Characterizing Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp. shermanii JS and Lactobacillus rhamnosus LC705 as a new probiotic combination: basic properties of JS and pilot in vivo assessment of the combination

Characterizing Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp. shermanii JS and Lactobacillus rhamnosus LC705 as a new probiotic combination: basic properties of JS and pilot in vivo assessment of the combination Each candidate probiotic strain has to have the documentation for the proper identification with current molecular tools, for the biological properties, for the safety aspects and for the health benefits in human trials if the intention is to apply the strain as health promoting culture in the commercial applications. No generalization based on species properties of an existing probiotic are valid for any novel strain, as strain specific differences appear e.g. in the resistance to GI tract conditions and in health promoting benefits (Madsen, 2006). The strain evaluation based on individual strain specific probiotic characteristics is therefore the first key action for the selection of the new probiotic candidate. The ultimate goal in the selection of the probiotic strain is to provide adequate amounts of active, living cells for the application and to guarantee that the cells are physiologically strong enough to survive and be biologically active in the adverse environmental conditions in the product and in GI tract of the host. The in vivo intervention studies are expensive and time consuming; therefore it is not rational to test all the possible candidates in vivo. Thus, the proper in vitro studies are helping to eliminate strains which are unlikely to perform well in vivo. The aims of this study were to characterize the strains of Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp. shermanii JS and Lactobacillus rhamnosus LC705, both used for decades as cheese starter cultures, for their technological and possible probiotic functionality applied in a combined culture. The in vitro studies of Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp. shermanii JS focused on the monitoring of the viability rates during the acid and bile treatments and on the safety aspects such as antibiotic susceptibility and adhesion. The studies with the combination of the strains JS and LC705 administered in fruit juices monitored the survival of the strains JS and LC705 during the GI transit and their effect on gut wellbeing properties measured as relief of constipation. In addition, safety parameters such as side effects and some peripheral immune parameters were assessed. Separately, the combination of P. freudenreichii ssp. shermanii JS and Lactobacillus rhamnosus LC705 was evaluated from the technological point of view as a bioprotective culture in fermented foods and wheat bread applications. In this study, the role ofP. freudenreichii ssp. shermanii JS as a candidate probiotic culture alone and in a combination with L. rhamnosus LC705 was demonstrated. Both strains were transiently recovered in high numbers in fecal samples of healthy adults during the consumption period. The good survival through the GI transit was proven for both strains with a recovery rate from 70 to 80% for the JS strain and from 40 to 60% for the LC705 strain from the daily dose of 10 log10 CFU. The good survival was shown from the consumption of fruit juices which do not provide similar matrix protection for the cells as milk based products. The strain JS did not pose

