Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring cell death in higher eukaryotes.

Cell death is essential for a plethora of physiological processes, and its deregulation characterizes numerous human diseases. Thus, the in-depth investigation of cell death and its mechanisms constitutes a formidable challenge for fundamental and applied biomedical research, and has tremendous implications for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. It is, therefore, of utmost importance to standardize the experimental procedures that identify dying and dead cells in cell cultures and/or in tissues, from model organisms and/or humans, in healthy and/or pathological scenarios. Thus far, dozens of methods have been proposed to quantify cell death-related parameters. However, no guidelines exist regarding their use and interpretation, and nobody has thoroughly annotated the experimental settings for which each of these techniques is most appropriate. Here, we provide a nonexhaustive comparison of methods to detect cell death with apoptotic or nonapoptotic morphologies, their advantages and pitfalls. These guidelines are intended for investigators who study cell death, as well as for reviewers who need to constructively critique scientific reports that deal with cellular demise. Given the difficulties in determining the exact number of cells that have passed the point-of-no-return of the signaling cascades leading to cell death, we emphasize the importance of performing multiple, methodologically unrelated assays to quantify dying and dead cells.

Logistics Development in Finnish and Swedish Companies with Respect of Russia and Four Asian Countries: Traffic Flow and Warehousing Analysis from Current Situation and Likely Development Trends

On selvää, että tänä päivänä maailmankaupan painopiste on hiljalleen siirtymässä Aasiaan ja varsinkin Kiina on ollut huomion keskipisteessä. Erityisesti valmistavien yritysten perspektiivistä muutos on ollut merkittävä ja tämä tosiasia kasvattaa yrityksissä paineita luoda kustannustehokkaita toimitusketjuratkaisuja,joiden vasteaika on mahdollisimman lyhyt. Samaan aikaan kun tarkastellaan kuljetusvirtoja, huomattaan että maanosien välillä on suuri epätasapaino. Tämä on enimmäkseen seurausta suurten globaalisti toimivien yritysten toimitusketjustrategioista. Useimmat näistä toimijoista optimoivat verkostonsa turvautumalla 'paikalliseen hankintaan', jotta he voisivat paremmin hallita toimitusketjujaan ja saada näitä reagointiherkimmiksi. Valmistusyksiköillä onkin monesti Euroopassa pakko käyttää kalliita raaka-aineita ja puolivalmisteita. Kriittisiksi tekijöiksi osoittautuvat kuljetus- ja varastointikustannukset sekä näiden seurauksena hukka-aika, joka aiheutuu viivästyksistä. Voidakseen saavuttaa optimiratkaisun, on tehtävä päätös miten tuotteet varastoidaan: keskitetysti tai hajautetusti ja integroida tämä valinta sopivien kuljetusmuotojen kanssa. Aasiasta Pohjois-Eurooppaan on halpaa käyttää merikuljetusta, mutta operaatio kestää hyvin pitkään - joissain tapauksessa jopa kahdeksan viikkoa. Toisaalta lentokuljetus on sekä kallis että rajoittaa siirrettävien tuotteiden eräkokoa.On olemassa kolmaskin vaihtoehto, josta voisi olla ratkaisuksi: rautatiekuljetus on halvempi kuin lentokuljetus ja vasteajat ovat lyhyemmät kuin merikuljetuksissa. Tässä tutkimuksessa tilannetta selvitetään kyselyllä, joka suunnattiin Suomessa ja Ruotsissa toimiville yrityksille. Tuloksien perusteella teemme johtopäätökset siitä, mitkä kuljetusmuotojen markkinaosuudet tulevat olemaan tulevaisuudessa sekä luomme kuvan kuljetusvirroista Euroopan, Venäjän, Etelä-Korea, Intian, Kiinan ja Japanin välillä. Samalla on tarkoitus ennakoida sitä, miten tarkastelun kohteena olevat yritykset aikovat kehittää kuljetuksiaan ja varastointiaan tulevien vuosien aikana. Tulosten perusteella näyttää siltä, että seuraavan viiden vuoden kuluessa kuljetuskustannukset eivät merkittävissä määrin tule muuttuman ja meri- sekä kumipyöräkuljetukset pysyvät suosituimpina vaihtoehtoina.Kuitenkin lentokuljetusten osuus laskee hiukan, kun taas rautatiekuljetusten painotus kasvaa. Tulokset paljastavat, että Kiinassa ja Venäjällä kuljetettava konttimäärä kasvaa; Intiassa tulos on saman suuntainen, joskaan ei niin voimakas. Analyysimme mukaan kuljetusvirtoihin liittyvä epätasapaino säilyy Venäjän kuljetusten suhteen: yritykset jatkavat tulevaisuudessakin vientiperusteista strategiaansa. Varastoinnin puolella tunnistamme pienemmän muutoksen, jonka mukaan pienikokoisten varastojen määrät todennäköisesti vähenevät tulevaisuudessa ja kiinnostus isoja varastoja kohtaan lisääntyy. Tässä kohtaa on mainittava, että suomalaisilla yrityksillä on enemmän varastoja Keski- ja Itä-Euroopassa verrattuna ruotsalaisiin toimijoihin, jotka keskittyvät selkeämmin Länsi-Euroopan maihin. Varastoja yrityksillä on molemmissa tapaukissa paljolti kotimaassaan. Valitessaan varastojensa sijoituskohteita yritykset painottavat seuraavia kriteereitä: alhaiset jakelukustannukset, kokoamispaikan/valmistustehtaan läheisyys, saapuvan logistiikan integroitavuus ja saatavilla olevat logistiikkapalvelut. Tutkimuksemme lopussa päädymme siihen, että varastojen sijoituspaikat eivät muutu satamien rakenteen ja liikenneyhteyksien takia kovinkaan nopeasti.

