Automatic Prediction of Facial Trait Judgments: Appearance vs. Structural Models

Evaluating other individuals with respect to personality characteristics plays a crucial role in human relations and it is the focus of attention for research in diverse fields such as psychology and interactive computer systems. In psychology, face perception has been recognized as a key component of this evaluation system. Multiple studies suggest that observers use face information to infer personality characteristics. Interactive computer systems are trying to take advantage of these findings and apply them to increase the natural aspect of interaction and to improve the performance of interactive computer systems. Here, we experimentally test whether the automatic prediction of facial trait judgments (e.g. dominance) can be made by using the full appearance information of the face and whether a reduced representation of its structure is sufficient. We evaluate two separate approaches: a holistic representation model using the facial appearance information and a structural model constructed from the relations among facial salient points. State of the art machine learning methods are applied to a) derive a facial trait judgment model from training data and b) predict a facial trait value for any face. Furthermore, we address the issue of whether there are specific structural relations among facial points that predict perception of facial traits. Experimental results over a set of labeled data (9 different trait evaluations) and classification rules (4 rules) suggest that a) prediction of perception of facial traits is learnable by both holistic and structural approaches; b) the most reliable prediction of facial trait judgments is obtained by certain type of holistic descriptions of the face appearance; and c) for some traits such as attractiveness and extroversion, there are relationships between specific structural features and social perceptions.

The INTERNORM Project: Bridging Two Worlds of Expert- and Lay-Knowledge in Standardization

This paper presents a pilot project to reinforce participatory practices in standardization. The INTERNORM project creates an interactive knowledge center based on the sharing of academic skills and experiences accumulated by the civil society, especially consumer associations, environmental associations and trade unions to strengthen the participatory process of standardization. The first objective of the project is action-oriented: INTERNORM provides a common knowledge pool supporting the participation of civil society actors to international standard-setting activities by bringing them together with academic experts in working groups and providing logistic and financial support to their participation in meetings of national and international technical committees. The second objective is analytical: the standardization action provides a research field for a better understanding of the participatory dynamics underpinning international standardization. This paper presents three incentives that explain civil society (non-)involvement in standardization that overcome conventional resource-based hypotheses: an operational incentive related to the use of standards in the selective goods provided by associations to their membership; a thematic incentive provided by the setting of priorities by strategic committees created in some standardization organization; and a rhetorical incentive related to the discursive resource that civil society concerns offers to the different stakeholders.

Analysing Professional Discourse in Interactive Learning: Integrating Historical and Situational Perspectives

Peer-reviewed

Trophic resource partitioning and competition between the two sibling bat species Myotis myotis and Myotis blythii

1. Niche theory predicts that the stable coexistence of species within a guild should be associated, if resources are limited, with a mechanism of resource partitioning. Using extensive data on diets, the present study attempts: (i) to test the hypothesis that, in sympatry, the interspecific overlap between the trophic niches of the sibling bat species Myotis myotis and M. blythii-which coexist intimately in their roosts-is effectively lower than the two intraspecific overlaps; (ii) to assess the role played by interspecific competition in resource partitioning through the study of trophic niche displacement between several sympatric and allopatric populations. 2. Diets were determined by the analysis of faecal samples collected in the field from individual bats captured in various geographical areas. Trophic niche overlaps were calculated monthly for all possible intraspecific and interspecific pairs of individuals from sympatric populations. Niche breadth was estimated from: (i) every faecal sample; (ii) all the faecal samples collected per month in a given population (geographical area). 3. In every population, the bulk of the diets of M. myotis and M. blythii consisted of, respectively, terrestrial (e.g. carabid beetles) and grass-dwelling (mostly bush crickets) prey. All intraspecific trophic niche overlaps were significantly greater than the interspecific one, except in Switzerland in May when both species exploited mass concentrations of cockchafers, a non-limiting food source. This clearcut partitioning of resources may allow the stable, intimate coexistence observed under sympatric conditions. 4. Relative proportions of ground-and grass-dwelling prey, as well as niche breadths (either individual or population), did not differ significantly between sympatry and allopatry, showing that, under allopatric conditions, niche expansion does not take place. This suggests that active interspecific competition is not the underlying mechanism responsible for the niche partitioning which is currently observed between M. myotis and M. blythii.

