912 resultados para Radio Activity in the Atmospheric
Resumo:
Physical activity has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular risk and the well-being in patients with type 2 diabetes. Thereby, both aerobic physical activities and resistance activities are recommended. DIAfit is a programm for patients with type 2 diabetes that is being implemented in Switzerland. Its objective is to allow the initiation of a structured physical activity in the setting of a pluridisciplinary team to promote a healthy lifestyle.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the N losses due to volatilization at different rates of common urea, polymer coated urea and urease inhibitor-treated urea in the out-of-season corn, using semi-open static collectors. The treatments consisted of N levels on side-dressing fertilization with urea in different treatments: (a) control (without N), (b) urea 40 kg ha-1 N, (c) urea 80 kg ha-1 N, (d) polymer coated urea 40 kg ha-1 N, (e) polymer coated urea 80 kg ha-1 N and (f) urea with the urease inhibitor (UI) N 80 kg ha-1 N. The results showed that the treatments with polymer coated urea and with urease inhibitor-treated urea reduced the volatilization of N around 50 % compared to common urea, either in the first and the second N side-dressing fertilizations. Thus, they demonstrate that the polymer coat and the urease inhibitors were effective in reducing the volatilization of urea N applied in coverage, which resulted in higher productivity. There was also increasing urease activity in the treatments with application of common urea.
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The Thyon metagranite is located in the frontal part of the Siviez-Mischabel Nappe, in the western Penninic Alps. It is intrusive in a polymetamorphic banded volcanic complex as leucocratic concordant sills with pseudoaplitic rims. A distinct metamorphic schistosity is defined by dark-green Fe-rich biotite. Abundant mesoperthites, chess-board albite and low microcline are presumably related to magmatic stages and/or greenschist-facies metamorphic retrogression. Major, trace element and REE geochemistry, zircon typology, Y and Nb-bearing accessory minerals such as fergusonite and euxenite, all point to a metaluminous to peraluminous alkaline A-type granite. High-precision U-Pb zircon dating yielded a sub-concordant age of 500 +3/-4 Ma. The Thyon metagranite is the third record of a Cambro-Ordovician alkaline magmatic activity in the Alps. As A-type granitic magmatism is common in post-orogenic to anorogenic extensional tectonic regime, the Thyon intrusion could mark the transition between the Cadomian and the Caledonian orogenies.
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We explore the timing of deformation and exhumation of the Siviez-Mischabel Nappe (western Swiss Alps), which has been considered a classic example of a midcrustal crystalline nappe since the studies of Argand [1916]. This study presents Ar-40/Ar-39 ages obtained on both synkinematic white mica from Permo-Triassic cover sediments and more complex white mica populations from basement gneisses of the Siviez-Mischabel and middle Pennine Nappes. Primary foliation developed in cover units by nucleation, growth, and rigid rotation of mica grains during noncoaxial Alpine deformation. Although some samples show a crenulation of this primary foliation, mica growth appears to have occurred only during the development of primary foliation, the main phase of greenschist facies deformation related to imbrication of the Siviez-Mischabel Nappe and other middle Pennine Nappes. Good agreement exists between independent estimates of the timing of deformation and reported Ar-40/Ar-39, white mica ages from cover units of the central and southern Siviez-Mischabel Nappe. In cover units from the central and southern Siviez-Mischabel regions of the study area, Ar-40/Ar-39 ages appear to date synkinematic white mica growth. Results suggest that the Siviez-Mischabel :Nappe was emplaced and developed foliation during a 5 m.y. period from 41 to 36 Ma. In cover units from the eastern Siviez-Mischabel, however, Ar-40/Ar-39 white mica ages appear to date postkinematic thermal events. These thermal events may be related to Oligocene magmatic activity in the lower Pennine Nappes or to Miocene development of the Simplon fault zone. Variations in the relation between Alpine age and grain size for cover samples from the central, eastern, and southern Siviez-Mischabel correlate well with the regional variations in temperature inferred from quartz microfabrics and the pattern of regional metamorphism. When considered in concert with other recent isotopic studies on the timing of major tectonic and thermal events in the western Swiss Alps, these data support arguments that the relative timing of events such as thrusting and back thrusting of crystalline nappes in hinterland units and exhumation of high-pressure units in the suture zone of the western Alps are intimately related and synchronous on the scale of a few million years. Copyright 1998 by the American Geophysical Union.
