Significance of Supplier Selection Criteria Evolvement in IT Outsourcing to Emerging Economies - Lessons from a Global IT Outsourcing Project

In line with the increasing significance of the acceleration of information technology (IT) advancement and also of harnessing the vigor of emerging economies, IT outsourcing to emerging economies has become global concerns. This enables global companies to enjoy a critical competitive edge by choosing the best option in outsourcing strategy and supplier selection. Consequently, supplier selection criteria have become critical issues for both suppliers and customers. This paper attempts to provide insightful suggestions to these issues. An empirical analysis was conducted taking supplier selection criteria evolvement in global IT outsourcing project focusing on action research in a multinational company. Noteworthy findings include impacts of manager’s change, identification of creative moment and weighting of supplier selection criteria

Two-year cycle of vendace (Coregonus albula) in Pyhäjärvi, SW Finland: evidence for asymmetric competition between adults and juveniles

Long-term monitoring of the planktivorous vendace (Coregonus albula) in Pyhajarvi, a lake in SW Finland, revealed periods characterised by different types of population regulation. In 1971-1989, the vendace stock was strong and exhibited a two-year cycle. In 1990-1999, extreme weather conditions and predation resulted in recruitment failures, after which overfishing kept year-classes small. From 2000 onwards, the two-year oscillations were re-established at a lower level. Here, we show that the two-year cyclicity prevalent in the 1980s was consistent with the hypothesis of asymmetric competition between adults and juveniles. Food consumption by juveniles of strong year-classes retarded growth and weakened condition of the co-occurring adults, resulting in less abundant year-classes. In 2000-2018, the role of intraspecific competition diminished due to interspecific competition from increased populations of other planktivorous fish, preventing vendace from attaining higher abundance. Elevated temperature probably confounded the effects of competition, but its direct role was masked by simultaneous gradual eutrophication and fish assemblage changes

Trends in vendace (Coregonus albula) biomass in Pyhäjärvi (SW Finland) relative to trophic state, climate change, and abundance of other fish species

Catches of vendace (Coregonus albula) from Pyhajarvi, a boreal lake in SW Finland, were exceptionally high for decades. Gradually, however, eutrophication and climate warming significantly changed the lake environment. From the 1970s to the 2010s, total phosphorus and chlorophyll a levels increased two- and threefold, respectively, while the average June-September surface temperature increased by 0.34 degrees C decade'. The highest population biomass of the young-of-the-year vendace in autumn, 6-18 (mean = 14) kg ha(-1). was recorded in 1973-1989, a period of sustainable fishery. Overfishing in 1990-1999 reduced autumn biomass of young-of-the-year vendace biomass to 3-11 (mean = 6) kg ha(-1), allowing the competing planktivores perch (Percafluviatills), roach (Rutilus rutilus), and smelt (Osmerus - eperlanus) to increase and consume a larger part of the plankton resources. Eutrophication and climate warming appear to have favoured these species, and the new resource division persisted even after the vendace population recovered

Invasive submerged macrophytes complicate management of a shallow boreal lake: a 42-year history of monitoring and restoration attempts in Littoistenjärvi, SW Finland

The small, shallow lake Littoistenjärvi (SW Finland) experienced in 1978-2019 rapid fluctuations between extreme ecological states, initially associated with mass occurrences of the submerged macrophyte Elodea canadensis Michx. In collapse years following abundance peaks, water was turbid, in other years clear. Aeration prevented anoxia under ice-cover, but this favoured Elodea. Mechanical plant removal accelerated Elodea growth, and had to be abandoned. Recurrent cyanobacterial blooms started in 2000, and by 2006 phosphorus and chlorophyll reached new high levels because of increased internal loading. During this turbid state, internal loading showed significant positive correlation with maximum water temperature and pH. External loading was reduced in 2011 by one-third by diverting runoff from a former arable field transformed into a wetland. Precipitation of phosphorus with polyaluminium chloride in 2017 restored the clear-water state. The case of Littoistenjärvi shows that if internal loading has become the major factor controlling water quality, traditional restoration methods (external load reduction, aeration, removal fishing) provide limited possibilities to improve water quality. Instead, chemical precipitation of phosphorus seems a promising measure which can break the vicious circle of algal blooms and internal loading. Unfortunately, the uncontrollable growth of invasive submerged macrophytes may jeopardise the positive development

Electromechanical film sensor device for dynamic force recordings from canine limbs

