Assessment of critical competences required in managing end-user driven businesses in a global forest products compa

Työn pääasiallisena tavoitteena on selvittää ydinosaamista, jota tarvitaan kansainvälisen metsäteollisuusyrityksen loppukäyttäjävetoisessa liiketoiminnassa. Lisäksi tavoitteena on laatia kompetenssimalli, jota voidaan käyttää mm. rekrytoinnissa, koulutuksen ja työnkierron suunnittelussa. Tarkoituksena on tarkastella sekä tällä hetkellä että tulevaisuudessa tarvittavia ydinosaamisia. Työ keskittyy myyntihenkilöiden kompetenssien kuvaamiseen. Kirjallisuuden ja asiantuntijoiden haastattelujen avulla on selvitetty. kompetensseihin liittyviä asioita ja käsitteitä, kuten organisaation oppiminen, innovaatiot sekä asiakaslähtöisyys. Tämän jälkeen on kartoitettu case-yrityksen kartonkiyksikön myyntihenkilökunnan kompetensseja. Kompetenssikartoitus on tehty teemahaastattelujen avulla sekä lisäksi on käytetty työn aikana laadittua kompetenssimatriisia. Saatuja tuloksia on verrattu yhden asiakkaan näkemyksiin. Tulosten mukaan kolme tärkeintä tämän hetken kompetenssia ovat: holistinen näkemys asioista, suhteiden rakentaminen ja kielitaito. Tulevaisuuden tärkeimpiä kompetensseja puolestaan ovat: asiakaslähtöisyys, sähköinen kaupankäynti ja suhteiden rakentaminen. Lopuksi on käsitelty yleisiä metsäteollisuuden tulevaisuuden haasteita sekä annettu joitain kehitysideoita kompetenssien kehittämistä varten.

Targeting Oxidative Stress and Aberrant Critical Period Plasticity in the Developmental Trajectory to Schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder reflecting a convergence of genetic risk and early life stress. The slow progression to first psychotic episode represents both a window of vulnerability as well as opportunity for therapeutic intervention. Here, we consider recent neurobiological insight into the cellular and molecular components of developmental critical periods and their vulnerability to redox dysregulation. In particular, the consistent loss of parvalbumin-positive interneuron (PVI) function and their surrounding perineuronal nets (PNNs) as well as myelination in patient brains is consistent with a delayed or extended period of circuit instability. This linkage to critical period triggers (PVI) and brakes (PNN, myelin) implicates mistimed trajectories of brain development in mental illness. Strategically introduced antioxidant treatment or later reinforcement of molecular brakes may then offer a novel prophylactic psychiatry.

Effect of gibberellic acid and the biostimulant stimulate® on the initial growth of tamarind

Plant growth regulators and biostimulants have been used as an agronomic technique to optimize the production of seedlings in various crops. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of gibberellic acid and the biostimulant Stimulate® on the initial growth of tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.). The experiments were conducted in a nursery with 50% shading, in a randomized block design with five replications and five plants per plot. Thirty eight days after sowing, the leaves were sprayed seven times a day with 0.0 (control), 0.8, 1.6, 2.4 and 3.2 mL of gibberellic acid L-1 aqueous solution and with 0.0 (control), 6.0,12.0, 18.0, and 24.0 mL Stimulate® L-1 aqueous solution. Stem diameter (SD), plant height (PH), longest root length (LRL), shoot dry mass (SDM), root dry mass (RDM) and RDM:SDM ratio were evaluated ninety days after sowing. Variance and regression analysis showed that GA3 at 4% promoted plant growth (height), but had no significant effect on stem diameter, longest root length, shoot and root dry mass and the RDM:SDM ratio. On the other hand, all concentrations of Stimulate® significantly increased plant height and shoot and root dry mass of tamarind seedlings.

