An emerging trend of charismatic religiosity in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

The membership rates of the Evangelical Lutheran Church are declining; thus its position in society is becoming more and more precarious. This article focuses on a description of how charismatic religiosity, as one possible answer to the challenges faced, has gained a foothold inside the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and what might be the premises that have made its emergence within an institutionalized Evangelical Lutheran religion possible. Because of the several decades of work done by the association known as Spiritual Renewal in Our Church, the publication of the Bishops’ Commendation, and the Church’s awakening to the ‘crisis of the folk church’, more doors have been opened to collaboration and the search for sources of inspiration

Spiritual senses as a resource

This article discusses knowledge gained through experiencing the presence of God through the ‘spiritual senses’ as a resource in an Evangelical Lutheran parish. Believers’ being-in-touch experiences with the divine produce a special kind of knowledge that can be shared and passed on in the parish. This ‘spiritual asset’ plays an important part in parochial activities. This development can be explained by the rise of experience-based religiosity and charismatic Christianity, a global Christian trend which is also affecting the mainline churches

Valoaktivoituvien ICG-Doksorubisiini-liposomien valmistaminen ja Quasi-Vivo® -pohjaisen kaksisolumallin kehittäminen lääkkeiden teho- ja toksisuuskokeisiin

Perinteiset 2D-solunkasvatusmenetelmät ja kokeelliset alustat eivät usein pysty simuloimaan eri solutyyppien luonnollista kemiallista ja fysiologista ympäristöä. Tekijöitä, jotka voivat vaikuttaa merkittävästi solujen erilaistumiseen, kasvuun, solunsisäisiin rakenteisiin tai metaboliseen aktiivisuuteen ovat esimerkiksi hapen saatavuus, viestiaineet, kemialliset gradientit, paine, nesteen virtaus ja alustojen topografia. Modulaarisia bioreaktoreita, kuten Quasi-Vivo®-järjestelmää, voidaan käyttää simuloimaan näitä tekijöitä. Liposomit ovat fosfolipidikaksoiskerroksesta muodostuvia partikkeleja, joiden sisällä on vesitilavuus. Niitä voidaan muokata monin eri tavoin, lataamalla niitä kuljettamaan vesi- tai rasvaliukoisia molekyylejä, muokkaamalla niiden transitiolämpötilaa, tai päällystämällä niitä eri tarpeiden mukaan. Doksorubisiini on tehokas ja yhä laajassa käytössä oleva sytostaatti, jolla kuitenkin vapaana lääkeaineena annosteltuna on vakavia haittoja, erityisesti sydäntoksisuus. Tässä työssä tavoitteena on selvittää sopivat valmistusparametrit ja todeta riittävä säilyvyys valoaktivoituville ICG-Doksorubisiini-liposomeille, jotta niitä voidaan käyttää tulevissa in vitro kokeissa. Tämän lisäksi selvitetään HepG2 solulinjan selviäminen virtauksen alla Quasi-Vivo® -laitteistossa ja yhdistetään HepG2 ja A549 solulinjat yhdeksi kaksisolumalliksi. Lopuksi suoritetaan yksinkertainen valotuskoe aiemmin valmistetuilla liposomeilla tässä solumallissa, ja tarkastellaan, miten vaikutus näkyy koko systeemissä. Liposomien, joiden ICG- ja doksorubisiini-enkapsulaatio on yli 70%, valmistaminen onnistuu esitetyllä protokollalla luotettavasti ja toistettavasti, ja nämä liposomit säilyvät käyttökelpoisina ainakin 14 vuorokautta säilytettynä pimeässä, 4°C lämpotilassa. A549 ja HepG2 solulinjojen kasvattaminen ja yhdistäminen samaan laitteistoon yhteiseen kasvatusliuokseen virtauksen alle onnistuu, eikä kummankaan solulinjan kasvussa huomata eroa viljelyyn staattisissa olosuhteissa. Kun valotetaan laitteistoon annosteltuja liposomeja, huomataan alustavien tulosten perusteella merkittävää tehon lisäystä valotetussa järjestelmässä pimeään verrattuna, sekä valotetuissa kammiossa että niissä, jotka siihen on Quasi-Vivo® -putkiston kautta yhdistetty.Traditional 2D cell cultivating vessels and experimental models cannot often simulate natural chemical and physical environment of different cell types. For example, availability of oxygen, chemical gradients, messaging molecules, fluid pressure, flow and surface topography are factors that may affect significantly in cell differentiation, growth, cellular structure, and metabolism. Modular bioreactors like Quasi-Vivo® -system can be used to simulate these factors. Liposomes are particles of phospholipid bilayer with aqueous space enclosed within. They can be modified in numerous ways, like loading them with hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules, changing their transition temperature or coating them according to different needs. Doxorubicin is effective and widely used cytostatic agent, but when administered as a free drug it has often severe side-effects, like cardiotoxicity. Goal of this thesis is to determine appropriate manufacturing parameters and verify adequate shelf-life of ICG-Doxorubicin liposomes, that they are applicable for future in vitro experiments. Then survival of HepG2 cell line under flow in Quasi-Vivo®-equipment is determined, after which A549 and HepG2 will be then combined into one two-cell model. Finally, a simple illumination experiment in this cell model with previously made liposomes is conducted, and the effect in whole system is examined. Using protocol presented in this thesis it is possible to produce successfully and repeatedly liposomes with both ICG and doxorubicin encapsulation over 70%. Their shelf-life was at least 14 days when stored in 4°C protected from light. This was determined to be sufficient for in vitro testing. Cultivating A549 and HepG2 cell lines combined in the same system with shared media and fluid flow conditions was successful. Neither of the cell lines show significant difference in viability when compared to static control. When light-activating liposomes are administered to the system and then illuminated, from preliminary results we can see significant difference in drug effect. Both illuminated chambers and off-target chambers connected via Quasi-Vivo® show increased suppression, which shows promise that this in vitro model would be useful for future experiments

