Lengua, escuela e inmigración

A lo largo de la última década, la heterogeneidad identitaria, lingüística, religiosa, cultural y étnica ha crecido de manera significativa en España debido a la llegada de inmigrantes, lo cual está planteando al Sistema Educativo problemas hasta ahora desconocidos. En este artículo se discuten las relaciones entre lengua, escuela e inmigración con un énfasis especial en los factores implicados en la adquisición de la lengua de uso escolar. Se discute tanto el tiempo que el alumnado inmigrante tarda en aprender dicha lengua como el papel de su lengua inicial en dicha adquisición. La discusión se realiza a partir del análisis de datos provenientes de evaluaciones internacionales, así como de trabajos de investigación realizados en situaciones escolares multilingües y se reflexiona sobre su pertinencia para el establecimiento de una política educativa que tenga en cuenta las dificultades de las y los inmigrantes con la adquisición y el dominio de la lengua de la escuela. Finalmente, se abordan las nuevas necesidades de los sistemas educativos en relación con alguno de los retos que plantea la educación intercultural y se enfatiza la importancia de la práctica educativa para encontrar soluciones a los problemas que se derivan de la nueva situación escolar

Oceanografia e Química: unindo conhecimentos em prol dos oceanos e da sociedade

The marine environment is certainly one of the most complex systems to study, not only because of the challenges posed by the nature of the waters, but especially due to the interactions of physical, chemical and biological processes that control the cycles of the elements. Together with analytical chemists, oceanographers have been making a great effort in the advancement of knowledge of the distribution patterns of trace elements and processes that determine their biogeochemical cycles and influences on the climate of the planet. The international academic community is now in prime position to perform the first study on a global scale for observation of trace elements and their isotopes in the marine environment (GEOTRACES) and to evaluate the effects of major global changes associated with the influences of megacities distributed around the globe. This action can only be performed due to the development of highly sensitive detection methods and the use of clean sampling and handling techniques, together with a joint international program working toward the clear objective of expanding the frontiers of the biogeochemistry of the oceans and related topics, including climate change issues and ocean acidification associated with alterations in the carbon cycle. It is expected that the oceanographic data produced this coming decade will allow a better understanding of biogeochemical cycles, and especially the assessment of changes in trace elements and contaminants in the oceans due to anthropogenic influences, as well as its effects on ecosystems and climate. Computational models are to be constructed to simulate the conditions and processes of the modern oceans and to allow predictions. The environmental changes arising from human activity since the 18th century (also called the Anthropocene) have made the Earth System even more complex. Anthropogenic activities have altered both terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and the legacy of these impacts in the oceans include: a) pollution of the marine environment by solid waste, including plastics; b) pollution by chemical and medical (including those for veterinary use) substances such as hormones, antibiotics, legal and illegal drugs, leading to possible endocrine disruption of marine organisms; and c) ocean acidification, the collateral effect of anthropogenic emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere, irreversible in the human life time scale. Unfortunately, the anthropogenic alteration of the hydrosphere due to inputs of plastics, metal, hydrocarbons, contaminants of emerging concern and even with formerly "exotic" trace elements, such us rare earth elements is likely to accelerate in the near future. These emerging contaminants would likely soon present difficulties for studies in pristine environments. All this knowledge brings with it a great responsibility: helping to envisage viable adaptation and mitigation solutions to the problems identified. The greatest challenge faced by Brazil is currently to create a framework project to develop education, science and technology applied to oceanography and related areas. This framework would strengthen the present working groups and enhance capacity building, allowing a broader Brazilian participation in joint international actions and scientific programs. Recently, the establishment of the National Institutes of Science and Technology (INCTs) for marine science, and the creation of the National Institute of Oceanographic and Hydrological Research represent an exemplary start. However, the participation of the Brazilian academic community in the latest assaults on the frontier of chemical oceanography is extremely limited, largely due to: i. absence of physical infrastructure for the preparation and processing of field samples at ultra-trace level; ii. limited access to oceanographic cruises, due to the small number of Brazilian vessels and/or absence of "clean" laboratories on board; iii. restricted international cooperation; iv. limited analytical capacity of Brazilian institutions for the analysis of trace elements in seawater; v. high cost of ultrapure reagents associated with processing a large number of samples, and vi. lack of qualified technical staff. Advances in knowledge, analytic capabilities and the increasing availability of analytical resources available today offer favorable conditions for chemical oceanography to grow. The Brazilian academic community is maturing and willing to play a role in strengthening the marine science research programs by connecting them with educational and technological initiatives in order to preserve the oceans and to promote the development of society.

Use of experimental design in the optimisation of a solid phase preconcentration system for Cobalt determination by GFAAS

In this work is proposed a solid phase preconcentration system of Co2+ ions and its posterior determination by GFAAS in which fractional factorial design and response surface methodology (RSM) were used for optimization of the variables associated with preconcentration system performance. The method is based on cobalt extraction as a complex Co2+-PAN (1:2) in a mini-column of polyurethane foam (PUF) impregnated with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-naphthol (PAN) followed by elution with HCl solution and its determination by GFAAS. The chemical and flow variables studied were pH, buffer concentration, eluent concentration and preconcentration and elution flow rates. Results obtained from fractional factorial design 2(5-1) showed that only the variables pH, buffer concentration and interaction (pH X buffer concentration) based on analysis of variance (ANOVA) were statistically significant at 95% confidence level. Under optimised conditions, the method provided an enrichment factor of 11.6 fold with limit of detection and quantification of 38 and 130 ng L-1, respectively, and linear range varying from 0.13 to 10 µg L-1. The precision (n = 9) assessed by relative standard deviation (RSD) was respectively 5.18 and 2.87% for 0.3 and 3.0 µg L-1 cobalt concentrations.

