A study of ICT student’s views on sustainable technology development

Abstract. In this thesis, I focused on sustainable technology development and services, and how they are understood by Finnish university students in modern society. Students discussed sustainable development in technology and services, in the public system, and private sector, and used the EUs green targets as a base for it. The thesis is focusing to analyze the digital technology development inside the European market areas and takes into account the cultural, economic, and geographical aspects about the topic. The reason for writing this thesis is understanding the values of digital product users’ backgrounds, habits, and values, because these have become an important part of sustainable change strategies and sustainable technology development. For this, I am conducting Nexus Analysis, which leads our focus to three main topics: discourses in place, historical body, and interaction order, to support a deeper understanding of students’ actions and decisions. I am taking the discourses of Finnish students, future developers, into analysis on sustainable change of technology development, and also what kind of values the student discourses contain, and what kind of methods and features should be remembered in digital technology development when trying to change those values and behavior. This scientific work includes familiarizing with previous research made on the topic, analysis of 163 student essays with quantitative data analysis, as well as qualitative nexus analysis where the focus is on discourses in place, historical body, and interaction order. Quantitative data gave me an overall understanding of favored topics and opinions by the students and nexus analysis provided me a deeper understanding of these student opinions and actions. This thesis is made as a collaboration with INTERACT research group which provided me the students’ essay materials for the analysis. As a result, I provided guidelines and important factors for behavioral and background analysis, but also, what kind of values are respected by students in the sustainable change. The most highlighted aspects to remember in the future development were focusing on transparency in organization processes, respecting local habits and interests when making marketing strategies, and also what kind of features are respected by the current university students studying in the information and communication (ICT) field. Another view is taken from employers, when sustainability is wanted to be a part of the company’s strategy and what features need to be remembered to improve the sustainability change efficiency in highly competitive markets. These values and factors should be remembered when designing new sustainable products and trying to gain the most efficient change strategies, also in marketing and consumer communication sectors. In conclusion, I provided two list as guidelines for supporting companies and organizations for more efficient sustainability development strategies. It includes topics that need to be discovered before development, what features need to be assimilated into product development, and also, what kind of values are respected by the people depending on the market area location. These matters will not guarantee success but will be most likely to gain more attention and interest in local markets where the product or change is targeted. This information can be used by organization employers in their processes or researchers in further analysis and research about sustainability changes and strategies, as a regional strategy guideline or targeted sustainable technology development guideline

Association of changes in work due to COVID-19 pandemic with psychosocial work environment and employee health: a cohort study of 24 299 Finnish public sector employees

OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations of COVID-19-related changes in work with perceptions of psychosocial work environment and employee health. METHODS: In a cohort of 24 299 Finnish public sector employees, psychosocial work environment and employee well-being were assessed twice before (2016 and 2018=reference period) and once during (2020) the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who reported a change (='Exposed') in work due to the pandemic (working from home, new tasks or team reorganisation) were compared with those who did not report such change (='Non-exposed'). RESULTS: After adjusting for sex, age, socioeconomic status and lifestyle risk score, working from home (44%) was associated with greater increase in worktime control (standardised mean difference (SMD)Exposed=0.078, 95% CI 0.066 to 0.090; SMDNon-exposed=0.025, 95% CI 0.014 to 0.036), procedural justice (SMDExposed=0.101, 95% CI 0.084 to 0.118; SMDNon-exposed=0.053, 95% CI 0.038 to 0.068), workplace social capital (SMDExposed=0.094, 95% CI 0.077 to 0.110; SMDNon-exposed=0.034, 95% CI 0.019 to 0.048), less decline in self-rated health (SMDExposed=-0.038, 95% CI -0.054 to -0.022; SMDNon-exposed=-0.081, 95% CI -0.095 to -0.067), perceived work ability (SMDExposed=-0.091, 95% CI -0.108 to -0.074; SMDNon-exposed=-0.151, 95% CI -0.167 to -0.136) and less increase in psychological distress (risk ratio (RR)Exposed=1.06, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.09; RRNon-exposed=1.16, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.20). New tasks (6%) were associated with greater increase in psychological distress (RRExposed=1.28, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.39; RRNon-exposed=1.10, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.12) and team reorganisation (5%) with slightly steeper decline in perceived work ability (SMDExposed=-0.151 95% CI -0.203 to -0.098; SMDNon-exposed=-0.124, 95% CI -0.136 to -0.112). CONCLUSION: Employees who worked from home during the pandemic had more favourable psychosocial work environment and health, whereas those who were exposed to work task changes and team reorganisations experienced more adverse changes

