Anchoring Belonging Through Material Practices in Participatory Arts-Based Research

How do people understand belonging and what kinds of stances toward belonging do they take? What kind of knowledge or ways of knowing (EISNER, 2008) does artistic practice yield about belonging? We ask these questions in this article, which is based on the research project Crossing Borders, in which we used participatory arts-based methods to study belonging. We invited participants to explore the notion of belonging in three parallel workshops drawing on different art forms, film, writing and visual arts. The goal of the workshops was for each participant to produce an artwork that deals with belonging.In the article, we identify four stances that the participants expressed toward the concept of belonging and explore the ways in which their ideas were manifested in the artworks. We analyze the workshop discussions, the participants' interviews and the artworks, and demonstrate on both the conceptual and material level that artistic practice can provide extremely nuanced and situated knowledge, or ways of knowing, about belonging. We argue that the artworks anchor the ever-shifting stances into material forms and expressions. Artistic practice is thus one way of defining and contextualizing the fluid concept of belonging.Was wird unter Zugehörigkeit verstanden und welche Standpunkte finden sich hierzu? Welches Wissen und welche Wissensarten (EISNER 2008) erbringen künstlerische Praktiken? In unserem Beitrag beschäftigen wir uns mit diesen Fragen ausgehend von dem Projekt "Crossing Borders", in dem wir partizipative kunstbasierte Verfahren zur Erforschung von Zugehörigkeit nutzten. Wir luden Teilnehmer*innen ein, ihr Verständnis von Zugehörigkeit in drei parallelen Workshops zu explorieren entlang unterschiedlicher Zugangsweisen (Film, Schreiben, Bilder/Zeichnungen). Ziel war, dass für jede*n in jedem Workshop ein künstlerisches Produkt entstehen sollte, das von Zugehörigkeit handelte. Hiervon ausgehend haben wir vier mögliche Standpunkte mit Blick auf das Konzept der Zugehörigkeit eruiert und untersucht, in welcher Weise diese einen Ausdruck in den künstlerischen Produkten der Teilnehmenden fanden. Zusätzlich fassen wir die Ergebnisse aus den Workshop-Diskussionen und aus Einzelinterviews zusammen und zeigen konzeptuell und an Materialien, dass aus künstlerische Praktiken sehr feines und situiertes Wissen über Zugehörigkeit resultieren kann, und dass wechselnde Standpunkte hierzu in materiellen Ausdrucksformen verankert werden können. So können kunstbasierte Verfahren helfen, das fluide Konzept von Zugehörigkeit zu bestimmen und zu kontextualisieren

Prevalence of autoimmune disorders among bladder pain syndrome patients' relatives

Purpose Possible genetic background and autoimmune etiology of Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS, formerly Interstitial Cystitis, IC) has been suggested. We studied whether familial clustering of BPS, other autoimmune diseases or fibromyalgia exist among BPS patients' genetically close relatives; possibly reflecting some common predisposing genetic background of these diseases. Materials and methods Altogether 420 first- or second-degree relatives of 94 BPS patients fulfilling the NIDDK criteria were asked to fill in a survey on the self-reported diagnosis of urinary tract diseases, fibromyalgia and 23 autoimmune diseases, together with filling the O'Leary-Sant symptom score. The ones with high symptom scores were interviewed and, if necessary, referred to a further clinical consultation. The prevalence of other diseases was compared to previously published prevalence percentages. Results 334 (80%) of 420 family members returned the questionnaire. Only one of the relatives fulfilled the NIDDK criteria, and one sibling pair among the original BPS patients was found. Asthma, ulcerative colitis, fibromyalgia, iritis and rheumatoid arthritis were more common in the study population than in the reference populations. The reported prevalence of atopic dermatitis and rhinoconjunctivitis causing allergies were lower. In addition, the results show that the O'Leary-Sant symptom score is not reliable in screening for new BPS cases. Conclusions Our study suggests that in BPS patients' families, fibromyalgia and autoimmune diseases including asthma, and especially the non-allergic form of asthma, may be over-represented.Peer reviewe

Altered cardiorespiratory response to exercise in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome

In polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), cardiovascular risk is increased. Peak O2 uptake (V˙O2peak) predicts the cardiovascular risk. We were the first to examine the contribution of systemic O2 delivery and arteriovenous O2 difference to V˙O2peak in overweight and obese women with PCOS. Fifteen overweight or obese PCOS women and 15 age-, anthropometry-, and physical activity-matched control women performed a maximal incremental cycling exercise test. Alveolar gas exchange (volume turbine and mass spectrometry), arterial O2 saturation (pulse oximetry), and cardiac output (CO) (impedance cardiography) were monitored. Hb concentration was determined. Arterial O2 content and arteriovenous O2 difference (C(a-v)O2) (Fick equation) were calculated. Insulin resistance was evaluated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). PCOS women had lower V˙O2peak than controls (40 ± 6 vs. 46 ± 5 mL/min/kg fat-free mass [FFM], P = 0.011). Arterial O2 content was similarly maintained in the groups throughout the exercise test (P > 0.05). Linear regression analysis revealed a pronounced response of CO to increasing V˙O2 in PCOS women during the exercise test: A ∆CO/∆V˙O2 slope was steeper in PCOS women than in controls (β = 5.84 vs. β = 5.21, P = 0.004). Eventually, the groups attained similar peak CO and peak CO scaled to FFM (P > 0.05). Instead, C(a-v)O2 at peak exercise was lower in PCOS women than in controls (13.2 ± 1.6 vs. 14.8 ± 2.4 mL O2/100 mL blood, P = 0.044). HOMA-IR was similar in the groups (P > 0.05). The altered cardiorespiratory responses to exercise in overweight and obese PCOS women indicate that PCOS per se is associated with alterations in peripheral adjustments to exercise rather than with limitations of systemic O2 delivery.Peer reviewe

InDEx – Industrial Data Excellence

InDEx, the Industrial Data Excellence program, was created to investigate what industrial data can be collected, shared, and utilized for new intelligent services in high-performing, reliable and secure ways, and how to accomplish that in practice in the Finnish manufacturing industry.InDEx produced several insights into data in an industrial environment, collecting data, sharing data in the value chain and in the factory environment, and utilizing and manipulating data with artificial intelligence. Data has an important role in the future in an industrial context, but data sources and utilization mechanisms are more diverse than in cases related to consumer data. Experiences in the InDEx cases showed that there is great potential in data utili zation.Currently, successful business cases built on data sharing are either company-internal or utilize an existing value chain. The data market has not yet matured, and third-party offerings based on public and private data sources are rare. In this program, we tried out a framework that aimed to securely and in a controlled manner share data between organizations. We also worked to improve the contractual framework needed to support new business based on shared data, and we conducted a study of applicable business models. Based on this, we searched for new data-based opportunities within the project consortium. The vision of data as a tradeable good or of sharing with external partners is still to come true, but we believe that we have taken steps in the right direction.The program started in fall 2019 and ended in April 2022. The program faced restrictions caused by COVID-19, which had an effect on the intensity of the work during 2020 and 2021, and the program was extended by one year. Because of meeting restrictions, InDEx collaboration was realized through online meetings. We learned to work and collaborate using digital tools and environments. Despite the mentioned hindrances, and thanks to Business Finland’s flexibility, the extension time made it possible for most of the planned goals to be achieved.This report gives insights in the outcomes of the companies’ work within the InDEx program. DIMECC InDEx is the first finalized program by the members of the Finnish Advanced Manufacturing Network (FAMN, www.famn.fi).</p

Recruitment Process Development : Improving the recruitment process at StaffPoint

