A Soft Contact Collision Method For Real-Time Simulation of Triangularized Geometries in Multibody Dynamics

When modeling machines in their natural working environment collisions become a very important feature in terms of simulation accuracy. By expanding the simulation to include the operation environment, the need for a general collision model that is able to handle a wide variety of cases has become central in the development of simulation environments. With the addition of the operating environment the challenges for the collision modeling method also change. More simultaneous contacts with more objects occur in more complicated situations. This means that the real-time requirement becomes more difficult to meet. Common problems in current collision modeling methods include for example dependency on the geometry shape or mesh density, calculation need increasing exponentially in respect to the number of contacts, the lack of a proper friction model and failures due to certain configurations like closed kinematic loops. All these problems mean that the current modeling methods will fail in certain situations. A method that would not fail in any situation is not very realistic but improvements can be made over the current methods.

Pumping system optimization tool

Pumping systems account for over 20 % of all electricity consumption in European industry. Optimization and correct design of such systems is important and there is a reasonable amount of unrealized energy saving potential in old pumping systems. The energy efficiency and therefore also the energy consumption of a pumping system heavily depends on the correct dimensioning and selection of devices. In this work, a graphical optimization tool for pumping systems is developed in Matlab programming language. The tool selects optimal pump, electrical motor and frequency converter for existing pumping process and calculates the life cycle costs of the whole system. The tool could be used as an aid when choosing the machinery and to analyze the energy consumption of existing systems. Results given by the tool are compared to the results of laboratory tests. The selection of pump and motor works reasonably well, but the frequency converter selection still needs development

Sheep production as a Senecio spp. control tool

Since poisoning by Senecio spp. is one of the main causes of cattle death in southern Brazil, control of these plants is a priority for the local livestock production. After the pasture has been mowed, grazing by 16 sheep was efficient for controlling Senecio brasiliensis and Senecio madagascariensis populations in a 5.5-hectare area that had long been severely infested with these species. A total of 28,629 plants among S. brasiliensis (flower-of-souls, 10,122) and S.madagascariensis (fireweed, 18,507) were almost completely eliminated in a two-year period. The number of sheep was kept at 3.0 stock units/ha, but a variable number of cattle were temporarily stocked according to pasture availability. The major sanitary practice applied to the sheep was anthelmintic administration. Liver biopsies taken from sheep and cattle before and after experimental period didn't reveal any change associable with seneciosis. The performance levels of the sheep were comparable to those observed in flocks managed under traditional extensive grazing systems in southern Brazil.

Storytelling as a branding tool in social media

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on kuvailla tarinankerrontaa brändin rakennuksen välineenä, ja selvittää mitkä ovat tarinankerronnan erityispiirteet sosiaalisessa mediassa. Aikaisempien teorioiden ja julkaisujen avulla kootaan viitekehys joka osoittaa käsitteiden vaikutukset toisiinsa. Tutkimus osoittaa tarinankerronnan vaikuttavan vahvistavasti kaikkiin brändipääoman ulottuvuuksiin, lähinnä tunteita herättävien ja muistettavuutta lisäävien ominaisuuksiensa ansiosta. Empiirisessä osiossa selvitetään laadullisen sisällönanalyysin keinoin kuinka yleistä brändien tarinankerronta tällä hetkellä on, ja kuvaillaan millaisia tarinoita yritykset kertovat. Aineisto koostuu sadan suosituimman brändin Facebookissa jakamista videomuotoisista tarinoista. Tutkimus osoitti, että brändien tarinankerronta sosiaalisessa mediassa on toistaiseksi melko vähäistä. Tarinat voidaan luokitella kirjallisuudesta tuttujen tarinatyyppien mukaisesti. Suurin osa brändien esittämistä tarinoista pyrkii synnyttämään yleisössä ihailun ja nostalgian tunteita, mutta useat tarinat myös sisältävät humoristisia piirteitä.

Bronchoalveolar lavage as a tool for evaluation of cellular alteration during Aelurostrongylus abstrusus infection in cats

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a procedure that retrieves cells and other elements from the lungs for evaluation, which helps in the diagnosis of pulmonary diseases. The aim of this study was to perform this procedure for cellular analysis of BAL fluid alterations during experimental infection with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in cats. Fourteen cats were individually inoculated with 800 third stage larvae of A. abstrusus and five non-infected cats lined as a control group. The BAL procedure was performed through the use of an endotracheal tube on the nineteen cats with a mean age of 18 months, on 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 270 days after infection. Absolute cell counts in the infected cats revealed that alveolar macrophages and eosinophils were the predominant cells following infection. This study shows that the technique allows us to retrieve cells and first stage larvae what provides information about the inflammatory process caused by aelurostrongylosis.

