Modelling of North-West Russian market behavior considering technical restrictions of transmission grid

Nowadays the Finnish-Russian electric energy interaction is carried out through the back-to-back DC Vyborg substation and several power plants working synchronously with Finnish power system. Constant amount of energy flows in one direction — from Russia to Finland. But the process of electricity market development in Russian energy system makes the new possibilities of electrical cooperation available. The goal of master's thesis is to analyze the current state and possible evolution trends of North-West Russian system in relation with future possible change in power flow between Russia and Finland. The research is done by modelling the market of North-West Russia and examination of technical grid restrictions. The operational market models of North-West region of Russia for the years 2008 and 2015 were created during the research process. The description of prepared market models together with modelling results and their analysis are shown in the work. The description of power flow study process and results are also presented.

Three Wavelength Optical Probe for Surface Roughness Measurements of Paper Samples

In the present diploma work optical inspection methods were used to investigate surface roughness of paper samples. A special measurement setup, which includes three laser light sources of three different wavelengths, photodetector and goniometer, was used to measure the reflected laser light properties. The intensity of the light reflected in specular direction was measured versus the laser incidence angle for reference metal sample. The value of roughness was estimated and compared to initially known value of metal sample roughness. Thus, the measurement equipment and method were validated. Then the reflected intensity was measured versus reflection angle at constant incidence angle for the same metal sample and paper samples under investigation. The final values of the surface roughness were obtained from the analysis of the reflected intensity dependence. The results are in good correlation with other research groups.

El fotorreactor elíptico

In this paper, the mathematical model of the elliptical photoreactor , an special type of reactor that uses ultraviolet radiation, is presented. In the elliptical photoreactor the cylindrical reactor is irradiated from the outside by placing the lamp and the reactor at the foci of an elliptical reflector. The two main models of radiation -radial and difusse- are studied, an finally the general method of resolution of the mathematical model and its resolution in certain simple cases is shown.

The Importance of Semantics: Visual World Studies on Drawing Inferences and Resolving Anaphors

The present thesis investigated the importance of semantics in generating inferences during discourse processing. Three aspects of semantics, gender stereotypes, implicit causality information and proto-role properties, were used to investigate whether semantics is activated elaboratively during discourse comprehension and what its relative importance is in backward inferencing compared to discourse/structural cues. Visual world eye-tracking studies revealed that semantics plays an important role in both backward and forward inferencing: Gender stereotypes and implicit causality information is activated elaboratively during online discourse comprehension. Moreover, gender stereotypes, implicit causality and proto-role properties of verbs are all used in backward inferencing. Importantly, the studies demonstrated that semantic cues are weighed against discourse/structural cues. When the structural cues consist of a combination of cues that have been independently shown to be important in backward inferencing, semantic effects may be masked, whereas when the structural cues consist of a combination of fewer prominent cues, semantics can have an earlier effect than structural factors in pronoun resolution. In addition, the type of inference matters, too: During anaphoric inferencing semantics has a prominent role, while discourse/structural salience attains more prominence during non-anaphoric inferencing. Finally, semantics exhibits a strong role in inviting new inferences to revise earlier made inferences even in the case the additional inference is not needed to establish coherence in discourse. The findings are generally in line with the Mental Model approaches. Two extended model versions are presented that incorporate the current findings into the earlier literature. These models allow both forward and backward inferencing to occur at any given moment during the course of processing; they also allow semantic and discourse/structural cues to contribute to both of these processes. However, while the Mental Model 1 does not assume interactions between semantic and discourse/structural factors in forward inferencing, the Mental Model 2 does assume such a link.

