Tuoteturvallisuusriskien hallinta suorituskyvyn johtamisen tukena sähkö- ja elektroniikkateollisuudessa

Eurooppalaisia ja suomalaisia markkinavalvontatilastoja tutkimalla havaitaan, ettei tuoteturvallisuuden hallinta ole itsestään selvää sähkö- ja elektroniikka-alalla. Vuodesta 2000 maaliskuuhun 2006Euroopan markkinoilla havaittiin 3040 vaarallista kuluttajien käyttöön tarkoitettua sähkötuotetta. Työn päätavoitteena on selvittää, miten tuoteturvallisuusriskien hallinta kytkeytyy yrityksen suorituskyvyn johtamiseen. Työssä on käytetty konstruktiivista tutkimusotetta. Aineistopohjaisen analyysin avulla kartoitetaan suorituskyvyn johtamisen teoriaa, suorituskyvyn käytännön mittaamista pienissä ja keskisuurissa yrityksissä sekä tuoteturvallisuusriskejä jariskienhallinnan periaatteita. Lisäksi kartoitetaan lainsäädännön vaatimuksia, tuotesuunnittelua, valmistusta ja osaamista sekä tarkastellaan tuoteturvallisuuden viranomaisvalvonnan tuloksia. Tutkimuksessa analysoidaan kirjallisuutta ja tilastoja etsien tuoteriskien hallinnan ja suorituskyvyn johtamisen välistä yhteyttä. Analyysiä täydennetään tutkimuksen tekijän kokemuksella tuoteturvallisuuden testauksesta ja sertifioinnista, standardisoimistyöstä sekä tuoteturvallisuuden viranomaisvalvonnasta. Riskienhallinta muodostaa parhaimmillaan osan yrityksen johtamis- ja hallintakäytäntöä. Tuoteturvallisuusriskien hallinta on yrityksen strateginen päätös, joka tukee suorituskyvyn johtamista. Työssämallinnetaan kolme toimintatapaa, joilla eri kehitysvaiheessa olevat sähkö- ja elektroniikkateollisuuden valmistajat voivat hallita tuoteturvallisuusriskejään.Työssä kootaan yhteen tuoteturvallisuuden tekijöitä, jotka suorituskyvyn mittareissa monitoroivat tuoteriskien tilaa. Lisäksi kootaan yhteen riskienhallinnan kustannuksia, joilla yritys voi arvioida etukäteen kokonaiskustannuksia.

Yeast vacuoles fragment in an asymmetrical two-phase process with distinct protein requirements.

Yeast vacuoles fragment and fuse in response to environmental conditions, such as changes in osmotic conditions or nutrient availability. Here we analyze osmotically induced vacuole fragmentation by time-lapse microscopy. Small fragmentation products originate directly from the large central vacuole. This happens by asymmetrical scission rather than by consecutive equal divisions. Fragmentation occurs in two distinct phases. Initially, vacuoles shrink and generate deep invaginations that leave behind tubular structures in their vicinity. Already this invagination requires the dynamin-like GTPase Vps1p and the vacuolar proton gradient. Invaginations are stabilized by phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI(3)P) produced by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase complex II. Subsequently, vesicles pinch off from the tips of the tubular structures in a polarized manner, directly generating fragmentation products of the final size. This phase depends on the production of phosphatidylinositol-3,5-bisphosphate and the Fab1 complex. It is accelerated by the PI(3)P- and phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate-binding protein Atg18p. Thus vacuoles fragment in two steps with distinct protein and lipid requirements.

Structure, bioactivity and synthesis of natural products with hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole

Research on natural products containing hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole (HPI) has dramatically increased during the past few years. Newly discovered natural products with complex structures and important biological activities have recently been isolated and synthesized. This review summarizes the structures, biological activities, and synthetic routes for natural compounds containing HPI, emphasizing the different strategies for assembling this motif. It covers a broad gamut of molecules, from small alkaloids to complex peptides.