Henkilökohtainen on poliittista. Neuvottelu politiikan sukupuolittuneesta työnjaosta Annan julkaisemissa poliitikkojen henkilökuvissa vuosina 1975–2005

Henkilökohtainen on poliittista Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan tiedotusvälineissä käytyä neuvottelua miesten ja naisten mahdollisuuksista osallistua politiikkaan sekä siinä ilmenevää suomalaisen poliittisen julkisuuden muutosta. Tutkimuksen materiaalin muodostavat Anna-lehdessä vuosina 1975–2005 julkaistut 339 poliitikkojen henkilökuvaa, joita eritellään laadullisen tekstianalyysin keinoin. Politiikan sukupuolittunut työnjako Poliitikkojen henkilökuvat ovat Anna-lehdessä olleet henkilöhaastatteluja tai poliitikon haastatteluita yhdessä puolisonsa tai perheensä kanssa. Tutkittuna ajanjaksona Annassa on julkaistu selvästi enemmän naispoliitikkojen kuin miespoliitikkojen henkilökuvia. Poliitikkojen haastatteluissa neuvottellaan siitä, keillä on oikeus toimia politiikassa ja millaista politiikkaa miehet ja naiset voivat tehdä. Vaikka Annassa ilmestyneissä poliitikkojen henkilökuvissa on eri aikoina vastattu näihin kysymyksiin erilaisin tavoin, sukupuolittunut jako miesten yhteiskunnalliseen ja naisten yksityiseen tilaan säilyy teksteissä läpi koko tarkastellun 30 vuoden ajanjakson. Sukupuolittunut jako yhteiskunnalliseen ja yksityiseen ilmenee henkilökuvissa siten, että miehet esitetään toimimassa politiikassa vaivattomasti ja luonnollisesti, mutta naisten kuvataan ponnistelevan sen eteen, että he kykenisivät osallistumaan politiikkaan. Naispoliitikkojen henkilökuvissa toistuva kysymys on, millä edellytyksin tai millaisin rajoituksin naiset ovat voineet toimia politiikassa. Miehet edustavat poliitikon normia ja naiset poikkeusta normista. Poliitikkojen parisuhde- ja perhehaastatteluissa puolestaan käsitellään kysymystä sukupuolten välisestä työnjaosta perheessä. Kirjoituksissa toistuvat kysymykset siitä, millainen tulisi olla poliitikon ja hänen puolisonsa välinen työnjako, tulisiko miespoliitikon vaimon osallistua pyyteettömästi puolison uran tukemiseen tai millä tavoin naispoliitikon puolison tulisi suhtautua vaimonsa aikaa vievään poliittiseen uraan. Naispoliitikkojen haasteita Annan julkaisemat naispoliitikkojen henkilökuvat osoittavat sekä naisten poliittiseen osallistumiseen liittyviä ongelmia että joukon erilaisia ratkaisuja niihin. Naisten ruumiillisuus on näistä haasteista keskeisin. 1970-luvun Annassa ilmestyneissä naispoliitikkojen haastatteluissa käsiteltiin toistuvasti sitä, millä tavoin politiikassa työskentelevät naiset pukeutuvat, syövät ja lepäävät. 1980-luvulla Anna pyrki tekemään naisruumiista voimavaran osoittamalla, että naisten ”luonteva” taipumus hoivaamiseen teki heistä erityisen sopivia politiikan ”pehmeiden” asioiden puolestapuhujina, kuten rauhantyön ja sosiaalisektorin asioiden hoitajina. 1980-luvun lopussa ja 1990-luvun alussa julkaistuissa teksteissä luotiin naisten poliittista yhteisöllisyyttä korostamalla heidän kokemaansa ruumiillisuuteen perustuvaa sortoa, esimerkiksi ulkonäköön liittyviä epäasiallisia huomautuksia. 2000-luvulla naispoliitikkojen henkilökuvissa vakuutettiin, että naisen ikääntyminen ei heikennä hänen kykyään tehdä politiikkaa. Samana aikakautena julkaistuissa nuorehkojen naispoliitikkojen henkilökuvissa ruumiillisuuteen otettiin toinen näkökulma. Niissä naisruumiin väitetty sopimattomuus poliittiseen työhön ratkaistiin korostamalla, että haastatellut naiset kontrolloivat ruumistaan täydellisesti. Toinen naispoliitikkojen poliittista osallistumista uhkaavana tai häiritsevänä esitetty seikka Annassa on ollut yksityiselämä. Lehden mukaan kodin, puolison ja lasten yhdistäminen menestyksekkääseen poliittiseen uraan on ollut erityisen vaikeaa. 1980-luvun loppuun saakka henkilökuviin rakennettiin asetelma, jossa naispoliitikkojen tuli valita työn tai perheen välillä. Vuosituhannen taitteessa Anna otti yksityiselämän ja julkisen elämän väliseen ristiriitaan uuden näkökulman: lehti alkoi esittää, että lapset ovat naispoliitikkojen työelämän voimavara. Kirjoitusten mukaan tehokkaat nuoret naispoliitikot kykenivät halutessaan olemaan sekä ”pullantuoksuisia” äitejä että menestyviä poliitikkoja. Samalla kirjoitukset kuitenkin epäsuorasti osoittivat, ettei yksityisen ja julkisen elämän ristiriita kadonnut naispoliitikkojen kuvauksista: se vain muutti muotoaan ja sai uuden ratkaisun. Miespoliitikkojen luontevana esitetty asiantuntemus Annassa julkaistut miespoliitikkojen haastattelut ovat läpi tutkitun ajanjakson uusintaneet mielikuvaa yhteiskunnallisesta tilasta miehille luontaisesti sopivana ympäristönä. Niissä puhutaan politiikasta ikään kuin se olisi