Convergence in Industry Evolution

The objective of the thesis is to enhance understanding of the evolution of convergence. Previous research has shown that the technological interfaces between distinct industries are one of the major sources of new radical cross-industry innovations. Despite the fact that convergence in industry evolution has attracted a substantial managerial interest, the conceptual confusion within the field of convergence exists. Firstly, this study clarifies the convergence phenomenon and its impact to industry evolution. Secondly, the study creates novel patent analysis methods to analyze technological convergence and provide tools for anticipating the early stages of convergence. Overall the study combines the industry evolution perspective and the convergence view of industrial evolution. The theoretical background for the study consists of the industry life cycle theories, technology evolution, and technological trajectories. The study links several important concepts in analyzing industry evolution, technological discontinuities, path-dependency, technological interfaces as a source of industry transformation, and the evolutionary stagesof convergence. Based on reviewing the literature a generic understanding of industry transformation and industrial dynamics was generated. In the convergence studies, the theoretical basis is in the discussion of different convergence types and their impacts on industry evolution, and in anticipating and monitoring the stages of convergence. The study is divided in two parts. The first part gives a general overview, and the second part comprises eight research publications. Our case study is based historically on two very distinct industries of the paper and electronics companies as a test environment to evaluate the importance of emerging business sectors and technological convergence as a source of industry transformation. Both qualitative and quantitative research methodology are utilized. The results of this study reveal that technological convergence and complementary innovations from different fields have significant effect to the emerging new business sector formation. The patent-based indicators in the analysis of technological convergence can be utilized on analyzing technology competition, capability and competence development, knowledge accumulation, knowledge spill-overs, and technology-based industry transformation. The patent-based indicators can provide insights to the future competitive environment. Results and conclusions from empirical part seem not be in conflict with real observations in the industry.

Annual evolution of global, direct and diffuse radiation and fractions in tilted surfaces

It was evaluated the annual evolution of global, direct and diffuse components of incident solar radiation on tilted surfaces to 12.85, 22.85 and 32.85º, facing north, in Botucatu, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The radiometric fractions were obtained for each component of the radiation in the aforementioned surfaces, through the ratio with the global and top of the atmosphere radiations. Seasonality was evaluated based on monthly averages of daily values. The measures occurred between 04/1998 and 07/2001 at 22.85º; 08/2001 and 02/2003 at 12.85º; and from 03/2003 to 12/2007 at 32.85º, with concomitant measures in the horizontal surface (reference). The levels of global and direct radiation on tilted surfaces were lower in summer and higher in the equinoxes when compared with the horizontal. The diffuse radiation on tilted surfaces was lower in most months, with losses of up to 65%. A trend of increasing differences occurred between horizontal and tilted surfaces with the increase of the angle in all the components and fractions of incident radiation. The annual evolution of rainfall and cloud cover ratio directly affected the atmospheric transmissivity of direct and diffuse components in the region.

Generalized Differential Evolution for Global Multi-Objective Optimization with Constraints

The objective of this thesis work is to develop and study the Differential Evolution Algorithm for multi-objective optimization with constraints. Differential Evolution is an evolutionary algorithm that has gained in popularity because of its simplicity and good observed performance. Multi-objective evolutionary algorithms have become popular since they are able to produce a set of compromise solutions during the search process to approximate the Pareto-optimal front. The starting point for this thesis was an idea how Differential Evolution, with simple changes, could be extended for optimization with multiple constraints and objectives. This approach is implemented, experimentally studied, and further developed in the work. Development and study concentrates on the multi-objective optimization aspect. The main outcomes of the work are versions of a method called Generalized Differential Evolution. The versions aim to improve the performance of the method in multi-objective optimization. A diversity preservation technique that is effective and efficient compared to previous diversity preservation techniques is developed. The thesis also studies the influence of control parameters of Differential Evolution in multi-objective optimization. Proposals for initial control parameter value selection are given. Overall, the work contributes to the diversity preservation of solutions in multi-objective optimization.

