintojen perusteella esitetään sähköisen liiketoiminnan ratkaisu, joka edistää toimijoiden välistä tiedonvaihtoa ja helpottaa potentiaalisten toimittajien alalle pääsyä.

Teknologinen kehitys hyvinvointivaltiossa

Tämän diplomityön tavoitteena on luoda poikkitieteellinen katsaus teknologisen kehityksen vaikutuksiin hyvinvointivaltion perusrakenteille, kuten työnteko, yrityskulttuuri, peruskoulutus sekä innovaatiopolitiikka. Työ pyrkii osoittamaan myös hyvinvointivaltion roolin Suomen kilpailu- ja innovaatiokyvyn kannalta. Työn viitekehys rakentuu teknisten-, yhteiskuntatieteiden, sosiologian sekä tämän päivän heikkojen signaalien varaan. Työ yhdistää erilaiset näkökulmat yhdeksi kokonaisuudeksi, josta myös lukija voi luoda oman näkemyksensä. Johtopäätöksinä työssä huomataan hyvinvointivaltion roolin suuruus puhuttaessa suomalaisesta innovaatio- ja kilpailukyvystä. Tasa-arvoinen peruskoulutusjärjestelmä, tulonsiirrot sekä sosiaalinen turvaverkko ovat olleet luomassa pohjaa nykyiselle hyvinvoinnillemme sekä kilpailukyvyllemme. Kuitenkin nämä järjestelmät ovat jäämässä ajastaan jälkeen, sillä niitä ei ole suunniteltu kansallisvaltioiden väliseen kilpailuun. Yksityistäminen ja globaalille kilpailulle avautuminen ovat nähty maailmalla ratkaisuna tähän ongelmaan, kuten Englannissa tehtiin 40 vuotta sitten. Yksityistämisen vaikutukset hyvinvointivaltioon ovat kuitenkin arvaamattomia, sillä hyvinvointivaltio on vielä varsin tutkimaton käsite. Teknologinen kehitys on ollut luomassa kilpailuetuamme ja siitä voidaan olettaa myös luovan tulevaa kilpailuetua. Suomeen on saatava uudenlainen johtamisen- ja yhteiskunnallisen ymmärtämisen kulttuuri, joka huomioi myös globalisaation mukanaan tuomia muutoksia. Se yhdistettynä teknologian kehitykseen ja innovaatiopolitiikkaan saattaa olla Suomen tulevaisuuden kannalta ratkaiseva innovatiivinen kilpailuetu.

The role of power relations in strategic supply management – A value net approach

Supplier relationships are key elements of supply management and thus have attracted substantial research interest among academics and practitioners. The collaborative nature of relationships has been the focus of the mainstream research, and limited interest has been channelled towards power in buyer–supplier relationships. However, power is one of the key factors determining the outcomes in many business relations. Hence, one of the main objectives of this dissertation is to clarify how power may influence the nature of buyer–supplier relationships and, moreover, the depth of collaboration. Another main objective is to clarify the role of power relations in strategic supply management. Given the different nature of relationships, the firm needs divergent strategies in its supply management in order to handle them efficiently. Power has been identified as one of the factors that affect the nature of buyer–supplier relationships, and firms should thus develop strategies for handling power relations. Three research questions are addressed in pursuit of these objectives, the aim being to clarify the sources of power, the influence of power on collaboration, and the role of buyer–supplier relationships in the firm’s supply strategy. This dissertation has two parts. The first part provides a synthesis of the overall dissertation, and the second part comprises five complementary research papers. The qualitative research method is applied in an empirical case study from the Finnish food industry. The main contribution of this dissertation is that it clarifies the role of power relations in strategic supply management in value nets, and discloses the nature of power as an influencing factor in supplier relationships. It extends the discussion on power in buyer– supplier relationships in highlighting the context of networks and raising the question of network effects on power relations. It also illustrates how power positions and power relations in value nets can be determined based on the sources of power of the network actors, and shows their influence on collaboration.