ainoastaan miesten hallitsema elämänpiiri. Poliitikka näyttäytyy miesten välisen kamppailun ja veljeyden kenttänä. Henkilökuvissa miespoliitikot pyrkivät kukistamaan vastustajansa, mutta samalla menestys miesten maailmassa edellyttää muiden miesten hyväksyntää. Henkilökuvissa rakennetaan vahvasti käsitystä miespoliitikoista yhteiskunnallisina asiantuntijoina. Kirjoituksissa heille annetaan tilaa ja mahdollisuuden käsitellä ajankohtaisia poliittisia ongelmia, kuten esimerkiksi terveydenhuollon tilaa tai yleissivistyksen tasoa Suomessa. Ero Annan julkaisemiin naispoliitikkojen haastatteluihin on selvä. Niiden joukossa vuosina 1975–2005 ei ole sellaisia kirjoituksia, joissa naispoliitikolla olisi itsestäänselvästi asiantuntemusta tai arvovaltaa käsitellä koko kansakuntaa askarruttavia yhteiskunnallisia kysymyksiä. Henkilökohtainen on poliittista Annan julkaisemat poliittikkojen henkilökuvat osoittavat, millä tavoin henkilökohtaisiksi mielletyt asiat ovat muuttuneet poliittisiksi. Kärjistäen voi sanoa, että 1970-luvun puolivälissä Suomessa oli vallalla mielikuva, jossa vastakkain asettuivat miesten politiikka ja naisten yksityiselämä. Kolmessakymmenessä vuodessa tilanne on muuttunut. 1980-luvun alussa Anna argumentoi, että naisten kokemus arkielämästä ja lasten kasvattamisesta antoi heille sellaista asiantuntemusta, jota tulisi hyödyntää myös politiikassa. Annan mukaan miesten hallitseva asema politiikassa oli johtanut tilanteeseen, jossa huomattava osa kansasta ei saanut ääntään politiikassa kuuluviin. 2000-luvulle tultaessa on mahdollista nähdä, että politiikkaan on muodostunut naisille sopivana nähty toiminnan sektori, johon kuuluvat esimerkiksi sosiaali- ja terveydenhuolto, opetus-, ympäristö- ja kulttuuripolitiikka sekä kansainvälinen kehitysyhteistyö. Verrattuna 1970-luvun puolivälin tilanteeseen naiset osallistuvat luontevasti huomattavaan osaan suomalaista politiikkaa. Sukupuolittunut yhteiskunnallinen jakolinja ei kulje enää politiikan ja yksityiselämän välillä, vaan politiikan sisällä. Samalla käsitys politiikasta on muuttunut. Hyvinvointivaltion ja valtion sosiaalisektoriin liittyvien vastuiden laajentuminen on johtanut tilanteeseen, jossa naisille sopiviksi miellettyjen poliittisten osaamisalueiden määrä on kasvanut. On myös puhuttu politiikan intimisaatiosta, jolla tarkoitetaan, että valtioiden poliittisen toiminnan piiri on tullut yhä lähemmäs ihmisten henkilökohtaista elämää. Naisten aikaisempaa laajempi poliittinen osallistuminen ei olisi ollut mahdollista ilman keskustelua aiheista, jotka koetaan hyvin henkilökohtaisiksi: ruumiin ja politiikan suhteesta, yksityiselämän ja julkisen elämän suhteesta tai arkielämän kokemusten suhteesta poliittiseen osallistumiseen. Näin henkilökohtainen ja poliittinen ovat olleet jatkuvassa vuorovaikutuksessa keskenään. Annan henkilökuvat kertovat muutoksesta, jossa yksityiselämän tapahtumat ovat tulleet kiinteäksi osaksi politiikan julkisuutta. Yksityiselämän julkisuus on ollut poliitikoille sekä mahdollisuus että haaste. Yhtäältä yksityiselämän julkisuus on tarjonnut miespoliitikoille oivallisen keinon tuoda esille henkilökohtaisensa elämänsä myönteisiä puolia, esimerkiksi omistautumista perheelle. Naispoliitikoille yksityiselämän tuleminen julkiseksi on tarjonnut keinon haastaa ja kyseenalaistaa niitä arvoja, joiden mukaan nainen ei voi onnistuneesti yhdistää menestystä työ- ja perhe-elämässä. Samalla poliittisen julkisuuden muutos on merkinnyt sitä, että yksityiselämästä on tullut poliitikoille myös rasite. Julkisuudessa ei tehdä selkeää rajaa yksityisen ja julkisen elämän välillä, vaan henkilökohtaisen elämän valinnoista ja tapahtumista on tullut erottamaton osa poliitikkojen julkisuuskuvaa. Annan julkaisemien poliitikkojen henkilökuvien analyysi osoittaa, että poliitikot symboloivat yhteiskunnallisia arvoja ja asenteita. Poliitikot eivät ole vain ihmisiä ansioineen ja puutteineen, vaan heidän saamansa julkisuuden kautta keskustellaan suuremmista yhteiskunnallisista kysymyksistä, kuten naisten oikeudesta osallistua politiikkaa tai sukupuolten välisestä työnjaosta yhteiskunnassa. Annassa ilmestyneet poliitikkojen henkilökuvat ovat olleet osa prosessia, jossa suomalainen sukupuolittunut työnjako on neuvoteltu merkittävältä osaltaan uuteen muotoon. Naiset ovat saaneet vastuulleen olennaisen osan suomalaista politiikkaa samalla kun politiikan sisältö on myös muuttunut. Julkisuudessa näkyvien poliitikkojen henkilökohtaisen elämän valinnat asettuvat kontekstiinsa osana neuvotteluprosessia, jossa mietitään ja kyseenlaistetaan yhteiskunnallisia arvoja ja asenteita. Tässäkin mielessä henkilökohtaisesta on tullut poliittista.

