Impact of Early-Life Exposures on Immune Maturation and Susceptibility to Disease.

Exiting from the largely sterile environment of the womb, the neonatal immune system is not fully mature, and thus neonatal immune cells must simultaneously mount responses against environmental stimuli while maturing. This dynamic process of immune maturation is driven by a variety of cell-intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Recent studies have focused on some of these factors and have shed light on the mechanisms by which they drive immune maturation. We review the interactions and consequences of immune maturation during the pre- and perinatal period. We discuss environmental signals in early life that are needed for healthy immune homeostasis, and highlight detrimental factors that can set an individual on a path towards disease. This early-life period of immune maturation could hold the key to strategies for setting individuals on trajectories towards health and reduced disease susceptibility.

Landslide detection and monitoring capability of boat-based mobile laser scanning along Dieppe coastal cliffs, Normandy

Integrated in a wide research assessing destabilizing and triggering factors to model cliff dynamic along the Dieppe's shoreline in High Normandy, this study aims at testing boat-based mobile LiDAR capabilities by scanning 3D point clouds of the unstable coastal cliffs. Two acquisition campaigns were performed in September 2012 and September 2013, scanning (1) a 30-km-long shoreline and (2) the same test cliffs in different environmental conditions and device settings. The potentials of collected data for 3D modelling, change detection and landslide monitoring were afterward assessed. By scanning during favourable meteorological and marine conditions and close to the coast, mobile LiDAR devices are able to quickly scan a long shoreline with median point spacing up to 10cm. The acquired data are then sufficiently detailed to map geomorphological features smaller than 0.5m2. Furthermore, our capability to detect rockfalls and erosion deposits (>m3) is confirmed, since using the classical approach of computing differences between sequential acquisitions reveals many cliff collapses between Pourville and Quiberville and only sparse changes between Dieppe and Belleville-sur-Mer. These different change rates result from different rockfall susceptibilities. Finally, we also confirmed the capability of the boat-based mobile LiDAR technique to monitor single large changes, characterizing the Dieppe landslide geometry with two main active scarps, retrogression up to 40m and about 100,000m3 of eroded materials.

Formal Education, Mismatch and Wages After Transition: Assessing the Impact of Unobserved Heterogeneity using Matching Estimators

This paper studies the incidence and consequences of the mismatch between formal education and the educational requirements of jobs in Estonia during the years 1997-2003. We fi nd large wage penalties associated with the phenomenon of educational mismatch. Moreover, the incidence and wage penalty of mismatches increase with age. This suggests that structural educational mismatches can occur after fast transition periods. Our results are robust for various methodologies, and more importantly regarding departures from the exogeneity assumptions inherent in the matching estimators used in our analysis