Network Structures and Modularity among Biofuel Heating System Manufacturers

The aim of this thesis was to study network structures and modularity among biofuel heating system manufacturers in the Finnish bioenergy sector by utilizing the perspectives of numerous Finnish bioenergy specialists. The study is qualitative due to the fact that the research material was gathered with semi-structured theme interviews during May and June 2010. The research methodology used in the thesis combines conceptual and action-oriented approach. Networks, value nets, and modularity were studied from different perspectives. Three network and platform strategies were discovered and a general network structure was formed. Moreover, benefits and disadvantages of networks and modularity among biofuel heating system manufacturers were illustrated. The analysis provides a comprehensive perception of the industry. The results of the research were constructed by implementing existing theories into practice. Also future recommendations for the biofuel heating system manufacturers were given. The results can be considered to be beneficial because the number of previous studies about the subject is relatively small. The reliability of the study is eminent because the number of the interviews was inclusive.

Petri Net approach for modelling system integration in intelligent buildings

In this paper, a Petri Net approach is introduced for modelling and simulation of control strategies in Intelligent Building. In this context, it is claimed that integration with other building systems can be achieved in a more systematic way considering a mechatronic approach (i.e. multidisciplinary concepts applied to the development of systems). The case study is the Ambulatory Building of Medical School Hospital of University of São Paulo. Particularly, the developed methodology is applied to the elevator system and to the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system. It is shown that using this approach, the control systems could be integrated, improving performance.

Mathematical modeling and optimal control of malaria

Malaria continues to infect millions and kill hundreds of thousands of people worldwide each year, despite over a century of research and attempts to control and eliminate this infectious disease. Challenges such as the development and spread of drug resistant malaria parasites, insecticide resistance to mosquitoes, climate change, the presence of individuals with subpatent malaria infections which normally are asymptomatic and behavioral plasticity in the mosquito hinder the prospects of malaria control and elimination. In this thesis, mathematical models of malaria transmission and control that address the role of drug resistance, immunity, iron supplementation and anemia, immigration and visitation, and the presence of asymptomatic carriers in malaria transmission are developed. A within-host mathematical model of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria is also developed. First, a deterministic mathematical model for transmission of antimalarial drug resistance parasites with superinfection is developed and analyzed. The possibility of increase in the risk of superinfection due to iron supplementation and fortification in malaria endemic areas is discussed. The model results calls upon stakeholders to weigh the pros and cons of iron supplementation to individuals living in malaria endemic regions. Second, a deterministic model of transmission of drug resistant malaria parasites, including the inflow of infective immigrants, is presented and analyzed. The optimal control theory is applied to this model to study the impact of various malaria and vector control strategies, such as screening of immigrants, treatment of drug-sensitive infections, treatment of drug-resistant infections, and the use of insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor spraying of mosquitoes. The results of the model emphasize the importance of using a combination of all four controls tools for effective malaria intervention. Next, a two-age-class mathematical model for malaria transmission with asymptomatic carriers is developed and analyzed. In development of this model, four possible control measures are analyzed: the use of long-lasting treated mosquito nets, indoor residual spraying, screening and treatment of symptomatic, and screening and treatment of asymptomatic individuals. The numerical results show that a disease-free equilibrium can be attained if all four control measures are used. A common pitfall for most epidemiological models is the absence of real data; model-based conclusions have to be drawn based on uncertain parameter values. In this thesis, an approach to study the robustness of optimal control solutions under such parameter uncertainty is presented. Numerical analysis of the optimal control problem in the presence of parameter uncertainty demonstrate the robustness of the optimal control approach that: when a comprehensive control strategy is used the main conclusions of the optimal control remain unchanged, even if inevitable variability remains in the control profiles. The results provide a promising framework for the design of cost-effective strategies for disease control with multiple interventions, even under considerable uncertainty of model parameters. Finally, a separate work modeling the within-host Plasmodium falciparum infection in humans is presented. The developed model allows re-infection of already-infected red blood cells. The model hypothesizes that in severe malaria due to parasite quest for survival and rapid multiplication, the Plasmodium falciparum can be absorbed in the already-infected red blood cells which accelerates the rupture rate and consequently cause anemia. Analysis of the model and parameter identifiability using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods is presented.