Control system for forced-air cooling of horticultural products

This work is a study of the implementation of a classical controller using a tuning method referred to as IMC (Internal Model Control) and aimed at the reduction of electrical energy consumption by the appropriate relation between energy consumption and the cooling time with forced air. The supervisory system installed was able to manipulate the variable of frequency of the signal power of the exhaust fan engine (forced air module), to accelerate or decelerate the loss of heat from the product to be cooled by airflow variation that passes through the mass of the produce. The results demonstrated a reduction in energy consumption from 64% and an increase of only 8% in the cooling time to the system using PI/IMC (Proportional - Integral with IMC) tuning method compared with the system in its operating nominal condition. This PI/IMC control may be implemented directly in a frequency converter, without the need to purchase a computer or PLC (programmable logic controller) to run the dedicated application, increasing its economical viability.

Technical and economic indicators of the yellow passion fruit tree irrigated with underground water supply

The research aimed to quantify technical and economic indicators of yellow passion fruit tree irrigated with fractions of irrigation with underground source of water, to generate information that helps farmers in decision making on the implementation of investment in irrigated fruit growing (yellow passion fruit). For this purpose, we used the passion fruit crop irrigated with Microjet type irrigation system, with conducting system in simple espaliers. The treatments consisted of five hours of application of the depth of water required by the crop with irrigation frequency of two days. The results showed that the highest yield (16660kg ha-1) was obtained with the fractionation of irrigation twice a day (50% to 7h and 50% to 21h30), which provided an increase in productivity of 54%, demonstrating the financial viability and being highly profitable to the interest rate of 2% per year, with low sensitivity of financial risk to real interest rates above the prevailing market.

Estimation of alluvial recharge in the semiarid

In areas where there is irrigated agriculture, the recuperation of water reserves in alluvial aquifers may occur preferentially due to precipitation. Recharging can be evaluated from variation information of water depth measured in piezometers or observation wells. Thus, the aim of this research is to study the recharge in the alluvial aquifer formed by the Mimoso temporary stream in the semiarid region of Pernambuco (PE), Brazil, using the method of the fluctuation of the water level. This system is typical on the Brazilian Northeast semiarid region, using groundwater for domestic supply and for irrigation on small scale agriculture. Monthly potentiometric levels and rainfall data were used. The selected period for the study, from January 2002 to October 2009, involved extreme events of flooding and droughts as well as regular years, providing a better understanding of the behavior of the alluvial recharge. It was found that the system responds significantly to precipitation events. It was also observed that even with different soil textures in the study area, recharge factors were not significantly different. The study provided a better understanding of the behavior of aquifer recharge and its relationship with the soil and the rainfall events in the region.

Effects of starter diet supplementation with arginine on broiler production performance and on small intestine morphometry

The effects of starter diet (days 1 to 21) supplemented with arginine (Arg) on the production performance and duodenum and jejunum mucosa morphometry of broilers were studied. Male Cobb broiler chickens (990) were randomly assigned to one of five treatments in a complete random design. Measurements of 33 chicks per treatment were made in six repetitions. The treatments consisted of a basal diet with 1.390% digestible Arg (no supplementation) and four dietary levels (1.490%, 1.590%, 1.690%, and 1.790%), providing a relationship with lysine of 1.103; 1.183; 1.262; 1.341 and 1.421%, respectively. From the age of 22 days on, all birds received conventional grower diet. The data were submitted to regression analysis by polynomial decomposition of the degrees of freedom in relation to the levels of Arg. The Arg supplementation increased (P<0.05) the live weight and the feed conversion ratio without increasing the feed intake of the birds. However, no effect was observed (P>0.05) in the growth phase (days 22 to 42) in the absence of the Arg supplementation. The supplementation of Arg over of NRC recommendation during the starter phase may be necessary for the expression of the maximal weight gain potential in birds. No effect (P<0.05) of Arg dietary supplementation was observed either on small intestine weight and length at any age. However, the duodenum villus:crypt ratio increased and the crypt depth decreased in the first week in response to increasing dietary Arg. It is concluded that broiler Arg dietary supplementation in the starter diet improved production performance and small intestine morphometry, especially in the first week.

