Främjande av jämställdhet genom positiv särbehandling : könskvoter i bolagsstyrelser

Avhandlingen behandlar användningen av positiv särbehandling för att öka jämställdheten i bolagsstyrelser, specifikt användningen av kvotering. Avhandlingen behandlar möjligheten att använda kvotering utgående från att bestämmelsen inte skulle tillämpas på icke-publika bolag. Möjligheterna att använda kvotering granskas främst ur ett grundlagsperspektiv, men också med tanke på CEDAW och EU-rätten. Syftet med avhandlingen är att undersöka om det finns hinder för att använda kvotering för att öka jämställdheten i bolagsstyrelser, utgående från hur grundlagen, CEDAW och EU behandlar positiv särbehandling. För att ge en bättre uppfattning om kvotering lyfter avhandlingen fram det stadgande som finns angående könsfördelningen i kommunala och statliga organ samt Norges reglering angående könsfördelningen i publika och statliga bolag. Också EU-kommissionens direktivförslag angående könsfördelningen i stora börsbolag används för att se hur frågan om positiv särbehandling och kvotering behandlats. Användning av kvotering i bolagsstyrelser behandlas särskilt med tanke på egendomsskydd. För att se huruvida egendomsskyddet skulle utgöra ett hinder mot införandet av kvotering i bolagsstyrelser går avhandlingen igenom de kriterier som ska uppfyllas för att en inskränkning av egendomsskyddet i egenskap av grundrättighet ska vara möjlig. Det vill säga det görs en avvägning mellan olika sidors intressen. Avhandlingen behandlar ämnet genom att utgå från finsk lagstiftning och förarbeten. För att ge en djupare bild av hur införandet av kvotering skulle kunna behandlas används Norges lagstiftning och förarbeten samt EU-kommissionens arbeten som gjordes i samband med direktivförslaget. En del litteratur har också använts för att ge ett bredare och mer praktiskt perspektiv på bland annat jämställdhet och egendomsskydd. Avhandlingen visar att positiv särbehandling är tillåten enligt grundlagen 6 §, CEDAW och EU-rätten. Dessa har ändå olika kriterier för användningen av positiv särbehandling, vilka alla måste beaktas inom finsk lagstiftning. Egendomsskyddet utgör inte ett sådant hinder för kvotering att ett införande inte skulle vara möjligt. En viktig orsak till detta är att aktieägarna, vars egendomsskydd det är fråga om, inte kan anses påverkas så direkt av en kvotbestämmelse att de skulle drabbas av stora konsekvenser. Kvotering leder till jämnare könsfördelning inom det område där det används, men påverkar inte nödvändigtvis jämställdheten utanför det specifika användningsområdet. Kvotering kan vara ett medel för att minska den strukturella diskrimineringen, men det behövs flera åtgärder för att eliminera diskrimineringen helt

Food Handling Practices for Fresh-Cut Vegetables at Wet Markets and Supermarkets in Davao City, Philippines

Fresh-cuts, either ready-to-cook (RTC) or ready-to-eat (RTE) fruits and vegetables, are becoming more popular due to consumers’ increasing demand for convenient and healthy foods. This paper aimed to document different fresh-cut vegetables available in wet markets and supermarkets in Davao City, Philippines, to differentiate fresh-cut processing practices between the two locations, and to identify some inadequacies in their practices. Overall, the fresh-cuts were available as either monotype (e.g. coconut pith, squash, and immature jackfruit) or mixed (e.g. pinakbet and chop suey). With regards to the pre- and post-cutting treatment, water was not always used since consumers were expected to wash them before cooking and/or eating. Water used for washing was also reused, which could be a source of contamination. During processing, inappropriate craft cutter blades were sometimes used in wet markets, which could lead to more produce injury that may result in more browning. Moreover, packaging was mostly used only upon purchase in the wet markets whereas supermarkets had more pre-packed options. Lastly, an evident observation was the temperature abuse (above 5°C) during storage in both locations. This poses a threat of pathogen contamination especially since visual indications of deterioration are not always obvious. Thus, interventions are recommended to educate fresh-cut processors in both wet markets and supermarkets about useful techniques in preserving the quality and safety of fresh-cut vegetables. Additional information on the degree of microbial contamination and shelf-life of these products may also aid in generating applicable food safety strategies. Keywords: fresh-cut practices · minimal processing · vegetable crop

