Impact of the EU timber regulation on Russian companies exporting wood and wood-based products

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Ex vivo analysis of local orientation of collagen fiber bundles in 3D in posterior horn human meniscus using micro-computed tomography

Abstract. Objective: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is an increasingly relevant joint disease affecting mostly aged population in developed countries. However, there is currently no treatment for OA and increasing the knowledge of the disease with the help of micro-computed tomography (µCT) imaging could offer help in finding the solution. The objective of this thesis was to quantitatively analyze the microstructural organization of human posterior horn meniscus samples in 3D using hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) based µCT imaging. In addition, this study aims to compare the local microstructural organization of meniscus between OA patients and healthy references. Method: We collected medial and lateral posterior horns of human menisci from 10 endstage medial compartment knee OA patients undergoing total knee replacement surgery and from 10 deceased donors without diagnosed knee OA to act as healthy reference. The posterior horns were dissected and fixed in formalin, dehydrated in ascending alcohol concentrations, treated with HMDS, and scanned with a desktop µCT. Furthermore, we performed local orientation analysis of collagenous microstructure in 3D to all samples, by calculating local structure tensors from greyscale gradients withing a selected integration window to determine the polar angle for each voxel. Moreover, distribution of angles and mean estimated average angles were statistically compared. Results: Collagen fiber bundles in HMDS-treated meniscal samples were depicted in 3D using µCT. In the quantitative local orientation analysis, medial OA had overall lowest orientation angles compared to all other groups: mean estimated differences versus medial OA were -24° [95%CI -31°, -18°] in medial donor, -25° [95%CI -34°, -15°] in lateral OA, and -25° [95%CI -35°, -16°] in lateral donor groups. Distribution and mean angles between lateral OA and lateral donor menisci were similar with a mean difference of 2°. Conclusions: In this study, we were able to quantitatively analyze collagen fiber bundles and their orientations in 3D in the posterior horn of human meniscus using HMDS-based µCT imaging. Furthermore, collagen disorganization increased in the medial OA meniscus, suggesting a relationship between collagenous microstructure disorganization and meniscus degradation.Ihmisen nivelkierukan takasarven kollageenisäiekimppujen kolmi-ulotteinen lokaaliorientaatioanalyysi mikrotietokonetomografian avulla. Tiivistelmä. Tarkoitus: Nivelrikko on yleinen sairaus vanhenevassa yhteiskunnassa, mutta sairauden monimuotoisuuden vuoksi sen hoitaminen on vaikeaa. Sairauden vahvempi ymmärtäminen voisi auttaa hoidon kehittämisessä sairautta vastaan. Tämän pro gradu -tutkielman tavoitteena oli analysoida kvantitatiivisesti ihmisen nivelkierukkanäytteiden mikrorakenteiden orientaatiota kolmiulotteisesti käyttäen heksametyylidisilatsaaniin (HMDS) perustuvaa näytteenkäsittelytekniikkaa mikrotietokonetomografiakuvantamisessa (µCT). Lisäksi tässä työssä verrataan kierukan lokaalimikrorakenneorganisaatiota nivelrikkoisten potilaiden ja terveiden verrokkien välillä. Menetelmä: Keräsimme mediaali- ja lateraalipuolen nivelkierukan takasarvet kymmeneltä nivelrikon loppuvaiheen potilaalta, joille tehtiin polven tekonivelleikkaus, ja 10 menehtyneeltä oikeuslääketieteen potilaalta, joilla ei ollut diagnosoitua polven nivelrikkoa. Nivelkierukoiden posterioriset sarvet leikattiin, käsiteltiin formaliinilla, kuivattiin nousevissa etanolipitoisuuksissa, käsiteltiin HMDS:llä ja kuvattiin µCT-laitteella. Lisäksi teimme näytteille kolmiulotteisen orientaatioanalyysin, jolla mitataan näytteiden kollageenisen mikrorakenteen orientaatiota. Analyysi laskee µCT-kuvien harmaasävygradienttien avulla jokaiselle vokselille paikallisen rakennetensorin, joiden purkamisesta saadaan laskettua vokselin anisotropian määrä ja sen pienimmän vektorin suunta. Pienin arvo ja sen suunta voidaan määrittää vokselin pääasialliseksi orientaatioksi. Kulmien jakautumista ja keskimääräisiä kulmia verrattiin tilastollisesti terveiden ja nivelrikkopotilaiden mediaali- ja lateraalipuolten välillä. Tulokset: Nivelkierukan kollageenikimput kuvattiin kolmiulotteisesti µCT:llä käyttäen HMDS-käsiteltyjä nivelkierukkanäytteitä. Kvantitatiivisessa orientaatioanalyysissä todettiin mediaalipuolen nivelrikkoisilla nivelkierukoilla yleisesti enemmän disorganisaatiota kaikkiin muihin ryhmiin verrattuna: mediaalipuolen nivelrikkoryhmässä orientaatioiden ero verrattuna mediaaliverrokkiryhmään oli -24° [95%CI -31°, -18°], -25° [95%CI -34°, -15°] verrattuna lateraalipuolen nivelrikkoryhmään ja -25° [95%CI -35°, -16°] verrattuna lateraalipuolen luovuttajaryhmän välillä. Lisäksi lateraalipuolen luovuttaja- ja lateraalipuolen nivelrikkoryhmän välillä kulmien jakauma ja keskiarvo olivat samanlaiset keskimäärisen eron ollessa 2°. Johtopäätökset: Tässä tutkimuksessa onnistuimme kuvaamaan ihmisen nivelkierukan kollageenikimput sekä kvantitatiivisesti analysoimaan niiden kolmiulotteista orientaatiota käyttäen HMDS-pohjaista µCT-kuvantamista. Lisäksi kollageenin disorganisaatio oli suurin mediaalipuolen nivelrikkoisessa nivelkierukassa, mikä viittaa kollageenisen mikrorakenteen disorganisaatioon ja nivelkierukan degeneraation väliseen vahvaan suhteeseen

