When Langmuir is too simple: H2 dissociation on Pd(111) at high coverage

Recent experiments of H2 adsorption on Pd(111) [T. Mitsui et al., Nature (London) 422, 705 (2003)] have questioned the classical Langmuir picture of second order adsorption kinetics at high surface coverage requiring pairs of empty sites for the dissociative chemisorption. Experiments find that at least three empty sites are needed. Through density functional theory, we find that H2 dissociation is favored on ensembles of sites that involve a Pd atom with no direct interaction with adsorbed hydrogen. Such active sites are formed by aggregation of at least 3 H-free sites revealing the complex structure of the "active sites."

Who's fault is it ? : An analysis of the press coverage of football betting scandals in France and the United Kingdom

Sport betting is a lucrative business for bookmakers, for the lucky (or wise) punters, but also for governments and for sport. While not new or even recent, the deviances linked to sport betting, primarily match-fixing, have gained increased media exposure in the past decade. This exploratory study is a qualitative content analysis of the press coverage of sport betting-related deviances in football in two countries (UK and France), using in each case two leading national publications over a period of five years. Data analysis indicates a mounting coverage of sport betting scandals, with teams, players and criminals increasingly framed as culprits, while authorities and federations primarily assume a positive role. As for the origin of sport betting deviances, French newspapers tend to blame the system (in an abstract way); British newspapers, in contrast, focus more on individual weaknesses, notably greed. This article contributed to the growing body of literature on the importance of these deviances and on the way they are perceived by sport organizations, legislators and the public at large.

A survey on coverage path planning for robotics

Coverage Path Planning (CPP) is the task of determining a path that passes over all points of an area or volume of interest while avoiding obstacles. This task is integral to many robotic applications, such as vacuum cleaning robots, painter robots, autonomous underwater vehicles creating image mosaics, demining robots, lawn mowers, automated harvesters, window cleaners and inspection of complex structures, just to name a few. A considerable body of research has addressed the CPP problem. However, no updated surveys on CPP reflecting recent advances in the field have been presented in the past ten years. In this paper, we present a review of the most successful CPP methods, focusing on the achievements made in the past decade. Furthermore, we discuss reported field applications of the described CPP methods. This work aims to become a starting point for researchers who are initiating their endeavors in CPP. Likewise, this work aims to present a comprehensive review of the recent breakthroughs in the field, providing links to the most interesting and successful works

Calculation of radio electrical coverage in Medium-Wave Frequencies

The aim of this project is to accomplish an application software based on Matlab to calculate the radioelectrical coverage by surface wave of broadcast radiostations in the band of Medium Wave (WM) all around the world. Also, given the location of a transmitting and a receiving station, the software should be able to calculate the electric field that the receiver should receive at that specific site. In case of several transmitters, the program should search for the existence of Inter-Symbol Interference, and calculate the field strenght accordingly. The application should ask for the configuration parameters of the transmitter radiostation within a Graphical User Interface (GUI), and bring back the resulting coverage above a map of the area under study. For the development of this project, it has been used several conductivity databases of different countries, and a high-resolution elevation database (GLOBE). Also, to calculate the field strenght due to groundwave propagation, it has been used ITU GRWAVE program, which must be integrated into a Matlab interface to be used by the application developed.

Soil water evaporation under densities of coverage with vegetable residue

This study was conducted at the Agronomic Institute of Paraná (IAPAR) in Londrina, State of Paraná (PR), Brazil (latitude 23º18'S, longitude 51º09'W and average altitude of 585 m). The local climate, according to the classification of Köeppen, is Cfa type, i.e., humid subtropical climate, with rain in all seasons and can occur dry seasons during the winter. It was determined soil evaporation (E) under different coverage densities with residue from the wheat crop. The treatments were installed in weighting lysimeters of 2.66 m² and 1.3 m deep, which allows to determine E by the mass difference with measuring precision of 0.1mm at one hour intervals. Treatments consisted of 0; 2.5; 5 and 10 t ha-1 of wheat crop residues, placed evenly over each lysimeter. In the first cycle (September 22nd to October 20th, 2008), the reduction of E, as compared to a bare soil, was 4; 15 and 24%, while in the second cycle (December 1st to 30th, 2008), the reduction was of 15; 22 and 25%, respectively, for the treatments of 2.5; 5 and 10 t ha-1.

