Automatic evaluation and data generation for analytical chemistry instrumental analysis exercises

In general, laboratory activities are costly in terms of time, space, and money. As such, the ability to provide realistically simulated laboratory data that enables students to practice data analysis techniques as a complementary activity would be expected to reduce these costs while opening up very interesting possibilities. In the present work, a novel methodology is presented for design of analytical chemistry instrumental analysis exercises that can be automatically personalized for each student and the results evaluated immediately. The proposed system provides each student with a different set of experimental data generated randomly while satisfying a set of constraints, rather than using data obtained from actual laboratory work. This allows the instructor to provide students with a set of practical problems to complement their regular laboratory work along with the corresponding feedback provided by the system's automatic evaluation process. To this end, the Goodle Grading Management System (GMS), an innovative web-based educational tool for automating the collection and assessment of practical exercises for engineering and scientific courses, was developed. The proposed methodology takes full advantage of the Goodle GMS fusion code architecture. The design of a particular exercise is provided ad hoc by the instructor and requires basic Matlab knowledge. The system has been employed with satisfactory results in several university courses. To demonstrate the automatic evaluation process, three exercises are presented in detail. The first exercise involves a linear regression analysis of data and the calculation of the quality parameters of an instrumental analysis method. The second and third exercises address two different comparison tests, a comparison test of the mean and a t-paired test.

Service Description Creation Empowerment to Mobile End Users

Increasing usage of Web Services has been result of efforts to automate Web Services discovery and interoperability. The Semantic Web Service descriptions create basis for automatic Web Service information management tasks such as discovery and interoperability. The discussion of opportunities enabled by service descriptions have arisen in recent years. The end user has been considered only as a consumer of services and information sharing occurred from one service provider to public in service distribution. The social networking has changed the nature of services. The end user cannot be seen anymore only as service consumer, because by enabling semantically rich environment and right tools, the end user will be in the future the producer of services. This study investigates the ways to provide for end users the empowerment to create service descriptions on mobile device. Special focus is given to the changed role of the end user in service creation. In addition, the Web Services technologies are presented as well as different Semantic Web Service description approaches are compared. The main focus in the study is to investigate tools and techniques to enable service description creation and semantic information management on mobile device.

Physical Realization of an Optical Automatic Target Recognition System

In the modern warfare there is an active development of a new trend connected with a robotic warfare. One of the critical elements of robotics warfare systems is an automatic target recognition system, allowing to recognize objects, based on the data received from sensors. This work considers aspects of optical realization of such a system by means of NIR target scanning at fixed wavelengths. An algorithm was designed, an experimental setup was built and samples of various modern gear and apparel materials were tested. For pattern testing the samples of actively arm engaged armies camouflages were chosen. Tests were performed both in clear atmosphere and in the artificial extremely humid and hot atmosphere to simulate field conditions.

Simplified sample handing in mass spectrometry based protein research - focus on protein phosphorylation

The human genome comprises roughly 20 000 protein coding genes. Proteins are the building material for cells and tissues, and proteins are functional compounds having an important role in many cellular responses, such as cell signalling. In multicellular organisms such as humans, cells need to communicate with each other in order to maintain a normal function of the tissues within the body. This complex signalling between and within cells is transferred by proteins and their post-translational modifications, one of the most important being phosphorylation. The work presented here concerns the development and use of tools for phosphorylation analysis. Mass spectrometers have become essential tools to study proteins and proteomes. In mass spectrometry oriented proteomics, proteins can be identified and their post-translational modifications can be studied. In this Ph.D. thesis the objectives were to improve the robustness of sample handling methods prior to mass spectrometry analysis for peptides and their phosphorylation status. The focus was to develop strategies that enable acquisition of more MS measurements per sample, higher quality MS spectra and simplified and rapid enrichment procedures for phosphopeptides. Furthermore, an objective was to apply these methods to characterize phosphorylation sites of phosphopeptides. In these studies a new MALDI matrix was developed which allowed more homogenous, intense and durable signals to be acquired when compared to traditional CHCA matrix. This new matrix along with other matrices was subsequently used to develop a new method that combines multiple spectra from different matrises from identical peptides. With this approach it was possible to identify more phosphopeptides than with conventional LC/ESI-MS/MS methods, and to use 5 times less sample. Also, phosphopeptide affinity MALDI target was prepared to capture and immobilise phosphopeptides from a standard peptide mixture while maintaining their spatial orientation. In addition a new protocol utilizing commercially available conductive glass slides was developed that enabled fast and sensitive phosphopeptide purification. This protocol was applied to characterize the in vivo phosphorylation of a signalling protein, NFATc1. Evidence for 12 phosphorylation sites were found, and many of those were found in multiply phosphorylated peptides

