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To respond to construction industry-specific requirements for civil engineers, university teachers need to provide opportunities for students to develop their generic and professional skills. This article describes the use of a novel intervention of project-based learning -- PjBL with the consultative approach -- to teach Lean Construction and the influence of this method on the development of students' generic and professional skills. In this Lean course, teams of students carried out projects, in a consultative manner, to manage the real-life challenges that local companies were facing. Data on students' perceptions were collected through reflection documents written by students. Findings indicated that introducing students to an intervention of PjBL did expose students, especially, to learning to express themselves verbally and in writing, working as a team and focusing on the current problem. Particularly, project work, team work, meetings, and seminars were perceived as effective methods for advancing these skills.

We developed tree level biomass (dry weight) models for Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] H. Karst.), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth), rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.) and aspen (Populus tremula L.) growing in young spruce dominated seedling stands with high mixture of broadleaves. The study material was collected from three planted Norway spruce seedling stands located on mineral soil in southern Finland. Biomass models were estimated by individual tree component (stem, living branches, foliage, stump, and roots with diameter of 2 mm) by using a multi-response approach (seemingly unrelated regression), which estimated the parameters of the sub-models (tree component) simultaneously. Even though the application and generalization of the developed models can be restricted by the limited material, they provide new information of seedling biomass allocation and more reliable biomass predictions for spruce and birch growing in young seedling stand compared with those of the commonly applied biomass models (Repola 2008, 2009) in Finland. Repola’s models (2008, 2009) tended to produce biased predictions for crown and below-ground biomasses of seedlings by allocating too much biomass to roots and too little to needle and branches. In addition, this study provides biomass models for aspen and rowan, which were not previously available.

Introduction The relationship between tobacco smoking and cutaneous photodamage or malignancies is still unclear. In addition to smoking, both ultraviolet radiation and immunosuppression have an impact on carcinogenesis. The purpose was to study the association of smoking with cutaneous photoaging, actinic keratosis (AK), skin cancers, and pigment cell nevi in adult subjects at risk of any type of skin cancer. Methods In this cross-sectional study at Kuopio University Hospital, Finland, between May 2017 and October 2020, 488 subjects (aged 21–79 years, 246 males and 242 females, 94 with immunosuppression) were examined for a variety of skin lesions, photoaging severity, nevi, tobacco pack-years (TPY), as well as for possible confounding factors. Results In logistic regression analyses, no marked association was found between TPY and total skin photoaging, facial photoaging, AK, or nevi, especially when other confounding factors, such as age, were considered. In addition, TPY was not associated with melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, or any type of skin cancer. However, ever smokers produced an elevated crude odds ratio (OR=1.99; 95% CI: 1.02–3.88, p=0.043) for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) compared to nonsmokers. In further analysis, TPY of ≤10 produced an elevated multivariable adjusted odds ratio (AOR=4.90; 95% CI: 1.31–18.26, p=0.018) for SCC, but TPY >10 did not (AOR=1.14; 95% CI: 0.22–6.05, p=0.876). Conclusions Smoking was associated, though not dose-dependently, with an increased likelihood of SCC, but it was not associated with basal cell carcinoma or melanoma. However, the impact of smoking on cutaneous photoaging severity, AK, and nevi, appears to be weak.

A prerequisite for understanding the local, regional, and hemispherical impacts of Arctic sea-ice decline on the atmosphere is to quantify the effects of sea-ice concentration (SIC) on the turbulent surface fluxes of sensible and latent heat in the Arctic. We analyse these effects utilising four global atmospheric reanalyses, ERA5, JRA-55, MERRA-2, and NCEP/CFSR (including both the NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) and the NCEP Climate Forecast System Version 2 (CFSv2)), and evaluate their uncertainties arising from inter-reanalysis differences in SIC and in the sensitivity of the turbulent surface fluxes to SIC. The magnitude of the differences in SIC is up to 0.15 but typically around 0.05 in most of the Arctic over all four seasons. Orthogonal-distance regression and ordinary-least-squares regression analyses indicate that the greatest sensitivity of both the latent and the sensible heat flux to SIC occurs in the cold season, November to April. For these months, using daily means of data, the average sensitivity is 400 W m−2 for the latent heat flux and over 800 W m−2 for the sensible heat flux per unit of SIC (change in SIC from 0 to 1), with differences between reanalyses that are as large as 300 W m−2 for the latent heat flux and 600 W m−2 for the sensible heat flux per unit of SIC. The sensitivity is highest for the NCEP/CFSR reanalysis. Comparing the periods 1980–2000 and 2001–2021, we find that the effect of SIC on turbulent surface fluxes has weakened owing to the increasing surface temperature of sea ice and sea-ice decline. The results also indicate signs of a decadal-scale improvement in the mutual agreement between reanalyses. The effect of SIC on turbulent surface fluxes arises mostly via the effect of SIC on atmosphere–surface differences in temperature and specific humidity, whereas the effect of SIC on wind speed (via surface roughness and atmospheric-boundary-layer stratification) partly cancels out in the turbulent surface fluxes, as the wind speed increases the magnitudes of both upward and downward fluxes.