Response of ‘Carabao’ Mangoes to Various Ripening Agents

Mango (Mangifera indica), a climacteric fruit, undergoes ripening after harvest. Ripening alters the physicochemical characteristics of fruit that converts it into one that is edible and acceptable in the market. The ripening of mango consists of changes in color, firmness, texture, aroma, and taste. Ethylene gas ripens mangoes, but it is not readily available. The local market uses calcium carbide, which is no longer used in many mango-producing countries. The use of bioethylene or ethylene natural sources can be alternative ripening agents. In this study, various ripening agents were evaluated. ‘Carabao’ mangoes were treated with ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid, CEPA at 250, 500, 1000, and 1500 μL L-1); calcium carbide (CaC2 at 2.5, 5, and 7.5 g kg-1); and bioethylene sources such as madre cacao or kakawate (Gliricidia sepium) at 10% and 20%; more green than yellow ‘Cardava’ banana (10%), and more green than yellow mango (10%). Bioethylene sources did not reduce the number of days to ripen the mango compared to calcium carbide and ethephon at 1500 μL L-1. Calcium carbide treatment reduced the days to ripening or TRS (from 6.6 to 3 days) of mango fruit with better visual quality and lower weight loss at TRS. At TRS, untreated fruit had the highest weight loss at 9.6%. Fruit ripened with more yellow than green ‘Cardava’ banana and mango gave the least weight loss per day

Visual Quality and Bruise Injury of ‘Carabao’ Mango in Samal Island, Philippines

The postharvest quality of ‘Carabao’ mango in Samal Island, Philippines, was assessed after harvest and fruit bruising through different drop heights (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 m) as well as combination of drop heights (0, 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 m) and maturity (mature green, more yellow than green, turning or full yellow). Fruit were initially assessed after harvest and bruising then reexamined at table ripe stage (TRS). Of normally harvested mature green fruit, 80% had very good visual quality. However, at TRS, it declined to 47.1% while good and saleable samples were at 31.7%. Assessment of skin defects showed that blemish (55.2%) and scab (28.8%) were the main defects at harvest with the former observed to intensify at TRS (68.3%). Anthracnose (38.4%) and stem-end rot (29.4%) were high at TRS for mangoes under usual harvest practice. For fruit dropped from 0 to 5 m heights, there was an increasing trend in cracked fruit (6.7% to 80%) as drop height increased. Upon dissection, white mass in fruit pulp underneath the bruise surface was observed. At TRS, there was a distinct green color observed on the peel impact site. Weight loss and bruise percentage were higher in fruit dropped at 4 and 5 m than those dropped at lower heights. Similarly, weight loss and bruise percentage were also higher in fruit dropped at 1.5 and 1 m than 0.5 m regardless of fruit maturity when dropped. Diseases such as stem-end rot, sooty mold, and rot were high at TRS

Fruit Quality of Grafted Bitter Melon with Different Sponge Gourd Rootstocks Stored Under Evaporative Cooling Conditions

Evaporative cooling helps maintain quality of produce over a longer period of time. This condition slows metabolic processes and inhibits undesirable changes in quality due to biotic and abiotic factors. The study determined the fruit quality of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) grafted with sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica L.) held at evaporative cooling condition (25–27 °C) with a relative humidity ranging from 85% to 96%. Bitter melon var. Galaxy was grafted to different sponge gourd rootstocks before establishment and regular maintenance in the field. Hybrid sponge gourd var. Mutya, open-pollinated variety (var. Esmeralda), and Bureau of Plant Industry bacterial wilt–resistant sponge gourd (BPI BW-resistant var.) were utilized as rootstocks. Nongrafted bitter melon served as the control. Commercially mature fruit samples were then harvested and brought to the laboratory for quality assessment and monitoring. A completely randomized design was used and treatments were replicated thrice. Results revealed that nongrafted bitter melon samples had higher weight loss and lower visual quality rating compared to the grafted sample fruits. Disease incidence and color change were also higher for the nongrafted bitter melon compared to the grafted bitter melon sample fruits suggesting reduced bacterial wilt activity resulting to better quality after storage. Bitter melon grafted into hybrid sponge gourd rootstock (var. Mutya) revealed the longest shelf life of 6 days. The shelf lives of OPV var. Esmeralda (5.57 days) and BPI BW-resistant var. (5.43 days) were comparable with hybrid sponge gourd var. Mutya. However, hybrid sponge gourd var. Mutya had significantly longer shelf life compared to the nongrafted bitter melon (4.33 days). The results could greatly contribute to addressing food security issues, which are often encountered during production

Postharvest Quality of Wood Vinegar–Treated Eggplants under Various Storage Conditions