An equipment based on the electromechanical film (EMF) sensors was designed for the measurementof forces acting upon canine limbs. EMF forms an elastic electret, which generates on its surface an electric charge proportional to the the force applied on it. The EMF sensors were calibrated using a conventional material testing device with cyclic loads. The beagles were trained on a treadmill working at horizontal position or with either 15° uphill or downhill inclination. The treadmill belt speed varied from 2.5 km/h to 7.5 km/h. The force under the canine paws varied depending on the inclination of the treadmill. When the dogs ran uphill, weight-bearing on hind1imbs increased 11% but the weight-bearing 0n forelimbs did not change. Downhill running increased weight-bearing on forelimbs by 8% and decreased weight-bcaring of the hindlimbs by 5%. Immobilization of the right hind] imb increased weightbearing on both forelimbs by 7-25% and on the left hindlimb by 56%. One month after a 30° valgus osteotomy operation at the right tibia, the dynamic force recorded From the operated hindlimb was 69% of the control value. Three months after osteotomy, the weight-bearing of the operated limb approachednormal situation. Our results suggest that the EMF sensor is a reliable method for the measurement of dynamic forces acting on the weight-bearing limbs of the dogs

Multi-inflammatory syndrome and Kawasaki disease in children during the COVID-19 pandemic : A nationwide register-based study and time series analysis

Aim We investigated whether the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic was associated with the occurrence of Kawasaki disease or with multi-inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Methods This national Finnish register-based study was based on laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections, MIS-C and Kawasaki disease cases. We performed a time series analysis on the occurrence of Kawasaki disease in 2016-2020. Results In 2020, there were 5170 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases in children under 18 years of age and five fulfilled the MIS-C case definition. The occurrence of MIS-C was 0.97 per 1000 (95% confidence interval: 0.31-2.26) laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections in children. Our time series analysis showed that Kawasaki disease cases decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The seasonally adjusted incidence rate ratio was 0.49 (95% confidence interval: 0.32-0.74) when it was compared to pre-pandemic levels. This coincided with a reduced occurrence of respiratory infections, due to social distancing in the population. Conclusion This nationwide register-based study found that MIS-C was a rare complication of the SARS-CoV-2 infection. The occurrence of Kawasaki disease and respiratory infections decreased during the pandemic. This suggests that transmissible microbes may play an important role in Kawasaki disease and social distancing may have a protective effect.Peer reviewe

Haitallisten aineiden tarkkailu – päästöt ja vaikutukset vesiin

Velvoitetarkkailuissa on toistaiseksi kiinnitetty varsin vähän huomiota jätevesien ja muun ihmistoiminnan vuoksi ympäristöön joutuviin haitallisiin yhdisteisiin ja niiden vaikutuksiin. Kemikaalien runsas ja monipuolinen käyttö tuotannossa ja kotitalouksissa sekä toisaalta kansainvälisestä ja kotimaisesta lainsäädännöstä johtuvat vaatimukset ovat lisänneet paineita liittää vierasaineita koskevia selvityksiä toiminnanharjoittajien velvoitetarkkailuihin. Esteenä on usein ollut epätietoisuus tarkkailtavien aineiden valinnasta, menetelmistä ja tarkkailuohjelmien muista yksityiskohdista. Tämä ohje on laadittu edistämään haitallisten aineiden tarkkailua sekä jätevesissä, pohjavesissä että pintavesissä. Se on tarkoitettu tarkkailua käsittelevien ja valvovien kuntien ja valtion viranomaisten, tarkkailua suorittavien laitosten ja tarkkailuvelvollisten toiminnanharjoittajien käyttöön. Julkaisu on jaettu kahteen osaan, joista ensimmäisessä kuvataan asiaan liittyvää lainsäädäntöä, päästölähteitä, vesienhoitolain vaikutuksia tarkkailuun sekä kansainvälisiä käytäntöjä. Toisessa osassa esitetään suosituksia tarkkailujen järjestämiseksi ja havainnollistetaan suosituksia esimerkkitapauksilla. Haitallisten aineiden tarkkailun lisäksi julkaisussa kuvataan eräitä muitakin tarkkailuasioiden hoitoon yleisesti suositeltavia menettelytapoja, kuten tarkkailujen hyväksymiskäytäntöjä, raportointia ja laadunvarmistusta. Yhdenmukaisten menettelytapojen kuvaamista pidettiin tärkeänä, koska velvoitetarkkailuille annetut yleisohjeet ovat vuodelta 1992, eikä niitä ole uudistettu sen jälkeen. Haitallisten aineiden käyttö-, päästö- ja vaikutustarkkailujen tulee perustua riskiarviointiin ja uuden toiminnan kyseessä ollen myös riittäviin ennakkoselvityksiin. Tarvittaessa tarkkailuun tulisi kuulua syy-seuraussuhteita selvittäviä tutkinnallisia jaksoja, joiden tuottaman tiedon avulla tarkkailuista saattaa olla mahdollista karsia pois epäolennaisia osia ja keskittyä toimintaa herkimmin kuvaaviin muuttujiin. Julkaisussa korostetaan tarkkailujen kehittämistä sen mukaan, miten tietoa kertyy. Lisäksi on haluttu nostaa esiin biotestauksen mahdollisuuksia jätevesijakeiden ja kokonaisjätevesipäästöjen vaikutuksia selvitettäessä. Tarkkailun parhaita käytäntöjä ja suositeltavia valintoja on havainnollistettu muutamin kuvitteellisin esimerkkitapauksin