Organisaation tiedonhallinta - Kodifiointi ja henkilöltä henkilölle -strategia

Työssä tarkastellaan kahta vaihtoehtoista tiedonhallinta-strategiaa; kodifiointia ja henkilöltä henkilölle -strategiaa. Molempia strategioita analysoidaan, ja pohditaan organisaation päätöksentekoperusteita strategian valinnalle. Kodifiointi-strategiaa tutkitaan henkilöltä henkilölle -strategiaa perusteellisemmin. Strategioita tutkitaan muun muassa SWOT -analyysin avulla, sekä organisaation että käsiteltävän tiedon erityispiirteitä silmällä pitäen. Työssä tutustutaan myös tiedonhallinta-strategian suunnitteluun ja toteutukseen, sekä hahmotellaan tiedonhallinta-strategian evoluutiota. Myös tietoa ja sen luonnetta tarkastellaan yhtenä organisaation tärkeimmistä resursseista.

Portfolion allokointi Euroopan markkinoilla: toimiala- vai maakohtainen strategia?

Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on selvittää, kumpi on suomalaisen sijoittajan näkökulmasta tehokkaampi tapa allokoida portfolio Euroopan alueelle, maa- vai toimialalähestymistapa. Tätä tutkitaan käyttämällä aineistoa vuosilta 1999-2003. Tilanne ennen vuotta 1999 on aikaisempien tutkimusten perusteella melko hyvin selvillä, joten tutkimus antaa tuoretta tietoa siitä, miten poikkeuksellinen tuottohistoria vaikuttaa portfolion allokointiin. Aihetta tutkitaan käyttämällä 16 Euroopan alueen maaindeksiä ja kymmentä toimialaindeksiä. Indeksit ovat logaritmisia nettotuottoindeksejä, ja niistä on laskettu korrelaatiot, keskihajonnat sekä tehokkaat rintamat. Indekseistä on myös muodostettu 11 esimerkkiportfoliota, joiden avulla on analysoitu erilaisten portfolioiden suorituskykyä. Tuloksien mukaan maakohtaisella sijoitusstrategialla on etenkin laskevilla markkinoilla mahdollisuus saavuttaa parempi riski/tuotto-suhde, vaikka sijoitettaisiin pelkästään toimialoihin, joita yleisen käsityksen mukaan kannattaa suosia laskevilla markkinoilla. Toimialasijoittaminen taas tarjoaa hieman parempia mahdollisuuksia portfolion hajautukseen. Hajautuksen hyödyt suomalaiselle sijoittajalle tulivat tutkimuksessa selvästi esiin. Toimialasijoittamisesta on suomalaiselle sijoittajalle erityistä hyötyä hajautuksen kannalta, koska näin voidaan valita toimialoja, joiden paino Suomen markkinaindeksissä on vähäinen.

Organisaation strategian mukainen uudistumiskyky case: KM-factor -mittaus Itäisessä tullipiirissä

Tutkielman tarkoituksena on tutkia case-organisaationa toimivan Itäisen tullipiirin strategista uudistumiskykyä. Minkälaiset lähtökohdat organisaatiolla on kohdata tulevaisuuden haasteet omassa toimintaympäristössään ja minkälaisia esteitä uudistumiselle löytyy? Pärjätäkseen kiristyvässä kilpailussa on uudistumiseen vaikuttavien tekijöiden, kuten osaamisen, tiedon kulun, johtamisen ja suhteiden tunnistaminen ja hyödyntäminen ensiarvoisen tärkeää myös julkishallinnon organisaatioille. Tässä tutkielmassa uudistumiskykyä tarkastellaan kolmiulotteisen organisaatiomallin (mekaaninen, orgaaninen ja dynaaminen) valossa ja kehittämistoimien lähtökohtana pidetään organisaation omaa strategista fokusta. Tutkimus- ja tiedonkeruumenetelminä käytetään kvantitatiiviseksi luokiteltavaa, sähköisessä muodossa tehtävää KM-factor -kyselyä ja kvalitatiivista teemahaastattelua. Tutkimustulokset antavat strategisesti tärkeää tietoa case-organisaation nykytilasta; sen heikkouksista ja vahvuuksista. Tulosten perusteella organisaation toimintatapa on melko yhtenäinen ja strategisen fokuksensa, eli orgaanisen toimintaympäristön vaatimusten mukainen. Kehittämistoimia tulee kuitenkin kohdentaa erityisesti henkilöstön strategian mukaisen osaamisen ja esimiesten tiedon kulun lisäämiseen sekä yleisesti työmotivaatiotason nostamiseen koko kohdeorganisaatiossa. Organisaatiossa on luotava käytäntöjä, jotka tukevat avoimen tiedon kulun ilmapiiriä ja dialogimaista kommunikointia, jotta organisaation uudistumiskyky yhtenäisenä systeeminä parantuisi entisestään.