Wood vinegar (pyroligneous acid or pyrolysis oil) is a liquid produced by means of natural carbonization from available plant refuse. It has been reported to have numerous potential benefits both to agriculture and human health and to enhance harvest and postharvest quality of various fruits and vegetables. In this study, evaluation of the effects of wood vinegar and storage conditions to enhance the postharvest quality of ‘Morena’ eggplant was evaluated. A 2 × 3 factorial experiment was laid out in completely randomized design with six treatments and three replications and each replication having 30 fruit samples. The highly perishable eggplant was treated with wood vinegar (10%) from citrus tree refuse as postharvest dip, while tap water served as control, for 2 minutes before storage at ambient (25–28 °C), refrigerated (7–10 °C), or evaporative cooling box-type (18–21 °C) condition with a relative humidity of 66%, 76%, and 96%, respectively. Samples were stored for a week. Results revealed that eggplants treated with 10% wood vinegar did not differ in terms of percent weight loss, shelf life (days), total soluble solids (°Brix), and titratable acidity (% malic acid) relative to the control. For storage conditions, ambient condition displayed the highest total soluble solids and percent weight loss. Titratable acidity and shelf life were not significantly affected among storage treatments, which ranged from 0.17% to 0.21% and 4.5 to 7.1 days, respectively. Chilling injury was evident on the eggplants in evaporative cooling condition. The preliminary results could serve as basis for further intervention studies to enhance the quality of eggplant

Effects of Packaging Systems on Eggplant Quality during Transport

Eggplants (Solanum melongena) are extremely predisposed to injury during haulage, which considerably diminishes fruit value. The study aimed to develop packaging systems to maintain the market quality of ‘Morena’ eggplant during transport along the market continuum. A 6 × 2 factorial in completely randomized design was laid out using freshly harvested eggplant. Fruits with uniform maturity and size and were damage free were procured from Brgy. Butigan, Baybay, Leyte. Fruits were packed using six types of containers, namely, rattan basket, plastic crate, polyethylene plastic bag, and styrofoam cooler in which both rattan basket and plastic crates were with and without banana leaves as liners. Fruits were arranged together following the conventional practice of product loading by the traders. After transport, fruits from the different containers were stored in ambient (25–30 °C) or refrigerated (8– 10 °C) conditions at a postharvest technology laboratory wherein storage behavior was monitored and evaluated. The results revealed that chemical quality attributes were not significantly affected by the kind of packing materials used. Quantitative physico-chemical attributes were affected by the type of storage condition. Storing the fruits at refrigerated condition prolonged the shelf life up to 8–10 days. The results provide valuable information for establishing a better transport scheme that could be utilized in both domestic and export markets

Bottom-Up Growth of Monolayer Honeycomb SiC

The long theorized two-dimensional allotrope of SiC has remained elusive amid the exploration of graphenelike honeycomb structured monolayers. It is anticipated to possess a large direct band gap (2.5 eV), ambient stability, and chemical versatility. While sp2 bonding between silicon and carbon is energetically favorable, only disordered nanoflakes have been reported to date. Here we demonstrate large-area, bottom-up synthesis of monocrystalline, epitaxial monolayer honeycomb SiC atop ultrathin transition metal carbide films on SiC substrates. We find the 2D phase of SiC to be almost planar and stable at high temperatures, up to 1200 \ub0C in vacuum. Interactions between the 2D-SiC and the transition metal carbide surface result in a Dirac-like feature in the electronic band structure, which in the case of a TaC substrate is strongly spin-split. Our findings represent the first step towards routine and tailored synthesis of 2D-SiC monolayers, and this novel heteroepitaxial system may find diverse applications ranging from photovoltaics to topological superconductivity

En skola för alla? : En skola för elever med autismspektrumtillstånd?En kvalitativ studie som undersöker skolsituationen för elever med autismspektrumtillstånd i en svensk kommun

The overall aim of this case study is to find the conditions for pupils in the nine-year compulsory school with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who are instructed in the ordinary classroom. The study explores what kind of support the schools offer these pupils. The study also examines the views of the teachers´, special educators´, principals´ and municipal representatives on what kind of support these pupils need and ought to be offered.The methods used were qualitative interviews and a questionnaire study.The theoretical basis of the study is the three different perspectives of special pedagogy. These perspectives represent three different views on the disorders of pupils.The overall result shows that the municipality offers little support for schools. The study shows that there is little collaboration between schools and ASD-specific support outside school. This study indicates that there is a lack of knowledge about ASD to meet the needs of these students. The conclusion is that schools need substantial knowledge about ASD to work in an including way with these students in a successful way. The study raises a question about the municipal system of allocation of resources