Coverage mobilization by different no-tillage in-line handling mechanisms

Vegetation cover on soil acts positively in maintaining temperature and soil moisture, yet, it has been imposing specific operational conditions on seeders. The objective of this study was to evaluate performance of different mechanisms regarding straw mobilization, employed in a no-till seeder. The experimental area was conducted on clayey soil under no-tillage with a large quantity of sorghum residue. The experiment was established in a randomized block design, as the treatments consisted of a combination of two mechanisms at front of the furrow opener composed of cutting disc and row cleaners, and three mechanisms behind the seed furrower, covering discs prototype model M1, Spider and commercial model, with the combination of cutting disc and Spider model not being evaluated. We assessed the coverage permanence on soil index, vegetation mass on surface and inside the line. The treatment containing the row cleaner mechanism efficiently removed straw from the surface of sowing line as well as the return one acted on straw replacement. It was identified that use of the cutting disc at the front of seeder contributed to the increase of straw installation inside the line, three times more than in the row cleaner system when operating individually. Covering mechanism with row cleaners reduced straw inside the line and kept line covering similar to treatment of cutting disc operating alone.

Coverage mobilization in the sowing line and its influence on temperature and water content and on maize emergence

Straw on sowing line modifies seed germination environment regarding temperature and water content. Given these considerations, the aim of this study was to evaluate different mechanisms for coverage mobilization on the sowing line and their effect on germination environment of maize seeds, mainly in relation to the dynamics of straw in the seedbed, water content and soil temperature. Treatments consisted on the combination of two mechanisms at front of furrow opener, composed of cutting disc and row cleaners, with three mechanisms behind the seed furrower for returning the soil, consisting of three covering mechanisms, commercial and prototype models. It was found that straw presence on the surface of sowing line contributed to germination of maize seeds, maintenance of temperature and soil water content. The cutting disc treatment, associated with prototype, introduced percentages of water content near the ones in bottom layer, and this soil water content was 29.7% with 93.75% of straw coverage and deeper seeding depth, granting better conditions for seed germination. However, the straw coverage removal on soil by the row cleaners and its low sowing depth caused water loss in the lines resulting in great reduction of the emergence speed index in maize seedlings.

Effects of obtained benefits on willingness to pay and word-of-mouth behavior in newspaper industry

The purpose of this master’s thesis was to investigate the effects which benefits obtained from reading a newspaper and using its website have on behavioral outcomes such as word-of-mouth behavior and willingness to pay. Several other antecedents of willingness to pay have been used as the control variables. However, their interrelations haven’t been hypothesized. The empirical part focused on a case company – Finnish regional newspaper. Empirical research has been conducted using a quantitative method and data was collected via online survey placed on newspaper’s website during 2010. 1001 responses have been collected. The results showed that benefits obtained both from traditional printed newspaper and from online one have positive effects on the word-of-mouth about this newspaper and its website. However, it has been revealed that benefits obtained from reading the newspaper don’t have effect on the willingness to pay for this newspaper. Additionally, only interpersonal and convenience benefits obtained from using the newspaper’s website influence on the willingness to pay for it. Finally, willingness to pay for the bundle of printed newspaper and its website access is affected positively only by the information/learning benefits obtained from reading the newspaper and by the interpersonal benefits obtained from using the newspaper’s website.

Kaksi tietä huipulle. Media ja puoluejohtajuus Suomessa naisten noususta populismin aaltoon