Sinisen meren strategia kilpailuedun näkökulmasta

Tutkielman tavoitteena on kuvata Sulake Corporation Oyj:n päätymistä kilpailemattomalle markkina-alueelle eli siniselle merelle Habbo Hotel — tuotteen avulla. Tutkimusongelmana on, mitä toimenpiteitä sinisen meren strategian toteutuminen vaatii. Tutkimusongelmaan on pyritty vastaamaan tarkastelemalla tutkimuskohteen kilpailuedun luomista ja tarkastelussa on hyödynnetty sinisen meren strategiaa sekä ulkoista ja sisäistä ympäristöä kilpailuedun lähteenä. Tutkielma on tehty kvalitatiivisella tutkimusmenetelmällä ja aineistoa on kerätty teemahaastattelulla, yrityksen Iehdistötiedotteista, seminaariesityksistä sekä julkisista aineistoista. Käytettyjen tutkimusmenetelmien sekä analyysin kautta saadut tutkimustulokset kuvaavat tavoitteen mukaisesti niitä tekijöitä, jotka ovat vaikuttaneet kilpailemattomalle markkina-alueelle päätymiseen. Johtopäätöksenä voidaan esittää, että kilpailemattomalle markkina-alueelle päätymisen syyksi ei tässä tapauksessa voida osoittaa mitään yksittäistä syytä tai kilpailuetua. Näin ollen tämän tutkimuksen valossa voidaan todeta, että kilpailematonta markkina-aluetta ei ole mandollista järjestelmällisesti luoda. Kilpailua ei myöskään saada merkityksettömäksi, vaikka yritys olisikin kilpailemattomalla markkina-alueella. Arvoinnovaation seurauksena yrityksen on kuitenkin mandollista toteuttaa samanaikaisesti kahta kilpailustrategiaa; kustannusjohtajuutta sekä differointia.

Sinisen meren strategia kilpailuedun näkökulmasta

Tutkielman tavoitteena on kuvata Sulake Corporation Oyj:n päätymistä kilpailemattomalle markkina-alueelle eli siniselle merelle Habbo Hotel – tuotteen avulla. Tutkimusongelmana on, mitä toimenpiteitä sinisen meren strategian toteutuminen vaatii. Tutkimusongelmaan on pyritty vastaamaan tarkastelemalla tutkimuskohteen kilpailuedun luomista ja tarkastelussa on hyödynnetty sinisen meren strategiaa sekä ulkoista ja sisäistä ympäristöä kilpailuedun lähteenä. Tutkielma on tehty kvalitatiivisella tutkimusmenetelmällä ja aineistoa on kerätty teemahaastattelulla, yrityksen lehdistötiedotteista, seminaariesityksistä sekä julkisista aineistoista. Käytettyjen tutkimusmenetelmien sekä analyysin kautta saadut tutkimustulokset kuvaavat tavoitteen mukaisesti niitä tekijöitä, jotka ovat vaikuttaneet kilpailemattomalle markkina-alueelle päätymiseen. Johtopäätöksenä voidaan esittää, että kilpailemattomalle markkinaalueelle päätymisen syyksi ei tässä tapauksessa voida osoittaa mitään yksittäistä syytä tai kilpailuetua. Näin ollen tämän tutkimuksen valossa voidaan todeta, että kilpailematonta markkina-aluetta ei ole mahdollista järjestelmällisesti luoda. Kilpailua ei myöskään saada merkityksettömäksi, vaikka yritys olisikin kilpailemattomalla markkina-alueella. Arvoinnovaation seurauksena yrityksen on kuitenkin mahdollista toteuttaa samanaikaisesti kahta kilpailustrategiaa; kustannusjohtajuutta sekä differointia.