Äitiys kulttuurisina odotuksina

Tutkimuksen kohteena ovat äitiydelle tuotetut kulttuuriset odotukset, joita tarkastellaan kahdella yhteiskunnallisella keskustelufoorumilla. Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan yhtäältä lastensuojelun perhetyössä toimivien ammattilaisten ja toisaalta median puhetta äitiydestä. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on tehdä näkyväksi vaihtoehtoisia tapoja konstruoida äitiyttä hyvänä tai riittämättömänä sekä haastaa pohtimaan erilaisten tulkintojen perusteita ja seurauksia lastensuojelutyössä. Kulttuuriset, äitiyttä koskevat odotukset vaikuttavat myös siihen, miten äitiys henkilökohtaisella tasolla koetaan. Äitiyden kulttuurista määrittelyä analysoidaan kahdesta tekstiaineistosta. Yhtenä aineistona ovat Stakesissa vuonna 1999 toteutetun Perhetyöprojektin yhteydessä kerätyt, lastensuojelussa toimivien perhetyöammattilaisten ryhmäkeskustelut. Toisena aineistona on projektin ajankohtana ilmestyneistä suomalaisista naisten- ja perhelehdistä (Kotiliesi, Anna, Kaksplus) kerätyt äitien haastattelut. Tutkimuksessa kysytään 1) Mihin ammattilaisten äitejä koskeva huolipuhe kiinnittyy ja millaisia kulttuurisia äitiyden odotuksia se konstruoi? 2) Millaisia äitiyden odotuksia median äitihaastattelut konstruoivat? 3) Millaisen äitiyden odotushorisontin nämä puhekäytännöt yhdessä tuottavat? Analyysin teoreettis-metodologisina kulmakivinä ovat sosiaalinen konstruktionismi ja feministinen tietokäsitys. Analyysimenetelmänä on laadullinen, aineistojen ehdoilla etenevä, feministisesti ja kriittisesti sävyttynyt lukutapa, joka hyödyntää teemoittelun, diskurssianalyysin ja feministisen metodologian ideoita ja käsitteitä. Analysoitavana olevissa keskusteluissa äitiyttä konstruoidaan lapsen tarpeiden (ammattilaiset) ja naisen tarpeiden (media) näkökulmista. Ammattilaiset puhuvat tilanteista, joissa äitien toiminta rikkoo kulttuurista hyvän äidin kuvaa, vaarantaa lapsen hyvinvointia ja äitiyteen joudutaan puuttumaan ammatillisesti. Ammattilaisten tulkinnat kuvaavat taitavaa lapsen edun näkökulmasta tehtyä arviointia, jonka kiintopisteenä ovat äidit yksilöllisine ominaisuuksineen ja piirteineen. Ammatillisen huolipuheen keskiössä ovat äidin vuorovaikutussuhteet sekä äidin tunteet, käyttäytyminen ja asenteet. Riittävää äitiyttä konstruoi kodin luominen, kiintymyssuhteen rakentaminen ja lapsen ensisijaiseksi asettaminen. Sen sijaan vaikuttaa siltä, ettei äitiyden arviointia juurikaan tehdä suhteessa äidin muihin identiteetteihin tai äitiyden toteuttamisen kontekstiin. Paikoin ammattilaisten tulkinnat heijastavat myös stereotyyppisiä ja idealistisia odotuksia, joita vasten äitiyttä arvioidaan. Tällaiset piirteet voivat kertoa siitä, että äitien avuntarpeet jäävät lastensuojelutyössä kohtaamatta ja ymmärtämättä. Mediapuhe äitiydestä käydään naiseuden ja äitiyden mallien antamisen kontekstissa. Puheen keskiössä ovat mediajulkisuuteen päässeiden naisten äidiksi tuloon ja äitiyden toteuttamiseen liittyvät valinnat ja käyttäytyminen. Mediapuhe on puhetta kulttuuristen ja ammatillisten äitiyden odotusten rikkomisesta, uudelleen tulkinnasta ja niiden muovaamisesta itselle sopiviksi. Mediapuheessa hyvää äitiyttä konstruoi äidin itsenäisyys ja oma aika, sosiaalisen elämän rikkaus, ammatillinen identiteetti ja persoonalliset valinnat. Aineistojen kautta rakentuu moninaisten ja ristiriitaisten, äitejä eri suuntaan vetävien kulttuuristen odotusten kirjo. Odotukset jäsentyvät neljälle ulottuvuudelle: 1) lapselle omistautuva – itseään toteuttava, 2) emotionaalinen side – rationaalinen tehtävä, 3) odotuksia toteuttava – omaehtoinen, 4) itsenäinen - äitiyttä jakava. Äitiyden toteuttaminen kulttuurisesti ”oikein” on näiden odotusten välissä tasapainoilua. Ulottuvuuksien kautta esille tulevat kaksoisviestit voivat heikentää äitien itsetuntoa, tuottaa riittämättömyyden tunteita tai yllyttää suorittamaan äitiyttä. Myös äitiyden ammatillinen tukeminen edellyttää tasapainoilua, jottei äitejä idealisoida tai syyllistetä kulttuurisia odotuksia vasten.

