Towards sustainable transport: A comparison of demographic and behavioural characteristics of Finnish and international car sharing users

Strong evidence suggests that the climate is changing and that these changes are largely caused by human activities. A consensus exists among researchers that human activity is causing global warming and that actions to mitigate global warming need to be taken swiftly. The transportation sector, which relies heavily on fossil fuel burning and primarily oil, is one of the big contributors to air pollution problems at local, regional and global levels. It is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions and is estimated to be responsible for nearly a quarter of global energyrelated carbon dioxide emissions. Car sharing is a mobility solution encouraging its users to decrease private car usage in favour of communal transit and environmental goals. The idea of car sharing originates from the aspiration to decrease personal car ownership and to reduce vehicle distance travelled. This thesis seeks to complement the understanding of Finnish car sharing users and their usage through better categorization. Through better categorization and segmentation of Finnish car sharing users the thesis seeks to provide information for improved marketing insight. Research is done on the demographic and behavioural characteristics of Finnish car sharing users and they are compared with international findings about the characteristics of International car sharing users. The main research problem is Are Finnish car sharing users similar to international ones? A theoretical research framework on the determinants of individual car sharing usage is built based on international research about demographic and behaviouristic characteristics. After this a quantitative survey is performed to the customers of a Finnish car sharing organization. The data analysed in the thesis consist out of 532 answers received from the car sharing organizations customers. The data is analysed with descriptive and other exploratory methods, which create an understanding of Finnish car sharing users. At the end of the analysis the demographic and behavioural characteristics of Finnish car sharing users are compared with international ones. The research findings of the thesis indicate that the demographic and behavioural characteristics of Finnish car sharing usage largely follow those of their international counterparts. Thanks to the thesis results the car sharing organization is able to better target their customers through improved marketing insight.

Can foster carers help children resolve their emotional and behavioural difficulties?

Although foster care is generally seen as providing a positive experience for the children and young people for whom it caters, it is rarely conceived of as a place where the children are helped to address their emotional difficulties and modify their often difficult behaviour. Yet research evidence suggests that some foster carers are consistently less likely to have placements which break down, and that foster carers who show particular skills in parenting can make a difference to successful outcomes. The paper draws on a large longitudinal study of foster care to argue that it is possible to learn from what these foster carers do in order to develop these skills in others. A model of successful foster care. developed from the main statistical part of the study is first described. Two cases from the qualitative, case studies component of the research are then analysed to demonstrate a quality of responsive parenting. The model is further developed within the framework of the dynamic of attachment and interest sharing proposed by Heard and Lake, to show how this can be used as a basis for future approaches to working with foster placements.

Behavioural studies on the ethanol leaf extract of Grewia carpinifolia in Wistar rats.

Background: Grewia carpinifolia is a plant commonly used in the tropics to manage various central nervous system (CNS) disorders. However, despite its widespread use no scientific work has been reported to validate these claims. Objectives: To evaluate the activity of G. carpinifolia as it affects behaviour using animal model. Methods: Twenty five adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (A-E). Group A served as control (given only distilled water), Groups B,C, D and E were administered with single oral dose of ethanol extract of G. carpinifolia leaf at 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight respectively for twenty eight days consecutively. Subsequently, open field test, negative geotaxis and hanging wire test were performed. Body and brain weights were measured and histological examination of the brain was also performed. Results: At the tested doses, the extract significantly increased the time spent on the hanging wire and decreased locomotor activity at 800 mg/kg. No significant difference was observed in body and brain weights of extract treated groups when compared with the control. No visible histological lesion was also observed. Conclusion: The plant extract may improve muscular strength at tested doses and possess CNS depressant activity at 800 mg/ kg.

Outcome Prediction of Consciousness Disorders in the Acute Stage Based on a Complementary Motor Behavioural Tool.