Hemiselluloosien erotus ja in situ -modifiointi

Hemiselluloosat kuuluvat selluloosan ja ligniinin ohella puun ja muiden kasvimateriaalien päärakenneaineksiin. Hemiselluloosan kemiallisessa koostumuksessa on eroja kasvilajien välillä, mikä tekee ryhmästä hyvin monimuotoisen. Lehtipuiden pääasiallinen hemiselluloosa on glukuroniksylaani. Ksylaaneja esiintyy laajasti myös muissa kasveissa erilaisina rakenteina. Havupuiden yleisin hemiselluloosa on puolestaan galaktoglukomannaani. Arabinogalaktaani on erityisesti lehtikuusesta runsaana löytyvä hemiselluloosa, jota muissa puulajeissa on vain vähän. Luonnon polymeerejä tutkitaan jatkuvasti muun muassa vaihtoehtojen löytämiseksi raakaöljypohjaisille tuotteille. Aiemmin hemiselluloosia on pääosin hyödynnetty sellaisenaan tai jalostettu esimerkiksi sokereiksi. Selluloosan ja tärkkelyksen tavoin ne voivat kuitenkin toimia myös kemiallisen, fysikaalisen tai entsymaattisen muokkauksen lähtöaineena. Hemiselluloosien käyttöä rajoittaa usein se, että niiden eristäminen kasvimateriaalista hyvällä saannolla on vaikeaa. Useimmiten hemiselluloosa erotetaan biomassasta ligniinin poiston jälkeen uuttamalla erilaisilla reagensseilla, kuten emäksillä. Arabinogalaktaanin erottamiseen ei kuitenkaan vaadita ankaria olosuhteita, vaan yleisimmin siihen riittää uutto vedellä. Kalvosuodatus puolestaan on hyvä keino hemiselluloosan talteenottoon uuttoliuoksista. Tässä työssä tarkasteltiin arabinogalaktaanin erotusta siperianlehtikuusesta uuttokokein. Saadut uuttoliuokset konsentrointiin ja puhdistettiin kalvosuodatusmenetelmillä. Lisäksi tutkittiin eristetyn arabinogalaktaanin käyttöä kemiallisen muokkauksen lähtöaineena, missä pyrkimyksenä oli etenkin in situ -modifiointi suoraan uuttoliuoksessa oleville yhdisteille. Uuttokokeilla saatiin kuitenkin vain pieni osa lehtikuusen arabinogalaktaanista erotetuksi. Myös kalvosuodatusvaiheen aikana menetettiin osa uuttoliuosten arabinogalaktaanista. Koska arabinogalaktaanipitoisuus uuttoliuoksissa jäi hyvin alhaiseksi, in situ -modifiointeja oli vaikea saada onnistumaan. Uutto-olosuhteiden lisätutkimuksella sekä kiinnittämällä erityistä huomiota suodatuskalvojen valintaan voitaneen pitoisuutta nostaa ja saada lisämateriaalia kemiallista muokkausta varten.

Microscopic simulation of pigment coating consolidation

The control of coating layer properties is becoming increasingly important as a result of an emerging demand for novel coated paper-based products and an increasing popularity of new coating application methods. The governing mechanisms of microstructure formation dynamics during consolidation and drying are nevertheless, still poorly understood. Some of the difficulties encountered by experimental methods can be overcome by the utilisation of numerical modelling and simulation-based studies of the consolidation process. The objective of this study was to improve the fundamental understanding of pigment coating consolidation and structure formation mechanisms taking place on the microscopic level. Furthermore, it is aimed to relate the impact of process and suspension properties to the microstructure of the coating layer. A mathematical model based on a modified Stokesian dynamics particle simulation technique was developed and applied in several studies of consolidation-related phenomena. The model includes particle-particle and particle-boundary hydrodynamics, colloidal interactions, Born repulsion, and a steric repulsion model. The Brownian motion and a free surface model were incorporated to enable the specific investigation of consolidation and drying. Filter cake stability was simulated in various particle systems, and subjected to a range of base substrate absorption rates and system temperatures. The stability of the filter cake was primarily affected by the absorption rate and size of particles. Temperature was also shown to have an influence. The consolidation of polydisperse systems, with varying wet coating thicknesses, was studied using imposed pilot trial and model-based drying conditions. The results show that drying methods have a clear influence on the microstructure development, on small particle distributions in the coating layer and also on the mobility of particles during consolidation. It is concluded that colloidal properties can significantly impact coating layer shrinkage as well as the internal solids concentration profile. Visualisations of particle system development in time and comparison of systems at different conditions are useful in illustrating coating layer structure formation mechanisms. The results aid in understanding the underlying mechanisms of pigment coating layer consolidation. Guidance is given regarding the relationship between coating process conditions and internal coating slurry properties and their effects on the microstructure of the coating.