Probabilistic contact preferences in protein-ligand and protein-protein complexes

Modeller för intermolekulär växelvärkan utnyttjas brett inom biologin. Analys av kontakter mellan proteiner och läkemedelsforskning representerar typiska tillämpningsområden för dylika modeller. En modell som beskriver sådana molekylära växelverkningar kan utformas med hjälp av biofysisk teori, vilket tenderar att resultera i ytterst tung beräkningsbörda även för enkla tillämpningar. Ett alternativt sätt att formulera modeller är att utnyttja stora databaser som innehåller strukturmätningar gjorda med hjälp av till exempel röntgendiffraktion. Då man använder sig av empiriska mätdata direkt, möjliggör en statistisk modell att osäkerheten och inexaktheten i datat tas till hänsyn på ett adekvat sätt, samtidigt som beräkningsbördan håller sig på en rimligare nivå jämfört med kvantmekaniska metoder som i princip borde ge de optimala resultaten. I avhandlingen utvecklades en 3D modell för numerisk undersökning av intermolekulär växelverkan baserad på Bayesiansk statistik. Modellens syfte är att åstadkomma prognoser för det hurdana eller vilka molekylstrukturer prefereras i en given kontext, d.v.s. är mer sannolika inom ramen för interaktion. Modellen testades i essentiella molekyläromgivningar - en liten molekyl vid sin bindningsplats hos ett protein och en gränsyta mellan proteinerna i ett komplex. De erhållna numeriska resultaten motsvarar väl experimentella resultat som tidigare rapporterats i litteraturen, exempelvis kvalitativa bindningsaffiniteter och kemisk kännedom av vissa aminosyrors rumsliga förmågor att utgöra bindningar. I avhandlingen gjordes ytterligare preliminära tester av den statistiska ansatsen för modellering av den centrala molekylära strukturella anpassningsbarheten. I praktiken är den utvecklade modellen ämnad som ett led i en mer omfattande analysmetod, så som en s.k. farmakofor modell. Molekyylivuorovaikutusten mallintamista hyödynnetään laajasti biologisten kysymysten tarkastelussa. Tyypillisiä esimerkkejä sovelluskohteista ovat proteiinien väliset kontaktit ja lääkesuunnittelu. Vuorovaikutuksia kuvaavan mallin lähtökohta voi olla molekyyleihin liittyvä teoria, jolloin soveltamiseen liittyvä laskenta saattaa olla erityisen raskasta, tai suuri havaintojoukko joka on saatu aikaan esimerkiksi mittaamalla rakenteita röntgendiffraktio menetelmällä. Tilastollinen malli mahdollistaa havaintoaineistossa olevan epätarkkuuden ja epävarmuuden huomioimisen, samalla pitäen laskennallisen kuorman pienempänä verrattuna periaatteessa parhaan tuloksen antavaan kvanttimekaaniseen mallinnukseen. Väitöstyössä kehitettiin bayesiläiseen tilastotieteeseen perustuva 3D malli molekyylien välisten vuorovaikutusten laskennalliseen tarkasteluun. Mallin tehtävä on tuottaa ennusteita sen suhteen, minkä tai millaisten molekyylirakenteiden väliset kompleksit ovat etusijalla, toisin sanoen todennäköisempiä, vuorovaikutustilanteessa. Työssä kehitetyn menetelmän toimivuutta testattiin käyttötarkoituksen suhteen olennaisissa molekyyliympäristöissä - pieni molekyyli sitoutumiskohdassaan proteiinissa sekä rajapinta kahden proteiinin välilllä proteiinikompleksissa. Saadut laskennalliset tulokset vastasivat hyvin vertailuun käytettyjä kirjallisuudesta saatuja kokeellisia tuloksia, kuten laadullisia sitoutumisaffiniteetteja, sekä kemiallista tietoa esimerkiksi tiettyjen aminohappojen avaruudellisesta sidoksenmuodostuksesta. Väitöstyössä myös alustavasti testattiin tilastollista lähestymistapaa tärkeän molekyylien rakenteellisen mukautuvuuden mallintamiseen. Käytännössä malli on tarkoitettu osaksi jotakin laajempaa analyysimenetelmää, kuten farmakoforimallia.