Henkilörekisterit markkinatutkimusalan yrityksessä

Nykyisessä informaatioyhteiskunnassa henkilötiedotkin muuttuvat tuotteiksi, jotka alkavat elää omaa elämäänsä ja joilla käydään kauppaa. Toisaalta taas yksityisyyden arvostuskin on kasvussa. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena on teoriassa selvittää millä tavalla henkilötietojen käsittelyä säännellään Suomessa. Empiirisen osan tavoitteena on tutkia kuinka sääntelyn eri kohdat on huomioitu markkinatutkimusalan yrityksessä. Tutkimusote on vertaileva, normatiivinen ja empiirinen. Henkilötietolaki on kehittynyt Suomessa kolmen vuosikymmenen aikana merkittävästi. Nykyisin voidaan puhua myös laajemmin tietosuojalainsäädännöstä, joka sisältää henkilötietolain lisäksi muitakin lakeja mm. sähköisen viestinnän tietosuojalain. Markkinatutkimusalalla merkittävässä roolissa ovat alan käytännesäännöt, joiden avulla lainsäädäntöä pyritään tekemään helpommin omaksuttavaksi. Lainsäädännön toteutuminen ja toimivuus riippuu siitä, kuinka hyvin rekisterinpitäjät ja rekisteröidyt ymmärtävät lainsäädännön tavoitteet. Kummankin osapuolen tietoisuuteen tulisi kiinnittää yhä enemmän huomiota. Rekisterinpitäjän velvollisuuksien noudattaminen on pitkälti kiinni heidän omasta aktiivisuudestaan ja lainkuuliaisuudestaan, koska lainsäädännön valvonnassakin on puutteita. Markkinatutkimusalalla henkilötietolain noudattaminen otetaan vakavasti. Alaltaei ole löydettävissä yhtään oikeustapausta eikä myöskään tietosuojavaltuutetun lausuntoja tai kannanottoja. Alalla, jossa henkilötietoja käsitellään paljon, on tärkeää, että ihmiset luottavat siihen, että tutkimukset eivät riko heidän yksityisyyttään tarpeettomasti. Lainsäädäntö ei rajoita markkinatutkimustoimintaa. Henkilötietolainsäädäntö antaa henkilötietojen käsittelylle markkinatutkimustoiminnassa hyvän viitekehyksen, jossa yrityksen on helppo toimia.

Effectiveness of antioxidants in preventing oxidation of palm oil enriched with heme iron: A model for iron fortification in baked products

Bakery products such as biscuits, cookies, and pastries represent a good medium for iron fortification in food products, since they are consumed by a large proportion of the population at risk of developing iron deficiency anemia, mainly children. The drawback, however, is that iron fortification can promote oxidation. To assess the extent of this, palm oil added with heme iron and different antioxidants was used as a model for evaluating the oxidative stability of some bakery products, such as baked goods containing chocolate. The palm oil samples were heated at 220°C for 10 min to mimic the conditions found during a typical baking processing. The selected antioxidants were a free radical scavenger (tocopherol extract (TE), 0 and 500 mg/kg), an oxygen scavenger (ascorbyl palmitate (AP), 0 and 500 mg/kg), and a chelating agent (citric acid (CA), 0 and 300 mg/kg). These antioxidants were combined using a factorial design and were compared to a control sample, which was not supplemented with antioxidants. Primary (peroxide value and lipid hydroperoxide content) and secondary oxidation parameters (p-anisidine value, p-AnV) were monitored over a period of 200 days in storage at room temperature. The combination of AP and CA was the most effective treatment in delaying the onset of oxidation. TE was not effective in preventing oxidation. The p-AnV did not increase during the storage period, indicating that this oxidation marker was not suitable for monitoring oxidation in this model.

