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Intersectional approaches to anti-sexism and anti-racism in German universities: A case study
Abstract
In this article, we analyze anti-sexism and anti-racism work at universities from the perspective of institutional analysis. Our theoretical background is based in feminist institutional theory. The websites of a Higher Education Institution are viewed as a self-image of the university consisting of information on anti-discrimination on campus. The case study sheds light on broader anti-discrimination work at European Research Area (ERA). The challenge for diversity policy is to effectively address anti-racism and anti-sexism by explicitly naming and combating racializing and sexist discourses and structures.Abstract
In this article, we analyze anti-sexism and anti-racism work at universities from the perspective of institutional analysis. Our theoretical background is based in feminist institutional theory. The websites of a Higher Education Institution are viewed as a self-image of the university consisting of information on anti-discrimination on campus. The case study sheds light on broader anti-discrimination work at European Research Area (ERA). The challenge for diversity policy is to effectively address anti-racism and anti-sexism by explicitly naming and combating racializing and sexist discourses and structures
Environmental DNA (eDNA) and Field Surveys as Complementary Tools for the Biomonitoring of Amphibian Communities
Abstract
Amphibians are facing large population declines as a result of both natural and anthropogenic threats. Reconstructing and understanding the composition and structure of amphibian communities is essential for developing effective monitoring and conservation strategies. In this study, we compared environmental DNA metabarcoding (eDNA-MB) data with a comprehensive dataset obtained from acoustic and visual encounter surveys (AVES) in a set of Mediterranean ponds. Additionally, we designed and validated a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for the Iberian ribbed newt (Pleurodeles waltl) and tested its ability with eDNA-MB and AVES in assessing the presence and population densities of this species. Our findings provide evidence that eDNA-MB can be a valuable method for reconstructing the composition and structure of amphibian communities. eDNA-MB identified all expected amphibian species from the regional species pool, including some that were missed in traditional surveys. Although eDNA-MB abundance estimations for P. waltl seemed virtually independent of population densities obtained through field surveys, we found a significant association between eDNA concentration (qPCR) and AVES abundance estimates. Our findings suggest that effective strategies for amphibian biomonitoring need the combination of community data obtained from both traditional and eDNA surveys, especially in the Mediterranean region where strong environmental constraints can affect the detection and persistence of eDNA in freshwater ecosystems.Abstract
Amphibians are facing large population declines as a result of both natural and anthropogenic threats. Reconstructing and understanding the composition and structure of amphibian communities is essential for developing effective monitoring and conservation strategies. In this study, we compared environmental DNA metabarcoding (eDNA-MB) data with a comprehensive dataset obtained from acoustic and visual encounter surveys (AVES) in a set of Mediterranean ponds. Additionally, we designed and validated a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for the Iberian ribbed newt (Pleurodeles waltl) and tested its ability with eDNA-MB and AVES in assessing the presence and population densities of this species. Our findings provide evidence that eDNA-MB can be a valuable method for reconstructing the composition and structure of amphibian communities. eDNA-MB identified all expected amphibian species from the regional species pool, including some that were missed in traditional surveys. Although eDNA-MB abundance estimations for P. waltl seemed virtually independent of population densities obtained through field surveys, we found a significant association between eDNA concentration (qPCR) and AVES abundance estimates. Our findings suggest that effective strategies for amphibian biomonitoring need the combination of community data obtained from both traditional and eDNA surveys, especially in the Mediterranean region where strong environmental constraints can affect the detection and persistence of eDNA in freshwater ecosystems
Implications of the introduction of a central bank digital currency for monetary policy in the euro area
Management of digital competence sharing in healthcare: Exploring managers' self-assessment and associated factors in a cross-sectional study
Abstract
Aim:
To describe healthcare managers’ self-assessment of management of digital competence sharing and associated background factors.
