Bordering with Culture(s): Europeanization and Cultural Agency at the External Border of the European Union.

Rajallistamisen kulttuuri(t): Eurooppalaistuminen ja kulttuurinen toimijuus Euroopan unionin ulkorajalla Euroopan integraation ja Euroopan unionin laajentumisen my��t�� EU:n sis��rajat ovat avautuneet kun taas sen ulkorajoilla lis����ntyv���� rajan ylitysten valvontaa on pyritty kompensoimaan yhteisty��n merkityst�� ja verkostoitumista painottamalla. T��m�� tutkimus pyrkii ymm��rt��m����n EU:n ulkorajan muutosten merkityst�� paikalliselle hyvinvoinnille sek�� laajemmin ylirajaisuuden merkityst�� identiteettien rakentamiselle raja-alueilla. EU:n ulkorajalla Puolassa ja Suomessa toteutettavat rajat ylitt��v��t, kulttuuriin ja kulttuuriperint����n liittyv��t, projektit kertovat eurooppalaistumisesta ja sen vaikutuksista kulttuurisen horisontin muutokselle. Voidaan n��hd�� miten Eurooppa kulttuurisena konstruktiona tulee paikallisesti merkitt��v��ksi tavoilla jotka kertovat my��s paikallisten toimijoiden mahdollisuuksista osallistua EU-rajan muutoksia ja paikallisuutta m����ritteleviin prosesseihin. T��ll��in erityisesti raja-alueiden materiaalisen perinn��n, ja sen mahdollistamien rajaan liittyvien neuvottelujen, voidaan n��hd�� kertovat Eurooppalaistumisesta my��s ns. alhaaltap��in muotoutuvana prosessina. Artikkeliv��it��skirjan taustalla on Puolan ja Suomen toisen maailmansodan seurauksena luovuttamien raja-alueiden (Kresy ja Karjala) asema nykyisell�� Euroopan unionin ulkorajalla. Tutkimusidea perustuu tutkijan omiin kokemuksiin projekteista Puolan ja Ukrainan raja-alueella vuonna 2003, ennen Puolan liittymist�� EU:hun vuonna 2004. Tutkimusaineisto on per��isin vuosien 2005-2009 aikana tehdyist�� ns. monipaikkaisista (multi-sited) kentt��t��ist�� EU:n ulkorajalla, p����osin Puolassa ja Suomessa, joissa kohteena olivat kulttuuria ja kulttuuriperint���� hy��dynt��v��t, p����osin EU-rahoitetut, rajat ylitt��v��t projektit. Materiaalit koostuvat 34 projektitoimijan haastatteluista, projektien materiaaleista, kentt��t��iden havainnoista, paikallisten sanomalehtien artikkeleista sek�� eri tasoilla (EU, kansallinen, alueellinen) tuotetuista ohjelmadokumenteista. Huomio kiinnittyy projektitoimijoiden tapoihin tehd�� rajanylityksi��, sek�� heid��n tapaansa kokea ja hy��dynt���� raja-alueiden kulttuuriperint���� sek�� ymm��rt���� niiden nykyist�� kulttuurista moninaisuutta. T��ll��in havaitaan miten erilaiset eurooppalaiset ideat, representaatiot ja k��yt��nteet tulevat osaksi erilaisia translokaaleja, rajat ylitt��vi�� ja paikallis-eurooppalaisia, suhteita. Vertailun kohteeksi eiv��t t��ll��in asetu projektit, toimijat tai raja-alueet sin��ns��, vaan n��ihin suhteisiin liittyv�� kulttuurinen toimijuus. Keskeinen k��site tutkimuksessa on ���rajallistaminen���, eli sen havaitseminen, miten jokainen rajan ylitys tarkoittaa my��s neuvottelua rajasta. Rajan ylitys voi siis tarkoittaa my��s sen vahvistamista. My��s itse raja voi asettua toiminnan kohteeksi, jolloin nousee esiin se, miten rajat ylitt��vi�� ���kulttuureja��� k��ytet����n ja mitk�� ovat niiden rajaan liittyv��t paikalliset merkitykset. Kysymys on siit�� kuka, ja kenelle, rajan merkityksi�� neuvottelee? Projektitoimijoiden voidaan n��hd�� neuvottelevan n��it�� erilaisia ���kulttuureja��� jotka tuottavat rajaa neuvottelevia suhteita, kuten esimerkiksi yhteisty��n verkostojen tapaa ohittaa rajan paikallinen merkitys. T��m�� rajallistaminen voi kuitenkin tarkoittaa my��s paikallisten kulttuuristen identifikaatioiden huomioimista. T��ll��in kyse on my��s sen luovuuden havaitsemisesta, jota yksil��ill�� on kun he neuvottelevat n��it�� erilaisia rajallistamisen kulttuureja. Erityisesti toisen maailmansodan seurauksena valtiorajoista tuli vahvasti kansallisia kulttuureja erottavia, mutta nyt kulttuurisista rajoista neuvotellaan ja rajojen yli tapahtuva vuorovaikutus, sek�� paikallisen ja Eurooppalaisen tason v��liset suhteet, ja niiden moni����nisyys, nousevat tutkimuksen keski����n. Tutkimuksen yhteenvedon kannalta keskeinen on kysymys raja/alueen kest��vyydest��. Tyypillisesti verkostoitumista painottavan rajat ylitt��v��n yhteisty��n suhde paikalliseen yhteis����n voi j����d�� h��ilyv��ksi. Tavoite paikallisen kulttuuriperinn��n suojeluun ei itsess����n viel�� kerro sen merkityksest�� paikalliselle hyvinvoinnille. Arvioinnin kannalta on hy��dyllist�� n��hd�� miten my��s materiaalisella perinn��ll�� on toimijuutta osana paikallisuutta muokkaavia suhteita. Paikallisten asukkaiden kokemus rajasta voi edelleen olla ett�� se ei ole muuttunut Neuvostoliiton ajoista, toisaalta EU:nkin voidaan toivoa m����rittelem����n rajansa viel�� tarkemmin, jotta sen kansallinen luonne muuttuisi. Tutkimus nostaa esiin miten eurooppalaiset yhteisty��t�� ja kulttuurista moninaisuutta korostavat ideat ja k��yt��nteet vaikuttavat erityisesti puolalaisten toimijoiden mahdollisuuksiin m����ritell�� EU-rajaan liittyvi�� prosesseja osana paikallisia kulttuuriperinn��n m����rittelyj��. Paikallisten rajaan liittyvien kulttuuristen identifikaatioiden liitt��minen osaksi projekteja ei kuitenkaan ole helppoa. Toisaalta rajan merkitys on sis��istetty osana arkea, toisaalta taas rajaan liittyv��t suuret kertomukset kansallisena ja EU-rajana voivat olla et����nnytt��vi�� tekij��it��. EU-raja, projektit ja monikulttuurisen perinn��n autenttisuus ovat kuitenkin raja-alueen toimijoille ja yhteis��ille mahdollisuus osallistua rajallistamiseen. Toiminnan kest��vyyden kannalta kyse on pitk��lti siit�� avaako rajallistaminen paikallisen perinn��n merkityksi�� osana paikallis-eurooppalaisia suhteita.