The Influence of Diet and Microbes on Colonic Immune Regulation and their Implications on Type 1 Diabetes

Dietary and microbial factors are thought to contribute to the rapidly increasing prevalence of T1D in many countries worldwide. The impact of these factors on immune regulation and diabetes development in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice are investigated in this thesis. Diabetes can be prevented in NOD mice through dietary manipulation. Diet affects the composition of intestinal microbiota, which may subsequently influence intestinal immune homeostasis. However, the specific effects of anti-diabetogenic diets on gut immunity and the explicit associations between intestinal immune disruption and type 1 diabetes onset remain unclear. The research presented herein demonstrates that newly weaned NOD mice suffer from a mild level of colitis, which shifts the colonic immune cell balance towards a proinflammatory status. Several aberrations can also be observed in the peritoneal B cells of NOD mice; an increase in activation marker expression, increased trafficking to the pancreatic lymph nodes and significantly higher antigen presenting cell (APC) efficiency towards insulin-specific T cells. A shift towards inflammation is likewise observed in the colon of germ-free NOD mice, but signs of peritoneal B cell activation are lacking in these mice. Remarkably, most of the abnormalities in the colon, peritoneal macrophages and the peritoneal B cell APC activity of NOD mice are abrogated when NOD mice are maintained on a diabetes-preventive, soy-based diet (ProSobee) from the time of weaning. Dietary and microbial factors hence have a significant impact on colonic immune regulation and peritoneal B cell activation and it is suggested that these factors influence diabetes development in NOD mice.

Methods of genetic diversity creation and functional display for directed evolution experiments

Protein engineering aims to improve the properties of enzymes and affinity reagents by genetic changes. Typical engineered properties are affinity, specificity, stability, expression, and solubility. Because proteins are complex biomolecules, the effects of specific genetic changes are seldom predictable. Consequently, a popular strategy in protein engineering is to create a library of genetic variants of the target molecule, and render the population in a selection process to sort the variants by the desired property. This technique, called directed evolution, is a central tool for trimming protein-based products used in a wide range of applications from laundry detergents to anti-cancer drugs. New methods are continuously needed to generate larger gene repertoires and compatible selection platforms to shorten the development timeline for new biochemicals. In the first study of this thesis, primer extension mutagenesis was revisited to establish higher quality gene variant libraries in Escherichia coli cells. In the second study, recombination was explored as a method to expand the number of screenable enzyme variants. A selection platform was developed to improve antigen binding fragment (Fab) display on filamentous phages in the third article and, in the fourth study, novel design concepts were tested by two differentially randomized recombinant antibody libraries. Finally, in the last study, the performance of the same antibody repertoire was compared in phage display selections as a genetic fusion to different phage capsid proteins and in different antibody formats, Fab vs. single chain variable fragment (ScFv), in order to find out the most suitable display platform for the library at hand. As a result of the studies, a novel gene library construction method, termed selective rolling circle amplification (sRCA), was developed. The method increases mutagenesis frequency close to 100% in the final library and the number of transformants over 100-fold compared to traditional primer extension mutagenesis. In the second study, Cre/loxP recombination was found to be an appropriate tool to resolve the DNA concatemer resulting from error-prone RCA (epRCA) mutagenesis into monomeric circular DNA units for higher efficiency transformation into E. coli. Library selections against antigens of various size in the fourth study demonstrated that diversity placed closer to the antigen binding site of antibodies supports generation of antibodies against haptens and peptides, whereas diversity at more peripheral locations is better suited for targeting proteins. The conclusion from a comparison of the display formats was that truncated capsid protein three (p3Δ) of filamentous phage was superior to the full-length p3 and protein nine (p9) in obtaining a high number of uniquely specific clones. Especially for digoxigenin, a difficult hapten target, the antibody repertoire as ScFv-p3Δ provided the clones with the highest affinity for binding. This thesis on the construction, design, and selection of gene variant libraries contributes to the practical know-how in directed evolution and contains useful information for scientists in the field to support their undertakings.

