Risk frames and multiple ways of knowing : Coping with ambiguity in oil spill risk governance in the Norwegian Barents Sea

The opening of new areas for offshore drilling in the Arctic is highly controversial. As ice cover in the region is melting at an alarming rate, new areas have been opened for petroleum industry in the Norwegian Barents Sea. Our qualitative analysis examines risks related to the petroleum operations in the newly opened areas and provides insight into the complex and socially constructed nature of the risks. With the use of visual influence diagram- based mental modelling approach, we demonstrate the multiple ways in which the risks are understood and defined. We also analyse the type of knowledge that the risk frames are based on. The influence diagrams present the risk frames in a clear, visual, form. The study indicates that the existing governance framework fails to treat the ambiguity around oil spill risks: the current risk assessments and risk management do not reflect on the multiple ways in which the participants in this study 1) frame the problem situation, 2) how they identify different measures to manage risks, and 3) what are considered as key knowledge needs and knowledge producers by the participants. We suggest that social learning and collaborative knowledge production are needed to move towards developing shared understanding of the problem situation. Finally, we suggest that the rigorous examination and the unveiling of ambiguity may help developing deliberative risk governance measures and moving towards sustainability transformations.Peer reviewe

Label-free mass spectrometry proteome quantification of human embryonic kidney cells following 24 hours of sialic acid overproduction

Peer reviewe

Implementing Bayesian networks for ISO 31000:2018-based maritime oil spill risk management: State-of-art, implementation benefits and challenges, and future research directions

The risk of a large-scale oil spill remains significant in marine environments as international maritime transport continues to grow. The environmental as well as the socio-economic impacts of a large-scale oil spill could be substantial. Oil spill models and modeling tools for Pollution Preparedness and Response (PPR) can support effective risk management. However, there is a lack of integrated approaches that consider oil spill risks comprehensively, learn from all information sources, and treat the system uncertainties in an explicit manner. Recently, the use of the international ISO 31000:2018 risk management framework has been suggested as a suitable basis for supporting oil spill PPR risk management. Bayesian networks (BNs) are graphical models that express uncertainty in a probabilistic form and can thus support decision-making processes when risks are complex and data are scarce. While BNs have increasingly been used for oil spill risk assessment (OSRA) for PPR, no link between the BNs literature and the ISO 31000:2018 framework has previously been made. This study explores how Bayesian risk models can be aligned with the ISO 31000:2018 framework by offering a flexible approach to integrate various sources of probabilistic knowledge. In order to gain insight in the current utilization of BNs for oil spill risk assessment and management (OSRA-BNs) for maritime oil spill preparedness and response, a literature review was performed. The review focused on articles presenting BN models that analyze the occurrence of oil spills, consequence mitigation in terms of offshore and shoreline oil spill response, and impacts of spills on the variables of interest. Based on the results, the study discusses the benefits of applying BNs to the ISO 31000:2018 framework as well as the challenges and further research needs.Peer reviewe

Relative Quantification of Several Plasma Proteins during Liver Transplantation Surgery

Plasma proteome is widely used in studying changes occurring in human body during disease or other disturbances. Immunological methods are commonly used in such studies. In recent years, mass spectrometry has gained popularity in high-throughput analysis of plasma proteins. In this study, we tested whether mass spectrometry and iTRAQ-based protein quantification might be used in proteomic analysis of human plasma during liver transplantation surgery to characterize changes in protein abundances occurring during early graft reperfusion. We sampled blood from systemic circulation as well as blood entering and exiting the liver. After immunodepletion of six high-abundant plasma proteins, trypsin digestion, iTRAQ labeling, and cation-exchange fractionation, the peptides were analyzed by reverse phase nano-LC-MS/MS. In total, 72 proteins were identified of which 31 could be quantified in all patient specimens collected. Of these 31 proteins, ten, mostly medium-to-high abundance plasma proteins with a concentration range of 50–2000 mg/L, displayed relative abundance change of more than 10%. The changes in protein abundance observed in this study allow further research on the role of several proteins in ischemia-reperfusion injury during liver transplantation and possibly in other surgery

How can stakeholders promote environmental and social responsibility in the shipping industry?

