Ennakoivan kunnonvalvontatuotteen suunnittelu Hydroline Oy:lle

Opinnäytetyössä perehdytään tuotesuunnitteluprosessiin Hydroline Oy:n ensituotteen suunnitteluprosessin näkökulmasta. Työssä vertaillaan geneeristä tuotesuunnitteluprosessia todellisiin, toteutuneisiin prosesseihin ja käydään läpi tuotekehitysprojekti askel askeleelta.This topic of the thesis is about product development process of the first product for Hydroline Oy. The study compares the generic design process to the actual real-life process and goes through the process step by step

”Opiskelijalta opiskelijalle – käytännön kokemukset kiertoon” : Tarvekartoitus aikuisopiskelijoiden vertaistutoroinnista opiskelijakunta JAMKOlle

Vertaistutorointi on opiskelijoiden vertaistoimintaa, jossa aiemmin aloittanut opiskelija on mukana. Vertaistutorointi on osa ammattikorkeakoulujen opiskelijoiden ohjausta. Opinnäytetyön tilaajana toimi Jyväskylän ammattikorkeakoulun opiskelijakunta JAMKO. Opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli selvittää Jyväskylän ammattikorkeakoulun tutkintoon johtavassa aikuiskoulutuksessa opiskelevien vertaistutoroinnin tarve, muoto ja aikaväli. Opinnäytetyössä on hyödynnetty aiheeseen liittyvää lähdemateriaalia ja opinnäytetyötä tehdyn kyselyn tuloksia. Tutkimus toteutettiin kyselynä ensimmäisen vuoden opiskelijoille. Siihen vastasi 54 opiskelijaa, joka on 55 % syksyllä 2013 tutkintoon johtavassa aikuiskoulutuksessa aloittaneista opiskelijoista. Kyselyyn vastasi opiskelijoita kolmesta eri koulutusohjelmasta: he opiskelivat kuntoutuksenohjausta ja -suunnittelua, liiketaloutta sekä palvelujen tuottamista ja johtamista. Aikuisopiskelijoilla on erilaisia tarpeita vertaistutoroinnille, mutta tuloksista ilmenee aikuisopiskelijoiden tarvitsevan vertaistutoroinnilta opiskeluun ja omaan alaan liittyviä toimintoja. Monet näistä toiminnoista ovat niin sanotun hiljaisen tiedon siirtämistä opiskelijalta toiselle. Työn tulokset antavat suuntaa sille, mitä myös muiden ammattikorkeakoulujen ja koulutusohjelmien tutkintoon johtavien aikuiskoulutusten opiskelijat haluavat vertaistutoroinnilta. Tuloksia hyödynnettäessä kannattaa ottaa huomioon opetuksen erilaisuus.Peer tutoring is peer support of students. Student who has started his studies earlier is involved in peer support. Peer tutoring is part of the study guidance. Subscriber of thesis was The Student Union of JAMK University of Applied Sciences – JAMKO. Aim of the thesis was find out need, form and period of peer tutoring for students studying bachelor's degrees in adult education. In the thesis source books and survey is taken advantage of. The survey was carried out for first year students. 54 students replied to survey that is 55 per cent of students who started studies in bachelor's degrees in adult education in Fall 2013. Students of three degree programme answered to survey. Adult students have different kind of need for peer tutoring but according to results adult students need activities which is conncted to studying and their own study field. Many of those activities are about transfering tacit knowledge. The results of this thesis show way to develop peer tutoring in adult education too in another universities of applied sciences or study fields. During to taking advantage of results is worth taking differeces of education into account

To Divide or Not to Divide; MicroRNAs and Small Compounds as Modulators of Mitosis

Mitosis is under the stringent quality control of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC). However, in cancer cells this control can fail, leading to excessive cellular proliferation and ultimately to the formation of a tumor. Novel cancer cell selective therapies are needed to stop the uncontrolled cell proliferation and tumor growth. The aim of the research presented in this thesis was to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) that could play a role in cancer cell proliferation as well as low molecular weight (LMW) compounds that could interfere with cell division. The findings could be used to develop better cancer diagnostics and therapies in the future. First, a high-throughput screen (HTS) was performed to identify LMW compounds that possess a similar chemical interaction field as rigosertib, an anti-cancer compound undergoing clinical trials. A compound termed Centmitor-1 was discovered that phenocopied the cellular impact of rigosertib by affecting the microtubule dynamics. Next, another HTS aimed at identifying compounds that would target the Hec1 protein, which mediates the interaction between spindle microtubules and chromosomes. Perturbation of this connection should prevent cell division and induce cell death. A compound termed VTT-006 was discovered that abrogated mitosis in several cell line models and exhibited binding to Hec1 in vitro. Lastly, using a cell-based HTS two miRNAs were identified that affected cancer cell proliferation via Aurora B kinase, which is an important mitotic regulator. MiR-378a-5p was found to indirectly suppress the production of the kinase whereas let-7b showed direct binding to the 3’UTR of Aurora B mRNA and repressed its translation. The miRNA-mediated perturbation of Aurora B induced defects in mitosis leading to abnormal chromosome segregation and induction of aneuploidy. The results of this thesis provide new information on miRNA signaling in cancer, which could be utilized for diagnostic purposes. Moreover, the thesis introduces two small compounds that may benefit future drug research.Siirretty Doriast

