Un estudi preliminar sobre la presa d’apunts dels estudiants universitaris

En aquest treball es presenten els resultats d’un estudi iniciat per esbrinar comprenen apunts els estudiants de primer curs universitari en una situació declasse habitual i per analitzar com incideixen les condicions d’una determinadasituació educativa en les decisions respecte a què cal anotar i com cal fer-ho.L’estudi suposa l’inici d’una línia de recerca que té per objectiu investigaren quines condicions la presa d’apunts esdevé una estratègia d’aprenentatge

Aproveitamento sustentável de biomassa e de recursos naturais na inovação química

Increased production of biomass is currently the only immediately accessible alternative for large-scale carbon sequestration and it can produce large amounts of food, fuel and raw materials for the chemical industry that can in turn growingly replace oil as a source of organic building blocks and also of hydrogen and sulfur. Development of processes for biomass and abundant minerals transformation into chemical raw materials should now benefit from large inputs from nanotechnologies, biotechnologies, information and micro-reactor technologies. Success in R&D&Innovation along this line can yield new products and processes needed to perform desirable functions within a sustainable development paradigm.

Química forense: perspectivas sobre novos métodos analíticos aplicados à documentoscopia, balística e drogas de abuso

In this review recent methods developed and applied to solve criminal occurences related to documentoscopy, ballistic and drugs of abuse are discussed. In documentoscopy, aging of ink writings, the sequence of line crossings and counterfeiting of documents are aspects to be solved with reproducible, fast and non-destructive methods. In ballistic, the industries are currently producing ''lead-free'' or ''nontoxic'' handgun ammunitions, so new methods of gunshot residues characterization are being presented. For drugs analysis, easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry (EASI-MS) is shown to provide a relatively simple and selective screening tool to distinguish m-CPP and amphetamines (MDMA) tablets, cocaine and LSD.

Resultados científicos do cruzeiro do "Baependi" e do "Vega" à Ilha da Trindade: o gênero Firoloida, Prosobranchia Heteropoda

From the Jaseur Bank, off the Brazilian coast at 20º 30' S - 35º 50' W, were collected a few specimens of one of the less known species of the Heteropoda: Firoloida lesueuri (d'Orbigny). A detailed anatomical description follows aiming at the elucidation of some obscure points in the litterature on the subject and at showing the identity of most of the previously described "species" of the genus Firoloida. Special care was taken with the study of the nervous system of which most of the descriptions found were discordant. The author arrived at the conclusion that the pleural ganglia are either missing of fused to the cerebral ganglia, that the supraintestinal ganglion (left parietal ganglion) is present in the posterior region and is close to the subintestinal or right parietal ganglion, being both located near the rear end of the body. The innervations are described and discussed as well as the fusion of extensive tracts of the connectives. The present material is shown to be identical to F. kowalewskyi, well described by Vayssière and Tesch; F. desmaresti (Lesueur 1817) is shown to be undistinguishable from F. blainvilleana and F. gracilis. F. aculeata and F. gaimardi are here considered as "nomina nuda". F. liguriae Issel 1907 is admitted as separate species in spite of its insufficient description and, finally, F. vigilans (Troschel 1855), unsatisfactorily described from only one specimen is perhaps a valid species. A table is presented to show the slight differences between the 4 species which are undoubtedly very similar. F. desmaresti is found only in the Atlantic north of the line and a few points south and close to it as well as in dependent seas, while F. lesueuri is common to the south Atlantic, south Indie and south Pacific oceans, extending north only up to the Azores Islands. F. liguriae is from the south western Atlantic. ?F. vigilans would be an endemic species from Messina (Mediterranean).