Contact with friction using the augmented Lagrangian Method: a conditional constrained minimization problem

This work presents a formulation of the contact with friction between elastic bodies. This is a non linear problem due to unilateral constraints (inter-penetration of bodies) and friction. The solution of this problem can be found using optimization concepts, modelling the problem as a constrained minimization problem. The Finite Element Method is used to construct approximation spaces. The minimization problem has the total potential energy of the elastic bodies as the objective function, the non-inter-penetration conditions are represented by inequality constraints, and equality constraints are used to deal with the friction. Due to the presence of two friction conditions (stick and slip), specific equality constraints are present or not according to the current condition. Since the Coulomb friction condition depends on the normal and tangential contact stresses related to the constraints of the problem, it is devised a conditional dependent constrained minimization problem. An Augmented Lagrangian Method for constrained minimization is employed to solve this problem. This method, when applied to a contact problem, presents Lagrange Multipliers which have the physical meaning of contact forces. This fact allows to check the friction condition at each iteration. These concepts make possible to devise a computational scheme which lead to good numerical results.

Investigation on diamond turning of silicon crystal - generation mechanism of surface cut with worn tool

This paper discusses the effect of tool wear on surface finish in single-point diamond turning of single crystal silicon. The morphology and topography of the machined surface clearly show the type of cutting edge wear reproduced onto the cutting grooves. Scanning electron microscopy is used in order to correlate the cutting edge damage and microtopography features observed through atomic force microscopy. The possible wear mechanisms affecting tool performance and surface generation during cutting are also discussed. The zero degree rake angle single point diamond tool presented small nicks on the cutting edge. The negative rake angle tools presented more a type of crater wear on the rake face. No wear was detected on flank face of the diamond tools.

Indoor Localization Solutions for a Marine Industry Augmented Reality Tool

In this report are described means for indoor localization in special, challenging circum-stances in marine industry. The work has been carried out in MARIN project, where a tool based on mobile augmented reality technologies for marine industry is developed. The tool can be used for various inspection and documentation tasks and it is aimed for improving the efficiency in design and construction work by offering the possibility to visualize the newest 3D-CAD model in real environment. Indoor localization is needed to support the system in initialization of the accurate camera pose calculation and auto-matically finding the right location in the 3D-CAD model. The suitability of each indoor localization method to the specific environment and circumstances is evaluated.

The role of emotional state, sexual arousal, and alcohol intoxication as situational factors associated with adults’ online sexual contact with children and adolescents

In the present study we explored whether and how the situational factors; emotional states, sexual arousal, and alcohol intoxication influenced the propensity in adults to engage in online sexual contact with children (13 or younger) and adolescents (14 – 17 year olds). The results were compared to a group of adults that had engaged in online sexual contact with adults only (18 or older). We also looked at the variation over time within these situational factors during the online sexual contact with a child, an adolescent, or an adult. The present study was an online self-report survey to the adult populations in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, with a final sample (N = 776) of women and men who were active on the Internet. The participants were asked to report whether, how, and with whom they had engaged in online sexual contact. The results showed that more men than women reported online sexual contact with persons of all age groups, and that the situational factors; emotional states and sexual arousal influenced the propensity in both women and men to engage in online sexual contact with children and adolescents. However, the effects of alcohol intoxication were small and significant only for men. These results indicate that higher levels of emotional state and sexual arousal might increase the propensity to go against social norms and contact children and adolescents online for sexual purposes, but it can also imply that that those who look for online sexual contact online with children and adolescents, are more emotionally and/or sexually aroused than the group that only seek adult company or that these are post-hoc explanations for such sexual activities.

“Development work thesis” as a tool for continuing professional education

Julkaisumaa: 158 TW TWN Taiwan

Diffusion Tensor Imaging as a Diagnostic and Research Tool: A Study on Preterm Infants

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is an advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique. DTI is based on free thermal motion (diffusion) of water molecules. The properties of diffusion can be represented using parameters such as fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity, which are calculated from DTI data. These parameters can be used to study the microstructure in fibrous structure such as brain white matter. The aim of this study was to investigate the reproducibility of region-of-interest (ROI) analysis and determine associations between white matter integrity and antenatal and early postnatal growth at term age using DTI. Antenatal growth was studied using both the ROI and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) method and postnatal growth using only the TBSS method. The infants included to this study were born below 32 gestational weeks or birth weight less than 1,501 g and imaged with a 1.5 T MRI system at term age. Total number of 132 infants met the inclusion criteria between June 2004 and December 2006. Due to exclusion criteria, a total of 76 preterm infants (ROI) and 36 preterm infants (TBSS) were accepted to this study. The ROI analysis was quite reproducible at term age. Reproducibility varied between white matter structures and diffusion parameters. Normal antenatal growth was positively associated with white matter maturation at term age. The ROI analysis showed associations only in the corpus callosum. Whereas, TBSS revealed associations in several brain white matter areas. Infants with normal antenatal growth showed more mature white matter compared to small for gestational age infants. The gestational age at birth had no significant association with white matter maturation at term age. It was observed that good early postnatal growth associated negatively with white matter maturation at term age. Growth-restricted infants seemed to have delayed brain maturation that was not fully compensated at term, despite catchup growth.