Doenças tropicais negligenciadas: uma nova era de desafios e oportunidades

In an article recently published in Química Nova, entitled "Chemistry Without Borders" ("Química Sem Fronteiras") [Pinto, A. C.; Zucco, C.; Galembeck, F.; Andrade, J. B.; Vieira, P. C. Quim. Nova 2012, 35, 2092], the authors highlighted the important aspects of science and technology with special emphasis on the field of Chemistry and its contributions toward a more prosperous Brazil of future. As a second step in that direction, this article extends the discussion of a key issue for the country in the framework of the chemistry community through the so called position papers in strategic areas. This document is a part of the contribution of the Brazilian Chemical Society to the World Science Forum to be held in Rio de Janeiro in November 2013. In this context, the present paper provides a brief discussion on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) with emphasis on the current challenges and opportunities towards the development and evolution of the field. NTDs leads to illness, long-term disability or death, and has severe social, economic and psychological consequences for millions of men, women, and children worldwide. In most cases, the available treatments are inadequate and extremely limited in terms of efficacy and safety, leading to an urgent demand for new drugs. In addition to the traditional challenges involved in any drug discovery process, it is widely recognized that there is an innovation gap and a lack of investment for research and development (R&D) in the area of NTDs. In the last few decades, methods toward combating, eradication, prevention, and treatment of NTDs have been repeatedly emphasized in the major international agendas. Developments in these strategies and alliances have continued to have an essential impact, particularly in the area of drug discovery, both in Brazil and globally and should be encouraged and supported. Several examples of international activities dedicated to the reduction of the devastating global impact of NTDs can be provided. Despite the beneficial developments in the past 30 years, NTDs continue to devastate poor communities in remote and vulnerable areas, in large part, due to market failures and public policies. Recent studies have shown that among 756 new drugs approved between 2000 and 2011, only four new chemical entities (NCEs) were identified for the treatment of malaria, while none were developed against NTDs or tuberculosis. Furthermore, only 1.4% of approximately 150,000 clinical trials were registered for neglected diseases, with a smaller number of trials for NCEs. Establishment and strengthening of global strategies involving the triad "government-academia-industry" is fundamental to the success in R&D of new drugs for NTDs. National and international public-private initiatives that aim to create, encourage, and invest in R&D projects have been implemented and therefore are of utmost importance to successfully integrate Brazil into this new paradigm. It is essential to lay the foundation for mechanisms that will intensify investments in infrastructure, training, and qualification of personnel with an ultimate strategic vision that foresees continuity. Our research group has made significant contributions to the development of this field with the goal of forging new frontiers while tackling both current and future challenges that include indispensable elements such as innovation and integration.

Sellutehtaan toiminnan tukeminen sisäistä viestintää kehittämällä

Työssä haluttiin selvittää sellutehdasorganisaation sisäisen viestinnän nykytilaa ja siihen liittyviä haasteita. Lisäksi selvitettiin mitä viestintäkanavia ja -käytäntöjä tuotantotoimintaan liittyy ja miten niitä tulisi kehittää. Tutkimuksessa käytettiin kvalitatiivista tutkimusotetta. Tutkimusaineisto kerättiin henkilökohtaisten teemahaastattelujen sekä ryhmähaastattelujen avulla. Teemahaastattelujen aineisto litteroitiin ja analysoitiin teema-alueitten mukaisesti. Ryhmähaastattelujen aineisto saatiin kirjaamalla olennaisimmat asiat keskustelujen aikana. Lopuksi saatu materiaali luokiteltiin ryhmiin haastattelukysymyksiin perustuen. Tutkimuksessa saatiin selkeä käsitys siihen mitä kanavia pitkin ja miten tuotanto-organisaatio viestii tällä hetkellä. Eri viestintäkanavien hyötyjen ja heikkouksien määrittämisen kautta voitiin arvioida mihin suuntaan viestinnän kehittämistä tulisi suunnata. Tulosten perusteella määriteltiin toimenpiteet, joiden kautta organisaatio saa parannettua tiedon kulun läpinäkyvyyttä ja lisättyä vuorovaikutusta organisaation eri toimijoiden välillä. Toimenpidesuositusten mukaan organisaation tulisi hyödyntää tehokkaammin käytössä olevaa sähköistä raportointijärjestelmää sekä kehittää palaveritoimintoja. Palautteenantoa, eli viestinnän kaksisuuntaisuutta tulisi korostaa, koska se vahvistaa ja ohjaa haluttua toimintaa. Tänä päivänä yritysten viestinnälliset tarpeet korostavat yhä enemmän yksilöllisiä vuorovaikutus- ja kommunikointitaitoja. Näiden taitojen osaamisen ja ymmärtämisen kautta on vasta mahdollista käyttää tehokkaasti viestintäteknologian tuomia etuja työyhteisöissä. Nämä taidot ovat myös pohjana muutostilanteista selviytymiselle.