The Pelosi-type versus the modified Misgav-Ladach: a randomized trial of two surgical techniques for cesarean section

Cesarean section (CS) is now the most common major surgical procedure performed on women worldwide. A quarter of deliveries in Spain are performed by cesarean section. With the increasing rates of the operation, there is the need to use evidence-based techniques to optimize outcomes and minimize complications. The goal of this study is to employ a well-designed randomized controlled trial to evaluate the intraoperative blood loss of two surgical techniques for cesarean section, the Pelosi-type and the modified Misgav-Ladach. The trial will take place in Hospital Universitari de Girona Dr. Josep Trueta From 2014 to 2015, 512 pregnant women undergoing delivery by their first lower segment cesarean section in this center will be selected through a consecutive nonprobability sampling. We will collect the main obstetrical characteristics, intraoperative outcomes, short-term outcomes for the baby and postoperative outcomes. We will evaluate the intraoperative blood loss by comparing the changes in hemoglobin levels, pre and postoperatively. Patients will be followed during the postoperative period and in a two-week postoperative appointment. We will analyze the continuous variables, such as the differences in hemoglobin levels, using an unpaired two-sided Student’s t-test, while for the categorical variables Fischer’s exact test will be used

Disseny i elaboració d'un gimnàs on-line

L’evolució que ha experimentat la societat, les grans ciutats, la industrialització i molts altres factors han modificat l’estil de vida de les persones accentuant-ne, irremediablement, el sedentarisme i l’abstinència de realitzar exercici físic. La pràctica esportiva i/o d’exercici físic realitzada sota les condicions recomanades pels professionals, és beneficiosa per millorar el nivell de salut o mantenir-lo en tot el possible, ja que provoca modificacions beneficioses sobre el metabolisme, el sistema cardiovascular i l’aparell locomotor. Lamentablement, l’hàbit de realitzar exercici físic no és comú en totes les persones, ja sigui per l’estil de vida que genera incompatibilitats d’horaris amb la feina, fills i familiars o bé per mandra o desgana d’haver d’aprofitar aquelles estones de temps lliure per dedicar-los al culte del cos i de la salut. Els efectes negatius que suposa una modalitat de vida sedentària per a la salut són notablement elevats, amb la qual cosa, cal buscar sistemes per augmentar l’ interès de la població per la pràctica de l’esport i l’activitat física. La creació d’aquest projecte neix de la idea d’unir el fet d’enginyar un mètode per incrementar l’interès de les persones per l’exercici físic amb els avenços tecnològics que s’han realitzat aquesta última dècada relacionats amb el desenvolupament web i multimèdia. A grans trets, la idea general d’aquest projecte es basa en el cas d’un gimnàs real i en actiu, amb necessitat de crear un portal web que serveixi alhora de pàgina web informativa i d’eina de gestió acadèmica del centre proporcionant certes funcionalitats als clients tot presentant-los una nova modalitat de realitzar exercici físic dirigit: realitzar-lo des de casa. Per desenvolupar tot el sistema informàtic que ho durà a terme, després de realitzar una recerca, anàlisi i elecció de les eines mitjançant les quals poder-ho realitzar, s’ha optat per crear l’entorn web mitjançant els llenguatges HTML i PHP en combinació amb els fulls d’estil CSS. Pel que fa a l’entorn de desenvolupament, s’ha utilitzat Notepad++ i com a entorn de proves, WAMP Server. Per últim, pel que fa a la transmissió del contingut multimèdia (vídeos de les sessions d’activitats) s’ha utilitzat Flash Media Interactive Server en combinació de Flash Media Live Encoder per codificar-ne el contingut. L’usuari final, des de qualsevol punt del planeta, podrà realitzar (sempre i quan disposi del temps i el material necessari i una connexió a Internet) en temps real i en directe les classes dirigides que es realitzen al centre. Tanmateix, també s’ha desenvolupat una botiga virtual on qualsevol persona podrà comprar-hi, entre d’altres coses relacionades amb la pràctica de l’exercici físic, tot el material necessari per realitzar qualsevol de les activitats que s’imparteixen al gimnàs i ho rebrà còmodament a casa. Aprofitar unes circumstàncies econòmiques adverses per generar una nova manera de captar clients proporcionant-los una alternativa econòmica, diferent, nova i original d’anar al gimnàs. Temps de crisis, temps d’oportunitats. Aquesta és la moralitat que pretén donar aquest projecte.