The Evolution of Securities Lending and Risk Mitigation: A Finnish Market Case Study

Although securities lending is an important function of the financial markets, it has not received that much academic attention. This study examines the evolution of European securities lending and risk management with an emphasis on the development of collateral management, the function responsible for reducing credit risk. The effects of the recent financial instabilities are also considered. The evolution of the Finnish securities lending market is examined in more detail through a case-study. This study can be classified as a constructive qualitative case study. The initial practical knowledge comes from the author's own experience and additional insight and theoretical background is acquired through a literature review. The case study is based on research, semi-structured interviews and a brief analysis of numerical data. The main observation of this study was that securities lending is now recognized as more of an investment management discipline than an operational support function. The recent financial instabilities have resulted in an increased focus on risk and transparency. In securities lending this is directly reflected in collateral management guidelines and procedures. Collateral management has become increasingly technologically developed and automated. Collateral optimization initiatives have been started to make the process more efficient, liquid, and cost effective. Although securities lending is generally an OTC-market with no standard market place, centralized exchange-like models have been introduced. Finnish securities lending has now shifted towards the more common global OTC model. Although the Finnish securities lending industry has developed, and the main laws governing it (tax legislation) have changed, there is still need for development. There are still not many Finnish participants involved and due to legal issues most securities loans are collateralized with cash and not securities (e.g. government bonds).

Damage control surgery: it's evolution over the last 20 years

In less than twenty years, what began as a concept for the treatment of exsanguinating truncal trauma patients has become the primary treatment model for numerous emergent, life threatening surgical conditions incapable of tolerating traditional methods. Its core concepts are relative straightforward and simple in nature: first, proper identification of the patient who is in need of following this paradigm; second, truncation of the initial surgical procedure to the minimal necessary operation; third, aggressive, focused resuscitation in the intensive care unit; fourth, definitive care only once the patient is optimized to tolerate the procedure. These simple underlying principles can be molded to a variety of emergencies, from its original application in combined major vascular and visceral trauma to the septic abdomen and orthopedics. A host of new resuscitation strategies and technologies have been developed over the past two decades, from permissive hypotension and damage control resuscitation to advanced ventilators and hemostatic agents, which have allowed for a more focused resuscitation, allowing some of the morbidity of this model to be reduced. The combination of the simple, malleable paradigm along with better understanding of resuscitation has proven to be a potent blend. As such, what was once an almost lethal injury (combined vascular and visceral injury) has become a survivable one.

Evolution in the profile of thyroid cancer cases treated in an oncology reference service: what changed in the last 20 years

Objective: To evaluate the characteristics of thyroid carcinoma cases treated at a reference hospital for cancer between 2008 and 2010.Methods: we studied 807 cases and analyzed the following clinicopathologic variables: symptoms, risk factors, diagnostic tests, staging, histological type, treatment performed and complications.Results: Females were more affected, with 660 cases (82%). The average age at diagnosis was 44.5 years. Prior exposure to ionizing radiation was reported by 22 (3%) patients, a family history of thyroid cancer by 89 (11%), and 289 (36%) individuals reported other types of cancer in the family. The fine needle aspiration biopsy was the main parameter for surgical indication and was suggestive of carcinoma in 463 patients (57%). Papillary carcinoma was the most common histological type, with 780 cases (96.6%). There were 728 (90%) total thyroidectomies, 43 (5.3%) reoperations or partial thyroidectomies followed by totalization, 23 (2.8%) extended thyroidectomies and only 13 (1.6%) partial thyroidectomies (lobectomy with isthmectomy). Neck dissection associated with thyroidectomy was done in 158 patients (19.5%). We observed a predominance of tumors classified as T1 in 602 (74.6%) patients. Transient hypocalcemia was the most frequent complication.Conclusion: The results show that the worldwide increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer has changed the profile of patients seen at a referral service. In addition, there were changes in the type of surgical treatment used, with increased use of total thyroidectomy in relation to partial and subtotal ones, and decreased use of elective neck dissections.