Effectiveness of antioxidants in preventing oxidation of palm oil enriched with heme iron: A model for iron fortification in baked products

Bakery products such as biscuits, cookies, and pastries represent a good medium for iron fortification in food products, since they are consumed by a large proportion of the population at risk of developing iron deficiency anemia, mainly children. The drawback, however, is that iron fortification can promote oxidation. To assess the extent of this, palm oil added with heme iron and different antioxidants was used as a model for evaluating the oxidative stability of some bakery products, such as baked goods containing chocolate. The palm oil samples were heated at 220°C for 10 min to mimic the conditions found during a typical baking processing. The selected antioxidants were a free radical scavenger (tocopherol extract (TE), 0 and 500 mg/kg), an oxygen scavenger (ascorbyl palmitate (AP), 0 and 500 mg/kg), and a chelating agent (citric acid (CA), 0 and 300 mg/kg). These antioxidants were combined using a factorial design and were compared to a control sample, which was not supplemented with antioxidants. Primary (peroxide value and lipid hydroperoxide content) and secondary oxidation parameters (p-anisidine value, p-AnV) were monitored over a period of 200 days in storage at room temperature. The combination of AP and CA was the most effective treatment in delaying the onset of oxidation. TE was not effective in preventing oxidation. The p-AnV did not increase during the storage period, indicating that this oxidation marker was not suitable for monitoring oxidation in this model.

FPGA-Based Control Design for Power Electronic Applications

Tehoelektoniikkalaitteella tarkoitetaan ohjaus- ja säätöjärjestelmää, jolla sähköä muokataan saatavilla olevasta muodosta haluttuun uuteen muotoon ja samalla hallitaan sähköisen tehon virtausta lähteestä käyttökohteeseen. Tämä siis eroaa signaalielektroniikasta, jossa sähköllä tyypillisesti siirretään tietoa hyödyntäen eri tiloja. Tehoelektroniikkalaitteita vertailtaessa katsotaan yleensä niiden luotettavuutta, kokoa, tehokkuutta, säätötarkkuutta ja tietysti hintaa. Tyypillisiä tehoelektroniikkalaitteita ovat taajuudenmuuttajat, UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) -laitteet, hitsauskoneet, induktiokuumentimet sekä erilaiset teholähteet. Perinteisesti näiden laitteiden ohjaus toteutetaan käyttäen mikroprosessoreja, ASIC- (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) tai IC (Intergrated Circuit) -piirejä sekä analogisia säätimiä. Tässä tutkimuksessa on analysoitu FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) -piirien soveltuvuutta tehoelektroniikan ohjaukseen. FPGA-piirien rakenne muodostuu erilaisista loogisista elementeistä ja niiden välisistä yhdysjohdoista.Loogiset elementit ovat porttipiirejä ja kiikkuja. Yhdysjohdot ja loogiset elementit ovat piirissä kiinteitä eikä koostumusta tai lukumäärää voi jälkikäteen muuttaa. Ohjelmoitavuus syntyy elementtien välisistä liitännöistä. Piirissä on lukuisia, jopa miljoonia kytkimiä, joiden asento voidaan asettaa. Siten piirin peruselementeistä voidaan muodostaa lukematon määrä erilaisia toiminnallisia kokonaisuuksia. FPGA-piirejä on pitkään käytetty kommunikointialan tuotteissa ja siksi niiden kehitys on viime vuosina ollut nopeaa. Samalla hinnat ovat pudonneet. Tästä johtuen FPGA-piiristä on tullut kiinnostava vaihtoehto myös tehoelektroniikkalaitteiden ohjaukseen. Väitöstyössä FPGA-piirien käytön soveltuvuutta on tutkittu käyttäen kahta vaativaa ja erilaista käytännön tehoelektroniikkalaitetta: taajuudenmuuttajaa ja hitsauskonetta. Molempiin testikohteisiin rakennettiin alan suomalaisten teollisuusyritysten kanssa soveltuvat prototyypit,joiden ohjauselektroniikka muutettiin FPGA-pohjaiseksi. Lisäksi kehitettiin tätä uutta tekniikkaa hyödyntävät uudentyyppiset ohjausmenetelmät. Prototyyppien toimivuutta verrattiin vastaaviin perinteisillä menetelmillä ohjattuihin kaupallisiin tuotteisiin ja havaittiin FPGA-piirien mahdollistaman rinnakkaisen laskennantuomat edut molempien tehoelektroniikkalaitteiden toimivuudessa. Työssä on myösesitetty uusia menetelmiä ja työkaluja FPGA-pohjaisen säätöjärjestelmän kehitykseen ja testaukseen. Esitetyillä menetelmillä tuotteiden kehitys saadaan mahdollisimman nopeaksi ja tehokkaaksi. Lisäksi työssä on kehitetty FPGA:n sisäinen ohjaus- ja kommunikointiväylärakenne, joka palvelee tehoelektroniikkalaitteiden ohjaussovelluksia. Uusi kommunikointirakenne edistää lisäksi jo tehtyjen osajärjestelmien uudelleen käytettävyyttä tulevissa sovelluksissa ja tuotesukupolvissa.