Application des méthodes géophysiques à l'étude de deux sites (Kappelen et Grenchen) de l'aquifère poreux complexe du Seeland

L'aquifère du Seeland représente une richesse en ressources hydriques qu'il est impératif de préserver contre tout risque de détérioration. Cet aquifère prolifique est constitué principalement de sédiments alluviaux post-glaciaires (graviers, sables et limons). Il est soumis aux contraintes environnementales des pratiques d'agriculture intensive, du réseau routier, des villes et de leurs activités industrielles. La connaissance optimale de ces ressources est donc primordiale pour leur protection. Dans cette optique, deux sites Kappelen et Grenchen représentatifs de l'aquifère du Seeland ont été étudiés. L'objectif de ce travail est de caractériser d'un point de vue hydrogéophysique l'aquifère au niveau de ces deux sites, c'est-à-dire, comprendre la dynamique des écoulements souterrains par l'application des méthodes électriques de surface associées aux diagraphies en intégrant des méthodes hydrogéologiques. Pour le site de Kappelen, les méthodes électriques de surface ont permis d'identifier les différents faciès géoélectriques en présence et de mettre en évidence leur disposition en une structure tabulaire et horizontale. Il s'agit d'un aquifère libre constitué d'une série de graviers allant jusqu'à 15 m de profondeur reposant sur de la moraine argileuse. Les diagraphies électriques, nucléaires et du fluide ont servis à la détermination des caractéristiques pétrophysiques et hydrauliques de l'aquifère qui contrôlent son comportement hydrodynamique. Les graviers aquifères de Kappelen présentent deux minéraux dominants: quartz et calcite. Les analyses minéralogiques indiquent que ces deux éléments constituent 65 à 75% de la matrice. La porosité totale obtenue par les diagraphies nucléaires varie de 20 à 30 %, et de 22 à 29 % par diagraphies électrique. Avec les faibles valeurs de Gamma Ray ces résultats indiquent que l'aquifère des graviers de Kappelen est dépourvu d'argile minéralogique. La perméabilité obtenue par diagraphies du fluide varie de 3.10-4 à 5.10-2 m/s, et par essais de pompage de 10-4 à 10-2 m/s. Les résultats des analyses granulométriques indiquent une hétérogénéité granulométrique au niveau des graviers aquifères. La fraction de sables, sables très fins, silts et limons constitue de 10 à 40 %. Ces éléments jouent un rôle important dans le comportement hydraulique de l'aquifère. La porosité efficace de 11 à 25% estimée à partir des résultats des analyses granulométriques suppose que les zones les plus perméables correspondent aux zones les plus graveleuses du site. Etablie sur le site de Kappelen, cette méthodologie a été utilisée sur le site de Grenchen. Les méthodes électriques de surface indiquent que l'aquifère captif de Grenchen est constitué des sables silteux comprenant des passages sableux, encadrés par des silts argileux imperméables. L'aquifère de Grenchen est disposé dans une structure relativement tabulaire et horizontale. Son épaisseur totale peut atteindre les 25 m vers le sud et le sud ouest ou les passages sableux sont les plus importants. La détermination des caractéristiques pétrophysiques et hydrauliques s'est faite à l'aide des diagraphies. Les intensités Gamma Ray varient de 30 à 100 cps, les plus fortes valeurs n'indiquent qu'une présence d'éléments argileux mais pas de bancs d'argile. Les porosités totales de 15 à 25% et les densités globales de 2.25 à 2.45 g/cm3 indiquent que la phase minérale (matrice) est composée essentiellement de quartz et de calcaire. Les densités de matrice varient entre 2.65 et 2.75 g/cm3. La perméabilité varie de 2 10-6 à 5 10-4 m/s. La surestimation des porosités totales à partir des diagraphies électriques de 25 à 42% est due à la présence d'argiles. -- The vast alluvial Seeland aquifer system in northwestern Switzerland is subjected to environmental challenges due to intensive agriculture, roads, cities and industrial activities. Optimal knowledge of the hydrological resources of this aquifer system is therefore important for their protection. Two representative sites, Kappelen and Grenchen, of the Seeland aquifer were investigated using surface-based geoelectric methods and geophysical borehole logging methods. By integrating of hydrogeological and hydrogeophysical methods, a reliable characterization of the aquifer system at these two sites can be performed in order to better understand the governing flow and transport process. At the Kappelen site, surface-based geoelectric methods allowed to identify various geoelectric facies and highlighted their tabular and horizontal structure. It is an unconfined aquifer made up of 15 m thick gravels with an important sandy fraction and bounded by a shaly glacial aquitard. Electrical and nuclear logging measurements allow for constraining the petrophysical and hydrological parameters of saturated gravels. Results indicate that in agreement with mineralogical analyses, matrix of the probed formations is dominated by quartz and calcite with densities of 2.65 and 2.71 g/cc, respectively. These two minerals constitute approximately 65 to 75 % of the mineral matrix. Matrix density values vary from 2.60 to 2.75 g/cc. Total porosity values obtained from nuclear logs range from 20 to 30 % and are consistent with those obtained from electrical logs ranging from 22 to 29 %. Together with the inherently low natural gamma radiation and the matrix density values obtained from other nuclear logging measurements, this indicates that at Kappelen site the aquifer is essentially devoid of clay. Hydraulic conductivity values obtained by the Dilution Technique vary between 3.10-4 and 5.10-2 m/s, while pumping tests give values ranging from 10-4 to 10-2 m/s. Grain size analysis of gravel samples collected from boreholes cores reveal significant granulometric heterogeneity of these deposits. Calculations based on these granulometric data have shown that the sand-, silt- and shale-sized fractions constitute between 10 and 40 % of the sample mass. The presence of these fine elements in general and their spatial distribution in particular are important as they largely control the distribution of the total and effective porosity as well as the hydraulic conductivity. Effective porosity values ranging from 11 to 25% estimated from grain size analyses indicate that the zones of higher hydraulic conductivity values correspond to the zones dominated by gravels. The methodology established at the Kappelen site was then applied to the Grenchen site. Results from surface-based geoelectric measurements indicate that it is a confined aquifer made up predominantly of shaly sands with intercalated sand lenses confined impermeable shally clay. The Grenchen confined aquifer has a relatively tabular and horizontal structure with a maximum thickness of 25 m in the south and the southwest with important sand passages. Petrophysical and hydrological characteristics were performed using electrical and nuclear logging. Natural gamma radiation values ranging from 30 to 100 cps indicate presence of a clay fraction but not of pure clay layers. Total porosity values obtained from electrical logs vary form 25 to 42%, whereas those obtained from nuclear logs values vary from 15 to 25%. This over-estimation confirms presences of clays. Density values obtained from nuclear logs varying from 2.25 to 2.45 g/cc in conjunction with the total porosity values indicate that the dominating matrix minerals are quartz and calcite. Matrix density values vary between 2.65 and 2.75 g/cc. Hydraulic conductivity values obtained by the Dilution Technique vary from 2 10-6 to 5 10-4 m/s.

