Evidence on the impact of Baltic Sea ecosystems on human health and well-being: a systematic map

Background: While the unique marine and coastal environment of the Baltic Sea provides numerous ecosystem services, its ecosystems are under pressure due to the intensification and diversification of anthropogenic uses. This present work constitutes a systematic map of the evidence of the impacts of ecosystem services and disservices on human health and well-being. The aim is to create a better understanding of the threats of unsustainable management or the benefits of sustainable management of the Baltic Sea and the impacts these may have on the health and well-being of human populations and present these findings to policy advisors. The mapping process is described, and the characteristics of the evidence base are presented. Methods: The applied method has been previously published in a systematic map protocol. Literature searches were carried out in English considering published peer-reviewed literature from traditional scientific journals and scientific reports from the grey literature, using synthesis software. A total of 17 databases were searched. Articles were screened in stages at title and abstract stage, then full-text stage. Geographic limitations were placed on the searches in accordance with research funders call, however, watersheds that had an impact on the Baltic Sea marine and coastal regions were considered. We used the more open PEO format, where population (P) included the human populations within the marine and coastal environment of the Baltic Sea region, exposure (E) related to the Baltic Sea ecosystems services and disservices, and the outcome (O) included all aspects of human health and well-being. After full-text screening articles selected for inclusion were searched for metadata connected to bibliographic information, ecosystem services, health and well-being outcomes and policy relevance. Review findings: Out of 6456 hits only 460 studies discussed either health or well-being indicators to some extent. Of these, only 67 explicitly mentioned ecosystem services and health and well-being indicators. However, few in this subset engaged with the topic of ecosystem services or disservices and health and well-being in depth. Studies are increasingly relating the two concepts but currently it is mainly studies focussed on cultural ecosystem services that deal with the concept of health and well-being to a greater degree. Studies in the medical literature relating to impacts on health from exposure to the Baltic Sea did not relate their findings to ecosystem services. The database of 67 studies is attached as Additional file 5. Conclusions: Ecosystem services play an important role in human health and well-being; however, we found few studies that explicitly examine these impacts in detail. Further research is needed to link the health and well-being outcomes from the Baltic Sea to the ecosystem services supplied and therefore to demonstrate the benefits and disservices provided by the Baltic Sea ecosystems to human populations

Zdravstveno obrazovanje i informiranje koje provode službe medicine rada u Finskoj

This article discusses health education and communication in Occupational Health Services (OHS) based on a questionnaire study conducted in Finnish OHS in 2005. The study focused on educational activities carried out by OH professionals and directed at individual employees, work communities and groups, and representatives of client organisations. The questionnaire was sent to 1132 OH professionals - physicians, nurses, physiotherapists and psychologists - working in 130 OHS units, and representing different OHS providers in Finland. 635 respondents (162 physicians, 342 nurses, 96 physiotherapists, 35 psychologists) returned the questionnaire. The overall response rate was 58 %. There were statistically significant differences in educational activities by different professional groups; differences were also related to the length of working experience in OHS. For all OH professionals, individual employees were the primary clients of health education and communication. Education was less often directed at work communities and representatives of client organisations. However, many issues related to health and well-being at work are not within the reach of individual employees. The impact of health education would be more evident if it also reached those organisational stakeholders with discretion in decision-making. Furthermore, OH personnel should pay attention to the social aspect of learning and work more with groups and work communities.U ovome se članku raspravlja o zdravstvenom obrazovanju i informiranju koje provode službe medicine rada, a na temelju istraživanja provedenog među tim službama 2005. U središtu su ispitivanja bile obrazovne aktivnosti medicinara rada usmjerene na radnike kao pojedince, radne zajednice i skupine te predstavnike korisničkih organizacija. Upitnik su dobila 1132 medicinara rada, uključujući liječnike, medicinske sestre, fizioterapeute i psihologe zaposlene u 130 jedinica koje pružaju usluge medicine rada u Finskoj. Ispunjene je upitnike vratilo 635 sudionika (162 liječnika, 342 sestre, 96 fizioterapeuta te 35 psihologa). Ukupni odgovor iznosio je 58 %. Zamijećene su statistički značajne razlike u obrazovnim aktivnostima između pojedinih zanimanja, a one su bile povezane i sa stažem u medicini rada. Svim medicinarima rada pojedinačni radnici primarni su korisnici zdravstvenoga obrazovanja i informiranja. Obrazovanje se rjeđe usmjeravalo na radne zajednice i predstavnike korisničkih organizacija. Međutim, mnoga otvorena pitanja vezana uz zdravlje i dobrobit na radu nisu u nadležnosti pojedinačnih zaposlenika. Utjecaj zdravstvenoga obrazovanja bio bi stoga svrhovitiji kada bi ono obuhvatilo i one strukture koje donose odluke. Osim toga, osoblje medicine rada treba obratiti pozornost na socijalni aspekt učenja te treba više raditi sa skupinama i radnim zajednicama