Morphology and morphometry of feline bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in culture

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are increasingly being proposed as a therapeutic option for treatment of a variety of different diseases in human and veterinary medicine. Stem cells have been isolated from feline bone marrow, however, very few data exist about the morphology of these cells and no data were found about the morphometry of feline bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs). The objectives of this study were the isolation, growth evaluation, differentiation potential and characterization of feline BM-MSCs by their morphological and morphometric characteristics. in vitro differentiation assays were conducted to confirm the multipotency of feline MSC, as assessed by their ability to differentiate into three cell lineages (osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes). To evaluate morphological and morphometric characteristics the cells are maintained in culture. Cells were observed with light microscope, with association of dyes, and they were measured at 24, 48, 72 and 120h of culture (P1 and P3). The non-parametric ANOVA test for independent samples was performed and the means were compared by Tukey's test. On average, the number of mononuclear cells obtained was 12.29 (��6.05x10(6)) cells/mL of bone marrow. Morphologically, BM-MSCs were long and fusiforms, and squamous with abundant cytoplasm. In the morphometric study of the cells, it was observed a significant increase in average length of cells during the first passage. The cell lengths were 106.97��38.16��m and 177.91��71.61��m, respectively, at first and third passages (24 h). The cell widths were 30.79��16.75 ��m and 40.18��20.46��m, respectively, at first and third passages (24 h).The nucleus length of the feline BM-MSCs at P1 increased from 16.28��m (24h) to 21.29��m (120h). However, at P3, the nucleus length was 26.35��m (24h) and 25.22��m (120h). This information could be important for future application and use of feline BM-MSCs.

