Packet backbone design differences between commercial network and Container Trial System of LTE/SAE

The mobile networks of earlier and current generations, or 2G and 3G networks, provide users voice and packet services with higher transmission rates and good quality over the same core network. When developing the next generation of mobile networks the current quality of services needs to be maintained. This thesis concentrates on the next generation mobile network, especially on the evolution of the packet network part. The new mobile network has requirements for the common packet backbone network, Mobile Packet Backbone Network, which is additionally discussed in this study. The next generation mobile network, called LTE/SAE, is currently under testing. The test system is called Container Trial System. It is a mini sized LTE/SAE site. The LTE/SAE is studied in this thesis concentrating on the evolved packet core, the SAE part of the composition. The empirical part of the study compares the LTE/SAE Container Trial System and commercial network designs and additionally produces documentation for internal personnel and customers. The research is performed by comparing the documentations and specifications of both the Container Trial System and commercial network. Since the LTE commercial network is not yet constructed, the comparison is done theoretically. The purpose is furthermore to find out if there are any design issues that could be done differently in the next version of the Container Trial System.

Numerical Investigation of Flow Past a Circular Cylinder and in a Staggered Tube Bundle Using Various Turbulence Models

Transitional flow past a three-dimensional circular cylinder is a widely studied phenomenon since this problem is of interest with respect to many technical applications. In the present work, the numerical simulation of flow past a circular cylinder, performed by using a commercial CFD code (ANSYS Fluent 12.1) with large eddy simulation (LES) and RANS (κ - ε and Shear-Stress Transport (SST) κ - ω! model) approaches. The turbulent flow for ReD = 1000 & 3900 is simulated to investigate the force coefficient, Strouhal number, flow separation angle, pressure distribution on cylinder and the complex three dimensional vortex shedding of the cylinder wake region. The numerical results extracted from these simulations have good agreement with the experimental data (Zdravkovich, 1997). Moreover, grid refinement and time-step influence have been examined. Numerical calculations of turbulent cross-flow in a staggered tube bundle continues to attract interest due to its importance in the engineering application as well as the fact that this complex flow represents a challenging problem for CFD. In the present work a time dependent simulation using κ – ε, κ - ω! and SST models are performed in two dimensional for a subcritical flow through a staggered tube bundle. The predicted turbulence statistics (mean and r.m.s velocities) have good agreement with the experimental data (S. Balabani, 1996). Turbulent quantities such as turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate are predicted using RANS models and compared with each other. The sensitivity of grid and time-step size have been analyzed. Model constants sensitivity study have been carried out by adopting κ – ε model. It has been observed that model constants are very sensitive to turbulence statistics and turbulent quantities.

Verbal learning in mild cognitive impairment and alzheimer's disease : behavioural and neural approaches

The main focus of the present thesis was at verbal episodic memory processes that are particularly vulnerable to preclinical and clinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here these processes were studied by a word learning paradigm, cutting across the domains of memory and language learning studies. Moreover, the differentiation between normal aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD was studied by the cognitive screening test CERAD. In study I, the aim was to examine how patients with amnestic MCI differ from healthy controls in the different CERAD subtests. Also, the sensitivity and specificity of the CERAD screening test to MCI and AD was examined, as previous studies on the sensitivity and specificity of the CERAD have not included MCI patients. The results indicated that MCI is characterized by an encoding deficit, as shown by the overall worse performance on the CERAD Wordlist learning test compared with controls. As a screening test, CERAD was not very sensitive to MCI. In study II, verbal learning and forgetting in amnestic MCI, AD and healthy elderly controls was investigated with an experimental word learning paradigm, where names of 40 unfamiliar objects (mainly archaic tools) were trained with or without semantic support. The object names were trained during a 4-day long period and a follow-up was conducted one week, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after the training period. Manipulation of semantic support was included in the paradigm because it was hypothesized that semantic support might have some beneficial effects in the present learning task especially for the MCI group, as semantic memory is quite well preserved in MCI in contrast to episodic memory. We found that word learning was significantly impaired in MCI and AD patients, whereas forgetting patterns were similar across groups. Semantic support showed a beneficial effect on object name retrieval in the MCI group 8 weeks after training, indicating that the MCI patients’ preserved semantic memory abilities compensated for their impaired episodic memory. The MCI group performed equally well as the controls in the tasks tapping incidental learning and recognition memory, whereas the AD group showed impairment. Both the MCI and the AD group benefited less from phonological cueing than the controls. Our findings indicate that acquisition is compromised in both MCI and AD, whereas long13 term retention is not affected to the same extent. Incidental learning and recognition memory seem to be well preserved in MCI. In studies III and IV, the neural correlates of naming newly learned objects were examined in healthy elderly subjects and in amnestic MCI patients by means of positron emission tomography (PET) right after the training period. The naming of newly learned objects by healthy elderly subjects recruited a left-lateralized network, including frontotemporal regions and the cerebellum, which was more extensive than the one related to the naming of familiar objects (study III). Semantic support showed no effects on the PET results for the healthy subjects. The observed activation increases may reflect lexicalsemantic and lexical-phonological retrieval, as well as more general associative memory mechanisms. In study IV, compared to the controls, the MCI patients showed increased anterior cingulate activation when naming newly learned objects that had been learned without semantic support. This suggests a recruitment of additional executive and attentional resources in the MCI group.