Modelling nitrogen and phosphorus loads in a Mediterranean river catchment (La Tordera, NE Spain)

Human activities have resulted in increased nutrient levels in many rivers all over Europe. Sustainable management of river basins demands an assessment of the causes and consequences of human alteration of nutrient flows, together with an evaluation of management options. In the context of an integrated and interdisciplinary environmental assessment (IEA) of nutrient flows, we present and discuss the application of the nutrient emission model MONERIS (MOdelling Nutrient Emissions into River Systems) to the Catalan river basin, La Tordera (north-east Spain), for the period 1996–2002. After a successful calibration and verification process (Nash-Sutcliffe efficiencies E=0.85 for phosphorus and E=0.86 for nitrogen), the application of the model MONERIS proved to be useful in estimating nutrient loads. Crucial for model calibration, in-stream retention was estimated to be about 50 % of nutrient emissions on an annual basis. Through this process, we identified the importance of point sources for phosphorus emissions (about 94% for 1996–2002), and diffuse sources, especially inputs via groundwater, for nitrogen emissions (about 31% for 1996–2002). Despite hurdles related to model structure, observed loads, and input data encountered during the modelling process, MONERIS provided a good representation of the major interannual and spatial patterns in nutrient emissions. An analysis of the model uncertainty and sensitivity to input data indicates that the model MONERIS, even in data-starved Mediterranean catchments, may be profitably used by water managers for evaluating quantitative nutrient emission scenarios for the purpose of managing river basins. As an example of scenario modelling, an analysis of the changes in nutrient emissions through two different future scenarios allowed the identification of a set of relevant measures to reduce nutrient loads.

Environmental factors, spatial variation, and specific requirements of Chironomidae in Mediterranean reference streams

Chironomidae spatial distribution was investigated at 63 near-pristine sites in 22 catchments of the Iberian Mediterranean coast. We used partial redundancy analysis to study Chironomidae community responses to a number of environmental factors acting at several spatial scales. The percentage of variation explained by local factors (23.3%) was higher than that explained by geographical (8.5%) or regional factors(8%). Catchment area, longitude, pH, % siliceous rocks in the catchment, and altitude were the best predictors of Chironomidae assemblages. We used a k-means cluster analysis to classified sites into 3 major groups based on Chironomidae assemblages. These groups were explained mainly by longitudinal zonation and geographical position, and were defined as 1) siliceous headwater streams, 2) mid-altitude streams with small catchment areas, and 3) medium-sized calcareous streams. Distinct species assemblages with associated indicator taxa were established for each stream category using IndVal analysis. Species responses to previously identified key environmental variables were determined, and optima and tolerances were established by weighted average regression. Distinct ecological requirements were observed among genera and among species of the same genus. Some genera were restricted to headwater systems (e.g., Diamesa), whereas others (e.g., Eukiefferiella) had wider ecological preferences but with distinct distributions among congenerics. In the present period of climate change, optima and tolerances of species might be a useful tool to predict responses of different species to changes in significant environmental variables, such as temperature and hydrology.