Recruitment is an important function for all organisations. The current demographic and market trends as well as future expectations favour the use of more flexible and cost-effective forms of labour. Temporary recruitment agencies provide outsourced recruitment and temporary workforce as a service when needed, providing both flexibility and cost-efficiency for organisations that prefer to avoid retaining workforce themselves. Competition for temporary recruitment agencies is intensifying and continuous improve-ment is necessary to compete. This research studies possible improvements to the existing recruitment process of the temporary recruitment agency market leader StaffPoint. A secondary aim for the research is to suggest improvements that would develop the recruitment process at StaffPoint into an industry benchmark process. Soft Systems Methodology is utilised in the research to model an ideal version of the existing recruitment process at StaffPoint and compare the ideal process to the existing real world process, therefore allowing the consideration of viable and feasible improvement suggestions for StaffPoint. The study finds that modelling the recruitment process in SSM yields greater understanding of the modelled process. Further considerations suggest improved use of technology to increase efficiency of many tasks in the process, especially conducting virtual interviews and automating the everyday temporary work service better. Furthermore thoughtful implementation of the improvements is called for to ensure high quality operations for Staff-Point. The suggested improvements and acquired understanding convey that StaffPoint already has a good quality recruitment process which could nevertheless be improved further to enforce the position of a market leader. Furthermore the discovered potential for improvements suggests how setting further practices for continuous improvement would benefit StaffPoint now and in the future.Rekrytointi on tärkeä osa-alue kaikille organisaatioille. Tämänhetkinen yhteiskuntarakenne ja markkinasuuntaukset sekä tulevaisuuden odotukset puoltavat joustavia ja kustannustehokkaita työn muotoja. Vuokra- ja rekrytointiyritykset tarjoavat rekrytoinnin ulkoistamista sekä vuokratövoimaa palveluna asiakkaalle tarpeen mukaan, tarjoten joustavuutta ja kustannustehokkuutta organisaatioille, jotka haluavat välttää oman työvoiman pitämistä. Vuokratyö- ja rekrytointiyrityksien kilpailu on kiihtymässä ja jatkuva kehittyminen on välttämätöntä kilpailussa. Tämä tutkimus tutkii kehitysmahdollisuuksia vuokratyö- ja rekrytointiyritysten markkinajohtaja StaffPointin olemassaolevaan rekrytointiprosessiin. Toissijainen tavoite tutkimuksessa on ehdottaa parannuksia, jotka voisivat kehittää StaffPointin rekrytointiprosessista alan esikuvan ja vertailukohdan. Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) –metodologiaa hyödynnetään tutkimuksessa olemassaolevan StaffPointin rekrytointiprosessin ideaaliversion mallintamiseen ja vertaamiseen olemassaolevaan prosessiin mahdollistaen käytännöllisten ja realististen kehitysehdotuksien muodostamiseen StaffPointia varten. Tutkimuksessa huomataan kuinka rekrytointiprosessin mallintaminen SSM:ssä mahdollistaa koko mallinnetun prosessin paremman ymmärtämisen. Tutkimus myös ehdottaa teknologian käyttöä monen prosessin osan tehostamiseksi, erityisesti virtuaalihaastattelujen käymiseksi ja jokapäiväisen vuokratyöpalvelun automatisoinniksi. Lisäksi ehdotusten tarkasti harkittua käyttöönottoa painotetaan korkean laadun varmistamiseksi StaffPointilla. Kehitysehdotukset ja saavutettu ymmärrys mahdollistavat johtopäätöksen, että StaffPointilla on jo valmiiksi hyvälaatuinen rekrytointiprosessi, mitä olisi silti mahdollista kehittää pidemmälle markkinajohtajan aseman varmistamiseksi. Lisäksi havaitut kehitysmahdollisuudet johtavat ehdotukseen suunnitella ja asettaa käytäntöjä jatkuvaa kehittämistä varten StaffPointin hyödyksi nyt ja tulevaisuudessa

Miesten virtsaamisoireiden esiintyvyys ja ennuste

Lievät virtsaamisoireet ovat yleisiä kaikenikäisillä miehillä. Iän mukana oireet vaikeutuvat, kerääntymisoireet yleistyvät enemmän kuin tyhjennysoireet (esim. virtsantulon viipyminen) tai virtsaamisen jälkeiset oireet (esim. jälkitiputtelu). Yksittäisen oireen vaikeusaste vaihtelee ja oireilla on taipumus parantua itsestään. Virtsavaivat esiintyvät yhdessä ja ne voidaan jakaa tyhjennysoireisiin, kerääntymisoireisiin ja virtsankarkailu-oireisiin. Miehet, joilla virtsaamisoireet ovat hankalia, hyötyvät enemmän leikkaushoidosta kuin lääkehoidosta.Objectives: The aim of this epidemiological study was to determine the prevalence and burden of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in male population with an extension to younger cohorts (30 to 50-year-old men). The study was conducted to evaluate the relationship of 12 different LUTS symptoms and assess which symptoms are contingent upon each other. Follow-up studies were used to determine the natural course of LUTS in untreated men and evaluate how well medical and surgical treatments affect different symptoms. Population and methods: In this population-based study the target population was 30 to 80-year-old men from the Pirkanmaa area, Finland. A self-administered postal questionnaire survey was conducted in 2004. In the two follow-up studies of this dissertation the three oldest age groups from 60 to 80 years were used. Endpoint assessment was based on the 2004 questionnaire and information on determinants was gathered from the questionnaire of 1999. Demographic data were collected and lower urinary tract symptoms were evaluated using the Danish Prostatic Symptom Score (DAN-PSS-1) questionnaire. Overall participation proportion was 59% (4,384 men out of 7,470) in the 2004 questionnaire. In the longitudinal analyses the 1,679 men who responded to both questionnaires were included in the study. In addition to frequently used statistical methods principal component analysis was used to assess how LUTS relate to each other. Results: LUTS were also common among young (30-year-old) men, as 45% of them experienced urgency and 43% experienced postmicturition dribble. Both prevalence and severity of LUTS increased with age. Storage symptoms especially increased steeply with age. LUTS were classified using principal component analysis to evaluate how symptoms inter-correlated with each other. Three components were formed representing voiding, storage and incontinence symptoms. In five-year follow-up all LUTS fluctuated substantially. Incidence of different LUTS varied from 1% to 13%, with a more than 10-fold difference in incidence. Remission of symptoms was more similar for different symptoms. About half of the symptoms resolved spontaneously in five years. Surgical and medical treatment options for LUTS due to benign prostatic obstruction were compared over a five-year period. Surgical treatment reduced symptoms, while among patients with medical treatment or no treatment LUTS became worse. In individual symptoms, dysuria and postmicturition dribble were the only symptoms with better outcomes for medical than surgical treatment. Conclusions: Minor LUTS are common in all ages and severe symptoms become more common with age. Storage symptoms increase more than voiding (e.g. hesitancy) and postmicturition symptoms (e.g. postmicturition dribble). LUTS fluctuate and spontaneous recovery is frequent. In terms of correlations between individual symptoms, they could be divided to voiding, storage and incontinence symptoms. Men with severe LUTS benefit more from surgical than medical treatment

