Entrepreneurship Education in Basic and Upper Secondary Education – Measurement and Empirical Evidence

The starting point of this study is to direct more attention to the teacher and those entrepreneurship education practices taking place in formal school to find out solutions for more effective promotion of entrepreneurship education. For this objective, the strategy-level aims of entrepreneurship education need to be operationalised into measurable and understandable teacher-level practices. Furthermore, to enable the effective development of entrepreneurship education in basic and upper secondary level education, more knowledge is needed of the state of affairs of entrepreneurship education in teaching. The purpose of the study is to increase the level of understanding of teachers’ entrepreneurship education practices, and through this to develop entrepreneurship education. This study builds on the literature on entrepreneurship education and especially those elements referring to the aims, resources, benefits, methods, and practises of entrepreneurship education. The study comprises five articles highlighting teachers’ role in entrepreneurship education. In the first article the concept of entrepreneurship and the teachers role in reflection upon his/hers approaches to entrepreneurship education are considered. The second article provides a detailed analysis of the process of developing a measurement tool to depict the teachers’ activities in entrepreneurship education. The next three articles highlight the teachers’ role in directing the entrepreneurship education in basic and upper secondary level education. Furthermore, they analyse the relationship between the entrepreneurship education practises and the teachers’ background characteristics. The results of the study suggest a wide range of conclusions and implications. First, in spite of many outspoken aims connected to entrepreneurship education, teachers have not set any aims for themselves. Additionally, aims and results seem to mix. However, it is possible to develop teachers’ target orientation by supporting their reflection skills, and through measurement and evaluation increase their understanding of their own practices. Second, applying a participatory action process it is possible to operationalise teachers’entrepreneurship education practices. It is central to include the practitioners’ perspective in the development of measures to make sure that the concepts and aims of entrepreneurship education are understood. Third, teachers’ demographic or tenure-related background characteristics do not affect their entrepreneurship education practices, but their training related to entrepreneurship education, participation in different school-level or regional planning, and their own capabilities support entrepreneurship education. Fourth, a large number of methods are applied to entrepreneurship education, and the most often used methods were different kinds of discussions, which seem to be an easy, low-threshold way for teachers to include entrepreneurship education regularly in their teaching. Field trips to business enterprises or inviting entrepreneurs to present their work in schools are used fairly seldom. Interestingly, visits outside the school are more common than visitors invited to the school. In line, most of the entrepreneurship education practices take place in a classroom. Therefore it seems to be useful to create and encourage teachers towards more in-depth cooperation with companies (e.g. via joint projects) and to network systematically. Finally, there are plenty of resources available for entrepreneurship education, such as ready-made materials, external stakeholders, support organisations, and learning games, but teachers have utilized them only marginally.

Fractures of the proximal femur: correlation with vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism

Fractures are the feared consequences of osteoporosis and fractures of the proximal femur (FPF) are those that involve the highest morbidity and mortality. Thus far, evaluation of bone mineral density (BMD) is the best way to determine the risk of fracture. Genetic inheritance, in turn, is one of the major determinants of BMD. A correlation between different genotypes of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and BMD has been recently reported. On this basis, we decided to determine the importance of the determination of VDR genotype in the presence of an osteoporotic FPF in a Brazilian population. We studied three groups: group I consisted of 73 elderly subjects older than 65 years (78.5 ± 7.2 years) hospitalized for nonpathological FPF; group II consisted of 50 individuals older than 65 years (72.9 ± 5.2 years) without FPF and group III consisted of 98 young normal Brazilian individuals aged 32.6 ± 6.6 years (mean ± SD). Analysis of VDR gene polymorphism by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was performed by PCR amplification followed by BsmI digestion of DNA isolated from peripheral leukocytes. The genotype distribution in group I was 20.5% BB, 42.5% Bb and 37% bb and did not differ significantly from the values obtained for group II (16% BB, 36% Bb and 48% bb) or for group III (10.2% BB, 47.6% Bb and 41.8% bb). No differences in genotype distribution were observed between sexes or between the young and elderly groups. We conclude that determination of VDR polymorphism is of no practical use for the prediction of FPF. Other nongenetic factors probably start to affect bone mass, the risk to fall and consequently the occurrence of osteoporotic fractures with advancing age.