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The objective of this work was to analyze the pattern of esterase activity in the development stages of Rhipicephalus microplus by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using specific staining for esterase. The electrophoretical results revealed the presence of nine regions displaying esterase activity, stained with both alpha-naphthyl acetate and beta-naphthyl acetate, and classified as alpha-beta-esterase. Stage-specific esterases were found, with the first nymphal and larval stages showing the greatest esterase activity throughout the development. An esterase called EST-4 was detected only in males and was considered sex-specific. There are differences in the esterase profile among the different postembryonic development stages of R. microplus.
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ABSTRACTThe pollution of air, soil and water by heavy metals through anthropogenic activities is an object of numerous environmental studies since long times. A number of natural processes, such as volcanic activity, hydrothermal fluid circulation and weathering of metal-rich deposits may lead to an additional and potentially important input and accumulation of heavy metals in the environment. In the Swiss and French Jura Mountains, anomalous high cadmium (Cd) concentrations (up to 16 ppm) in certain soils are related to the presence of underlying Cd-enriched (up to 21 ppm) carbonate rocks of Middle to Late Jurassic age. The aim of this study is to understand the processes controlling Cd incorporation into carbonate rocks of Middle and Late Jurassic age and to reconstruct the sedimentary and environmental conditions, which have led to Cd enrichments in these sedimentary rocks.Cd concentrations in studied hemipelagic sections in France vary between 0.1 and 0.5 ppm (mean 0.15 ppm). Trace-element behavior and high Mn concentrations suggest that sediment accumulation occurred in a well-oxygenated environment. Increases in Cd contents in the bulk-rock carbonate sediments may be related to increases in surface-water productivity under oxic conditions and important remineralization of organic matter within the water column. In platform settings preserved in the Swiss Jura Mountains, no correlation is observed between Cd contents and evolution of environmental conditions. Cd concentrations in these platform sections are often below the detection limit, with isolated peaks of up to 21 ppm. These important Cd enrichments are associated with peaks in Zn concentrations and are present in carbonate rocks independently of facies and age. The high Cd contents in these shallow-water carbonate rocks are partly related to the presence of disseminated, Cd-rich (up to 1.8%), sphalerite (ZnS) mineralization. The basement rocks are considered to be the source of metals for sulfide mineralization in the overlying Jurassic strata, as the sphalerite Pb isotope pattern is comparable to that of granite rocks from the nearby southern Black Forest crystalline massif. The Rb-Sr ages of sphalerite samples indicate that a main phase of sphalerite formation occurred near the boundary between the late Middle and early Late Jurassic, at around 162 Ma, as a result of enhanced tectonic and hydrothermal activity in Europe, related to the opening of the Central Atlantic and to the tectonic/thermal subsidence during spreading of the Alpine Tethys. I therefore propose to use unusually high Cd concentrations in carbonates as a tracer of tectonic activity in the Jura Mountains area, especially in the case when important enrichments in Zn co-occur. Paleoproductivity reconstructions based on records of authigenic Cd may be compromised not only by post-depositional redistribution, but also by incorporation of additional Cd from hydrothermal solutions circulating in the rock.The circulation of metal-rich hydrothermal fluids through the sediment sequence, in addition to specific environmental conditions during sedimentation, contributes to the incorporation of Cd into the carbonate rocks. However, only hydrothermal activity has led to the unusually high concentrations of Cd in carbonate rocks of Bajocian-Oxfordian age, through the formation of sphalerite mineralization.
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Mushroom picking has become a widespread autumn recreational activity in the Central Pyrenees and other regions of Spain. Predictive models that relate mushroom production or fungal species richness with forest stand and site characteristics are not available. This study used mushroom production data from 24 Scots pine plots over 3 years to develop a predictive model that could facilitate forest management decisions when comparing silvicultural options in terms of mushroom production. Mixed modelling was used to model the dependence of mushroom production on stand and site factors. The results showed that productions were greatest when stand basal area was approximately 20 m2 ha-1. Increasing elevation and northern aspect increased total mushroom production as well as the production of edible and marketed mushrooms. Increasing slope decreased productions. Marketed Lactarius spp., the most important group collected in the region, showed similar relationships. The annual variation in mushroom production correlated with autumn rainfall. Mushroom species richness was highest when the total production was highest.