Eye Fundus Image Analysis for Automatic Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetes is a rapidly increasing worldwide problem which is characterised by defective metabolism of glucose that causes long-term dysfunction and failure of various organs. The most common complication of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy (DR), which is one of the primary causes of blindness and visual impairment in adults. The rapid increase of diabetes pushes the limits of the current DR screening capabilities for which the digital imaging of the eye fundus (retinal imaging), and automatic or semi-automatic image analysis algorithms provide a potential solution. In this work, the use of colour in the detection of diabetic retinopathy is statistically studied using a supervised algorithm based on one-class classification and Gaussian mixture model estimation. The presented algorithm distinguishes a certain diabetic lesion type from all other possible objects in eye fundus images by only estimating the probability density function of that certain lesion type. For the training and ground truth estimation, the algorithm combines manual annotations of several experts for which the best practices were experimentally selected. By assessing the algorithm’s performance while conducting experiments with the colour space selection, both illuminance and colour correction, and background class information, the use of colour in the detection of diabetic retinopathy was quantitatively evaluated. Another contribution of this work is the benchmarking framework for eye fundus image analysis algorithms needed for the development of the automatic DR detection algorithms. The benchmarking framework provides guidelines on how to construct a benchmarking database that comprises true patient images, ground truth, and an evaluation protocol. The evaluation is based on the standard receiver operating characteristics analysis and it follows the medical practice in the decision making providing protocols for image- and pixel-based evaluations. During the work, two public medical image databases with ground truth were published: DIARETDB0 and DIARETDB1. The framework, DR databases and the final algorithm, are made public in the web to set the baseline results for automatic detection of diabetic retinopathy. Although deviating from the general context of the thesis, a simple and effective optic disc localisation method is presented. The optic disc localisation is discussed, since normal eye fundus structures are fundamental in the characterisation of DR.

The cultural dimension in focus : promoting awareness of diversity and respect for difference in a Finland-Swedish EFL classroom

This study addresses the role of EFL education, its potential and shortcomings, and the challenges the future of EFL education will bring. It is argued that new societal demands and the limited time we have at our disposal in the classroom make it necessary to rethink goals and content and move away from the transmissionof limited sets of facts and information to helping students develop awareness and competences that can be applied in many different situations, also in a perspective of lifelong learning. The overall aim of the current study is to problematize and increase understanding of the implementation of cultural aspects in the language classroom by addressing the interrelated what, why and how of the cultural dimension within EFL education. This has been conducted by means of theoretical explorations into the area, alongside an attempt at promoting intercultural competence (IC) in a more systematic and insightful manner within my own educational praxis. The focus of the intercultural work in the classroom was on the promotion of awareness of difference and diversity, as well as respect for such difference through the ability to decenter from cultural norms and behavior that previously have been taken for granted. These are two elements that have been suggested as fundamental for other work with IC in the classroom and for the realization of important aspects of the underlying values of basic education. In the context of this study, IC comprises several interconnected components supportingeach other in a variety of ways, with the further aim being interaction with and respect for difference in general, not only concerning e.g. representatives ofcertain English-speaking communities. The methodology was informed by action research, with myself in the role of the teacher-researcher or the reflective practitioner. For the purpose of the project I was authorized to take on the EFL education for the three years of upper comprehensive school of one random class of students originally assigned to one of the language teachers of the selected Finland-Swedish school. Thus, the class of 17 students was not specifically chosen for the project, and the aims and contents chosen for the development project were placed within the framework of the ordinary curriculum. By exploring the students¿ insights concerning different English-speaking cultural groups, mainly through a set of questionnaires, it was possible to outline the work with the cultural dimension in the classroom for the following three years. Work progress was evaluated at specific stages, and the final project evaluations were conducted through individual student interviews in grade 9. The interviews were focused on possible development of students¿ insights concerning different aspects of the cultural dimension. In particular this concerned awareness of difference and diversity, including modification of stereotypes, as well as the ability to decenterin order to be better able to respect such difference. I also explored students¿ awareness and views of the activities and approaches used in class, as well asaffordances both inside and outside the EFL classroom in relation to these intended insights. A further focus area was the perceived relevance to students of different aspects of the cultural dimension. The frameworks and approaches adopted for the work in the classroom all have in common that they are based on a constructivist framework, where knowledge is constructed and reconstructed through interaction with one¿s social and cultural environment, including interaction with others. Reflective processes precede or are simultaneous with the learning of basic factual knowledge. This entails a view of learning as a progression from simple to more complex models rather than as a progression from facts to understanding and analysis. Here, the development of intercultural competence is seen asa cyclical process, or along a spiral curriculum, from simple to more complex levels through a combination of cognitive, affective and behavioral elements within a framework of experiential learning. This project has shown one possible wayforward concerning the development of intercultural competence within EFL education through a more systematic and comprehensive approach regarding linguistic and cultural aspects. The evaluation of the educational process explored in the study suggests the possibilities for work with the promotion of awareness of difference and diversity concerning some specific context that, based on students¿ prior knowledge and preconceptions, would benefit from further work. In this case, the specific context primarily concerned different aspects of both cultural and linguistic conditions in the UK. It is also suggested that many students developed the ability to decenter, described in the study as integral to being able to respect otherness. What still remains to be explored are more individualized approaches considering students¿ different levels of departure. Further work alsoneeds to be put into how to apply insights gained in these specific situations to more general contexts. It is also necessary to explore the use of the suggested approaches in a wider range of different contexts.

