Pathways towards the nuclear revival in Finland, France, and the UK

Nuclear power is undergoing a revival in a number of countries of both developed and developing world, and is increasingly presented as a solution to the problems of climate change and energy security. This paper analyses the history of and the debates on nuclear power in France, the UK and Finland, all of which are in the process of either planning or building new nuclear plants. The paper traces the history of nuclear power since the early post-War years, distinguishing five distinct phases of development, from the early period of nuclear enthusiasm, through the emergence of doubt and risk in the 70s and 80s, to the recent 'nuclear renaissance'. Emphasis in the analysis is placed on issue framings, argumentative strategies, the role of independent expertise, public opinion and the degree of openness of decision-making. Key similarities, converging trends and differences between the countries are identified and tentative conclusions drawn on the potential stability of the current framing of nuclear energy as a response to the double challenge of climate change and energy security

Affecting consumer behaviour on energy demand

This report provides a review of the literature on household energy consuming behaviours and how those behaviours can best be influenced with the goal of reducing energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions (CO2). The research also examines whether and how measures to encourage behavioural change can be included within future phases of the UK's Energy Efficiency Commitment and related policies

Vaihtoehto marssille : yhteiskunnallisen vaikuttamisen strategioita teatterin keinoin

Opinnäytetyö tarkastelee teatteritaiteen mahdollisuuksia vaikuttamisen työvälineenä. Työ tutkii yhteiskunnallista vaikuttamista osana teatteri-ilmaisun ohjaajan työnkuvaa kirjoittajan oman koetun tapauksen kautta. Aluksi työssä pohditaan yhteiskunnassamme vallitsevia vaikuttamisen mahdollisuuksia ja ihmisten käsitystä omista vaikutusmahdollisuuksistaan. Lisäksi tekstissä etsitään syitä ihmisten passiiviseen haluun vaikuttaa omiin ja yhteisiin asioihin yhteiskunnassa. Tästä kirjoittaja siirtyy kuvailemaan perinteisen mielenosoituksen keinoja ja pohtii niiden toimivuutta. Kirjoittajan omat kokemukset vaikuttamisesta teatterin keinoin tuodaan esille työn keskivaiheen kuvauksessa, jossa aihetta lähestytään oman henkilökohtaisen tapauksen kautta. Tapauksessa käsitellään Kirkkonummella Masalassa sijaitsevan Ljusdalan teatteritalon peruskorjaushankkeen puolesta taistelemista. Osiossa tekijä käy läpi oman kokemuspohjansa kautta viikon mittaisen projektin, jossa jokainen päivä on jaettu omaksi osiokseen. Osioissa avataan projektissa käytettyjen performanssien syntyä, ideointia ja kireällä aika-taululla vaikuttamista aktivistisin keinoin. Päätelmäosiossa työ pohtii taistelun onnistumisen syitä ja oman kokemuksen pohjalta koettujen vaikuttamisen keinojen toimivuutta ihmisiin ja yhteiskuntaan. Kirjoittaja tuo myös esille positiivisen vaikuttamisen hyödyt.The subject of this thesis consists of opportunities to influence society using theatre as its tool. The author deals with influencing factors according to his own experience to be part of drama instructor’s work. In the beginning of the theses, the author investigates normal ways to politically influence in society and also analyses how much people know about their opportunities to influence. Another subject explored is how passive people are to influence their own and each other’s affairs in society. From this point, the author proceeds to describe the measures of the protests and reflects how those measures work. The author’s own experiences of influencing with theatre are highlighted in the middle of the thesis. The subject is approached by the case where author itself had to struggle for renovating the theatre house Ljusdala in Masala Kirkkonummi. In this section of the theses, the author opens the methods employed for a one week protest. The thesis describes every day of the week in separate sections and thus casts light on the ideas and methods that were used. Finally, the thesis focuses on the reasons of a beaten struggle and considers the effectiveness of the measures of the influence people and society. The author brings out the benefits of influence with positive ways. In the final section of the theses, the author pulls together his own changed opinion about influencing society and considers the opportunities for the drama instructor to work with

Sensitive and quantitative lateral flow tests – with upconverting nanoparticle reporter technology

Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) can be used in settings where access to a central laboratory is limited. These settings include point-of-care (POC) diagnostics performed near a patient during a physician’s appointment or in an ambulance. Also, POC testing is used in many resource-limited community healthcare stations, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Lateral flow assay (LFA) is one of the dominant formats for RDT. Conventional lateral flow (LF) tests use visually detectable colored reporter technology, which is prone to limited sensitivity and subjective interpretation of the test read-out. Recently, there has been a growing interest towards applying luminescent label technologies in LFA. The use of such technology in combination with miniaturized reader device preserves most of the typical advantages of LF tests. It may also increase sensitivity and analyte quantification and rule out subjective interpretation of the result. The aim of this thesis was to develop LFAs employing upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) for improved detection of viral analytes and cardiac troponin I (cTnI). In LMIC there is a need for rapid diagnostics with performance equal to that of central laboratory diagnostics. Infections by viruses such as Hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) represent major health problems in many areas. LFAs for Hepatis B virus surface antigen and anti-HIV antibodies were developed in this thesis and evaluated with clinical specimens. In addition to infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases pose an emerging threat to human health with number of cases increasing as the standards of living improve globally. Cardiovascular diseases for instance have become a leading cause of premature mortality. Particularly in the case of myocardial infarction, rapid and accurate diagnosis affects the clinical outcome of the patient. Quantitative determination of cTnI can provide information on the status of the patient experiencing acute chest pain. In this thesis, an LFA for cTnI was developed evaluated in terms of quantitative determination of cTnI concentration in patient samples. The results obtained show that the use of UCNPs in the LF platform improves sensitivity and enables quantitative analyte detection. UCNP-LF technology has the potential for use in simple and cost-efficient POC tests, and it offers improved performance in contrast to traditional visual LF technology.Herkkien ja kvantitatiivisten lateraalivirtaustestien kehitys käänteisviritteisten nanopartikkelileimojen avulla Diagnostisia pikatestejä käytetään sellaisissa olosuhteissa, joissa mahdollisuudet keskuslaboratoriodiagnostiikan hyödyntämiseen ovat rajatut – kuten esimerkiksi tyypillisessä vieritestaustilanteessa, jossa diagnostisen testin tulokset tulisi saada nopeasti lääkärikäynnin aikana oikean hoitopäätöksen mahdollistamiseksi. Tämän lisäksi pikatestejä käytetään matalan tulotason maissa olosuhteissa, joissa resurssit laboratoriodiagnostiikan käyttöön ovat rajalliset. Lateraalivirtaustesti on yksi tyypillisimmistä pikatestialustoista. Useimmat lateraalivirtaustestit perustuvat visuaaliseen tulosten lukuun testilastulta. Visuaalisten määritysten heikkoutena on rajallinen herkkyys sekä tulosten subjektiivinen tulkinta. Kiinnostus korvata visuaalisesti havaittavat värilliset nanopartikkelileimat erilaisilla luminoivilla leimoilla on kasvanut viime vuosina. Luminoivilla leimoilla ja helppokäyttöisellä lukijalaitteella voidaan parantaa sekä määrityksen herkkyyttä, että kvantitatiivisuutta, mutta myös vähentää tulosten tulkinnan subjektiivisuutta. Väitöstyössä kehitettiin lateraalivirtausmäärityksiä virusanalyyttien havaitsemiseen ja parannettiin määritysten herkkyyttä ja kvantitatiivisuutta käyttämällä käänteisviritteisiä nanopartikkelileimoja. Monilla resurssiköyhillä alueilla on tarve pikadiagnostiikalle, joka kuitenkin suorituskyvyltään vastaisi keskuslaboratoriodiagnostiikkaa. Hepatiitti B ja HI-virus ovat edelleen suurimpia taudinaiheuttajia näillä alueilla. Väitöskirjatyössä kehitettiin määritykset Hepatiitti B viruksen pintaantigeenin ja HI-virusvasta-aineiden havaitsemiseen. Kehitettyjen määritysten suorituskykyä arvioitiin potilasnäytteillä. Myös tarttumattomat taudit, kuten sydänsairaudet, ovat maailmanlaajuisesti kasvussa elintason noustessa ja ovat suurin syy eliniänodotteen alenemaan. Sydänkohtauksen sattuessa, nopea ja oikea diagnoosi vaikuttaa oleellisesti potilaan hoitoennusteeseen. Väitöskirjatyössä arvioitiin kehitetyn sydänperäistä troponiini I:tä havaitsevan lateraalivirtausmäärityksen suorituskykyä mitata kvantitatiivisesti sydänperäistä troponiini I:tä potilasnäytteissä. Tutkimuksen tulokset osoittavat, että hyödyntämällä käänteisviritteisiä nanopartikkelileimoja voidaan kehittää herkempiä ja kvantitatiivisia lateraalivirtaustestejä. Teknologia mahdollistaisi helppojen ja kustannustehokkaiden testien valmistamisen samalla parantaen testien suorituskykyä suhteessa perinteiseen visuaaliseen lateraalivirtaustekniikkaan