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How a stimulus or a task alters the spontaneous dynamics of the brain remains a fundamental open question in neuroscience. One of the most robust hallmarks of task/stimulus-driven brain dynamics is the decrease of variability with respect to the spontaneous level, an effect seen across multiple experimental conditions and in brain signals observed at different spatiotemporal scales. Recently, it was observed that the trial-to-trial variability and temporal variance of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals decrease in the task-driven activity. Here we examined the dynamics of a large-scale model of the human cortex to provide a mechanistic understanding of these observations. The model allows computing the statistics of synaptic activity in the spontaneous condition and in putative tasks determined by external inputs to a given subset of brain regions. We demonstrated that external inputs decrease the variance, increase the covariances, and decrease the autocovariance of synaptic activity as a consequence of single node and large-scale network dynamics. Altogether, these changes in network statistics imply a reduction of entropy, meaning that the spontaneous synaptic activity outlines a larger multidimensional activity space than does the task-driven activity. We tested this model's prediction on fMRI signals from healthy humans acquired during rest and task conditions and found a significant decrease of entropy in the stimulus-driven activity. Altogether, our study proposes a mechanism for increasing the information capacity of brain networks by enlarging the volume of possible activity configurations at rest and reliably settling into a confined stimulus-driven state to allow better transmission of stimulus-related information.
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Allelic variants in UMOD, the gene coding for uromodulin, are associated with rare tubulointerstitial kidney disorders and risk of CKD and hypertension in the general population. The factors associated with uromodulin excretion in the normal population remain largely unknown, and were therefore explored in this study. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: Urinary uromodulin excretion was measured using a validated ELISA in two population-based cohorts that included more than 6500 individuals. The Swiss Kidney Project on Genes in Hypertension study (SKIPOGH) included 817 adults (mean ageSD, 4517 years) who underwent renal ultrasonography and performed a 24-hour urine collection. The Cohorte Lausannoise study included 5706 adults (mean age, 5311 years) with fresh spot morning urine samples. We calculated eGFRs using the CKD-Epidemiology Collaboration formula and by 24-hour creatinine clearance. RESULTS: In both studies, positive associations were found between uromodulin and urinary sodium, chloride, and potassium excretion and osmolality. In SKIPOGH, 24-hour uromodulin excretion (median, 41 [interquartile range, 29-57] mg/24 h) was positively associated with kidney length and volume and with creatinine excretion and urine volume. It was negatively associated with age and diabetes. Both spot uromodulin concentration and 24-hour uromodulin excretion were linearly and positively associated (multivariate analyses) with eGFR<90 ml/min per 1.73 m(2). CONCLUSION: Age, creatinine excretion, diabetes, and urinary volume are independent clinical correlates of urinary uromodulin excretion. The associations of uromodulin excretion with markers of tubular functions and kidney dimensions suggest that it may reflect tubule activity in the general population.
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A short duration burst reminiscent of a soft gamma-ray repeater/anomalous X-ray pulsar behaviour was detected in the direction of LS I +61 303by the Swift satellite. While the association with this well known gamma-ray binary is likely, a different origin cannot be excluded. Aims. We explore the error box of this unexpected flaring event and establish the radio, near-infrared and X-ray sources in our search for any peculiar alternative counterpart. Methods. We carried out a combined analysis of archive Very Large Array radio data of LS I +61 303sensitive to both compact and extended emission. We also reanalysed previous near infrared observations with the 3.5 m telescope of the Centro Astronmico Hispano Alemn and X-ray observations with the Chandra satellite. Results. Our deep radio maps of the LS I +61 303environment represent a significant advancement on previous work and 16 compact radio sources in the LS I +61 303vicinity are detected. For some detections, we also identify near infrared and X-ray counterparts. Extended emission features in the field are also detected and confirmed. The possible connection of some of these sources with the observed flaring event is considered. Based on these data, we are unable to claim a clear association between the Swift-BAT flare and any of the sources reported here. However, this study represents the most sophisticated attempt to determine possible alternative counterparts other than LS I +61 303.