Drivers and barriers of mobile travel and tourism service adoption : a study of individual perceptions and business model development in a travel and tourism context

The Travel and Tourism field is undergoing changes due to the rapid development of information technology and digital services. Online travel has profoundly changed the way travel and tourism organizations interact with their customers. Mobile technology such as mobile services for pocket devices (e.g. mobile phones) has the potential to take this development even further. Nevertheless, many issues have been highlighted since the early days of mobile services development (e.g. the lack of relevance, ease of use of many services). However, the wide adoption of smartphones and the mobile Internet in many countries as well as the formation of so-called ecosystems between vendors of mobile technology indicate that many of these issues have been overcome. Also when looking at the numbers of downloaded applications related to travel in application stores like Google Play, it seems obvious that mobile travel and tourism services are adopted and used by many individuals. However, as business is expected to start booming in the mobile era, many issues have a tendency to be overlooked. Travelers are generally on the go and thus services that work effectively in mobile settings (e.g. during a trip) are essential. Hence, the individuals’ perceived drivers and barriers to use mobile travel and tourism services in on-site or during trip settings seem particularly valuable to understand; thus this is one primary aim of the thesis. We are, however, also interested in understanding different types of mobile travel service users. Individuals may indeed be very different in their propensity to adopt and use technology based innovations (services). Research is also switching more from investigating issues of mobile service development to understanding individuals’ usage patterns of mobile services. But designing new mobile services may be a complex matter from a service provider perspective. Hence, our secondary aim is to provide insights into drivers and barriers of mobile travel and tourism service development from a holistic business model perspective. To accomplish the research objectives seven different studies have been conducted over a time period from 2002 – 2013. The studies are founded on and contribute to theories within diffusion of innovations, technology acceptance, value creation, user experience and business model development. Several different research methods are utilized: surveys, field and laboratory experiments and action research. The findings suggest that a successful mobile travel and tourism service is a service which supports one or several mobile motives (needs) of individuals such as spontaneous needs, time-critical arrangements, efficiency ambitions, mobility related needs (location features) and entertainment needs. The service could be customized to support travelers’ style of traveling (e.g. organized travel or independent travel) and should be easy to use, especially easy to take into use (access, install and learn) during a trip, without causing security concerns and/or financial risks for the user. In fact, the findings suggest that the most prominent barrier to the use of mobile travel and tourism services during a trip is an individual’s perceived financial cost (entry costs and usage costs). It should, however, be noted that regulations are put in place in the EU regarding data roaming prices between European countries and national telecom operators are starting to see ‘international data subscriptions’ as a sales advantage (e.g. Finnish Sonera provides a data subscription in the Baltic and Nordic region at the same price as in Finland), which will enhance the adoption of mobile travel and tourism services also in international contexts. In order to speed up the adoption rate travel service providers could consider e.g. more local initiatives of free Wi-Fi networks, development of services that can be used, at least to some extent, in an offline mode (do not require costly network access during a trip) and cooperation with telecom operators (e.g. lower usage costs for travelers who use specific mobile services or travel with specific vendors). Furthermore, based on a developed framework for user experience of mobile trip arrangements, the results show that a well-designed mobile site and/or native application, which preferably supports integration with other mobile services, is a must for true mobile presence. In fact, travel service providers who want to build a relationship with their customers need to consider a downloadable native application, but in order to be found through the mobile channel and make contact with potential new customers, a mobile website should be available. Moreover, we have made a first attempt with cluster analysis to identify user categories of mobile services in a travel and tourism context. The following four categories were identified: info-seekers, checkers, bookers and all-rounders. For example “all-rounders”, represented primarily by individuals who use their pocket device for almost any of the investigated mobile travel services, constituted primarily of 23 to 50 year old males with high travel frequency and great online experience. The results also indicate that travel service providers will increasingly become multi-channel providers. To manage multiple online channels, closely integrated and hybrid online platforms for different devices, supporting all steps in a traveler process should be considered. It could be useful for travel service providers to focus more on developing browser-based mobile services (HTML5-solutions) than native applications that work only with specific operating systems and for specific devices. Based on an action research study and utilizing a holistic business model framework called STOF we found that HTML5 as an emerging platform, at least for now, has some limitations regarding the development of the user experience and monetizing the application. In fact, a native application store (e.g. Google Play) may be a key mediator in the adoption of mobile travel and tourism services both from a traveler and a service provider perspective. Moreover, it must be remembered that many device and mobile operating system developers want service providers to specifically create services for their platforms and see native applications as a strategic advantage to sell more devices of a certain kind. The mobile telecom industry has moved into a battle of ecosystems where device makers, developers of operating systems and service developers are to some extent forced to choose their development platforms.