Developing community energy projects: experiences from Finland and the UK

Community energy has drawn interest from the general public, policy makers and researchers in the UK over the last few years. Community energy projects, such as energy saving measures and renewable energy projects, are usually organised by civil society groups rather than commercial businesses. This DPhil research approaches community energy as local grassroots innovation and compares its development in two different countries, Finland and the UK. Key research question is: Why and how do community energy projects develop and how do they contribute to niche development? The thesis uses Sustainability Transitions studies literature, especially literature on Strategic Niche Management (SNM), as a theoretical framing, and empirical in-depth analysis of four community energy projects, two in the UK and two in Finland. The research examines how community energy projects develop in ‘niches’. Research findings highlight that motivations for projects include monetary savings, energy savings and climate change. Projects are developed by pre-existing community groups or groups that have come together to develop an energy project. Local embedding of community energy projects to each project’s individual circumstances helps successful project delivery. Pre-existing skills and tacit knowledge such as the ability to seek information and fill in funding applications can aid success. Engagement with key stakeholders further shapes projects’ aims and objectives. Community energy projects benefit from a clear leader who works with a supportive team. There is evidence of projects networking at the local and national level in the UK, while in Finland networking remains limited to the local area and projects often develop in isolation. Furthermore, there is a clear lack of active intermediary organisations in the Finnish context. Policy discourse at the government level can aid the attractiveness of community energy, while continued funding support encourages more people to get involved in projects in their local areas

Tautomerism and Fragmentation of Biologically Active Hetero Atom (O, N)-Containing Acyclic and Cyclic Compounds Under Electron Ionization

In this thesis a total of 86 compounds containing the hetero atoms oxygen and nitrogen were studied under electron ionization mass spectrometry (EIMS). These compounds are biologically active and were synthesized by various research groups. The main attention of this study was paid on the fragmentations related to different tautomeric forms of 2- phenacylpyridines, 2-phenacylquinolines, 8-aryl-3,4-dioxo-2H,8H-6,7-dihydroimidazo- [2,1-c][1,2,4]triazines and aryl- and benzyl-substituted 2,3-dihydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidine-5,7-(1H,6H)-diones. Also regio/stereospecific effects on fragmentations of pyrrolo- and isoindoloquinazolinones and naphthoxazine, naphthpyrrolo-oxazinone and naphthoxazino-benzoxazine derivatives were screened. Results were compared with NMR data, when available. The first part of thesis consists of theory and literature review of different types of tautomerism and fragmentation mechanisms in EIMS. The effects of tautomerism in biological systems are also briefly reviewed. In the second part of the thesis the own results of the author, based on six publications,are discussed. For 2-phenacylpyridines and 2-phenacylquinolines the correlation of different Hammett substituent constants to the relative abundances (RA) or total ion currents (% TIC) of selected ions were investigated. Although it was not possible to assign most of the ions formed unambiguously to the different tautomers, the linear fits of their RAs and % TICs can be related to changing contributions of different tautomeric forms. For dioxoimidazotriazines and imidazopyrimidinediones the effects of substituents were rather weak. The fragmentations were also found useful for obtaining structural information. Some stereoisomeric pairs of pyrrolo- and isoindoloquinazolines and regiomeric pairs of naphtoxazine derivatives showed clear differences in thir mass spectra. Some mechanisms are suggested for their fragmentations.Siirretty Doriast

Dynamics of policy change and intermediation: the arduous transition towards low-energy homes in the United Kingdom

The transition towards low-energy buildings in the United Kingdom is challenging. Several policy changes have affected the actions and agency of actors. Drawing on the sustainability transitions literature, we analyse the development of the low-energy homes niche, focusing on the dynamics between intermediary organisations and policy development for low-energy homes. Based on rich interview and secondary data, we note how the existence and activities of transition intermediaries are enabled or curtailed by policy changes. We identify niche development phases along with the position and activities of intermediary organisations. In the predevelopment phase, non-state transition intermediaries have formed when government policy has been weak or market-based. During take-off, targeted policy initiatives have created protective spaces and stimulated the emergence of new intermediaries aiming to consolidate the niche. State-affiliated intermediaries have been established as part of active energy efficiency policy, but later ceased to exist or became privatised. Existing organisations have adopted intermediary functions to advance low-energy homes in response to policy. Furthermore, intermediaries have on occasion influenced policy development, often through cooperation among an ecology of intermediaries. In conclusion, we raise questions regarding intermediaries in the changing governance context

Creating innovative zero carbon homes in the United Kingdom – intermediaries and champions in building projects

A transition to zero carbon buildings is needed for mitigating climate change. Yet, it is far from gaining sufficient momentum in many countries, particularly the United Kingdom. This article focuses on actors and platforms facilitating change towards zero carbon residential buildings by integrating the concepts of innovation intermediaries and champions. Drawing on interview data and building on the literatures of innovation intermediaries, champions and Strategic Niche Management, the article analyses actor configurations in three new build housing projects. The findings show that actors and platforms acting as innovation intermediaries advance zero carbon buildings at different stages of project development, with varying intensity, influence and longevity. Some intermediaries take also championing roles, while also other actors champion projects when intermediation is absent. At a time of limited policy support for zero carbon housing innovations, intermediation and championing activities become especially important in the transition towards zero carbon buildings