Tools for Studying Human Enteroviruses and the Serological Immune Responses They Elicit

Enterovirukset ovat joukko vaipattomia yksijuosteisia RNA-viruksia, jotka aiheuttavat sekä lieviä että vakavia sairauksia. Poliovirukset ovat tunnetuimpia ihmisten enteroviruksia, mutta onnistuneiden rokotekampanjoiden ansiosta, uudet tapaukset ovat harvinaisia. Enterovirukset tuottavat vuositasolla merkittäviä kuluja yhteiskunnallisesti, sillä ne aiheuttavat flunssaa ja pahentavat hengitystieoireita astmaatikoilla. Enterovirusinfektiot on myös liitetty tyypin 1 diabetekseen ja muihin autoimmuunitauteihin. Enterovirusten ja kroonisten tautien yhteyksien tutkiminen on kuitenkin haastavaa ja uusia immunologisia ja serologisia työkaluja tarvitaan. Tämän tutkielman osana tuotettiin rekombinanttisia proteiineja ja vasta-aineita, joita voidaan käyttää enterovirusten ja niiden aiheuttamien tautien tutkimisessa. Rotan hybridoomasoluissa tuotettava 3A6 anti-enterovirus vasta-aine on osoittautunut laajaa enteroviruskirjoa tunnistavaksi yleistyökaluksi viruksen suoraa osoitusta varten. Työn tuloksena syntyneet VP1 proteiinit vuorostaan ovat osoittautuneet toimiviksi koettimiksi enterovirusvasta-aineille serologisissa näytteissä aiemmin sairastettujen enterovirusinfektioiden tutkimisessa. Tuotettuja antigeeneja käytettiin vasta-ainevasteiden tutkimiseen hiirten ja eri ikäisten ihmisten seeruminäytteistä. Löydösten perusteella vasta-ainevasteet ei- rakenteellisille 2A ja 3C proteaaseille ovat aikuisissa hyviä osoittajia akuutille enterovirusinfektiolle. Havaitsimme myös, että vasta-ainevasteet VP1-proteiineille ovat vähemmän ristiinreagoivia lapsissa, kuin aikuisissa, mutta niiden käyttö enterovirusten serodiagnostiikassa alle puolenvuoden ikäisille lapsille ei ole järkevää korkeiden äidin vasta-ainetasojen vuoksi. Antigeenien toimivuutta enteorvirusvasta- aineiden havaitsemiseen testattiin suurempiin kohortteihin skaalautuvassa multiplex- asetelmassa. Tämä on tärkeää, sillä taudinaiheuttajien ja (kroonisten) tautien yhteyksien tutkimiseen tarvitaan usein suuria näytemääriä riittävän statistisen voiman saavuttamiseksi.Enteroviruses are a group of non-enveloped single stranded-stranded positive RNA viruses that cause illnesses both mild and severe. Polioviruses are the most well- known and studied human enteroviruses, but due to successful vaccination campaigns new cases are exceedingly rare. Enteroviruses have significant societal costs yearly as they cause common cold and asthma exacerbations. Enteroviruses have also been linked to type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases. Studying the link between enteroviruses and chronic diseases is challenging. Thus, new immunological and serological tools are needed. Recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies for studying enteroviruses and associated diseases were produced during this Ph.D project. The 3A6 anti- enterovirus monoclonal antibody produced in rat hybridoma cells has proven to be a good tool for directly detecting a broad range of enteroviruses. The recombinant VP1-proteins on the other hand have proven effective tools in detecting antibodies against enteroviruses to show prior enterovirus infections from serological samples. Antibody responses to enteroviruses were studied in serum samples from both mice and human subjects of different ages. Antibody responses to non-structural proteins 2A and 3C were found to be good indicators for an acute enterovirus infection, especially in adults. Cross-reactivities towards VP1 proteins from different enterovirus species were found to be less extensive in young children than adults, but the waning levels of maternal antibodies were determined to be a confounding factor in studying sera from children under 6 months of age, limiting the usefulness of serological assays for that age group. The performance of the antigens was tested in a multiplex setting that can be adapted to testing larger cohorts for antibodies against enteroviruses. This is crucial as high number of samples is often required for sufficient statistical power to show linkage between pathogens and (chronic) diseases

