(Re)construction of national security discourse in the context of the Ukrainian crisis: Finland, Estonia, Russia

This Master’s Thesis provides a hypothesis-generating comparative case study that focuses on the structures of three national security discourses in the context of the Ukrainian crisis: Finnish, Estonian and Russian. More specifically, it looks at the official (presidential and governmental) articulations concerning the crisis situation in Ukraine and its impacts on national and European security. Drawing upon poststructuralist security theories, most importantly the securitisation theory, the main aim of the thesis is to better understand the connection between security policy and national identity in the selected cases, in order to subsequently propose hypotheses for further research. After explaining the theoretical framework, the an analysis of the discourses at two levels – national and European – demonstrates that the structural pattern of the selected national security discourses is somewhat counter-intuitive. Although the Finnish and the Estonian case initially seem to share a number of common features, at deeper levels, the two discourses differ significantly. At the same time, a closer look reveals the underlying structural similarity of Estonian and Russian security discourses. Namely, the two tend to be more polarised and use antagonisation, protagonisation and historisation, whereas their Finnish counterpart remains relatively neutral with regard to the Ukrainian crisis. The findings confirm that the link between policy and identity is relatively stable and cannot be seen as one-to-one. Instead, it is embedded into wider structures of memory. Finally, hypotheses for further research are suggested. Keywords: national security,http://www.ester.ee/record=b449750

Impact of sub-canopy removal on the stand-level volatile organic compounds exchange

Removal of sub-canopy trees is a type of forest management practice, mainly employed to minimize subsequent harvesting costs. Such management activities, however, are a source of disturbance in boreal forests, including those of Finland. The removal of understory trees causes mechanical damage to trees, with coniferous trees, such as Scots pine, being particularly susceptible. The resulting injuries significantly enhance emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) to the atmosphere, thereby modulating its gas composition. BVOCs are involved in plant growth, reproduction and defence, while functioning as communication media within and between plants. These plant-released compounds have high chemical reactivity with large mass emission rate from vegetation into the atmosphere; therefore, they are major determinants of atmospheric gas composition with important implications for the Earth’s atmosphere and climate. Despite the wealth of knowledge on this topic, our understanding of how forest management activities affect BVOC emissions is limited. Uncertainty remains as what the impact of sub-canopy removal is on BVOC emissions from forest trees over a long timescale. This is important since such management activities are common, with equal or potentially even larger impact on BVOC emissions both in the short- and long-run. To address this knowledge gap, I test the impacts of sub-canopy removal on the emissions of BVOCs from a Scots pine stand in a boreal forest. In so doing, I also consider the effects of temperature, soil moisture, and photosynthetically active radiation on the concentrations of these compounds above the canopy. The research sheds light on the complex and intertwined effects of the sub-canopy removal and environmental variables on the stand-level BVOC emissions. The results have implications regarding how forest management practices, and more broadly anthropogenic activities, influence forest-atmosphere interactions. Finally, the research provides promising avenues for future research

Measure of Macroeconomics of CFA Zone Countries Compare to SSA Countries

The research is financed by the school of finance and economics of Jiangsu University (+86 511 8878 0011) Abstract The influence of services activity in the economic development regarding the macroeconomics tactics and application. We investigate the sources of macroeconomics fluctuations in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries with particular attention to the development growth, federal investment, gross national income and consumer price with a structural Vector Auto regression (VAR) model with limited capital mobility and long run restrictions to identify the shocks.  The research data analyzed by Linear square, in the first step data has been manipulated by level of stationary in first root and then with unit root individually classify the regions distribution with each expects to estimation development and confirm that even though the development techniques by individual development of SSA. However, terms of growth intention and development tend to influence the CFA zone to a greater extent and there seems to be a higher influence of demand shocks on output and the federal investment and consumer prices in the non-CFA countries. Supply and terms of trade shocks tend to dominate output movements in the CFA and non-CFA countries alike. Keywords: Economic development; SSA and CFA; macroeconomics DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/11-4-11 Publication date: February 29th 2020