Background:
Digital competence is essential for the effective use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in healthcare. As digital systems become increasingly embedded in clinical workflows, healthcare managers play a critical role in supporting the development and sharing of digital expertise among healthcare professionals to ensure the successful adoption and utilisation of ICT and new digital solutions.
Design:
A descriptive cross-sectional study.
Methods:
The data were collected from healthcare managers (n = 156) representing five public and one private healthcare organisation in Finland using the Self-assessed Management of Digital Competence Sharing (Sa-MDCS) instrument. The data was analysed using descriptive statistical methods. The study was reported in accordance with the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) checklist.
Results:
Healthcare managers generally self-assessed the management of digital competence sharing as good. The highest-rated subscale was the creation of a friendly and safe digital organisational atmosphere, whereas the lowest-rated subscale was the provision of resources and opportunities for digital competence sharing. Significant associations were found between self-assessments and background factors, including age, management experience, digital competence training, organisational context, and management level.
Conclusion:
Although healthcare managers perceive themselves as proficient in promoting digital competence sharing, gaps remain in resource allocation and strategic utilisation of existing digital expertise. Strengthening managerial support is essential for enhancing organisational readiness and the effective integration of ICT into clinical practice. To support this, healthcare organisations should invest in targeted leadership training and ensure adequate resources. Fostering a culture of continuous digital learning and sharing can enhance the adoption of ICT and new digital solutions, streamline clinical workflows, and ultimately improve patient care outcomes.Abstract
Aim:
To describe healthcare managers’ self-assessment of management of digital competence sharing and associated background factors.
Background:
Digital competence is essential for the effective use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in healthcare. As digital systems become increasingly embedded in clinical workflows, healthcare managers play a critical role in supporting the development and sharing of digital expertise among healthcare professionals to ensure the successful adoption and utilisation of ICT and new digital solutions.
Design:
A descriptive cross-sectional study.
Methods:
The data were collected from healthcare managers (n = 156) representing five public and one private healthcare organisation in Finland using the Self-assessed Management of Digital Competence Sharing (Sa-MDCS) instrument. The data was analysed using descriptive statistical methods. The study was reported in accordance with the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) checklist.
Results:
Healthcare managers generally self-assessed the management of digital competence sharing as good. The highest-rated subscale was the creation of a friendly and safe digital organisational atmosphere, whereas the lowest-rated subscale was the provision of resources and opportunities for digital competence sharing. Significant associations were found between self-assessments and background factors, including age, management experience, digital competence training, organisational context, and management level.
Conclusion:
Although healthcare managers perceive themselves as proficient in promoting digital competence sharing, gaps remain in resource allocation and strategic utilisation of existing digital expertise. Strengthening managerial support is essential for enhancing organisational readiness and the effective integration of ICT into clinical practice. To support this, healthcare organisations should invest in targeted leadership training and ensure adequate resources. Fostering a culture of continuous digital learning and sharing can enhance the adoption of ICT and new digital solutions, streamline clinical workflows, and ultimately improve patient care outcomes
How register and region shape the language network: evidence from Computational Construction Grammar
Abstract
While Construction Grammar has proven effective at modelling regional and register variation separately, it has seldom been used to explore the interaction between the two. The present paper fills this gap by applying a Computational Construction Grammar framework to a collection of large English corpora, including two digital registers (written tweets and spoken YouTube transcripts) and five inner-circle varieties (US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand). We show that constructionist principles successfully capture a range of register- and region-based distinctions across the grammar, and we report the novel finding that both sources lead to systematic, largely independent patterns of variation. Specifically, register effects are more pervasive and concentrated in abstract, high-level constructions, while regional effects are relatively sparser and manifest most prominently in lower-level, surface constructions. To account for these results, we hypothesise that register and regional associations operate along a continuum of constructional ‘salience’: while the former require the explicit learning of variants for communicative functions, the latter begin as products of exposure before they can acquire indexicality. We conclude with implications of our study for a more comprehensive model of variation in the language network, as well as for future endeavours towards intersecting Construction Grammar and sociolinguistic theory.Abstract
While Construction Grammar has proven effective at modelling regional and register variation separately, it has seldom been used to explore the interaction between the two. The present paper fills this gap by applying a Computational Construction Grammar framework to a collection of large English corpora, including two digital registers (written tweets and spoken YouTube transcripts) and five inner-circle varieties (US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand). We show that constructionist principles successfully capture a range of register- and region-based distinctions across the grammar, and we report the novel finding that both sources lead to systematic, largely independent patterns of variation. Specifically, register effects are more pervasive and concentrated in abstract, high-level constructions, while regional effects are relatively sparser and manifest most prominently in lower-level, surface constructions. To account for these results, we hypothesise that register and regional associations operate along a continuum of constructional ‘salience’: while the former require the explicit learning of variants for communicative functions, the latter begin as products of exposure before they can acquire indexicality. We conclude with implications of our study for a more comprehensive model of variation in the language network, as well as for future endeavours towards intersecting Construction Grammar and sociolinguistic theory
"If you don't do as I want, then..." : life under coercive control. Does anyone notice?