Parallella, dynamiska representationer i gymnasiefysiken : implementering av ett interaktivt datorverktyg i didaktiska situationer och uppfattning av effektivt lärande

The computer is a useful tool in the teaching of upper secondary school physics, and should not have a subordinate role in students' learning process. However, computers and computer-based tools are often not available when they could serve their purpose best in the ongoing teaching. Another problem is the fact that commercially available tools are not usable in the way the teacher wants. The aim of this thesis was to try out a novel teaching scenario in a complicated subject in physics, electrodynamics. The didactic engineering of the thesis consisted of developing a computer-based simulation and training material, implementing the tool in physics teaching and investigating its effectiveness in the learning process. The design-based research method, didactic engineering (Artigue, 1994), which is based on the theoryof didactical situations (Brousseau, 1997), was used as a frame of reference for the design of this type of teaching product. In designing the simulation tool a general spreadsheet program was used. The design was based on parallel, dynamic representations of the physics behind the function of an AC series circuit in both graphical and numerical form. The tool, which was furnished with possibilities to control the representations in an interactive way, was hypothesized to activate the students and promote the effectiveness of their learning. An effect variable was constructed in order to measure the students' and teachers' conceptions of learning effectiveness. The empirical study was twofold. Twelve physics students, who attended a course in electrodynamics in an upper secondary school, participated in a class experiment with the computer-based tool implemented in three modes of didactical situations: practice, concept introduction and assessment. The main goal of the didactical situations was to have students solve problems and study the function of AC series circuits, taking responsibility for theirown learning process. In the teacher study eighteen Swedish speaking physics teachers evaluated the didactic potential of the computer-based tool and the accompanying paper-based material without using them in their physics teaching. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using questionnaires, observations and interviews. The result of the studies showed that both the group of students and the teachers had generally positive conceptions of learning effectiveness. The students' conceptions were more positive in the practice situation than in the concept introduction situation, a setting that was more explorative. However, it turned out that the students' conceptions were also positive in the more complex assessment situation. This had not been hypothesized. A deeper analysis of data from observations and interviews showed that one of the students in each pair was more active than the other, taking more initiative and more responsibilityfor the student-student and student-computer interaction. These active studentshad strong, positive conceptions of learning effectiveness in each of the threedidactical situations. The group of less active students had a weak but positive conception in the first iv two situations, but a negative conception in the assessment situation, thus corroborating the hypothesis ad hoc. The teacher study revealed that computers were seldom used in physics teaching and that computer programs were in short supply. The use of a computer was considered time-consuming. As long as physics teaching with computer-based tools has to take place in special computer rooms, the use of such tools will remain limited. The affordance is enhanced when the physical dimensions as well as the performance of the computer are optimised. As a consequence, the computer then becomes a real learning tool for each pair of students, smoothly integrated into the ongoing teaching in the same space where teaching normally takes place. With more interactive support from the teacher, the computer-based parallel, dynamic representations will be efficient in promoting the learning process of the students with focus on qualitative reasoning - an often neglected part of the learning process of the students in upper secondary school physics.

Detection of Horizontal Two-Phase Flow Patterns Through a Neural Network Model

One of the main problems related to the transport and manipulation of multiphase fluids concerns the existence of characteristic flow patterns and its strong influence on important operation parameters. A good example of this occurs in gas-liquid chemical reactors in which maximum efficiencies can be achieved by maintaining a finely dispersed bubbly flow to maximize the total interfacial area. Thus, the ability to automatically detect flow patterns is of crucial importance, especially for the adequate operation of multiphase systems. This work describes the application of a neural model to process the signals delivered by a direct imaging probe to produce a diagnostic of the corresponding flow pattern. The neural model is constituted of six independent neural modules, each of which trained to detect one of the main horizontal flow patterns, and a last winner-take-all layer responsible for resolving when two or more patterns are simultaneously detected. Experimental signals representing different bubbly, intermittent, annular and stratified flow patterns were used to validate the neural model.