Tuplakuori-rakenne eristettyihin muoviputkiin

Eristettyjen muoviputkien kuljetus- tai asennusvaiheessa on mahdollista, että putken suojakuori rikkoutuu mekaanisen iskun vaikutuksesta ja putken sisään pääsee vettä. Huonoimmassa tapauksessa vesi pääsee etenemään suojakuoren ja eristekerroksen välissä talon sisälle ja aiheuttaa mittavat kosteusvahingot. Tämän diplomityön tarkoituksena oli selvittää, onko eristetylle muoviputkelle mahdollista toteuttaa tuotantotaloudellisesti tuplakuori-rakenne. Tuplakuoren tarkoituksena oli tässä työssä estää putken sisärakenteisiin päässeen veden eteneminen putken pitkittäissuunnassa. Diplomityössä käsiteltiin muutamia vaihtoehtoisia ratkaisuja toteuttaa tuplakuori-rakenne joista lopulta päädyttiin keskittymään muovikalvon käyttöön. Muovikalvon käytöllä oli lähinnä kaksi tarkoitusta. Tärkeimpänä oli saada muovikalvo sulamaan eristekerroksen ja suojakuoren väliin. Tällöin sulanut muovikalvo toimisi liiman tavoin ja hitsaisi eristekerroksen ja suojakuoren toisiinsa kiinni. Näin veden eteneminen eristekerroksen ja suojakuoren välissä saataisiin estetyksi. Muovikalvo oli myös tarkoitus kiristää eristepaketin päälle niin kireälle, että eristepaketin halkaisijaa saataisiin pienennettyä. Muovikalvon käyttöön perehdyttiin suorittamalla tuotantolinjalla koeajoja. Koeajoissa kokeiltiin erilaisia ja erikokoisia putkituotteita erilaisilla tuotantoparametreilla. Näin pyrittiin löytämään parhaat parametrit ja arvot, joilla muovikalvoa pystyttäisiin tulevaisuudessa käyttämään jatkuvassa tuotannossa. Koeajojen tuloksista voitiin havaita, että kalvoitetut putkituotteet käyttäytyivät tuotannossa hyvin eri tavoin.

Puulevystä valmistettujen kalusteosien pintakäsittelyn kehittäminen UV-telalinjalla

Diplomityö tehtiin Kidex Oy:lle, joka on Kiteellä sijaitseva Martela-konsernin tytäryhtiö. Kidex Oy toimii sopimusvalmistajana Martelalle sekä muille valituille levykalusteasiakkaille, ja tuotteet ovat pääasiassa toimisto- ja keittiökalusteita. Kevättalvella 2008 yritykseen siirrettiin Nummelasta pintakäsittelyosasto, jolla on tehty petsaus- ja lakkaustöitä. Näiden lisäksi tehtaalla on pohdittu mahdollisuuksia maalaustöihin, jotta UV-telalinjan kapasiteetti saataisiin paremmin käyttöön Työssä selvitettiin, mitä muutoksia UV-kovettuvilla aineilla maalaaminen vaatii linjaan ja luotiin edellytykset maalaustoiminnan aloittamiselle. Muutokset pyrittiin pitämään niin vähäisinä kuin mahdollista. Lisäksi määritettiin maalattavien tuotteiden laadun kriteerit ja todennusmenetelmät, jotka voidaan viestiä asiakkaille väärinkäsitysten välttämiseksi. Laadun todentamista varten valmistettiin sarja koekappaleita, joista mitattiin asiakkaan kannalta tärkeimmät maalikalvon ominaisuudet. Työssä tarkasteltiin myös pintakäsittelylaitoksia koskevaa VOC-asetusta ja verrattiin liuottimien kulutusta asetuksen määrittämiin rajoihin. Puulevystä valmistettujen kalusteosien pintakäsittely UV-telalinjalla eroaa oleellisesti perinteisistä menetelmistä esimerkiksi tuotantonopeuden osalta, joka johtuu pääasiassa pinnoitekalvon hetkessä tapahtuvasta kovettumisesta UV-valon vaikutuksesta. UV-aineet ovat käytännössä täysin kiinteistä aineista koostuvia, eivätkä näin sisällä vaarallisia haihtuvia liuottimia. UV-kovettuvilla tuotteilla maalaaminen on viime vuosina runsaasti tutkittu alue, joka eroaa tietyiltä osin myös pintakäsittelystä UV-kirkaslakoilla. Pigmentoitujen kalvojen kovettuminen vaatii erilaista UV-säteilyä ja levitysmäärien seuranta on huomattavasti tarkempaa.