Tämän pro gradu-tutkielman tarkoituksena oli selvittää sitä, kuinka lähisuhdeväkivallan parissa asiakas-, kehittämis- ja vaikuttamistyötä tehneet asiantuntijat tunnistavat pakottavaa kontrollia lähisuhdeväkivallan yhteydessä sen kokijassa, tekijässä ja lapsissa ja mitä voimme oppia siitä väkivallan ehkäisyn näkökulmasta. Pakottava kontrolli on sukupuolittunutta väkivaltaa ja yksi lähisuhdeväkivallan muoto, jonka tiedetään parisuhteen aikana ennakoivan eron jälkeistä vainoa ja olevan riskitekijä vakaviin väkivallan tekoihin ja äärimmäisenä tekona perhesurmaan. Aiemmasta tutkimuksesta voidaan päätellä, että pakottavaa kontrollia tunnistetaan huonosti yhteiskunnassamme. Pakottavan kontrollin tunteminen ja tunnistaminen on tärkeää, jotta näitä väkivallan tekoja voidaan estää.
Laadullinen tutkimukseni hyödynsi Lapin yliopiston Pakottava kontrolli ja muuntuvat valtakäytännöt: Lasten kokemusten ja tarpeiden ymmärtäminen (CAPUCS) -hankkeeseen kerättyjä kuutta asiantuntijahaastattelua ja sen tavoite oli tarkastella tutkimukseen osallistuvien henkilöiden ajatuksia ja kokemuksia pakottavasta kontrollista ja nostaa esiin heidän antamiaan merkityksiä ilmiöstä. Haastateltavat ovat lähisuhdeväkivallan parissa pitkään asiakas-, kehittämis- ja vaikuttamistyötä tehneitä asiantuntijoita, joilla on ensikäden tietoa ja erityistä asiantuntemusta pakottavasta kontrollista väkivaltana. Haastattelut pohjautuivat kolmelle kuvitteelliselle tapauskuvaukselle eli vinjetille. Tutkimusotteeni nojasi fenomenologiaan, joka pyrkii tarkastelemaan kokemuksia ja niiden merkityksiä suhteessa pakottavaan kontrolliin lähisuhdeväkivallan muotona. Teoreettisena viitekehyksenäni oli tutkimustietoa lähisuhdeväkivallasta, sen eri muodoista ja seurauksista.