Sisämaan korkeiden tuulivoimaloiden tornivaihtoehtojen vertailu ja kustannusarviointi

Diplomityön tavoitteena oli selvittää sisämaan tuulivoimaloiden tornirakenteiden mahdollisuuksia ja kustannuksia. Aihe rajattiin sisämaahan, koska merelle suunniteltujen tuulivoimahankkeiden eteneminen vie vielä aikaa ja merellä korkeuden merkitys on vähäisempi kuin sisämaassa. Rannikolla muu maankäyttö rajoittaa tuulivoiman rakentamista. Tuotannon maksimointi on mahdollista esimerkiksi mittasuhteita kasvattamalla. Roottorin koon kasvattamisen lisäksi oleellista on käyttää korkeata tornia, sillä ylempänä tuulee selvästi enemmän. Perinteistä putkimaista teräskartiotornia käytettäessä, tullaan isoissa voimaloissa kohtaamaan logistisia ja valmistusteknisiä ongelmia. Lisäksi teräksen korkea hinta tekee teräskartiotornista kalliin. Teräskartiotorni on kuitenkin valta-asemassa etenkin Euroopassa. Tässä työssä tarkasteltiin teräskartiotornin lisäksi ristikkotornia, betonitornia ja hybriditornia. Kustannuksia tarkasteltiin korkeuksilla 60, 90, 120 ja 150 metriä. Kustannusten arviointia varten kehitettiin laskentaohjelma. Ohjelmaan syötetään tietoja tuulioloista ja tornityypeistä. Ohjelmasta saadaan tuloksena tornien kustannusrakenne sekä tärkeimpänä tietona kunkin tornityypin hinta. Laskentaohjelman mukaan matalimmalla korkeudella hybriditorni on halvin ja betonitorni kallein. Muilla korkeuksilla ristikkotorni on halvin ja teräskartiotorni kallein. Kustannusten lisäksi tulee ottaa huomioon myös muut tekijät kuten maisemavaikutukset. Laskentaohjelman avulla voidaan arvioida millaiset kustannukset vaihtoehtoisella tornirakenteella muodostuisi. Työn perusteella on syytä harkita vaihtoehtoja teräskartiotornille