On carbon and oxygen isotope ratios in starburst galaxies: New data from NGC253 and Mrk231 and their implications

Using the IRAM 30-m telescope, CN and CO isotopologues have been measured toward the central regions of the nearby starburst galaxy NGC253 and the prototypical ultraluminous infrared galaxy Mrk231. In NGC253, the 12C/13C ratio is 40+-10. Assuming that the ratio also holds for the CO emitting gas, this yields 16O/18O = 145+-36 and 16O/17O = 1290+-365 and a 32S/34S ratio close to that measured for the local interstellar medium (20-25). No indication for vibrationally excited CN is found. Peak line intensity ratios between NGC253 and Mrk231 are ~100 for 12C16O and 12C18O J=1-0, while the ratio for 13C16O J=1-0 is ~250. This and similar 13CO and C18O line intensities in the J=1-0 and 2-1 transitions of Mrk231 suggest 12C/13C ~ 100 and 16O/18O ~ 100, in agreement with values obtained for the less evolved ultraluminous merger Arp220. Also accounting for other extragalactic data, 12C/13C ratios appear to vary over a full order of magnitude, from >100 in ultraluminous high redshift galaxies to ~100 in more local such galaxies to ~40 in weaker starbursts not undergoing a large scale merger to 25 in the Central Molecular Zone of the Milky Way. With 12C being predominantly synthesized in massive stars, while 13C is mostly ejected by longer lived lower mass stars at later times, this is qualitatively consistent with our results of decreasing carbon isotope ratios with time and rising metallicity. It is emphasized, however, that both infall of poorly processed material, initiating a nuclear starburst, as well as the ejecta from newly formed massive stars (in particular in case of a top-heavy stellar initial mass function) can raise the carbon isotope ratio for a limited amount of time.Comment: Accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysics, 6 figures, 4 table

Social network ties before and after retirement : a cohort study

Social networks are associated with individual's health and well-being. Working life offers opportunities to create and maintain social networks, while retirement may change these networks. This study examined how the number of ties in social network changes across the retirement transition. The study population consisted of 2319 participants (84% women, mean age 63.2 years) from the Finnish Retirement and Aging study. Information about social network ties, including the number of ties in the inner, middle and outer circles of the social convoy model, was gathered using annual postal surveys before and after retirement. Three repeat surveys per participant covered the retirement transition and the post-retirement periods. Mean number of network ties was 21.6 before retirement, of which 5.6 were situated in the inner, 6.9 in the middle and 9.1 in the outer circle. The number of ties in the outer circle decreased by 0.67 (95% CI - 0.92, - 0.42) during the retirement transition period, but not during the post-retirement period (0.11, 95% CI - 0.33, 0.12) (interaction period * time, p = 0.006). The pattern of change in these ties did not differ by gender, occupational status, marital status, number of chronic diseases and mental health during the retirement transition period. The number of ties in the inner and middle circles overall did not decrease during these periods. The number of peripheral relationships decreased during the retirement transition but not after that, suggesting that the observed reduction is more likely to be associated with retirement rather than aging.Peer reviewe

Detection of chloronium and measurement of the 35Cl/37Cl isotopic ratio at z=0.89 toward PKS1830-211

We report the first extragalactic detection of chloronium (H2Cl+), in the z=0.89 absorber in front of the lensed blazar PKS1830-211. The ion is detected through its 1_11-0_00 line along two independent lines of sight toward the North-East and South-West images of the blazar. The relative abundance of H2Cl+ is significantly higher (by a factor ~7) in the NE line of sight, which has a lower H2/H fraction, indicating that H2Cl+ preferably traces the diffuse gas component. From the ratio of the H2^35Cl+ and H2^37Cl+ absorptions toward the SW image, we measure a 35Cl/37Cl isotopic ratio of 3.1 (-0.2; +0.3) at z=0.89, similar to that observed in the Galaxy and the solar system.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A Lette

Probing the jet base of the blazar PKS1830-211 from the chromatic variability of its lensed images. Serendipitous ALMA observations of a strong gamma-ray flare