The new rules for measuring supply chain sustainability

Reliable metrics on the status of a supply chain are needed to guide action in this time of rapid change, write Cory Searcy and Payman Ah

NANOPARTICLES FOR ENHANCED DELIVERY OF CHEMOTHERAPEUTICS

Delivery of the anticancer drug paclitaxel (commercially known as Taxol®) is difficult due to its limited solubility in aqueous media. This study proposes a novel bubble bursting technique to generate nanoparticles of the chemotherapeutic in an effort to decrease potential side effects and improve the bioavailability of hydrophobic drugs. The bubble bursting apparatus will be used to produce nanoparticles of a biodegradable polymer, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), as carriers for paclitaxel. The dissolved paclitaxel in this biodegradable polymer matrix will be released at a controlled rate for a more efficient delivery of the drug throughout the body

Evaluation of the Adaptation of 66 – 72 Month Old Children to Primary Schools in Turkey

AbstractThe main objective of this study is to determine the views of first grade primary school teachers regarding how 66 to 72 month- old children adapt to school. The working group of this study consists of 25 classroom teachers who work at first grade schools and who have 66 to 72 month-old children in their classes. Personal information form (a) and Interview form (b) were used to gather information during the study. In addition to using a “descriptive analysis” of qualitative research methods, the frequency of the teachers’ responses has been expressed numerically and interpreted. During interviews with the teachers, it was determined that some developmental delays (in terms of dexterity disabilities, difficulties in learning, and so on) were observed in children who began primary school between the ages of 66 to 72 months, compared to other children. In addition, these children experienced difficulties in controlling their toileting and adapting to their school. Teachers pointed out that if children attended nurseries or preschool, developmental differences among children could be eliminated

The importance of alternative splicing in adaptive evolution

Although alternative splicing is a ubiquitous co-transcriptional gene regulatory mechanism in plants, animals and fungi, its contribution to evolutionary transitions is understudied. Alternative splicing enables different mRNA isoforms to be generated from the same gene, expanding transcriptomic and thus proteomic diversity. While the role of gene expression variation in adaptive evolution is widely accepted, biologists still debate the functional impact of alternative isoforms on phenotype. In light of recent empirical research linking splice variation to ecological adaptations, we propose that alternative splicing is an important substrate for adaptive evolution and speciation, particularly at short timescales. In this article we synthesise what is known about the role of alternative splicing in adaptive evolution. We discuss the contribution of standing splice variation to phenotypic plasticity and how hybridisation can produce novel splice forms. Going forwards, we propose that alternative splicing be included as a standard analysis alongside gene expression analysis so we can better understand of how alternative splicing contributes to adaptive divergence at the micro- and macroevolutionary levels.Peer reviewe

Vastsündinute kuulmise skriiningu programmi hindamise tulemused

Taust. Eestis on vastsündinute kuulmise skriiningut korraldatud alates 2004. aastast. Seda on rahastanud Eesti Haigekassa. Haigekassa ja Poliitikauuringute Keskuse Praxis koostöös toimus aastatel 2012–2013 programmi efektiivsuse ja otstarbekuse hindamine. Eesmärk. Hinnata vastsündinute kuulmise skriiningu toimivust ja tõhusust Eestis. Metoodika. Uuringu sihtrühmaks olid kõik Eesti vastsündinud, nende vanemad ning skriiningut teostav personal. Hindamise käigus analüüsiti vastsündinute skriiningu läbiviimisega seotud rahvusvahelist praktikat, analüüsiti projekti dokumentatsiooni, intervjueeriti projekti meeskonda, koguti ja analüüsiti projekti tegevusnäitajaid, hinnati lapsevanemate rahuloluküsitluse tulemusi ning projekti majanduslikku otstarbekust. Tulemused. Sõeluuringu tulemuslikkus ja korraldus vastavad üldiselt rahvusvahelistele standarditele. Skriininguga kaetus on hea ning lapsevanemad on skriiningu kohta saadud infoga üldiselt rahul. Nii lapsevanemad kui ka skriiningupersonal peavad kuulmise skriiningut kuulmislanguse varajasel avastamisel oluliseks. Järeldused. Uuringuprogrammi peamiseks vajakajäämiseks on see, et puudub sõeluuringu üldine isikustatud andmebaas, kus oleksid sees ka kodussünnitajad ja mis hõlbustaks skriiningu tulemuslikkuse hindamist. Sellise andmebaasi puudumine raskendab vastsündinute skriiningu kulude planeerimist ja juhtimist projekti jooksul ning vähendab majandusliku hindamise tulemuste usaldusväärsust ja üldistatavust.Eesti Arst 2014; 93(10):571–57

