Can the obstacles to privacy self-management be overcome? Exploring the consent intermediary approach

In privacy self-management, people are expected to perform cost-benefit analysis on the use of their personal data, and only consent when their subjective benefits outweigh the costs. However, the ubiquitous collection of personal data and Big Data analytics present increasing challenges to successful privacy management. A number of services and research initiatives have proposed similar solutions to provide people with more control over their data by consolidating consent decisions under a single interface. We have named this the consent intermediary' approach. In this paper, we first identify the eight obstacles to privacy self-management which make cost-benefit analysis conceptually and practically challenging. We then analyse to which extent consent intermediaries can help overcome the obstacles. We argue that simply bringing consent decisions under one interface offers limited help, but that the potential of this approach lies in leveraging the intermediary position to provide aides for privacy management. We find that with suitable tools, some of the more practical obstacles indeed can become solvable, while others remain fundamentally insuperable within the individuated privacy self-management model. Attention should also be paid to how the consent intermediaries may take advantage of the power vested in the intermediary positions between users and other services

Merialueemme vieraslajien seurannan, varhaisvaroitus-järjestelmän (VVJ) ja riskin-arvioinnin kehittäminen

Liitteessä 1 Suomessa (Itämeressä) ns. vakiintuneet vieraslajit (useammin kuin kerran havaitut). VISEVARIS-projektin yhteydessä toimineen työryhmän ehdottamat uudet/muutetut suomenkieliset lajinimet lihavoitu. (Työryhmän vetäjänä toimi Erkki Leppäkoski).VISEVARIS-hankkeen tavoitteena oli kehittää rannikkovesiemme vieraslajien seuranta- ja varhaisvaroitusjärjestelmä (VVJ), mihin kuuluu mm. tietoisuuden lisääminen, vieraslajien aikainen havainnointi, tiedonkulun nopea välittäminen haitallisten lajien havaitsemisen jälkeen sekä kansalaisten valistaminen lajien levittämisen estämiseksi. Hankkeessa tutkittiin miltä osin ja miksi nykyseuranta ei pysty havaitsemaan uusia vieraslajeja, etsittiin tehokkaampia menetelmiä vieraslajien havaitsemiseksi ja niiden elinympäristöjen ja alueiden kartoittamiseksi, selvitettiin ja kuvattiin merialueemme keskeiset biologiset seurannat sekä niiden tuottama tieto tavattujen vieraslajien levinneisyydestä ja runsaudesta. Työssä todettiin, etteivät seurannat tavoita suurinta osaa nykyisistäkään vieraslajeista. Havaituista lajeista vain parista saadaan riittävä kuva runsauden ja levinneisyyden suhteen. Matalat rannikkovedet ovat heikoimmin seuratut elinympäristöt. Niiden seurantaa pitäisi lisätä. Hankkeessa tuotettiin ehdotus tehostetun seurannan toteuttamisesta, sen keskittämisestä eri elinympäristöihin sekä velvoiteseurannan toteuttamisesta satamissa. Hanke tuotti nettipohjaisen tunnistus-oppaan suurimmasta osasta Suomen merialueella esiintyvistä ja mahdollisesti tänne saapuvista vieraslajeista helpottamaan niiden havaitsemista ja tunnistamista. Hankkeessa selvitettiin myös vieraslajien riskinarviointiin tarjolla olevia kansainvälisiä työkaluja, joista testattaviksi valittiin makeanveden selkärangattomille kehitetty Fi-ISK ja kaloille käytetty FISK riskinarviointi-työkalu. Niiden avulla saadaan numeerisia arvoja eri lajien haitallisuudelle, mikä auttaa ryhmittelemään vieraslajeja niiden torjunnan kannalta. Kehittämällä työkaluja paremmin murtovesiolosuhteet huomioiviksi riskinarviointeja voidaan toteuttaa Itämeren alueella. Varhais-varoitus- ja informaatiojärjestelmän kehittämiseen tuotetuista osista voidaan rakentaa raamiversio, jonka kehysten sisälle tarvittava lisätieto voidaan helposti koota. Hanke auttaa kehittämään ja monipuolistamaan nykyisiä seurantoja ottamaan huomioon myös vieraslajit. Suomen kansallinen VVJ voi toimia esimerkkinä muille Itämeren maille ja se voi toimia yhteydenpitoväylänä Itämeren valtioiden kesken. Hankkeessa kehitetyllä nettilomakkeella parannetaan vieraslajihavaintojen ilmoittamismahdollisuuksia. Lomakkeen avulla niin tutkijat, konsultit, hallintoviranomaiset kuin kansalaisetkin voivat helposti ilmoittaa havaitsemansa vieraslajit sekä tarkistaa jo tehdyt vieraslajiilmoitukset. Hankkeessa saatuja tuloksia hyödynnetään EU:n meristrategia-direktiivin hyvän tilan indikaattoreita kehitettäessä sekä direktiivin toimeenpanoa tukevien seurantojen kehityksessä. Hankkeen aktiviteettien ansiosta monen vieraslajin havainnot moninkertaistuivat ja levinneisyys osoittautui oletettua laajemmaksi.Maa- ja metsätalousministeri