The representation of EFL teachers’ views on the role of English as a Lingua Franca

El creciente número de hablantes no nativos de inglés en el mundo constituye la base a partir de la cual se han hecho recientes afirmaciones alrededor de la necesidad de enfatizar el papel del inglés como lingua franca en las clases de inglés. Este artículo investiga la visión de los profesores catalanes de inglés al respecto mediante un cuestionario centrado en aspectos como la preferencia de profesores nativos o no nativos, el conocimiento cultural idóneo para el profeso- rado de inglés, y la variedad de inglés escogida. Los resultados indican que el profesorado está influido por la supremacía del hablante nativo y una visión del inglés todavía restringida a las comunidades de hablantes nativos, con algunas diferencias significativas encontradas entre distintos grupos de profesores.

Acting, predicting and intervening in a socio-hydrological world

This paper asks a simple question: if humans and their actions co-evolve with hydrological systems (Sivapalan et al., 2012), what is the role of hydrological scientists, who are also humans, within this system? To put it more directly, as traditionally there is a supposed separation of scientists and society, can we maintain this separation as socio-hydrologists studying a socio-hydrological world? This paper argues that we cannot, using four linked sections. The first section draws directly upon the concern of science-technology studies to make a case to the (socio-hydrological) community that we need to be sensitive to constructivist accounts of science in general and socio-hydrology in particular. I review three positions taken by such accounts and apply them to hydrological science, supported with specific examples: (a) the ways in which scientific activities frame socio-hydrological research, such that at least some of the knowledge that we obtain is constructed by precisely what we do; (b) the need to attend to how socio-hydrological knowledge is used in decision-making, as evidence suggests that hydrological knowledge does not flow simply from science into policy; and (c) the observation that those who do not normally label themselves as socio-hydrologists may actually have a profound knowledge of socio-hydrology. The second section provides an empirical basis for considering these three issues by detailing the history of the practice of roughness parameterisation, using parameters like Manning's n, in hydrological and hydraulic models for flood inundation mapping. This history sustains the third section that is a more general consideration of one type of socio-hydrological practice: predictive modelling. I show that as part of a socio-hydrological analysis, hydrological prediction needs to be thought through much more carefully: not only because hydrological prediction exists to help inform decisions that are made about water management; but also because those predictions contain assumptions, the predictions are only correct in so far as those assumptions hold, and for those assumptions to hold, the socio-hydrological system (i.e. the world) has to be shaped so as to include them. Here, I add to the ``normal'' view that ideally our models should represent the world around us, to argue that for our models (and hence our predictions) to be valid, we have to make the world look like our models. Decisions over how the world is modelled may transform the world as much as they represent the world. Thus, socio-hydrological modelling has to become a socially accountable process such that the world is transformed, through the implications of modelling, in a fair and just manner. This leads into the final section of the paper where I consider how socio-hydrological research may be made more socially accountable, in a way that is both sensitive to the constructivist critique (Sect. 1), but which retains the contribution that hydrologists might make to socio-hydrological studies. This includes (1) working with conflict and controversy in hydrological science, rather than trying to eliminate them; (2) using hydrological events to avoid becoming locked into our own frames of explanation and prediction; (3) being empirical and experimental but in a socio-hydrological sense; and (4) co-producing socio-hydrological predictions. I will show how this might be done through a project that specifically developed predictive models for making interventions in river catchments to increase high river flow attenuation. Therein, I found myself becoming detached from my normal disciplinary networks and attached to the co-production of a predictive hydrological model with communities normally excluded from the practice of hydrological science.