Culture in business interaction: an individual perspective : empirical studies in Finnish-Russian business relationships

The main objective of this doctoral dissertation is to reach a holistic and indepth understanding of the intercultural interaction within dyadic business relationships through the perspective of individual managers. The empirical setting is dyadic business relationships between Russian and Finnish firms in construction and engineering industries. The motivation for the study mainly arose from: 1) the lack of business marketing literature considering cultural and individual perspectives; 2) the need to find ways to study intercultural issues in business relationships, other than through the application of models derived from the work of Hofstede (1980). The study consists of two parts, an introductory essay containing the research objectives, theoretical foundations, methodological choices, limitations and contributions, and original research articles. The four articles each address a sub-objective: 1) to develop an understanding of intercultural business relationships development, cultural adaptation, and its role in the development of trust (Article 1); 2) to develop an appropriate methodological framework for studying business interaction from a cultural and individual perspective (Article 2); 3) to develop an understanding of the role of culture in individual manager���s sensemaking of interaction events in business relationships (Article 3); and 4) to develop an appropriate theoretical framework for studying interactive intercultural business relationships in international industrial markets (Article 4). The ontological and epistemological foundations are built on the interpretivist/ social constructivist view of reality. Interaction, in this study, is seen as being conducted between individuals, who are the key representative actors of their firms. In turn, culture is regarded both as an independent context existing prior to the individuals��� participation in it, and as knowledge incorporated by the individuals, who use it in sensemaking and interaction across cultures. The methods applied in the articles are: an interpretive qualitative study (Article 1), a literature review and conceptual analysis (Article 2), a structural analysis of the narratives and a metaphor analysis (Article 3), and a literature review and conceptual analysis (Article 4). The main contributions are the following. First, it contributes to business marketing literature by developing the theoretical, conceptual, and methodological underpinning of IMP theories in relation to culture. Second, the thesis contributes to the growing literature on managerial sensemaking in industrial markets by looking at it from a cultural perspective, as well as emphasizing the importance of figurative language in cultural sensemaking.

Density and sowing season of two Brachiaria species on the soybean culture

The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth and yield of soybean cultivar M-8766 in consortium with Brachiaria brizantha. BRS Piata and Brachiaria ruziziensis at different densities and sowing dates. The experimental design was randomized blocks with treatments arranged in a factorial 2 x 2 x 3 with four replications. Used as factors grass species (Brachiaria brizantha Piata and Brachiaria ruziziensis BRS) intercropped with soybean M-8766, sowing dates (12 and 24 days after soybean emergence) and three seeding rates (0, 5, 10 kg ha-1 of seed). At 71 days after soybean emergence were evaluated plant height, stem diameter, dry mass of leaves, stems and shoots, and 4 months after sowing determined the weight of 100 grains and soybean yield. The results showed that when seeded at a density of 10 kg ha-1 at 12 and 24 DAE soy, Brachiaria brizantha. BRS Piata caused reduction in yield in the order of 6.71% and 3.03% respectively, while the Brachiaria ruziziensis was one that caused a greater reduction in productivity in the order of 13.42 and 16.23%, respectively, of these values expression when considering the price of soybean sack. B. ruziziensis expressed less competitive with soybean. However, the large biomass production of this grass provides deployment system till the next harvest.

The Relationship of Organizational Culture, Employee Motivation and Innovativeness: Evidence from Finnish Technology Industries

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the effects of tangible and intangible incentives on the dimensions of motivation and organizational innovativeness in the context of different organizational cultures. Theory suggests that an antecedent of innovativeness is individual creativity of employees, which is influenced by intrinsic motivation, flexible organizational structures, and transformational leadership. Empirical evidence for this research is derived from 424 respondents representing technology-driven industries in Finland. Data is collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS statistics software. The results imply that intangible incentives and intrinsic motivation have an important role in determining organizational innovativeness. The positive relationships of intangible incentives, intrinsic motivation and innovativeness seem to be higher in flexible organizational cultures. As practical implications, managers should foster flexible organizational cultures that highlight employee empowerment. The motivating power of non-financial intrinsic incentives and recognition of good work should not be undermined when compared to tangible monetary rewards.