Enrichment of Pachytene Spermatocytes and Spermatids from Mouse Testes Using Standard Laboratory Equipment

To characterize each step of spermatogenesis, researchers must separate different subpopulations of germ cells from testes. However, isolating discrete populations is challenging, because the adult testis contains a complex mix of germ cells from all steps of spermatogenesis along with certain populations of somatic cells. Over the past few decades, different techniques such as centrifugal elutriation, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), and STA-PUT have been successfully applied to the isolation of germ cells. A drawback is that they all require dedicated devices and specialized training. Following principles underlying the STA-PUT method, a simple protocol has been developed for the isolation of pachytene spermatocytes, round spermatids, and elongating spermatids from mouse testes. After preparing a single cell suspension of testicular cells, specific cell populations are enriched by gravity sedimentation through a discontinuous bovine serum albumin (BSA) density gradient. The cell fractions are then manually collected and microscopically analysed. This modified density gradient for round spermatids (MDR) sedimentation protocol can be widely applied, because it requires only standard laboratory equipment. Furthermore, the protocol requires minimal starting materials, reducing its cost and use of laboratory animals

Benthic-pelagic coupling and trophic relationships in northern Baltic Sea food webs

Understanding marine ecosystem structure and functioning is crucial in supporting sustainable management of natural resources and monitoring the health of marine ecosystems. The current study utilized stable isotope (SI) mixing models and trophic position models to examine energy flow, trophic relationships, and benthic-pelagic coupling between food web components. Roughly 1900 samples from different trophic levels in the food web, collected during 2001-2010 from four northern and central sub-basins of the Baltic Sea, were analyzed for SI ratios of carbon and nitrogen. Trophic structure of the food webs among the sub-basins was consistent, but there were differences between the proportions of energy in different trophic levels that had originated from the benthic habitat. Mysids and amphipods served as important links between the benthic and pelagic ecosystems. Much (35-65%) of their energy originated from the benthic zone but was transferred to higher trophic levels in the pelagic food web by consumption by herring (Clupea harengus). One percent to twenty-four percent of the energy consumption of apex seal predators (Halichoerus grypus and Pusa hispida) and predatory fish (Salmo salar) was derived from benthic zone. Diets of mysids and amphipods differed, although some overlap in their dietary niches was observed. The food web in the Gulf of Finland was more influenced by the benthic subsystem than food webs in the other sub-basins. The baseline levels of delta C-13 and delta N-15 differed between sub-basins of the Baltic Sea, indicating differences in the input of organic matter and nutrients to each sub-basin.peerReviewe

Lack of androgen receptor SUMOylation results in male infertility due to epididymal dysfunction