Sex-chromosome evolution of Palearctic tree frogs in space and time

Sexual reproduction is nearly universal in eukaryotes and genetic determination of sex prevails among animals. The astonishing diversity of sex-determining systems and sex chromosomes is yet bewildering. Some taxonomic groups possess conserved and dimorphic sex chromosomes, involving a functional copy (e.g. mammals' X, birds' Z) and a degenerated copy (mammals' Y, birds' W), implying that sex- chromosomes are expected to decay. In contrast, others like amphibians, reptiles and fishes yet maintained undifferentiated sex chromosomes. Why such different evolutionary trajectories? In this thesis, we empirically test and characterize the main hypotheses proposed to prevent the genetic decay of sex chromosomes, namely occasional X-Y recombination and frequent sex-chromosome transitions, using the Palearctic radiation of Hyla tree frogs as a model system. We take a phylogeographic and phylogenetic approach to relate sex-chromosome recombination, differentiation, and transitions in a spatial and temporal framework. By reconstructing the recent evolutionary history of the widespread European tree frog H. arborea, we showed that sex chromosomes can recombine in males, preventing their differentiation, a situation that potentially evolves rapidly. At the scale of the entire radiation, X-Y recombination combines with frequent transitions to prevent sex-chromosome degeneration in Hyla: we traced several turnovers of sex-determining system within the last 10My. These rapid changes seem less random than usually assumed: we gathered evidences that one chromosome pair is a sex expert, carrying genes with key role in animal sex determination, and which probably specialized through frequent reuse as a sex chromosome in Hyla and other amphibians. Finally, we took advantage of secondary contact zones between closely-related Hyla lineages to evaluate the consequences of sex chromosome homomorphy on the genetics of speciation. In comparison with other systems, the evolution of sex chromosomes in Hyla emphasized the existence of consistent evolutionary patterns within the chaotic diversity of flexibility of cold-blooded vertebrates' sex-determining systems, and provides insights into the evolution of recombination. Beyond sex-chromosome evolution, this work also significantly contributed to speciation, phylogeography and applied conservation research. -- La reproduction sexuée est quasi-universelle chez les eucaryotes et le sexe est le plus souvent déterminé génétiquement au sein du règne animal. L'incroyable diversité des systèmes de reproduction et des chromosomes sexuels est particulièrement étonnante. Certains groupes taxonomiques possèdent des chromosomes sexuels dimorphiques et très conservés, avec une copie entièrement fonctionnelle (ex : le X des mammifères, le Z des oiseaux) et une copie dégénérée (ex : le Y des mammifères, le W des oiseaux), suggérant que les chromosomes sexuels sont voués à se détériorer. Cependant les chromosomes sexuels d'autres groupes tels que les amphibiens, les reptiles et les poissons sont pour la plupart indifférenciés. Comment expliquer des trajectoires évolutives si différentes? Au cours de cette thèse, nous avons étudié empiriquement les processus évolutifs pouvant maintenir les chromosomes sexuels intacts, à savoir la recombinaison X-Y occasionnel ainsi que les substitutions fréquentes de chromosomes sexuels, en utilisant les rainettes Paléarctiques du genre Hyla comme modèle d'étude. Nous avons adopté une approche phylogéographique et phylogénétique pour appréhender les événements de recombinaison, de différenciation et de transitions de chromosomes sexuels dans un contexte spatio-temporel. En retraçant l'histoire évolutive récente de la rainette verte H. arborea, nous avons mis en évidence que les chromosomes sexuels pouvaient recombiner chez les mâles, empêchant ainsi leur différenciation, et que ce processus avait le potentiel d'évoluer très rapidement. A l'échelle plus globale de la radiation, il apparait que les phénomènes de recombinaison X-Y soient également accompagnés de substitutions de chromosomes sexuels, et participent de concert au maintien de chromosomes sexuels intacts dans les populations: le système de détermination du sexe des rainettes a changé plusieurs fois au cours des 10 derniers millions d'années. Ces transitions fréquentes ne semblent pas aléatoires: nous avons identifié une paire de chromosomes qui présente des caractéristiques présageant d'une spécialisation dans le déterminisme du sexe (notamment car elle possède des gènes importants pour cette fonction), et qui a été réutilisée plusieurs fois comme tel chez les rainettes ainsi que d'autres amphibiens. Enfin, nous avons étudié l'hybridation entre différentes espèces dans leurs zones de contact, afin d'évaluer si l'absence de différenciation entre X et Y jouaient un rôle dans les processus génétiques de spéciation. Outre son intérêt pour la compréhension de l'évolution des chromosomes sexuels, ce travail contribue de manière significative à d'autres domaines de recherche tels que la spéciation, la phylogéographie, ainsi que la biologie de la conservation.

