Combined selection in early generation testing of self-pollinated plants

Seven selection indexes based on the phenotypic value of the individual and the mean performance of its family were assessed for their application in breeding of self-pollinated plants. There is no clear superiority from one index to another although some show one or more negative aspects, such as favoring the selection of a top performing plant from an inferior family in detriment of an excellent plant from a superior family

Testing FCM technique for the wind energy scenarios in Finland

In the latter days, human activities constantly increase greenhouse gases emissions in the atmosphere, which has a direct impact on a global climate warming. Finland as European Union member, developed national structural plan to promote renewable energy generation, pursuing the aspects of Directive 2009/28/EC and put it on the sharepoint. Finland is on a way of enhancing national security of energy supply, increasing diversity of the energy mix. There are plenty significant objectives to develop onshore and offshore wind energy generation in country for a next few decades, as well as another renewable energy sources. To predict the future changes, there are a lot of scenario methods developed and adapted to energy industry. The Master’s thesis explored “Fuzzy cognitive maps” approach in scenarios developing, which captures expert’s knowledge in a graphical manner and using these captures for a raw scenarios testing and refinement. There were prospects of Finnish wind energy development for the year of 2030 considered, with aid of FCM technique. Five positive raw scenarios were developed and three of them tested against integrated expert’s map of knowledge, using graphical simulation. The study provides robust scenarios out of the preliminary defined, as outcome, assuming the impact of results, taken after simulation. The thesis was conducted in such way, that there will be possibilities to use existing knowledge captures from expert panel, to test and deploy different sets of scenarios regarding to Finnish wind energy development.

Virtual Testing of Active Magnetic Bearing Systems based on Design Guidelines given by the Standards

Active Magnetic Bearings offer many advantages that have brought new applications to the industry. However, similarly to all new technology, active magnetic bearings also have downsides and one of those is the low standardization level. This thesis is studying mainly the ISO 14839 standard and more specifically the system verification methods. These verifying methods are conducted using a practical test with an existing active magnetic bearing system. The system is simulated with Matlab using rotor-bearing dynamics toolbox, but this study does not include the exact simulation code or a direct algebra calculation. However, this study provides the proof that standardized simulation methods can be applied in practical problems.

Testing Accrual-Based Model for Detecting Earnings Management: Comparison of Finland and France

The aim of this study is to test the accrual-based model suggested by Dechow et al. (1995) in order to detect and compare earnings management practices in Finnish and French companies. Also the impact of financial crisis of 2008 on earnings management behavior in these countries is tested by dividing the whole time period of 2003-2012 into two sub-periods: pre-crisis (2003-2008) and post-crisis (2009-2012). Results support the idea that companies in both countries have significant earnings management practices. During the post-crisis period companies in Finland show income inflating practices, while in France the opposite tendency is noticed (income deflating) during the same period. Results of the assumption that managers in highly concentrated companies are engaged in income enhancing practices vary in two countries. While in Finland managers are trying to show better performance for bonuses or other contractual compensation motivations, in France they avoid paying dividends or high taxes.

Hepatic capillariasis in rats: a new model for testing antifibrotic drugs

Rats infected with the helminth Capillaria hepatica regularly develop septal hepatic fibrosis that may progress to cirrhosis in a relatively short time. Because of such characteristics, this experimental model was selected for testing drugs exhibiting antifibrosis potential, such as pentoxifylline, gadolinium chloride and vitamin A. Hepatic fibrosis was qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated in liver samples obtained by partial hepatectomy and at autopsy. The material was submitted to histological, biochemical and morphometric methods. A statistically significant reduction of fibrosis was obtained with pentoxifylline when administered intraperitoneally rather than intravenously. Gadolinium chloride showed moderate activity when administered prophylactically (before fibrosis had started), but showed a poor effect when fibrosis was well advanced. No modification of fibrosis was seen after vitamin A administration. Hydroxyproline content was correlated with morphometric measurements. The model appears to be adequate, since few animals die of the infection, fibrosis develops regularly in all animals, and the effects of different antifibrotic drugs and administration protocols can be easily detected.

New [18F]Tracers for Alzheimer's Disease Imaging. Labeling Synthesis And Biological Testing