Eficiència energètica aplicada a les instal·lacions de la Universitat de Vic

En termes generals, es pot definir l’Eficiència Energètica com la reducció del consum d’energia mantenint els mateixos serveis energètics, sense disminuir el nostre confort i qualitat de vida, protegint el medi ambient, assegurant el proveïment i fomentant un comportament Sostenible al seu ús. L’objectiu principal d’aquest treball, és reduir el consum d’energia i terme de potència contractat a la Universitat de Vic, aplicant un programa d’estalvi amb mesures correctores en el funcionament de les seves instal·lacions o espais. Per tal de poder arribar a aquest objectiu marcat, prèviament s’ha realitzat un estudi acurat, obtenint tota la informació necessària per poder aplicar les mesures correctores a la bossa més important de consum. Un cop trobada, dur a terme l’estudi de la viabilitat de la inversió de les mesures correctores més eficients, optimitzant els recursos destinats. L’espai on s’ha dut a terme l’estudi, ha estat a l’edifici F del Campus Miramarges, seguint les indicacions d’Arnau Bardolet (Cap de Manteniment de la UVIC). Aquest edifici consta d’un entresol, baixos i quatre plantes. L’equip de mesura que s’ha fet servir per realitzar l’estudi, és de la marca Circutor sèrie AR5-L, aquests equips són programables que mesuren, calculen i emmagatzemen en memòria els principals paràmetres elèctrics en xarxes trifàsiques. Els projectes futurs complementaris que es podrien realitzar a part d’aquest són: instal·lar sensors, instal·lar mòduls convertidors TCP/IP, aprofitar la xarxa intranet i crear un escada amb un sinòptic de control i gestió des d’un punt de treball. Aquest aplicatiu permet visualitzar en una pantalla d’un PC tots els estats dels elements controlats mitjançant un sinòptic (encendre/parar manualment l’enllumenat i endolls de les aules, estat d’enllumenat i endolls de les aules, consums instantanis/acumulats energètics, estat dels passadissos entre altres) i explotar les dades recollides a la base de dades. Cada espai tindria la seva lògica de funcionament automàtic específic. Entre les conclusions més rellevants obtingudes en aquest treball s’observa: · Que és pot reduir la potència contractada a la factura a l’estar per sota de la realment consumida. · Que no hi ha penalitzacions a la factura per consum de reactiva, ja que el compensador funciona correctament. · Que es pot reduir l’horari de l’inici del consum d’energia, ja que no correspon a l’activitat docent. · Els valors de la tensió i freqüència estan dintre de la normalitat. · Els harmònics estan al llindar màxim. Analitzant aquestes conclusions, voldria destacar les mesures correctores més importants que es poden dur a terme: canvi tecnològic a LED, temporitzar automàticament l’encesa i apagada dels fluorescents i equips informàtics de les aules “seguint calendari docent”, instal·lar sensors de moviment amb detecció lumínica als passadissos. Totes les conclusions extretes d’aquest treball, es poden aplicar a tots els edificis de la facultat, prèviament realitzant l’estudi individual de cadascuna, seguint els mateixos criteris per tal d’optimitzar la inversió.

Saako historiasta selvää? Monikulttuuriset yläkoululaiset historian lähteillä historian taidot motiivien, seurauksien, historian tulkintojen ja lähteiden luotettavuuden arvioinneissa