Kumppanuusohjelman strateginen johtaminen - Monitapaustutkimus puolustushallinnossa

Puolustushallinnossa syntyi 2000-luvun alussa strateginen aie keskittyä ydintoimintoihin, ulkoistaa pääosa tukitoiminnoista ja saavuttaa kustannussäästöjä, jotka voitaisiin kohdentaa ydintoimintoihin. Puolustusministeriö perusti ulkoistamisen hallinnoimiseksi kumppanuusohjelman, mihin kuului lähes alusta alkaen kuusi hanketta, jotka ovat nyt toteuttamisvaiheessa. Näistä valittiin neljä tähän tutkimukseen: maavoimien materiaalin kunnossapito, puolustusvoimien ruokahuolto, puolustusvoimien vaatetushuolto ja puolustushallinnon talous- ja henkilöstöhallinto. Kumppanuusohjelman strategisen johtamisen tutkimus perustuupuolustusministeriön ja puolustusvoimien asiakirja-aineistoihin sekä puolustushallinnon ylimmän johdon ja hankejohtajien haastatteluihin. Kumppanuusohjelmaa ja -hankkeita on seurattu vuodesta 2000 vuoden 2010 kevääseen asti. Tarkastelu kohdistuu strategiaprosessiin ja strategian sisältöön ”puolustushallinnon konsernissa”, johon kuuluvat tässä tutkimuksessa puolustusministeriö, pääesikunta ja puolustushaarat. Tutkimuksen tulokset tukevat viitekehyksessä esitettyjä näkökohtia. Laajan kumppanuusohjelman hallinta edellyttää hyvää strategisen johtamisen otetta. Selkeät päämäärät ja tavoitteet luovat perustan strategiaprosessille. Kumppanuusohjelman strategia muotoutui tarkastelujakson aikana niin strategiaprosessien kuin strategian sisällön suhteen. Toimiva ohjausjärjestelmä on puolustushallinnon avaintoimintoja strategisessa johtamisessa. Resurssiperusteinen strategia osoittautui tärkeäksi ulkoistamisissa ja sosiaalinen pääoma, erityisesti yhteisymmärrys osoittautui tärkeäksi tekijäksi konsernijohtamisessa. Kumppanuusohjelman strategisen johtamisen toimivuuden kehittämiseksi kartoitettiin tekijöitä, jotka muodostuivat tehokkaan strategisen johtamisen esteiksi. Esteitä kartoitettiin kumppanuusohjelmasta ja -hankkeista. Tutkimuksen tärkein kontribuutio kohdistuu strategisen johtamisen kehittämiseen. Se on mahdollista hankkimalla konsernin johtotasoilla yhteisymmärryskehittämisohjelmasta ennen ohjelman käynnistämistä, ottamalla huomioon strategisen johtamisen perusteet, ottamalla käyttöön jatkuva strategiaprosessi ja turvaamalla riittävä osaaminen kumppanuusohjelmassa ja -hankkeissa.

Hjärtats vanor, tankens välvilja och handens gärning : dygd som vårdetiskt grundbegrepp

