Evaluation of animal welfare on organic dairy farms in Finland

The evaluation of animal welfare on organic dairy farms was carried out in connection with the first Finnish research study on animal healthcare and welfare in 1996 to 1998. 26 organic dairy farms took part in the research, including 20 tie-stall barns (332 cows) and 6 loose-housing systems (209 cows). Survey visits to the farms were conducted during early spring and autumn. Housing, feeding and health data was collected

Ekokors hälsa och välbefinnande i Södra Savolax, Finland

Inom projektet granskades bl.a. djurens utfodring, fodermedlens mineralämnesinnehåll och produktionsförhållandena. Dessutom testades det i Österrike utvecklade "välbefinnande-indexets" användbarhet under finska förhållanden

Ethnographic approach to multiple belongings in everyday school life

Abstract. This study explores a multitude of different belongings and non-belongings that are produced in everyday talk and practices in the context of Finnish public basic education. The study asks — what kind of belongings and non-belongings may be produced in the everyday school life and how are the social belongings and non-belongings produced in the everyday school life. In this study, belonging is understood as a dynamic feeling of safety, familiarity and comfort which is always produced in relation to the environment. The theoretical framework is built on literature that sees belonging through perspectives of emotions, politics of belonging and intersectionality in a complex world that is in constant change. Access to the everyday school life of first graders was sought through ethnographic ‘hanging out’ and ethnographic observation of the children in their educational settings. The main data consists of observations carried out during two school weeks. The analysis process of this study was inspired by Jackson and Mazzei (2012; 2017) who describe it as ‘thinking with theory’ and Maclure’s (2013) hotspot analysis. Chosen parts of the generated data have been discussed in a dialogue with the theoretical framework in order to be able to see belonging and everyday school life in a different way. The findings shed light on the multiple and intertwined dimensions of belonging. Through analysis, the research illuminates different often naturalized, and therefore considered non-political, processes in which multiple belongings (and simultaneously non-belongings) are produced in the lives of children. I come to argue that social belongings are partly produced on the foundation of cultural, material and spatial routines of belonging, but they are not achieved through them. The research may provide depth and insight to the contemporary academic discussion on belonging in school environment and simultaneously provide educators with an opportunity to reflect together the variety of practices in which belongings and non-belongings are produced in the fleeting moments of everyday school life.Etnografinen lähestymistapa moninaisiin kuulumisiin kouluarjessa. Tiivistelmä. Tämä pro gradu -tutkielma tarkastelee lasten moninaisia kuulumisia ja kuulumattomuuksia, joita tuotetaan peruskoulun arjessa. Tutkimuksessa kysytään: millaisia monenlaisia kuulumisia ja kuulumattomuuksia kouluarjessa tuotetaan, ja miten sosiaalista kuulumista ja kuulumattomuutta kouluarjessa tuotetaan? Tutkimuksessa kuuluminen ymmärretään dynaamisena turvallisuuden, tuttuuden ja mukavuuden tunteena, joka tuotetaan aina suhteessa ympäristöön. Tutkimuksen teoreettinen viitekehys rakentuu tunteiden, kuulumisen politiikan ja intersektionaalisuuden näkökulmien ympärille tässä monimutkaisessa ja jatkuvassa muutoksessa olevassa maailmassa. Ekaluokkalaisten kouluarkeen sukellettiin ’etnografisen hengailun’ ja etnografisen osallistuvan havainnoinnin avulla. Aineisto tuotettiin havainnoimalla lapsia heidän kouluympäristössään kahden kouluviikon aikana. Analyysiprosessia innoittivat Jacksonin ja Mazzein (2012; 2017) teorian kanssa ajattelu ja Macluren (2013) hotspot-analyysi. Valittuja aineisto-otteita pohditaan kuulumiselle ominaisten piirteiden valossa, jotta kuuluminen ja kouluarki voitaisiin nähdä uusin silmin. Tutkimuksen valossa kuulumisen ulottuvuudet näyttäytyvät moninaisina ja toisiinsa kietoutuneina. Analyysin kautta tutkimus osoittaa, että kuulumisen ulottuvuudet ovat jatkuvasti neuvottelujen alaisina luonnollistetuissa, ja siten epäpoliittisina nähdyissä, prosesseissa. Näiden havaintojen perusteella tutkimus väittää, että sosiaaliset kuulumiset tuotetaan osittain kulttuurisille, materiaalisille ja tilallisille kuulumisen rutiineille, ja vaikka sosiaalinen kuulumisen tuottaminen mahdollistetaan rakenteilla ja käytänteillä, sitä ei saavuteta niillä. Tutkimus voi tuoda syvyyttä tämän hetkiseen keskusteluun kuulumisesta kouluympäristössä. Lisäksi se voi antaa kasvattajille mahdollisuuden pohtia sitä käytäntöjen kirjoa, jolla kuulumisia ja kuulumattomuuksia tuotetaan kouluarjen ohikiitävissä hetkissä

Characterisation of the insertions of Drosophila melanogaster ribosomal DNA

Imperial Users onl

The 5-dimensional model: A tangible framework for differentiation

Differentiation has become an indispensable teaching approach to meet the needs of diverse learners, and has thus garnered a lot of attention, particularly on a theoretical level. This has resulted in an abundance of differentiation models and frameworks. Despite the attention given to differentiation, most teachers still seem to struggle with implementing it in practice. The previous models have therefore failed to provide teachers with a clear and easy-to-use framework for differentiation. For this reason, we have created the 5-dimensional (5D) model of differentiation which aims to be a more accessible and tangible model than the existing ones. The model approaches differentiation through five dimensions, which are 1) teaching arrangements, 2) learning environment, 3) teaching methods, 4) support materials and 5) assessment. The model draws on constructivism, Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), Theory of Multiple Intelligences and motivation as its core theoretical underpinnings. The model stems from the Finnish educational context but can be transferred to and applied in various school contexts. In this article, we will first review various definitions of differentiation. We will then critically examine some of the existing models for differentiation. Finally, we will elaborate on the theoretical underpinnings and different dimensions of our 5D model