Objective: Vegetarian diets are becoming increasingly popular. Our aim was to evaluate the association of a vegetarian diet with pregnancy, labor, and newborn’s outcome. Study design: This retrospective case-control study included 150 women on a vegetarian diet and 300 omnivores. The data were collected from Tampere University Hospital pregnancy database from January 2015 to April 2021. Diet was a self-reported variable. Outcomes of interest were compared between the groups. The frequency of small-for-gestational age (SGA) newborns and low birth weight were primary outcomes. Other parameters concerning pregnancy, labor, and newborn served as secondary outcomes. Results: The rate of SGA at the 10 % cutoff was lower in the vegetarian group. Based on a definition of two standard deviations, SGA did not differ between the vegetarian diet group and the control group. The median birthweight was significantly higher in the vegetarian group. Gestational diabetes (GDM) was more common in the vegetarian group, however the numbers of large for gestational age (LGA) newborns were comparable between the study groups. Labor induction was more common, and the second stage of labor was longer in the vegetarian group. Preterm births (< 32+0 and < 37+0 gestational weeks) were more common in the control group. No differences were found in the mean umbilical artery pH value, 1- and 5- minutes Apgar scores or the number of newborns transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit and neonatal ward. The proportions of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: According to our results, a vegetarian diet may be considered safe during pregnancy. It was not associated with an increased risk of pregnancy- or neonatal complications.

Abstract Heat transported in Circumpolar Deep Water is driving the break‐up of ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea sector of Antarctica, that has been simulated to be unavoidable under all plausible greenhouse gas scenarios. However, Solar geoengineering scenarios remain largely unexplored. Solar geoengineering changes global thermal radiative balance, and atmospheric and oceanic transportation pathways. We simulate stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) designed to reduce global mean temperatures from those under the unmitigated SSP5‐8.5 scenario to those under the SSP2‐4.5 scenario with six CMIP6‐class Earth System Models. These consistently show intensified Antarctic polar vortex and sub‐polar westerlies, which mitigates changes to easterly winds along the Amundsen Sea continental shelf compared with greenhouse gas scenarios. The models show significantly cooler Amundsen Sea waters and lower heat content at 300–600 m under SAI than with either solar dimming or the SSP5‐8.5 unmitigated greenhouse gas scenarios. However, the heat content increases under all scenarios compared with present day suggesting that although vulnerable ice shelves would continue to thin, the rate would be lower for SAI even with SSP5‐8.5 specified greenhouse gases, than for the moderate (SSP2‐4.5) scenario. The simulations here use solar geoengineering designed to meet global temperature targets; interventions targeted at preserving the frozen high latitudes have also been proposed that might be expected to produce bigger local effects, but potentially deleterious impacts elsewhere. Considering the huge disruptions to society of ice sheet collapse, more research on avoiding them by intervention technology is a moral imperative.

Abstract Compared to the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) climate models, the Antarctic sea ice area (SIA) has been improved in Phase 6 (CMIP6). However, the lack of knowledge about the reliability of sea ice dynamic and thermodynamic processes in the CMIP6 models still limits the accuracy of Antarctic sea ice projections. Here, by using a novel and systematic statistical metric, the performance of CMIP5 and CMIP6 models with near‐realistic SIAs was assessed. We found improvements in CMIP6 models relative to CMIP5. Moreover, forcing the sea ice‐ocean model with atmospheric reanalysis led to excessive ice convergence compared to the fully coupled ocean‐sea ice‐atmosphere model, although the SIA bias could be much smaller. This prevalent insufficient ice divergence in the models is highly correlated with the negative ice thickness bias, highlighting the importance of ice thickness in the correct simulation of sea ice dynamics.

Coastal polynyas in the Ross Sea are important source regions of high-salinity shelf water (HSSW) – the precursor of Antarctic Bottom Water that supplies the lower limb of the thermohaline circulation. Here, the response of sea ice production and HSSW formation to synoptic-scale and mesoscale cyclones was investigated for the Ross Ice Shelf Polynya (RISP) using a coupled ocean–sea ice–ice shelf model targeted on the Ross Sea. When synoptic-scale cyclones prevailed over RISP, sea ice production (SIP) increased rapidly by 20 %–30 % over the entire RISP. During the passage of mesoscale cyclones, SIP increased by about 2 times over the western RISP but decreased over the eastern RISP, resulting respectively from enhancement in the offshore and onshore winds. HSSW formation mainly occurred in the western RISP and was enhanced responding to the SIP increase under both types of cyclones. Promoted HSSW formation could persist for 12–60 h after the decay of the cyclones. The HSSW exports across the Drygalski Trough and the Glomar Challenger Trough were positively correlated with the meridional wind. Such correlations are mainly controlled by variations in geostrophic ocean currents that result from sea surface elevation change and density differences.

The seasonally dependent Antarctic sea ice concentration (SIC) budget is well observed and synthesizes many important air–sea–ice interaction processes. However, it is rarely well simulated in Earth system models, and means to tune the former are not well understood. In this study, we investigate the sensitivity of 18 key NEMO4.0-SI3 (Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean coupled with the Sea Ice Modelling Integrated Initiative) model parameters on modelled SIC and sea ice volume (SIV) budgets in the Southern Ocean based on a total of 449 model runs and two global sensitivity analysis methods. We found that the simulated SIC and SIV budgets are sensitive to ice strength, the thermal conductivity of snow, the number of ice categories, two parameters related to lateral melting, ice–ocean drag coefficient and air–ice drag coefficient. An optimized ice–ocean drag coefficient and air–ice drag coefficient can reduce the root-mean-square error between simulated and observed SIC budgets by about 10 %. This implies that a more accurate calculation of ice velocity is the key to optimizing the SIC budget simulation, which is unlikely to be achieved perfectly by simply tuning the model parameters in the presence of biased atmospheric forcing. Nevertheless, 10 combinations of NEMO4.0-SI3 model parameters were recommended, as they could yield better sea ice extent and SIC budgets than when using the standard values.