Intercultural bridges in teenagers' theatrical events : performing self and constructing cultural identity through a creative drama process

The overriding aim of this drama educational case study is to deepen the understanding of meaning making in a creative intercultural youth theatre process and to examine it in the context of the 10th European Children's TheatreEncounter. The research task is to give a theoretical description of some key features of a creative drama process as the basis for theory about meaning makingin physical theatre. The first task is to illuminate the culture-historical connections of the multilayered practice of the EDERED-association. The second taskis to analyse and interpret theatrical meaning making. The ethnographical research site is regarded as a theatrical event. The analysis of the theatrical eventis divided into four segments: cultural contexts, contextual theatricality, theatrical playing and playing culture. These segments are connected with four research questions: What are the cultural contexts of a creative drama process? How can the organisation of the Encounter, genres, aesthetic codes and perception ofcodes be seen to influence the lived experiences of the participants? What are some of the key phases and characteristics in a creative practice? What kind of cultural learning can be interpreted from the performance texts? The interpretative question concerns identity and community (re)construction. How are the categories, `community´ and `child´ constructed in the Encounter culture? In this drama educational case study the research material (transcribed interviews, coded questionnaire answers, participant drawings, videotaped process text and performance texts) are examined in a multi-method analysis in the meta-theoretical framework of Dewey's naturalistic pragmatism. A three-dimensional research interest through a combination of lived experiences, social contexts and cultural-aesthetical practices compared with drama-educational practices required the methodological project of cultural studies. Furthermore, the critical interpretation of cultural texts is divided into three levels of analyses which are called description, structural analysis and theoretical interpretation. Dialogic validity (truthfulness, self-reflexivity and polyvocality) is combined with contextual validity (sensitivity to social context and awareness of historicity) and with deconstructive validity (awareness of the social discourses). My research suggests that itis possible, by means of physical theatre, to construct symbolic worlds where questions about intercultural identity and multilingual community are examined and where provisional answers are constructed in social interaction.

Quantification of Proteins and Cells: Luminometric Nonspecific Particle-Based Methods

New luminometric particle-based methods were developed to quantify protein and to count cells. The developed methods rely on the interaction of the sample with nano- or microparticles and different principles of detection. In fluorescence quenching, timeresolved luminescence resonance energy transfer (TR-LRET), and two-photon excitation fluorescence (TPX) methods, the sample prevents the adsorption of labeled protein to the particles. Depending on the system, the addition of the analyte increases or decreases the luminescence. In the dissociation method, the adsorbed protein protects the Eu(III) chelate on the surface of the particles from dissociation at a low pH. The experimental setups are user-friendly and rapid and do not require hazardous test compounds and elevated temperatures. The sensitivity of the quantification of protein (from 40 to 500 pg bovine serum albumin in a sample) was 20-500-fold better than in most sensitive commercial methods. The quenching method exhibited low protein-to-protein variability and the dissociation method insensitivity to the assay contaminants commonly found in biological samples. Less than ten eukaryotic cells were detected and quantified with all the developed methods under optimized assay conditions. Furthermore, two applications, the method for detection of the aggregation of protein and the cell viability test, were developed by utilizing the TR-LRET method. The detection of the aggregation of protein was allowed at a more than 10,000 times lower concentration, 30 μg/L, compared to the known methods of UV240 absorbance and dynamic light scattering. The TR-LRET method was combined with a nucleic acid assay with cell-impermeable dye to measure the percentage of dead cells in a single tube test with cell counts below 1000 cells/tube.

