We are Oulu:exploring situated empathy through a communal virtual reality experience

Abstract. Equality among all humans, regardless of ethnicity, language, or nationality, is an essential topic in every community and society. Immigrants’ hardships as foreigners in another community are issues that not only contrast with humans’ equality but also cause irreparable damage to foreigners and society. Nowadays, Virtual Reality (VR) as an alluring technology is a promising approach to communicating people’s hardship experiences in a simulated situation to enhance others’ empathy. It has even been called the ultimate empathy machine. In this thesis, we developed a VR experience to showcase collected hardship experiences that the international community of the University of Oulu has faced during their studies and lives in Oulu to mainly local participants to explore their situated empathy. To this end, we first collected hardship stories and data from 40 members of the international community through an online questionnaire. The results highlight that social problems, language barriers, issues with bureaucracy, and racism are key issues in the community. Then, we developed and performed a VR experiment with 18 participants to let them read the hardship stories through simulated conversations and interactions with avatars in a virtual university environment. We asked our participants to respond to pre- and post-experiment questionnaires and participate in a semi-structured interview after the experiment. Analyzing questionnaire results indicated that after the experiment the average participant’s responses to their knowledge and tendency to discuss the hardships increased by 1.05 and 1.11 on a 5-point scale, respectively. Likewise, their average responses comparing the international community’s quality of life with themselves decreased by 0.77 on the 7-point scale, showing that they rated the international community’s quality of life worse than they initially thought. The qualitative evaluation of participants’ reflections yielded positive feedback on the VR experience’s authenticity, the stories’ plausibility, their increased situated empathy and awareness regarding the hardships, and VR as a promising technology in communicating these topics. Ultimately, the thesis contributes to collecting and understanding the hardship experiences of the international community of the University of Oulu. It demonstrates a feasible approach to enhancing empathy and awareness, and the experiment increased the participants’ understanding of the University of Oulu’s international community’s hardships. Further, the thesis continues to add evidence to how VR is a promising approach to fostering empathy

Analysis of chlorpheniramine in human urine samples using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography

Utilizou-se uma técnica de microextração simples e ambientalmente amigável para a determinação de clorfeniramina (CPM), anti-histamínico, em amostras de urina humana, utilizando a microextração dispersiva líquido-líquido (DLLME), seguida por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência com detecção por arranjo de diodos (HPLC-DAD). Nesse método de extração, mistura apropriada de acetonitrila (solvente dispersor) e tetracloreto de carbono (solvente de extração) foi injetada rapidamente na amostra de urina contendo o analito alvo. As pequenas gotículas de agente de extração foram formadas e dispersas na solução da amostra e, em seguida, sedimentadas no fundo do tubo cônico de ensaio por centrifugação. Em condições ótimas, a curva de calibração foi linear no intervalo entre 0,055 e 5,5 µg mL-1, com limite de detecção de 16,5 ng mL-1. O método proposto foi aplicado com sucesso na análise de amostras de urina reais. Baixo consumo de solventes orgânicos tóxicos, simplicidade de operação, baixo custo e figuras de mérito aceitáveis são as principais vantagens do método sugerido.A simple and environmentally friendly microextraction technique was used for determination of chlorpheniramine (CPM), an antihistamine drug, in human urine samples using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) followed by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). In this extraction technique, an appropriate mixture of acetonitrile (disperser solvent) and carbon tetrachloride (extraction solvent) was rapidly injected into the urine sample containing the target analyte. Tiny droplets of extractant were formed and dispersed into the sample solution and then sedimented at the bottom of the conical test tube by centrifugation. Under optimal conditions, the calibration curve was linear in the range of 0.055-5.5 µg mL-1, with a detection limit of 16.5 ng mL-1. This proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of real urine samples. Low consumption of toxic organic solvents, simplicity of operation, low cost and acceptable figures of merit are the main advantages of the proposed technique

Correspondance

Lettre N° 1 Le 21 mars 2006 Cher Abbas Kiarostami, Après ces quelques semaines de silence occupées en partie par la préparation scientifique de notre projet toulousain au mois de mars l’année prochaine, je reviens donc vers vous pour entamer cet entretien épistolaire que vous avez aimablement accepté d’engager avec moi à propos de la place qu’occupe l’arbre dans votre travail de cinéaste. D’ailleurs, ces premiers jours de Nowrōz qui célèbrent le nouvel an persan et qui correspondent chez nous..

ROBOT NAVIGASI ODOMETRY DENGAN ANTARMUKA MYRIO

Sistem navigasi dan trajectory robot kurang efisien bila menggunakan media dari luarseperti garis atau dinding ruangan. Robot navigasi odometri menggunakan MyRIO dibuatuntuk pengujian pengendalian posisi agar lebih efektif. Alat ini menggunakan sensor rotaryencoder untuk mencacah pergerakan robot omni pada koordinat x dan y pada prosesperhitungan odometri. Penggerak robot omni menggunakan motor DC 25GA370,mikrokontroler NI MyRIO-1900 sebagai sistem antarmuka dan software LabVIEWdigunakan untuk memasukkan set point. Untuk memperoleh hasil pergerakan robot yangbaik pada sistem odometry, kendali PID diterapkan untuk mengendalikan kecepatan putarmasing-masing motor DC pada roda robot omni. Untuk menguji kinerja metode odometridalam melakukan proses kendali posisi, terdapat dua jenis pola pengujian trajectory, yaitupersegi dan segitiga siku. Dari hasil pengujian ini, diperoleh nilai kesalahan di bawah 5%

Right ventricular involvement in left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy

Background: Left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC) features extensive trabeculations. Involvement of the right ventricle (RV) has been reported; however, distinction from normal RV trabeculation is difficult. This study aimed at assessing RV morphology and function in LVNC by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE).Methods: Dimensional and functional parameters were assessed according to guidelines. Novel CMR parameters were RV end-diastolic (ED) trabeculated area, RV ED trabeculated volume, and RV ED non-compacted to compacted (NC/N) ratio in short axis (SAX) as well as in four-chamber view (4CH).Results: Twenty patients with LVNC and 20 controls were included. RV size and function were comparable in LVNC and controls and exhibited a good correlation between TTE and CMR. Although RV trabeculated area, RV trabeculated volume, and RV ED NC/C ratio in SAX as well as in 4CH were larger in LVNC, there was a major overlap with values in controls. RV ED NC/C ratio in SAX correlated with LV ED NC/C ratio (not in 4CH). Quantitative assessment of RV non-compaction was not feasible in TTE.Conclusions: Right ventricle size and function in LVNC can be measured by CMR and TTE, while RV trabeculation can only be quantified by CMR. RV myocardium displays more trabeculations in LVNC; however, overlap with normal individuals is extensive, not allowing separation of patients with LVNC from controls