Packaging concept development for an assortment of medical device products

Diplomityön tavoitteena oli kehittää Wipak Oy:n valmistamille sterilointipakkauksille tulevaisuuden pakkauskonsepti. Sterilointipakkaukset luokitellaan lääkelaitedirektiivin mukaan lisätarvikkeiksi luokan 1 lääkelaitteille, ja tämä näkökulma oli vahvasti mukana konseptin kehityksessä. Lähtökohtana pakkauskonseptin suunnittelulle oli tuotteiden arvoketjussa, eli pakata tuotteet siten että pakkausten avulla voidaan tuottaa lisäarvoa arvoketjun toimijoille. Tavoitteena oli parantaa pakkausten viestintää, toimivuutta/tehokkuutta toimitusketjussa sekä vahvistaa brändin imagoa myynti- ja kuljetuspakkauksen avulla. Lääkinnälliset laitteet ja tarvikkeet ovat lainsäädännön ja normien avulla tarkasti säädeltyjä. Näiden normien vaatimukset asettavat perusteet myynti- ja kuljetuspakkausten kehittämiselle. Tämän lisäksi suunnittelussa on huomioitu asiakkaiden toiveet ja kehitystarpeet. Kirjallisuusosuudessa on keskitytty lääkinnällisten laitteiden pakkausyksiköiden toimintoihin sekä niiden kehitysnäkymiin. Pääpaino on ollut pakkausmerkintöjen ja jäljitettävyyden kehittämisellä, koska tietojen automaattisen tunnistuksen hyödyntäminen lääkintälaitteiden pakkausten arvoketjussa on kasvava trendi. Manuaalisesti tehtävät tuotevirtojen kirjaukset ketjun eri toimijoiden osalta lisäävät riskejä jäljitettävyyden kannalta ja aiheuttavat lisätyötä ja – kustannuksia ketjun kaikille osapuolille. Ehdotus uudesta pakkauskonseptista on kehitetty näiden tietojen pohjalta. Ehdotuksessa on huomioitu lainsäädännöstä ja ketjun toimijoilta tulevat tarpeet, sekä alan tulevaisuuden kehitysnäkymät. Ehdotetun pakkauskonseptin avulla saadaan lisättyä myynti- ja kuljetuspakkausten tehokkuutta, parannettua jäljitettävyyttä ja helpotettu arvoketjun alavirran toimijoiden työtä lisäämällä erillinen sisäpakkaus myyntiyksikön sisälle. Työssä on lisäksi selvitetty pakkauskonseptin kustannusvaikutukset tuotteiden hintaan. Lopussa on ehdotettu jatkotoimenpiteet suunnitelman implementoimisesta käytäntöön.

Automatic and manual spray bar sections control

The use of precision farming tools in pesticide application technology can improve the techniques effectiveness during the spraying. Thus, this study aimed to compare automatic and manual systems to interrupt the syrup flow in the spray bar sections when applied in overlapped areas. The sprayings were carried out in eight places in completely randomized design. It was compared the spray consumption and the sprayed area in relation to the total area. The results indicated that in sprays performed with the automatic system there was an average savings of 17.2% of the sprayed volume. The sprayed area using the bar section's automatic control was an average 6.1% lower than the sprayed area with manual control.

Focus on Users – The National Digital Library of Finland

Heli Kautosen esitys Digital Humanities 2012 -konferenssissa Hampurissa 20.7.2012