An embedded real-time red peach detection system based on an OV7670 camera, ARM Cortex-M4 processor and 3D Look-Up Tables

This work proposes the development of an embedded real-time fruit detection system for future automatic fruit harvesting. The proposed embedded system is based on an ARM Cortex-M4 (STM32F407VGT6) processor and an Omnivision OV7670 color camera. The future goal of this embedded vision system will be to control a robotized arm to automatically select and pick some fruit directly from the tree. The complete embedded system has been designed to be placed directly in the gripper tool of the future robotized harvesting arm. The embedded system will be able to perform real-time fruit detection and tracking by using a three-dimensional look-up-table (LUT) defined in the RGB color space and optimized for fruit picking. Additionally, two different methodologies for creating optimized 3D LUTs based on existing linear color models and fruit histograms were implemented in this work and compared for the case of red peaches. The resulting system is able to acquire general and zoomed orchard images and to update the relative tracking information of a red peach in the tree ten times per second.

Proyecto de inserción sociolaboral centro penitenciario de Pamplona

Este proyecto de intervención se basa en la elaboración y diseño de un Proyecto de Inserción Sociolaboral, aplicado a un caso real localizado en el Centro Penitenciario de Pamplona; la población diana es un grupo de internas entre 18 y 45 años. El objetivo general de este proyecto es: “capacitar a las internas en técnicas y habilidades encaminadas a lograr un alto grado de autonomía personal para la integración en el mercado laboral y a la sociedad”. El proyecto está dividido en diferentes partes: a) marco teórico como base conceptualizadora para la construcción del proyecto, b) el diagnóstico, a partir de la aplicación de diferentes técnicas cualitativas y cuantitativas, c) formulación del proyecto, d) aplicación y e) evaluación del mismo. El proyecto pretende mostrar y concienciar sobre la situación actual del colectivo penitenciario en relación al ámbito laboral, mostrando cuáles son sus necesidades y las que les dificultan de cara a su integración laboral al salir de prisión, y por lo tanto, de cara a su mejor integración social. Se pretende trasladar a la sociedad a nivel general y en especial, al resto de centros penitenciarios, la importancia que tiene realizar este tipo de intervenciones y proyectos desde prisión.

Effects of Dietary Fat Oxidation Products and Flavonols on Lipoprotein Oxidation

Various studies suggest that oxidative modifications of low density lipoprotein (LDL), and also other lipoproteins, have an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. In addition to the oxidation products formed endogenously, oxidised triacylglycerols (TAG) and oxysterols in the diet contribute to the oxidised lipoproteins found in circulation. However, studies on both the effect of oxidised dietary lipids on lipoprotein lipid oxidation and the reactions that modify oxidised fat after ingestion have been scarce. Studies on the effects of dietary antioxidants on the lipid oxidation in vivo and the risk of atherosclerosis have been inconclusive. More clinical trials are needed to test the importance of lipoprotein oxidation as a cardiovascular risk factor in humans. In the recent years, various methods have been optimised and applied to the analysis of lipid oxidation products in vivo, and information on the molecular structures of oxidised lipids in plasma, lipoproteins and atherosclerotic plaques has started to accumulate. However, specific structures of oxidised TAG molecules present in these tissues and lipoprotein fractions have not been investigated earlier. In the orginal research in this thesis, an approach based on highperformance liquid chromatographyelectrospray ionisationmass spectrometry (HPLCESIMS) and baseline diene conjugation (BDC) methods was used in order to investigate lipid oxidation level and oxidised TAG molecular structures in pig and human lipoproteins after dietary interventions. The approach was optimised with human LDL samples, which contained various oxidation products of TAG. LDL particles of hyperlipidaemic subjects contained an elevated amount of conjugated dienes. In the pig studies, several oxidised TAG structures with hydroxy, keto, epoxy or aldehydic groups were found in chylomicrons and VLDL after diets rich in sunflower seed oil. Also, the results showed that oxidised sunflower seed oil increased the oxidation of lipoprotein lipids and their TAG molecules. TAG hydroperoxides could be detected neither in the small intestinal mucosa of the pigs fed on the oxidised oil nor in their chylomicrons or VLDL.6 In the clinical studies, dietary flavonol aglycones extracted from sea buckthorn berries did not have an effect on lipoprotein lipid oxidation and other potential risk factors of atherosclerosis, but their absorption was demonstrated. Oil supplementation seemed to increase the bioavailability of the flavonols. Oxidised TAG molecules were detected in LDL particles of the subjects after both flavonol and control diets.