The Human Machine at the Aboagora Symposium

Aboagora 2013 discussed the complex relationships between man and machine, where not only may the human being itself be viewed as a corporeal machine, but it is also possible to interpret the machine as an extension of the human sensory system. After three days of lectures and workshops about the multifaceted relationship between man and the machine, the ontological dividing line between humans and machines was open to question. For example, while the human body can be defined as the ultimate machine – an assemblage of forces, actions and mechanisms ranging from the optics of the eye to the processes of cognition – the boundaries between man and machine may be blurred as technological devices are used as integral parts of the human body. Where do we draw the line between man and machine in such situations? The Aboagora symposium on 'The Human Machine' raised important questions about the ontological qualities and delineations of various entities

Growing the international fan base through brand awareness and engagement : NHL organizations in Europe

Marketing and branding in sports continuously have a more vital role when sports teams and athletes pursue more significant incomes. Marketing and branding strategy plays a significant role in this game as it includes different actions to make the brand recognizable and strengthen the image. The main goal is to attract potential new "customers" (fans) and create deeper engagement among fans who have already shown their interest and ambition toward the sports team or brand. Interest in sports brand internationalization has increased lately among academic literature and sports marketing professionals. However, existing literature also recognizes an increasing interest in sports brand internationalization as the fan bases have globalized. It is highlighted that not many studies focus on fans living abroad and how different branding strategies influence those fans. In addition, the literature has focused on fan motivations to attend sporting events and how fans express their attachment through physical presence. However, the consumption of sports brands cannot be limited only to live events as the fan base is heavily globalized. Therefore, literature has acknowledged that the brand equity framework is more than suitable when exploring the connection between the brand and international fans. This research examines how NHL teams may grow their European fan base by enhancing brand awareness and engagement. The study proposes that this may be accomplished by deconstructing the brand development process and establishing obvious links between each phase of the brand development process and the fandom development process. The purpose of this research is to provide an understanding how the branding process could be united with the fandom development process to create awareness which creates a foundation for fandom development and to create attraction and engagement to develop that fandom and ultimately retain the fandom. The empirical research was conducted through expert interviews. Semi-structured interviews based on the theoretical framework were used to collect data. The interviewees were chosen after careful exploration, and the main selection criteria were extended knowledge and experience from the field of sports business and sports marketing. The empirical research mostly validated the prior conclusions while also providing new insights. It was concluded that the most crucial thing in international sports brand management is understanding the brand's core and building a brand message around identity and personality that communicates authenticity. After that, the methods to enhance brand awareness were widely confirmed. The study identified the most critical methods in that phase. In addition, the same results were achieved in the brand engagement phase, as the study confirmed the findings from the literature. However, the study also underlined that the process seems simple in theory. However, in practice, it requires a lot of effort and resources. Following that, the objective of this study was accomplished by validating the theoretical framework based on the results of the empirical study