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Suomenlahden lisntynyt meriliikenne on herttnyt huolta meriliikenteen turvallisuuden tasosta, ja erityisesti Venjn ljyviennin kasvu on lisnnyt ljyonnettomuuden todennkisyytt Suomenlahdella. Erilaiset kansainvliset, alueelliset ja kansalliset ohjauskeinot pyrkivt vhentmn merionnettomuuden riski ja meriliikenteen muita haittavaikutuksia. Tm raportti ksittelee meriturvallisuuden yhteiskunnallisia ohjauskeinoja: ohjauskeinoja yleisell tasolla, meriturvallisuuden keskeisimpi stelijit, meriturvallisuuden ohjauskeinoja ja meriturvallisuuspolitiikan tulevaisuuden nkymi, ohjauskeinojen tehokkuutta ja nykyisen meriturvallisuuden ohjausjrjestelmn heikkouksia. Raportti on kirjallisuuskatsaus meriturvallisuuden yhteiskunnalliseen sntelyn rakenteeseen ja tilaan erityisesti Suomenlahden meriliikenteen nkkulmasta. Raportti on osa tutkimusprojektia SAFGOF - Suomenlahden meriliikenteen kasvunkymt 2007 - 2015 ja kasvun vaikutukset ympristlle ja kuljetusketjujen toimintaan ja sen typakettia 6 Keskeisimmt riskit ja yhteiskunnalliset vaikutuskeinot. Yhteiskunnalliset ohjauskeinot voidaan ryhmitell hallinnollisiin, taloudellisiin ja tietoohjaukseen perustuviin ohjauskeinoihin. Meriturvallisuuden edistmisess kytetn kaikkia nit, mutta hallinnolliset ohjauskeinot ovat trkeimmss asemassa. Merenkulun kansainvlisen luonteen vuoksi meriturvallisuuden sntely tapahtuu posin kansainvlisell tasolla YK:n ja erityisesti Kansainvlisen merenkulkujrjestn (IMO) toimesta. Lisksi mys Euroopan Unionilla on omaa meriturvallisuuteen liittyv sntely ja on mys olemassa muita alueellisia meriturvallisuuden edistmiseen liittyvi elimi kuten HELCOM. Joitakin meriturvallisuuden osa-alueita sdelln mys kansallisella tasolla. Hallinnolliset meriturvallisuuden ohjauskeinot sisltvt aluksen rakenteisiin ja varustukseen, alusten kunnon valvontaan, merimiehiin ja merityn tekemiseen sek navigointiin liittyvi ohjauskeinoja. Taloudellisiin ohjauskeinoihin kuuluvat esimerkiksi vyl- ja satamamaksut, merivakuutukset, P&I klubit, vastuullisuus- ja korvauskysymykset sek taloudelliset kannustimet. Taloudellisten ohjauskeinojen kytt meriturvallisuuden edistmiseen on melko vhist verrattuna hallinnollisten ohjauskeinojen kyttn, mutta niit voitaisiin varmasti kytt enemmnkin. Ongelmana taloudellisten ohjauskeinojen kytss on se, ett ne kuuluvat pitklti kansallisen sntelyn piiriin, joten alueellisten tai kansainvlisten intressien edistminen taloudellisilla ohjauskeinoilla voi olla hankalaa. Tieto-ohjaus perustuu toimijoiden vapaaehtoisuuteen ja yleisen tiedotuksen lisksi tieto-ohjaukseen sisltyy esimerkiksi vapaaehtoinen koulutus, sertifiointi tai meriturvallisuuden edistmiseen thtvt palkinnot. Poliittisella tasolla meriliikenteen aiheuttamat turvallisuusriskit Suomenlahdella on otettu vakavasti ja paljon tyt tehdn eri tahoilla riskien minimoimiseksi. Uutta sntely on odotettavissa etenkin liittyen meriliikenteen ympristvaikutuksiin ja meriliikenteen ohjaukseen kuten meriliikenteen shkisiin seurantajrjestelmiin. Mys inhimilliseen tekijn merkitykseen meriturvallisuuden kehittmisess on kiinnitetty lisntyviss mrin huomiota, mutta inhimilliseen tekijn osalta tehokkaiden ohjauskeinojen kehittminen nytt olevan haasteellista. Yleisimmin lkkeeksi esitetn koulutuksen kehittmist. Kirjallisuudessa esitettyjen kriteereiden mukaan tehokkaiden ohjauskeinojen tulisi tytt seuraavat vaatimukset: 1) tarkoituksenmukaisuus ohjauskeinojen tytyy olla sopivia asetetun tavoitteen saavuttamiseen, 2) taloudellinen tehokkuus ohjauskeinon hydyt vs. kustannukset