Annual changes in serum calcium and inorganic phosphate levels and correlation with gonadal status of a freshwater murrel, Channa punctatus (Bloch)

Adult Channa punctatus murrels of both sexes (60-80 g) were collected locally from Ramgarh Lake during the second week of every month (10 individuals of each sex/month) throughout the year. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for serum calcium and phosphate levels by the methods of Trinder (1960) and Fiske and Subbarow (1925), respectively. Gonads were fixed to judge the state of maturation of the fish. Males exhibited no change in serum calcium levels throughout the year in correlation with testicular maturation. However, serum phosphate levels exhibited a rise in correlation with the increased gonadosomatic index. Females showed marked seasonal changes in serum calcium and phosphate levels which were associated with ovarian maturation (vitellogenesis).

Electro-oscillographic correlation between dorsal raphe nucleus, neocortex and hippocampus during wakefulness before and after serotoninergic inactivation

Theta rhythm in many brain structures characterizes wakefulness and desynchronized sleep in most subprimate mammalian brains. In close relation to behaviors, theta frequency and voltage undergo a fine modulation which may involve mobilization of dorsal raphe nucleus efferent pathways. In the present study we analyzed frequency modulation (through instantaneous frequency variation) of theta waves occurring in three cortical areas, in hippocampal CA1 and in the dorsal raphe nucleus of Wistar rats during normal wakefulness and after injection of the 5-HT1a receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT into the dorsal raphe. We demonstrated that in attentive states the variation of theta frequency among the above structures is highly congruent, whereas after 8-OH-DPAT injection, although regular signals are present, the variation is much more complex and shows no relation to behaviors. Such functional uncoupling after blockade demonstrates the influence of dorsal raphe nucleus efferent serotoninergic fibers on the organization of alertness, as evaluated by electro-oscillographic analysis.

Intima-media thickness evaluation by B-mode ultrasound: Correlation with blood pressure levels and cardiac structures

The aim of this study was to analyze the thickness of the intima-media complex (IMC) using a noninvasive method. The carotid and femoral common arteries were evaluated by noninvasive B-mode ultrasound in 63 normotensive and in 52 hypertensive subjects and the thickness of the IMC was tested for correlation with blood pressure, cardiac structures and several clinical and biological parameters. The IMC was thicker in hypertensive than in normotensive subjects (0.67 ± 0.13 and 0.62 ± 0.16 vs 0.54 ± 0.09 and 0.52 ± 0.11 mm, respectively, P<0.0001). In normotensive patients, the simple linear regression showed significant correlations between IMC and age, body mass index and 24-h systolic blood pressure for both the carotid and femoral arteries. In hypertensives the carotid IMC was correlated with age and 24-h systolic blood pressure while femoral IMC was correlated only with 24-h diastolic blood pressure. Forward stepwise regression showed that age, body mass index and 24-h systolic blood pressure influenced the carotid IMC relationship (r2 = 0.39) in normotensives. On the other hand, the femoral IMC relationship was influenced by 24-h systolic blood pressure and age (r2 = 0.40). In hypertensives, age and 24-h systolic blood pressure were the most important determinants of carotid IMC (r2 = 0.37), while femoral IMC was influenced only by 24-h diastolic blood pressure (r2 = 0.10). There was an association between carotid IMC and echocardiographic findings in normotensives, while in hypertensives only the left posterior wall and interventricular septum were associated with femoral IMC. We conclude that age and blood pressure influence the intima-media thickness, while echocardiographic changes are associated with the IMC.

Employee layoff announcements and shareholder wealth: empirical evidence from Finland 2008-2013

This thesis investigates the short-term stock price reaction to layoff announcements in Finland. It also studies whether the characteristics of the firm or the layoff announcement have an impact on the stock market reaction. Standard event study methodology was utilized to examine the stock price reactions to layoffs and to test the created hypotheses. The event pool consisted of 102 publicly disclosed layoff announcements that were announced during the time period from June 2008 to December 2013. The empirical results show that the stock market reaction is strongly positive in the pre-event period of -10 to -1 with CAAR of 2,69%. The reaction is however slightly negative on the event date with AAR of -0,57%. Based on the results the conclusion is that either the managers are timing the markets or the layoffs are seen as efficiency improving acts and the market becomes aware of such actions pre-event. Additionally different characteristic hypotheses are tested to find out whether they would explain the reaction. The characteristics are: the reason stated by the management, business cycle, industry group, prior performance, leverage-ratio, the size of the company, the size of the layoff and the duration of the layoff.