Adaptive value of ryegrass biotypes with low-level resistance and susceptible to the herbicide fluazifop and competitive ability with the wheat culture

Ryegrass is the main weed in wheat crop, causing yield loss due to competition by environmental resources. The objectives of this study were to estimate the fitness cost of ryegrass biotypes with low-level resistance and susceptible to fluazifop and to investigate the relative competitive ability of these biotypes between themselves and against the crop. Thus, fitness cost and competitive ability experiments were conducted under greenhouse conditions. For the fitness cost experiments, the low-level resistant ryegrass biotypes and those susceptible to fluazifop were used. For competitive ability, the treatments were arranged in a replacement series, with five proportions of the wheat cultivar FUNDACEP Horizonte and the low-level resistant and susceptible ryegrass biotypes 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100. Competitive analysis was carried out through diagrams applied to the replacement experiments and use of relative competitiveness indices. Variables evaluated were plant height, in the fitness cost experiment, and leaf area and shoot dry biomass in both experiments. The ryegrass biotypes show overall similar fitness cost and competitive ability. The wheat cultivar FUNDACEP Horizonte is superior in competitive ability to the ryegrass biotype with low-level resistance and equivalent to the susceptible biotype.

The third transformation of Japan: An institutional narrative on agglomeration economies in abenomics

Objective of the study The aim of this study is to understand the institutional implications in Abenomics in a spatial context, the contemporary economic reform taking place in Japan, which is to finally end over two decades of economic malaise. For theoretical perspective of choice, this study explores a synthesis of institutionalism as the main approach, complemented by economies of agglomeration in spatial economics, or New Economic Geography (NEG). The outcomes include a narrative with implications for future research, as well as possible future implications for the economy of Japan, itself. The narrative seeks to depict the dialogue between public discourse and governmental communication in order to create a picture of how this phenomenon is being socially constructed. This is done by studying the official communications by the Cabinet along with public media commentary on respective topics. The reform is studied with reference to historical socio-cultural, economic evolution of Japan, which in turn, is explored through a literature review. This is to assess the unique institutional characteristics of Japan pertinent to reform. Research method This is a social and exploratory qualitative study ��� an institutional narrative case study. The methodological approach was kept practical: in addition to literature review, a narrative, thematic content analysis with structural emphasis was used to construct the contemporary narrative based on the Cabinet communication. This was combined with practical analytic tools borrowed from critical discourse analysis, which were utilized to assess the implicit intertextual agenda within sources. Findings What appears to characterize the discourse is status quo bias that comes in multiple forms. The bias is also coded in the institutions surrounding the reform, wherein stakeholders have vested interests in protecting the current state of affairs. This correlates with uncertainty avoidance characteristic to Japan. Japan heeds the international criticism to deregulate on a rhetorical level, but consistent with history, the Cabinet solutions appear increasingly bureaucratic. Hence, the imposed western information-age paradigm of liberal cluster agglomeration seems ill-suited to Japan which lacks risk takers and a felicitous entrepreneur culture. The Japanese, however, possess vast innovative potential ascribed to some institutional practices and traits, but restrained by others. The derived conclusion is to study the successful intrapreneur cases in Japanese institutional setting as a potential benchmark for Japan specific cluster agglomeration, and a solution to its structural problems impeding growth.

Infestation maps and spatial stability of main weed species in maize culture

A study on the spatial distribution of the major weeds in maize was carried out in 2007 and 2008 in a field located in Goleg�� (Ribatejo region, Portugal). The geo-referenced sampling focused on 150 points of a 10 x 10 m mesh covering an area of 1.5 ha, before herbicide application and before harvest. In the first year, 40 species (21 botanical families) were identified at seedling stage and only 22 during the last observation. The difference in species richness can be attributed to maize monoculture favouring reduction in species number. Three of the most representative species were selected for the spatial distribution analysis: Solanum nigrum, Chenopodium album and Echinochloa crus-galli. The three species showed an aggregated spatial pattern and spatial stability over both years, although the herbicide effect is evident in the distribution of some of them in the space. These results could be taken into account when planning site-specific treatments in maize.