Kaupunki-maaseutu-alueluokitus

Perinteinen kuntarajoihin perustuva kaupunki-maaseutu-luokitus on kuntien koon kasvaessa osoittautunut epätarkaksi. Tässä raportissa kuvataan uuden paikkatietoihin perustuvan luokituksen toteuttaminen. Uusi luokitus perustuu paikkatietomenetelmään, jossa lähtöaineistot ovat koko maan kattavia 250x250 metrin tilastoruutuaineistoja. Luokitus perustuu maaseutualueiden osalta aiempaan maaseudun kolmijakoon, jossa tunnistetaan kaupungin läheinen maaseutu, ydinmaaseutu sekä harvaan asuttu maaseutu. Näiden luokkien lisäksi maaseudulta on erotettu maaseudun paikalliskeskukset. Kaupunkialueita ovat yli 15 000 asukkaan keskustaajamat, joihin on raportissa kuvatulla menetelmällä rajattu ydinkaupunkialue ja kehysalue. Ydinkaupunkialue jakautuu edelleen sisempään ja ulompaan kaupunkialueeseen. Luokituksen lähtöaineistona on käytetty väestö-, työvoima-, työmatka- ja rakennustietoja sekä Digiroad tieverkkoaineistoa ja CORINE maankäyttöaineistoa. Näiden perusteella on laskettu määrää, tiheyttä, tehokkuutta, saavutettavuutta, intensiteettiä, monipuolisuutta ja suuntautuneisuutta kuvaavia muuttujia, joiden luokitteluun ja yhdistelyyn luokitus perustuu. Luokitus on vapaasti saatavissa paikkatietomuodossa verkkosivuilta. Sen voi ladata paikkatietoaineistona ja siihen liittyvänä kuntatasolle laskettuna tilastoaineistona. Ensisijaisesti kaupunki-maaseutu-luokitus kuvaa alueiden välisiä eroja aluerakenteen tasolla. Luokitus ei kuvaa niinkään yksittäisen paikan ominaisuuksia vaan luonnehtii aluekokonaisuuksia. Alueluokkien rajat on yleistetty siten, että luokitus toimii parhaiten laajempien alueiden tarkasteluissa. Luokituksen avulla saadaan tietoa erityyppisten alueiden kehityksestä koko maan tasolla

Immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery : A 13-year real-life report of 56 700 cataract operations

Background/aims: To assess the frequency of immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS) and endophthalmitis during 13-year period in Tays Eye Centre, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland. Methods: All cataract surgeries performed between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2020, and all endophthalmitis cases during the same period were searched from electronic patient records. Numbers and frequencies of ISBCS, and complications, including endophthalmitis and vitreous loss, were recorded and compared with unilateral operations. Results: The study included 56 700 cataract surgeries in 34 797 patients of whom 39% (n=13 445) had ISBCS. The median age of the patients was 75 (IQR 68-80, range 0.08-99) years at the time of surgery. The proportion of ISBCS patients increased from 4.2% in 2008 to 46% in 2020. Vitreous loss occurred in 480 (0.9%) of cataract surgeries. There were no postoperative endophthalmitis after cataract surgery (n=0) during the 13-year period. Conclusion: The proportion of patients undergoing ISBCS increased from 4.2% in 2008 to 46% in 2020. No endophthalmitis were found to be associated with ISBCS.publishedVersionPeer reviewe