Optimizing differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells towards corneal epithelium

Background and aims: Limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) is a potentially blinding corneal disease caused by trauma, such as chemical burn, inflammation, or hereditary factors. LSCD is characterized by dysfunction of limbal epithelial stem cells (LESC) and failure of barrier function of limbus. Surrounding conjunctival tissue invades transparent and avascular corneal epithelium, which leads to vascularization and haziness. In LSCD, the surface of the eye cannot recover itself due to lack or dysfunction of LESCs so the treatment needs to bring new stem cells to continue tissue regeneration. Various approaches have been proposed to treat LSCD, some using limbal tissue transplantations from healthy eye and some have been cell-based therapies. This study presents a method developed in the Eye group at the University of Tampere, which uses human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to differentiate corneal epithelial-like cells. This study's aim was to further optimize this method and test enzymatic dissociation method for stem cells. Methods: In this study, cell differentiation was repeated six times. In every experiment, hPSCs were dissociated from feeder cells either mechanically or enzymatically. The cells were suspension cultured in small molecule and growth factor supplemented induction medium as embryoid bodies (EBs). After seven-day induction, the cells were plated to well plates, which were coated with collagen IV or surface x. The adherent cell culture lasted 21 days. Cells were analyzed with immunofluorescence at midpoint and end point of the experiments, to identify either LESC-like cells or corneal epithelial cells. Results: Mechanical and enzymatic dissociation methods both worked as detaching methods. Enzymatic dissociation gave partially better cell numbers than mechanical dissociation. EBs survived better in suspension culture when the growth area was smaller. Collagen IV and surface x both worked as growth surface but cell numbers were better with surface x. In adherent cell culture, the growth area proved to be important, because cells seemed to suffer from overcrowding. At the end point of the experiments, there were cells positive for both LESC and cornea epithelium markers. Conclusions: Enzymatic dissociation method worked as a dissociation method alongside the mechanical dissociation. Enzymatically dissociated EBs survived and outgrowths were better than mechanically dissociated EBs. Surface x improved cell attachment and enhanced their differentiation towards corneal epithelium

Modeling and control of a pneumatic muscle actuator

This thesis presents the theoretical and experimental study of pneumatic servo position control systems based on pneumatic muscle actuators (PMAs). Pneumatic muscle is a novel type of actuator which has been developed to address the control and compliance issues of conventional cylindrical actuators. Compared to industrial pneumatic cylinders, muscle actuators have many ideal properties for robotic applications providing an interesting alternative for many advanced applications. However, the disadvantage is that muscle actuators are highly nonlinear making accurate control a real challenge. Traditionally, servo-pneumatic systems use relatively expensive servo or proportional valve for controlling the mass flow rate of the actuator. This has inspired the research of using on/off valves instead of servo valves providing a low-cost option for servo-pneumatic systems. A pulse width modulation (PWM) technique, where the mass flow is provided in discrete packets of air, enables the use of similar control approaches as with servo valves. Although, the on/off valve based servo-pneumatics has shown its potential, it still lacks of analytical methods for control design and system analysis. In addition, the literature still lacks of studies where the performance characteristics of on/off valve controlled pneumatic systems are clearly compared with servo valve approaches. The focus of this thesis has been on modeling and control of the pneumatic muscle actuator with PWM on/off valves. First, the modeling of pneumatic muscle actuator system controlled by a single on/off valve is presented. The majority of the effort focused on the modeling of muscle actuator nonlinear force characteristics and valve mass flow rate modeling. A novel force model was developed and valve flow model for both simulation and control design were identified and presented. The derived system models (linear and nonlinear), were used for both control design and utilized also in simulation based system analysis. Due to highly nonlinear characteristics and uncertainties of the system, a sliding mode control (SMC) was chosen for a control law. SMC strategy has been proven to be an efficient and robust control strategy for highly nonlinear pneumatic actuator applications. Different variations of sliding mode control, SMC with linear model (SMCL) and nonlinear model (SMCNL) as well as SMC with integral sliding surface (SMCI) were compared with a traditional proportional plus velocity plus acceleration control with feed-forward (PVA+FF) compensation. Also, the effects of PWM frequency on the system performance were studied. Different valve configurations, single 3/2, dual 2/2, and servo valve, for controlling a single muscle actuator system were studied. System models for each case were formulated in a manner to have a direct comparison of the configuration and enabling the use of same sliding mode control design. The analysis of performance included the sinusoidal tracking precision and robustness to parameter variations and external disturbances. In a similar manner, a comparison of muscle actuators in an opposing pair configuration controlled by four 2/2 valves and servo valve was executed. Finally, a comparison of a position servo realized with pneumatic muscle actuators to the one realized with traditional cylinder was presented. In these cases, servo valve with SMC and SMCI were used to control the systems. The analysis of performance included steady-state error in point-to-point positioning, the RMSE of sinusoidal tracking precision, and robustness to parameter variations