A parameterization method for the computation of invariant tori and their whiskers in quasi-periodic maps: explorations and mechanisms for the breakdown of hyperbolicity

In two previous papers [J. Differential Equations, 228 (2006), pp. 530 579; Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst. Ser. B, 6 (2006), pp. 1261 1300] we have developed fast algorithms for the computations of invariant tori in quasi‐periodic systems and developed theorems that assess their accuracy. In this paper, we study the results of implementing these algorithms and study their performance in actual implementations. More importantly, we note that, due to the speed of the algorithms and the theoretical developments about their reliability, we can compute with confidence invariant objects close to the breakdown of their hyperbolicity properties. This allows us to identify a mechanism of loss of hyperbolicity and measure some of its quantitative regularities. We find that some systems lose hyperbolicity because the stable and unstable bundles approach each other but the Lyapunov multipliers remain away from 1. We find empirically that, close to the breakdown, the distances between the invariant bundles and the Lyapunov multipliers which are natural measures of hyperbolicity depend on the parameters, with power laws with universal exponents. We also observe that, even if the rigorous justifications in [J. Differential Equations, 228 (2006), pp. 530-579] are developed only for hyperbolic tori, the algorithms work also for elliptic tori in Hamiltonian systems. We can continue these tori and also compute some bifurcations at resonance which may lead to the existence of hyperbolic tori with nonorientable bundles. We compute manifolds tangent to nonorientable bundles.

Exploring transparent approaches to the authentication of signatures on artwork

This thesis is composed of three main parts. The first consists of a state of the art of the different notions that are significant to understand the elements surrounding art authentication in general, and of signatures in particular, and that the author deemed them necessary to fully grasp the microcosm that makes up this particular market. Individuals with a solid knowledge of the art and expertise area, and that are particularly interested in the present study are advised to advance directly to the fourth Chapter. The expertise of the signature, it's reliability, and the factors impacting the expert's conclusions are brought forward. The final aim of the state of the art is to offer a general list of recommendations based on an exhaustive review of the current literature and given in light of all of the exposed issues. These guidelines are specifically formulated for the expertise of signatures on paintings, but can also be applied to wider themes in the area of signature examination. The second part of this thesis covers the experimental stages of the research. It consists of the method developed to authenticate painted signatures on works of art. This method is articulated around several main objectives: defining measurable features on painted signatures and defining their relevance in order to establish the separation capacities between groups of authentic and simulated signatures. For the first time, numerical analyses of painted signatures have been obtained and are used to attribute their authorship to given artists. An in-depth discussion of the developed method constitutes the third and final part of this study. It evaluates the opportunities and constraints when applied by signature and handwriting experts in forensic science. A brief summary covering each chapter allows a rapid overview of the study and summarizes the aims and main themes of each chapter. These outlines presented below summarize the aims and main themes addressed in each chapter. Part I - Theory Chapter 1 exposes legal aspects surrounding the authentication of works of art by art experts. The definition of what is legally authentic, the quality and types of the experts that can express an opinion concerning the authorship of a specific painting, and standard deontological rules are addressed. The practices applied in Switzerland will be specifically dealt with. Chapter 2 presents an overview of the different scientific analyses that can be carried out on paintings (from the canvas to the top coat). Scientific examinations of works of art have become more common, as more and more museums equip themselves with laboratories, thus an understanding of their role in the art authentication process is vital. The added value that a signature expertise can have in comparison to other scientific techniques is also addressed. Chapter 3 provides a historical overview of the signature on paintings throughout the ages, in order to offer the reader an understanding of the origin of the signature on works of art and its evolution through time. An explanation is given on the transitions that the signature went through from the 15th century on and how it progressively took on its widely known modern form. Both this chapter and chapter 2 are presented to show the reader the rich sources of information that can be provided to describe a painting, and how the signature is one of these sources. Chapter 4 focuses on the different hypotheses the FHE must keep in mind when examining a painted signature, since a number of scenarios can be encountered when dealing with signatures on works of art. The different forms of signatures, as well as the variables that may have an influence on the painted signatures, are also presented. Finally, the current state of knowledge of the examination procedure of signatures in forensic science in general, and in particular for painted signatures, is exposed. The state of the art of the assessment of the authorship of signatures on paintings is established and discussed in light of the theoretical facets mentioned previously. Chapter 5 considers key elements that can have an impact on the FHE during his or her2 examinations. This includes a discussion on elements such as the skill, confidence and competence of an expert, as well as the potential bias effects he might encounter. A better understanding of elements surrounding handwriting examinations, to, in turn, better communicate results and conclusions to an audience, is also undertaken. Chapter 6 reviews the judicial acceptance of signature analysis in Courts and closes the state of the art section of this thesis. This chapter brings forward the current issues pertaining to the appreciation of this expertise by the non- forensic community, and will discuss the increasing number of claims of the unscientific nature of signature authentication. The necessity to aim for more scientific, comprehensive and transparent authentication methods will be discussed. The theoretical part of this thesis is concluded by a series of general recommendations for forensic handwriting examiners in forensic science, specifically for the expertise of signatures on paintings. These recommendations stem from the exhaustive review of the literature and the issues exposed from this review and can also be applied to the traditional examination of signatures (on paper). Part II - Experimental part Chapter 7 describes and defines the sampling, extraction and analysis phases of the research. The sampling stage of artists' signatures and their respective simulations are presented, followed by the steps that were undertaken to extract and determine sets of characteristics, specific to each artist, that describe their signatures. The method is based on a study of five artists and a group of individuals acting as forgers for the sake of this study. Finally, the analysis procedure of these characteristics to assess of the strength of evidence, and based on a Bayesian reasoning process, is presented. Chapter 8 outlines the results concerning both the artist and simulation corpuses after their optical observation, followed by the results of the analysis phase of the research. The feature selection process and the likelihood ratio evaluation are the main themes that are addressed. The discrimination power between both corpuses is illustrated through multivariate analysis. Part III - Discussion Chapter 9 discusses the materials, the methods, and the obtained results of the research. The opportunities, but also constraints and limits, of the developed method are exposed. Future works that can be carried out subsequent to the results of the study are also presented. Chapter 10, the last chapter of this thesis, proposes a strategy to incorporate the model developed in the last chapters into the traditional signature expertise procedures. Thus, the strength of this expertise is discussed in conjunction with the traditional conclusions reached by forensic handwriting examiners in forensic science. Finally, this chapter summarizes and advocates a list of formal recommendations for good practices for handwriting examiners. In conclusion, the research highlights the interdisciplinary aspect of signature examination of signatures on paintings. The current state of knowledge of the judicial quality of art experts, along with the scientific and historical analysis of paintings and signatures, are overviewed to give the reader a feel of the different factors that have an impact on this particular subject. The temperamental acceptance of forensic signature analysis in court, also presented in the state of the art, explicitly demonstrates the necessity of a better recognition of signature expertise by courts of law. This general acceptance, however, can only be achieved by producing high quality results through a well-defined examination process. This research offers an original approach to attribute a painted signature to a certain artist: for the first time, a probabilistic model used to measure the discriminative potential between authentic and simulated painted signatures is studied. The opportunities and limits that lie within this method of scientifically establishing the authorship of signatures on works of art are thus presented. In addition, the second key contribution of this work proposes a procedure to combine the developed method into that used traditionally signature experts in forensic science. Such an implementation into the holistic traditional signature examination casework is a large step providing the forensic, judicial and art communities with a solid-based reasoning framework for the examination of signatures on paintings. The framework and preliminary results associated with this research have been published (Montani, 2009a) and presented at international forensic science conferences (Montani, 2009b; Montani, 2012).