Family Size Evolution in Drosophila Chemosensory Gene Families: A Comparative Analysis with a Critical Appraisal of Methods

Gene turnover rates and the evolution of gene family sizes are important aspects of genome evolution. Here, we use curated sequence data of the major chemosensory gene families from Drosophila-the gustatory receptor, odorant receptor, ionotropic receptor, and odorant-binding protein families-to conduct a comparative analysis among families, exploring different methods to estimate gene birth and death rates, including an ad hoc simulation study. Remarkably, we found that the state-of-the-art methods may produce very different rate estimates, which may lead to disparate conclusions regarding the evolution of chemosensory gene family sizes in Drosophila. Among biological factors, we found that a peculiarity of D. sechellia's gene turnover rates was a major source of bias in global estimates, whereas gene conversion had negligible effects for the families analyzed herein. Turnover rates vary considerably among families, subfamilies, and ortholog groups although all analyzed families were quite dynamic in terms of gene turnover. Computer simulations showed that the methods that use ortholog group information appear to be the most accurate for the Drosophila chemosensory families. Most importantly, these results reveal the potential of rate heterogeneity among lineages to severely bias some turnover rate estimation methods and the need of further evaluating the performance of these methods in a more diverse sampling of gene families and phylogenetic contexts. Using branch-specific codon substitution models, we find further evidence of positive selection in recently duplicated genes, which attests to a nonneutral aspect of the gene birth-and-death process.

Free-running 4D whole-heart self-navigated golden angle MRI: Initial results.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that both coronary anatomy and ventricular function can be assessed simultaneously using a single four-dimensional (4D) acquisition. METHODS: A free-running 4D whole-heart self-navigated acquisition incorporating a golden angle radial trajectory was implemented and tested in vivo in nine healthy adult human subjects. Coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) datasets with retrospective selection of acquisition window width and position were extracted and quantitatively compared with baseline self-navigated electrocardiography (ECG) -triggered coronary MRA. From the 4D datasets, the left-ventricular end-systolic, end-diastolic volumes (ESV & EDV) and ejection fraction (EF) were computed and compared with values obtained from conventional 2D cine images. RESULTS: The 4D datasets enabled dynamic assessment of the whole heart with isotropic spatial resolution of 1.15 mm(3) . Coronary artery image quality was very similar to that of the ECG-triggered baseline scan despite some SNR penalty. A good agreement between 4D and 2D cine imaging was found for EDV, ESV, and EF. CONCLUSION: The hypothesis that both coronary anatomy and ventricular function can be assessed simultaneously in vivo has been tested positive. Retrospective and flexible acquisition window selection allows to best visualize each coronary segment at its individual time point of quiescence. Magn Reson Med, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

From caging to rouse dynamics in polymer melts with intramolecular barriers: a critical test of the mode coupling theory

By means of computer simulations and solution of the equations of the mode coupling theory (MCT),we investigate the role of the intramolecular barriers on several dynamic aspects of nonentangled polymers. The investigated dynamic range extends from the caging regime characteristic of glass-formers to the relaxation of the chain Rouse modes. We review our recent work on this question,provide new results, and critically discuss the limitations of the theory. Solutions of the MCT for the structural relaxation reproduce qualitative trends of simulations for weak and moderate barriers. However, a progressive discrepancy is revealed as the limit of stiff chains is approached. This dis-agreement does not seem related with dynamic heterogeneities, which indeed are not enhanced by increasing barrier strength. It is not connected either with the breakdown of the convolution approximation for three-point static correlations, which retains its validity for stiff chains. These findings suggest the need of an improvement of the MCT equations for polymer melts. Concerning the relaxation of the chain degrees of freedom, MCT provides a microscopic basis for time scales from chain reorientation down to the caging regime. It rationalizes, from first principles, the observed deviations from the Rouse model on increasing the barrier strength. These include anomalous scaling of relaxation times, long-time plateaux, and nonmonotonous wavelength dependence of the mode correlators.

Ras-association domain of sorting nexin 27 is critical for regulating expression of GIRK potassium channels

G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels play an important role in regulating neuronal excitability. Sorting nexin 27b (SNX27b), which reduces surface expression of GIRK channels through a PDZ domain interaction, contains a putative Ras-association (RA) domain with unknown function. Deleting the RA domain in SNX27b (SNX27b-DRA) prevents the down-regulation of GIRK2c/GIRK3 channels. Similarly, a point mutation (K305A) in the RA domain disrupts regulation of GIRK2c/GIRK3 channels and reduces H-Ras binding in vitro. Finally, the dominant-negative H-Ras (S17N) occludes the SNX27b-dependent decrease in surface expression of GIRK2c/GIRK3 channels. Thus, the presence of a functional RA domain and the interaction with Ras-like G proteins comprise a novel mechanism for modulating SNX27b control of GIRK channel surface expression and cellular excitability.