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Characteristic changes in an AD brain are the formation of β-amyloid protein (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, though other alterations in the brain have also been connected to AD. No cure is available for AD and it is one of the leading causes of death among the elderly in developed countries. Liposomes are biocompatible and biodegradable spherical phospholipid bilayer vesicles that can enclose various compounds. Several functional groups can be attached on the surface of liposomes in order to achieve long-circulating target-specific liposomes. Liposomes can be utilized as drug carriers and vehicles for imaging agents. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a non-invasive imaging method to study biological processes in living organisms. In this study using nucleophilic 18F-labeling synthesis, various synthesis approaches and leaving groups for novel PET imaging tracers have been developed to target AD pathology in the brain. The tracers were the thioflavin derivative [18F]flutemetamol, curcumin derivative [18F]treg-curcumin, and functionalized [18F]nanoliposomes, which all target Aβ in the AD brain. These tracers were evaluated using transgenic AD mouse models. In addition, 18F-labeling synthesis was developed for a tracer targeting the S1P3 receptor. The chosen 18F-fluorination strategy had an effect on the radiochemical yield and specific activity of the tracers. [18F]Treg-curcumin and functionalized [18F]nanoliposomes had low uptake in AD mouse brain, whereas [18F]flutemetamol exhibited the appropriate properties for preclinical Aβ-imaging. All of these tracers can be utilized in studies of the pathology and treatment of AD and related diseases.

Massataseiden laskentatyökalujen kehitys bench-kokoluokan reaktiivisuuskoelaitteelle

Tässä työssä tarkastellaan kehitettyjä laskentatyökaluja VTT:n Jyväskylän toimipisteen bench-kokoluokan reaktiivisuuskoelaitteiston tulosten käsittelyn nopeuttamiseksi. Työkalut kehitettiin Matlab- ohjelmistossa. Toinen työkalu toimii Savcor Wedge prosessinhallintaohjelmassa reaaliaikaisena laskentatyökaluna. Tulosten varmentamiseen ja tarkistamiseen kehitetty työkalu toimii Matlabissa mittauksista tuodulla mittausdatalla. Työn aluksi tarkastellaan yleisesti palamista ja sen eri vaiheita. Tämän jälkeen esitellään koelaitteisto, jolle analyysityökalut kehitettiin. Koelaitteiston kanssa esitellään esimerkki polttoainepanoskokeista, joiden tutkimisen nopeuttamiseen laskentatyökalut soveltuu. Laskentatyökalujen toiminta esitetään pääpiirteittäin ja niiden välinen tarkkuusero selvennetään.

Evaluating land-use related environmental impacts of biomass value chains for decision-support : Comparison and testing of methodologies proposed for environmental life cycle assessment

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is one of the most established quantitative tools for environmental impact assessment of products. To be able to provide support to environmentally-aware decision makers on environmental impacts of biomass value-chains, the scope of LCA methodology needs to be augmented to cover landuse related environmental impacts. This dissertation focuses on analysing and discussing potential impact assessment methods, conceptual models and environmental indicators that have been proposed to be implemented into the LCA framework for impacts of land use. The applicability of proposed indicators and impact assessment frameworks is tested from practitioners' perspective, especially focusing on forest biomass value chains. The impacts of land use on biodiversity, resource depletion, climate change and other ecosystem services is analysed and discussed and the interplay in between value choices in LCA modelling and the decision-making situations to be supported is critically discussed. It was found out that land use impact indicators are necessary in LCA in highlighting differences in impacts from distinct land use classes. However, many open questions remain on certainty of highlighting actual impacts of land use, especially regarding impacts of managed forest land use on biodiversity and ecosystem services such as water regulation and purification. The climate impact of energy use of boreal stemwood was found to be higher in the short term and lower in the long-term in comparison with fossil fuels that emit identical amount of CO2 in combustion, due to changes implied to forest C stocks. The climate impacts of energy use of boreal stemwood were found to be higher than the previous estimates suggest on forest residues and stumps. The product lifetime was found to have much higher influence on the climate impacts of woodbased value chains than the origin of stemwood either from thinnings or final fellings. Climate neutrality seems to be likely only in the case when almost all the carbon of harvested wood is stored in long-lived wooden products. In the current form, the land use impacts cannot be modelled with a high degree of certainty nor communicated with adequate level of clarity to decision makers. The academia needs to keep on improving the modelling framework, and more importantly, clearly communicate to decision-makers the limited certainty on whether land-use intensive activities can help in meeting the strict mitigation targets we are globally facing.

Nanoparticle-Assisted Immunoassays for Point-of-Care Testing - With Specific Interest in Minimally Interference-Prone Assays for Cardiac Troponin I