Chemical derivatization of galactoglucomannan for functional materials

In the framework of the biorefinery concept researchers aspire to optimize the utilization of plant materials, such as agricultural wastes and wood. For most of the known processes, the first steps in the valorisation of biomass are the extraction and purification of the individual components. The obtained raw products by means of a controlled separation can consecutively be modified to result in biofuels or biogas for energy production, but also in value-added products such as additives and important building blocks for the chemical and material industries. Considerable efforts are undertaken in order to substitute the use of oil-based starting materials or at least minimize their processing for the production of everyday goods. Wood is one of the raw materials, which have gained large attention in the last decades and its composition has been studied in detail. Nowadays, the extraction of water-soluble hemicelluloses from wood is well known and so for example xylan can be obtained from hardwoods and O-acetyl galactoglucomannans (GGMs) from softwoods. The aim of this work was to develop water-soluble amphiphilic materials of GGM and to assess their potential use as additives. Furthermore, GGM was also applied as a crosslinker in the synthesis of functional hydrogels for the removal of toxic metals and metalloid ions from aqueous solutions. The distinguished products were obtained by several chemical approaches and analysed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscope SEM, among others. Bio-based surfactants were produced by applying GGM and different fatty acids as starting materials. On one hand, GGM-grafted-fatty acids were prepared by esterification and on the other hand, well-defined GGM-block-fatty acid derivatives were obtained by linking amino-functional fatty acids to the reducing end of GGM. The reaction conditions for the syntheses were optimized and the resultant amphiphilic GGM derivatives were evaluated concerning their ability to reduce the surface tension of water as surfactants. Furthermore, the block-structured derivatives were tested in respect to their applicability as additives for the surface modification of cellulosic materials. Besides the GGM surfactants with a bio-based hydrophilic and a bio-based hydrophobic part, also GGM block-structured derivatives with a synthetic hydrophobic tail, consisting of a polydimethylsiloxane chain, were prepared and assessed for the hydrophobization of surface of nanofibrillated cellulose films. In order to generate GGM block-structured derivatives containing a synthetic tail with distinguished physical and chemical properties, as well as a tailored chain length, a controlled polymerization method was used. Therefore, firstly an initiator group was introduced at the reducing end of the GGM and consecutively single electron transfer-living radical polymerization (SET-LRP) was performed by applying three different monomers in individual reactions. For the accomplishment of the synthesis and the analysis of the products, challenges related to the solubility of the reactants had to be overcome. Overall, a synthesis route for the production of GGM block-copolymers bearing different synthetic polymer chains was developed and several derivatives were obtained. Moreover, GGM with different molar masses were, after modification, used as a crosslinker in the synthesis of functional hydrogels. Hereby, a cationic monomer was used during the free radical polymerization and the resultant hydrogels were successfully tested for the removal of chromium and arsenic ions from aqueous solutions. The hydrogel synthesis was tailored and materials with distinguished physical properties, such as the swelling rate, were obtained after purification. The results generated in this work underline the potential of bio-based products and the urge to continue carrying out research in order to be able to use more green chemicals for the manufacturing of biorenewable and biodegradable daily products.