Identifying Critical Business Success Factors of Paperboard Tray

Työn tavoitteena oli kartonkivuoan kriittisten menestystekijöiden ja kilpailuaseman selvittäminen jäähdytettyjen ruokatuotteiden markkinoilla Euroopassa. Kilpailija- ja tavoiteanalyysi suoritettiin kahden suomalaisen pakkaajan kesken. Pakkaajien haastattelut toteutettiin joko henkilökohtaisena tai sähköpostihaastatteluna. Muovi on yleisimmin käytetty jäähdytettyjen ruokatuotteiden pakkausmateriaali. Alumiinivuokien osuus on merkittävä erityisesti laatikkoruokien pakkauksena. Kartonkivuoille on kuitenkin havaittavissa selvää menestyspotentiaalia jäähdytettyjen ruokien pakkauksena. Kartonkivuokien hyvä imago ja edistyksellinen tuotekehitystyö mahdollistavat pakkaajien erityisvaatimuksien täyttämisen ja menestymisen markkinoilla. Kartonkivuoilla on useita ainutlaatuisia kilpailuetu- ja menestystekijöitä, kuten hyvä ulkonäkö ja painojälki. Suurin haaste on saada ruokatuotteiden pakkaajat tietoisiksi kartonkivuokien tuomista pakkausmahdollisuuksista.

Fingermark initial composition and aging using Fourier transform infrared microscopy (μ-FTIR)

This study investigated fingermark residues using Fourier transform infrared microscopy (μ- FTIR) in order to obtain fundamental information about the marks' initial composition and aging kinetics. This knowledge would be an asset for fundamental research on fingermarks, such as for dating purposes. Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) and single-point reflection modes were tested on fresh fingermarks. ATR proved to be better suited and this mode was subsequently selected for further aging studies. Eccrine and sebaceous material was found in fresh and aged fingermarks and the spectral regions 1000-1850 cm-1 and 2700-3600 cm-1 were identified as the most informative. The impact of substrates (aluminium and glass slides) and storage conditions (storage in the light and in the dark) on fingermark aging was also studied. Chemometric analyses showed that fingermarks could be grouped according to their age regardless of the substrate when they were stored in an open box kept in an air-conditioned laboratory at around 20°C next to a window. On the contrary, when fingermarks were stored in the dark, only specimens deposited on the same substrate could be grouped by age. Thus, the substrate appeared to influence aging of fingermarks in the dark. Furthermore, PLS regression analyses were conducted in order to study the possibility of modelling fingermark aging for potential fingermark dating applications. The resulting models showed an overall precision of ±3 days and clearly demonstrated their capability to differentiate older fingermarks (20 and 34-days old) from newer ones (1, 3, 7 and 9-days old) regardless of the substrate and lighting conditions. These results are promising from a fingermark dating perspective. Further research is required to fully validate such models and assess their robustness and limitations in uncontrolled casework conditions.

Impact of the introduction of real-time therapeutic drug monitoring on empirical doses of carbapenems in critically ill burn patients.

PURPOSE: Adequate empirical antibiotic dose selection for critically ill burn patients is difficult due to extreme variability in drug pharmacokinetics. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) may aid antibiotic prescription and implementation of initial empirical antimicrobial dosage recommendations. This study evaluated how gradual TDM introduction altered empirical dosages of meropenem and imipenem/cilastatin in our burn ICU. METHODS: Imipenem/cilastatin and meropenem use and daily empirical dosage at a five-bed burn ICU were analyzed retrospectively. Data for all burn admissions between 2001 and 2011 were extracted from the hospital's computerized information system. For each patient receiving a carbapenem, episodes of infection were reviewed and scored according to predefined criteria. Carbapenem trough serum levels were characterized. Prior to May 2007, TDM was available only by special request. Real-time carbapenem TDM was introduced in June 2007; it was initially available weekly and has been available 4 days a week since 2010. RESULTS: Of 365 patients, 229 (63%) received antibiotics (109 received carbapenems). Of 23 TDM determinations for imipenem/cilastatin, none exceeded the predefined upper limit and 11 (47.8%) were insufficient; the number of TDM requests was correlated with daily dose (r=0.7). Similar numbers of inappropriate meropenem trough levels (30.4%) were below and above the upper limit. Real-time TDM introduction increased the empirical dose of imipenem/cilastatin, but not meropenem. CONCLUSIONS: Real-time carbapenem TDM availability significantly altered the empirical daily dosage of imipenem/cilastatin at our burn ICU. Further studies are needed to evaluate the individual impact of TDM-based antibiotic adjustment on infection outcomes in these patients.