R&D Performance Analysis: Case Studies on the Challenges and Promotion of the Evaluation and Measurement of R&D

Due to the intense international competition, demanding, and sophisticated customers, and diverse transforming technological change, organizations need to renew their products and services by allocating resources on research and development (R&D). Managing R&D is complex, but vital for many organizations to survive in the dynamic, turbulent environment. Thus, the increased interest among decision-makers towards finding the right performance measures for R&D is understandable. The measures or evaluation methods of R&D performance can be utilized for multiple purposes; for strategic control, for justifying the existence of R&D, for providing information and improving activities, as well as for the purposes of motivating and benchmarking. The earlier research in the field of R&D performance analysis has generally focused on either the activities and considerable factors and dimensions - e.g. strategic perspectives, purposes of measurement, levels of analysis, types of R&D or phases of R&D process - prior to the selection of R&Dperformance measures, or on proposed principles or actual implementation of theselection or design processes of R&D performance measures or measurement systems. This study aims at integrating the consideration of essential factors anddimensions of R&D performance analysis to developed selection processes of R&D measures, which have been applied in real-world organizations. The earlier models for corporate performance measurement that can be found in the literature, are to some extent adaptable also to the development of measurement systemsand selecting the measures in R&D activities. However, it is necessary to emphasize the special aspects related to the measurement of R&D performance in a way that make the development of new approaches for especially R&D performance measure selection necessary: First, the special characteristics of R&D - such as the long time lag between the inputs and outcomes, as well as the overall complexity and difficult coordination of activities - influence the R&D performance analysis problems, such as the need for more systematic, objective, balanced and multi-dimensional approaches for R&D measure selection, as well as the incompatibility of R&D measurement systems to other corporate measurement systems and vice versa. Secondly, the above-mentioned characteristics and challenges bring forth the significance of the influencing factors and dimensions that need to be recognized in order to derive the selection criteria for measures and choose the right R&D metrics, which is the most crucial step in the measurement system development process. The main purpose of this study is to support the management and control of the research and development activities of organizations by increasing the understanding of R&D performance analysis, clarifying the main factors related to the selection of R&D measures and by providing novel types of approaches and methods for systematizing the whole strategy- and business-based selection and development process of R&D indicators.The final aim of the research is to support the management in their decision making of R&D with suitable, systematically chosen measures or evaluation methods of R&D performance. Thus, the emphasis in most sub-areas of the present research has been on the promotion of the selection and development process of R&D indicators with the help of the different tools and decision support systems, i.e. the research has normative features through providing guidelines by novel types of approaches. The gathering of data and conducting case studies in metal and electronic industry companies, in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, and in non-profit organizations helped us to formulate a comprehensive picture of the main challenges of R&D performance analysis in different organizations, which is essential, as recognition of the most importantproblem areas is a very crucial element in the constructive research approach utilized in this study. Multiple practical benefits regarding the defined problemareas could be found in the various constructed approaches presented in this dissertation: 1) the selection of R&D measures became more systematic when compared to the empirical analysis, as it was common that there were no systematic approaches utilized in the studied organizations earlier; 2) the evaluation methods or measures of R&D chosen with the help of the developed approaches can be more directly utilized in the decision-making, because of the thorough consideration of the purpose of measurement, as well as other dimensions of measurement; 3) more balance to the set of R&D measures was desired and gained throughthe holistic approaches to the selection processes; and 4) more objectivity wasgained through organizing the selection processes, as the earlier systems were considered subjective in many organizations. Scientifically, this dissertation aims to make a contribution to the present body of knowledge of R&D performance analysis by facilitating dealing with the versatility and challenges of R&D performance analysis, as well as the factors and dimensions influencing the selection of R&D performance measures, and by integrating these aspects to the developed novel types of approaches, methods and tools in the selection processes of R&D measures, applied in real-world organizations. In the whole research, facilitation of dealing with the versatility and challenges in R&D performance analysis, as well as the factors and dimensions influencing the R&D performance measure selection are strongly integrated with the constructed approaches. Thus, the research meets the above-mentioned purposes and objectives of the dissertation from the scientific as well as from the practical point of view.