Puuperäiset polymeerit synteettisten sideaineiden korvaajina

Tämän kandidaatintyön aiheena oli löytää biojalostamon näkökulmasta käyttökelpoisia tuotantoreittejä puuperäisistä materiaaleista bioperäisiin kemikaaleihin, joilla olisi mahdollista korvata synteettisiä sideaineita. Tällä hetkellä suurin osa sideaineista ja päällystemateriaaleista tuotetaan uusiutumattomista luonnonvaroista, kuten maakaasusta ja öljystä. Lopputuotteiden kierrätettävyyden ja vihreyden ohella yksi metsäteollisuuden tulevaisuuden trendejä on pyrkiä irti öljy- ja maakaasuriippuvuudesta. Muutoksella voidaan säästää sekä ympäristöä, että rahaa. Biopohjaisilla drop-in kemikaaleilla ja muilla biopohjaisilla vaihtoehdoilla tämä on mahdollista Tässä työssä tutkittiin ja havainnollistettiin mahdollisin tuotantoreitein useiden tällä hetkellä käytössä olevien sideaineiden korvaamista biopohjaisilla versioilla. Työ tehtiin kirjallisuustutkielmana, eikä siihen kuulunut laboratoriokokeita. Työn ensimmäisessä osassa painopiste on biojalostamossa ja dispersiopäällystyksessä. Toisessa osassa esitellään tällä hetkellä käytettyjä sideaineita ja niiden mahdollisia biopohjaisia korvaajia tuotantoreitteineen. Työn toissijainen tarkoitus oli selvittää lyhyesti mitä muita puuperäisiä komponentteja voidaan käyttää suoraan paperin ja kartongin päällystämiseen. Viimeiseksi on esitelty vielä lyhyesti kaupallisesti käytössä olevia biomuoveja ja päällysteitä.

The role of metal ions in selective and sustainable processes

Sustainability and recycling are core values in today’s industrial operations. New materials, products and processes need to be designed in such a way as to consume fewer of the diminishing resources we have available and to put as little strain on the environment as possible. An integral part of this is cleaning and recycling. New processes are to be designed to improve the efficiency in this aspect. Wastewater, including municipal wastewaters, is treated in several steps including chemical and mechanical cleaning of waters. Well-cleaned water can be recycled and reused. Clean water for everyone is one of the greatest challenges we are facing today. Ferric sulphate, made by oxidation from ferrous sulphate, is used in water purification. The oxidation of ferrous sulphate, FeSO4, to ferric sulphate in acidic aqueous solutions of H2SO4 over finely dispersed active carbon particles was studied in a vigorously stirred batch reactor. Molecular oxygen was used as the oxidation agent and several catalysts were screened: active carbon, active carbon impregnated with Pt, Rh, Pd and Ru. Both active carbon and noble metal-active carbon catalysts enhanced the oxidation rate considerably. The order of the noble metals according to the effect was: Pt >> Rh > Pd, Ru. By the use of catalysts, the production capacities of existing oxidation units can be considerably increased. Good coagulants have a high charge on a long polymer chain effectively capturing dirty particles of the opposite charge. Analysis of the reaction product indicated that it is possible to obtain polymeric iron-based products with good coagulation properties. Systematic kinetic experiments were carried out at the temperature and pressure ranges of 60B100°C and 4B10 bar, respectively. The results revealed that both non-catalytic and catalytic oxidation of Fe2+ to Fe3+ take place simultaneously. The experimental data were fitted to rate equations, which were based on a plausible reaction mechanism: adsorption of dissolved oxygen on active carbon, electron transfer from Fe2+ ions to adsorbed oxygen and formation of surface hydroxyls. A comparison of the Fe2+ concentrations predicted by the kinetic model with the experimentally observed concentrations indicated that the mechanistic rate equations were able to describe the intrinsic oxidation kinetics of Fe2+ over active carbon and active carbon-noble metal catalysts. Engineering aspects were closely considered and effort was directed to utilizing existing equipment in the production of the new coagulant. Ferrous sulphate can be catalytically oxidized to produce a novel long-chained polymeric iron-based flocculent in an easy and affordable way in existing facilities. The results can be used for modelling the reactors and for scale-up. Ferric iron (Fe3+) was successfully applied for the dissolution of sphalerite. Sphalerite contains indium, gallium and germanium, among others, and the application can promote their recovery. The understanding of the reduction process of ferric to ferrous iron can be used to develop further the understanding of the dissolution mechanisms and oxidation of ferrous sulphate. Indium, gallium and germanium face an ever-increasing demand in the electronics industry, among others. The supply is, however, very limited. The fact that most part of the material is obtained through secondary production means that real production quota depends on the primary material production. This also sets the pricing. The primary production material is in most cases zinc and aluminium. Recycling of scrap material and the utilization of industrial waste, containing indium, gallium and geranium, is a necessity without real options. As a part of this study plausible methods for the recovery of indium, gallium and germanium have been studied. The results were encouraging and provided information about the precipitation of these valuables from highly acidic solutions. Indium and gallium were separated from acidic sulphuric acid solutions by precipitation with basic sulphates such as alunite or they were precipitated as basic sulphates of their own as galliunite and indiunite. Germanium may precipitate as a basic sulphate of a mixed composition. The precipitation is rapid and the selectivity is good. When the solutions contain both indium and gallium then the results show that gallium should be separated before indium to achieve a better selectivity. Germanium was separated from highly acidic sulphuric acid solutions containing other metals as well by precipitating with tannic acid. This is a highly selective method. According to the study other commonly found metals in the solution do not affect germanium precipitation. The reduction of ferric iron to ferrous, the precipitation of indium, gallium and germanium, and the dissolution of the raw materials are strongly depending on temperature and pH. The temperature and pH effect were studied and which contributed to the understanding and design of the different process steps. Increased temperature and reduced pH improve the reduction rate. Finally, the gained understanding in the studied areas can be employed to develop better industrial processes not only on a large scale but also increasingly on a smaller scale. The small amounts of indium, gallium and germanium may favour smaller and more locally bound recovery.