Lyssnande : en vårdvetenskaplig betraktelse

Denna vårdvetenskapliga studie har sökarljuset riktat mot lyssnande som något fundamentalt för människan. Studiens syfte är att utifrån forskarens traditionstillhörighet och en klart uttalad teorikärna, värdegrund, ontologisk grund samt en hermeneutisk ansats avtäcka nytt inseende om vad lyssnande är samt vad som är vårdande i lyssnande. Studiens avsikt är att bringa ontologisk klarhet, klargöra lyssnandets plats inom vårdvetenskaplig teoribildning samt bidra med bilder av det vårdande med relevans för klinisk praxis. Det hermeneutiska arbetssättet är en ständig rörelse mellan det enskilda och gemensamma. Den vårdvetenskapliga traditionens grundläggande ordning utgör siktet för kunskapssökandet samtidigt som det är gentemot den caritativa vårdteorin som nytt inseende ur historiska källor reflekteras för att lysa upp och synliggöra det evidenta och ursprungliga om lyssnande. Begreppsutredningen av lyssna som begrepp ger förståelse för begreppets historiska ursprung och dess starka band med begreppen lyss, lystra, lyda, följa, iaktta, se samt lust, begär, böjelse och glädje. Läsning och begrundan av filosoferna Bubers, Lévinas och författaren Dostojevskijs livsverk avtäcker vittnesbörd och stillbilder som tolkas för att synliggöra tolkningsantaganden om lyssnandets väsen och gestaltning. Jag har läst och begrundat texterna med öppenhet, lyhördhet och en kvardröjande hållning för att låta dem beröra, tilltala mig och framträda som något nytt. Ur de enskilda texterna avtäcks mönster av en gemensam inre ordning och en gemensam stillbild och tolkningsantaganden om lyssnande formas. När den gemensamma inre ordningen får sammanstråla med studiens vårdvetenskapliga grund synliggörs en urbild och teser om lyssnande samt det vårdande i lyssnande. Avtäckandet visar att lyssnande är en grundhållning till livet självt. Människan lyssnar till sitt innersta väsen för att tillägna sig en inre grundordning samt hörsamma sin tillhörighet i en mera allomfattande gemenskap till den skapande, den andre och det oändliga. I ljuset av kärlekens kraft och bejakandet av mänskligt lidande kan ensamhet och gemenskap sluta förbund med varandra i en mellanverklighet som bär oändlighetens och evighetens kännetecken, och som får toner av det heliga och eviga att ljuda i allt och alla i en närvaro här och nu. Lyssnande är en väsenshandling som uttalas genom en vårdande hållning att tjäna, offra och bära ansvar för den andre med medmänsklig barmhärtighet och medmänskligt medlidande. Band till den andre knyts genom den egna sårbarheten och genom att med ödmjukhet, äkthet och gästfrihet bjuda in och välkomna den andre i sin annanhet. Den vårdande gemenskapen skapar en rörelse som bär på en livsbringande kraft genom vilken människan uppnår frihet att varda, finna näring och försoning.