ME - Mobile Electronic Personality

Digital services require personal information for a variety of reasons. Due to advances in communication technology, new types of services are evolving alongwith traditional Internet services. Due to the diversity of services, the traditional approaches to personal information handling designed for Internet services are inadequate. Therefore, new approaches are necessary. In this thesis, a solution where personal information is stored in and accessed from the user's mobile device is presented. This approach is called Mobile Electronic Personality (ME). The ME approach is compared to the existing approaches which rely on a database either at a service, a trusted third party or a client program. Various personal information properties are taken into account in the comparison of storage locations. The thesis presents both the internal and the communication architecture of the ME. The internal architecture defines how the information is stored in the mobile device. The communication architecture defines how the information can be accessed by different types of services from the ME. The use of the architecture is described for services in different environments. A simple ME based solution for the authentication of a user is defined. The authentication of service, which is required to protect the privacy of the users is also presented.

Database Rights in Safe European Home: The Path to More Rigorous Protection of Information

1. Introduction "The one that has compiled ... a database, the collection, securing the validity or presentation of which has required an essential investment, has the sole right to control the content over the whole work or over either a qualitatively or quantitatively substantial part of the work both by means of reproduction and by making them available to the public", Finnish Copyright Act, section 49.1 These are the laconic words that implemented the much-awaited and hotly debated European Community Directive on the legal protection of databases,2 the EDD, into Finnish Copyright legislation in 1998. Now in the year 2005, after more than half a decade of the domestic implementation it is yet uncertain as to the proper meaning and construction of the convoluted qualitative criteria the current legislation employs as a prerequisite for the database protection both in Finland and within the European Union. Further, this opaque Pan-European instrument has the potential of bringing about a number of far-reaching economic and cultural ramifications, which have remained largely uncharted or unobserved. Thus the task of understanding this particular and currently peculiarly European new intellectual property regime is twofold: first, to understand the mechanics and functioning of the EDD and second, to realise the potential and risks inherent in the new legislation in economic, cultural and societal dimensions. 2. Subject-matter of the study: basic issues The first part of the task mentioned above is straightforward: questions such as what is meant by the key concepts triggering the functioning of the EDD such as presentation of independent information, what constitutes an essential investment in acquiring data and when the reproduction of a given database reaches either qualitatively or quantitatively the threshold of substantiality before the right-holder of a database can avail himself of the remedies provided by the statutory framework remain unclear and call for a careful analysis. As for second task, it is already obvious that the practical importance of the legal protection providedby the database right is in the rapid increase. The accelerating transformationof information into digital form is an existing fact, not merely a reflection of a shape of things to come in the future. To take a simple example, the digitisation of a map, traditionally in paper format and protected by copyright, can provide the consumer a markedly easier and faster access to the wanted material and the price can be, depending on the current state of the marketplace, cheaper than that of the traditional form or even free by means of public lending libraries providing access to the information online. This also renders it possible for authors and publishers to make available and sell their products to markedly larger, international markets while the production and distribution costs can be kept at minimum due to the new electronic production, marketing and distributionmechanisms to mention a few. The troublesome side is for authors and publishers the vastly enhanced potential for illegal copying by electronic means, producing numerous virtually identical copies at speed. The fear of illegal copying canlead to stark technical protection that in turn can dampen down the demand for information goods and services and furthermore, efficiently hamper the right of access to the materials available lawfully in electronic form and thus weaken the possibility of access to information, education and the cultural heritage of anation or nations, a condition precedent for a functioning democracy. 