Cardiac troponins (cTn) I and T are the current golden standard biochemical markers in the diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome. During the past few years, novel assays capable of detecting cTn‐concentrations in >50% of apparently healthy individuals have become readily available. With the emerging of these high sensitivity cTn assays, reductions in the assay specificity have caused elevations in the measured cTn levels that do not correlate with the clinical picture of the patient. The increased assay sensitivity may reveal that various analytical interference mechanisms exist. This doctoral thesis focused on developing nanoparticle‐assisted immunometric assays that could possibly be applied to an automated point‐of‐care system. The main objective was to develop minimally interference‐prone assays for cTnI by employing recombinant antibody fragments. Fast 5‐ and 15‐minute assays for cTnI and D‐dimer, a degradation product of fibrin, based on intrinsically fluorescent nanoparticles were introduced, thus highlighting the versatility of nanoparticles as universally applicable labels. The utilization of antibody fragments in different versions of the developed cTnI‐assay enabled decreases in the used antibody amounts without sacrificing assay sensitivity. In addition, the utilization of recombinant antibody fragments was shown to significantly decrease the measured cTnI concentrations in an apparently healthy population, as well as in samples containing known amounts of potentially interfering factors: triglycerides, bilirubin, rheumatoid factors, or human anti‐mouse antibodies. When determining the specificity of four commercially available antibodies for cTnI, two out of the four cross‐reacted with skeletal troponin I, but caused crossreactivity issues in patient samples only when paired together. In conclusion, the results of this thesis emphasize the importance of careful antibody selection when developing cTnI assays. The results with different recombinant antibody fragments suggest that the utilization of antibody fragments should strongly be encouraged in the immunoassay field, especially with analytes such as cTnI that require highly sensitive assay approaches.

Exercise stress testing before and after successful multivessel percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Controversy exists regarding the diagnostic accuracy, optimal technique, and timing of exercise testing after percutaneous coronary intervention. The objectives of the present study were to analyze variables and the power of exercise testing to predict restenosis or a new lesion, 6 months after the procedure. Eight-four coronary multi-artery diseased patients with preserved ventricular function were studied (66 males, mean age of all patients: 59 ± 10 years). All underwent coronary angiography and exercise testing with the Bruce protocol, before and 6 months after percutaneous coronary intervention. The following parameters were measured: heart rate, blood pressure, rate-pressure product (heart rate x systolic blood pressure), presence of angina, maximal ST-segment depression, and exercise duration. On average, 2.33 lesions/patient were treated and restenosis or progression of disease occurred in 46 (55%) patients. Significant increases in systolic blood pressure (P = 0.022), rate-pressure product (P = 0.045) and exercise duration (P = 0.003) were detected after the procedure. Twenty-seven (32%) patients presented angina during the exercise test before the procedure and 16 (19%) after the procedure. The exercise test for the detection of restenosis or new lesion presented 61% sensitivity, 63% specificity, 62% accuracy, and 67 and 57% positive and negative predictive values, respectively. In patients without restenosis, the exercise duration after percutaneous coronary intervention was significantly longer (460 ± 154 vs 381 ± 145 s, P = 0.008). Only the exercise duration permitted us to identify patients with and without restenosis or a new lesion.

Evaluation of genotype resistance testing for salvage antiretroviral therapy at AIDS care centers from Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil

The availability of HIV-1 genotype resistance testing (GRT) to clinicians has been insufficiently studied outside randomized clinical trials. The present study evaluated the outcome of salvage antiretroviral therapy (ART) recommended by an expert physician based on GRT in a non-clinical trial setting in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. A prospective, open, nonrandomized study evaluating easy access to GRT at six Brazilian AIDS Clinics was carried out. This cooperative study analyzed the efficacy of treatment recommended to patients whose salvage ART was guided by GRT with that of treatment with ART based only on previous ART history. A total of 112 patients with ART failure were included in the study, and 77 of them were submitted to GRT. The median CD4 cell count and viral load for these 77 patients at baseline were (mean ± SD) 252.1 ± 157.4 cells/µL and 4.60 ± 0.5 log10 HIV RNA copies/mL, respectively. The access time, i.e., the time elapsed between ordering the GRT and receiving the result was, on average, 71.9 ± 37.3 days. The study results demonstrated that access to GRT followed by expert recommendations did not improve the time to persistent treatment failure when compared to conventional salvage ART. Access to GRT in this Brazilian community health care setting did not improve the long-term virologic outcomes of HIV-infected patients experiencing treatment failure. This result is probably related to the long time required to implement ART guided by GRT.

Noninvasive assessment of endothelial function and ST segment changes during exercise testing in coronary artery disease

Endothelial function (EF) plays an important role in the onset and clinical course of atherosclerosis, although its relationship with the presence and extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been well defined. We evaluated EF and the ST segment response to an exercise test in patients with a broad spectrum of CAD defined by coronary angiography. Sixty-two patients submitted to diagnostic catheterization for the evaluation of chest pain or ischemia in a provocative test were divided into three groups according to the presence and severity of atherosclerotic lesions (AL): group 1: normal coronaries (N = 19); group 2: CAD with AL <70% (N = 17); group 3: CAD with AL ≥70% (N = 26). EF was evaluated by the percentage of flow-mediated dilatation (%FMD) in the brachial artery during reactive hyperemia induced by occlusion of the forearm with a pneumatic cuff for 5 min. Fifty-four patients were subjected to an exercise test. Gender and age were not significantly correlated with %FMD. EF was markedly reduced in both groups with CAD (76.5 and 73.1% vs 31.6% in group 1) and a higher frequency of ischemic alterations in the ST segment (70.8%) was observed in the group with obstructive CAD with AL ≥70% during the exercise test. Endothelial dysfunction was observed in patients with CAD, irrespective of the severity of injury. A significantly higher frequency of ischemic alterations in the ST segment was observed in the group with obstructive CAD. EF and exercise ECG differed among the three groups and may provide complementary information for the assessment of CAD.