Paineellisten rumpusuodinten kunnossapitostrategian kehittäminen ja implementointi

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli luoda UPM-Kymmene Oyj:n Kaukaan sellutehtaalle tuotannolliset näkökulmat huomioiva ja kunnossapitokustannukset optimoiva paineellisten rumpusuodinten kunnossapitostrategia. Paineelliset rumpusuotimet on sellutehtaan kuitulinjan keskeinen laiteryhmä, jonka vuosittaiset kunnossapitokustannukset ovat merkittävät. Tarkastelu työssä keskittyi paineellisen rumpusuotimen päätytiivistyksen kunnossapitostrategian kehittämiseen, koska päätytiivistys muodostaa laitteen vuosittaisista kustannuksista suurimman osan. Kunnossapitokustannusten optimointi suoritettiin strategisen johtamisen periaatteiden mukaisesti eri teknistaloudelliset näkökulmat huomioiden. Kunnossapidon toteutukselle määriteltiin tuotannon tavoitteet, jonka perusteella luotiin uusi kunnossapitostrategia. Työssä tehdyn tutkimuksen perusteella siirtymällä korjaavasta kunnossapidosta ehkäisevään kunnossapitoon, voidaan saavuttaa säästöjä kunnossapitokustannuksissa. Uuden strategian toteutumisen mahdollistamiseksi määriteltiin strategiset projektit, jotka käsittelivät muun muassa uusien tiivistemateriaalien käyttöönottoa, alajärjestelmien muutostöitä sekä toimintatapojen muutoksia. Strategian ja strategisten projektien toteutusta varten laadittiin kirjalliset dokumentit, joiden perusteella implementointi suoritetaan. Toimenpiteille määriteltiin vastuuhenkilöt ja toteutusajat, joiden mukaisesti eri organisaatiotasot toimivat. Strategia laadittiin seuraavalle kymmenelle vuodelle, mutta strategian toteutusta ja tuloksia on seurattava vuosittain. Muuttuvassa liiketoimintaympäristössä kunnossapidon optimitila ei ole staattinen, joten strategiaa on oltava valmis päivittämään. Aktiivisella ja suunnitelmallisella toiminnalla on mahdollista saavuttaa merkittäviä säästöjä tuotannon ja kunnossapidon näkökulmasta.

Measuring Cost of Poor Quality in Industrial Electronics

Quality is not only free but it can be a profit maker. Every dollar that is not spent on doing things wrong becomes a dollar right on the bottom line. The main objective of this thesis is to give an answer on how cost of poor quality can be measured theoretically correctly. Different calculation methods for cost of poor quality are presented and discussed in order to give comprehensive picture about measurement process. The second objective is to utilize the knowledge from the literature review and to apply it when creating a method for measuring cost of poor quality in supplier performance rating. Literature review indicates that P-A-F model together with ABC methodology provides a mean for quality cost calculations. These models give an answer what should be measured and how this measurement should be carried out. However, when product or service quality costs are incurred when quality character derivates from target value, then QLF seems to be most appropriate methodology for quality cost calculation. These methodologies were applied when creating a quality cost calculation method for supplier performance ratings.

