Etelä-Savon maaseudun kehittämissuunnitelman 2014–2020 ennakkoarviointi

Ennakkoarvioinnin keskeisenä tavoitteena oli selvittää Etelä-Savon maaseudun kehittämissuunnitelman 214-2020 vastaavuutta Etelä-Savon maaseutustrategiaan, Manner-Suomen maaseudun kehittämisohjelmaan sekä päättyneen ohjelmakauden kehittämissuunnitelman väliarvioinnin havaintoihin. Kehittämissuunnitelma perustuu alueen maaseutustrategiaan, jota toteutetaan valtakunnallisessa kehittämisohjelmassa määriteltyjen toimenpiteiden avulla. Etelä-Savon ELY-keskuksen tilaaman maaseudun kehittämissuunnitelman ennakkoarvioinnin toteuttivat Suomen Aluetutkimus FAR ja TK-Eval Ay. Ennakkoarvioinnissa todetaan, että kehittämissuunnitelman tavoitteet ovat sisällöltään hyvin yhdensuuntaisia alueen maaseutustrategian kanssa. Maaseutustrategiassa on kolme painopistettä: 1) vahvistetaan maaseudun elinvoimaisuutta edistäviä rakenteita, 2) parannetaan ihmisten hyvinvointia maaseudulla ja 3) kehitetään maaseudun elinkeinoja. Arvioinnin mukaan suunnitelmassa on eniten toimenpiteitä maaseudun elinkeinojen kehittämiseksi, erityisesti yritysten kilpailukyvyn parantamiseksi. Kehittämissuunnitelmassa on otettu käyttöön kaikki Manner-Suomen maaseudun kehittämisohjelmaan kuuluvat toimenpiteet ja vastaavuutta löytyy valtakunnallisen ohjelman tavoitteisiin. Näin ollen edellytykset kehittämissuunnitelman toteutuksen vaikuttavuudelle ovat olemassa. Vaikuttavuuden parantaminen on puolestaan kiinni siitä, mihin tavoitteisiin alueella panostetaan ja miten eri kehittämistoimenpiteitä otetaan käyttöön. Arviointitehtävään sisältyi myös ohjelmakauden 2007–2013 väliarvioinnin keskeisten tulosten ja havaintojen huomioiminen kehittämissuunnitelmassa. Ennakkoarvioinnin mukaan ne suositukset, joihin kehittämissuunnitelman kautta voitiin vaikuttaa, oli huomioitu hyvin. Arvioinnin lopussa tarkasteltiin Etelä-Savon maaseudun kehittämissuunnitelman tarve- ja asiakaslähtöisyyttä, viestintää ja tiedottamista, yhteensovitusta muiden ohjelmien ja toimijoiden kanssa sekä suunnitelman ohjelmallisuutta.

Tuulivoiman syöttötariffijärjestelmän kritiikki ja vaikutukset investointeihin Suomessa