The main aim of the study is to elucidate the meaning and dimensions of the concept of „virtue‟, and to find the place of virtue in a caritative caring ethics, i.e. a caring ethics based on human love and mercy. The intention is to create a theory model which utilizes the possibilities of virtue in developing the caritative caring ethics as a whole. The caritative caring ethics has a universal potential – it is primarily not a professional ethics, but it may form a frame of reference and basis for formulating ethical codes, and for ethical discussions within different caring contexts. The hermeneutic approach of the study is inspired by Gadamer‟s philosophical hermeneutics combined with the view of hermeneutics as a hypothetical-deductive process. The study is guided by Eriksson‟s model of definition of concepts. The concept of „virtue‟ is studied focusing on its ethical dimensions. These ethical dimensions of virtue are seen as anchored to an inner ethos, whereas ethos stands for the ontological goodness, a basic notion of the Good that permeates the entity of the human being, and forms the base of the culture where he lives and acts. The overarching research questions are: 1. What is virtue? 2. What is „virtue‟ as a basic concept in caring science? 3. What place does virtue have in caritative caring ethics? The answer of the first question is mainly searched for by an ontological determination comprising partly an etymologic and semantic analysis of „virtue‟, and partly a determination of the essence of virtue. The answer to the second and third questions are mainly searched for using a contextual determination, where the purposive context and pragmatic features of virtue are studied in relation to caring ethics. The ontological and contextual determinations are brought together through hermeneutical interpretation, forming a new whole, which constitutes the results of the study. The results of the study are depicted in a theory model, in which the movement of virtue from ethos to deed is moulded as caritative caring ethics. The material of the study consists of dictionaries, texts written by Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas, articles, dissertations, and books, as well as parts of a pilot survey answered by 33 nurses. The results of the study show that the essence of virtue is primarily functional, not ethical. The ethical emerges when virtue is contextualized in a human communion. Virtue makes something fulfil its function well; makes the human being good, and gives him morals and morality. The human being needs prudence, love, and humility to acquire and develop the moral virtues. Virtue is a power, related to a value, which considering a caritative caring ethics consists of the caritas motif. Human love is shown through deeds, making the human being do what he is expected to do. Virtue, as an active power of becoming, affirms and clarifies the human being‟s ability to develop in the direction of the Good. Virtue becomes essential and unifying when morality appears in the human mind as auctoritas, an inner, prompting power based on divinity or a transcendental ethos. Together ethos and virtue create opportunities for an inner ethics based on voluntariness and joy in being and doing the true, the good, and the beautiful.

Suunnittelun kehittäminen saatavuudenhallinnan näkökulmasta - Case Metsäteollisuusyritys

Metsäteollisuuden muuttunut toimintaympäristö on saanut kohdeyrityksen pyrkimään asiakaslähtöisempään ja markkinaintegroituneempaan toimintaan. Se, että asiakkaille voidaan luvata, mitä he haluavat ja että lupaukset kyetään pitämään, ovat markkinalähtöisen toiminnan keskeisimpiä tekijöitä. Diplomityön tavoitteena on kuvata metsäteollisuusyrityksen tuotteiden saatavuudenhallinnan nykytilaa tuotannonsuunnittelun, myynnin ja asiakkaiden näkökulmasta. Saatavuudenhallinnalla tarkoitetaan sitä, kuinka myyjä tietää, saako hän myydä asiakkaalle, mitä asiakas haluaa. Työssä käsitellään myös metsäteollisuusyrityksen suunnitteluprosesseja, koska ilman toimivaa myynninsuunnittelua ja operatiivista suunnittelua ei tehokas saatavuudenhallintakaan ole mahdollista. Työssä on esitetty vertailumalleja saatavuudenhallinnan ja suunnitteluprosessien toimivuudesta myös muilta toimialoilta kuten elintarvike- ja metalliteollisuudesta. Työn tuloksena on selkeä kuva saatavuudenhallinnan ja suunnitteluprosessien nykytilasta sekä mihin suuntaan niitä voisi kehittää. Suurimpana ongelmana myyntiprosessissa on pitkän tähtäimen suunnittelun puutteellisuus, minkä johtaa siihen, että asiakastilausten saatavuustarkastelut ovat monimutkaisia ja asiakkaille vastaaminen hidasta. Työssä on esitetty tulevaisuuden tavoitetilamalli, jossa tiedonkulku koko toimitusketjun halki on nopeampaa ja tehokkaampaa sekä toimintatavat yhtenäisiä ja selkeitä. Uusi toimintamalli mahdollistaa nopeammat ja luotettavammat myyntilupaukset sekä ilmoittamisen muutoksista asiakkaalle nykyistä aiemmin ja varmemmin.

Macroscopic description of teeth of Azara's agouti (Dasyprocta azarae)

The teeth of Azara's agouti (Dasyprocta azarae) were described macroscopically in order to provide biological data on one of the largest wild rodents of the Americas. Radiography was taken on six heads and the teeth were described. Enamel surrounds the coronal dentin, projects to the roots and is present as parallel inner laminae in buccolingual direction. The dentin is located among the enamel laminae and surrounds the pulp horns. The cementum is located internally to the enamel laminae. On the lingual surface, the cementum and dentin are the outer elements.