Pelaajasta kerätyn tiedon käyttäminen pelin vaikeustason nostamisessa

Opinnäytetyöni tutkii dynaamisen vaikeustason säätelyn sovellutuksia peleissä. Opinnäytetyössä vastataan seuraaviin kysymyksiin: millainen dynaaminen vaikeustason säätely on toiminut, millainen ei ole toiminut ja miten dynaamista vaikeustason säätelyä tulisi käyttää. Opinnäytetyön teoriaosuudessa perehdytään dynaamisen vaikeustason hyviin ja huonoihin puoliin. Teoriaosuudessa esitellään esimerkkejä, joissa dynaamisessa vaikeustason säätelyssä on onnistuttu tai ei ole onnistuttu. Lisäksi opinnäytetyössä on lyhyt katsaus proseduraaliseen sisällön generointiin, jota käytetään vaihtelun luomiseen peliprototyypissä. Opinnäytetyön käytännön osuudessa toteutettiin 2D-ammuskelupeli, jossa pelaaja käy kaksintaisteluita tekoälyvastustajaa vastaan proseduraalisesti generoiduissa kentissä. Tekoälyvastustaja säätää omaa alustaan jokaisen tappion jälkeen pelaajasta keräämänsä tiedon perusteella. Teoriaosuuden tutkimuksen pohjalta peliprototyypin alustaksi valittiin Unity3D-pelimoottori. Opinnäytetyön tuloksena syntyi peliprototyyppi, joka kerää tietoa pelaajasta ja luo kerättyjen tietojen pohjalta uusia vihollisia.This thesis studies dynamic difficulty adjustment, and how it has been used in video games. This thesis answers the following research questions: what kind of dynamic difficulty adjustment works, what does not work, and how should dynamic difficulty adjustment be used. The theoretical part of the thesis examines the advantages and disadvantages of dynamic difficulty adjustment. The theoretical part contains examples of games that have either succeeded or failed in the creation of the dynamic difficulty. Additionally, a brief look into procedural content creation is taken. It is used to create variety in the game prototype. In the practical part of the thesis a prototype of a 2D shooting game was created. In the prototype the player has duels in procedurally generated levels against an opponent controlled by the Artificial Intelligence. The AI opponent adjusts itself after every defeat by examining information collected from the player. Based on the research in the theoretical part, Unity3D was chosen as the platform of the prototype. The end result of this project was a prototype that collects information from the player and creates new AI opponents based on the information collected

Website for Boji

Nowadays websites have become more of a necessity even for a small business to have, a business without website might even rise some red flags. In the past it might’ve been that you only needed a Facebook profile to reach your potential customers and it often still is that when you search a business online, the first result would be their Facebook page. A website creates an online presence for the business, giving more credibility to it and will attract more potential cus-tomers through search engine optimization. Goal of this thesis is to create new, a low-cost website for Boji, a business focusing on improving human health using Boji stones as a tool of healing. Website is created on WordPress publishing platform using various plugins to reach the needed functions for this business. It was requested that this website should be pleasing to the eye, accessible and easy to navigate, hoping to attract new customers and for old customers to have easier time to reserve appointments and having the possibility to keep up with the business owner as she maintains a blog in the site. This thesis goes through the importance of business having a website, creating the website itself using WordPress publishing platform and plugins associated with it

Inflammation and iron metabolism in adult patients with epilepsy: does a link exist?

Inflammation has been shown to play a key role in epilepsy, and may also affect both the iron status and metabolism. Consequently, a relationship between iron metabolism and neuronal excitability and seizures could be expected