Modeling of fireside deposit formation in two industrial furnaces

Fireside deposits can be found in many types of utility and industrial furnaces. The deposits in furnaces are problematic because they can reduce heat transfer, block gas paths and cause corrosion. To tackle these problems, it is vital to estimate the influence of deposits on heat transfer, to minimize deposit formation and to optimize deposit removal. It is beneficial to have a good understanding of the mechanisms of fireside deposit formation. Numerical modeling is a powerful tool for investigating the heat transfer in furnaces, and it can provide valuable information for understanding the mechanisms of deposit formation. In addition, a sub-model of deposit formation is generally an essential part of a comprehensive furnace model. This work investigates two specific processes of fireside deposit formation in two industrial furnaces. The first process is the slagging wall found in furnaces with molten deposits running on the wall. A slagging wall model is developed to take into account the two-layer structure of the deposits. With the slagging wall model, the thickness and the surface temperature of the molten deposit layer can be calculated. The slagging wall model is used to predict the surface temperature and the heat transfer to a specific section of a super-heater tube panel with the boundary condition obtained from a Kraft recovery furnace model. The slagging wall model is also incorporated into the computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based Kraft recovery furnace model and applied on the lower furnace walls. The implementation of the slagging wall model includes a grid simplification scheme. The wall surface temperature calculated with the slagging wall model is used as the heat transfer boundary condition. Simulation of a Kraft recovery furnace is performed, and it is compared with two other cases and measurements. In the two other cases, a uniform wall surface temperature and a wall surface temperature calculated with a char bed burning model are used as the heat transfer boundary conditions. In this particular furnace, the wall surface temperatures from the three cases are similar and are in the correct range of the measurements. Nevertheless, the wall surface temperature profiles with the slagging wall model and the char bed burning model are different because the deposits are represented differently in the two models. In addition, the slagging wall model is proven to be computationally efficient. The second process is deposit formation due to thermophoresis of fine particles to the heat transfer surface. This process is considered in the simulation of a heat recovery boiler of the flash smelting process. In order to determine if the small dust particles stay on the wall, a criterion based on the analysis of forces acting on the particle is applied. Time-dependent simulation of deposit formation in the heat recovery boiler is carried out and the influence of deposits on heat transfer is investigated. The locations prone to deposit formation are also identified in the heat recovery boiler. Modeling of the two processes in the two industrial furnaces enhances the overall understanding of the processes. The sub-models developed in this work can be applied in other similar deposit formation processes with carefully-defined boundary conditions.

Reliability and validity of the interactive observation scale for psychiatric inpatients applied by nursing aides in daily ward practice

The main characteristic of the nursing Interactive Observation Scale for Psychiatric Inpatients (IOSPI) is the necessity of interaction between raters and patients during assessment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the scale in the "real" world of daily ward practice and to determine whether the IOSPI can increase the interaction time between raters and patients and influence the raters' opinion about mental illness. All inpatients of a general university hospital psychiatric ward were assessed daily over a period of two months by 9 nursing aides during the morning and afternoon shifts, with 273 pairs of daily observations. Once a week the patients were interviewed by a psychiatrist who filled in the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). The IOSPI total score was found to show significant test-retest reliability (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.83) and significant correlation with the BPRS total score (r = 0.69), meeting the criteria of concurrent validity. The instrument can also discriminate between patients in need of further inpatient treatment from those about to be discharged (negative predictive value for discharge = 0.91). Using this scale, the interaction time between nursing aides and patients increased significantly (t = 2.93, P<0.05) and their opinion about the mental illness changed. The "social restrictiveness" factor of the opinion scale about mental illness showed a significant reduction (t = 4.27, P<0.01) and the "interpersonal etiology" factor tended to increase (t = 1.98, P = 0.08). The IOSPI was confirmed as a reliable and valid scale and as an efficient tool to stimulate the therapeutic attitudes of the nursing staff.