Single axis controlled attraction type magnetic bearing

This paper presents a new type of magnetic bearing with active control only in axial direction. The bearing uses two pairs of permanent magnets working in attraction mode to restrict the radial motion and a control system composed of two electromagnets, a gap sensor and a controller to keep the axis in a fixed axial position. The principle, the dynamic model for axial motion and the control system for this bearing are presented. Finally, by experiments conducted in a prototype, the effectiveness of the presented concept is shown.

The Fedora "Secret Sauce"

Presentation at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

Conflicting genomes, the demic theory & biodiversity

Organismic-centered Darwinism, in order to use direct phenotypes to measure natural selection's effect, necessitates genome's harmony and uniform coherence plus large population sizes. However, modern gene-centered Darwinism has found new interpretations to data that speak of genomic incoherence and disharmony. As a result of these two conflicting positions a conceptual crisis in Biology has arisen. My position is that the presence of small, even pocket-size, demes is instrumental in generating divergence and phenotypic crisis. Moreover, the presence of parasitic genomes as in acanthocephalan worms, which even manipulate suicidal behavior in their hosts; segregation distorters that change meiosis and Mendelian ratios; selfish genes and selfish whole chromosomes, such as the case of B-chromosomes in grasshoppers; P-elements in Drosophila; driving Y-chromosomes that manipulate sex ratios making males more frequent, as in Hamilton's X-linked drive; male strategists and outlaw genes, are eloquent examples of the presence of real conflicting genomes and of a non-uniform phenotypic coherence and genome harmony. Thus, we are proposing that overall incoherence and disharmony generate disorder but also more biodiversity and creativeness. Finally, if genes can manipulate natural selection, they can multiply mutations or undesirable characteristics and even lethal or detrimental ones, hence the accumulation of genetic loads. Outlaw genes can change what is adaptively convenient even in the direction of the trait that is away from the optimum. The optimum can be "negotiated" among the variants, not only because pleiotropic effects demand it, but also, in some cases, because selfish, outlaw, P-elements or extended phenotypic manipulation require it. With organismic Darwinism the genome in the population and in the individual was thought to act harmoniously without conflicts, and genotypes were thought to march towards greater adaptability. Modern Darwinism has a gene-centered vision in which genes, as natural selection's objects can move in dissonance in the direction which benefits their multiplication. Thus, we have greater opportunities for genomes in permanent conflict.

Interruption of recently induced immune responses by oral administration of antigen

Interest in oral tolerance has been renewed in the last few years as a possibility of intervention in human autoimmune diseases. An obstacle in this direction is that, although easily induced in animals virgin of contact with the antigen, oral tolerance becomes hard to induce in previously immunized animals. The present results show that there is an early period after primary immunization in which prolonged oral exposure to the antigen may arrest ongoing immune responses. Beyond this period, oral exposures to the antigen become ineffective and may actually boost immune responses. The end of the susceptible period coincides with the emergence of free specific antibodies in serum. However, the previous administration of purified anti-ovalbumin antibodies (40 µg) was unable to block the induction of oral tolerance to ovalbumin in normal mice

The origin of cortical neurons

Neurons of the mammalian cerebral cortex comprise two broad classes: pyramidal neurons, which project to distant targets, and the inhibitory nonpyramidal cells, the cortical interneurons. Pyramidal neurons are generated in the germinal ventricular zone, which lines the lateral ventricles, and migrate along the processes of radial glial cells to their positions in the developing cortex in an `inside-out' sequence. The GABA-containing nonpyramidal cells originate for the most part in the ganglionic eminence, the primordium of the basal ganglia in the ventral telencephalon. These cells follow tangential migratory routes to enter the cortex and are in close association with the corticofugal axonal system. Once they enter the cortex, they move towards the ventricular zone, possibly to obtain positional information, before they migrate radially in the direction of the pial surface to take up their positions in the developing cortex. The mechanisms that guide interneurons throughout these long and complex migratory routes are currently under investigation.