Global climate models (CMIP6 models) are the basis for future predictions and projections, but these models typically have large biases in their mean state of the Arctic Ocean. Considering a transect across the Arctic Ocean, with a focus on the depths between 100-700m, we show that the model spread for temperature and salinity anomalies increases significantly during the period 2025-2045. The maximum model spread is reached in the period 2045-2055 with a standard deviation 10 times higher than in 1993-2010. The CMIP6 models agree that there will be warming, but do not agree on the degree of warming. This aspect is important for long-term management of societal and ecological perspectives in the Arctic region. We therefore test a new approach to find models with good performance. We assess how CMIP6 models represent the horizontal patterns of temperature and salinity in the period 1993-2010. Based on this, we find four models with relatively good performance (MPI-ESM1-2-HR, IPSL-CM6A-LR, CESM2-WACCM, MRI-ESM2-0). For a more robust model evaluation, we consider additional metrics (e.g., climate sensitivity, ocean heat transport) and also compare our results with other recent CMIP6 studies in the Arctic Ocean. Based on this, we find that two of the models have an overall better performance (MPI-ESM1-2-HR, IPSL-CM6A-LR). Considering projected changes for temperature for the period 2045-2055 in the high end ssp585 scenario, these two models show a similar warming in the Mid Layer (300-700m; 1.1-1.5°C). However, in the low end ssp126 scenario, IPSL-CM6A-LR shows a considerably higher warming than MPI-ESM1-2-HR. In contrast to the projected warming by both models, the projected salinity changes for the period 2045-2055 are very different; MPI-ESM1-2-HR shows a freshening in the Upper Layer (100-300m), whereas IPSL-CM6A-LR shows a salinification in this layer. This is the case for both scenarios. The source of the model spread appears to be in the Eurasian Basin, where warm waters enter the Arctic. Finally, we recommend being cautious when using the CMIP6 ensemble to assess the future Arctic Ocean, because of the large spread both in performance and the extent of future changes.

The study’s objective is to construct Lagrangian pathways under the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf (FRIS) and in the Weddell Sea using the data of numerical simulation of currents and Lagrangian numerical methods. The results of modeling the circulation, temperature, and salinity in the Weddell Sea and the FRIS cavity from the Whole Antarctica Ocean Model were used to run the particle-tracking model (Parcels) for computing Lagrangian particle trajectories. The basic version of the Parcels model does not have an option for particle reflection from the solid boundaries, including the ice shelf. Therefore, the corresponding kernel was used in the study. To avoid errors in interpolation near the solid boundary when the model algorithm cannot find enough grid nodes around the particle, the function of particle recovery was implemented. To analyze the movement variations of the water masses under the FRIS, a set of particles was released in the Ronne Depression near the ice shelf front. Simulation continued for 20 years of particle movement. Particles were released at two depths: 350 m and 500 m, every 4 hr within the first 365 days. To characterize the redistribution of water masses, we calculated the ‘visitation frequency’, i.e., the percentage of the particles that visited each 2 × 2 km grid column at least once in a modeling period. The mean age of visits was also calculated to characterize the age of water masses. The results of this analysis generally agreed with schemes based on water mass analysis. The released particles first move southward along the Ronne Trough. The flow then turns to the east, reaching the passage between Berkner Island and Henry Ice Rise after three years. After ten years, the released particles reach the Filchner Trough, through which water flows out to the shelf of the southern part of the Weddell Sea. Over time, the particles penetrate all parts of the cavity. The particles also cross the Ronne Shelf front and are carried away by currents on the Weddell Sea shelf. In 20 years, almost the same number of particles left the cavity through the Ronne ice front (43%) and the Filchner ice front (37%), whereas the rest of the particles (20%) remained under FRIS.

Objective: To assess pain relief and overall birth experience in induced vs. spontaneous-onset labours and to clarify variables among induced parturients determining satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Study design: A prospective study of 2042 women. 575 women with induced and 1467 with spontaneous-onset labour answered multiple questions in a questionnaire regarding the experience of birth giving. Satisfaction was numerically assessed via a visual analogue scale (VAS 0–10). Results: Induction of labour (IOL) did not worsen the average experience of pain relief, but the proportion of women dissatisfied with pain relief was slightly higher after IOL compared with spontaneous-onset labour (SOL). IOL was associated with lower satisfaction with overall birth experience compared with SOL (VAS 8.0 vs. 8.4; p

Adoption of the design for disassembly (DfD) concept is suggested as a promising strategy to cope with the climate targets and increase circular economy in the construction sector. Yet, the concept is little used partially due to technical challenges, including inadequate information about demolition and the characteristics of components. This study aims to investigate the demands for information linked to new concrete components with the purpose of reuse. In the building phase, concrete components cause the majority of emissions. Thus, these components also have the greatest potential for CO _2 emissions savings. A comprehensive list of information related to DfD concrete components and their characteristics was gathered in a workshop with experts of DfD concrete elements. Furthermore, the stakeholders of DfD components data processing were considered. The results of this study may support the adoption of DfD with concrete components as it provides information for designers and builders to implement in early phases of building projects.

This article deals with Nordic journalism educators’ conceptions of journalism by placing the concept of normativity at the center. The values, norms and ideas concerning journalism and journalistic practice have previously been studied by journalists and journalism students around the world and in the Nordics, while the Nordic journalism educators’ conceptions have remained more or less without attention. Nevertheless, journalism educators play a crucial role in defining what journalism is and what it is not, and thus largely affect future practitioners’ ideas of journalism. Using a questionnaire that has been employed in previous studies, journalism educators within the academic journalism training in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden (n = 115) were surveyed in terms of their conceptions. It was found that the journalism educators, of which 35 per cent had a doctoral degree, still largely subscribe to the ideas of the welfare state. In addition, the ideas of slow, investigative, constructive and solutions-based journalism have gained high popularity among the Nordic educators, which, we argue, dovetails well with the pedagogical aims of journalism education.