Haastatellut asiantuntijat nostivat esiin, että sekä pakottavan kontrollin kokija, että lapset, elävät hyvin rajattua ja kontrolloitua elämää, johon usein liittyy myös muita väkivallan muotoja. Haastatteluista ilmeni, että uhka on aina läsnä, mikä jatkuessaan luo pysyvän pelon ja ahdistuksen ilmapiirin. Tekijä kuvattiin määrätietoisena ja voimakastahtoisena henkilönä, joka asettaa oman tahtonsa kohteen ja lasten hyvinvoinnin edelle. Asiantuntijat pitivät erityisen ongelmallisena sitä, että tekijä käyttää tarvittaessa myös yhteiskunnan rakenteita, viranomaisia ja palveluprosesseja oman etunsa edistämiseen. Aineistosta ilmeni, että väkivallan kohteena oleva vanhempi ja lapset pelkäävät ja varmistelevat turvallisuuttaan ja oppivat mukautumaan alati muuttuviin sääntöihin. Erityisesti korostui se, että tekijä osaa hienovaraisillakin eleillä tehdä selväksi, että hänen laatimistaan säännöistä poikkeamisella on seuraamuksensa. Asiantuntijat tunnistavat, että tämä voi vaikeuttaa tilanteen tunnistamista entisestään kohteen ja lasten halutessa pelon vuoksi antaa viranomaisille kuvan siitä, että kaikki on hyvin. Tutkimusaineistossani pakottava kontrolli kuvautui vaikeasti hahmottuvana, mutta jatkuvasti läsnäolevana, uhkaavana asioiden tilana, jonka mukaan kohde ja lapset ovat, elävät ja hengittävät. Tarvitsemme lisätutkimusta ja koulutusta pakottavan kontrollin tunnistamiseen väkivallan muotona ja siihen puuttumiseen
Village center : from a passing-through place to a destination
Diplomityössä laaditaan viitesuunnitelma Espoon Lintuvaarassa sijaitsevan lähipalvelukeskuksen kehittämiseksi. Työn tavoitteena on vahvistaa alueen roolia paikallisena kyläkeskuksena, parantaa sen viihtyisyyttä ja toimivuutta sekä kehittää siitä tunnistettava, käveltävä ja sosiaalisesti elävä kohtaamispaikka.
Työssä tarkastellaan kaupunkitilaa kokemuksellisena ja sosiaalisena ympäristönä, jossa liikkumisen rytmi, tilalliset rajapinnat ja puolijulkiset vyöhykkeet vaikuttavat arjen toimintoihin ja yhteisöllisyyteen. Teoreettinen viitekehys pohjautuu ympäristöpsykologiseen ja kaupunkitilaa jäsentävään tutkimusperinteeseen, jossa korostuvat luettavuus, tilallinen syvyys, sosiaalinen kontrolli ja alueellinen koheesio.
Suunnittelualueen nykytilaa analysoidaan historiallisen kehityksen, kaupunkirakenteen ja paikkatietoaineistojen avulla. Empiirinen osuus perustuu paikkatietopohjaiseen asukaskyselyyn (PPGIS) sekä kuljeskeluhaastatteluihin, joiden avulla on kerätty kokemustietoa alueen käyttäjiltä. Tulokset osoittavat, että alueen keskeinen sijainti ei tällä hetkellä tue oleskelua tai sosiaalista vuorovaikutusta, vaan tila toimii pääasiassa läpikulkualueena.
Viitesuunnitelmassa esitetään tilallisia ja toiminnallisia ratkaisuja, joilla kyläkeskuksen rakennetta selkeytetään, aktiivisia rajapintoja vahvistetaan ja jalankulkuympäristöä parannetaan. Suunnitelman lähtökohtana on tiivis ja matala kaupunkirakenne, joka tukee arjen kohtaamisia ja alueellista identiteettiä. Työ osoittaa, että kokemustiedon ja tilallisen analyysin yhdistäminen voi tuottaa konkreettisia ja paikallisesti merkityksellisiä kehittämisratkaisuja.