INTRODUCTION: Attaining an accurate diagnosis in the acute phase for severely brain-damaged patients presenting Disorders of Consciousness (DOC) is crucial for prognostic validity; such a diagnosis determines further medical management, in terms of therapeutic choices and end-of-life decisions. However, DOC evaluation based on validated scales, such as the Revised Coma Recovery Scale (CRS-R), can lead to an underestimation of consciousness and to frequent misdiagnoses particularly in cases of cognitive motor dissociation due to other aetiologies. The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical signs that lead to a more accurate consciousness assessment allowing more reliable outcome prediction. METHODS: From the Unit of Acute Neurorehabilitation (University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland) between 2011 and 2014, we enrolled 33 DOC patients with a DOC diagnosis according to the CRS-R that had been established within 28 days of brain damage. The first CRS-R assessment established the initial diagnosis of Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome (UWS) in 20 patients and a Minimally Consciousness State (MCS) in the remaining13 patients. We clinically evaluated the patients over time using the CRS-R scale and concurrently from the beginning with complementary clinical items of a new observational Motor Behaviour Tool (MBT). Primary endpoint was outcome at unit discharge distinguishing two main classes of patients (DOC patients having emerged from DOC and those remaining in DOC) and 6 subclasses detailing the outcome of UWS and MCS patients, respectively. Based on CRS-R and MBT scores assessed separately and jointly, statistical testing was performed in the acute phase using a non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test; longitudinal CRS-R data were modelled with a Generalized Linear Model. RESULTS: Fifty-five per cent of the UWS patients and 77% of the MCS patients had emerged from DOC. First, statistical prediction of the first CRS-R scores did not permit outcome differentiation between classes; longitudinal regression modelling of the CRS-R data identified distinct outcome evolution, but not earlier than 19 days. Second, the MBT yielded a significant outcome predictability in the acute phase (p<0.02, sensitivity>0.81). Third, a statistical comparison of the CRS-R subscales weighted by MBT became significantly predictive for DOC outcome (p<0.02). DISCUSSION: The association of MBT and CRS-R scoring improves significantly the evaluation of consciousness and the predictability of outcome in the acute phase. Subtle motor behaviour assessment provides accurate insight into the amount and the content of consciousness even in the case of cognitive motor dissociation.

Behavioural alterations are independent of sickness behaviour in chronic experimental Chagas disease

The existence of the nervous form of Chagas disease is a matter of discussion since Carlos Chagas described neurological disorders, learning and behavioural alterations in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected individuals. In most patients, the clinical manifestations of the acute phase, including neurological abnormalities, resolve spontaneously without apparent consequence in the chronic phase of infection. However, chronic Chagas disease patients have behavioural changes such as psychomotor alterations, attention and memory deficits, and depression. In the present study, we tested whether or not behavioural alterations are reproducible in experimental models. We show that C57BL/6 mice chronically infected with the Colombian strain of T. cruzi (150 days post-infection) exhibit behavioural changes as (i) depression in the tail suspension and forced swim tests, (ii) anxiety analysed by elevated plus maze and open field test sand and (iii) motor coordination in the rotarod test. These alterations are neither associated with neuromuscular disorders assessed by the grip strength test nor with sickness behaviour analysed by temperature variation sand weight loss. Therefore, chronically T. cruzi-infected mice replicate behavioural alterations (depression and anxiety) detected in Chagas disease patients opening an opportunity to study the interconnection and the physiopathology of these two biological processes in an infectious scenario.

Behavioural correlation for detecting P2P bots

In the past few years, IRC bots, malicious programs which are remotely controlled by the attacker through IRC servers, have become a major threat to the Internet and users. These bots can be used in different malicious ways such as issuing distributed denial of services attacks to shutdown other networks and services, keystrokes logging, spamming, traffic sniffing cause serious disruption on networks and users. New bots use peer to peer (P2P) protocols start to appear as the upcoming threat to Internet security due to the fact that P2P bots do not have a centralized point to shutdown or traceback, thus making the detection of P2P bots is a real challenge. In response to these threats, we present an algorithm to detect an individual P2P bot running on a system by correlating its activities. Our evaluation shows that correlating different activities generated by P2P bots within a specified time period can detect these kind of bots.

Characterization of the behavioural phenotype of calpain-knockout mice

Dissertação de Mestrado, Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Ciências Biomédicas e Medicina, Universidade do Algarve, 2016

Behavioural and neurochemical consequences of chronic gut microbiota depletion during adulthood in the rat

Gut microbiota colonization is a key event for host physiology that occurs early in life. Disruption of this process leads to altered brain development which ultimately manifests as changes in brain function and behaviour in adulthood. Studies using germ-free mice highlight the extreme impact on brain health that results from life without commensal microbes, however the impact of microbiota disturbances occurring in adulthood is less studied. To this end, we depleted the gut microbiota of 10-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats via chronic antibiotic treatment. Following this marked, sustained depletion of the gut bacteria, we investigated behavioural and molecular hallmarks of gut-brain communication. Our results reveal that depletion of the gut microbiota during adulthood results in deficits in spatial memory as tested by Morris water maze, increased visceral sensitivity and a greater display of depressive-like behaviours in the forced swim test. In tandem with these clear behavioural alterations we found change in altered CNS serotonin concentration along with changes in the mRNA levels of corticotrophin releasing hormone receptor 1 and glucocorticoid receptor. Additionally, we found changes in the expression of BDNF, a hallmark of altered microbiota-gut-brain axis signaling. In summary, this model of antibiotic-induced depletion of the gut microbiota can be used for future studies interested in the impact of the gut microbiota on host health without the confounding developmental influence of early-life microbial alterations.