3. Particular issues in Digital Economy and Information Networks All what is said above applies a fortiori to the databases. As a result of the ubiquity of the Internet and the pending breakthrough of Mobile Internet, peer-to-peer Networks, Localand Wide Local Area Networks, a rapidly increasing amount of information not protected by traditional copyright, such as various lists, catalogues and tables,3previously protected partially by the old section 49 of the Finnish Copyright act are available free or for consideration in the Internet, and by the same token importantly, numerous databases are collected in order to enable the marketing, tendering and selling products and services in above mentioned networks. Databases and the information embedded therein constitutes a pivotal element in virtually any commercial operation including product and service development, scientific research and education. A poignant but not instantaneously an obvious example of this is a database consisting of physical coordinates of a certain selected group of customers for marketing purposes through cellular phones, laptops and several handheld or vehicle-based devices connected online. These practical needs call for answer to a plethora of questions already outlined above: Has thecollection and securing the validity of this information required an essential input? What qualifies as a quantitatively or qualitatively significant investment? According to the Directive, the database comprises works, information and other independent materials, which are arranged in systematic or methodical way andare individually accessible by electronic or other means. Under what circumstances then, are the materials regarded as arranged in systematic or methodical way? Only when the protected elements of a database are established, the question concerning the scope of protection becomes acute. In digital context, the traditional notions of reproduction and making available to the public of digital materials seem to fit ill or lead into interpretations that are at variance with analogous domain as regards the lawful and illegal uses of information. This may well interfere with or rework the way in which the commercial and other operators have to establish themselves and function in the existing value networks of information products and services. 4. International sphere After the expiry of the implementation period for the European Community Directive on legal protection of databases, the goals of the Directive must have been consolidated into the domestic legislations of the current twenty-five Member States within the European Union. On one hand, these fundamental questions readily imply that the problemsrelated to correct construction of the Directive underlying the domestic legislation transpire the national boundaries. On the other hand, the disputes arisingon account of the implementation and interpretation of the Directive on the European level attract significance domestically. Consequently, the guidelines on correct interpretation of the Directive importing the practical, business-oriented solutions may well have application on European level. This underlines the exigency for a thorough analysis on the implications of the meaning and potential scope of Database protection in Finland and the European Union. This position hasto be contrasted with the larger, international sphere, which in early 2005 does differ markedly from European Union stance, directly having a negative effect on international trade particularly in digital content. A particular case in point is the USA, a database producer primus inter pares, not at least yet having aSui Generis database regime or its kin, while both the political and academic discourse on the matter abounds. 5. The objectives of the study The above mentioned background with its several open issues calls for the detailed study of thefollowing questions: -What is a database-at-law and when is a database protected by intellectual property rights, particularly by the European database regime?What is the international situation? -How is a database protected and what is its relation with other intellectual property regimes, particularly in the Digital context? -The opportunities and threats provided by current protection to creators, users and the society as a whole, including the commercial and cultural implications? -The difficult question on relation of the Database protection and protection of factual information as such. 6. Dsiposition The Study, in purporting to analyse and cast light on the questions above, is divided into three mainparts. The first part has the purpose of introducing the political and rationalbackground and subsequent legislative evolution path of the European database protection, reflected against the international backdrop on the issue. An introduction to databases, originally a vehicle of modern computing and information andcommunication technology, is also incorporated. The second part sets out the chosen and existing two-tier model of the database protection, reviewing both itscopyright and Sui Generis right facets in detail together with the emergent application of the machinery in real-life societal and particularly commercial context. Furthermore, a general outline of copyright, relevant in context of copyright databases is provided. For purposes of further comparison, a chapter on the precursor of Sui Generi, database right, the Nordic catalogue rule also ensues. The third and final part analyses the positive and negative impact of the database protection system and attempts to scrutinize the implications further in the future with some caveats and tentative recommendations, in particular as regards the convoluted issue concerning the IPR protection of information per se, a new tenet in the domain of copyright and related rights.