Friedman's Excess energy and the McMillan-Mayer theory of solutions:Thermodynamics

In his version of the theory of multicomponent systems, Friedman used the analogy which exists between the virial expansion for the osmotic pressure obtained from the McMillan-Mayer (MM) theory of solutions in the grand canonical ensemble and the virial expansion for the pressure of a real gas. For the calculation of the thermodynamic properties of the solution, Friedman proposed a definition for the"excess free energy" that is a reminder of the ancient idea for the"osmotic work". However, the precise meaning to be attached to his free energy is, within other reasons, not well defined because in osmotic equilibrium the solution is not a closed system and for a given process the total amount of solvent in the solution varies. In this paper, an analysis based on thermodynamics is presented in order to obtain the exact and precise definition for Friedman"s excess free energy and its use in the comparison with the experimental data.

Sherali-Adams Relaxations and Indistinguishability in Counting Logics

Two graphs with adjacency matrices $\mathbf{A}$ and $\mathbf{B}$ are isomorphic if there exists a permutation matrix $\mathbf{P}$ for which the identity $\mathbf{P}^{\mathrm{T}} \mathbf{A} \mathbf{P} = \mathbf{B}$ holds. Multiplying through by $\mathbf{P}$ and relaxing the permutation matrix to a doubly stochastic matrix leads to the linear programming relaxation known as fractional isomorphism. We show that the levels of the Sherali--Adams (SA) hierarchy of linear programming relaxations applied to fractional isomorphism interleave in power with the levels of a well-known color-refinement heuristic for graph isomorphism called the Weisfeiler--Lehman algorithm, or, equivalently, with the levels of indistinguishability in a logic with counting quantifiers and a bounded number of variables. This tight connection has quite striking consequences. For example, it follows immediately from a deep result of Grohe in the context of logics with counting quantifiers that a fixed number of levels of SA suffice to determine isomorphism of planar and minor-free graphs. We also offer applications in both finite model theory and polyhedral combinatorics. First, we show that certain properties of graphs, such as that of having a flow circulation of a prescribed value, are definable in the infinitary logic with counting with a bounded number of variables. Second, we exploit a lower bound construction due to Cai, Fürer, and Immerman in the context of counting logics to give simple explicit instances that show that the SA relaxations of the vertex-cover and cut polytopes do not reach their integer hulls for up to $\Omega(n)$ levels, where $n$ is the number of vertices in the graph.

Single breath-hold 3D measurement of left atrial volume using compressed sensing cardiovascular magnetic resonance and a non-model-based reconstruction approach.