The role of intramolecular barriers on the glass transition of polymers: computer simulations versus mode coupling theory

We present computer simulations of a simple bead-spring model for polymer melts with intramolecular barriers. By systematically tuning the strength of the barriers, we investigate their role on the glass transition. Dynamic observables are analyzed within the framework of the mode coupling theory (MCT). Critical nonergodicity parameters, critical temperatures, and dynamic exponents are obtained from consistent fits of simulation data to MCT asymptotic laws. The so-obtained MCT λ-exponent increases from standard values for fully flexible chains to values close to the upper limit for stiff chains. In analogy with systems exhibiting higher-order MCT transitions, we suggest that the observed large λ-values arise form the interplay between two distinct mechanisms for dynamic arrest: general packing effects and polymer-specific intramolecular barriers. We compare simulation results with numerical solutions of the MCT equations for polymer systems, within the polymer reference interaction site model (PRISM) for static correlations. We verify that the approximations introduced by the PRISM are fulfilled by simulations, with the same quality for all the range of investigated barrier strength. The numerical solutions reproduce the qualitative trends of simulations for the dependence of the nonergodicity parameters and critical temperatures on the barrier strength. In particular, the increase in the barrier strength at fixed density increases the localization length and the critical temperature. However the qualitative agreement between theory and simulation breaks in the limit of stiff chains. We discuss the possible origin of this feature.

Critical success factors of sales strategy in small and medium- sized ICT-companies

Tyon tavoitteena on selvittaa. mitka myyntistrategian ja siihen liittyvien muiden strategioiden kriittiset osat pienten ja keskisuurten ICT- yritysten toiminnassa. Tutkimusmenetelmana kaytettiin case- tutkimusta, jossa vertailtiin neljan pienen ja keskisuuren ohjelmisto talon toimintaa. Tutkimuksessa tunnistettiin nelja kriittista osa-aluetta, joiden hoitamiseen yritysten erityisesti tulisi kiinnittaa huomiota. Nama olivat: segmentointi ja kohdemarkkinoiden valinta, myyntikanavien valinta, myyntihenkiloston organisointi ja asiakassuuntautuneisuus, ja markkinointi tietojarjestelma. Tutkimus osoitti, etta yrityksen kasvaessa ja omistuksen eriytyessa toimivasta johdosta yrityksen strategia suunnittelusta tulee jarjestelmallisempaa.

Assessing the sociology of sport: On sport organizations and critical knowledge

The purpose of this contribution is to analyse the trajectory, the challenges and the future of the sociology of sport on three levels: the internal dynamic within the specific sub-field of the sociology of sport, its interactions with sociology and sport sciences, and its relation with sport organizations. The paper notes that the changes of the trajectory of the sociology of sport, first leaning on the profession of physical education teacher and then to sport sciences, as important consequences. Because most of the sociologists specialized in sport are working in sport sciences departments, the most important consequence is the dependency on sport sciences rather than on sociology. Compared to other fields of sociology, it means challenging other sciences for recognition. The paper argues that to face the threat of a marginalization within the field of sport science, the future of sociology of sport could be to fight for an external recognition. Applying sociology could spread critical views that are necessary to sport organizations. It could also give sociologists access to very interesting data, which can help producing good research, and give it a greater legitimacy within sport sciences. However, it is a risky strategy because of the necessity for the sociologists to stay critical both on sporting organization and on their own work.