From 1994, the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) undertook a number of cooperative regional military projects with the support of numerous Western countries. In particular, the Baltic Peacekeeping Battalion (BALTBAT) was an example of efficient Western defence cooperation to generate outcomes in order to achieve military and political goals. BALTBAT became the template for other Baltic programmes: the Baltic Naval Squadron (BALTRON), the Baltic Air Surveillance Network (BALTNET) and the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL). This thesis analysed the Baltic programmes, particularly BALTBAT, as a case study for identifying the elements of a model for effective military assistance projects. The focus was on the broad political decisions agreed upon by the donor and recipient states, such as the selection of development of peacekeeping capabilities, as the basis for military assistance, which provided the foundation for these initiatives. The value of the Baltic programmes as a case study and basis for identifying the elements of a model was enhanced by the fact that they succeeded at a delicate time in a sensitive region. The Baltic states had virtually no military forces upon regaining independence. Russia objected to Baltic state membership in NATO and was sensitive about a build-up of military capabilities close to Russian borders. In spite of these obstacles, the Baltic projects achieved outcomes which supported the military and political goals of the donor and recipient states. Analysis of the Baltic projects highlighted the importance of broad political decisions between donor and recipient states for military assistance initiatives. It also indicated the major factors (subsequently called Mechanisms) resulting from those decisions which were important to the outcomes from these programmes. These Mechanisms comprise the elements of a model which could be of value to academics and practitioners working in the area of military assistance.

Commercial fishing in the Baltic Sea has led to decrease in abundance of large predatory fish and as a result the predation pressure on smaller fish species has been reduced. Three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is among the species that have benefited from reduced predation pressure. Sticklebacks are a small fish species that spends its juvenile stage in coastal habitat and its adult stage in the open sea with a yearly migration from the sea to coastal habitat and lakes for spawning. Sticklebacks have been shown to have a negative effect on fry of coastal species, such as perch (Perca fluviatilis). Therefore an increase in stickleback abundance, as a consequence of reduced predation pressure, can potentially further reduce abundance of fry of coastal species, such as perch. On the other hand sticklebacks could be subject to predation from adult perch. This two-species interaction is studied in the perspective of general ecological IGP (intra guild predation) theory. In order to determine how the observed increase of three-spined sticklebacks negatively or positively affects the growth of different stages of perch, a time series of operculum bones from perch collected by the coastal monitoring program prior to the increase of sticklebacks and up until present was analyzed. Three areas along the Swedish coast showing increased stickleback abundance (Gaviksfjärden, Norrbyn and Holmön) were compared to areas that had no sticklebacks or only a small increase in abundance (Kinnbäcksfjärden, Råneåfjärden, Långvindsfjärden) prior and after the general increase in stickleback density. In addition to the growth analysis, a dietary analysis of perch was carried out in order to determine to what extent perch utilize sticklebacks as a food source. I found that there were significant differences in regard to perch growth between the two time periods; however there was no significant difference in growth between the control areas and the stickleback areas except for perch of medium size. Further, this difference in growth between the control and stickleback areas was present both before and after the stickleback increase and could therefore not be tied directly to stickleback increase. Consequently, results from a multiple regression showed that stickleback abundance was not able to significantly explain the observed changes in perch growth. The dietary analysis showed that larger and intermediate perch tend to consume sticklebacks as well as benthic fauna and other fish species while smaller perch tended to feed exclusively on smaller invertebrates. This study concluded that the increase in stickleback abundance had only a very weak effect on perch growth.

No description available.