���Between publication culture and funder mandates - What is the future for disciplinary repositories?���

Workshop at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

Raise All Ships: Cooperative Repository Strategies in a Boot-Strap Culture

Presentation at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

Culture change in academia: Making sharing the new norm

Presentation at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

In vitro culture of Phyllanthus stipulatus (Euphorbiaceae)

An efficient micropropagation protocol was developed for the medicinal plant Phyllanthus stipulatus (Euphorbiaceae) using nodal segments for axillary shoot proliferation. Maximum multiplication rates (8-9 shoots per explant) was achieved on MS media supplemented with either 2.5-5.0 muM IBA. The best basal media for axillary shoot proliferation when 0.62 muM BA was supplemented were MS, MS/2 and AR (4-5 shoots per explant). Rooting was achieved with 100% of the microshoots on MS medium without growth regulators. Regenerated plants were successfully acclimatized and about 88% of plantlets survived under ex vitro conditions. Flowering was observed in 81% of the ex vitro grown plantlets after 12 weeks of acclimatization. High frequency callus initiation and growth was achieved when nodal segment explants were inoculated either in the vertical position, in the light on MS medium supplemented with 5.0 muM NAA or horizontally oriented, in the dark on MS supplemented with 5.0 muM NAA or 1.25-5.0 muM BA or 2iP. Root cultures were successfully established on MS medium containing 1.1 muM NAA. The optimized micropropagation, callus and root culture protocols offer the possibility to use cell/organ culture techniques for vegetative propagation and secondary metabolism studies.

In vitro culture at low temperature and ex vitro acclimatization of Vriesea inflata an ornamental bromeliad

(In vitro culture at low temperature and ex vitro acclimatization of Vriesea inflata an ornamental bromeliad). In vitro culture by seeds is a technique for preservation of threatened species because it may provide a large number of plants with genetic diversity. The bromeliad Vriesea inflata (Wawra) Wawra, an ornamental bromeliad, is extensively and illegally collected from the nature and must be preserved. It is possible to form plant threatened collections in vitro by reducing the temperature of culture, while occupying little space, with the consequent reduction of maintenance costs. This work evaluated the influence of temperature on in vitro growth and morphology of plants of V. inflata, with the aim of establishing a slow growth-rate and analyzing the ex vitro acclimatization. Seeds were germinated in vitro in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, with macronutrients reduced to 50% (MS/2). After three months the plants were transferred to flasks of new same medium and kept in two germination chambers with the temperature adjusted to 15 ��C and to 28 ��C. After 24 months the plants were subject to biometric, photosynthetic pigments content and anatomical analyses. Results showed that plants maintained at 15 ��C were smaller than those at 28 ��C. Nevertheless, there were no alterations in pigments content, anatomy. In both treatments there was a survival rate of 100%. This work showed that plants of this species can be kept in vitro at 15 ��C with the aim of forming a slow-growth collection, thereby seeking its preservation, and can be transferred to growth at ex vitro condition to achieved 100% survival rate.

Intra and interspecific variability of in vitro culture response in Lycopersicon (tomatoes)

Intra and interspecific variability was measured in the genus Lycopersicon for the traits: productivity rate (PR, total number of regenerated shoots/total number of cultures), regeneration percentage (%R, number of cultures regenerating shoots or primordia/total number of cultures) and callus percentage (%C, number of cultures only producing callus/total number of cultures). Leaf explants from various genotypes of L. esculentum, L. esculentum var. cerasiforme, L. pimpinellifolium and L. peruvianum were placed on Murashige and Skoog (Physiol. Plant. 15: 473-493, 1962) medium + 0.175 mg/l IAA + 2.25 mg/l BA. Significant differences among species and among genotypes within the same species were found, while genotypes from different species showed similar responses.

Genetics of resistance to the fungus Helminthosporium sativum in wheat: use of culture filtrates in tissue culture

Six wheat genotypes and their F1 and F2 generations were exposed to the action of Helminthosporium sativum culture filtrates to examine the genetics of hexaploid wheat resistance. The objective was to improve the efficiency of breeding programs by identifying the action and number of genes involved in the resistance. The varied response of the tested genotypes to the culture filtrates allowed division of the genotypes into four groups: resistant, moderately resistant, moderately susceptible and susceptible. This variability was detected in the progeny, suggesting that the parents have distinct genetic constitutions. Additive gene action predominated and genetic gain was shown to be possible through selection. The genetic control of the resistance trait seems to be complex because of the presence of gene interaction and the difficulty of eliminating the environmental effects. The inheritance seems to be oligogenic