Innovation process management of complex consumer products and services in new innovation paradigm – case location based business

Innovation is the word of this decade. According to innovation definitions, without positive sales impact and meaningful market share the company’s product or service has not been an innovation. Research problem of this master thesis is to find out what is the innovation process of complex new consumer products and services in new innovation paradigm. The objective is to get answers to two research questions: 1) What are the critical success factors what company should do when it is implementing the paradigm change in mass markets consumer business with complex products and services? 2) What is the process or framework one firm could follow? The research problem is looked from one company’s innovation creation process, networking and organization change management challenges point of views. Special focus is to look the research problem from an existing company perspective which is entering new business area. Innovation process management framework of complex new consumer products and services in new innovation paradigm has been created with support of several existing innovation theories. The new process framework includes the critical innovation process elements companies should take into consideration in their daily activities when they are in their new business innovation implementing process. Case company location based business implementation activities are studied via the new innovation process framework. This case study showed how important it is to manage the process, look how the target market and the competition in it is developing during company’s own innovation process, make decisions at right time and from beginning plan and implement the organization change management as one activity in the innovation process. In the end this master thesis showed that all companies need to create their own innovation process master plan with milestones and activities. One plan does not fit all, but all companies can start their planning from the new innovation process what was introduced in this master thesis.

Resource-based approach to new product development at the intersection of industries. Two case studies in telecommunications

Työn tavoitteena on selvittää mitkä ovat tärkeimmät aineettomat resurssit, joita tarvitaan teollisuuksien risteyskohdassa tapahtuvassa tuotekehityksessä. Teollisuuksien risteyskohdissa syntyvät tuotteet ovat usein radikaaleja, mikä tekee tuotteista mielenkiintoisia, paljon liiketoimintapotentiaalia tarjoavia. Tämä tutkimus lähestyy tuotekehitystä resurssipohjaisesta näkökulmasta. Myös tietämyspohjaista ja suhdepohjaista näkemystä hyödynnetään korostamaan keskittymistä aineettomiin resursseihin. Tutkimuksessa rakennetaan viitekehys, jossa tutkitaan eri resurssikategorioita. Valitut kategoriat ovat teknologiset, markkinointi-, johtamiseen ja hallinnointiin liittyvät ja suhdepohjaiset resurssit. Empiirisessä osassa tutkitaan kahta uutta tuotekonseptia, jotka ovat syntyneet teollisuuksien risteyskohdissa. Empiirisen osan tavoitteena on määritellä tutkimuksen kohteena olevia alustavia tuotekonsepteja tarkemmin ja selvittää millaisia resursseja näiden toteuttamiseen tarvitaan. Myös tarvittavien resurssien nykytila selvitetään ja pohditaan tulisiko puuttuvia resursseja kehittää yrityksen sisällä vai hankkia ne ulkopuolelta. Tutkimus toteutettiin asiantuntijahaastatteluin. Kahden tapaustutkimuksen perusteella näyttäisi siltä, että suhdepohjaiset resurssit ovat erittäin tärkeitä teollisuuksien risteyskohdissa tapahtuvassa tuotekehityksessä. Myös teknologiset resurssit ovat tärkeitä. Markkinointiresurssien tärkeys riippuu lopullisesta tuotekonseptista, kun taas johtamiseen ja kehittämiseen liittyvät resurssit ovat tärkeitänäiden konseptien luomisessa.