Androgen receptor (AR) is regulated by SUMOylation at its transactivation domain. In vitro, the SUMOylation is linked to transcriptional repression and/or target gene-selective regulation. Here, we generated a mouse model (ArKl) in which the conserved SUMO acceptor lysines of AR are permanently abolished (Ar-K381R, (K500R)) ArKl males develop normally, without apparent defects in their systemic androgen action in reproductive tissues. However, the ArKl males are infertile. Their spermatogenesis appears unaffected, but their epididymal sperm maturation is defective, shown by severely compromised motility and fertilization capacity of the sperm. Fittingly, their epididymal AR chromatin-binding and gene expression associated with sperm maturation and function are misregulated. AR is SUMOylated in the wild-type epididymis but not in the testis, which could explain the tissue-specific response to the lack of AR SUMOylation. Our studies thus indicate that epididymal AR SUMOylation is essential for the post-testicular sperm maturation and normal reproductive capability of male mice

INVASIVESNET towards an International Association for Open Knowledge on Invasive Alien Species

In a world where invasive alien species (IAS) are recognised as one of the major threats to biodiversity, leading scientists from five continents have come together to propose the concept of developing an international association for open knowledge and open data on IAS—termed “INVASIVESNET”. This new association will facilitate greater understanding and improved management of invasive alien species (IAS) and biological invasions globally, by developing a sustainable network of networks for effective knowledge exchange. In addition to their inclusion in the CBD Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, the increasing ecological, social, cultural and economic impacts associated with IAS have driven the development of multiple legal instruments and policies. This increases the need for greater co-ordination, co-operation, and information exchange among scientists, management, the community of practice and the public. INVASIVESNET will be formed by linking new and existing networks of interested stakeholders including international and national expert working groups and initiatives, individual scientists, database managers, thematic open access journals, environmental agencies, practitioners, managers, industry, non-government organisations, citizens and educational bodies. The association will develop technical tools and cyberinfrastructure for the collection, management and dissemination of data and information on IAS; create an effective communication platform for global stakeholders; and promote coordination and collaboration through international meetings, workshops, education, training and outreach. To date, the sustainability of many strategic national and international initiatives on IAS have unfortunately been hampered by time-limited grants or funding cycles. Recognising that IAS initiatives need to be globally coordinated and ongoing, we aim to develop a sustainable knowledge sharing association to connect the outputs of IAS research and to inform the consequential management and societal challenges arising from IAS introductions. INVASIVESNET will provide a dynamic and enduring network of networks to ensure the continuity of connections among the IAS community of practice, science and management

SMG6 localizes to the chromatoid body and shapes the male germ cell transcriptome to drive spermatogenesis

Nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD) is a highly conserved and selective RNA turnover pathway that depends on the endonuclease SMG6. Here, we show that SMG6 is essential for male germ cell differentiation in mice. Germ-cell conditional knockout (cKO) of Smg6 induces extensive transcriptome misregulation, including a failure to eliminate meiotically expressed transcripts in early haploid cells, and accumulation of NMD target mRNAs with long 3 ' untranslated regions (UTRs). Loss of SMG6 in the male germline results in complete arrest of spermatogenesis at the early haploid cell stage. We find that SMG6 is strikingly enriched in the chromatoid body (CB), a specialized cytoplasmic granule in male germ cells also harboring PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and the piRNA-binding protein PIWIL1. This raises the possibility that SMG6 and the piRNA pathway function together, which is supported by several findings, including that Piwil1-KO mice phenocopy Smg6-cKO mice and that SMG6 and PIWIL1 co-regulate many genes in round spermatids. Together, our results demonstrate that SMG6 is an essential regulator of the male germline transcriptome, and highlight the CB as a molecular platform coordinating RNA regulatory pathways to control sperm production and fertility

Seasonal changes and population dynamics of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi after its first year of invasion in the Kiel Fjord, Western Baltic Sea

We analyzed the seasonal variations of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi weekly collected since its first record in the western Baltic Sea in October 2006. The distribution pattern together with the seasonal dynamics and population outbreaks in late summer 2007 indicate recent successfully establishment of M. leidyi in this area. Seasonal changes showed two periods of high reproductive activity characterized by a population structure dominated by small size classes, followed by an increase of larger ones. These results further revealed that the bulk of the population remains in deep layers during the periods of low population density, whereas it appeared situated in upper layers during the proliferation of the species. We further emphasized the strength of the population outbreaks, which can reach abundances >10-fold higher in time periods shorter than a week. The predatory impact this species may have in pelagic ecosystems warns on the importance of its recent range of expansion