Migració d'un diari a software lliure

Estudi per canviar en tants aspectes com sigui possible la plataforma actual de treball d'un diari, en aquest cas El Periódico de Catalunya, i migrar a software lliure. Alguns dels punts més importants seran no perdre productivitat i que l'adaptació dels usuaris als nous sistemes proposats sigui poc traumàtica i el més senzilla possible.

MRI/TRUS fusion software-based targeted biopsy: the new standard of care?

The advent of multiparametric MRI has made it possible to change the way in which prostate biopsy is done, allowing to direct biopsies to suspicious lesions rather than randomly. The subject of this review relates to a computer-assisted strategy, the MRI/US fusion software-based targeted biopsy, and to its performance compared to the other sampling methods. Different devices with different methods to register MR images to live TRUS are currently in use to allow software-based targeted biopsy. Main clinical indications of MRI/US fusion software-based targeted biopsy are re-biopsy in men with persistent suspicious of prostate cancer after first negative standard biopsy and the follow-up of patients under active surveillance. Some studies have compared MRI/US fusion software-based targeted versus standard biopsy. In men at risk with MRI-suspicious lesion, targeted biopsy consistently detects more men with clinically significant disease as compared to standard biopsy; some studies have also shown decreased detection of insignificant disease. Only two studies directly compared MRI/US fusion software-based targeted biopsy with MRI/US fusion visual targeted biopsy, and the diagnostic ability seems to be in favor of the software approach. To date, no study comparing software-based targeted biopsy against in-bore MRI biopsy is available. The new software-based targeted approach seems to have the characteristics to be added in the standard pathway for achieving accurate risk stratification. Once reproducibility and cost-effectiveness will be verified, the actual issue will be to determine whether MRI/TRUS fusion software-based targeted biopsy represents anadd-on test or a replacement to standard TRUS biopsy.

Virtausjakauman kokeellinen määritys levylämmönsiirtimissä

Diplomityön tavoitteena oli kokeellisen tutkimuksen keinoin selvittää juotettujen levylämmönsiirtimien levypakkarakenteessa virtausten käyttäytyminen ja jakautuminen sekä löytää ideoita ja kehitysehdotuksia levylämmönsiirtimen levypakan ja levyprofiilin kehittämiseksi. Kokeellinen tutkimus suoritettiin Oy Danfoss Ab LPM:n levylämmönsiirtimien tutkimuslaboratoriossa. Virtausjakauman tutkimusta varten suunniteltiin ja valittiin tutkimuslaitteisto, joka koostui termoelementtiantureista, tiedonkeruulaitteistosta sekä ohjelmistosta. Lämmönsiirtimistä mitattiin ensiö- ja toisiopuolen tilavuusvirrat ja painehäviöt sekä lämpötilat ennen ja jälkeen lämmönsiirtimen. Tutkimuslaitteiston avulla mitattiin lämpötiloja lämmönsiirtimen sisältä levyväleistä. Mittaukset suoritettiin neljällä levypakkarakenteella useilla massavirran arvoilla. Mittaustuloksista määritettiin levylämmönsiirtimien lämpö- ja virtaustekniset ominaisuudet nesteen Reynoldsin luvun funktiona sekä selvitettiin nesteen virtausjakaumat. Mittaustuloksien perusteella laskettuja virtausjakauman arvoja verrattiin teorian mukaan laskettuihin jakaumiin. Mitatuista siirtimistä lasketut massavirrat viittaavat siihen, että suurin osa nesteestä virtaa siirtimien keskeltä tai lähempää loppupäätä kuin alkupäästä. Teorian mukaan suurin nestemäärä virtaisi siirtimen alkupäästä vähentyen tasaisesti kohti levypakan loppupäätä. Teorian mukaiselle virtausjakaumalle ja lasketuille jakaumille ei löydetty yhteyttä. Tutkimuksessa havaittiin suuria, jopa yli 20 asteen, lämpötilaeroja levyväleistä ulostulevissa virtauksissa. Levyvälien virtauksen käyttäytymisen ja jakautumisen tutkiminen nähdäänkin levypakan pitkittäistä kehittämistä suurempana mielenkiinnon ja kehittämisen kohteena.