Behavioural outcomes of next-generation family members’ commitment to their firm

Are there variations in behaviours and leadership styles of next-generation family members or descendants who join their family business due to different forms of commitment? Evidence from a dual respondent study of 109 Canadian and Swiss family firms suggests that descendants with affective commitment to their family firms are more likely to engage in discretionary activities going beyond the job description, thereby contributing to organizational performance. Next-generation members with normative commitment are more likely to engage in transformational leadership behaviours. Both affectively and normatively motivated next-generation members use contingent reward forms of leadership. A surprising finding of this study is the binding force of normative commitment on positive leadership behaviours of next-generation members. This study empirically tests the generalizability of the three-component model of commitment to family businesses, a context in which different forms of commitment may play a unique role.

Behavioural agency theory and the family business

The behavioural agency theory was developed to provide a more comprehensive explanation and prediction of managerial risk taking, in response to some shortcomings of agency theory. In general, the theory offers explanations of why decision makers prefer some strategic choices to others. The use of behavioural agency theory in family business research has, however, been very limited. Family business scholars recently adapted this theory to construct the family business variant, the ‘socioemotional wealth’ construct, which offers better explanations for the risk taking and decision making behaviours of family firms. This chapter provides an overview of behavioural agency theory and the socioemotional wealth construct, explores how they have been used in family business research, and offers suggestions for how this theory can be used in further research to contribute to both the family business and the general management literature. Keywords: family business, behavioural agency theory, socioemotional wealth, family firm heterogeneity.

Behavioural theory and the family business

Fifty years have passed since Cyert and March’s 1963 A Behavioral Theory of the Firm. During this time, BTOF has been adopted across different research domains to investigate how organizations set goals, how they determine aspirations and how they finally react to performance aspiration discrepancies. Cyert and March’s framework has also recently emerged as one of the dominant paradigms to understand the ways in which family business organizations make decisions. In this chapter, I review the theoretical development and empirical results of BTOF and its application in the family business field of study in order to identify theoretical and empirical gaps and propose suggestions for future research. The conclusions suggest that BTOF is both a theoretically and empirically valid perspective in family business research, particularly when combined with other theoretical frameworks. The principal recommendation is to apply behavioral theory to enhance scholarly understanding of  how family organisations define their aspiration levels and respond to organizational problems. 

Adaptive and Maladaptive Implications of Reinforcement Learning Processes: Fronto-Striatal Loops and Behavioural Correlates

That humans and animals learn from interaction with the environment is a foundational idea underlying nearly all theories of learning and intelligence. Learning that certain outcomes are associated with specific actions or stimuli (both internal and external), is at the very core of the capacity to adapt behaviour to environmental changes. In the present work, appetitive and aversive reinforcement learning paradigms have been used to investigate the fronto-striatal loops and behavioural correlates of adaptive and maladaptive reinforcement learning processes, aiming to a deeper understanding of how cortical and subcortical substrates interacts between them and with other brain systems to support learning. By combining a large variety of neuroscientific approaches, including behavioral and psychophysiological methods, EEG and neuroimaging techniques, these studies aim at clarifying and advancing the knowledge of the neural bases and computational mechanisms of reinforcement learning, both in normal and neurologically impaired population.

At the intersection of Behavioural Economics, Nudging and Regulation: Rethinking the process of nudge design for regulation

Alongside the developments in behavioural economics, the concept of nudge was introduced as an intervention able to guide individual behaviour towards better choices without using coercion or incentives. While behavioural teams were created inside governmental units and regulatory authorities, nudging emerged in regulatory discourse, being increasingly regarded as a regulatory instrument that could overcome the disadvantages of other tools. This thesis analyses the viability of incorporating nudges into regulation. In particular, it investigates the implications for regulators of bringing iterative experimental testing – a widespread nudge design methodology outside regulation – into their own design practices. Nudges outside regulation are routinely designed using experiments of all kinds. This thesis intends to answer whether design premises rooted in iterative experimentation are still valid in the regulatory space, an arena that nudging entered into and that is distinct from the one where it originally emerged. The design and provision of nudges using the premises of iterative experimental testing is possible, but at a cost and burden for regulatory nudge designers. Therefore, the thesis evaluates how this burden can be reduced, in particular how nudges can be feasibly designed and provided through regulation or, put differently, how to more efficiently design and provide nudging as a regulatory tool.

Typed behavioural equivalences in the Pi-Calculus

In this thesis, I study the notion of program equivalences, i.e. proving that two programs can be used interchangeably without altering the overall observable behaviour. This definition is highly dependent on the contexts in which these programs can be used; does the context have exceptions, parallelism, etc... So proofs also need to be adapted according to the expressiveness of those contexts. This thesis presents on the pi-calculus – a concurrent programming language – under various typing constraints. Types allows us to impose different disciplines like forcing a sequential execution, or ensuring linearity, meaning an object can be used once. In each case, the bisimulation, a standard proof technique for the pi-calculus, needs to be adapted accordingly to obtain a suitable equivalence. We then test how using the modified bisimulations can be used to reason about a language with higher-order functions and references, which once translated into the pi-calculus satisfies the typing constraints.