Suomelle on asetettu Euroopan Unionin taholta tavoite vähentää kasvihuonepäästöjä 20 prosentilla vuoteen 2020 mennessä vuoden 1990 tasosta. Suomen tulee kasvattaa uusituvan energian osuutta kokonaiskulutuksesta 38 prosenttiin vuoteen 2020 mennessä. Tähän tavoitteeseen pääsemiseksi Suomessa otettiin uusituvan energian syöttötariffijärjestelmä käyttöön vuonna 2011. Tavoitteena on pyrkiä lisäämään syöttötariffijärjestelmän avulla investointeja uusiutuvaan energiaan ja päästä annettuihin tavoitteisiin. Vuonna 2020 arvion mukaan kapasiteettia olisi 2500 MWh tuulivoimaa ja tuotanto olisi noin 6 TWh, joka vastaa 5-6 prosenttia kokonaiskulutuksesta. Syöttötariffijärjestelmä on otettu käyttöön Suomessa vuonna 2011 valtioneuvoston esityksen pohjalta. Tuulivoiman osalta syöttötariffijärjestelmän tukien avulla taataan tuulivoiman tuottajille 12 vuodeksi 83,50 € jokaiselta tuotetulta megawattitunnilta. Valtio maksaa tuulivoiman tuottajille sähkön markkinahinnan ja takuuhinnan välisen erotuksen. Tuulivoiman rakentaminen on kasvanut huomattavasti järjestelmän käyttöönoton vaikutuksesta. Ennen syöttötariffijärjestelmän käyttöönottoa keväällä 2011 tuulivoima osuus tuotetusta sähköstä oli ainoastaan 0,3 prosenttia. Tällä hetkellä osuus sähkön tuotannosta on noussut 2,5 prosenttiin. Merkittävin kritiikin kohde on ollut syöttötariffijärjestelmän kustannukset. Hallitus on joutunut myöntämään hallituksen esityksessä 15/2015, että syöttötariffijärjestelmän kustannukset ovat kasvaneet odottamattomasti. Järjestelmää suunniteltaessa kustannusten arvioitiin olevan vuonna 2020 noin 200 miljoonaa euroa vuodessa, mutta sähkön markkinahinnan kehityksen sekä ennakoitua nopeamman kiintiön täyttymisen seurauksena kustannukset tulevat kasvamaan yli 300 miljoonaan euroon vuonna 2020 Kustannusten lisäksi syöttötariffijärjestelmän piirissä olevien yritysten kannattavuutta on kritisoitu. Järjestelmän piirissä olevien yritysten kannattavuus on ollut korkealla. Parhaan yrityksen liikevoittoprosentti oli yli 65 prosenttia vuonna 2014. Yritykset ovat saaneet miljoonien eurojen edestä syöttötariffeja ja kannattavuus on ollut ilmiömäinen. Syöttötariffijärjestelmä on kuitenkin ollut tarpeellinen, jotta Suomi on saanut tuulivoiman tuotannon kasvuun viimeisten vuosien aikana. Ilman syöttötariffijärjestelmän käyttöönottoa tuulivoiman investoinnit olisivat todennäköisesti pysyneet lähes olemattomina Suomessa, sillä tuulivoiman tuotannon ei ole houkuttelevaa sijoittajiennäkökulmasta ilman tuotantotukia.

Percepción de la pertinencia de los programas académicos de Magíster en Administración en egresados titulados y empleadores en Bogotá

El propósito de esta investigación es describir la percepción de los egresados titulados y empleadores acerca de la pertinencia de la formación de programas académicos de Magíster en Administración ofrecidos por las Instituciones de Educación Superior en Bogotá. Además a través de esta investigación es posible determinar su importancia en el desarrollo y potencialización de las capacidades, habilidades y destrezas directivas y gerenciales necesarias para desempeñarse dentro de una empresa perdurable, coherentes con la realidad social, laboral, cultural y ambiental. Para ello, se hace un análisis del grado de satisfacción de los egresados titulados y empleadores permitiendo conocer las fortalezas y debilidades del programa. En consecuencia fue posible proponer recomendaciones y conclusiones para mejorar el programa, asegurando un camino para aportar “el estado del arte “ de la Administración para los futuros estudiantes y en beneficio de las compañías.

Use of synteny to identify candidate genes underlying QTL controlling stomatal traits in faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

Key message We have identified QTLs for stomatal characteristics on chromosome II of faba bean by applying SNPs derived from M. truncatula , and have identified candidate genes within these QTLs using synteny between the two species. Abstract Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is a valuable food and feed crop worldwide, but drought often limits its production, and its genome is large and poorly mapped. No information is available on the effects of genomic regions and genes on drought adaptation characters such as stomatal characteristics in this species, but the synteny between the sequenced model legume, Medicago truncatula, and faba bean can be used to identify candidate genes. A mapping population of 211 F5 recombinant inbred lines (Mélodie/2 × ILB 938/2) were phenotyped to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting stomatal morphology and function, along with seed weight, under well-watered conditions in a climate-controlled glasshouse in 2013 and 2014. Canopy temperature (CT) was evaluated in 2013 under water-deficit (CTd). In total, 188 polymorphic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), developed from M. truncatula genome data, were assigned to nine linkage groups that covered ~928 cM of the faba bean genome with an average inter-marker distance of 5.8 cM. 15 putative QTLs were detected, of which eight (affecting stomatal density, length and conductance and CT) co-located on chromosome II, in the vicinity of a possible candidate gene—a receptor-like protein kinase found in the syntenic interval of M. truncatula chromosome IV. A ribose-phosphate pyrophosphokinase from M. truncatula chromosome V, postulated as a possible candidate gene for the QTL for CTd, was found some distance away in the same chromosome. These results demonstrate that genomic information from M. truncatula can successfully be translated to the faba bean genome.