Microorganisms play central roles in planet Earth’s geochemical cycles, in food production, and in health and disease of humans and livestock. In spite of this, most microbial life forms remain unknown and unnamed, their ecological importance and potential technological applications beyond the realm of speculation. This is due both to the magnitude of microbial diversity and to technological limitations. Of the many advances that have enabled microbiology to reach new depth and breadth in the past decade, one of the most important is affordable high-throughput DNA sequencing. This technology plays a central role in each paper in this thesis. Papers I and II are focused on developing methods to survey microbial diversity based on marker gene amplification and sequencing. In Paper I we proposed a computational strategy to design primers with the highest coverage among a given set of sequences and applied it to drastically improve one of the most commonly used primer pairs for ecological surveys of prokaryotes. In Paper II this strategy was applied to an eukaryotic marker gene. Despite their importance in the food chain, eukaryotic microbes are much more seldom surveyed than bacteria. Paper II aimed at making this domain of life more amenable to high-throughput surveys. In Paper III, the primers designed in papers I and II were applied to water samples collected up to twice weekly from 2011 to 2013 at an offshore station in the Baltic proper, the Linnaeus Microbial Observatory. In addition to tracking microbial communities over these three years, we created predictive models for hundreds of microbial populations, based on their co-occurrence with other populations and environmental factors. In paper IV we explored the entire metagenomic diversity in the Linnaeus Microbial Observatory. We used computational tools developed in our group to construct draft genomes of abundant bacteria and archaea and described their phylogeny, seasonal dynamics and potential physiology. We were also able to establish that, rather than being a mixture of genomes from fresh and saline water, the Baltic Sea plankton community is composed of brackish specialists which diverged from other aquatic microorganisms thousands of years before the formation of the Baltic itself. / <p>QC 20150505</p>

<p>Övergödning utgör ett av de allvarligaste hoten mot Östersjöns miljö. Storleken av näringsbelastningen till havet behöver därför bestämmas med hjälp av tillgängliga matematiska modeller. Modellen ”Generalised Watershed Loading Functions” (GWLF), en ickedistribuerad parametermodell som uppskattar hydrologi och månatlig näringsbelastning, tillämpades på avrinningsområdet till Daugava som mynnar i Östersjön. Syftet med studien var att genom modellering av historisk transport av näringsämnen till Östersjön ta fram parametrar och indata som sedan kan användas vid applicering av GWLF på omkringliggande avrinningsområden. Data från 1990-talet användes för kalibrering av modellen och data från 1980-talet för validering. Årlig kvävebelastning modellerades med R2värdet 0,78 för kalibreringsperioden. Modellerad årlig kvävebelastning för valideringsperioden underskattades med ungefär 30 % vilket troligen beror på att kvävekoncentrationer i grundvatten och ytavrinning minskade mellan 1980- och 1990-talen.</p><p>Fosforbelastningen underskattades jämfört med rapporterade värden vilket troligen beror på att enskilda avlopp inte inkluderades och att rapporterade punktutsläpp är för låga.</p><p>Modifikationer av modellen föreslås för prediktion av näringsbelastningar under lång tid och behovet av harmoniserad, uppdaterad och lättillgänglig data för näringstransportsmodellering diskuteras.</p> / <p>Eutrophication is one of the most serious threats to the Baltic Sea environment. Nutrient loading into the sea therefore needs to be quantified by available mathematical models. The Generalised Watershed Loading Functions (GWLF), a lumpedparameter model that predicts hydrology and monthly nutrient loads, was applied to the Daugava River Basin, discharging into the Baltic Sea. The aim of the study was to model historic transport of nutrients into the Baltic Sea and thereby produce estimates of parameters and input data needed for a spatial extension of the GWLF to surrounding river basins.</p><p>Calibration data were taken from the 1990’s and validation data from the 1980’s. Yearly nitrogen loads were modelled with an R2 value of 0.78 for the calibration period. Predicted yearly nitrogen loads for the validation period were about 30 % lower than reported values, probably depending on decreasing groundwater and runoff concentrations between the 1980’s and 1990’s. Phosphorus loads were underestimated compared to reported values, the main reason probably being the exclusion of septic systems and too low reported point sources.</p><p>Modifications of the model are suggested for longterm predictions of nutrient loads and the need for harmonised, uptodate and generally accessible data for nutrient transport modelling discussed.</p>