The research assesses the skills of upper comprehensive school pupils in history. The focus is on locating personal motives, assessing wider reasons hidden in historical sources and evaluating source reliability. The research also questions how a wide use of multiple sources affects pupils’ holistic understanding of historical phenomena. The participants were a multicultural group of pupils. The origins of their cultures can be traced to the Balkan, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. The number of native Finnish speakers and pupils speaking Finnish as their second language was almost equal. The multicultural composition provides opportunities to assess how culturally responsive learning history from sources is. The intercultural approach to learning in a multicultural setting emphasizes equality as a precondition for learning. In order to set assignments at least to some extent match with all participants only those answers were taken into account which were produced by pupils who had studied history for a similar period of time in the Finnish comprehensive school system. Due to the small number of participants (41), the study avoids wide generalizations. Nevertheless, possible cultural blueprints in pupils’ way of thinking are noted. The first test examined the skills of pupils to find motives for emigration. The results showed that for 7th graders finding reasons is not a problematic task. However, the number of reasons noticed and justifications varied. In addition, the way the pupils explained their choices was a distinguishing factor. Some pupils interpreted source material making use of previous knowledge on the issue, while other pupils based their analysis solely on the text handed and did not try to add their own knowledge. Answers were divided into three categories: historical, explanatory and stating. Historical answers combined smoothly previously learned historical knowledge to one’s own source analysis; explanatory answers often ignored a wider frame, although they were effective when explaining e.g. historical concepts. The stating answers only noticed motives from the sources and made no attempts to explain them historically. Was the first test culturally responsive? All pupils representing different cultures tackled the first source exam successfully, but there were some signs of how historical concepts are understood in a slightly different way if the pupil’s personal history has no linkage to the concepts under scrutiny. The second test focused on the history of Native Americans. The test first required pupils to recognize whether short source extracts (5) were written by Indians or Caucasians. Based on what they had already learned from North American history, the pupils did not find it hard to distinguish between the sources. The analysis of multiphase causes and consequences of the disputes between Native Americans and white Americans caused dispersion among pupils. Using two historical sources and combining historical knowledge from both of them simultaneously was cumbersome for many. The explanations of consequences can be divided into two groups: the ones emphasizing short term consequences and those placing emphasis on long term consequences. The short term approach was mainly followed by boys in every group. The girls mainly paid attention to long term consequences. The result suggests that historical knowledge in sources is at least to some extent read through role and gender lenses. The third test required pupils to explain in their own words how the three sources given differed in their account of living conditions in Nazi Germany, which turned out to be demanding for many pupils. The pupils’ stronghold was rather the assessment of source reliability and accounts why the sources approached the same events differently. All participants wrote critical and justified comments on reliability and aspects that might have affected the content of the sources. The pupils felt that the main reasons that affected source reliability were the authors’ ethnic background, nationality and profession. The assessment showed that pupils were well aware that position in a historical situation has an impact on historical accounts, but in certain cases the victim’s account was seen as a historical truth. The account of events by a historian was chosen most often as the most reliable source, but it was often justified leniently with an indication to professionalism rather than with clear ideas of how historians conduct accounts based on sources. In brief, the last source test demonstrates that pupils have a strong idea that the ethnicity or nationalism determines how people explained events of the past. It is also an implication that pupils understand how historical knowledge is interpretative. The results also imply that history can be analyzed from a neutral perspective. One’s own membership in an ethnical or religious group does not automatically mean that a person’s cultural identity excludes historical explanations if something in them contradicts with his or her identity. The second method of extracting knowledge of pupils’ historical thinking was an essay analysis. The analysis shows that an analytical account of complicated political issues, which often include a great number of complicated political concepts, leads more likely to an inconsistent structure in the written work of pupils. The material also demonstrates that pupils have a strong tendency to take a critical stance when assessing history. Historical empathy in particular is shown if history somehow has a linkage to young people, children or minorities. Some topics can also awake strong feelings, especially among pupils with emigrant background, if there is a linkage between one’s own personal history and that of the school; and occasionally a student’s historical experience or thoughts replaced school history. Using sources during history lessons at school seems to have many advantages. It enhances the reasoning skills of pupils and their skills to assess the nature of historical knowledge. Thus one of the main aims and a great benefit of source work is to encourage pupils to express their own ideas and opinions. To conclude, when assessing the skills of adolescents in history - their work with sources, comments on history, historical knowledge and finally their historical thinking - one should be cautious and avoid cut off score evaluations. One purpose of pursuing history with sources is to encourage pupils to think independently, which is a useful tool for further identity construction. The idea that pupils have the right to conduct their own interpretations of history can be partially understood as part of a wider learning process, justification to study history comes from extrinsic reasons. The intrinsic reason is history itself; in order to understand history one should have a basic understanding of history as a specific domain of knowledge. Using sources does not mean that knowing history is of secondary importance. Only a balance between knowing the contextual history, understanding basic key concepts and working with sources is a solid base to improve pupils’ historical understanding.

Ikääntyvät työelämässä. Päihittääkö nuoruus ja koulutus aikuisuuden ja kokemuksen?