Flanking SNP markers for vicine–convicine concentration in faba bean (Vicia faba L).

The pyrimidine glycosides, vicine and convicine, limit the use of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) as food and feed. A single recessive gene, vc-, is responsible for a lowered vicine–convicine concentration. The biosynthetic pathway of these closely related compounds is not known, and the nearest available markers are several cM away from vc-. Improved markers would assist breeding and help to identify candidate genes. A segregating population of 210 F5 recombinant inbred lines was developed from the cross of Mélodie/2 (low vicine–convicine) × ILB 938/2 (normal vicine–convicine), and vicine–convicine concentrations were determined twice on each line. The population was genotyped with a set of 188 SNPs. A strong, single QTL for vicine–convicine concentration was identified on chromosome I, flanked by markers 1.0 cM away on one side and 2.6 cM on the other. The interval defined by these markers in the model species Medicago truncatula includes about 340 genes, but no candidate genes were identified. Further fine mapping should lead to the identification of tightly linked markers as well as narrowing down the search for candidate regulatory or biosynthetic genes which could underlie the vc- locus.

Sjuksköterskans omvårdnadsåtgärder för att förebygga fall hos patienter med demenssjukdom på somatiska vårdavdelningar Litteraturöversikt

Bakgrund: På somatiska vårdavdelningar är fallrisken hög då det gäller patienter med demenssjukdom. Olika faktorer leder till att denna patientgrupp riskerar att inneha hög fallfrekvens på sjukhus. Syftet är att beskriva hur sjuksköterskan med hjälp av omvårdnadsåtgärder kan förebygga fall hos patienter med demenssjukdom på somatiska vårdavdelningar. Metod som valts är en litteratur översikt som är baserad på 15 vetenskapliga artiklar av både kvalitativ- och kvantitativansats. Resultat: Att identifiera vilka faktorer som leder till ökad fallrisk är ett viktigt arbete för sjuksköterskan för att kunna sätta in rätt omvårdnadsåtgärder. Upprättandet av individanpassat fallpreventionsprogram kan förebygga fall genom att patientens styrkor och svagheter identifieras. Vårdmiljön har en stor betydelse för patienter med demenssjukdom för att motverka risken för fallolyckor. Genom att samverka med andra professioner kan sjuksköterskan få ett större urval av omvårdnadsåtgärder i det fallförebyggande arbetet. Olika sorters hjälpmedel kan användas i omvårdnaden och därmed förebygga fall och framförallt fallskador. Slutsats: Fallolyckor innebär svåra skador hos äldre patienter med demens med en lång vårdtid och ökat lidande som följd. Det bör därför ligga i sjuksköterskans intresse att mer systematiskt använda sig av någon av tidigare nämnda omvårdnadsåtgärder då de hjälper till att förhindra fallolyckor i hög grad.

Adherence to host extracellular matrix and serum components by Enterococcus faecium isolates of diverse origin.

Enterococcus faecium has emerged as an important cause of nosocomial infections over the last two decades. We recently demonstrated collagen type I (CI) as a common adherence target for some E. faecium isolates and a significant correlation was found to exist between acm-mediated CI adherence and clinical origin. Here, we evaluated 60 diverse E. faecium isolates for their adherence to up to 15 immobilized host extracellular matrix and serum components. Adherence phenotypes were most commonly observed to fibronectin (Fn) (20% of the 60 isolates), fibrinogen (17%) and laminin (Ln) (13%), while only one or two of the isolates adhered to collagen type V (CV), transferrin or lactoferrin and none to the other host components tested. Adherence to Fn and Ln was almost exclusively restricted to clinical isolates, especially the endocarditis-enriched nosocomial genogroup clonal complex 17 (CC17). Thus, the ability to adhere to Fn and Ln, in addition to CI, may have contributed to the emergence and adaptation of E. faecium, in particular CC17, as a nosocomial pathogen.

Characterization of the ebp(fm) pilus-encoding operon of Enterococcus faecium and its role in biofilm formation and virulence in a murine model of urinary tract infection.