BACKGROUND: Left atrial (LA) dilatation is associated with a large variety of cardiac diseases. Current cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) strategies to measure LA volumes are based on multi-breath-hold multi-slice acquisitions, which are time-consuming and susceptible to misregistration. AIM: To develop a time-efficient single breath-hold 3D CMR acquisition and reconstruction method to precisely measure LA volumes and function. METHODS: A highly accelerated compressed-sensing multi-slice cine sequence (CS-cineCMR) was combined with a non-model-based 3D reconstruction method to measure LA volumes with high temporal and spatial resolution during a single breath-hold. This approach was validated in LA phantoms of different shapes and applied in 3 patients. In addition, the influence of slice orientations on accuracy was evaluated in the LA phantoms for the new approach in comparison with a conventional model-based biplane area-length reconstruction. As a reference in patients, a self-navigated high-resolution whole-heart 3D dataset (3D-HR-CMR) was acquired during mid-diastole to yield accurate LA volumes. RESULTS: Phantom studies. LA volumes were accurately measured by CS-cineCMR with a mean difference of -4.73 ± 1.75 ml (-8.67 ± 3.54%, r2 = 0.94). For the new method the calculated volumes were not significantly different when different orientations of the CS-cineCMR slices were applied to cover the LA phantoms. Long-axis "aligned" vs "not aligned" with the phantom long-axis yielded similar differences vs the reference volume (-4.87 ± 1.73 ml vs. -4.45 ± 1.97 ml, p = 0.67) and short-axis "perpendicular" vs. "not-perpendicular" with the LA long-axis (-4.72 ± 1.66 ml vs. -4.75 ± 2.13 ml; p = 0.98). The conventional bi-plane area-length method was susceptible for slice orientations (p = 0.0085 for the interaction of "slice orientation" and "reconstruction technique", 2-way ANOVA for repeated measures). To use the 3D-HR-CMR as the reference for LA volumes in patients, it was validated in the LA phantoms (mean difference: -1.37 ± 1.35 ml, -2.38 ± 2.44%, r2 = 0.97). Patient study: The CS-cineCMR LA volumes of the mid-diastolic frame matched closely with the reference LA volume (measured by 3D-HR-CMR) with a difference of -2.66 ± 6.5 ml (3.0% underestimation; true LA volumes: 63 ml, 62 ml, and 395 ml). Finally, a high intra- and inter-observer agreement for maximal and minimal LA volume measurement is also shown. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed method combines a highly accelerated single-breathhold compressed-sensing multi-slice CMR technique with a non-model-based 3D reconstruction to accurately and reproducibly measure LA volumes and function.

Testing and Monitoring Mill Connection Messages

Tarve tälle työlle on noussut sanomapalvelinsoveluksissa (servers) esiintyvistä ongelmista. Sanomapalvelinsovelluksia käytetään lähettämään ja vastaanottamaan sanomia paperiteollisuuden myynnin ja jakelun järjestelmässä maantieteellisesti erillään olevista paperiteollisuuden tehtaista. Sanomapalvelinsovelusten kunnollinen toimivuus on tärkeää koko järjestelmän toimivuuden kannalta, koska nämä palvelimet käsittelevät päivittäin tuhansia sanomia, jotka sisältävät merkityksellistä järjestelmätietoa. Tässä työssä on tutkittu mahdollisia toteutustekniikoita ja näihin tutkimuksiin pohjautuen toteutettu työkalut sanomapalvelinsovellusten testaukseen ja valvontaan. Sovellus-arkkituuritekniikoita tutkittaessa tutkimus rajattiin 3-tasoarkkitehtuuritekniikkaan, erityisesti TUXEDOTM -järjestelmätekniikkaan, koska toteutettavaa sovellusta käytetään hajautetussa sovellusympäristössä. Sovellusasiakkaan (client) toteutusta varten tutkittiin ja vertailtiin XML-tekniikkaa ja Microsoft Visual C++ -tekniikkaa käytettynä Tieto-Enatorin Phobos Interaktiivisen C++ -luokkakirjaston kanssa. XML-tekniikoita sekä Visual C++ ja Phobos-luokkakirjasto –tekniikkaa tutkittiin niiltä osin, mitä tarvittiin sanomamerkkijonojen katseluun. XML-tietokantatekniikoita tutkittiin mahdollisena vaihtoehtona tietokanta ja sovelluspalvelintekniikalle. Työn ensimmäisenä tavoitteena oli toteuttaa työkalu sanomapalvelinsovellusten testaamiseen. Toisena tavoitteena oli toteuttaa työkalu sanomien sisällön oikeellisuuden valvontaan. Kolmantena tavoitteena oli analysoida olemassaolevaa sanomavirheiden valvontasovellusta ja kehittää sitä eteenpäin. Diplomityön tuloksena toteutettiin sovellus sanomapalvelinsovellusten testaamiseen ja valvontaan. Tutkituista asiakassovelustekniikoista valittiin toteutus-tekniikaksi MS Visual C++ käytettynä Phobos Interaktiivisen C++ luokkakirjaston kanssa tekniikan tunnettavuuden vuoksi. 3-taso TUXEDOTM-tekniikka valittiin sovelluksen arkkitehtuuriksi. Lisäksi löydettiin parannuksia olemassa oleviin sanoma-virheiden valvontatoimintoihin. Tutkitut toteutustekniikat ovat yleisiä ja niitä voidaan käyttää, kun toteutetaan samanlaisia sovelluksia samanlaisiin sovellusympäristöihin.