Energy-efficient control strategies for variable speed driven parallel pumping systems based on pump operation point monitoring with frequency converters

The pumping processes requiring wide range of flow are often equipped with parallelconnected centrifugal pumps. In parallel pumping systems, the use of variable speed control allows that the required output for the process can be delivered with a varying number of operated pump units and selected rotational speed references. However, the optimization of the parallel-connected rotational speed controlled pump units often requires adaptive modelling of both parallel pump characteristics and the surrounding system in varying operation conditions. The available information required for the system modelling in typical parallel pumping applications such as waste water treatment and various cooling and water delivery pumping tasks can be limited, and the lack of real-time operation point monitoring often sets limits for accurate energy efficiency optimization. Hence, alternatives for easily implementable control strategies which can be adopted with minimum system data are necessary. This doctoral thesis concentrates on the methods that allow the energy efficient use of variable speed controlled parallel pumps in system scenarios in which the parallel pump units consist of a centrifugal pump, an electric motor, and a frequency converter. Firstly, the suitable operation conditions for variable speed controlled parallel pumps are studied. Secondly, methods for determining the output of each parallel pump unit using characteristic curve-based operation point estimation with frequency converter are discussed. Thirdly, the implementation of the control strategy based on real-time pump operation point estimation and sub-optimization of each parallel pump unit is studied. The findings of the thesis support the idea that the energy efficiency of the pumping can be increased without the installation of new, more efficient components in the systems by simply adopting suitable control strategies. An easily implementable and adaptive control strategy for variable speed controlled parallel pumping systems can be created by utilizing the pump operation point estimation available in modern frequency converters. Hence, additional real-time flow metering, start-up measurements, and detailed system model are unnecessary, and the pumping task can be fulfilled by determining a speed reference for each parallel-pump unit which suggests the energy efficient operation of the pumping system.

Limits of Meritocracy. How Fields of Study and Gender Segregation Affect Social Stratification in Finland

This dissertation critically reviews the idea of meritocracy from both a theoretical and an empirical perspective. Based on a discussion of classical texts of social philosophy and sociology, it is argued that meritocracy as a concept for social stratification is best compatible with the sociological tradition of status attainment research: both frame social inequality in primarily individualistic terms, centring on the role of ascribed (e.g., gender, social background) and achieved (e.g., educational qualifications) characteristics for determining individuals’ socioeconomic rewards. This theoretical argument introduces the research problem at the core of this dissertation: to what extent can the individualistic conception of social stratification be maintained empirically? Fields of study and their interaction with educational attainment levels play a prominent role in the analysis of this question. Drawing on sociological versions of segmented labour market theory, it is assumed that fields of study may channel individuals into heterogeneous political-economic contexts on the labour market, which potentially modify the socioeconomic benefit individuals derive from their qualification levels. The focus on fields of study may also highlight economic differentials between men and women that derive from the persisting segregation of men’s and women’s occupational and educational specializations rather than direct gender discrimination on the labour market. The quantitative analyses in this dissertation consist of three research articles, which are based primarily on Finnish data, but occasionally extend the view to other European countries. The data sources include register-based macro- and microdata as well as survey data. Article I examines the extent and the patterns of gender segregation within the Finnish educational system between 1981 and 2005. The results show that differences between men’s and women’s field specializations have for the most part remained stable during this period, with particularly high levels of gender segregation observed at lower educational levels. The focus in Article II rests on the effects of gender-segregated fields of study on higher education graduates’ occupational status. It is shown that fields of study matter for accessing professional jobs and avoiding low-skilled positions in Finland: at the early career stage, particularly polytechnic graduates from female-dominated fields are less likely to work in professional positions. Finnish university graduates from male-dominated fields were more likely than their peers with different specializations to work as professionals, yet they also faced a greater risk of being sorted into lowskilled jobs if they failed to make use of this advantage. Article III proceeded to analyse the joint impact of educational qualification levels and fields of study on young adults’ median earnings in Finland between 1985 and 2005. The results show that qualification levels do not confer a consistent benefit in the process of earnings stratification. Advanced qualifications raise median earnings most clearly among individuals specializing in the same field of study. When comparing individuals with different field specializations, on the other hand, higher-level qualifications do not necessarily lead to higher median earnings. Overall, the findings of this dissertation reveal a heterogeneous effect of education for achieving social positions, which challenges individual-centred, meritocratic accounts of social stratification and underlines the problematic lack of structural and institutional dimensions in the dominant account of social status attainment.

Enabling Change in Universities: Enhancing Education for Sustainable Development with Tools for Quality Assurance