Differential Evolution approach and parameter estimation of chaotic

Parameter estimation still remains a challenge in many important applications. There is a need to develop methods that utilize achievements in modern computational systems with growing capabilities. Owing to this fact different kinds of Evolutionary Algorithms are becoming an especially perspective field of research. The main aim of this thesis is to explore theoretical aspects of a specific type of Evolutionary Algorithms class, the Differential Evolution (DE) method, and implement this algorithm as codes capable to solve a large range of problems. Matlab, a numerical computing environment provided by MathWorks inc., has been utilized for this purpose. Our implementation empirically demonstrates the benefits of a stochastic optimizers with respect to deterministic optimizers in case of stochastic and chaotic problems. Furthermore, the advanced features of Differential Evolution are discussed as well as taken into account in the Matlab realization. Test "toycase" examples are presented in order to show advantages and disadvantages caused by additional aspects involved in extensions of the basic algorithm. Another aim of this paper is to apply the DE approach to the parameter estimation problem of the system exhibiting chaotic behavior, where the well-known Lorenz system with specific set of parameter values is taken as an example. Finally, the DE approach for estimation of chaotic dynamics is compared to the Ensemble prediction and parameter estimation system (EPPES) approach which was recently proposed as a possible solution for similar problems.

Triplet pregnancies: perinatal outcome evolution

PURPOSE: To evaluate the obstetric and perinatal outcomes evolution of triplet pregnancies.METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted in triplet pregnancies delivered over 16 years in a tertiary obstetric center with differentiated perinatal support. Evaluation of demographic factors, obstetric complications, gestational age at delivery, mode of delivery, birth weight and immediate newborn outcome were done over a 16 years period. A global characterization of the sample was performed considering the listed parameters. Variables were categorized in three groups according to year of occurrence: 1996-2000, 2001-2006, 2007-2011, and all parameters were compared.RESULTS: Of the 33 triplets included, 72.7% resulted from induced pregnancies. All except one patient received prenatal corticosteroids and five received tocolytics. All women delivered prenatally and no significant differences were seen in the mean gestational age at delivery or birth weight towards time. There were three intrauterine fetal deaths. Neonatal immediate outcomes were not significantly different over the years.CONCLUSION: Despite remarkable progresses in perinatal and neonatal cares, no noticeable impact in triplet gestations' outcomes was seen, sustaining that triplets should be avoided due to their great risk of prematurity and neonatal morbidities, either by limiting the numbers of embryos transferred or by fetal reduction.

Character transformations and their functional significance as a key to the evolution of hystricognath Rodentia

Hystricognathi represent a monophyletic taxon within Rodentia. Since phylogenetically analyzed morphological systems are essential for revealing evolutionary processes, this study identifies evolutionary character transformations on the stem lineage of Hystricognathi as derived from the author's own work and the literature. Data so far indicate that evolutionary transformations in the rostral head region, the loss of tactile ability in the outer nasal skin and the mobile arrangement of the associated cartilage, were allied with a switch from omnivorous to herbivorous and fiber-rich nutrition. Additional character transformations in the skull assist in digesting such food. Structures associated with reproduction and placentation show a remarkable pro portion of derived character conditions: the chorioallantoic placenta has a ring-shaped organization and growth structure which optimizes the capacity for passive diffusion, a subplacenta occurred as a specialized region responsible for placental invasion and the inverted yolk sac facilitates substance exchange with the main placenta. Finally, precocial newborns evolved as a derived condition within Rodentia. All things considered, a mode of reproduction is indicated, which does not demand excessive additional energy intake by the mother and is in accordance with her low energetic diet. Hystricognathi possess major character transformations that represent prerequisites for their successful radiation at the time when more open ecosystems and grasslands evolved during Earth history. The analysis resulted in the reconstruction of a life-near picture of the hystricognath stem species pattern with high explanatory power in terms of changes in space and time and their interdependence with biodiversity.

Model-View-Controller architectural pattern and its evolution in graphical user interface frameworks

Model-View-Controller (MVC) is an architectural pattern used in software development for graphical user interfaces. It was one of the first proposed solutions in the late 1970s to the Smart UI anti-pattern, which refers to the act of writing all domain logic into a user interface. The original MVC pattern has since evolved in multiple directions, with various names and may confuse many. The goal of this thesis is to present the origin of the MVC pattern and how it has changed over time. Software architecture in general and the MVC’s evolution within web applications are not the primary focus. Fundamen- tal designs are abstracted, and then used to examine the more recent versions. Prob- lems with the subject and its terminology are also presented.