VR safety training for Fab Lab

Abstract. With advancements in both hardware and software, virtual reality has become more common in homes, offices and other workplaces. As with all new technologies, it is important to find uses that are best suited for VR. Education and training are the most common professional applications for VR. In this thesis we describe ways that VR has been utilized by others, and introduce an application developed by us to display the possibilities brought by VR. We developed an application to teach safe behaviour when using a laser cutter, to aid in the education of new users of a Fabrication Laboratory (Fab Lab). The application was built using Unity3D game engine for the Oculus Quest 2 VR headset, and was tested in an evaluation by staff at the University of Oulu Fab Lab. There were four test users in total, all of them with limited experience using VR. A member of our team was there to guide them in the use of the application. After the evaluation was complete, the participants answered a questionnaire containing multiple-choice and open questions. From the evaluation with the staff and questionnaire responses, it was concluded that the application was a mixed success with positive feedback but caused VR sickness in many. In addition, the evaluation resulted in suggestions for improvements from the users. We had planned to add other features, which were not possible to include due to the tight schedule. The application showed a lot of potential for future improvement such as including other machinery and features located in the Fab Lab such as 3D Printers and vinyl cutters for safety training.VR turvallisuuskoulutus Fab Lab-ympäristöön. Tiivistelmä. Tietokonelaitteistojen ja ohjelmistojen kehittyessä virtuaalitodellisuudesta on tullut tavallisempaa kodeissa, toimistoissa ja työpaikoilla. Uusien teknologioiden, kuten VR:n, ilmaantuessa on tärkeää löytää käyttökohteita, jotka parhaiten hyödyntävät kyseistä teknologiaa. Tässä työssä kerromme tavoista joilla muut ovat hyödyntäneet VR:ää, ja tuomme julki kehittämämme sovelluksen, esittääksemme asioita joita VR mahdollistaa. Kehitimme sovelluksen opettaaksemme turvallisia toimintatapoja laserleikkuria käytettäessä, helpottaaksemme uusien Fabrication Laboratoryn(Fab Lab) käyttäjiä. Sovellus on kehitetty Oculus Quest 2 -VR-laseille käyyttäen Unity3D pelimoottoria, ja sitä on testannut Fab Labin henkilökunta. Testikäyttäjiä oli neljä, ja heillä kaikilla oli hierman kokemusta VR:n käytöstä. Yksi ryhmämme jäsenistä oli mukana testaustilanteessa, opastamassa sovelluksen käyttöä. Käyttäjätestauksen jälkeen testaajat vastasivat kyselyyn jossa oli monivalinta- sekä avoimia kysymyksiä. Käyttäjätestauksesta ja kyselyn vastauksista tulkiten sovelluksen menestys oli keskinkertainen. Käyttäjät antoivat positiivista palautetta ja ehdotuksia sovelluksen kehittämiseen, mutta käytöstä aiheutui pahoinvointia useille. Tarkoituksenamme oli kehittää enemmän toiminnallisuutta, mutta rajoitteena oli tiukka aikataulu. Sovelluksella on paljon potentiaalia turvallisuusopetuksen laajentamiseksi, ja siihen voisi lisätä muita Fab Labissa sijaitsevia laitteita, kuten 3D-tulostimia ja vinyylileikkurin