tulisi olla tasapainossa, 3) hyvksyttvyys ohjauskeinon tytyy olla hyvksyttv asianosaisten ja mys laajemman yhteiskunnan nkkulmasta katsottuna, 4) toimeenpano ohjauskeinon toimeenpanon pit olla mahdollista ja sen noudattamista tytyy pysty valvomaan, 5) lateraaliset vaikutukset hyvll ohjauskeinolla on positiivisia seurannaisvaikutuksia muutoinkin kuin vain ohjauskeinon ensisijaisten tavoitteiden saavuttaminen, 6) kannustin ja uuden luominen hyv ohjauskeino kannustaa kokeilemaan uusia ratkaisuja ja kehittmn toimintaa. Meriturvallisuutta koskevaa sntely on paljon ja yleisesti ottaen merionnettomuuksien lukumr on ollut laskeva viime vuosikymmenien aikana. Suuri osa sntelyst on ollut tehokasta ja parantanut turvallisuuden tasoa maailman merill. Silti merionnettomuuksia ja muita vaarallisia tapahtumia sattuu edelleen. Nykyist sntelyjrjestelm voidaan kritisoida monen asian suhteen. Kansainvlisen sntelyn aikaansaaminen ei ole helppoa: prosessi on yleens hidas ja tuloksena voi olla kompromissien kompromissi. Kansainvlinen sntely on yleens reaktiivista eli ongelmakohtiin puututaan vasta kun jokin onnettomuus tapahtuu sen sijaan ett se olisi proaktiivista ja pyrkisi puuttumaan ongelmakohtiin jo ennen kuin jotain tapahtuu. IMO:n tyskentely perustuu kansallisvaltioiden osallistumiseen ja sntelyn toimeenpano tapahtuu lippuvaltioiden toimesta. Kansallisvaltiot ajavat IMO:ssa pasiallisesti omia intressejn ja sntelyn toimeenpanossa on suuria eroja lippuvaltioiden vlill. IMO:n kyvyttmyys puuttua havaittuihin ongelmiin nopeasti ja ottaa sntelyss huomioon paikallisia olosuhteita on johtanut siihen, ett esimerkiksi Euroopan Unioni on alkanut itse sdell meriturvallisuutta ja ett on olemassa sellaisia alueellisia erityisjrjestelyj kuin PSSA (particularly sensitive sea area erityisen herkk merialue). Merenkulkualalla toimii monenlaisia yrityksi: toisaalta yrityksi, jotka pyrkivt toimimaan turvallisesti ja kehittmn turvallisuutta viel korkeammalle tasolle, ja toisaalta yrityksi, jotka toimivat niin halvalla kuin mahdollista, eivt vlit turvallisuusseikoista, ja joilla usein on monimutkaiset ja epmriset omistusolosuhteet ja joita vahingon sattuessa on vaikea saada vastuuseen. Ongelma on, ett kansainvlisell merenkulkualalla kaikkien yritysten on toimittava samoilla markkinoilla. Vastuuttomien yritysten toiminnan mahdollistavat laivaajat ja muut alan toimijat, jotka suostuvat tekemn yhteistyt niiden kanssa. Vlinpitmtn suhtautuminen turvallisuuteen johtuu osaksi mys merenkulun vanhoillisesta turvallisuuskulttuurista. Verrattaessa meriturvallisuuden sntelyjrjestelm kokonaisuutena tehokkaiden ohjauskeinoihin kriteereihin, voidaan todeta, ett monien kriteerien osalta nykyist jrjestelm voidaan pit tehokkaana ja onnistuneena. Suurimmat ongelmat lienevt sntelyn toimeenpanossa ja ohjauskeinojen kustannustehokkuudessa. Lippuvaltioiden toimeenpanoon perustuva jrjestelm ei toimi toivotulla tavalla, josta mukavuuslippujen olemassa olo on selvin merkki. Ohjauskeinojen, sek yksittisten ohjauskeinojen ett vertailtaessa eri ohjauskeinoja keskenn, kustannustehokkuutta on usein vaikea arvioida, mink seurauksena ohjauskeinojen kustannustehokkuudesta ei ole saatavissa luotettavaa tietoa ja tuloksena voi olla, ett ohjauskeino on kytnnss pienen riskin eliminoimista korkealla kustannuksella. Kansainvlisen tason meriturvallisuus- (ja merenkulku-) politiikan menettelytavoiksi on ehdotettu mys muita vaihtoehtoja kuin nykyinen jrjestelm, esimerkiksi monitasoista tai polysentrist hallintojrjestelm. Monitasoisella hallintojrjestelmll tarkoitetaan jrjestelm, jossa