We recently identified 15 genes encoding putative surface proteins with features of MSCRAMMs and/or pili in the Enterococcus faecium TX0016 (DO) genome, including four predicted pilus-encoding gene clusters; we also demonstrated that one of these, ebpABC(fm), is transcribed as an operon, that its putative major pilus subunit, EbpC(fm) (also called pilB), is polymerized into high molecular weight complexes, and that it is enriched among clinical E. faecium isolates. Here, we created a deletion of the ebpABC(fm) operon in an endocarditis-derived E. faecium strain (TX82) and showed, by a combination of whole-cell ELISA, flow cytometry, immunoblot and immunogold electron microscopy, that this deletion abolished EbpC(fm) expression and eliminated EbpC(fm)-containing pili from the cell surface. However, transcription of the downstream sortase, bps(fm), was not affected. Importantly, the ebpABC(fm) deletion resulted in significantly reduced biofilm formation (p < 0.0001) and initial adherence (p < 0.0001) versus the wild-type; both were restored by complementing ebpABC(fm) in trans, which also restored cell surface expression of EbpC(fm) and pilus production. Furthermore, the deletion mutant was significantly attenuated in two independent mixed infection mouse urinary tract experiments, i.e., outnumbered by the wild-type in kidneys (p = 0.0003 and < 0.0001, respectively) and urinary bladders (p = 0.0003 and = 0.002). In conclusion, we have shown that the ebpABC(fm) locus encodes pili on the E. faecium TX82 cell surface and provide the first evidence that pili of this emerging pathogen are important for its ability to form biofilm and to cause infection in an ascending UTI model.

Importance of the collagen adhesin ace in pathogenesis and protection against Enterococcus faecalis experimental endocarditis.

Ace is an adhesin to collagen from Enterococcus faecalis expressed conditionally after growth in serum or in the presence of collagen. Here, we generated an ace deletion mutant and showed that it was significantly attenuated versus wild-type OG1RF in a mixed infection rat endocarditis model (P<0.0001), while no differences were observed in a peritonitis model. Complemented OG1RFDeltaace (pAT392::ace) enhanced early (4 h) heart valve colonization versus OG1RFDeltaace (pAT392) (P = 0.0418), suggesting that Ace expression is important for early attachment. By flow cytometry using specific anti-recombinant Ace (rAce) immunoglobulins (Igs), we showed in vivo expression of Ace by OG1RF cells obtained directly from infected vegetations, consistent with our previous finding of anti-Ace antibodies in E. faecalis endocarditis patient sera. Finally, rats actively immunized against rAce were less susceptible to infection by OG1RF than non-immunized (P = 0.0004) or sham-immunized (P = 0.0475) by CFU counts. Similarly, animals given specific anti-rAce Igs were less likely to develop E. faecalis endocarditis (P = 0.0001) and showed fewer CFU in vegetations (P = 0.0146). In conclusion, we have shown for the first time that Ace is involved in pathogenesis of, and is useful for protection against, E. faecalis experimental endocarditis.

Identification and phenotypic characterization of a second collagen adhesin, Scm, and genome-based identification and analysis of 13 other predicted MSCRAMMs, including four distinct pilus loci, in Enterococcus faecium.