The Ageing in Working Life. Do Adolescence and Schooling Beat Adulthood and Experience? This study examines the changes in the work and the work organisations of employees in the fields of health care and retail trade who have turned 45 and their experience of change. In addition, the question of how ageing employees experience their status in post-modern working life is explored. Attention is also focused on the choices and decisions connected with staying at work and retiring. These views are examined in relation to professions and professional cultures. Thematic interviews (N=98) were used to gather the material. The effects of the market liberalistic turn in welfare policy are clearly seen in the everyday work of the health care professions. These changes were examined from the point of view of managing by outcomes and quality assurance, multi-professional cooperation, flexibility in the division of labour, and the spread of market-like procedures. The discourse of those in involved retail trade was dominated by extremely tight global market competition and control of outcomes, and by the structural changes taking place in the retail trade sector. This change discourse was to a large extent a reaction to those changes in the functional environment which were experienced as negative and to the conflict between their own professional identity and professional ethics on the one hand, and their functional environment on the other. There were also obstacles connected with professional culture: defending one's own station and power, guarding the 'frontier', showed up in attitudes towards new management and organisation models or towards structural and functional reforms. The deep structures of professional culture and the mindset of the actors change much more slowly than the functional practices of organisations. For those in a supervisory position, the loss of power due to becoming part of a chain or because of the introduction of a team organisation model was not an easy thing to accept. The nurses and others in related fields felt that they were forced to do work that was below their level of training and professional skill. For sales personnel and those who did assisting work in health care, power and the possibility of having an influence were not so important, as long as they were able to do their work in their own way and were trusted. This view is often completely forgotten, for example, in various organisation models in which power and the possibility of having an influence entwined with power are taken for granted as being clearly positive and desired aspects of job satisfaction. Up to date professional skills were experienced as being important from the point of view of professional identity and self-worth. Thus, training can be understood as a moral obligation, which in turn is intertwined with professional ideology. In the rhetoric of adult education, an adult is expected to be an active player who will seek training again and again if working life so requires. The dark side of this ideology, which leads to feelings of guilt, was apparent in the thoughts of the respondents. Am I never good enough at my job; why must I continually strive for better, additional qualifications? The majority of the respondents evaluated their expertise as being at quite a high level. This self-confidence did not extend to applying for a job. Job recruitment was seen as a situation in which age discrimination reached its peak. The interviewees were unanimous about the idea that society favours the young. Especially among those in the retail trade sector, there was a feeling that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to find a new job of the same level or a permanent post if they were made redundant. Age discrimination was also apparent in the retail trade field in the form of older employees being retired against their will or transferred to other tasks. It was felt that ruthless forced retirement of older workers was part of the personnel policy of some organisations. The importance of one's outward appearance was connected with the theme of discrimination. This phenomenon is described using the concept of the double standard of ageing in feminist research. An ageing woman is relegated to an inferior position due to both her age and her sex. A culture that would both make possible and allow various types of choices regardless of age, which is described as being characteristic of the post-modern era, does not seem to be very topical in the practice of working life. It is important for employees that the management and the personnel policy that is being implemented makes them feel like both their contribution and they as individuals are appreciated, that their opinions are listened to and that they are noticed as persons. The interviewees hoped for gratitude and a concern for the well-being of employees that shows in everyday life. They valued training and activities aimed at maintaining their work ability, but thought that better coping at work and a pleasant working environment cannot be achieved through such measures as along as the foundation is 'in a mess'. Development of the quality of working life is the only thing that can improve job satisfaction and get people to remain in the work force longer than at present. There should be a sufficient number of properly trained employees at the work place. It was important to the respondents that they be able to stay on their job to the end with honour, since compromising with their own quality standards or acting contrary to their ideal self-image in terms of professional ethics would strike a blow to their professional self-esteem. They called for the development of various types of workplace flexibility, and felt that they have the right to a lightened workload and to early retirement. Early retirement was even seen as an altruistic deed: it would free up a place for younger workers. Thoughts of retirements were explained by familiar factors such as health and finances, life situation, the enticement of free-time, as well as by various factors related to work. It is very important to ageing employees that their work has meaningful content. The values related to self-fulfilment are felt to be of great importance, and if they cannot be realised at work, the respondents wanted more free time, either through retirement or in the form of flexibility in working life.

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.

The Vulnerable Brain and Very Preterm Infants - Findings from the PIPARI-Study

Preterm birth is a risk for normal brain development. Brain maturation that normally happens in the uterus is in very preterm infants a developmental challenge during their stay in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Typical brain injuries of preterm infants include ischemic injuries, brain haemorrhages, ventricular dilatation (VD), and reduced brain volumes. Brain injury is a serious complication of prematurity leading to possible long term consequences for the neurodevelopment of the very low birth weight (VLBW) infant, such as cerebral palsy (CP), hearing impairments, vision problems, and delay in cognitive development.There is a need for further studies to ascertain the potential risk factors and their causal relationships to brain vulnerability, growth and development in the increasing number of surviving VLBW infants. This thesis consists of four studies evaluating the definitions, causes and consequences of brain lesions in VLBW(<1500g) or very low gestationalage (VLGA) (gestational age <32 gestational weeks) infants. We showed that the redistribution of fetal blood flow is a risk factor for smaller brain volumes at term. In addition,we showed that brain lesions related to prematurity are not associated with increased spontaneous crying behaviour or circadian rhythm development in infancy. However, the preterm infants began to fuss more often and were held more than term infants at five months of age. Furthermore, we showed that VD is associated with brain lesions and smaller brain volumes. Therefore, brain magneticresonance imaging can be recommended for infants with VD. VD together with other brain pathology is a risk factor for the onset of developmental impairments in VLBW/VLGA infants at two years of age.