The launching mechanism of the jets of active galactic nuclei is observationally poorly constrained, due to the large distances to these objects and the very small scales (sub-parsec) involved. In order to better constrain theoretical models, it is especially important to get information from the region close to the physical base of the jet, where the plasma acceleration takes place. In this paper, we report multi-epoch and multi-frequency continuum observations of the z=2.5 blazar PKS1830-211 with ALMA, serendipitously coincident with a strong $\gamma$-ray flare reported by Fermi-LAT. The blazar is lensed by a foreground z=0.89 galaxy, with two bright images of the compact core separated by 1". Our ALMA observations individually resolve these two images (although not any of their substructures), and we study the change of their relative flux ratio with time (four epochs spread over nearly three times the time delay between the two lensed images) and frequency (between 350 and 1050 GHz, rest-frame of the blazar), during the $\gamma$-ray flare. In particular, we detect a remarkable frequency-dependent behaviour of the flux ratio, which implies the presence of a chromatic structure in the blazar (i.e., a core-shift effect). We rule out the possiblity of micro- and milli-lensing effects and propose instead a simple model of plasmon ejection in the blazar's jet to explain the time and frequency variability of the flux ratio. We suggest that PKS1830-211 is likely one of the best sources to probe the activity at the base of a blazar's jet at submillimeter wavelengths, thanks to the peculiar geometry of the system. The implications of the core-shift in absorption studies of the foreground z=0.89 galaxy (e.g., constraints on the cosmological variations of fundamental constants) are discussed.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

The analysis of size-segregated cloud condensation nuclei counter (CCNC) data and its implications for cloud droplet activation

Ambient aerosol, CCN (cloud condensation nuclei) and hygroscopic properties were measured with a size-segregated CCNC (cloud condensation nuclei counter) in a boreal environment of southern Finland at the SMEAR (Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations) II station. The instrumental setup operated at five levels of supersaturation <i>S</i> covering a range from 0.1–1% and measured particles with a size range of 20–300 nm; a total of 29 non-consecutive months of data are presented. The median critical diameter <i>D</i>_c ranged from 150 nm at <i>S</i> of 0.1% to 46 nm at <i>S</i> of 1.0%. The median aerosol hygroscopicity parameter &kappa; ranged from 0.41 at <i>S</i> of 0.1% to 0.14 at <i>S</i> of 1.0%, indicating that ambient aerosol in Hyytiälä is less hygroscopic than the global continental or European continental averages. It is, however, more hygroscopic than the ambient aerosol in an Amazon rainforest, a European high Alpine site or a forested mountainous site. A fairly low hygroscopicity in Hyytiälä is likely a result of a large organic fraction present in the aerosol mass comparative to other locations within Europe. A considerable difference in particle hygroscopicity was found between particles smaller and larger than ~100 nm in diameter, possibly pointing out to the effect of cloud processing increasing &kappa; of particles > 100 nm in diameter. The hygroscopicity of the smaller, ~50 nm particles did not change seasonally, whereas particles with a diameter of ~150 nm showed a decreased hygroscopicity in the summer, likely resulting from the increased VOC emissions of the surrounding boreal forest and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. For the most part, no diurnal patterns of aerosol hygroscopic properties were found. Exceptions to this were the weak diurnal patterns of small, ~50 nm particles in the spring and summer, when a peak in hygroscopicity around noon was observed. No difference in CCN activation and hygroscopic properties was found on days with or without atmospheric new particle formation. During all seasons, except summer, a CCN-inactive fraction was found to be present, rendering the aerosol of 75–300 nm in diameter as internally mixed in the summer and not internally mixed for the rest of the year

Return to work after lumbar disc herniation surgery: an occupational cohort study

Background and purpose — Lumbar disc herniation is a common surgically treated condition in the working-age population. We assessed health-related risk factors for return to work (RTW) after excision of lumbar disc herniation. Previous studies on the subject have had partly contradictory findings. Patients and methods — RTW of 389 (n = 111 male, n = 278 female; mean age 46 years, SD 8.9) employees who underwent excision of lumbar disc herniation was assessed based on the Finnish Public Sector Study (FPS). Baseline information on occupation, preceding health, and health-risk behaviors was derived from linkage to national health registers and FPS surveys before the operation. The likelihood of RTW was analyzed using Cox proportional hazard univariable and multivariable modelling. Results — 95% of the patients had returned to work at 12 months after surgery, after on average 78 days of sickness absence. Faster RTW in the univariable Cox model was associated with a small number of sick leave days (< 30 days) before operation (HR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1–1.6); high occupational position (HR 1.6, CI 1.2–2.1); and age under 40 years (HR 1.5, CI 1.1–1.9). RTW was not associated with sex or the health-related risk factors obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, poor self-rated health, psychological distress, comorbid conditions, or purchases of pain or antidepressant medications in either the univariable or multivariable model. Interpretation — Almost all employees returned to work after excision of lumbar disc herniation. Older age, manual job, and prolonged sick leave before the excision of lumbar disc herniation were risk factors for delayed return to work after the surgery