Methods of genetic diversity creation and functional display for directed evolution experiments

Protein engineering aims to improve the properties of enzymes and affinity reagents by genetic changes. Typical engineered properties are affinity, specificity, stability, expression, and solubility. Because proteins are complex biomolecules, the effects of specific genetic changes are seldom predictable. Consequently, a popular strategy in protein engineering is to create a library of genetic variants of the target molecule, and render the population in a selection process to sort the variants by the desired property. This technique, called directed evolution, is a central tool for trimming protein-based products used in a wide range of applications from laundry detergents to anti-cancer drugs. New methods are continuously needed to generate larger gene repertoires and compatible selection platforms to shorten the development timeline for new biochemicals. In the first study of this thesis, primer extension mutagenesis was revisited to establish higher quality gene variant libraries in Escherichia coli cells. In the second study, recombination was explored as a method to expand the number of screenable enzyme variants. A selection platform was developed to improve antigen binding fragment (Fab) display on filamentous phages in the third article and, in the fourth study, novel design concepts were tested by two differentially randomized recombinant antibody libraries. Finally, in the last study, the performance of the same antibody repertoire was compared in phage display selections as a genetic fusion to different phage capsid proteins and in different antibody formats, Fab vs. single chain variable fragment (ScFv), in order to find out the most suitable display platform for the library at hand. As a result of the studies, a novel gene library construction method, termed selective rolling circle amplification (sRCA), was developed. The method increases mutagenesis frequency close to 100% in the final library and the number of transformants over 100-fold compared to traditional primer extension mutagenesis. In the second study, Cre/loxP recombination was found to be an appropriate tool to resolve the DNA concatemer resulting from error-prone RCA (epRCA) mutagenesis into monomeric circular DNA units for higher efficiency transformation into E. coli. Library selections against antigens of various size in the fourth study demonstrated that diversity placed closer to the antigen binding site of antibodies supports generation of antibodies against haptens and peptides, whereas diversity at more peripheral locations is better suited for targeting proteins. The conclusion from a comparison of the display formats was that truncated capsid protein three (p3Δ) of filamentous phage was superior to the full-length p3 and protein nine (p9) in obtaining a high number of uniquely specific clones. Especially for digoxigenin, a difficult hapten target, the antibody repertoire as ScFv-p3Δ provided the clones with the highest affinity for binding. This thesis on the construction, design, and selection of gene variant libraries contributes to the practical know-how in directed evolution and contains useful information for scientists in the field to support their undertakings.

Evolution of Ryegrass Seed Banks Depending on Soil Tillage and Crops

The seed bank is characterized by the amount of seeds and other viable reproductive structures in the soil and it is changed by the input and output of seeds, being classified by its permanence in the soil as transient or permanent. The tillage and crops used decisively influence this dynamic and more disturbed areas tend to have richer seed banks. The purpose of this study was to test different soil tillage and crop systems, aiming to reduce or eliminate the ryegrass in the area. The experiment was conducted from 2010 to 2012. In the first year, the effect of chemical tillage was assessed, compared to the area without tillage. From the second year on, in the area that received chemical tillage, the second experiment was installed, where it was assessed the effect of soil tillage and crop rotation in the ryegrass seed yield. The soil tillage treatment was chisel plow and non-chisel plow. The crop rotation was: fallow/soybean; wheat/soybean; black oat/maize. The samples of soil were taken three times a year and split in 0-5, 5-10, 10-15 and 15-20 cm. After sampling, the seeds were separated from the soil and sterilized. Afterwards, germination and tetrazolium test were conducted. In the same plots used for soil sampling, the emergence flow of ryegrass was assessed in the winter 2011 and 2012. In the first year it was observed that chemical tillage had considerably reduced the amount of ryegrass in the soil. The crop rotations used were more effective than soil tillage in reducing the seed banks in the soil. The rotation oat/maize and wheat/soybean, in only two years, practically zeroed the ryegrass seed banks in the area.

AgEcon Search: Evolution of a Subject Repository

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

Evolver: The Evolution of The Extended EPrints Ecosystem

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