Attention has recently been drawn to Enterococcus faecium because of an increasing number of nosocomial infections caused by this species and its resistance to multiple antibacterial agents. However, relatively little is known about the pathogenic determinants of this organism. We have previously identified a cell-wall-anchored collagen adhesin, Acm, produced by some isolates of E. faecium, and a secreted antigen, SagA, exhibiting broad-spectrum binding to extracellular matrix proteins. Here, we analysed the draft genome of strain TX0016 for potential microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules (MSCRAMMs). Genome-based bioinformatics identified 22 predicted cell-wall-anchored E. faecium surface proteins (Fms), of which 15 (including Acm) had characteristics typical of MSCRAMMs, including predicted folding into a modular architecture with multiple immunoglobulin-like domains. Functional characterization of one [Fms10; redesignated second collagen adhesin of E. faecium (Scm)] revealed that recombinant Scm(65) (A- and B-domains) and Scm(36) (A-domain) bound to collagen type V efficiently in a concentration-dependent manner, bound considerably less to collagen type I and fibrinogen, and differed from Acm in their binding specificities to collagen types IV and V. Results from far-UV circular dichroism measurements of recombinant Scm(36) and of Acm(37) indicated that these proteins were rich in beta-sheets, supporting our folding predictions. Whole-cell ELISA and FACS analyses unambiguously demonstrated surface expression of Scm in most E. faecium isolates. Strikingly, 11 of the 15 predicted MSCRAMMs clustered in four loci, each with a class C sortase gene; nine of these showed similarity to Enterococcus faecalis Ebp pilus subunits and also contained motifs essential for pilus assembly. Antibodies against one of the predicted major pilus proteins, Fms9 (redesignated EbpC(fm)), detected a 'ladder' pattern of high-molecular-mass protein bands in a Western blot analysis of cell surface extracts from E. faecium, suggesting that EbpC(fm) is polymerized into a pilus structure. Further analysis of the transcripts of the corresponding gene cluster indicated that fms1 (ebpA(fm)), fms5 (ebpB(fm)) and ebpC(fm) are co-transcribed, a result consistent with those for pilus-encoding gene clusters of other Gram-positive bacteria. All 15 genes occurred frequently in 30 clinically derived diverse E. faecium isolates tested. The common occurrence of MSCRAMM- and pilus-encoding genes and the presence of a second collagen-binding protein may have important implications for our understanding of this emerging pathogen.

A family of fibrinogen-binding MSCRAMMs from Enterococcus faecalis.

We report that three (EF0089, EF2505 and EF1896, renamed here Fss1, Fss2 and Fss3, respectively, for Enterococcus faecalis surface protein) of the recently predicted MSCRAMMs (microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules) in E. faecalis strain V583 bind fibrinogen (Fg). Despite an absence of extensive primary sequence homology, the three proteins appear to be related structurally. Within the N-terminal regions of the three enterococcal proteins, we identified pairs of putative IgG-like modules with a high degree of predicted structural similarity to the Fg-binding N2 and N3 domains of the staphylococcal MSCRAMMs ClfA and SdrG. A second N2N3-like segment was predicted in Fss1. Far-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy revealed that all four predicted N2N3-like regions are composed mainly of beta-sheets with only a minor proportion of alpha-helices, which is characteristic of Ig-like folded domains. Three of the four identified enterococcal N2N3-like regions showed potent dose-dependent binding to Fg. However, the specificity of the Fg-binding MSCRAMMs differs, as indicated by far-Western blots, which showed that recombinant segments of the MSCRAMMs bound different Fg polypeptide chains. Enterococci grown in serum-supplemented broth adhere to Fg-coated surfaces, and inactivation in strain OG1RF of the gene encoding Fss2 resulted in reduced adherence, whilst complementation of the mutant restored full Fg adherence. Thus, E. faecalis contains a family of MSCRAMMs that structurally and functionally resemble the Fg-binding MSCRAMMs of staphylococci.

Distribution of genes encoding MSCRAMMs and Pili in clinical and natural populations of Enterococcus faecium.

Enterococcus faecium has recently emerged as an important cause of nosocomial infections. We previously identified 15 predicted surface proteins with characteristics of MSCRAMMs and/or pili and demonstrated that their genes were frequently present in 30 clinical E. faecium isolates studied; one of these, acm, has been studied in further detail. To determine the prevalence of the other 14 genes among various E. faecium populations, we have now assessed 433 E. faecium isolates, including 264 isolates from human clinical infections, 69 isolates from stools of hospitalized patients, 70 isolates from stools of community volunteers, and 30 isolates from animal-related sources. A variable distribution of the 14 genes was detected, with their presence ranging from 51% to 98% of isolates. While 81% of clinical isolates carried 13 or 14 of the 14 genes tested, none of the community group isolates and only 13% of animal isolates carried 13 or 14 genes. The presence of these genes was most frequent in endocarditis isolates, with 11 genes present in all isolates, followed by isolates from other clinical sources. The number of genes significantly associated with clinical versus fecal or animal origin (P = 0.04 to <0.0001) varied from 10 to 13, depending on whether comparisons were made against individual clinical subgroups (endocarditis, blood, and other clinical isolates) or against all clinical isolates combined as one group. The strong association of these genes with clinical isolates raises the possibility that their preservation/acquisition has favored the adaptation of E. faecium to nosocomial environments and/or patients.