Lethal weapons : novel approaches for receptor-targeted cancer cell elimination

The currently used forms of cancer therapy are associated with drug resistance and toxicity to healthy tissues. Thus, more efficient methods are needed for cancer-specific induction of growth arrest and programmed cell death, also known as apoptosis. Therapeutic forms of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) are investigated in clinical trials due to the capability of TRAIL to trigger apoptosis specifically in cancer cells by activation of cell surface death receptors. Many tumors, however, have acquired resistance to TRAIL-induced apoptosis and sensitizing drugs for combinatorial treatments are, therefore, in high demand. This study demonstrates that lignans, natural polyphenols enriched in seeds and cereal, have a remarkable sensitizing effect on TRAIL-induced cell death at non-toxic lignan concentrations. In TRAIL-resistant and androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells we observe that lignans repress receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) activity and downregulate cell survival signaling via the Akt pathway, which leads to increased TRAIL sensitivity. A structure-activity relationship analysis reveals that the γ-butyrolactone ring of the dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans is essential for the rapidly reversible TRAIL-sensitizing activity of these compounds. Furthermore, the lignan nortrachelogenin (NTG) is identified as the most efficient of the 27 tested lignans and norlignans in sensitization of androgen-deprived prostate cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. While this combinatorial anticancer approach may leave normal cells unharmed, several efficient cancer drugs are too toxic, insoluble or unstable to be used in systemic therapy. To enable use of such drugs and to protect normal cells from cytotoxic effects, cancer-targeted drug delivery vehicles of nanometer scale have recently been generated. The newly developed nanoparticle system that we tested in vitro for cancer cell targeting combines the efficient drug-loading capacity of mesoporous silica to the versatile particle surface functionalization of hyperbranched poly(ethylene imine), PEI. The mesoporous hybrid silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were functionalized with folic acid to promote targeted internalization by folate receptor overexpressing cancer cells. The presented results demonstrate that the developed carrier system can be employed in vitro for cancer selective delivery of adsorbed or covalently conjugated molecules and furthermore, for selective induction of apoptotic cell death in folate receptor expressing cancer cells. The tested carrier system displays potential for simultaneous delivery of several anticancer agents specifically to cancer cells also in vivo.

Nopeaan pyrolyysiin perustuvan bioöljyn tuotantolaitoksen liiketoiminnallinen malli ja kannattavuuslaskenta Savonlinnan seudulla

Pyrolyysiöljy on biomassasta nopealla hapettomalla lämpökäsittelyprosessilla valmistettavaa nestemäistä polttoainetta. Kasvavien uusiutuvan energian käyttötavoitteiden myötä pyrolyysiöljystä on tullut varteenotettava vaihtoehto fossiilisille polttoöljyille. Suurimmat käytön haasteet ovat alhainen lämpöarvo, happamuus ja korkeahkot kiintoainepitoisuudet verrattuna fossiilisiin polttoöljyihin. Nämä haasteet ovat kuitenkin ratkaistavissa. Työssä tarkasteltiin bioöljyn tuotantolaitoksen liiketoiminnallista mallia ja kannattavuutta Savonlinnan seudulle sijoitettuna. Tätä varten selvitettiin alueellinen raaka-aineen saatavuus ja hinta, sekä potentiaaliset markkinat pyrolyysiöljylle. Kannattavuuslaskentaa varten luotiin exel – pohjainen laskentatyökalu, jolla laskettiin pyrolyysiöljyn tuotannon omakustannushinnat ja kannattavuudet eri laitosvaihtoehdoille. Saaduille tuloksille tehtiin herkkyysanalyysi, jolla selvitettiin merkittävimmät kannattavuuteen vaikuttavat tekijät. Laskettujen tulosten perusteella pienemmät 100 BDMTPD (Bone Dry Metric Ton per Day) tuotantolaitokset eivät ole kannattavia investointeja. Suuremmat 400 BDMTPD tuotantolaitokset ovat kannattavia, kunhan raaka-aine saadaan kohtuulliseen hintaan ja investointikustannukset pysyvät kurissa.

The strategic use of military contractors : American commercial military service providers in Bosnia and Liberia, 1995-2009

Drawing from strategic theory, this study investigates the strategic roles of commercial companies providing military services, frequently referred to as private military companies. Theoretically, the thesis analyzes how states organize its military capabilities in order to be able to wield power within the international system while empirically, it examines the character and role of commercial companies that provide military training services to the United States Government and partner nations. The reason for this rather instrumental and functional, rather than critical, approach is that this work is written within the discipline known as War Studies. Strategic theory is used first to logically organize the empirical findings in two case studies and then to develop an analytical framework with which the strategic roles of companies providing military services can be investigated. The analysis has been conducted using both new and hitherto unknown sources in the shape of interviews as well as previously classified telegrams, but also draws on previous research and other secondary sources. The main findings are that commercial companies have five typical strategic roles: first, they cloak the state by substituting traditional uniformed troops; second, they act as trailblazers by securing US influence in new regions and by breaking new ground by contributing to the build-up of new partners; third, they act as scene setters by preparing the ground for military exit out of a theater of operations or by facilitating inter-operability between foreign militaries and the US military; fourth, they can be used to infiltrate the security structures of foreign countries; fifth and finally, they can be used to provide offensive capabilities by providing either kinetic or cyber warfare effects. Another finding is that military service contracting is an important part of the US strategic culture.