Tämä diplomityö on tehty yhteistyössä Espoon kaupungin kaupunkisuunnittelukeskuksen kanssa
Mustavaara revisited: A revised genetic model for orthomagmatic Fe–Ti–V mineralisation in the Koillismaa intrusion
The Koillismaa intrusion in northeastern Finland is part of the ~2440 Ma Tornio–Näränkävaara intrusive belt. After its emplacement and solidification between the Archean basement and the overlying Paleoproterozoic sedimentary volcanic cover, the intrusion was faulted and fragmented into several blocks. The intrusion has a maximum vertical stratigraphic thickness of ~2500 m and can be divided from the base upwards into a marginal series and a layered series, the latter containing lower, middle and upper zones. The upper zone hosts an oxide gabbro in its lower part, which includes the sandwich horizon of the intrusion. The oxide gabbro hosts the Mustavaara deposit, which represents the only economic Fe–Ti–V oxide (ilmenomagnetite) deposit in Finland related to the 2500–2440 Ma magmatism, and which contains approximately 100 million tons of ore reserves with 15 wt% of vanadiferous ilmenomagnetite. Based on the amount of ilmenomagnetite, the deposit includes two distinct, modally graded macrolayers. These layers share a notable feature in that they become simultaneously more oxide-rich and thinner towards the northeastern part of the deposit. The deposition of macrolayers was probably the result of in situ crystallisation of a compositionally stratified magma in a closed system, controlled by the sloping roof contact. Textural data indicate that the oxide grains became annealed after their deposition and formed relatively large anhedral grains in the most oxide-rich rocks.The Koillismaa intrusion in northeastern Finland is part of the ~2440 Ma Tornio–Näränkävaara intrusive belt. After its emplacement and solidification between the Archean basement and the overlying Paleoproterozoic sedimentary volcanic cover, the intrusion was faulted and fragmented into several blocks. The intrusion has a maximum vertical stratigraphic thickness of ~2500 m and can be divided from the base upwards into a marginal series and a layered series, the latter containing lower, middle and upper zones. The upper zone hosts an oxide gabbro in its lower part, which includes the sandwich horizon of the intrusion. The oxide gabbro hosts the Mustavaara deposit, which represents the only economic Fe–Ti–V oxide (ilmenomagnetite) deposit in Finland related to the 2500–2440 Ma magmatism, and which contains approximately 100 million tons of ore reserves with 15 wt% of vanadiferous ilmenomagnetite. Based on the amount of ilmenomagnetite, the deposit includes two distinct, modally graded macrolayers. These layers share a notable feature in that they become simultaneously more oxide-rich and thinner towards the northeastern part of the deposit. The deposition of macrolayers was probably the result of in situ crystallisation of a compositionally stratified magma in a closed system, controlled by the sloping roof contact. Textural data indicate that the oxide grains became annealed after their deposition and formed relatively large anhedral grains in the most oxide-rich rocks
BanglaHateBERT: BERT for Abusive Language Detection in Bengali
Abstract
This paper introduces BanglaHateBERT, a retrained BERT model for abusive language detection in Bengali. The model
was trained with a large-scale Bengali offensive, abusive, and hateful corpus that we have collected from different sources
and made available to the public. Furthermore, we have collected and manually annotated 15K Bengali hate speech
balanced dataset and made it publicly available for the research community. We used existing pre-trained BanglaBERT
model and retrained it with 1.5 million offensive posts. We presented the results of a detailed comparison between
generic pre-trained language model and retrained with the abuse-inclined version. In all datasets, BanglaHateBERT
outperformed the corresponding available BERT model.Abstract
This paper introduces BanglaHateBERT, a retrained BERT model for abusive language detection in Bengali. The model
was trained with a large-scale Bengali offensive, abusive, and hateful corpus that we have collected from different sources
and made available to the public. Furthermore, we have collected and manually annotated 15K Bengali hate speech
balanced dataset and made it publicly available for the research community. We used existing pre-trained BanglaBERT
model and retrained it with 1.5 million offensive posts. We presented the results of a detailed comparison between
generic pre-trained language model and retrained with the abuse-inclined version. In all datasets, BanglaHateBERT
outperformed the corresponding available BERT model