Tässä väitöskirjassa tarkastellaan suomalaisen puoluejohtajuuden ja suuren puolueen johtajaksi nousun murroskautta 1980-luvun lopulta 2010-luvulle median ja politiikan vuorovaikutuksen näkökulmasta. Puolueiden johtaminen on myös Suomessa ollut miesten työtä, ja perinteisesti tehtävään on ollut yksi väylä: asettuminen ehdolle puheenjohtajavaalissa ja valituksi tulo puoluekokouksessa. Tarkastelujakson alkupuolella naisia oli Suomessa ensimmäistä kertaa ehdolla suurten puolueiden puheenjohtajavaaleissa. Kauden loppupuolella heitä myös valittiin tuohon tehtävään ja ensimmäiset naiset nousivat pääministeriksi. Tämä historiallinen murros päätti liki satavuotisen perinteen, jossa miehet ovat olleet Suomessa sekä suurten puolueiden että hallitustyön johtajia. Julkisessa keskustelussa kysymys tasa-arvosta jäi toissijaiseksi: naisia alettiin valita puoluejohtajiksi tilanteissa, joissa heidän valintansa nähtiin puolueille edulliseksi. Naisen valinta tulkittiin miehen valintaa merkittävämmäksi symboliseksi viestiksi, johon liitettiin ajatuksia uudistumisesta ja puolueen julkisuuskuvan parantamisesta. Merkille pantavaa on, että naisten ensimmäiset valinnat suurten puolueiden johtajiksi tapahtuivat vaiheessa, jossa puoluejohtajien valta-asema on vahvin kautta suomalaisen poliittisen historian. Tässä valossa näyttää siltä, että valta ei aina pakenekaan naisilta. Vaikka suomalainen yhteiskunta ja suomalaiset naiset ovat monessa mielessä olleet edelläkävijöitä tasa-arvon suhteen, politiikan johtopaikkoja tavoitelleet naiset ovat meilläkin kohdanneet kansainvälisessä tutkimuksessa naisten haasteeksi osoitettuja lasikattoja, pyöröovia ja liukkaita jyrkänteitä. Tutkittavan ajanjakson aikana konkretisoitui myös toinen mahdollinen, joskin poikkeuksellinen reitti suuren puolueen johtajaksi: pienen puolueen nouseminen suurten joukkoon eduskuntavaaleissa. Tämä vaihtoehto toteutui vuonna 2011 perussuomalaisten eduskuntavaalivoiton myötä. Perussuomalaisten nousu eduskunnan pienimmästä puolueesta kolmanneksi suurimmaksi mursi perinteisen kolmen suuren puolueen asetelman. Puolueen menestyksen seuraukset ovat olleet kauaskantoisemmat kuin ehkä ensin ajateltiin: perussuomalaisten vaalivoiton sosiaalidemokraateille, keskustalle, ja kokoomukselle aiheuttama järkytys heijastui myöhemmin myös niiden johtajavaihdoksiin ja -valintoihin. Sekä naisten läpimurrossa että populismin voittokulussa median rooli oli monisyisempi kuin siihen perinteisesti liitetty tiedon välittäjän ja valtaa pitävien toimia kriittisesti seuraavan neljännen valtiomahdin tehtävänkuva. Tutkittavalla jaksolla tiedotusvälineet tekivät onnistuneen intervention politiikan osapuoleksi. Toimittajat ottivat kantaa valintoihin ja ohjeistivat puolueita, ja puolueet taas mukauttivat näkyvyyden maksimoidakseen käytäntöjään median tarpeisiin. 1980-luvun lopulta 2010-luvulle ulottuvalla jaksolla suuren puolueen puoluejohtajaksi valikoitumisen kriteerit muuttuivat, samalla kun median merkitys johtajavalinnoissa ja myös puoluejohtajan käytännön työssä kasvoi. Mediasta tuli aiempaa konkreettisemmin johtajavalintojen ja valtakamppailun areena, ja siihen liittyvät näkökohdat nousivat myös keskeisiksi johtajan taitoja arvioitaessa. Kuka ehdokkaista toisi näkyvyyttä, ”pärjäisi” median paineissa ja vakuuttaisi äänestäjät? Vielä 1980- ja 1990-lukujen taitteessa johtajavalinnat olivat pitkälti puolueorganisaatioiden hallinnoimia prosesseja, joista lehdistö raportoi askeleen jäljessä kulkien. Viimeistään 2000-luvun ensimmäisellä vuosikymmenellä puolueet omaksuivat ajatuksen median hyödyllisyydestä. Tämän strategisen muutoksen myötä puolueet tulivat samalla luovuttaneeksi määriteltyvaltaa oman organisaationsa ulkopuolelle. Kokoomuksen vuoden 2014 johtajavaalissa silmiinpistävää oli pyrkimys sekä hyötyä julkisuudesta että palauttaa valtaa takaisin puolueelle. Politiikan mediajulkisuuden alttius tarttua myyviin poliitikkopersooniin, ilmiöihin, ristiriitoihin ja draamaan sekä vastaavasti populistijohtaja Timo Soinin ja perussuomalaisten kyky tarjota kaikkia näitä auttoivat puolueen suurvoittoon vuoden 2011 eduskuntavaaleissa. Organisaatioltaan pieni ja johtajaansa henkilöityvä puolue sai selvästi poliittista painoarvoaan suuremman julkisuuden, koska kiinnostavuus määritti näkyvyyden ja puolueen nousevasta kannatuksesta tuli yksi vaalien pääaiheista. Median ja politiikan suhteessa tapahtuneet muutokset olivat vauhdittamassa niin naisten nousua suurten puolueiden johtajiksi kuin populistisen johtajuuden läpimurtoa ja perussuomalaisten menestystä. Koska suurten puolueiden johtajista valikoituvat myös pääministerit, näiden muutosten vaikutus ulottuu Suomen poliittisesti vaikutusvaltaisimpaan tehtävään asti.