The highly globalized and competitive nature of the shipping industry poses serious governance challenges. Recently, the use of voluntary measures, such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, has been explored in terms of moving towards environmentally and socially responsible as well as safe shipping industry practices. Limited attention has been paid on the role of stakeholders such as consumers, employees, NGOs, and academia in pressuring the shipping industry towards greater environmental and social responsibility. Here, by applying stakeholder theory and drawing on examples of already materialized stakeholder actions and multistakeholder initiatives, we study the potential ways that stakeholders can promote CSR in the shipping industry: we explore the resource dependencies between stakeholders, the stakeholder influence strategies, and the importance of multi-stakeholder pressure. We show that stakeholders can gain more power by using indirect strategies such as working via and/or in alliances with NGOs, trade unions, banks and financers, and/or different national or international regulatory bodies, as well as with the industry itself. Our results reveal the potential of multi-stakeholder pressure and action to promote the adoption of CSR activities, support the transparency, legitimacy, and enforcement of the practices, as well as widen the scope and focus of CSR initiatives and practices by focusing on a broad range of social and environmental issues. Finally, stakeholder pressure can push towards improved regulations. The study suggests that increased attention needs to be paid on the multi-stakeholder demands, especially considering the accentuated importance of effective maritime governance in the future.Peer reviewe

Expression of Toll-like receptors in nasal epithelium in allergic rhinitis

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are important in barrier homeostasis, but their role in airborne allergies is not fully understood. The aim was to evaluate baseline and allergen-induced expression of TLR proteins in nasal epithelium during allergic rhinitis. Nineteen otherwise healthy non-smoking volunteers both allergic to birch pollen and non-allergic controls were enrolled. We took nasal biopsies before and after off-seasonal intranasal birch pollen or diluent challenge. The expression of epithelial TLR1-7, TLR9-10, and MyD88 proteins was immunohistochemically evaluated from the nasal biopsies. The TLR1-3 and TLR5-10 mRNAs were observed by RNA-microarray. Baseline epithelial expression of TLR proteins was wide and identical in controls and atopics. After off-seasonal intranasal birch pollen challenge, a negative change in the expression score of TLR1 and TLR6 proteins was detected in the atopic group. TLR mRNA expression was not affected by birch pollen challenge. Nasal epithelium seems to express all known TLRs. The mechanisms by which TLR1, and TLR6 proteins could affect pollen allergen transport need further studies.Peer reviewe

37 GHz observations of a large sample of BL Lacertae objects

We present 37 GHz data obtained at Metsahovi Radio Observatory in 2001 December - 2005 April for a large sample of BL Lacertae objects. We also report the mean variability indices and radio spectral indices in frequency intervals 5 - 37 GHz and 37 - 90 GHz. Approximately 34 % of the sample was detected at 37 GHz, 136 BL Lacertae objects in all. A large majority of the detected sources were low-energy BL Lacs (LBLs). The variability index values of the sample were diverse, the mean fractional variability of the sample being \Delta S_2 = 0.31. The spectral indices also varied widely, but the average radio spectrum of the sample sources is flat. Our observations show that many of the high-energy BL Lacs (HBL), which are usually considered radio-quiet, can at times be detected at 37 GHz.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures + 5 tables. Published in Astronomical Journa

Enhancing science-policy interface in marine environmental governance : oil spill response models as boundary objects in the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea

Scientific models provide important input to the governance of complex socio-ecological risks. However, scientific knowledge rarely translates to policy in a simple, direct manner. By focusing on the use of scientific models for oil spill risk assessment and management in the Gulf of Finland (GoF), Baltic Sea, this paper aims to enhance the understanding of the capacity of scientific models to connect science, operational decision-making, and policy. In this study, we conceptualize scientific models as boundary objects, i.e. tools that facilitate interactions between different actors, types of knowledge, and perspectives across system boundaries. The study focuses on the different affordances associated with the models regarding their ability to represent, share, and convey knowledge between science and policy and to link the involved knowledge to action (i.e. changes in practice and in policy). We explore 1) how do the different oil spill models work as boundary objects in the science-policy interface, 2) how do different science-policy contexts affect the model affordances, and vice versa. We also provide recommendations for future research. The study is based on interviews of modelers/researchers, response operators, and policymakers. The results suggest that the existing models lack several of the important affordances that are required to successfully integrate different types of knowledge and transform new knowledge to action. As such, we suggest that currently models remain as instrumental, calculative, tools that support pre-determined policies rather than as means for exploring alternative framings of risks and the possible solutions. Finally, we argue that the co-production of knowledge best supports the plurality of model affordances needed to enable transformative change in policy and practice.Peer reviewe

Returns

Returns is an episodic performance piece, consisting of music, storytelling, and video segments. Weaving together a wide variety of elements, the work explores complexity as a strategy for expression. Stories from the artist’s family - successive generations of Finns immigrating temporarily to Canada, from the 1920s to the present day - form the through-line for the piece, in the form of monologues, home movies, and a lecture. The notion of time as a layered place is explored, by using material from a span of decades, and by discussing theories concerning the permanence of sounds. The stories that are told have decades-wide gaps between them, and in these gaps runs a parallel musical journey, tracing ‘Finnishness’ through folk music, tango, and contemporary influences. Compositional strategies from through-composed to free improvisation are employed