Perspectives for using light quality knowledge as an advanced ecophysiological weed management tool

The current knowledge of light quality effects on plant morphogenesis and development represents a new era of understanding on how plant communities perceive and adjust to available resources. The most important consequences of light quality cues, often mediated by decreasing in red far-red ratios with respect to the spectral composition of incident sunlight radiation, affecting weed-crop interaction are the increased plant height and shoot to root ratio in anticipation of competition by light quantity, water or nutrients. Although the concepts related to light quality have been extensively studied and several basic process of this phenomenon are well known, little applications of photomorphogenic signaling currently are related to agricultural problems or weed management. The objectives of this review are to describe how light quality change can be a triggering factor of interspecific interference responses, to analyze how this phenomenon can be used to predict weed interference, to reevaluate the critical periods of interference concept, and to discuss its potential contribution towards developing more weed competitive crop varieties. Knowledge on light quality responses involved in plant sensing of interspecific competition could be used to identify red/far-red threshold values, indicating when weed control should be started. Light quality alterations by weeds can affect grain crop development mainly in high yielding fields. Unlike the traditional concept or the critical period of competition, light quality mediated interference implies that the critical period for weed control could start before the effects of direct resource (water, nutrients and available light) limitation actually occur. The variability in light quality responses among crop genotypes and the identification of mutants insensitive to light quality effects indicate that this characteristic can be selected or modified to develop cultivars with enhanced interspecific interference ability. Knowledge on light quality-elicited responses represents a new possibility to understand the underlying biology of interspecific interference, and could be used in the development of new weed management technologies.

Reflectance indices as a diagnostic tool for weed control performed by multipurpose equipment in precision agriculture

Several tools of precision agriculture have been developed for specific uses. However, this specificity may hinder the implementation of precision agriculture due to an increasing in costs and operational complexity. The use of vegetation index sensors which are traditionally developed for crop fertilization, for site-specific weed management can provide multiple utilizations of these sensors and result in the optimization of precision agriculture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between reflectance indices of weeds obtained by the GreenSeekerTM sensor and conventional parameters used for weed interference quantification. Two experiments were conducted with soybean and corn by establishing a gradient of weed interference through the use of pre- and post-emergence herbicides. The weed quantification was evaluated by the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the ratio of red to near infrared (Red/NIR) obtained using the GreenSeekerTM sensor, the visual weed control, the weed dry matter, and digital photographs, which supplied information about the leaf area coverage proportions of weed and straw. The weed leaf coverage obtained using digital photography was highly associated with the NDVI (r = 0.78) and the Red/NIR (r = -0.74). The weed dry matter also positively correlated with the NDVI obtained in 1 m linear (r = 0.66). The results indicated that the GreenSeekerTM sensor originally used for crop fertilization could also be used to obtain reflectance indices in the area between rows of crops to support decision-making programs for weed control.

OCR Correction Tool for Linguistic Corpora

We introduce a new tool for correcting OCR errors of materials in a repository of cultural materials. The poster is aimed to all who are interested in digital humanities and who might find our tool useful. The poster will focus on the OCR correction tool and on the background processes. We have started a project on materials published in Finno-Ugric languages in the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 1930s. The materials are digitised in Russia. As they arrive, we publish them in DSpace (fennougrica.kansalliskirjasto.fi). For research purposes, the results of the OCR must be corrected manually. For this we have built a new tool. Although similar tools exist, we found in-house development necessary in order to serve the researchers' needs. The tool enables exporting the corrected text as required by the researchers. It makes it possible to distribute the correction tasks and their supervision. After a supervisor has approved a text as finalised, the new version of the work will replace the old one in DSpace. The project has - benefitted the small language communities, - opened channels for cooperation in Russia. - increased our capabilities in digital humanities. The OCR correction tool will be available to others.