Treadmill exercise testing of asymptomatic men and women without evidence of heart disease

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis of differences in performance including differences in ST-T wave changes between healthy men and women submitted to an exercise stress test. Two hundred (45.4%) men and 241 (54.6%) women (mean age: 38.7 ± 11.0 years) were submitted to an exercise stress test. Physiologic and electrocardiographic variables were compared by the Student t-test and the chi-square test. To test the hypothesis of differences in ST-segment changes, data were ranked with functional models based on weighted least squares. To evaluate the influence of gender and age on the diagnosis of ST-segment abnormality, a logistic model was adjusted; P < 0.05 was considered to be significant. Rate-pressure product, duration of exercise and estimated functional capacity were higher in men (P < 0.05). Sixteen (6.7%) women and 9 (4.5%) men demonstrated ST-segment upslope ≥0.15 mV or downslope ≥0.10 mV; the difference was not statistically significant. Age increase of one year added 4% to the chance of upsloping of segment ST ≥0.15 mV or downsloping of segment ST ≥0.1 mV (P = 0.03; risk ratio = 1.040, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.002-1.080). Heart rate recovery was higher in women (P < 0.05). The chance of women showing an increase of systolic blood pressure ≤30 mmHg was 85% higher (P = 0.01; risk ratio = 1.85, 95%CI = 1.1-3.05). No significant difference in the frequency of ST-T wave changes was observed between men and women. Other differences may be related to different physical conditioning.

Stability of relative oxygen pulse curve during repeated maximal cardiopulmonary testing in professional soccer players

During cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), stroke volume can be indirectly assessed by O2 pulse profile. However, for a valid interpretation, the stability of this variable over time should be known. The objective was to analyze the stability of the O2 pulse curve relative to body mass in elite athletes. VO2, heart rate (HR), and relative O2 pulse were compared at every 10% of the running time in two maximal CPETs, from 2005 to 2010, of 49 soccer players. Maximal values of VO2 (63.4 ± 0.9 vs 63.5 ± 0.9 mL O2•kg-1•min-1), HR (190 ± 1 vs188 ± 1 bpm) and relative O2 pulse (32.9 ± 0.6 vs 32.6 ± 0.6 mL O2•beat-1•kg-1) were similar for the two CPETs (P > 0.05), while the final treadmill velocity increased from 18.5 ± 0.9 to 18.9 ± 1.0 km/h (P < 0.01). Relative O2 pulse increased linearly and similarly in both evaluations (r² = 0.64 and 0.63) up to 90% of the running time. Between 90 and 100% of the running time, the values were less stable, with up to 50% of the players showing a tendency to a plateau in the relative O2 pulse. In young healthy men in good to excellent aerobic condition, the morphology of the relative O2 pulse curve is consistent up to close to the peak effort for a CPET repeated within a 1-year period. No increase in relative O2pulse at peak effort could represent a physiologic stroke volume limitation in these athletes.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing variables as predictors of long-term outcome in thoracic sarcoidosis

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) plays an important role in the assessment of functional capacity in patients with interstitial lung disease. The aim of this study was to identify CPET measures that might be helpful in predicting the vital capacity and diffusion capacity outcomes of patients with thoracic sarcoidosis. A longitudinal study was conducted on 42 nonsmoking patients with thoracic sarcoidosis (median age = 46.5 years, 22 females). At the first evaluation, spirometry, the measurement of single-breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (D LCOsb) and CPET were performed. Five years later, the patients underwent a second evaluation consisting of spirometry and D LCOsb measurement. After 5 years, forced vital capacity (FVC)% and D LCOsb% had decreased significantly [95.5 (82-105) vs 87.5 (58-103) and 93.5 (79-103) vs 84.5 (44-102), respectively; P < 0.0001 for both]. In CPET, the peak oxygen uptake, maximum respiratory rate, breathing reserve, alveolar-arterial oxygen pressure gradient at peak exercise (P(A-a)O2), and Δ SpO2 values showed a strong correlation with the relative differences for FVC% and D LCOsb% (P < 0.0001 for all). P(A-a)O2 ≥22 mmHg and breathing reserve ≤40% were identified as significant independent variables for the decline in pulmonary function. Patients with thoracic sarcoidosis showed a significant reduction in FVC% and D LCOsb% after 5 years of follow-up. These data show that the outcome measures of CPET are predictors of the decline of pulmonary function.