Enabling Change in Universities: Enhancing Education for Sustainable Development with Tools for Quality Assurance This thesis deals with enabling change in universities, more explicitly enhancing education for sustainable development with tools for quality assurance. Change management is a discipline within management that was developed in the 1980s because business changed from being predictable to unpredictable. The PEST mnemonic is a method to categorize factors enabling change; such as political, economic, socio-cultural and technological factors, which all affect higher education. A classification of a change, in either hard or soft, can help understanding the type of change that an organization is facing. Hard changes are more applied to problems that have clear objectives and indicators, with a known cause of the problem. Soft changes are applied to larger problems that affect the entire organization or beyond it. The basic definition for sustainable development is: the future generations should have similar opportunities as the previous. The UN has set as a global goal an integration of education for sustainable development (ESD) at all levels of education during 2005- 2014. The goal is set also in universities, the graduates of which are future leaders for all labor markets. The objective for ESD in higher education is that graduates obtain the competence to take economic, social and environmental costs and benefits into account when making decisions. Knowledge outcomes should aim for systematic and holistic thinking, which requires cross disciplinary education. So far, the development of ESD has not achieved its goals. The UN has identified a need for more transdisclipnary research in ESD. A joint global requirement for universities is quality assurance, the aim of which is to secure and improve teaching and learning. Quality, environmental and integrated management systems are used by some universities for filling the quality assurance requirements. The goal of this thesis is to open up new ways for enhancing ESD in universities, beyond the forerunners; by exploring how management systems could be used as tools for promoting ESD. The thesis is based on five studies. In the first study, I focus on if and how tools for quality assurance could be benefitted for promoting ESD. It is written from a new perspective, the memetic, for reaching a diversity of faculty. A meme is an idea that diffuses from brain to brain. It can be applied for cultural evolution. It is a theory that is based on the evolutionary theory by Darwin, applied for social sciences. In the second Paper, I present the results from the development of the pilot process model for enhancing ESD with management systems. The development of the model is based on a study that includes earlier studies, a survey in academia and an analysis of the practice in 11 universities in the Nordic countries. In the third study, I explore if the change depends on national culture or if it is global. It is a comparative study on both policy and implementation level, between the Nordic countries and China. The fourth study is a single case study based on change management. In this study, I identify what to consider in order to enable the change: enhancing ESD with tools for quality assurance in universities. In the fifth Paper, I present the results of the process model for enhancing ESD with management systems. The model was compared with identified drivers and barriers for enhancing ESD and for implementing management systems. Finally, the process model was piloted and applied for identifying sustainability aspects in curricula. Action research was chosen as methodology because there are not already implemented approaches using quality management for promoting ESD, why the only way to study this is to make it happen. Another reason for choosing action research is since it is essential to involve students and faculty for enhancing ESD. Action based research consists of the following phases: a) diagnosing, b) planning action, c) taking action and d) evaluating action. This research was made possible by a project called Education for Sustainable Development in Academia in the Nordic countries, ESDAN, in which activities were divided into these four phases. Each phase ended with an open seminar, where the results of the study were presented. The objective for the research project was to develop a process for including knowledge in sustainable development in curricula, which could be used in the quality assurance work. Eleven universities from the Nordic countries cooperated in the project. The aim was, by applying the process, to identify and publish examples of relevant sustainability aspects in different degree programs in universities in the Nordic countries. The project was partly financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers and partly by the participating pilot universities. Based on the results of my studies, I consider that quality, environmental and integrated management systems can be used for promoting ESD in universities. Relevant sustainability aspects have been identified in different fields of studies by applying the final process model. The final process model was compared with drivers and barriers for enhancing ESD and for implementing management systems in universities and with succeeding with management systems in industry. It corresponds with these, meaning that drivers are taken into account and barriers tackled. Both ESD and management systems in universities could be considered successful memes, which can reflect an effective way of communication among individuals. I have identified that management systems could be used as tools for hard changes and to support the soft change of enhancing ESD in universities with management system. Based on the change management study I have summarized recommendations on what to consider in order to enable the studied change. The main practical implications of the results are that the process model could be applied for assessment, benchmarking and communication of ESD, connected to quality assurance, when applied. This is possible because the information can be assembled in one picture, which facilitates comparison. The memetic approach can be applied for structuring. It is viable to make comparative studies between cultures, for getting insight in special characteristics of the own culture. Action based research is suitable for involving faculty. Change management can be applied for planning a change, which both enhancing ESD and developing management systems are identified to be.

Ohjelmistotyön suorituskyvyn mittaaminen ja johtaminen henkilöstön näkökulmasta

Onnistuneesti suoritettu suorituskyvyn mittaaminen ja johtaminen tuovat kirjallisuuden mukaan organisaatiolle monia hyötyjä. Ohjelmistotyön suorituskyky vaikuttaa ohjelmistoyritysten kannattavuuteen ja ohjelmointiprojektien tuloksellisuuteen. Ohjelmistotyön suorituskyvyn parantamisessa on suurelta osin keskitytty prosessien parantamiseen. Ohjelmistotyön suorituskyvyn taustalla on kuitenkin paljon muitakin tekijöitä kuin prosessi-indikaattorit. Sitoutuneisuus ja motivoituneisuus nähdään yhä tärkeämpinä tekijöinä ohjelmistotyön suorituskyvyn taustalla, joten suorituskyvyn johtamisen tulee huomioida nykyistä paremmin myös henkilöstön näkökulma. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli tutkia suorituskyvyn johtamisen viitekehysten, ohjelmistotyön suorituskyvyn taustatekijöiden, motivaation merkityksen ja johtamistyylien analysoinnin avulla, millainen suorituskyvyn mittaus- ja johtamisjärjestelmä (PMS) tukisi ohjelmistotyön suorituskyvyn johtamista huomioiden henkilöstön näkökulman. Tutkimuksessa analysoitiin aiempia aihepiiriä koskevia tutkimuksia ja lisäksi haastateltiin alan yritysasiantuntijoita. Tutkimuksen tuloksena esitettiin tärkeimmät ohjelmistotyön suorituskyvyn taustatekijät, joiden tilan parantamista suorituskyvyn johtamisen tulee mahdollistaa. Näiden havaittiin olevan läheisessä suhteessa henkilöstön motivaatiotekijöihin, joiden sitouttavaa kehittymistä johtamisen tulee myös tukea. Tulokset kiteytettiin suosituksiin koskien johtamista ja mittaristomallia, joita voidaan hyödyntää ohjelmistotyön suorituskyvyn johtamisessa huomioiden henkilöstön näkökulma. Mallissa on kuvattu mitattavat ja johdettavat tekijät yksilö- ja tiimitasolla, esimiestyössä sekä henkilöstövoimavarojen johtamisessa (HRM).