<p>Studiens syfte är att undersöka om, och i så fall hur dagens elever i grundskolan undervisas om hållbar utveckling enligt riktlinjerna i Baltic 21E.</p><p>Studien är av kvalitativ karaktär och bygger på intervjuer av skolledning samt undervisande lärare i NO- och SO-ämnen vid två högstadieskolor i två kommuner i nordöstra Skåne.</p><p>Baltic 21E:s övergripande mål gäller alla utbildningsnivåer, men anger speciellt för grundskolan att eleverna skall ha ”kompetens, värderingar och färdigheter för att kunna vara aktiva, demokratiska och ansvarsfulla medborgare och för att kunna fatta egna beslut”, samt kunna delta i beslut inom olika nivåer i samhället för att skapa ett hållbart samhälle. Eleverna ska också ha färdigheter, kompetens och relevant yrkesutbildning för sitt framtida arbetsliv.</p><p>Resultatet visar att eleverna når likvärdiga kunskapsmål trots att de två skolorna bedriver undervisningen olika. Läromedlen är samma eller i vart fall likartade och innehåller de punkter Baltic 21E pekar på.</p><p>De använda läromedlen uppfyller de normer Baltic 21E anger, varför alla grundskolor har möjligheten att bereda sina elever en tillfredsställande undervisning om hållbar utveckling, men ämnena bör samordnas bättre. Begreppet hållbar utveckling bör markeras med en ”flagga”, så att den ämnesövergripande kopplingen blir tydligare, och lättare att förstå för eleverna.</p>

Baltijos jūros pakrantėje gyvenantys baltai jau nuo I a. palaikė mainų ir prekybos ryšius su kitais kraštais. Krašto geografinė padėtis skatino laivybos plėtotę, todėl jau XII-XIII a. Baltijos jūroje suklestėjo jūrininkystė. Jūrų transportas apima keleivių ir krovinių vežimą. Lietuvoje jūrų transportu pervežama daugiau kaip 30% krovinių. Šis transportas reikalauja didžiausių krovos ir mažiausių gabenimo išlaidų. Klaipėdos uostas tarp rytinės Baltijos jūros uostų yra 3 vietoje (pagal 2008 m. krovą). Lietuvos mokyklose per mažai nagrinėjami uostai bei problemos, su kuriomis jie susiduria. Uostų svarba šalies ekonomikai yra labai didelė, tačiau atlikus tyrimą mokykloje buvo padarytos išvados, jog mokiniai neturi bendro suvokimo apie šiuos ekonomiškai svarbius punktus. Lietuvos visuomenė per daug atitrūkus nuo jūros, o galbūt niekada ir nebuvo tokia artima jūrai kaip mūsų kaimyninės šalys. Todėl šis darbas buvo skirtas atlikti Rytų Baltijos jūros uostų analizei (pagal krovą ir keleivių srautus) bei pabandyti ją pritaikyti edukologijoje. Atlikus tyrimą paaiškėjo, jog mokiniai labai mažai žino apie kaimyninių šalių uostus, taip pat negali pasakyti kuo Klaipėda išsiskiria iš kitų Baltijos jūros uostų. Teoriškai šį darbą galima suskirstyti į dvi stambias dalis. Darbo tema pirmoje dalyje analizuojama iš gamtinės - ekonominės pusės, o antra dalis – iš edukologinės. Smulkiau skirstant darbą sudaro 11 dalių. 8 – 10 dalyse išanalizuoti atskirų Rytų Baltijos jūros šalių uostai, tokie... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The Baltic tribes inhabiting the shores of the Baltic Sea had trade and business relations with other countries since the first century. The countries geographical position encouraged the navigation development that is why the prosperity of the Baltic seamanship was inevitable in XII-XIII centuries. The sea transportation involves both people and cargo transportation. In Lithuania more than 30% of cargo is transported by sea. This means of transportation requires the biggest amount of loading capability but the cheapest expenses. Klaipeda seaport is in the third place according 2008 loading among Baltic Seaports. In Lithuania’s schools there is too little attention to studies of the seaports’ problems. The importance of the seaports to country’s economy is high, though after the research at schools the conclusion was drawn that pupils are not aware of these important economical issues. The Lithuanian society has little knowledge about the sea, or they have never been so close to the sea as people in other neighboring countries. The purpose of this work is to analyze the Eastern Baltic seaports according loading capability and the number of travelers, and also try to apply the work in education. The research cleared out that pupils know little about the neighboring country sea ports, also they can not say what is the difference among Klaipeda seaport and other Baltic seaports. Theoretically this work could be divided into two big parts. The issue is analyzed according... [to full text]