Printed low-voltage organic transistors on plastics and paper

The main advantage of organic electronics over the more widespread inorganic counterparts lies not in the electrical performance, but rather in the solution processability that opens up for low-cost flexible electronics (e.g. displays, sensors and smart tags) fabricated by using printing techniques. Replacing the commonly used laboratory-scale fabrication techniques with mass-printing techniques is, however, truly challenging, especially when low-voltage operation is required. In this thesis it is, nevertheless, demonstrated that low-voltage organic transistors can be fully printed with a similar performance to that of transistors made by laboratory scale techniques. The use of an ion-modulated type of organic field effect transistor (OFET) not only enabled low-voltage operation and printability, but was also found to result in low sensitivity to the surface roughness of the substrate. This allows not only the use of low-cost plastic substrates, but even the use of paper as a substrate. However, while absorption into the porous paper surface is advantageous in a graphical printing process, by reducing the spreading and the coffee-stain effect and by improving the adhesion, it provides great challenges when applying thin electrically active layers. In spite of these difficulties we were able to demonstrate the first low-voltage OFET to be fabricated on paper. We have also shown that low-cost incandescent lamps can be used for sintering printed metal-nanoparticles, and that the process was especially suitable on paper and compatible with a roll-to-roll manufacturing process.

Ion selective electrodes for determination of low and ultra low concentrations of lead (II) in natural waters

Att övervaka förekomsten av giftiga komponenter i naturliga vattendrag är nödvändigt för människans välmående. Eftersom halten av föroreningar i naturens ekosystem bör hållas möjligast låg, pågår en ständig jakt efter kemiska analysmetoder med allt lägre detektionsgränser. I dagens läge görs miljöanalyser med dyr och sofistikerad instrumentering som kräver mycket underhåll. Jonselektiva elektroder har flera goda egenskaper som t.ex. bärbarhet, låg energiförbrukning, och dessutom är de relativt kostnadseffektiva. Att använda jonselektiva elektroder vid miljöanalyser är möjligt om deras känslighetsområde kan utvidgas genom att sänka deras detektionsgränser. För att sänka detektionsgränsen för Pb(II)-selektiva elektroder undersöktes olika typer av jonselektiva membran som baserades på polyakrylat-kopolymerer, PVC och PbS/Ag2S. Fast-fas elektroder med membran av PbS/Ag2S är i allmänhet enklare och mer robusta än konventionella elektroder vid spårämnesanalys av joniska föroreningar. Fast-fas elektrodernas detektionsgräns sänktes i detta arbete med en nyutvecklad galvanostatisk polariseringsmetod och de kunde sedan framgångsrikt användas för kvantitativa bestämningar av bly(II)-halter i miljöprov som hade samlats in i den finska skärgården nära tidigare industriområden. Analysresultaten som erhölls med jonselektiva elektroder bekräftades med andra analytiska metoder. Att sänka detektionsgränsen m.hj.a. den nyutvecklade polariseringsmetoden möjliggör bestämning av låga och ultra-låga blyhalter som inte kunde nås med klassisk potentiometri. Den verkliga fördelen med att använda dessa blyselektiva elektroder är möjligheten att utföra mätningar i obehandlade miljöprov trots närvaron av fasta partiklar vilket inte är möjligt att göra med andra analysmetoder. Jag väntar mig att den nyutvecklade polariseringsmetoden kommer att sätta en trend i spårämnesanalys med jonselektiva elektroder.