keskushallinto on hajautettu sek vertikaalisesti alueellisille tasoille ett horisontaalisesti ei-valtiollisille toimijoille. Polysentrinen hallintojrjestelm menee viel askeleen pidemmlle. Polysentrinen hallintojrjestelm on hallintotapa, jonka puitteissa kaikentyyppiset toimijat, sek yksityiset ett julkiset, voivat osallistua hallintoon, siis esimerkiksi hallitukset, edunvalvontajrjestt, kaupalliset yritykset jne. Kansainvlinen lainsdnt mrittelee yleiset tasot, mutta konkreettiset toimenpiteet voidaan ptt paikallisella tasolla eri toimijoiden vlisess yhteistyss. Tmn tyyppisiss hallintojrjestelmiss merenkulkualan todellinen, kansainvlinen mutta toisaalta paikallinen, toimintaymprist tulisi otetuksi paremmin huomioon kuin jrjestelmss, joka perustuu kansallisvaltioiden keskenn yhteistyss tekemn sntelyyn. Tllainen muutos meriturvallisuuden hallinnassa vaatisi kuitenkin suurta periaatteellista suunnanmuutosta, jollaisen toteutumista ei voi pit kovin todennkisen ainakaan lyhyell thtimell.
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Deregulation of the electricity sector liberated the electricity sale and production for competitive forces while in the network business, electricity transmission and distribution, natural monopoly positions were recognised. Deregulation was accompanied by efficiencyoriented thinking on the whole electricity supply industry. For electricity distribution this meant a transition from a public service towards profit-driven business guided by economic regulation. Regulation is the primary means to enforce societal and other goals in the regulated monopoly sector. The design of economic regulation is concerned with two main attributes; end-customer price and quality of electricity distribution services. Regulation limits the costs of the regulated company but also defines the desired quality of monopoly services. The characteristics of the regulatory framework and the incentives it provides are therefore decisive for the electricity distribution sector. Regulation is not a static factor; changes in the regulatory practices cause discontinuity points, which in turn generate risks. A variety of social and environmental concerns together with technological advancements have emphasised the relevance of quality regulation, which is expected to lead to the large-scale replacement of overhead lines with underground cables. The electricity network construction activity is therefore currently witnessing revolutionary changes in its competitive landscape. In a business characterised by high statutory involvement and a high level of sunk costs, recognising and understanding the regulatory risks becomes a key success factor. As a response, electricity distribution companies have turned into outsourcing to attain efficiency and quality goals. This doctoral thesis addresses the impacts of regulatory risks on electricity network construction, which is a commonly outsourced activity in the electricity distribution network sector. The chosen research approach is characterised as an action analytical research on account of the fact that regulatory risks are greatly dependent on the individual nature of the regulatory regime applied in the electricity distribution sector. The main contribution of this doctoral thesis is to develop a concept for recognising and managing the business risks stemming from economic regulation. The degree of outsourcing in the sector is expected to increase in years to come. The results of the research provide new knowledge to manage the regulatory risks when outsourcing services.