JNK, a versatile regulator of kinesin-1 transport and cytoskeleton dynamics

C-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is traditionally recognized as a crucial factor in stress response and inducer of apoptosis upon various stimulations. Three isoforms build the JNK subfamily of MAPK; generally expressed JNK1 and JNK2 and brain specific JNK3. Degenerative potency placed JNK in the spotlight as potential pharmacological option for intervention. Unfortunately, adverse effects of potential drugs and observation that expression of only JNK2 and JNK3 are induced upon stress, restrained initial enthusiasm. Notably, JNK1 demonstrated atypical high constitutive activity in neurons that is not responsive to cellular stresses and indicated existence of physiological activity. This thesis aimed at revealing the physiological functions of JNK1 in actin homeostasis through novel effector MARCKS-Like 1 (MARCKSL1) protein, neuronal trafficking mediated by major kinesin-1 motor protein and microtubule (MT) dynamics via STMN2/SCG10. The screen for novel physiological JNK substrates revealed specific phosphorylation of C-terminal end of MARCKSL1 at S120, T148 and T183 both ex vivo and in vitro. By utilizing site-specific mutagenesis, various actin dynamics and migrations assays we were able to demonstrate that JNK1 phosphorylation specifically facilitates F-actin bundling and thus filament stabilisation. Consecutively, this molecular mechanism was proved to enhance formation of filopodia; cell surface projections that allow cell sensing surrounding environment and migrate efficiently. Our results visualize JNK dependent and MARCKSL1 executed induction of filopodia in neurons and fibroblast indicating general mechanism. Subsequently, inactivation of JNK action on MARCKSL1 shifts cellular actin machinery into lamellipodial dynamic arrangement. Tuning of actin cytoskeleton inevitably melds with cell migration. We observed that both active JNK and JNK pseudo-phosphorylated form of MARCKSL1 reduce actin turnover in intact cells leading to overall diminished cell motility. We demonstrate that tumour transformed cells from breast, prostate, lung and muscle-derived cancers upregulate MARCKSL1. We showed on the example of prostate cancer PC-3 cell line that JNK phosphorylation negatively controls MARCKSL1 ability to induce migration, which precedes cancer cell metastasis. The second round of identification of JNK physiological substrates resulted in detection of predominant motor protein kinesin-1 (Kif5). Mass spectrometry detailed analysis showed evident endogenous phosphorylation of kinesin-1 on S176 within motor domain that interacts with MT. In vitro phosphorylation of bacterially expressed kinesin heavy chain by JNK isoforms displayed higher specificity of JNK1 when compared to JNK3. Since, JNK1 is constitutively active in neurons it signified physiological aspect of kinesin-1 regulation. Subsequent biochemical examination revealed that kinesin-1, when not phosphorylated on JNK site, exhibits much higher affinity toward MTs. Expression of the JNK non-phosphorable kinesin-1 mutant in intact cells as well as in vitro single molecule imaging using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy indicated that the mutant loses normal speed and is not able to move processively into proper cellular compartments. We identify novel kinesin-1 cargo protein STMN2/SCG10, which along with known kinesin-1 cargo BDNF is showing impaired trafficking when JNK activity is inhibited. Our data postulates that constitutive JNK activity in neurons is crucial for unperturbed physiologically relevant transport of kinesin-1 dependant cargo. Additionally, my work helps to validate another novel physiological JNK1 effector STMN2/SCG10 as determinant of axodendritic neurites dynamics in the developing brain through regulation of MT turnover. We show successively that this increased MT dynamics is crucial during developmental radial migration when brain layering occurs. Successively, we are able to show that introduction of JNK phosphorylation mimicking STMN2/SCG10 S62/73D mutant rescues completely JNK1 genetic deletion migration phenotype. We prove that STMN2/SCG10 is predominant JNK effector responsible for MT depolymerising activity and neurite length during brain development. Summarizing, this work describes identification of three novel JNK substrates MARCKSL1, kinesin-1 and STMN2/SCG10 and investigation of their roles in cytoskeleton dynamics and cargo transport. This data is of high importance to understand physiological meaning of JNK activity, which might have an adverse effect during pharmaceutical intervention aiming at blocking pathological JNK action.