Social relationships as predictors of extended employment beyond the pensionable age: a cohort study

The aim is to examine whether characteristics of social relationships predict extended employment beyond the pensionable age among Finnish public sector workers. The study population consisted of 4014 participants (83% women, age 62.56 ± 1.21) of the Finnish Retirement and Aging Study followed between 2014 and 2019. Extended employment was defined as the difference between actual retirement date and individual age-related pensionable date and classified into three groups: no extension (retired on pensionable age or extended by < 3 months), short extension (3 months–< 1 year), and long extension (≥ 1 year) beyond the pensionable date. Characteristics of social relationships and engagement were assessed 18 months prior to the pensionable date. Social engagement was classified into consumptive social participation, formal social participation, informal social participation, and other social participation. Data were analyzed using multinomial regression analysis. Of total study participants, 17.8% belonged to short- and 16.5% belonged to long-extension group. Adjusted for age, occupational status, self-rated health and depression, and having a working spouse (OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.39–3.95) were associated with long extension of employment beyond the pensionable age when compared to no extension among men. Likewise, among women, living alone (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.28–2.00), having a working spouse (1.85, 1.39–2.45), and high consumptive (1.32, 1.07–1.65), high formal (1.47, 1.17–1.85), and other social participation (0.79, 0.63–0.98) were associated with long extension. Having a working spouse, living alone, and high consumptive social participation were associated with short extension. Several characteristics of social relationships, such as having a working spouse, living alone, and high frequency of social engagement, predicted an extension of employment beyond the pensionable age

Reviews and syntheses : Arctic fire regimes and emissions in the 21st century

In recent years, the pan-Arctic region has experienced increasingly extreme fire seasons. Fires in the northern high latitudes are driven by current and future climate change, lightning, fuel conditions, and human activity. In this context, conceptualizing and parameterizing current and future Arctic fire regimes will be important for fire and land management as well as understanding current and predicting future fire emissions. The objectives of this review were driven by policy questions identified by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Working Group and posed to its Expert Group on Short-Lived Climate Forcers. This review synthesizes current understanding of the changing Arctic and boreal fire regimes, particularly as fire activity and its response to future climate change in the pan-Arctic have consequences for Arctic Council states aiming to mitigate and adapt to climate change in the north. The conclusions from our synthesis are the following. (1) Current and future Arctic fires, and the adjacent boreal region, are driven by natural (i.e. lightning) and human-caused ignition sources, including fires caused by timber and energy extraction, prescribed burning for landscape management, and tourism activities. Little is published in the scientific literature about cultural burning by Indigenous populations across the pan-Arctic, and questions remain on the source of ignitions above 70 degrees N in Arctic Russia. (2) Climate change is expected to make Arctic fires more likely by increasing the likelihood of extreme fire weather, increased lightning activity, and drier vegetative and ground fuel conditions. (3) To some extent, shifting agricultural land use and forest transitions from forest-steppe to steppe, tundra to taiga, and coniferous to deciduous in a warmer climate may increase and decrease open biomass burning, depending on land use in addition to climate-driven biome shifts. However, at the country and landscape scales, these relationships are not well established. (4) Current black carbon and PM2.5 emissions from wildfires above 50 and 65 degrees N are larger than emissions from the anthropogenic sectors of residential combustion, transportation, and flaring. Wildfire emissions have increased from 2010 to 2020, particularly above 60 degrees N, with 56% of black carbon emissions above 65 degrees N in 2020 attributed to open biomass burning - indicating how extreme the 2020 wildfire season was and how severe future Arctic wildfire seasons can potentially be. (5) What works in the boreal zones to prevent and fight wildfires may not work in the Arctic. Fire management will need to adapt to a changing climate, economic development, the Indigenous and local communities, and fragile northern ecosystems, including permafrost and peatlands. (6) Factors contributing to the uncertainty of predicting and quantifying future Arctic fire regimes include underestimation of Arctic fires by satellite systems, lack of agreement between Earth observations and official statistics, and still needed refinements of location, conditions, and previous fire return intervals on peat and permafrost landscapes. This review highlights that much research is needed in order to understand the local and regional impacts of the changing Arctic fire regime on emissions and the global climate, ecosystems, and pan-Arctic communities.peerReviewe