We utilize a nudged simulation with the coupled regional atmosphere-ocean-sea ice model HIRHAM–NAOSIM over the Arctic to conduct an in-depth analysis of the impact of a sequence of three intense cyclones on the sea ice cover in the Barents and Kara Seas in February 2020. To clarify the underlying mechanisms we decompose changes in sea ice concentration (SIC) and thickness (SIT) into their dynamic and thermodynamic contributions and analyze them in concert with simulated changes in the wind forcing and the surface energy budget. Our findings reveal that changes in SIT during and after the cyclone passages are mostly driven by dynamic processes such as increased ice drift and deformation. With respect to SIC, the relative importance of dynamics and thermodynamics depends on the considered time scale and on the general conditions of the cyclone passages. If cyclones follow on each other in rapid succession, dynamic mechanisms dominate the SIC response for time scales of more than 2 weeks and thermodynamic effects via advection of warm-moist/cold-dry air masses on the cyclone’s front/back side only play a secondary role. However, if sufficiently long time elapses until the arrival of the next storm, thermodynamic SIC increase due to refreezing under the influence of cold and dry air at the backside of the cyclone becomes the dominating mechanism during the days following the cyclone passage.

Water mass transformation (WMT) around the Antarctic margin controls Antarctica Bottom Water formation and the abyssal limb of the global meridional overturning circulation, besides mediating ocean-ice shelf exchange, ice sheet stability and its contribution to sea level rise. However, the mechanisms controlling the rate of WMT in the Antarctic shelf are poorly understood due to the lack of observations and the inability of climate models to simulate those mechanisms, in particular beneath the floating ice shelves. We used a circum-Antarctic ocean-ice shelf model to assess the contribution of surface fluxes, mixing, and ocean-ice shelf interaction to the WMT on the continental shelf. The salt budget dominates the WMT rates, with only a secondary contribution from the heat budget. Basal melt of ice shelves drives buoyancy gain at lighter density classes (27.2 27.6). We found a large sensitivity of the WMT rates to model horizontal resolution, tides and topography within the Filchner-Ronne, East and West Antarctica ice shelf cavities. In the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, an anticyclonic circulation in front of the Ronne Depression regulates the rates of basal melting/refreezing and WMT and is substantially affected by tides and model resolution. Model resolution is also found to affect the Antarctic Slope Current in both East and West Antarctica, impacting the on-shelf heat delivery, basal melt and WMT. Moreover, the representation of the ice shelf draft associated with model resolution impacts the freezing temperature and thus basal melt and WMT rates in the East Antarctica. These results highlight the importance of resolving small-scale features of the flow and topography, and to include the effects of tidal forcing, to adequately represent water mass transformations on the shelf that directly influence the abyssal global overturning circulation.

Aims: Women with a history of gestational diabetes (GDM) have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We studied the risk for T2DM in women with and without GDM in relation to body mass index (BMI) and examined whether insulin treatment for GDM associates with the risk of developing T2DM. In addition, we investigated whether the risk of developing T2DM after GDM had changed in 15 years. Methods: We used data by linking four registers; Medical Birth Register, Hospital Discharge Register and Primary Care Register run by THL Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, and Medical Reimbursement Statistics run by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela). Registry data were collected from 2005 to 2020. The follow-up started from woman's delivery in 2006-2020 and ended to the diagnosis of T2DM or December 2020. Cox proportional hazard modelling was used to estimate the effect of GDM exposure to T2DM. To assess whether the risk of developing T2DM after GDM had changed in 15 years, we compared the HR between years 2006-2008 and 2018-2020. Results: In total, 462 401 women were included in the study: 96 353 (21%) women had previous GDM. There were 5370 (1.2%) women who developed T2DM after childbirth during the follow-up. Among women with prior GDM, 3995 (4.1%) developed T2DM, while 1375 (0.4%) women without prior GDM developed T2DM during follow-up. The mean follow-up was 6.86 years (SD 4.21) for women with GDM and 9.07 years (SD 4.35) for women without GDM. The hazard ratio (HR) for developing T2DM after GDM was 18.49 (95% CI 17.39-19.67). The incidence of T2DM in women with a history of GDM began to rise almost steadily from the first year of follow-up. As BMI increased, T2DM incidence increased in both women with and without prior GDM but more in women with prior GDM. Insulin treatment had an independent association with increased risk of T2DM (HR 3.81, 95% CI 3.57-4.07). We did not observe any difference in HR between years 2006-2008 and 2018-2020. Conclusions: The relative risk for T2DM was 11-fold for women with previous GDM compared to women without previous GDM. A higher BMI and insulin treatment increased the risk of future diabetes. All measures to prevent the conversion of GDM to T2DM should be taken especially among women with overweight or obesity.