DARBUTAS, Egidijus. (2011) Technine analize pagrįsta prekyba vertybiniais popieriais Baltijos vertybinių popierių biržoje. Magistro baigiamasis darbas. Kaunas: Vilnius Universitetas, Kauno Humanitarinis Fakultetas, Finansų ir apskaitos katedra. 56 p. SANTRAUKA RAKTINIAI ŽODŽIAI: akcijos, vertybiniai popieriai, techninė analizė, Nasdaq OMX Baltic. Magistrinio baigiamajame darbe yra nagrinėjama prekyba vertybiniais popieriais Baltijos šalių vertybinių popierių biržoje, taikant techninę analizę. Atlikta mokslinių straipsnių analizė rodo, kad taikant technine analizę galima prognozuoti kainų pokyčius ateityje. Remiantis autorių išvadomis galima teigti, jog techninės analizės tema Lietuvoje yra tikrai aktuali, todėl šiame darbe yra siekiama parodyti būtent techninės analizės tinkamumą, siekiant prognozuoti akcijų kainas Baltijos šalių vertybinių popierių rinkoje. Magistrinio baigiamojo darbo objektas yra Nasdaq OMX Baltic vertybinių popierių rinka. Darbo tikslas yra atrinkti techninės analizės modelius, tinkančius Nasdaq OMX Baltic vertybinių popierių rinkai. Siekiant šio tikslo, suformuoti tokie uždaviniai: 1) išnagrinėti techninės analizės sampratą, jos specifiką; 2) įvertinti techninės analizės ištirtumą Lietuvoje bei užsienyje; 3) pristatyti techninės analizės modelius; 4) įsitikinti ar techninė analizė padeda prognozuoti akcijų kainas Baltijos šalių vertybinių popierių biržoje; 5) nustatyti techninės analizės tinkamumą; 6) pateikti techninės analizės tinkamumo Baltijos... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / DARBUTAS, Egidijus. (2011) Trading based on technical analysis in securities in the Baltic Stock Exchange. MA Graduation Paper. Kaunas: Vilnius University, Kaunas Faculty of Humanities, Department of Finance and Accounting. 56 p. SUMMARY KEYWORDS: equities, securities, technical analysis, Nasdaq OMX Baltic. The aim of this thesis for Master’s is the trading of securities Baltic stock exchange, based on technical analysis. Accomplished articles research shows that using technical analysis it can predict future price movements. Based on the findings of authors can be said that the topic of technical analysis in Lithuania is really relevant, because this work is to show the suitability of particular technical analysis to forecast stock prices Baltic securities market. Master‘s final work subject is the Nasdaq OMX Baltic stock exchange. The aim is to select the technical analysis models which are suitable for the Nasdaq OMX Baltic stock exchange. In order to accomplish the goal of this work, these tasks need to be done: 1) analyze the technical analysis concept and it‘s specific; 2) evaluate the technical analysis investigations in Lithuania and in abroad; 3) introduce the technical analysis indicators; 4) make sure that technical analysis helps to predict stock prices in the Baltic stock exchanges; 5) determine the suitability of technical analysis; 6) present the evaluation of the suitability of a technical analysis in the Baltic stock exchange. The work is made out of three... [to full text]

This comparative study of the theatre of Helene Cixous and Marina Tsvetaeva proposes a reading of their plays as a coherent corpus engaged specifically with the representation of poetic identity. Tsvetaeva's and Cixous' plays present a diverse range of characters who can be identified as poet-selves and who struggle to assert their identity in hostile environments. An inherent link is established between the thematic and the generic. Cixous' and Tsvetaeva's adoption of the theatre as genre in which to develop their conceptualisations of poetic identity is shown to be important to the thematic contexts in which the poet-selves are constructed. This study defines four elements: language, exile, sexual difference and Greek mythology, which are shown to be common to the representation of poetic identity in Tsvetaeva's and Cixous' plays. Each element is addressed in turn in Chapters Two to Five and its role in both writers' constructions of poetic identity in their individual plays is explored and problematised. The conclusion evaluates the radical nature of Cixous' and Tsvetaeva's dramatisations of poetic identity in the context of the representation of the female poet and discusses the evolution of this theme in a chronological approach to their theatre.

The extent of the social and political transformations that have taken place in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania since the collapse of the Soviet Union is remarkable, but the research has pointed out some controversial aspects of their developments. Crucially, there is a discrepancy between the governments' commitment to creating democratic political regimes, to ensuring harmonious social relations and to accommodating the ethno-cultural diversity of the resident communities.