Management of commercial property derived risks in the market context of the Russian Federation

The objective of the thesis is to examine the current state of risk management and to determine an appropriate risk management policy for commercial property derived risks in the Russian branch of a Finnish retail trade company. The employed research methodologies are comparative in-depth interviews and empirical value at risk analysis, including portfolio risk decomposition to determine the inter-currency characteristics. For a multinational retail trade company, the commercial property derived risks open up as a diverse combination of financial and non-financial risks with four distinctive interest groups. The research results indicate that geographical diversification across currency regimes provides diversification benefits. The Russian ruble is the most significant single risk component when considering the net investments outside the euro-zone. Decreasing the Russian ruble and Swedish krona exposures are the most effective methods to reduce translation derived risk. Exchange rate volatility varies over time according to idiosyncratic currency regime characteristics, and cost-effective risk management requires comprehensive analysis of the business environment. Profound and proactive risk management methods are found to be pivotal for companies with cross-border operations in order to succeed among international competitors.

Ankle-brachial index, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and endothelial function in a cardiovascular risk population

Atherosclerotic vascular disease is the leading cause of death in the Western world. Its main three manifestations are coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral arterial disease. Asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease is usually diagnosed using the ankle brachial index, and values ≤ 0.90 are used to determine the diagnosis. The classical risk factors of peripheral arterial disease, such as smoking and diabetes, are well known and early interventions are mandatory to improve the prognosis. What is not well known is the role of inflammation as a risk factor. Yet, a novel approach to cardiovascular diseases is the measurement of endothelial function. In this thesis, we studied the ankle-brachial index, C-reactive protein and endothelial function in a cardiovascular risk population. A total of 2856 subjects were invited to the study and 2085 (73%) responded. From these subjects, a cohort of 1756 risk persons was screened. We excluded the subjects with previously known cardiovascular disease or diabetes, because they were already under systematic follow-up. Out of the study subjects, 983 (56%) were women and 773 (44%) men. The ankle brachial index and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were measured from 1047 subjects. Endothelial function was assessed by measuring reactive hyperemia pulse amplitude tonometry from 66 subjects with borderline peripheral arterial disease. In this study, smoking was a crucial risk factor for peripheral arterial disease. Subclinical peripheral arterial disease seems to be more common in hypertensive patients even without comorbidities. The measurement of the ankle brachial index is an efficient method to identify patients at an increased cardiovascular risk. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein did not correlate with the ankle brachial index or peripheral arterial disease. Instead, it correlated with measures of obesity. In a cardiovascular risk population with borderline peripheral arterial disease, nearly every fourth subject had endothelial dysfunction. This might point out a subgroup of individuals in need of more intensive treatment for their risk factors.

Catalysis by gold for biomass transformations

The development of new technologies to supplement fossil resources has led to a growing interest in the utilization of alternative routes. Biomass is a rich renewable feedstock for producing fine chemicals, polymers, and a variety of commodities replacing petroleumderived chemicals. Transformation of biomass into diverse valuable chemicals is the key concept of a biorefinery. Catalytic conversion of biomass, which reduces the use of toxic chemicals is one of the important approaches to improve the profitability of biorefineries. Utilization of gold catalysts allows conducting reactions under environmentally-friendly conditions, with a high catalytic activity and selectivity. Gold-catalyzed valorization of several biomass-derived compounds as an alternative approach to the existing technologies was studied in this work. Isomerization of linoleic acid via double bond migration towards biologically active conjugated linoleic acid isomers (CLA) was investigated. The activity and selectivity of various gold catalysts towards cis-9,trans-11-CLA and trans-10,cis-12-CLA were investigated in a semi-batch reactor, showing that the yield of the desired products varied, depending on the catalyst support. The structure sensitivity in the selective oxidation of arabinose was demonstrated using a series of gold catalysts with different Au cluster sizes in a shaker reactor operating in a semibatch mode. The gas-phase selective oxidation of ethanol was studied and the influence of the catalyst support on the catalytic performance was investigated. The selective oxidation of the lignan hydroxymatairesinol (HMR), extracted from the Norway spruce (Picea abies) knots, to the lignan oxomatairesinol (oxoMAT) was extensively investigated. The influence of the reaction conditions and catalyst properties on the yield of oxoMAT was evaluated. In particular, the structure sensitivity of the reaction was demonstrated. The catalyst deactivation and regeneration procedures were studied. The reaction kinetics and mechanism were advanced.