Marketing culture of Finnish research libraries : an analysis of marketing attitude, knowledge and behaviour

The aim of the present dissertation is to investigate the marketing culture of research libraries in Finland and to understand the awareness of the knowledge base of library management concerning modern marketing theories and practices. The study was based onthe notion that a leader in an organisation can have large impact on its culture. Therefore, it was considered important to learn about the market orientation that initiates at the top management and flows throughout the whole organisationthus resulting in a particular kind of library culture. The study attempts to examine the marketing culture of libraries by analysing the marketing attitudes, knowledge (underlying beliefs, values and assumptions), behaviour (market orientation), operational policies and activities, and their service performance (customer satisfaction). The research was based on the assumption that if the top management of libraries has market oriented behaviour, then their marketing attitudes, knowledge, operational policies and activities and service performance should also be in accordance. The dissertation attempts to connect all these theoretical threads of marketing culture. It investigates thirty three academic and special libraries in the south of Finland. The library director and three to ten customers from each library participated as respondents in this study. An integrated methodological approach of qualitative as well as quantitative methods was used to gain knowledge on the pertinent issues lying behind the marketing culture of research libraries. The analysis of the whole dissertation reveals that the concept of marketing has very varied status in the Finnish research libraries. Based on the entire findings, three kinds of marketing cultures were emerged: the strong- the high fliers; the medium- the brisk runners; and the weak- the slow walkers. The high fliers appeared to be modern marketing believers as their marketing approach was customer oriented and found to be closer to the emerging notions of contemporary relational marketing. The brisk runners were found to be traditional marketing advocates as their marketing approach is more `library centred¿than customer defined and thus is in line of `product orientation¿ i.e. traditional marketing. `Let the interested customers come to the library¿ was appeared to be the hallmark of the slow walkers. Application of conscious market orientation is not reflected in the library activities of the slow walkers. Instead their values, ideology and approach to serving the library customers is more in tuneof `usual service oriented Finnish way¿. The implication of the research is that it pays to be market oriented which results in higher customer satisfaction oflibraries. Moreover, it is emphasised that the traditional user based service philosophy of Finnish research libraries should not be abandoned but it needs to be further developed by building a relational based marketing system which will help the libraries to become more efficient and effective from the customers¿ viewpoint. The contribution of the dissertation lies in the framework showing the linkages between the critical components of the marketing culture of a library: antecedents, market orientation, facilitators and consequences. The dissertationdelineates the significant underlying dimensions of market-oriented behaviour of libraries which are namely customer philosophy, inter-functional coordination,strategic orientation, responsiveness, pricing orientation and competition orientation. The dissertation also showed the extent to which marketing attitudes, behaviour, knowledge were related and impact of market orientation on the serviceperformance of libraries. A strong positive association was found to exist between market orientation and marketing attitudes and knowledge. Moreover, it also shows that a higher market orientation is positively connected with the service performance of libraries, the ultimate result being higher customer satisfaction. The analysis shows that a genuine marketing culture represents a synthesis of certain marketing attitudes, knowledge and of selective practices. This finding is particularly significant in the sense that it manifests that marketing culture consists of a certain sets of beliefs and knowledge (which form a specific attitude towards marketing) and implementation of a certain set of activities that actually materialize the attitude of marketing into practice (market orientation) leading to superior service performance of libraries.