Leukocyte trafficking: a special focus on VAP-1 and CLEVER-1

It is crucial that lymphocytes patrol the body against foreign intruders and that leukocytes invade inflamed tissues to ameliorate the infection or injury. The adhesion molecules in leukocytes and endothelial cells play an essential role in the immune response by directing the traffic of leukocytes. However, the same molecules that guide leukocyte traffic under physiological conditions are also involved in pathological situations, when an overly excessive or harmful inflammatory response leads to tissue destruction and organ dysfunction or tumor growth. Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) and Common lymphatic endothelial and vascular endothelial receptor-1 (CLEVER-1) are endothelial molecules that participate in the adhesion of leukocytes to the endothelia. This study was designed to elucidate, using different inflammation models, the role of VAP-1 and CLEVER-1 in leukocyte migration to the inflamed tissue, and to evaluate the use of antibodies against these molecules as an anti-adhesive therapy. Also, the role of CLEVER-1 during tumorigenesis was studied. Blocking the function of VAP-1 with antibodies significantly decreased the accumulation of leukocytes in the inflamed tissue. Targeting CLEVER-1 prevented cell migration via lymphatic vessels, as well as leukocyte traffic during inflammation. Following the anti-CLEVER-1 antibody treatment the number of immune regulating leukocytes in tumors was reduced, which led to a decrease in tumor growth. However, the normal immune response towards immunization or bacterial infection was not compromised. Thus, VAP-1 and CLEVER-1 are both potential targets for antiinflammatory therapies for preventing the harmful accumulation of leukocytes in inflamed areas. Targeting CLEVER-1 may also inhibit tumor growth by reducing immunosuppressive leukocytes in tumors

Scheduling of guarded command based models

Formal methods provide a means of reasoning about computer programs in order to prove correctness criteria. One subtype of formal methods is based on the weakest precondition predicate transformer semantics and uses guarded commands as the basic modelling construct. Examples of such formalisms are Action Systems and Event-B. Guarded commands can intuitively be understood as actions that may be triggered when an associated guard condition holds. Guarded commands whose guards hold are nondeterministically chosen for execution, but no further control flow is present by default. Such a modelling approach is convenient for proving correctness, and the Refinement Calculus allows for a stepwise development method. It also has a parallel interpretation facilitating development of concurrent software, and it is suitable for describing event-driven scenarios. However, for many application areas, the execution paradigm traditionally used comprises more explicit control flow, which constitutes an obstacle for using the above mentioned formal methods. In this thesis, we study how guarded command based modelling approaches can be conveniently and efficiently scheduled in different scenarios. We first focus on the modelling of trust for transactions in a social networking setting. Due to the event-based nature of the scenario, the use of guarded commands turns out to be relatively straightforward. We continue by studying modelling of concurrent software, with particular focus on compute-intensive scenarios. We go from theoretical considerations to the feasibility of implementation by evaluating the performance and scalability of executing a case study model in parallel using automatic scheduling performed by a dedicated scheduler. Finally, we propose a more explicit and non-centralised approach in which the flow of each task is controlled by a schedule of its own. The schedules are expressed in a dedicated scheduling language, and patterns assist the developer in proving correctness of the scheduled model with respect to the original one.

Automatic system identification and optimization of centrifugal pump operation

Centrifugal pumps are a notable end-consumer of electrical energy. Typical application of a centrifugal pump is the filling or emptying of a reservoir tank, where the pump is often operated at a constant speed until the process is completed. Installing a frequency converter to control the motor substitutes the traditional fixed-speed pumping system, allows the optimization of rotational speed profile for the pumping tasks and enables the estimation of rotational speed and shaft torque of an induction motor without any additional measurements from the motor shaft. Utilization of variable-speed operation provides the possibility to decrease the overall energy consumption of the pumping task. The static head of the pumping process may change during the pumping task. In such systems, the minimum rotational speed changes during reservoir filling or emptying, and the minimum energy consumption can’t be achieved with a fixed rotational speed. This thesis presents embedded algorithms to automatically identify, optimize and monitor pumping processes between supply and destination reservoirs, and evaluates the changing static head –based optimization method.

AMB system for high-speed motors using automatic commissioning

The general trend towards increasing e ciency and energy density drives the industry to high-speed technologies. Active Magnetic Bearings (AMBs) are one of the technologies that allow contactless support of a rotating body. Theoretically, there are no limitations on the rotational speed. The absence of friction, low maintenance cost, micrometer precision, and programmable sti ness have made AMBs a viable choice for highdemanding applications. Along with the advances in power electronics, such as signi cantly improved reliability and cost, AMB systems have gained a wide adoption in the industry. The AMB system is a complex, open-loop unstable system with multiple inputs and outputs. For normal operation, such a system requires a feedback control. To meet the high demands for performance and robustness, model-based control techniques should be applied. These techniques require an accurate plant model description and uncertainty estimations. The advanced control methods require more e ort at the commissioning stage. In this work, a methodology is developed for an automatic commissioning of a subcritical, rigid gas blower machine. The commissioning process includes open-loop tuning of separate parts such as sensors and actuators. The next step is to apply a system identi cation procedure to obtain a model for the controller synthesis. Finally, a robust model-based controller is synthesized and experimentally evaluated in the full operating range of the system. The commissioning procedure is developed by applying only the system components available and a priori knowledge without any additional hardware. Thus, the work provides an intelligent system with a self-diagnostics feature and an automatic commissioning.