Green algal interactions with physicochemical parameters of some manmade ponds in Zaria, northern Nigeria

Green algal species and their association with physicochemical parameters in some manmade ponds in Zaria, Nigeria were studied from November 2005 to August 2006. Phytoplankton and water samples were collected, preserved and analyzed using standard methods. A total of 27 green algal species divided into 16 families were recorded. Shannon diversity indices ranged from 1.75 to 2.39 in all ponds, dominance index from 0.14 to 0.23 and species evenness 0.56 to 0.64. Closterium sp. and Rhizoclonium hookeri Kuetz. were positively associated with the concentration of Fe, however they were negatively correlated (sensitive) to alkalinity, total dissolved solids and electrical conductivity. Stichococcus bacillaris Naegeli, Staurastrum rotula Nordst. and Sphaeroplea sp. had significant positive relationship with biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), Mn, and Mo levels in the water. Pseudouvella americana (Snow) Wille. and Scenedesmus quadricauda (Turp.) de Bréb. showed a close positive association with alkalinity but were sensitive to Fe, BOD, Mn and Mo. The species reported here showed closed association with physicochemical factors in these ponds.

Ca2+ dependence of gluconeogenesis stimulation by glucagon at different cytosolic NAD+-NADH redox potentials

The influence of Ca2+ on hepatic gluconeogenesis was measured in the isolated perfused rat liver at different cytosolic NAD+-NADH potentials. Lactate and pyruvate were the gluconeogenic substrates and the cytosolic NAD+-NADH potentials were changed by varying the lactate to pyruvate ratios from 0.01 to 100. The following results were obtained: a) gluconeogenesis from lactate plus pyruvate was not affected by Ca2+-free perfusion (no Ca2+ in the perfusion fluid combined with previous depletion of the intracellular pools); gluconeogenesis was also poorly dependent on the lactate to pyruvate ratios in the range of 0.1 to 100; only for a ratio equal to 0.01 was a significantly smaller gluconeogenic activity observed in comparison to the other ratios. b) In the presence of Ca2+, the increase in oxygen uptake caused by the infusion of lactate plus pyruvate at a ratio equal to 10 was the most pronounced one; in Ca2+-free perfusion the increase in oxygen uptake caused by lactate plus pyruvate infusion tended to be higher for all lactate to pyruvate ratios; the most pronounced difference was observed for a lactate/pyruvate ratio equal to 1. c) In the presence of Ca2+ the effects of glucagon on gluconeogenesis showed a positive correlation with the lactate to pyruvate ratios; for a ratio equal to 0.01 no stimulation occurred, but in the 0.1 to 100 range stimulation increased progressively, producing a clear parabolic dependence between the effects of glucagon and the lactate to pyruvate ratio. d) In the absence of Ca2+ the relationship between the changes caused by glucagon in gluconeogenesis and the lactate to pyruvate ratio was substantially changed; the dependence curve was no longer parabolic but sigmoidal in shape with a plateau beginning at a lactate/pyruvate ratio equal to 1; there was inhibition at the lactate to pyruvate ratios of 0.01 and 0.1 and a constant stimulation starting with a ratio equal to 1; for the lactate to pyruvate ratios of 10 and 100, stimulation caused by glucagon was much smaller than that found when Ca2+ was present. e) The effects of glucagon on oxygen uptake in the presence of Ca2+ showed a parabolic relationship with the lactate to pyruvate ratios which was closely similar to that found in the case of gluconeogenesis; the only difference was that inhibition rather than stimulation of oxygen uptake was observed for a lactate to pyruvate ratio equal to 0.01; progressive stimulation was observed in the 0.1 to 100 range. f) In the absence of Ca2+ the effects of glucagon on oxygen uptake were different; the dependence curve was sigmoidal at the onset, with a well-defined maximum at a lactate to pyruvate ratio equal to 1; this maximum was followed by a steady decline at higher ratios; at the ratios of 0.01 and 0.1 inhibition took place; oxygen uptake stimulation caused by glucagon was generally lower in the absence of Ca2+ except when the lactate to pyruvate ratio was equal to 1. The results of the present study demonstrate that stimulation of gluconeogenesis by glucagon depends on Ca2+. However, Ca2+ is only effective in helping gluconeogenesis stimulation by glucagon at highly negative redox potentials of the cytosolic NAD+-NADH system. The triple interdependence of glucagon-Ca2+-NAD+-NADH redox potential reveals highly complex interrelations that can only be partially understood at the present stage of knowledge