We present a method to combine CryoSat-2 (CS2) radar altimeter and Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data to obtain sea ice thickness (SIT) estimates for the Barents and Kara seas. From the viewpoint of tactical navigation, along-track altimeter SIT estimates are sparse, and the goal of our study is to develop a method to interpolate altimeter SIT measurements between CS2 ground tracks. The SIT estimation method developed here is based on the interpolation of CS2 SIT utilizing SAR segmentation and segmentwise SAR texture features. The SIT results are compared to SIT data derived from the AARI ice charts; to ORAS5, PIOMAS and TOPAZ4 ocean–sea ice data assimilation system reanalyses; to combined CS2 and Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) radiometer weekly SIT (CS2SMOS SIT) charts; and to the daily MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) SIT chart. We studied two approaches: CS2 directly interpolated to SAR segments and CS2 SIT interpolated to SAR segments with mapping of the CS2 SIT distributions to correspond to SIT distribution of the PIOMAS ice model. Our approaches yield larger spatial coverage and better accuracy compared to SIT estimates based on either CS2 or SAR data alone. The agreement with modelled SIT is better than with the CS2SMOS SIT. The average differences when compared to ice models and the AARI ice chart SIT were typically tens of centimetres, and there was a significant positive bias when compared to the AARI SIT (on average 27 cm) and a similar bias (24 cm) when compared to the CS2SMOS SIT. Our results are directly applicable to the future CRISTAL mission and Copernicus programme SAR missions.

The Earth system model EC-Earth3 for contributions to CMIP6 is documented here, with its flexible coupling framework, major model configurations, a methodology for ensuring the simulations are comparable across different high-performance computing (HPC) systems, and with the physical performance of base configurations over the historical period. The variety of possible configurations and sub-models reflects the broad interests in the EC-Earth community. EC-Earth3 key performance metrics demonstrate physical behavior and biases well within the frame known from recent CMIP models. With improved physical and dynamic features, new Earth system model (ESM) components, community tools, and largely improved physical performance compared to the CMIP5 version, EC-Earth3 represents a clear step forward for the only European community ESM. We demonstrate here that EC-Earth3 is suited for a range of tasks in CMIP6 and beyond.

The Pan-Eurasian Experiment (PEEX) Science Plan, released in 2015, addressed a need for a holistic system understanding and outlined the most urgent research needs for the rapidly changing Arctic-boreal region. Air quality in China, together with the long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants, was also indicated as one of the most crucial topics of the research agenda. These two geographical regions, the northern Eurasian Arctic-boreal region and China, especially the megacities in China, were identified as a “PEEX region”. It is also important to recognize that the PEEX geographical region is an area where science-based policy actions would have significant impacts on the global climate. This paper summarizes results obtained during the last 5 years in the northern Eurasian region, together with recent observations of the air quality in the urban environments in China, in the context of the PEEX programme. The main regions of interest are the Russian Arctic, northern Eurasian boreal forests (Siberia) and peatlands, and the megacities in China. We frame our analysis against research themes introduced in the PEEX Science Plan in 2015. We summarize recent progress towards an enhanced holistic understanding of the land–atmosphere–ocean systems feedbacks. We conclude that although the scientific knowledge in these regions has increased, the new results are in many cases insufficient, and there are still gaps in our understanding of large-scale climate–Earth surface interactions and feedbacks. This arises from limitations in research infrastructures, especially the lack of coordinated, continuous and comprehensive in situ observations of the study region as well as integrative data analyses, hindering a comprehensive system analysis. The fast-changing environment and ecosystem changes driven by climate change, socio-economic activities like the China Silk Road Initiative, and the global trends like urbanization further complicate such analyses. We recognize new topics with an increasing importance in the near future, especially “the enhancing biological sequestration capacity of greenhouse gases into forests and soils to mitigate climate change” and the “socio-economic development to tackle air quality issues”.

Severe ice conditions in the Bohai Sea could cause serious harm to maritime traffic, offshore oil exploitation, aquaculture, and other economic activities in the surrounding regions. In addition to providing sea ice forecasts for disaster prevention and risk mitigation, sea ice numerical models could help explain the sea ice variability within the context of climate change in marine ecosystems, such as spotted seals, which are the only ice-dependent animal that breeds in Chinese waters. Here, we developed NEMO-Bohai, an ocean–ice coupled model based on the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) model version 4.0 and Sea Ice Modelling Integrated Initiative (SI3) (NEMO4.0-SI3) for the Bohai Sea. This study will present the scientific design and technical choices of the parameterizations for the NEMO-Bohai model. The model was calibrated and evaluated with in situ and satellite observations of the ocean and sea ice. The model simulations agree with the observations with respect to sea surface height (SSH), temperature (SST), salinity (SSS), currents, and temperature and salinity stratification. The seasonal variation of the sea ice area is well simulated by the model compared to the satellite remote sensing data for the period of 1996–2017. Overall agreement is found for the occurrence dates of the annual maximum sea ice area. The simulated sea ice thickness and volume are in general agreement with the observations with slight overestimations. NEMO-Bohai can simulate seasonal sea ice evolution and long-term interannual variations. Hence, NEMO-Bohai is a valuable tool for long-term ocean and ice simulations and climate change studies.

Nausea or vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) are among the commonest symptoms experienced in early pregnancy. We wanted to evaluate the association of dietary fibre intake, lifestyle characteristics and bowel function with NVP. One hundred and eighty-eight participants completed a self-administered questionnaire concerning bowel function, dietary fibre intake and lifestyle characteristics. Women suffering from NVP (n = 91) consumed significantly more fibre derived from cereal products (p=.026) and total fibre (p=.043) during pre-pregnancy period was compared to women without NVP (n = 97). In both groups, intake of total fibre and fibre derived from fruit and vegetables increased significantly during the first trimester. Dietary fibre intake did not protect from NVP. However, women suffering from NVP were able to maintain their fibre intake. Dietary fibre is tolerated well during NVP, and this finding can be used when giving diet counselling to women suffering from NVP.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Nausea or vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) are among the commonest symptoms experienced in early pregnancy. The pathophysiology of NVP remains unknown, but it has been suggested to be multifactorial. Diet during pregnancy may have an impact on NVP. It is generally advised to avoid meat, poultry, fish, eggs and spicy and fatty foods during periods of NVP, but there is limited data on the effects of diet of NVP.What do the results of this study add? Women suffering from NVP have been shown to eat less meat (and thus protein) compared to women without NVP. Dietary fibre reduces constipation and heartburn and it also keeps blood glucose levels stable. Because of various beneficial effects of fibre on the digestive system, we hypothesised that a high fibre intake may alleviate the symptoms of NVP.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the amount or source of dietary fibre are associated with NVP. We wanted to investigate intake of fibre derived from cereal products (mostly representing insoluble fibre) and fibre derived from fruit and vegetables (containing mostly soluble fibre) separately in relationship to NVP, as the mechanisms of action of these fibre groups are different. There are no observational studies including also pre-pregnancy consumption of fibre when focussing on the association between fibre and NVP. The results of this study can be used when giving diet counselling to women suffering from NVP.