Cost information in engineering design -Potentials and limitations of activity-based costing

The purpose of this thesis is to analyse activity-based costing (ABC) and possible modified versions ofit in engineering design context. The design engineers need cost information attheir decision-making level and the cost information should also have a strong future orientation. These demands are high because traditional management accounting has concentrated on the direct actual costs of the products. However, cost accounting has progressed as ABC was introduced late 1980s and adopted widely bycompanies in the 1990s. The ABC has been a success, but it has gained also criticism. In some cases the ambitious ABC systems have become too complex to build,use and update. This study can be called an action-oriented case study with some normative features. In this thesis theoretical concepts are assessed and allowed to unfold gradually through interaction with data from three cases. The theoretical starting points are ABC and theory of engineering design process (chapter2). Concepts and research results from these theoretical approaches are summarized in two hypotheses (chapter 2.3). The hypotheses are analysed with two cases (chapter 3). After the two case analyses, the ABC part is extended to cover alsoother modern cost accounting methods, e.g. process costing and feature costing (chapter 4.1). The ideas from this second theoretical part are operationalized with the third case (chapter 4.2). The knowledge from the theory and three cases is summarized in the created framework (chapter 4.3). With the created frameworkit is possible to analyse ABC and its modifications in the engineering design context. The framework collects the factors that guide the choice of the costing method to be used in engineering design. It also illuminates the contents of various ABC-related costing methods. However, the framework needs to be further tested. On the basis of the three cases it can be said that ABC should be used cautiously when formulating cost information for engineering design. It is suitable when the manufacturing can be considered simple, or when the design engineers are not cost conscious, and in the beginning of the design process when doing adaptive or variant design. If the design engineers need cost information for the embodiment or detailed design, or if manufacturing can be considered complex, or when design engineers are cost conscious, the ABC has to be always evaluated critically.