Vuorovaikutuksen merkitys kiinteistöpalvelujen hankinnassa

Tämä tutkielma käsittelee kiinteistöpalvelujen hankintaa hankintaorganisaation ja palveluntoimittajan välisessä rajapinnassa, vuorovaikutuksen ja tiedon näkökulmasta. Tavoitteena on etsiä keinoja laadukkaampaan ja kustannustehokkaampaan palveluun hankintatoiminnan avulla. Tutkimuksen teoreettinen viitekehys rakentuu resurssiriippuvuusteorian, palvelujen ja vuorovaikutuksen ympärille. Tutkimuskontekstina toimii kiinteistöpalveluala ja tutkimus on toteutettu kolmen teemahaastattelun avulla haastateltavien edustaessa suurimpia kiinteistöpalveluja hankkivia tahoja. Tutkimuksen perusteella sekä kiinteistöpalvelujen hankintaprosessit että hankintaosaamisen hyödyntäminen liiketoiminnassa tarvitsevat kehittämistä ja proaktiivista otetta.

Expression of CD40 ligand, interferon-gamma and Fas ligand genes in endomyocardial biopsies of human cardiac allografts: correlation with acute rejection

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the expression (mRNA) of CD40 ligand (CD40L), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and Fas ligand (FasL) genes in human cardiac allografts in relation to the occurrence of acute cardiac allograft rejection as well as its possible value in predicting acute rejection. The mRNA levels were determined by a semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction method in 39 samples of endomyocardial biopsies obtained from 10 adult cardiac transplant recipients within the first six months after transplantation. Biopsies with ongoing acute rejection showed significantly higher CD40L, IFN-gamma and FasL mRNA expression than biopsies without rejection. The median values of mRNA expression in biopsies with and without rejection were 0.116 and zero for CD40L (P<0.003), 0.080 and zero for IFN-gamma (P<0.0009), and 0.156 and zero for FasL (P<0.002), respectively. In addition, the levels of IFN-gamma mRNA were significantly increased 7 to 15 days before the appearance of histological evidence of rejection (median of 0.086 in pre-rejection biopsies), i.e., they presented a predictive value. This study provides further evidence of heightened expression of immune activation genes during rejection and shows that some of these markers may present predictive value for the occurrence of acute rejection.

Correlation of mixed lymphocyte culture with chronic graft-versus-host disease following allogeneic stem cell transplantation

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the mixed lymphocyte culture as a predictive assay of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). We studied 153 patients who received a first bone marrow transplantation from human leukocyte antigen-identical siblings. Acute GVHD was observed in 26 of 128 (20.3%) patients evaluated and chronic GVHD occurred in 60 of 114 (52.6%). One-way mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) assays were performed by the standard method. MLC results are reported as the relative response (RR) from donor against patient cells. The responses ranged from -47.0 to 40.7%, with a median of 0.5%. The Kaplan-Meier probability of developing GVHD was determined for patients with positive and negative MLC. There was no significant difference in incidence of acute GVHD between the groups studied. However, the incidence of chronic GVHD was higher in recipients with RR >4.5% than in those with RR <=4.5%. The Cox Proportional Hazards model was used to examine the effect of MLC levels on incidence of chronic GVHD, while adjusting for the potential confounding effect of others suspected or observed risk factors. The relative risk of chronic GVHD was 2.5 for patients with positive MLC (RR >4.5%), 2.9 for those who received peripheral blood progenitor cells as a graft, and 2.2 for patients who developed previous acute GVHD. MLC was not useful for predicting acute GVHD, but MLC with RR >4.5% associated with other risk factors could predict the development of chronic GVHD, being of help for the prevention and/or treatment of this late complication.