Kiukainen Culture Site Locations—Reflections from the Coastal Lifestyle at the End of the Stone Age

The Kiukainen culture constitutes a poorly known phase at the end of the Stone Age in Finland, approximately 2500–1800 cal. BC. It is best known for its pottery, and most of the finds are from the coastal area of the Baltic Sea between Helsinki and Ostrobothnia. Previous research on the culture was done several decades ago, so this study aims to define the geographical distribution of the sites known thus far and discuss the landscape around the settlement sites. Creating an overall view of the culture and lifestyle of the people is also an important part of the study. First, it focuses on different collections of Kiukainen pottery and then maps the location of all the sites where pottery has been found. For the landscape visualizations, three different areas were chosen for closer evaluation. Elevation models were, then, used to visualize the Stone Age coastal landscape. Altogether, we identified 99 settlement sites with a confirmed connection to Kiukainen culture. One common feature of the locations is a connection to the sea. The sites are located in various types of environments, but they all have easy access to seafaring and good landing possibilities from the sea

Duplicated rDNA sequences of variable lengths flanking the short type I insertions in the rDNA of Drosophila melanogaster

We describe cloned segments of rDNA that contain short type I insertions of differing lengths. These insertions represent a coterminal subset of sequences from the right hand side of the major 5kb type I insertion. Three of these shorter insertions are flanked on both sides by a short sequence present as a single copy in uninterrupted rDNA units. The duplicated segment is 7, 14 and 15 nucleotides in the different clones. In this respect, the insertions differ from the 5kb type I insertion, where the corresponding sequence is found only at the right hand junction and where at the left hand side there is a deletion of 9 nucleotides of rDNA (Roiha et al., 1981). One clone is unusual in that it contains two type I insertions, one of which is flanked by a 14 nucleotide repeat. The left hand junction of the second insertion occurs 380 nucleotides downstream in the rDNA unit from the first. It has an identical right hand junction to the other elements and the 380 nucleotide rDNA sequence is repeated on both sides of the insertion. We discuss the variety of sequence rearrangements of the rDNA which flank type I insertions

Kiukainen Culture Site Locations—Reflections from the Coastal Lifestyle at the End of the Stone Age

The Kiukainen culture constitutes a poorly known phase at the end of the Stone Age in Finland, approximately 2500–1800 cal. BC. It is best known for its pottery, and most of the finds are from the coastal area of the Baltic Sea between Helsinki and Ostrobothnia. Previous research on the culture was done several decades ago, so this study aims to define the geographical distribution of the sites known thus far and discuss the landscape around the settlement sites. Creating an overall view of the culture and lifestyle of the people is also an important part of the study. First, it focuses on different collections of Kiukainen pottery and then maps the location of all the sites where pottery has been found. For the landscape visualizations, three different areas were chosen for closer evaluation. Elevation models were, then, used to visualize the Stone Age coastal landscape. Altogether, we identified 99 settlement sites with a confirmed connection to Kiukainen culture. One common feature of the locations is a connection to the sea. The sites are located in various types of environments, but they all have easy access to seafaring and good landing possibilities from the sea

Duplicated rDNA sequences of variable lengths flanking the short type I insertions in the rDNA of Drosophila melanogaster

We describe cloned segments of rDNA that contain short type I insertions of differing lengths. These insertions represent a coterminal subset of sequences from the right hand side of the major 5kb type I insertion. Three of these shorter insertions are flanked on both sides by a short sequence present as a single copy in uninterrupted rDNA units. The duplicated segment is 7, 14 and 15 nucleotides in the different clones. In this respect, the insertions differ from the 5kb type I insertion, where the corresponding sequence is found only at the right hand junction and where at the left hand side there is a deletion of 9 nucleotides of rDNA (Roiha et al., 1981). One clone is unusual in that it contains two type I insertions, one of which is flanked by a 14 nucleotide repeat. The left hand junction of the second insertion occurs 380 nucleotides downstream in the rDNA unit from the first. It has an identical right hand junction to the other elements and the 380 nucleotide rDNA sequence is repeated on both sides of the insertion. We discuss the variety of sequence rearrangements of the rDNA which flank type I insertions

The Hidden Cairns : A Case Study of Drone-Based ALS as an Archaeological Site Survey Method

Conducting archaeological site surveys is time consuming, and large sites may have many small features or structures that are difficult to locate and interpret. Vegetation cover and dense forest hide small structures, like cairns, while at the same time forest cover can cause problems for LiDAR tools. In this case study, drone-based ALS (airborne laser scanning) was tested as an archaeological site survey tool. The research site was complex and located partially in a forested area, which made it possible to evaluate how forest cover affects data. The survey methods used were rather simple: visual analysis, point density calculations in the forest area, and, for site interpretation purposes, digitizing observations and viewshed analysis. Using straightforward methods allowed us to evaluate the minimum time and skills needed for this type of survey. Drone-based ALS provided good results and increased knowledge of the site and its structures. Estimates of the number of cairns interpreted as graves more than doubled as a result of the high-accuracy ALS data. Based on the results of this study, drone-based ALS could be a suitable high-accuracy survey method for large archaeological sites. However, forest cover affects the accuracy, and more research is needed