Performance benchmarking and incentive regulation – considerations of directing signals for electricity distribution companies

After the restructuring process of the power supply industry, which for instance in Finland took place in the mid-1990s, free competition was introduced for the production and sale of electricity. Nevertheless, natural monopolies are found to be the most efficient form of production in the transmission and distribution of electricity, and therefore such companies remained franchised monopolies. To prevent the misuse of the monopoly position and to guarantee the rights of the customers, regulation of these monopoly companies is required. One of the main objectives of the restructuring process has been to increase the cost efficiency of the industry. Simultaneously, demands for the service quality are increasing. Therefore, many regulatory frameworks are being, or have been, reshaped so that companies are provided with stronger incentives for efficiency and quality improvements. Performance benchmarking has in many cases a central role in the practical implementation of such incentive schemes. Economic regulation with performance benchmarking attached to it provides companies with directing signals that tend to affect their investment and maintenance strategies. Since the asset lifetimes in the electricity distribution are typically many decades, investment decisions have far-reaching technical and economic effects. This doctoral thesis addresses the directing signals of incentive regulation and performance benchmarking in the field of electricity distribution. The theory of efficiency measurement and the most common regulation models are presented. The chief contributions of this work are (1) a new kind of analysis of the regulatory framework, so that the actual directing signals of the regulation and benchmarking for the electricity distribution companies are evaluated, (2) developing the methodology and a software tool for analysing the directing signals of the regulation and benchmarking in the electricity distribution sector, and (3) analysing the real-life regulatory frameworks by the developed methodology and further develop regulation model from the viewpoint of the directing signals. The results of this study have played a key role in the development of the Finnish regulatory model.

Implementing Agile Software Development Methods in a Small Organization

Currently there is a vogue for Agile Software Development methods and many software development organizations have already implemented or they are planning to implement agile methods. Objective of this thesis is to define how agile software development methods are implemented in a small organization. Agile methods covered in this thesis are Scrum and XP. From both methods the key practices are analysed and compared to waterfall method. This thesis also defines implementation strategy and actions how agile methods are implemented in a small organization. In practice organization must prepare well and all needed meters are defined before the implementation starts. In this work three different sample projects are introduced where agile methods were implemented. Experiences from these projects were encouraging although sample set of projects were too small to get trustworthy results.

The ABCG transporter PEC1/ABCG32 is required for the formation of the developing leaf cuticle in Arabidopsis.

The cuticle is an essential diffusion barrier on aerial surfaces of land plants whose structural component is the polyester cutin. The PERMEABLE CUTICLE1/ABCG32 (PEC1) transporter is involved in plant cuticle formation in Arabidopsis. The gpat6 pec1 and gpat4 gapt8 pec1 double and triple mutants are characterized. Their PEC1-specific contributions to aliphatic cutin composition and cuticle formation during plant development are revealed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The composition of cutin changes during rosette leaf expansion in Arabidopsis. C16:0 monomers are in higher abundance in expanding than in fully expanded leaves. The atypical cutin monomer C18:2 dicarboxylic acid is more prominent in fully expanded leaves. Findings point to differences in the regulation of several pathways of cutin precursor synthesis. PEC1 plays an essential role during expansion of the rosette leaf cuticle. The reduction of C16 monomers in the pec1 mutant during leaf expansion is unlikely to cause permeability of the leaf cuticle because the gpat6 mutant with even fewer C16:0 monomers forms a functional rosette leaf cuticle at all stages of development. PEC1/ABCG32 transport activity affects cutin composition and cuticle structure in a specific and non-redundant fashion.

Developing Launching Processes — A Case Study

New product launches are becoming more and more important to companies around the globe. Being first on the market is a good place to be, and it will mostly likely bring the best profits. Gaining that desired position requires a lot of work where cooperation inside as well as outside of the company need to be in line. This thesis discusses launching processes in a pharmaceutical firm. The topic is looked at from supply chain management's point of view where purchasing department's role is emphasized. Additionally, launching strategies related to launches are investigated and the idea of internal alignment is introduced. Moreover, the topic is examined in project and process management perspective; how with the tools of project and process management the launching processes could be improved. The main findings reveal that there are many improvement points in the current launching process. Problems in the areas of information exchange, leadership and internal alignment were discovered yet trust and confidence for the better future compound the interviewees. This study presents what are the most important factors for a successful product launch and how the current processes could be streamlined.

Software para análise quantitativa da deglutição

OBJETIVO: Apresentar um software que permita uma análise detalhada da dinâmica da deglutição. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Participaram deste estudo dez indivíduos após acidente vascular encefálico, sendo seis do gênero masculino, com idade média de 57,6 anos. Foi realizada videofluoroscopia da deglutição e as imagens foram digitalizadas em microcomputador, com posterior análise do tempo do trânsito faríngeo da deglutição, por meio de um cronômetro e do software. RESULTADOS: O tempo médio do trânsito faríngeo da deglutição apresentou-se diferente quando comparados os métodos utilizados (cronômetro e software). CONCLUSÃO: Este software é um instrumento de análise dos parâmetros tempo e velocidade da deglutição, propiciando melhor compreensão da dinâmica da deglutição, com reflexos tanto na abordagem clínica dos pacientes com disfagia como para fins de pesquisa científica.