Tree species identification constitutes a bottleneck in remote sensing applications. Waveform LiDAR has been shown to offer potential over discrete-return observations, and we assessed if the combination of two-wavelength waveform data can lead to further improvements. A total of 2532 trees representing seven living and dead conifer and deciduous species classes found in Hyytiälä forests in southern Finland were included in the experiments. LiDAR data was acquired by two single-wavelength sensors. The 1064-nm and 1550-nm data were radiometrically corrected to enable range-normalization using the radar equation. Pulses were traced through the canopy, and by applying 3D crown models, the return waveforms were assigned to individual trees. Crown models and a terrain model enabled a further split of the waveforms to strata representing the crown, understory and ground segments. Different geometric and radiometric waveform attributes were extracted per return pulse and aggregated to tree-level mean and standard deviation features. We analyzed the effect of tree size on the features, the correlation between features and the between-species differences of the waveform features. Feature importance for species classification was derived using F-test and the Random Forest algorithm. Classification tests showed significant improvement in overall accuracy (74→83% with 7 classes, 88→91% with 4 classes) when the 1064-nm and 1550-nm features were merged. Most features were not invariant to tree size, and the dependencies differed between species and LiDAR wavelength. The differences were likely driven by factors such as bark reflectance, height growth induced structural changes near the treetop as well as foliage density in old trees.

Seaports (hereafter “ports”) within the European Union are facing increasingly restrictive regulation in the near future from various sources driven by climate change prevention and public opinion supporting “green” values. Ports are complex hubs for maritime transportation systems and global supply chains, as well as an integral part of critical national infrastructures. However, they are also significant individual sources of harmful emissions, and their involvement is crucial to reducing transportation-related environmental impacts. To meet future regulatory requirements, stakeholders will need to find ways to align their policies accordingly and create long-term pathways toward these ambitious targets. The empirical case study presented in this paper among European Port Cluster (EPC) stakeholders distinctly reflects the mounting importance of environmental policies and the need for further preparative measures for meeting future demands. This paper emphasizes the intensified impact of forthcoming regulation on existing business models in the EPC and contributes a foresight-based framework to approaching this issue systematically. The adoption of future-oriented regulation is a non-linear, potentially disruptive, and complex foresight process that requires each stakeholder to formulate their own strategic pathway toward a target-seeking scenario. Changing direction from the status quo toward sustainability also requires a strong commitment beyond mere regulatory compliance.

Mechanical site preparation (MSP) is a common practice that precedes the planting of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) in Nordic forests. Mounding has become the most used method in spruce planting in recent years. This study examined the effects of different mounding treatments (spot and ditch mounding, inversion, unprepared control with or without herbicide application) and a mechanical vegetation control (MVC) treatment done 3–4 years after planting on the post-planting growth of spruce container seedlings and their development to saplings during the first 11–13 years on two forest till soils in central Finland, one on flat terrain and other on a southwest slope. On these fine-textured soils the spot and ditch mounding methods favoured spruce saplings development. Inversion and unprepared plots showed weakest growth. On the site with flat terrain, 11 years post planting, spruce saplings were 78–144 cm (38–80%) taller and their breast height diameters were 11–13 mm (60–74%) thicker for ditch or spot mounding than for inversion or herbicide treatment. On the site with sloped terrain the differences were minor between the MSP treatments. MVC improved spruce height growth on sites which did not have intensive MSP, especially on control saplings planted on unprepared soil in herbicide and inversion treatments. On the flat terrain, MVC reduced the density of resprouts to be removed later in pre-commercial thinning. As a conclusion, spot or ditch mounding favoured the growth of spruce over inversion especially on flat terrain with fine-textured soil.

Objectives: Heartburn and constipation are common gastrointestinal symptoms during pregnancy. High fiber and liquid intake have beneficial effects on these symptoms in non- pregnant population. Our aim was to evaluate the association of dietary fiber, fluid intake and lifestyle characteristics with constipation, heartburn, and pregnancy outcome. Study design: Two hundred pregnant women were enrolled in this prospective cohort study during the 1st trimester of pregnancy. Participants completed a self- administered questionnaire concerning bowel symptoms, dietary fiber, liquid intake, and lifestyle characteristics before pregnancy, during pregnancy and post-partum. After exclusions 173 pregnant women participated the study and 173, 173, 136, 109 and 91 completed pre-pregnancy, and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester, and post-partum questionnaires, respectively. Data on deliveries and perinatal outcome (n = 173) were collected from hospital records. In trajectory analysis, the women were clustered in groups based on the intake of fiber and liquids. Generalized linear mixed models and logistic regression analyses were used to find associations of fiber and fluid intake with constipation, heartburn and pregnancy outcome. Results and conclusions: Heartburn increased significantly during pregnancy and the highest prevalence (33%) was during the third trimester. A combination of low fiber and low fluid intake increased the risk of constipation during pregnancy (OR 5.9, 95% CI 2.00–17.4). Low fiber intake increased the risk of combined adverse outcome (cesarean section, premature delivery and/or small for gestational age; OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.2–9.6). Sufficient fiber and liquid intake may be protective against pregnancy-associated constipation and may be associated with improved pregnancy outcome.