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Choice of industrial development options and the relevant allocation of the research funds become more and more difficult because of the increasing R&D costs and pressure for shorter development period. Forecast of the research progress is based on the analysis of the publications activity in the field of interest as well as on the dynamics of its change. Moreover, allocation of funds is hindered by exponential growth in the number of publications and patents. Thematic clusters become more and more difficult to identify, and their evolution hard to follow. The existing approaches of research field structuring and identification of its development are very limited. They do not identify the thematic clusters with adequate precision while the identified trends are often ambiguous. Therefore, there is a clear need to develop methods and tools, which are able to identify developing fields of research. The main objective of this Thesis is to develop tools and methods helping in the identification of the promising research topics in the field of separation processes. Two structuring methods as well as three approaches for identification of the development trends have been proposed. The proposed methods have been applied to the analysis of the research on distillation and filtration. The results show that the developed methods are universal and could be used to study of the various fields of research. The identified thematic clusters and the forecasted trends of their development have been confirmed in almost all tested cases. It proves the universality of the proposed methods. The results allow for identification of the fast-growing scientific fields as well as the topics characterized by stagnant or diminishing research activity.
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Globalization, developments in ICT, emergence of knowledge society and other changes have reformed the environment for international higher education during the past few decades. Consequently, higher education sector has moved towards more marketing-oriented system, and universities have started to undertake commercial activities as part of their internationalization. This development has emerged to Finland as well, which forms the basis for this study. The purpose is to examine commercialization in Finnish university landscape and to investigate the ways Finnish university could capitalize its international activities and educational knowledge for export. The research question of the study is: What are the key factors in transforming university internationalization into commercial activity in the Finnish university landscape? The main problem is further divided into three sub-questions: 1) How can a university internationalize; 2) what are the motivational factors behind university internationalization and commercialization; and 3) how can higher education be developed into export services and products? The research was conducted as a qualitative case study of University of Turku. Methods used for gathering and examining data were interviewing and document analysis. Primary data was collected through four individual semi-structured interviews, which were conducted face-to-face. Secondary data that included reports, articles and electronic materials such as university web pages, was used to complement the primary data. The results were analyzed by theming the data into three broader categories of internationalization activities; drivers and motivations and; education export activities. After the data was organized in themes, analysis continued by comparing different parts of data and finding patterns that would explain the phenomenon in Finnish universities. According to the empirical data, University of Turku is currently on the growth state of internationalization with strategies such as internationalization of curriculum, establishment of international research groups, mobility of students and academics, international networking and support services. Commercialization phenomenon is still rather new to the case university, but it has already developed educational products and services for export. The study concludes that university internationalization cannot be directly transformed into commercial activities in the Finnish context, but the universities need to be active in actually creating educational products. The key factors found in this study include: 1) the Finnish government policies behind the current hype of export education; 2) the potential and knowledge capacity of universities for exports; 3) need for additional profits; 4) further internationalization through commercial activities; 5) recognizing and exploiting the specific areas of strength and 6) establishing of cooperative partnerships for better products.
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The myenteric plexus of the digestive tract of the wild mouse Calomys callosus was examined using a histochemical method that selectively stains nerve cells, and the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) histochemical technique in whole-mount preparations. Neuronal density was 1,500 116 neurons/cm2 (mean SEM) in the esophagus, 8,900 1,518 in the stomach, 9,000 711 in the jejunum and 13,100 2,089 in the colon. The difference in neuronal density between the esophagus and other regions was statistically significant. The neuron profile area ranged from 45 to 1,100 m2. The difference in nerve cell size between the jejunum and other regions was statistically significant. AChE-positive nerve fibers were distributed within the myenteric plexus which is formed by a primary meshwork of large nerve bundles and a secondary meshwork of finer nerve bundles. Most of the nerve cells displayed AChE activity in the cytoplasm of different reaction intensities. These results are important in order to understand the changes occurring in the myenteric plexus in experimental Chagas' disease