Gas response properties of metal oxide nanoparticle based sensors on MEMS microhotplate platforms

Abstract. This thesis concentrated on the analysis of the gas response properties of several metal oxide based gas sensors. A thin layer of chosen metal oxide was deposited on SGX Sensortech S.A. sensor platforms using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Metal oxides used in the studies included tungsten trioxide (WO₃3), tin oxide zinc oxide (SnO₂-ZnO) and vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅). The films were deposited at room temperature and various oxygen partial pressures, and were then post-annealed at 400 °C. Gas response measurements were done in two different temperatures and using several gases including nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H₂), and ammonia (NH₃). The concentration of the gases were varied during each measurement to probe the sensitivity of the sensors. Gas sensing performance of the sensors were evaluated based on material, selectivity toward different gases, and the effect of surface structure. Oxygen partial pressure during PLD had a clear impact on the structure of the oxide film. Higher pressure resulted in larger agglomerates of particles, which in general leads to lower gas sensitivity due to factors such as grain size and surface area-to-volume ratio. The measurements showed high responses to NOx for WO₃ and SnO₂-ZnO samples, as expected. Also, flipping of the response from low concentration to high concentration was observed for WO₃ and SnO₂-ZnO while V₂O₅ showed a mostly stable response.Metallioksidinanopartikkeleihin perustuvien kaasuantureiden analysointi MEMS-rakenteissa. Tiivistelmä. Tässä työssä analysoitiin useiden metallioksideihin perustuvien antureiden kaasuvasteita. Kaasuantureiden substraattina käytettiin SGX Sensortech S.A. valmistamia mikrolämmittimeen pohjautuvia MEMS-rakenteita. Substraatin päälle kasvatettiin ohut kerros valittuja metallioksideja, kuten volframioksidi (WO₃), tinaoksidin ja sinkkioksidin yhdiste (SnO₂-ZnO), ja vanadiumoksidi (V₂O₅). Kasvatusmenetelmänä käytettiin pulssilaserkasvatusta. Kasvatus tapahtui huoneenlämmössä ja useissa eri hapen osapaineissa. Kasvatuksen jälkeen anturit jälkihehkutettiin 400 °C lämpötilassa. Kaasuvastemittaukset suoritettiin kahdessa eri lämpötilassa usealle eri kaasulle, kuten typpioksideille (NOx), hiilimonoksidille (CO), vetykaasulle (H₂) ja ammoniakille (NH₃). Kaasun konsentraatiota vaihdeltiin mittausten aikana antureiden herkkyyden määrittämiseksi. Kaasuantureiden toimintakykyä arvioitiin materiaalin, selektiivisyyden ja oksidin pintarakenteen perusteella. Hapen osapaineella pulssilaserkasvatuksen aikana oli merkittävä vaikutus oksidikerroksen rakenteeseen. Suuremmassa paineessa kasvatetut kerrokset muodostivat suurempia partikkeleiden agglomeraatteja, mikä yleisesti ottaen johti heikompaan kaasuvasteeseen johtuen suuremmasta partikkelikoosta ja pienemmästä pinta-alan ja tilavuuden suhteesta. Mittauksissa nähtiin voimakkaita reaktioita typpioksidikaasuihin erityisesti SnO₂-ZnO ja WO₃ näytteiden osalta, kuten oli odotettavissa. SnO₂-ZnO ja WO₃ näytteillä oli myös havaittavissa kaasuvasteen suunnan muutos redusoivasta oksidoivaan kaasukonsentraation kasvaessa, kun taas V₂O₅5-näytteet käyttäytyivät enimmäkseen vakaasti

Synovial chondromatosis of the temporomandibular joint : condyle osteotomy of the mandible and patient-specific fixation implant

Peer reviewe

Connected with God: Body, the social, and the transcendent

The special issue Connected with God: Body, the Social, and the Transcendent addresses the very topical question of the architecture of religious, especially Christian, experiences. Specifically, it examines the processes in which Christians experience the connection with, and gain knowledge of, God in and through the body, and, in particular, the role of social relatedness and morality in generating and informing these experiences. The issue challenges the view of an individual subjective relationship with God, and argues that Christian experiences of God’s presence are not solely a matter of an individual’s relationship with the divine but are very much made possible, guided, and conceptualised through corporeal relationships with social others – believers and other fellow-humans. Through detailed ethnographic and historical examination, the issue also addresses the question of whether and how the form of Christianity practised influences people’s experiences of divine presence