Miesten virtsaamisoireiden esiintyvyys ja ennuste

Lievät virtsaamisoireet ovat yleisiä kaikenikäisillä miehillä. Iän mukana oireet vaikeutuvat, kerääntymisoireet yleistyvät enemmän kuin tyhjennysoireet (esim. virtsantulon viipyminen) tai virtsaamisen jälkeiset oireet (esim. jälkitiputtelu). Yksittäisen oireen vaikeusaste vaihtelee ja oireilla on taipumus parantua itsestään. Virtsavaivat esiintyvät yhdessä ja ne voidaan jakaa tyhjennysoireisiin, kerääntymisoireisiin ja virtsankarkailu-oireisiin. Miehet, joilla virtsaamisoireet ovat hankalia, hyötyvät enemmän leikkaushoidosta kuin lääkehoidosta.Objectives: The aim of this epidemiological study was to determine the prevalence and burden of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in male population with an extension to younger cohorts (30 to 50-year-old men). The study was conducted to evaluate the relationship of 12 different LUTS symptoms and assess which symptoms are contingent upon each other. Follow-up studies were used to determine the natural course of LUTS in untreated men and evaluate how well medical and surgical treatments affect different symptoms. Population and methods: In this population-based study the target population was 30 to 80-year-old men from the Pirkanmaa area, Finland. A self-administered postal questionnaire survey was conducted in 2004. In the two follow-up studies of this dissertation the three oldest age groups from 60 to 80 years were used. Endpoint assessment was based on the 2004 questionnaire and information on determinants was gathered from the questionnaire of 1999. Demographic data were collected and lower urinary tract symptoms were evaluated using the Danish Prostatic Symptom Score (DAN-PSS-1) questionnaire. Overall participation proportion was 59% (4,384 men out of 7,470) in the 2004 questionnaire. In the longitudinal analyses the 1,679 men who responded to both questionnaires were included in the study. In addition to frequently used statistical methods principal component analysis was used to assess how LUTS relate to each other. Results: LUTS were also common among young (30-year-old) men, as 45% of them experienced urgency and 43% experienced postmicturition dribble. Both prevalence and severity of LUTS increased with age. Storage symptoms especially increased steeply with age. LUTS were classified using principal component analysis to evaluate how symptoms inter-correlated with each other. Three components were formed representing voiding, storage and incontinence symptoms. In five-year follow-up all LUTS fluctuated substantially. Incidence of different LUTS varied from 1% to 13%, with a more than 10-fold difference in incidence. Remission of symptoms was more similar for different symptoms. About half of the symptoms resolved spontaneously in five years. Surgical and medical treatment options for LUTS due to benign prostatic obstruction were compared over a five-year period. Surgical treatment reduced symptoms, while among patients with medical treatment or no treatment LUTS became worse. In individual symptoms, dysuria and postmicturition dribble were the only symptoms with better outcomes for medical than surgical treatment. Conclusions: Minor LUTS are common in all ages and severe symptoms become more common with age. Storage symptoms increase more than voiding (e.g. hesitancy) and postmicturition symptoms (e.g. postmicturition dribble). LUTS fluctuate and spontaneous recovery is frequent. In terms of correlations between individual symptoms, they could be divided to voiding, storage and incontinence symptoms. Men with severe LUTS benefit more from surgical than medical treatment

Verkkosivut Hair & Beauty -tapahtumalle

Opinnäytetyön tavoite on luoda Helsinki Hair and Beauty -tapahtumalle näyttävät ja toimivat verkkosivut. Työ on toteutettu Suomen Hiusyrittäjät ry:n toimeksiannosta, ja he toimivat myös kyseisen tapahtuman järjestäjinä. Tapahtuma oli alun perin tarkoitus järjestää Helsingissä keväällä 2021 ja sivuston julkaisulle on sovittu määräajaksi 31.10.2020. Vallitsevan maailmanlaajuisen epidemiatilanteen takia tapahtuman järjestäminen siirrettiin marraskuulle 2021. Sivuston julkaisu toteutetaan kuitenkin alkuperäisen suunnitelman mukaisesti. Toimivat verkkosivut luovat pohjaa tapahtuman markkinointiin ja luovat ensivaikutelman kävijälle myös itse tapahtumasta. Taustatutkimuksessa tutustutaan yleisellä tasolla verkkosivujen suunnitteluun ja rakenteeseen. Tarkoituksenamme on tuoda esille, miten paljon lisäarvoa hyvin rakennetut ja visuaalisesti näyttävät verkkosivut tuovat esimerkiksi tapahtumien järjestämiseen. Työn tekemiseen keskittyvässä osiossa kerrotaan työn vaiheista aina suunnittelusta lopulliseen toteutukseen. Kerromme myös sivuston rakentamiseen käytetyistä työkaluista, sekä kuinka hyvin niillä pystyttiin toteuttamaan halutun kaltainen lopputulos. Työssä käydään läpi myös sivustolla toteutettua käytettävyystestausta ja siitä saatuja tuloksia ja niiden vaikutusta lopulliseen työhön. Opinnäytetyön lopullisena tuloksena valmistui näyttävät ja toimivat verkkosivut, joiden hallinta ja päivittäminen opastettiin myös toimeksiannon tilaajille. Yhteenvetona voidaan todeta, että halutun päämäärän saavuttaminen onnistui joutuisasti. Työn eri vaiheet olivat hyvin suunniteltu ja niitä tehtiin sopivilla työkaluilla rohkeasti kokeillen, sekä kehittäen yhteistyönä yhdessä toimeksiantajan kanssa