Bone mineral density in young women of the city of São Paulo, Brazil: correlation with both collagen type I alpha 1 gene polymorphism and clinical aspects

Osteoporosis is a multifactorial disease with great impact on morbidity and mortality mainly in postmenopausal women. Although it is recognized that factors related to life-style and habits may influence bone mass formation leading to greater or lower bone mass, more than 85% of the variation in bone mineral density (BMD) is genetically determined. The collagen type I alpha 1 (COLIA1) gene is a possible risk factor for osteoporosis. We studied a population of 220 young women from the city of São Paulo, Brazil, with respect to BMD and its correlation with both COLIA1 genotype and clinical aspects. The distribution of COLIA1 genotype SS, Ss and ss in the population studied was 73.6, 24.1 and 2.3%, respectively. No association between these genotypes and femoral or lumbar spine BMD was detected. There was a positive association between lumbar spine BMD and weight (P<0.0001), height (P<0.0156), and body mass index (BMI) (P<0.0156), and a negative association with age at menarche (P<0.0026). There was also a positive association between femoral BMD and weight (P<0.0001), height (P<0.0001), and BMI (P<0.0001), and a negative correlation with family history for osteoporosis (P<0.041). There was no association between the presence of allele s and reduced BMD. We conclude that a family history of osteoporosis and age at menarche are factors that may influence bone mass in our population.

Time Varying Conditional Correlation Between Stock And Bond Returns: Evidence From CIVETS Nations

This thesis estimates long-run time variant conditional correlation between stock and bond returns of CIVETS (Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, and South Africa) nations. Further, aims to analyse the presence of asymmetric volatility effect in both asset returns, as well as, obverses increment or decrement in conditional correlation during pre-crisis and crisis period, which lead to make a reliable diversification decision. The Constant Conditional Correlation (CCC) GARCH model of Bollerslev (1990), the Dynamic Conditional Correlation (DCC) GARCH model (Engle 2002), and the Asymmetric Dynamic Conditional Correlation (ADCC) GARCH model of Cappiello, Engle, and Sheppard (2006) were implemented in the study. The analyses present strong evidence of time-varying conditional correlation in CIVETS markets, excluding Vietnam, during 2005-2013. In addition, negative innovation effects were found in both conditional variance and correlation of the asset returns. The results of this study recommend investors to include financial assets from these markets in portfolios, in order to obtain better stock-bond diversification benefits, especially during high volatility periods.

Phenotype and genotype correlation of the microconversion from the CYP21A1P to the CYP21A2 gene in congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Deficiency of 21-hydroxylase is the most common form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH-21OH). We determined by allele-specific PCR the frequency of microconversion in the CYP21A2 gene in 50 Brazilian patients with the classical (salt wasting: SW and simple virilizing: SV) forms and nonclassical (NC) form of CAH-21OH and correlated genotype with phenotype. Genotypes were classified into three mutation groups (A, B, and C) based on the amount of enzymatic activity in in vitro studies using adrenal cells. In 94 unrelated alleles, we diagnosed 76% of the affected alleles after screening for 7 microconversions. The most frequent point mutations observed in this series were I172N (19%), V281L (18%), and IVS2,A/C>G,-12 (15%). In the SW form, the most frequent mutation was IVS2,A/C>G,-12 (38%), in the SV form it was I172N (53%), and in the NC form it was V281L (57.7%). We observed a good correlation between genotype and phenotype. Discordance between genotype and phenotype was found in one SV patient with a mild mutation in one of the alleles (R356W/V281L). However, we cannot rule out the presence of an additional mutation in these alleles. We also observed a good correlation of genotype with 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, testosterone, and androstenedione levels. The severity of external genitalia virilization correlated with the severity of mutation. In conclusion, the frequencies described in the present study did not differ from worldwide studies, including the Brazilian population. The few differences observed may reflect individual sample variations. This new Brazilian cohort study suggests the presence of new mutations in Brazilian patients with different forms of CAH-21OH.

Profitability differences between online and offline retailers -An empirical study on European SMEs

Tämän pro gradu tutkielman tarkoituksena oli selvittää jos ja miten kannattavuus eroaa verkko- ja kivijalkakauppojen välillä. Lisäksi pyrittiin selvittämään onko näiden erojen syitä mahdollista selvittää yritysten taloudellisten tunnuslukujen avulla. Tutkielma koostuu kirjallisuuskatsauksesta ja kvantitatiivisesta tutkimuksesta. Kirjallisuuskatsaus antaa yleiskuvan siitä miten verkkokaupan toiminta eroaa kivijalkaliikkeen toiminnasta ja mitkä ovat näistä eroista koituvat hyödyt ja yleisimmät sudenkuopat. Kvantitatiivisessa tutkimuksessa käytetään Amadeus tietokannasta kerättyjä taloudellisia tietoja Eurooppalaisista verkko- ja kivijalkakaupoista. Tutkimuksessa löydettiin tilastollisesti merkitseviä eroja verkko- ja kivijalkakauppojen kannattavuudessa. Verkkokauppojen todettiin olevan kivijalkakauppoja kannattavampia, mutta taloudellisten tunnuslukujen tilastollisella analysoinnilla ei kyetty löytämään yksittäisiä selittäviä tekijöitä näille eroille.