Hitsaustuotannon kehittäminen tuulivoimalan tornin valmistuksessa

Tuulivoima on Euroopassa nopeimmin kasvava energian tuotantomuoto. Tuulivoimateollisuuden arvioidaan kasvavan Suomessa huomattavasti lähivuosien aikana ennakoidun syöttötariffipäätöksen myötä, jolloin kilpailu alalla tulee kasvamaan. Tavoitteena oli kehittää tuulivoimalan tornin valmistusta Levator Oy:ssä hitsaustuotantoa tehostamalla ja tuotannon ohjattavuutta parantamalla. Kehitystyöhön kuului toisen hitsauslinjan käyttöönoton suunnittelu ja ohjeiston laatiminen työnjohdolle. Toisen hitsauslinjan käyttöönoton suunnittelun tarkoituksena oli suunnitella muutokset nykyiseen tuotantoon uuden linjan käyttöönoton mahdollistamiseksi. Suunnittelu aloitettiin valitsemalla hitsausprosessit, jonka jälkeen suunniteltiin laitetarpeet työvaihe-analyysien pohjalta. Tuotantolayout muutettiin nykyisestä funktionaalisesta tuotannosta tuotantosoluista koostuvaksi tuotantolinjaksi, jolloin materiaalien virtautus parani huomattavasti. Tuotannon ohjaustavaksi valittiin kapeikko-ohjaus. Ohjeiston laatimisen tarkoituksena oli kerätä ja dokumentoida kaikki tuotannossa tarvittava tieto. Ohjeiston sisältää laadunohjaus, materiaalivirtojen ohjaus ja työnohjaus osiot, joiden tarkoituksena on helpottaa työnjohtamista. Ohjeisto määrittelee yhtenäiset tuotannon toimintatavat, jolloin tuotannon ohjattavuus helpottuu. Tavoitteet täyttyivät, kun toisen tuotantolinjan käyttöönoton vaatimat muutokset aloitettiin suunnitelmien mukaisesti syyskuussa 2009. Ohjeiston sisältö saatiin määriteltyä ja eri osioiden pilotit saatiin valmiiksi joulukuun aikana. Tuotannon ohjattavuus kehittyi huomattavasti ja samalla tuottavuus parani merkittävästi.

Linear prediction in optical spectroscopy

A linear prediction procedure is one of the approved numerical methods of signal processing. In the field of optical spectroscopy it is used mainly for extrapolation known parts of an optical signal in order to obtain a longer one or deduce missing signal samples. The first is needed particularly when narrowing spectral lines for the purpose of spectral information extraction. In the present paper the coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectra were under investigation. The spectra were significantly distorted by the presence of nonlinear nonresonant background. In addition, line shapes were far from Gaussian/Lorentz profiles. To overcome these disadvantages the maximum entropy method (MEM) for phase spectrum retrieval was used. The obtained broad MEM spectra were further underwent the linear prediction analysis in order to be narrowed.

Differential expression of integrin subunits on adherent and nonadherent mast cells

Mast cell progenitors arise in bone marrow and then migrate to peripheral tissues where they mature. It is presumed that integrin receptors are involved in their migration and homing. In the present study, the expression of various integrin subunits was investigated in three systems of adherent and nonadherent mast cells. Mesentery mast cells, freshly isolated bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) and RBL-2H3 cells grown attached to tissue culture flasks are all adherent mast cells and peritoneal mast cells, and cultured BMMC and RBL-2H3 cells grown in suspension represent nonadherent mast cell populations. Pure populations of mast cells were immunomagnetically isolated from bone marrow, mesentery and peritoneal lavage using the mast cell-specific monoclonal antibody AA4. By immunomicroscopy, we could demonstrate that all of these mast cells expressed alpha4, alpha5, alpha6, ß1 and ß7 integrin subunits. The expression of the alpha4 integrin subunit was 25% higher in freshly isolated mesentery mast cells and BMMC. Consistent with the results obtained by immunomicroscopy, mesentery mast cells expressed 65% more mRNA for the alpha4 integrin subunit than peritoneal mast cells. In vitro studies were also conducted using the rat mast cell line RBL-2H3. RBL-2H3 cells grown attached to the tissue culture flasks or as suspension cultures expressed the same integrin subunits identified in bone marrow, mesenteric and peritoneal mast cells ex vivo. Similarly, the expression of alpha4 integrin was higher in adherent cells. Therefore, alpha4 integrins may play a critical role in the anchorage of mast cells to the extracellular matrix in bone marrow and in peripheral tissues.