Developing service offering of an air freight carrier

The thesis examined service offering development of an air freight carrier from the customers' point of view. The study was limited to the biggest business clients of the carrier. Service offering development can be divided into service concept, process and system. The thesis was based on these three themes and quality. Compared to product development, systematic and well-structured service development has been studied little, especially in business market. However, service development is a current issue. Due to growing competition companies should carefully listen to their clients' needs and respond to them by offering right services. Methodology of the thesis is qualitative and representatives of three forwarding companies were interviewed. It was found out that the forwarding companies consider themselves as partners of the airline. In addition to general reliability, the customers value the most fluent terminal processes and electronic communication.

QualIM®: software para treinamento na interpretação de imagens médicas digitais

OBJETIVO: Foi desenvolvido um software denominado QualIM® - Qualificação de Imagens Médicas para treinamento de profissionais na interpretação de exames digitais de mamografias utilizando ferramentas de manipulação de imagens, em monitores específicos, classificadas em BI-RADS®. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: O sistema, desenvolvido em Delphi 7, armazena as respostas da interpretação de imagens mamográficas durante o treinamento e compara aos dados inseridos denominados "padrão-ouro". O sistema contém imagens de computed radiography, direct radiography e digitalizadas. O software converte as imagens do computed radiography e direct radiography para o formato TIFF, mantendo as resoluções espacial e de contraste originais. Profissionais em treinamento manipulam o realce da imagem utilizando ferramentas de software (zoom, inversão, réguas digitais, outras). Dependendo da complexidade, são apresentadas até oito incidências mamográficas, seis imagens de ultra-som e duas de anatomopatológico. RESULTADOS: O treinamento iniciou em 2007 e atualmente faz parte do programa de residência em radiologia. O software compõe o texto, de forma automática, das informações inseridas pelo profissional, baseado nas categorias BI-RADS, e compara com a base de dados. CONCLUSÃO: O software QualIM é uma ferramenta digital de ensino que auxilia profissionais no reconhecimento de padrões visuais de uma imagem mamográfica, bem como na interpretação de exames mamográficos, utilizando a classificação BI-RADS.

Uso de software como ferramenta pedagógica no processo de ensino-aprendizagem da mamografia digital

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o impacto sobre o treinamento de residentes utilizando uma ferramenta computacional dedicada à avaliação do desempenho da leitura de imagens radiológicas convencionais e digitais. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: O treinamento foi realizado no Laboratório de Qualificação de Imagens Médicas (QualIM). Os residentes de radiologia efetuaram cerca de 1.000 leituras de um total de 60 imagens obtidas de um simulador estatístico (Alvim®) que apresenta fibras e microcalcificações de dimensões variadas. O desempenho dos residentes na detecção dessas estruturas foi avaliado por meio de parâmetros estatísticos. RESULTADOS: Os resultados da probabilidade de detectabilidade foram de 0,789 e 0,818 para os sistemas convencional e digital, respectivamente. As taxas de falso-positivos foram de 8% e 6% e os valores de verdadeiro-positivos, de 66% e 70%, respectivamente. O valor de kappa total foi 0,553 para as leituras em negatoscópio e 0,615 em monitor. A área sob a curva ROC foi de 0,716 para leitura em filme e 0,810 para monitor. CONCLUSÃO: O treinamento proposto mostrou ser efetivo e apresentou impacto positivo sobre o desempenho dos residentes, constituindo-se em interessante ferramenta pedagógica. Os resultados sugerem que o método de treinamento baseado na leitura de simuladores pode produzir um melhor desempenho dos profissionais na interpretação das imagens mamográficas.

Assessment of embryo/fetus during pregnancy by threedimensional ultrasonography using the HD live software: iconographic essay

Fetal development is studied since the advent of two-dimensional ultrasonography. However, a detailed assessment of structures and surfaces improved with three-dimensional ultrasonography. Currently, it is possible to identify embryonic components and fetal parts with greater detail, at all pregnancy trimesters, using the HD live software, where the images gain realistic features by means of appropriate control of lighting and shadowing effects. In the present study, the authors utilized this resource to follow-up, by means of images, the development of a normal pregnancy along all trimesters.

Developing a conceptual framework to analyse professionalisation in sport federations

Existing research on sport organisations is imprecise in the use of the concept 'professionalisation'. Furthermore, we do not know if analytical concepts of professionalisation correspond with the understanding in practice. This study explores the perceptions of practitioners and proposes a framework to analyse professionalisation in national sport federations. Expert interviews were conducted with six key people from Swiss national sport federations and then analysed these for characteristics of professionalisation using a hermeneutic approach. The characteristics were divided into three areas: (1) changed management philosophy, (2) functional differentiation and specialisation, and (3) application of management tools. However, professionalisation is primarily perceived to be a matter of 'professional' attitude that transforms into federation culture. The practitioners disclose an ambivalent view of professionalisation, e.g. business-like culture vs. voluntarism, for-profit vs. non-profit orientation, autonomy vs. control. A framework is developed that synthesises analytical concepts and practitioners' perceptions to support future comprehensive research into causes, forms and consequences of professionalisation in national sport federations.