"In vitro" comparative experimental study of antimicrobial action of mouth washing products

Regular use of mouth rinses modifies the oral habitat, since bacterial populations are submitted to a high selective pressure during the treatment exercised by the active presence of the disinfectant. Mostly mouth rinses are based on the antibacterial effect of Chlorhexidine, Triclosan, essential oils and other antibacterials although other pharmaceutical characteristics can also affect their effectiveness. In this paper we compare"in vitro" the antibacterial effect of different oral rinsing solutions. Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) and Minimal Bactericidal Concentrations (MBC) were determined as well as the kinetics of bacterial death in the presence of letal concentrations of the mouth rinses. MIC values expressed as Maximal Inhibitory Dilution (MID) of the mouth rinse ranged from 1 to 1/2048 depending on the microorganism and product, whereas Minimal Biocidal Concentration (MBC), expressed as Maximal Biocidal Dilution (MBD) ranged from 1 to 1/1024, being in general one dilution less than MIC. Maximal Biocidal Dilution is a good tool to measure the actual efficiency of mouth washing solutions. However, kinetics of death seems to be better in our work killing curves demonstrate that bacterial populations are mostly eliminated during the first minute after the contact of bacterial suspension and the mouth-washing solution. In all tested bacterial species mouth-washing solutions tested were able to reduce until suspension treated except 1 and 5

Evaluation of an electronic nose to assess fruit ripeness

The main goal of our study was to see whether an artificial olfactory system can be used as a nondestructive instrument to measure fruit maturity. In order to make an objective comparison, samples measured with our electronic nose prototype were later characterized using fruit quality techniques. The cultivars chosen for the study were peaches, nectarines, apples, and pears. With peaches and nectarines, a PCA analysis on the electronic nose measurements helped to guess optimal harvest dates that were in good agreement with the ones obtained with fruit quality techniques. A good correlation between sensor signals and some fruit quality indicators was also found. With pears, the study addressed the possibility of classifying samples regarding their ripeness state after different cold storage and shelf-life periods. A PCA analysis showed good separation between samples measured after a shelf-life period of seven days and samples with four or less days. Finally, the electronic nose monitored the shelf-life ripening of apples. A good correlation between electronic nose signals and firmness, starch index, and acidity parameters was found. These results prove that electronic noses have the potential of becoming a reliable instrument to assess fruit ripeness.

Bioinspired electronic white cane implementation based on a LIDAR, a tri-axial accelerometer and a tactile belt

This work proposes the creation of a bioinspired electronic white cane for blind people using the whiskers principle for short-range navigation and exploration. Whiskers are coarse hairs of an animal's face that tells the animal that it has touched something using the nerves of the skin. In this work the raw data acquired from a low-size terrestrial LIDAR and a tri-axial accelerometer is converted into tactile information using several electromagnetic devices configured as a tactile belt. The LIDAR and the accelerometer are attached to the user’s forearm and connected with a wire to the control unit placed on the belt. Early validation experiments carried out in the laboratory are promising in terms of usability and description of the environment.

Open Labware: 3-D printing your own lab equipment.

The introduction of affordable, consumer-oriented 3-D printers is a milestone in the current "maker movement," which has been heralded as the next industrial revolution. Combined with free and open sharing of detailed design blueprints and accessible development tools, rapid prototypes of complex products can now be assembled in one's own garage--a game-changer reminiscent of the early days of personal computing. At the same time, 3-D printing has also allowed the scientific and engineering community to build the "little things" that help a lab get up and running much faster and easier than ever before.

Ultrasonic and LIDAR sensors for electronic canopy characterization in vineyards: advances to improve pesticide application methods

Canopy characterization is a key factor to improve pesticide application methods in tree crops and vineyards. Development of quick, easy and efficient methods to determine the fundamental parameters used to characterize canopy structure is thus an important need. In this research the use of ultrasonic and LIDAR sensors have been compared with the traditional manual and destructive canopy measurement procedure. For both methods the values of key parameters such as crop height, crop width, crop volume or leaf area have been compared. Obtained results indicate that an ultrasonic sensor is an appropriate tool to determine the average canopy characteristics, while a LIDAR sensor provides more accuracy and detailed information about the canopy. Good correlations have been obtained between crop volume (CVU) values measured with ultrasonic sensors and leaf area index, LAI (R2 = 0.51). A good correlation has also been obtained between the canopy volume measured with ultrasonic and LIDAR sensors (R2 = 0.52). Laser measurements of crop height (CHL) allow one to accurately predict the canopy volume. The proposed new technologies seems very appropriate as complementary tools to improve the efficiency of pesticide applications, although further improvements are still needed.