Does the correlation between EBNA-1 and p63 expression in breast carcinomas provide a clue to tumorigenesis in Epstein-Barr virus-related breast malignancies?

Several investigators have identified Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) particles in breast carcinomas, a fact that supports a role for EBV in mammary tumorigenesis. The possible mechanism involved in this process is not clear. The present study was carried out in an attempt to determine whether there is a relationship between latent infection with EBV and p53 and p63 expression in breast carcinomas. Immunohistochemistry developed with 3.3-diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride was performed in 85 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded breast carcinomas using anti-EBV EBNA-1, anti-p63, anti-p53, anti-estrogen receptor (ER) and anti-progesterone receptor (PR) antibodies. The cases were selected to represent each of the various histologic types: intraductal carcinoma (N = 12), grade I invasive ductal carcinoma (N = 15), grade II invasive ductal carcinoma (N = 15), grade III invasive ductal carcinoma (N = 15), tubular carcinoma (N = 8), lobular carcinoma (N = 10), and medullary carcinoma (N = 10). The ductal breast carcinomas were graded I, II and III based on the Scarff-Bloom and Richardson grading system modified by Elston and Ellis. One slide containing at least 1000 neoplastic cells was examined in each case. ER, PR, p63, p53 and EBNA-1 were positive in 60, 40, 11.8, 21.2 and 37.6% of carcinomas, respectively. There was a correlation between EBNA-1 and p63 expression (P < 0.001), but not between EBNA-1 and p53 (P = 0.10). These data suggest a possible role for p63 in the mammary tumorigenesis associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection.

Forming i barnehagen i lys av Reggio Emilias atelierkultur

Forming (Arts and crafts) and children’s creative action with materials and tools are less in use in the kindergarten than before. Political focus on children’s early learning has led to shifts in kindergartens toward other specific disciplines, and requirements for individual testing also of the smallest children’s competencies within these. Kindergarten teachers, educators, researchers and participants in social debate have pointed out that there are epistemological contradictions in descriptions of kindergarten quality as well as between current kindergarten policy documents and requirements for the kindergartens’ staff. Meanwhile, the content and methods in many kindergartens are inspired by practice and philosophy in the municipal kindergartens in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Correlation between kindergartens’ formingprojects and experiences from Reggio Emilia is actualized in particular through the workshop and the studio’s role in children’s learning processes. One starting point for the thesis’ problem area is a documented need for more knowledge about kindergarten’s educational content. The overarching goal of the thesis is to develop new knowledge about how learning takes place in kindergarten through examining the field of forming in kindergartens inspired by Reggio Emilia’s atelier culture. The thesis is theoretically anchored within pragmatism, and ties kindergarten’s aesthetic operations with materials and tools to socio-cultural perspective, social constructivism and post humanistic theory. The empirical material is obtained through a qualitative study with ethnography as methodological approach. The fieldwork is conducted in kindergarten, with two leading research questions: 1) How is atelierism perceived and unfolded in Norwegian Reggio Emilia-inspired kindergartens, and 2) how is forming perceived and unfolded in Norwegian Reggio Emilia-inspired kindergartens. A comprehensive and multifaceted material is analyzed, and the results are presented in the form of three themes: The physical environment, Relations and actions in interplay, and Expression forms and forms of expression. Each of these topics are supported by examples from kindergartens’ adult voices and the constructed empirical material. Insights into how learning takes place in the kindergarten subject of forming with inspiration from the Reggio Emilia atelier culture is discussed in the tension between educational philosophy, Nordic kindergarten tradition and neoliberal trends that kindergarten teachers must adhere to. Learning potentials in children’s opportunities for action in forming in light of the atelier appears in the results of the empirical study. The educational context described is characterized by experimental and playful actions where children’s sensations, curiosity and resistance are interacting with the identity of materials and tools. The results imply aesthetic, ethical, democratic and ecological reflections, which are also valid on a practical action level. The thesis contributes to description and understanding of kindergarten’ content and young children’s learning, the importance of atelier culture as inspiration for the kindergarten, and the further development of methodology and documentation of knowledge expressions.