The control of deliberate waiting strategies in a stop-signal task

To inhibit an ongoing flow of thoughts or actions has been largely considered to be a crucial executive function, and the stop-signal paradigm makes inhibitory control measurable. Stop-signal tasks usually combine two concurrent tasks, i.e., manual responses to a primary task (go-task) are occasionally countermanded by a stimulus which signals participants to inhibit their response in that trial (stop-task). Participants are always instructed not to wait for the stop-signal, since waiting strategies cause the response times to be unstable, invalidating the data. The aim of the present study was to experimentally control the strategies of waiting deliberately for the stop-signal in a stop-task by means of an algorithm that measured the variation in the reaction times to go-stimuli on-line, and displayed a warning legend urging participants to be faster when their reaction times were more than two standard deviations of the mean. Thirty-four university students performed a stop-task with go- and stop-stimuli, both of which were delivered in the visual modality and were lateralized within the visual field. The participants were divided into two groups (group A, without the algorithm, vs group B, with the algorithm). Group B exhibited lower variability of reaction times to go-stimuli, whereas no significant between-group differences were found in any of the measures of inhibitory control, showing that the algorithm succeeded in controlling the deliberate waiting strategies. Differences between deliberate and unintentional waiting strategies, and anxiety as a probable factor responsible for individual differences in deliberate waiting behavior, are discussed.

Anti-tumor properties of blackseed (Nigella sativa L.) extracts

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anti-cancer effect of Nigella sativa L. seed extracts. The essential oil (IC50 = 0.6%, v/v) and ethyl acetate (IC50 = 0.75%) extracts were more cytotoxic against the P815 cell line than the butanol extract (IC50 = 2%). Similar results were obtained with the Vero cell line. Although all extracts had a comparable cytotoxic effect against the ICO1 cell line, with IC50 values ranging from 0.2 to 0.26% (v/v), tests on the BSR cell line revealed a high cytotoxic effect of the ethyl acetate extract (IC50 = 0.2%) compared to the essential oil (IC50 = 1.2%). These data show that the cytotoxicity of each extract depends on the tumor cell type. In vivo, using the DBA2/P815 (H2d) mouse model, our results clearly showed that the injection of the essential oil into the tumor site significantly inhibited solid tumor development. Indeed, on the 30th day of treatment, the tumor volume of the control animals was 2.5 ± 0.6 cm³, whereas the tumor volumes of the essential oil-treated animals were 0.22 ± 0.1 and 0.16 ± 0.1 cm³ when the animals were injected with 30 µL (28.5 mg)/mouse and 50 µL (47.5 mg)/mouse per 48 h (six times), respectively. Interestingly, the administration of the essential oil into the tumor site inhibited the incidence of liver metastasis development and improved mouse survival.

Cell cycle synchronization and BrdU incorporation as a tool to study the possible selective elimination of ErbB1 gene in the micronuclei in A549 cells

Lung cancer often exhibits molecular changes, such as the overexpression of the ErbB1 gene that encodes epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). ErbB1 amplification and mutation are associated with tumor aggressiveness and low response to therapy. The aim of the present study was to design a schedule to synchronize the cell cycle of A549 cell line (a non-small cell lung cancer) and to analyze the possible association between the micronuclei (MNs) and the extrusion of ErbB1 gene extra-copies. After double blocking, by the process of fetal bovine serum deprivation and vincristine treatment, MNs formation was monitored with 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation, which is an S-phase marker. Statistical analyses allowed us to infer that MNs may arise both in mitosis as well as in interphase. The MNs were able to replicate their DNA and this process seemed to be non-synchronous with the main cell nuclei. The presence of ErbB1 gene in the MNs was evaluated by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). ErbB1 sequences were detected in the MNs, but a relation between the MNs formation and extrusion of amplified ErbB1could not be established. The present study sought to elucidate the meaning of MNs formation and its association with the elimination of oncogenes or other amplified sequences from the tumor cells.