Effects of Dietary Fat Oxidation Products and Flavonols on Lipoprotein Oxidation

Various studies suggest that oxidative modifications of low density lipoprotein (LDL), and also other lipoproteins, have an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. In addition to the oxidation products formed endogenously, oxidised triacylglycerols (TAG) and oxysterols in the diet contribute to the oxidised lipoproteins found in circulation. However, studies on both the effect of oxidised dietary lipids on lipoprotein lipid oxidation and the reactions that modify oxidised fat after ingestion have been scarce. Studies on the effects of dietary antioxidants on the lipid oxidation in vivo and the risk of atherosclerosis have been inconclusive. More clinical trials are needed to test the importance of lipoprotein oxidation as a cardiovascular risk factor in humans. In the recent years, various methods have been optimised and applied to the analysis of lipid oxidation products in vivo, and information on the molecular structures of oxidised lipids in plasma, lipoproteins and atherosclerotic plaques has started to accumulate. However, specific structures of oxidised TAG molecules present in these tissues and lipoprotein fractions have not been investigated earlier. In the orginal research in this thesis, an approach based on highperformance liquid chromatographyelectrospray ionisationmass spectrometry (HPLCESIMS) and baseline diene conjugation (BDC) methods was used in order to investigate lipid oxidation level and oxidised TAG molecular structures in pig and human lipoproteins after dietary interventions. The approach was optimised with human LDL samples, which contained various oxidation products of TAG. LDL particles of hyperlipidaemic subjects contained an elevated amount of conjugated dienes. In the pig studies, several oxidised TAG structures with hydroxy, keto, epoxy or aldehydic groups were found in chylomicrons and VLDL after diets rich in sunflower seed oil. Also, the results showed that oxidised sunflower seed oil increased the oxidation of lipoprotein lipids and their TAG molecules. TAG hydroperoxides could be detected neither in the small intestinal mucosa of the pigs fed on the oxidised oil nor in their chylomicrons or VLDL.6 In the clinical studies, dietary flavonol aglycones extracted from sea buckthorn berries did not have an effect on lipoprotein lipid oxidation and other potential risk factors of atherosclerosis, but their absorption was demonstrated. Oil supplementation seemed to increase the bioavailability of the flavonols. Oxidised TAG molecules were detected in LDL particles of the subjects after both flavonol and control diets.

Building high technology complete products for the markets of humanitarian organizations and developing countries

Tämä tutkielma käsittelee high-tech kokonaisratkaisun rakentamista kehitysmaiden ja humanitääristen organisaatioiden markkinoille. Tavoitteena on löytää ne komponentit joita case-yritys Mediburner Ltd:n polttouuni tarvitsee rinnalleen. Jotta täydentävien elementtien määritteleminen olisi mahdollista, pitää ensin selvittää keitä ovat asiakkaat, ja mitkä ovat heidän tarpeensa. Tutkimusmetodina käytetään kuvailevaa case-tutkimusta. Empiirinen materiaali kerättiin henkilökohtaisissa- ja puhelinkeskusteluissa. Niihin henkilöihin, joiden tavoittaminen oli aikaeron vuoksi hankalaa, otettiin yhteyttä sähköpostitse. Toinen tietolähde olivat dokumentit. Tutkielmassa käytettiin internetsivuja, sairaalajätehuoltoon liittyvien kansainvälisten konferenssien ja kenttätutkimusten raportteja sekä humanitääristen organisaatioiden suosituksia ja lehdistötiedotteita. Tulokseksi saatiin kymmenen tarvittavaa tukevien elementtien ryhmää: lisälaitteet, astiat jätteen keräilyyn ja tilapäiseen varastointiin, polttoaine, sähkö, logistiset ratkaisut, asennus ja käyttöönotto, huolto- ja korjauspalvelut, koulutus, help-desk –palvelu ja rahoitus. Lisäksi tarvitaan imago, joka konkretisoi tarjotun ratkaisun hyödyt. Yksi toimivan imagotyylin perusta voisi olla vastuullisuus.

Carbon balance of Fibre-Based Package

Customers are more and more interested in the environmental impacts of the products they purchase. Different labels give the required environmental information to consumers and the labels might affect to the consuming decisions. The European Union has set a plan for sustainable consuming, which encourages industry and commerce to calculate carbon footprints for the products. A term “carbon footprint” means carbon dioxide emissions across the product lifecycle. In this thesis, carbon footprints are calculated for two different fibre-based packages. In the end, greenhouse gas emissions from fibre-package production are compared to greenhouse gas emissions from PET bottle production. The data for mill processes is exact and monitored in the mill. In addition, data was gathered from raw material and material suppliers, customers, official records, KCL-eco databases and literature. The data for PET bottle is sourced from literature. End-of-life operations affect greatly on the carbon footprint of a fibre-based package. The results show that the carbon footprint is smallest when used packages are recycled. Recycling saves also natural resources. If used packages are not recyclable for some reason, it is recommended to use them in energy production. Through waste incineration fossil fuels could be substituted and greenhouse gas emissions avoided.