Application of NIR imaging to the study of expanded snacks containing amaranth, quinoa and kañiwa

Amaranth (Amarantus caudatus), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) and kañiwa (Chenopodium pallidicaule) are Andean grains that are gaining interest as nutritious gluten-free alternatives to conventional cereals. Near infrared (NIR) imaging was applied to extrudates containing 20, 35% and 50% amaranth, quinoa and kañiwa in order to study the spatial distribution of fibre and protein along the cross-sectional area. The results were contrasted with existing physical measurements (e.g., sectional expansion, stiffness) and textural data obtained from sensory profiling and temporal studies (i.e., temporal dominance of sensation, TDS). Score distribution in PCA plots was directly associated to fibre (PC1) and protein (PC2) due to spectral wavelength specificity (fibre: 1028 nm; protein: 1470 nm). Partial Least Squares regression model (PLS) showed that evenly distributed protein structures are strongly linked to desirable TDS textural properties such as crispiness and crunchiness, while protein clumps were linked to undesirable properties such as roughness. In contrast, fibre was found to reduce roughness. PLS could not explain accurately changes in physical attributes, and sensory data from profiling tests had to be omitted from computing due to lack of fit. This study shows that NIR hyperspectra imaging could help elucidate the chemical background of physical and particularly temporal dominant attributes.Peer reviewe

Slippage detection for grasping force control of robotic hand using force sensing resistors

This paper presents the formulation of a nonlinear adaptive backstepping force control in grasping weight-varying objects using robotic hand driven by Pneumatic Artificial Muscle (PAM). The modelling and control problems arise from the high nonlinear PAM dynamics and the inherent hysteresis leading to a lack of robustness in the hand’s performance. The robotic finger and the PAM actuator been mathematically modelled as a nonlinear second order system based on an empirical approach. An adaptive backstepping controller has been designed for force control of the pneumatic hand. The estimator of the system uncertainty is incorporated into the proposed control law and a slip detection strategy is introduced to grasp objects with changing weights. The simulation and experimental results show that the robotic hand can maintain grasping an object and stop further slippage when its weight is increased up to 500 g by detecting the slip signal from the force sensor. The results also have proven that the adaptive backstepping controller is capable to compensate the uncertain coulomb friction force of PAM actuator with maximum hysteresis error 0.18◦

Thromboelastometry detects enhancement of coagulation in blood by emicizumab via intrinsic pathway

Non peer reviewe

Millennials’ Consumption of and Attitudes toward Meat and Plant-Based Meat Alternatives by Consumer Segment in Finland

Millennials are considered the key generation with regard to the consumption of plant-based meat alternatives via flexitarianism. This study sought to characterize millennials’ consumer segments based on their consumption of and attitudes toward meat and meat alternatives. We conducted an online survey on the hedonic tones of the associations evoked by meat and meat alternatives, consumption of such foods, and diet-related attitudes among a representative sample of Finnish millennials (N = 546, 59% women, age 20–39 years). Some 41% of respondents regularly ate plant-based meat alternatives, while 43% had tried such foods. We divided the respondents into six segments based on the hedonic tones of their meat vs. meat alternatives associations. The segments differed in terms of their consumption of meat alternatives and the underlying reasons why, importance of meat in meals, and Meat Commitment Scale scores. The segment that reported much more positive associations with meat than meat alternatives (~14% of the respondents) may prove resistant to interventions intended to reduce meat intake, whereas the segment that displayed the most positive attitudes toward meat alternatives (~18%) did not eat much meat. Thus, the four middle segments (totaling ~68%), whose associations’ hedonic tones were close to each other, may be the best targets for future interventions designed to reduce meat consumption through the use of meat alternatives. To conclude, introducing a simple segmentation allowed us to identify consumer segments with large potential to reduce meat consumption