Sukupolvenvaihdoksen toteuttaminen henkilöyhtiössä

Tutkielma on kvalitatiivinen tutkimus, jossa pääpaino perustuu kirjallisuus- ja oikeustapaustutkimukseen. Tutkielman tavoitteena on selvittää henkilöyhtiön sukupolvenvaihdoksen toteuttamisen vaihtoehdot sekä henkilöyhtiön yhtiöosuuksien luovutuksena että yhtiömuodon muutoksella, jolloin henkilöyhtiö muutetaan ensin osakeyhtiöksi ja sen jälkeen osakeyhtiö voi jakautua. Perheyrityksen sukupolvenvaihdoksen ja siihen liittyvien veroseuraamusten optimointi edellyttää suunnitelmallista prosessia, missä otetaan huomioon eri toteutusvaihtoehtojen verotuksellinen kohtelu sekä luopujien että jatkajien kannalta. Perheen sisällä tapahtuvat sukupolvenvaihdokset tapahtuvat useimmiten lahjana tai lahjanluonteisena kauppana, jolloin perintö- ja lahjaverotus on tarpeen ottaa huomioon jo suunnitteluvaiheessa. Yritysvarallisuuden arvostaminen perintö- ja lahjaverotuksessa sekä sukupolvenvaihdoksen yhteydessä saatavat verohuojennukset ja niiden huomioon ottaminen ovat tärkeitä tekijöitä. Tutkielman case- yrityksessä luopujien ja jatkajien tarpeet huomioiden yhtiömuodon muutos ja jakautuminen voitiin todeta kannattavimmaksi vaihtoehdoksi.

Ratoon sugarcane yield integrated drip-irrigation and nitrogen fertilization

The aim of this study was to compare the use of water and nitrogen on ratoon sugarcane during irrigated and rain-fed conditions, and to assess the production potential of stalks and sugar with different rates of N-fertilizer on the subsurface drip-irrigated management. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replications for each experiment and treatments: (T1) irrigated, 0kg N ha-1; (T2) irrigated, 70kg N ha-1; (T3) irrigated, 140kg N ha-1; (T4) irrigated, 210kg N ha-1; (T5) not irrigated, 0kg N ha-1, and (T6) not irrigated, 140kg N ha-1. Biometric, technological, dry matter and yield variables were analyzed among the treatments. The irrigation system together with the application of N-fertilizer at 140kg ha-1 presented significant differences in dry matter accumulation of shoots, and for the production of stalks and sugar, respectively 94, 105 and 106%, higher when compared to the not irrigated, without N-fertilizer (T5). There was a positive and synergistic effect of irrigation with N-fertilizer on the productivity of stalks and sugar. Ratoon sugarcane irrigated with subsurface dripping had the highest yield (22Mg ha-1 of sugar) with the dosage of 140kg ha-1 N.

Corporate responsibility guaranteed by dialogue? Examining the relationship between nongovernmental organizations and business

The main objective of this doctoral dissertation is to examine the relationship between non-governmental organizations and business in the context of academic discourse, corporate responsibility discourse, and stakeholder dialogue. More specifically, motivated by the increasing emphasis on stakeholder dialogue as a tool for corporate responsibility and accountability, the aim is to critically assess the role of stakeholder dialogue as a self-regulatory mechanism, in particular from the perspective of foreign direct investments. The study comprises two parts; an introductory essay containing the research objectives, theoretical foundations and methodological choices, and four research articles that address one sub-objective: 1) to review the literature on NGO-business relations in business and society, management, and international business journals from 1998–2007; 2) to critically analyze the academic discourse on NGO-business relations; 3) to analyze the problematic aspects of sustainable foreign direct investments as a conceptual construct; and 4) to analyze the problematic aspects of stakeholder dialogue in connection with a foreign direct investment. The ontological and epistemological foundations of this dissertation build on the social constructionist view of reality. The dialogue in this study is viewed as a legitimacy bargaining process that is actively shaped by societal parties in discourse. Similarly, articulations of ‘partnership’ and ‘adversarial’ in NGO-business relations in academic business and society discourse are viewed as competing hegemonic interventions in the field. More specifically, the methods applied in the articles are literature review (Article 1), discourse theory (Article 2), conceptual analysis (Article 3), and case study with document analysis (Article 4). This dissertation has three main arguments and contributions. First, it is argued that the potential of stakeholder dialogue as a tool for corporate responsibility and accountability is inherently limited in both contexts. Second, the study shows the power implications of privileging partnership oriented NGO-business relations over adversarial ones, and of placing business at the centre of governance discourse. The third contribution is methodological: a new way to analyze academic discourse is presented by focusing on the problem setting of an article.