LAPORAN INDIVIDU PRAKTIK PENGALAMAN LAPANGAN (PPL) DI SMK MUHAMMADIYAH 2 MOYUDAN TAHUN AJARAN 2016/2017

PPL dalam pengertiannya Praktik Pengalaman Lapangan merupakan salah satu mata kuliah yang wajib ditempuh oleh setiap mahasiswa di semua jurusan pendidikan di Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta. Program Praktik Pengalaman Lapangan (PPL) merupakan wahana pembentukan tenaga kependidikan yang professional. Kegiatan ini bertujuan agar mahasiswa kependidikan mengetahui, mengenal, dan memahami lapangan pendidikan, baik di sekolah ataupun lembaga pendidikan lainnya. Tujuan lain penulis melaksanakan PPL di SMK Muhammadiyah 2 Moyudan adalah memberi kesempatan pada penulis untuk mempelajari, mengenal dan menghayati permasalahan yang dihadapi lembaga pendidikan, menerapkan ilmu pengetahuan dan keterampilan yang dimiliki ke dalam kehidupan nyata. Mahasiswa juga dapat belajar dari lembaga sekolah sekaligus dapat menyumbangkan pemikiran dan tenaga guna pengembangan lembaga pendidikan yang bersangkutan. Kegiatan PPL terbagi dalam beberapa tahapan yaitu persiapan mengajar dan pelaksanaan mengajar. Tahap persiapan dimulai dari observasi yang dilaksanakan pada bulan Februari. Selanjutnya mahasiswa menempuh mata kuliah micro teaching di kampus yang merupakan mata kuliah untuk melatih mahasiswa dalam mengajar. Pelaksanaan kegiatan PPL dimulai tanggal 15 Agustus 2015 sampai 15 September 2016. Dalam praktik mengajar, praktikan diberi kesempatan untuk mengajar di kelas X MM dengan jumlah mengajar sebanyak 7 kali pertemuan, tanpa pengajaran insidental. Kemudian mengajar di kelas X AK 1 sebanyak 6 kali pertemuan. Terakhir mengajar di kelas XI MM sebanyak 6 kali pertemuan. Sehingga selama PPL praktikan telah melaksanakan 64 jam pelajaran. Dalam pelaksanaannya, praktikan juga mengalami beberapa hambatan yaitu kurangnya peralatan fasilitas sarana dan prasarana yang dimiliki pihak sekolah yang dapat mendukung proses pembelajaran, adanya siswa yang tidak semangat dalam belajar, dan siswa yang kurang proaktif terhadap materi yang disampaikan.Hambatan tersebut dapat teratasi dengan memodifikasi peralatan dan fasilitas, mencoba mengembangkan pola mengajar yang bervariasi, menjalin komunikasi yang baik dan lancar, dan memberikan motivasi kepada siswa dengan menonton video tentang motivasi. Praktikan juga senantiasa konsultasi dengan guru pembimbing untuk mendapatkan hasil yang sebaik-baiknya. Dari pelaksanaan kegiatan PPL dapat disimpulkan, bahwa kegiatan ini dapat memberikan pengalaman kepada mahasiswa dalam pengembangan kompetensi di bidang pendidikan, memberikan kesempatan kepada mahasiswa untuk belajar dan mengenal segala permasalahan di sekolah yang terkait dengan proses pembelajaran, memberikan kesempatan kepada mahasiswa untuk menerapkan ilmu, pengetahuan, dan ketrampilan yang telah dipelajari dalam kehidupan nyata di sekolah, serta dapat meningkatkan hubungan kemitraan yang baik antara UNY dengan sekolah yang terkait