Launch communications best practices: Online newspaper paywall context

The goal of the thesis is to identify the best practices of marketing communications in the context of online newspaper paywall launch. Theoretical point of views emphasize the value for the customer as an antecedent for a workable value proposition and marketing communications. Value-based communications contribute to the customer loyalty. The empirical evidence for this benchmark study was collected in seven company interviews. These firms represented several kinds of Finnish newspaper companies which had recently gone through the paywall launch and launch communications process. The results imply that there are multiple factors influencing on launch communications choices. However, recommendations can be drawn based on the common practices. The main managerial results were that the companies should utilize the online newspaper content and usage value as the core of the launch message, target both new and current readers and use multiple online and offline communications channels to reach the target audience. The launch communications message should be started with the emotional appeal, complemented with the more informative message later.

Microsatellite-dense genetic map: towards genome coverage in a tropical maize (Zea mays L.) population

Dense molecular genetic maps are used for an efficient quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and in the marker-assisted selection programs. A dense genetic map was generated with 139 microsatellite markers using 256 F2 plants generated by the crossing of two tropical maize inbred lines (L-02-03D and L-20-01F). This map presented 1,858.61 cM in length, where 10 linkage groups were found spanned, with an average interval of 13.47 cM between adjacent markers. Seventy seven percent of the maize genetic mapping bins were covered, which means an increase of 14% coverage in relation to the previous tropical maize maps. The results provide a more detailed and informative genetic map in a tropical maize population representing the first step to make possible the studies of genetic architecture to identify and map QTL and estimate their effects on the variation of quantitative traits, thus allowing the manipulation and use in tropical maize breeding programs.

Future of Newspaper Business Models in Finland

The purpose of this Master’s thesis was to study the business model development in Finnish newspaper industry during the next then years through scenario planning. The objective was to see how will the business models develop amidst the many changes in the industry, what factors are affecting the change, what are the implications of these changes for the players in the industry and how should the Finnish newspaper companies evolve in order to succeed in the future. In this thesis the business model change is studied based on all the elements of business models, as it was discovered that the industry is too often focusing on changes in only few of those elements and a more broader view can provide valuable information for the companies. The results revealed that the industry is affected by many changes during the next ten years. Scenario planning provides a good tool for analyzing this change and for developing valuable options for businesses. After conducting series of interviews and discovering forces affecting the change, four different scenarios were developed centered on the role that newspaper will take and the level at which they are providing the content in the future. These scenarios indicated that there are varieties of options in the way the business models may develop and that companies should start making decisions proactively in order to succeed. As the business model elements are interdepended, changes made in the other elements will affect the whole model, making these decisions about the role and level of content important for the companies. In the future, it is likely that the Finnish newspaper industry will include many different kinds of business models, some of which can be drastically different from the current ones and some of which can still be similar, but take better into account the new kind of media environment.

Density, proportion, and dendritic coverage of retinal ganglion cells of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus jacchus)

We performed a quantitative analysis of M and P cell mosaics of the common-marmoset retina. Ganglion cells were labeled retrogradely from optic nerve deposits of Biocytin. The labeling was visualized using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) histochemistry and 3-3'diaminobenzidine as chromogen. M and P cells were morphologically similar to those found in Old- and New-World primates. Measurements were performed on well-stained cells from 4 retinas of different animals. We analyzed separate mosaics for inner and outer M and P cells at increasing distances from the fovea (2.5-9 mm of eccentricity) to estimate cell density, proportion, and dendritic coverage. M cell density decreased towards the retinal periphery in all quadrants. M cell density was higher in the nasal quadrant than in other retinal regions at similar eccentricities, reaching about 740 cells/mm² at 2.5 mm of temporal eccentricity, and representing 8-14% of all ganglion cells. P cell density increased from peripheral to more central regions, reaching about 5540 cells/mm² at 2.5 mm of temporal eccentricity. P cells represented a smaller proportion of all ganglion cells in the nasal quadrant than in other quadrants, and their numbers increased towards central retinal regions. The M cell coverage factor ranged from 5 to 12 and the P cell coverage factor ranged from 1 to 3 in the nasal quadrant and from 5 to 12 in the other quadrants. These results show that central and peripheral retinal regions differ in terms of cell class proportions and dendritic coverage, and their properties do not result from simply scaling down cell density. Therefore, differences in functional properties between central and peripheral vision should take these distinct regional retinal characteristics into account.