An enzymatic biomimetic system : enhancement of catalytic efficiency with new polymeric chiral ionic Liquids synthesised by controlled radical polymerisation

Correction to the affiliations. Mistake made by original Journal.Peer reviewe

Growing medicine: Small-scale cannabis cultivation for medical purposes in six different countries

Background: The production and consumption of cannabis for the treatment of medical conditions is of increasing importance internationally; however, research on different aspects of the phenomenon is still scarce. In this article, we report findings from a cross-cultural study of small-scale cannabis cultivation for medical purposes. This kind of comparative study has not been done previously. Methods: The data were gathered with a help of web surveys conducted by the Global Cannabis Cultivation Research Consortium (GCCRC) in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany and the UK (N = 5313). In the analysis we compare reports of medical motives, for what conditions cannabis is used, whether users have diagnoses for these conditions and whether the use of cannabis been recommended as a treatment of those conditions by a medical doctor. Descriptive statistics are used to show the main commonalities and noteworthy disparities across different countries. Results: Findings from countries were quite similar, even though several national differences in details were found. Growing cannabis for medical purposes was widespread. The majority of medical growers reported cultivating cannabis for serious conditions. Most of them did have a formal diagnosis. One fifth had got a recommendation from their doctor, but in most cases cannabis use was self-medication which was not discussed with their doctors. Conclusion: There is a wider demand for licit access for medical cannabis than currently available in these countries. Ideologically, medical growers can be seen distancing themselves from both the legal and illicit drug markets. From a harm reduction perspective, it is worrying that, in the context of present health and control policies in these countries, many medical growers are using cannabis to treat serious medical conditions without proper medical advice and doctor's guidance

Noninvasive Cardiorespiratory Signals Analysis for Asthma Evolution Monitoring in Preschool Children

OBJECTIVE: Despite its increasing prevalence, diagnosis of asthma in children remains problematic due to their difficulties in producing repeatable spirometric maneuvers. Moreover, low adherence to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) treatment could result in permanent airway remodeling. The growing interest in a noninvasive and objective way for monitoring asthma, together with the apparent role of autonomic nervous system (ANS) in its pathogenesis, have attracted interest towards heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiorespiratory coupling (CRC) analyses. METHODS: HRV and CRC were analyzed in 70 children who were prescribed ICS treatment due to recurrent obstructive bronchitis. They underwent three different electrocardiogram and respiratory signals recordings, during and after treatment period. After treatment completion, they were followed up during 6 months and classified attending to their current asthma status. RESULTS: Vagal activity, as measured from HRV, and CRC, were reduced after treatment in those children at lower risk of asthma, whereas it kept unchanged in those with a worse prognosis. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that HRV analysis could be useful for the continuous monitoring of ANS anomalies present in asthma, thus contributing to evaluate the evolution of the disease, which is especially challenging in young children. SIGNIFICANCE: Noninvasive ANS assessment using HRV analysis could be useful in the continuous monitoring of asthma in children

Going carless in different urban fabrics : socio-demographics of household car ownership

Diverse physical features of urban areas alongside socio-demographic characteristics affect car ownership, and hence the daily mobility choices. As a case of sustainable mobility, we explore how various urban environments and socio-demographics associate with the spatial and social distribution of household car ownership and carlessness in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland. Three urban fabrics characterizing the study area are established based on the transportation mode (walking, public transportation, or automobile) the physical urban environment primarily supports. The national level Monitoring System of Spatial Structure and Urban Form database, and the National Travel Survey (2016) are utilized to further include spatial and socio-demographic variables into our analysis across these fabrics. Our results show that households with and without cars differ in terms of residential distance to the city center, neighborhood density, house type, and socio-demographic profiles. Single pensioners and students are most likely to be carless, whereas families represent the opposite. Within the carless households the differences are also evident between different groups. For the more affluent households residing in dense and well-connected areas, and mostly possessing driver's licenses, carlessness is presumably a choice. Contrarily, many other carless households represent the less affluent often located in the more distant, low-density, and less accessible areas, while also possessing less driver's licenses, making carlessness more of a constraint, as the local urban fabric does not support such lifestyle. Consequently, carless households should be increasingly recognized as a focus group in sustainable urban planning in terms of identifiable best practices and potential vulnerability.Peer reviewe