Tutkimme ulkomaisten luonnonväriaineiden tuontia Suomeen 1790-luvun alusta 1850-luvun puoliväliin. Ajankohtaa voidaan luonnehtia murroskaudeksi väriaineiden käytön historiassa. Selvitämme mitä väriaineita Suomeen tuotiin, millaisia määriä, minne niitä tuotiin sekä mistä satamista väriainelastit olivat lähtöisin. Lähdeaineistomme perustan muodostavat Tanskan Juutinrauman tullitilit, joista on koostettu suomalaisia satamia koskeva tietokanta (FIN-STRO: 1560/1791–1856). Lähdepohjaa on täydennetty muulla tilastoaineistolla sekä laadullisella materiaalilla, kuten värjäysoppailla ja Kansalliskirjaston digitaalisella sanomalehtiarkistolla. Tutkimme erityisesti sinistä, punaista ja keltaista väriä tuottaneita luonnonaineita. Sekoittamalla eri annoksina näitä kolmea väriä ammattivärjärit saattoivat tuottaa lähes kaikkia haluttuja värisävyjä. Väriä tuottavien kasvi- ja eläinkunnan tuotteiden tunnistaminen tullitileistä on vaatinut tarkkaa selvitystyötä esimerkiksi väriaineiden tuotenimien ristiriitaisuuksien takia. Analysoimalla luonnonväriaineiden tuonnissa tapahtuneita muutoksia voimme hahmottaa uudesta näkökulmasta värillisyyden ja materiaalisen kulttuurin historiaa esimodernissa Suomessa. Väitämme, että tuonti monin osin heijasteli kysynnän kasvua ja täten myös pukeutumiskulttuurissa tapahtuneita muutoksia. Näin voimme tehdä päätelmiä kulutuskulttuurin ja muotivirtausten vaihtelusta. Ulkomaiset väriaineet ja niiden käytön yleistyminen kertovat myös ammattimaisen värjäyksen yleistymisestä Suomessa.

Mixed-species forests in Fennoscandia are of increasing interest because they may improve resilience, biodiversity, and productivity. Currently there is scarce knowledge available of the early growth dynamics of mixed spruce–birch stands in even-aged managed production forests with artificial regeneration of spruce. The main objective of our study was to examine the present state and the past growth dynamics of current single-storied, young spruce–birch (Picea abies (L.) Karst., Betula pendula Roth, Betula pubescens Ehrh.) stands (age 17–29 years), where spruce was planted and birch naturally regenerated, and juvenile management practices (early cleaning and precommercial thinning) were carried out. We inventoried ten such stands in Southern Finland, for a total of twenty plots. For 160 spruces and 160 birch trees, we reconstructed the past diameter and height growth through stem analysis. We analyzed mean stand characteristics by tree species, and we modelled the individual tree height and diameter growth using the mixed effects Chapman–Richards model. Spruces had slower initial height growth, but by the age of about 20 years their height growth rate eventually approached and exceeded that of birches regenerated naturally at the time of spruce planting. The diameter growth of planted spruce exceeded that of birches even sooner (at the age of about 10 years). Thus, spruces are not suppressed by birches, and they may coexist in the same canopy layer in managed stands. Contrary to earlier guidelines, due to the fast growth of planted spruces, birch mixture needs to be maintained already in the first juvenile stand management (i.e., early cleaning). The growth dynamics of young, planted spruce, and naturally regenerated birch allow the establishment and management of such mixtures and also maintenance of the mixture in the future until the end of the rotation, thus improving biodiversity in boreal, planted spruce forests.

We present an experimental comparison of photoacoustic responsivities of common highly absorbing carbon-based materials. The comparison was carried out with parameters relevant for photoacoustic power detectors and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy: we covered a broad wavelength range from the visible red to far infrared (633 nm to 25 μm) and the regime of low acoustic frequencies (< 1 kHz). The investigated materials include a candle soot-based coating, a black paint coating and two different carbon nanotube coatings. Of these, the low-cost soot absorber produced clearly the highest photoacoustic response over the entire measurement range.

Analysoin artikkelissani maaseutuväestön liikkuvuutta 1840-luvun aikana kahdessa maaseutupitäjässä: Hämäläisessä Hollolassa ja karjalaisessa Jaakkimassa. Lähdeaineistona toimivat niin kutsutut annettujen todistusten diaarit, joihin papit kirjasivat muistiin heiltä pyydetyt erilaiset todistukset. Lähdeaineisto antaa kuitenkin vain tilaisuuden hahmottaa liikkuvuuden rajoja, sillä kirkon hallintoarkistoon kuuluvia annettujen todistusten diaareja ei ole pidetty tai säilynyt kovinkaan monesta seurakunnasta. Artikkelissani kysyn, ketkä yleensä lähtivät liikkeelle oman kotipitäjän ulkopuolelle, miksi ja millaisin todistuksin? Samalla selvitän liikkuvuuden kontrollointiin liittyviä yleisiä seikkoja ja annettujen todistusten luonnetta. Kahden erilaisen seurakunnan vertailu paljastaa hyvin erilaisen kuvan 1840-luvun liikkuvuudesta: Karjalasta oli totuttu kulkemaan Pietarissa, Hämeestä ja Hollolasta väki kävi Helsingissä etsimässä tilapäisiä työtilaisuuksia. Maaseutuväestön erilaisiin liikkumissuuntiin vaikuttivat niin muuttorajoitukset kuin lähtöpitäjien taloudelliset ja sosiaaliset seikat sekä maantiede. Suomi ei ollut yhtenäinen maa.

Slow progression of labor is a common obstetrical problem with multiple associated complications. Tafoxiparin is a depolymerized form of heparin with a molecular structure that eliminates the anticoagulant effects of heparin. We report on 2 phase II clinical studies of tafoxiparin in primiparas. Study 1 was an exploratory, first-in-pregnant-women study and study 2 was a dose-finding study. Study 1 was performed to explore the effects on labor time of subcutaneous administration of tafoxiparin before onset of labor. Study 2 was performed to test the hypothesis that intravenous treatment with tafoxiparin reduces the risk for prolonged labor after spontaneous labor onset in situations requiring oxytocin stimulation because of dystocia. Both studies were randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled. Participants were healthy, nulliparous females aged 18 to 45 years with a normal singleton pregnancy and gestational age confirmed by ultrasound. The primary endpoints were time from onset of established labor (cervical dilation of 4 cm) until delivery (study 1) and time from start of study treatment infusion until delivery (study 2). In study 1, patients at 38 to 40 weeks of gestation received 60 mg tafoxiparin or placebo daily as 0.4 mL subcutaneous injections until labor onset (maximum 28 days). In study 2, patients experiencing slow progression of labor, a prolonged latent phase, or labor arrest received a placebo or 1 of 3 short-term tafoxiparin regimens (initial bolus 7, 21, or 35 mg followed by continuous infusion at 5, 15, or 25 mg/hour until delivery; maximum duration, 36 hours) in conjunction with oxytocin. The number of participants randomized in study 1 was 263, and 361 were randomized in study 2. There were no statistically significant differences in the primary endpoints between those receiving tafoxiparin and those receiving the placebo in both studies. However, in study 1, the risk for having a labor time exceeding 12 hours was significantly reduced by tafoxiparin (tafoxiparin 6/114 [5%] vs placebo 18/101 [18%]; P =.0045). Post hoc analyses showed that women who underwent labor induction had a median (range) labor time of 4.44 (1.2–8.5) hours with tafoxiparin and 7.03 (1.5–14.3) hours with the placebo (P =.0041) and that co-administration of tafoxiparin potentiates the effect of oxytocin and facilitates a shorter labor time among women with a labor time exceeding 6 to 8 hours (P =.016). Among women induced into labor, tafoxiparin had a positive effect on cervical ripening in 11 of 13 cases (85%) compared with 3 of 13 participants (23%) who received the placebo (P =.004). For women requiring oxytocin because of slow progression of labor, the corresponding results were 34 of 51 participants (66%) vs 16 of 40 participants (40%) (P =.004). In study 2, tafoxiparin had no positive effects on the secondary endpoints when compared with the placebo. Except for injection-site reactions in study 1, adverse events were no more common for tafoxiparin than for the placebo among either mothers or infants. There were few serious or treatment-related adverse events. Subcutaneous treatment with tafoxiparin before labor onset (study 1) may be effective in reducing the labor time among women undergoing labor induction and among those requiring oxytocin for slow progression of labor. Moreover, tafoxiparin may have a positive effect on cervical ripening. Short-term, intravenous treatment with tafoxiparin as an adjunct to oxytocin in patients with labor arrest (study 2) did not affect labor time or other endpoints. Both studies suggest that tafoxiparin has a favorable safety profile in mothers and their infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant discrepancies remain in estimates of climate impacts of anthropogenic aerosols between different general circulation models (GCMs). Here, we demonstrate that eliminating differences in model aerosol or radiative forcing fields results in close agreement in simulated globally averaged temperature and precipitation responses in the studied GCMs. However, it does not erase the differences in regional responses. We carry out experiments of equilibrium climate response to modern-day anthropogenic aerosols using an identical representation of anthropogenic aerosol optical properties and the first indirect effect of aerosols, MACv2-SP (a simple plume implementation of the second version of the Max Planck Institute Aerosol CLimatology), in two independent climate models (NorESM, Norwegian Earth System Model, and ECHAM6). We find consistent global average temperature responses of −0.48 (±0.02) and −0.50 (±0.03) K and precipitation responses of −1.69 (±0.04) % and −1.79 (±0.05) % in NorESM1 and ECHAM6, respectively, compared to modern-day equilibrium climate without anthropogenic aerosols. However, significant differences remain between the two GCMs' regional temperature responses around the Arctic circle and the Equator and precipitation responses in the tropics. The scatter in the simulated globally averaged responses is small in magnitude when compared against literature data from modern GCMs using model intrinsic aerosols but same aerosol emissions −(0.5–1.1) K and −(1.5–3.1) % for temperature and precipitation, respectively). The Pearson correlation of regional temperature (precipitation) response in these literature model experiments with intrinsic aerosols is 0.79 (0.34). The corresponding correlation coefficient for NorESM1 and ECHAM6 runs with identical aerosols is 0.78 (0.41). The lack of improvement in correlation coefficients between models with identical aerosols and models with intrinsic aerosols implies that the spatial distribution of regional climate responses is not improved via homogenizing the aerosol descriptions in the models. Rather, differences in the atmospheric dynamic and snow/sea ice cover responses dominate the differences in regional climate responses. Hence, even if we would have perfect aerosol descriptions inside the global climate models, uncertainty arising from the differences in circulation responses between the models would likely still result in a significant uncertainty in regional climate responses.