Software Development Process Modeling. Developers Perspective to Contemporary Modeling Techniques

Formal software development processes and well-defined development methodologies are nowadays seen as the definite way to produce high-quality software within time-limits and budgets. The variety of such high-level methodologies is huge ranging from rigorous process frameworks like CMMI and RUP to more lightweight agile methodologies. The need for managing this variety and the fact that practically every software development organization has its own unique set of development processes and methods have created a profession of software process engineers. Different kinds of informal and formal software process modeling languages are essential tools for process engineers. These are used to define processes in a way which allows easy management of processes, for example process dissemination, process tailoring and process enactment. The process modeling languages are usually used as a tool for process engineering where the main focus is on the processes themselves. This dissertation has a different emphasis. The dissertation analyses modern software development process modeling from the software developers’ point of view. The goal of the dissertation is to investigate whether the software process modeling and the software process models aid software developers in their day-to-day work and what are the main mechanisms for this. The focus of the work is on the Software Process Engineering Metamodel (SPEM) framework which is currently one of the most influential process modeling notations in software engineering. The research theme is elaborated through six scientific articles which represent the dissertation research done with process modeling during an approximately five year period. The research follows the classical engineering research discipline where the current situation is analyzed, a potentially better solution is developed and finally its implications are analyzed. The research applies a variety of different research techniques ranging from literature surveys to qualitative studies done amongst software practitioners. The key finding of the dissertation is that software process modeling notations and techniques are usually developed in process engineering terms. As a consequence the connection between the process models and actual development work is loose. In addition, the modeling standards like SPEM are partially incomplete when it comes to pragmatic process modeling needs, like light-weight modeling and combining pre-defined process components. This leads to a situation, where the full potential of process modeling techniques for aiding the daily development activities can not be achieved. Despite these difficulties the dissertation shows that it is possible to use modeling standards like SPEM to aid software developers in their work. The dissertation presents a light-weight modeling technique, which software development teams can use to quickly analyze their work practices in a more objective manner. The dissertation also shows how process modeling can be used to more easily compare different software development situations and to analyze their differences in a systematic way. Models also help to share this knowledge with others. A qualitative study done amongst Finnish software practitioners verifies the conclusions of other studies in the dissertation. Although processes and development methodologies are seen as an essential part of software development, the process modeling techniques are rarely used during the daily development work. However, the potential of these techniques intrigues the practitioners. As a conclusion the dissertation shows that process modeling techniques, most commonly used as tools for process engineers, can also be used as tools for organizing the daily software development work. This work presents theoretical solutions for bringing the process modeling closer to the ground-level software development activities. These theories are proven feasible by presenting several case studies where the modeling techniques are used e.g. to find differences in the work methods of the members of a software team and to share the process knowledge to a wider audience.Siirretty Doriast

Green and competitive EU? : from rhetoric to implementation

Siirretty Doriast

Veneilyonnettomuudet ja niihin johtaneet syyt

Opinnäytetyön aiheena oli selvittää veneilyonnettomuuksiin johtaneita syitä ja erilaisia onnettomuustyyppejä. Työssä selvitettiin myös erilaisia välttämisvaihtoehtoja veneilyonnettomuuksille. Tavoitteena oli saada lisää tietoa veneilyonnettomuuksista, mitkä syyt ovat johtaneet veneilyonnettomuuksiin ja kuinka usein niitä tapahtuu. Tärkeä tavoite oli myös keskittyä veneilyyn Suomessa suhteessa onnettomuuksien määrään. Tavoitteena oli myös löytää tärkeitä seikkoja siihen, kuinka toimia onnettomuustilanteissa ja jopa välttää onnettomuudet kokonaan. Tärkein asia työn onnistumisen kannalta oli saada mahdollisimman paljon tilastotietoa veneilyonnettomuuksista ja niiden määristä. Runsaasti tietoa saatiin onnettomuustut-kintaraporteista sekä vakuutusyhtiöltä. Myös asiantuntijalta saatiin luotettava osuus työhön. Veneilyonnettomuudet ovat lisääntyneet paljon viime vuosina, ja niihin on myös alettu kiinnittää enemmän huomiota. Vesiliikenteen promillerajan lasku olisi ensimmäinen askel kohti turvallisempaa vesillä liikkumista. Myös pakollinen veneilykortti antaisi ihmisille lisää tietämystä oikeanlaisesta ja turvallisesta vesillä liikkumisesta. Valvonta olisi kuitenkin ongelma, sillä siihen ei riitä resursseja.The topic of the thesis was boating accidents and causes leading to them. The thesis also includes different methods for avoiding accidents. The object was to obtain more information about boating accidents, causes leading to them and how often boating accidents occur. Another important objective was to concentrate in boating in Finland versus the number of boating accidents. The objective was also to find important facts as to how to function in accident circumstances and even to avoid accidents all together. The most important factor was to obtain statistic information as much as possible about boating accidents. Much information was gathered from accident investigation reports and insurance company. Also, an expert gave reliable information for the thesis. The number of boating accidents has increased significantly during the past few years and the accidents have obtained more attention. Decreasing the acceptable permillelimit would be the first step towards safer boating. Also, mandatory boater’s license would give more knowledge and information about appropriate and safer boating. However, monitoring would be a problem due to lack of resources

On Capital Structure Arbitrage : Analyzing the Effects of Structural Credit Risk Model Calibration and Equity Variance Hedging

After the turn of the millennium, a strategy called capital structure arbitrage started to gain interest among academics and practitioners. In this relative value trading strategy, a structural credit risk model is used to identify dislocations in the pricing of a firm’s capital structure. If a pricing misalignment between a company’s debt and equity instruments is found, a balanced relative value position including both debt and equity instruments is established. In a scenario where the prices converge back to their fundamental values, the trade should be profitable. In this thesis, both the structural credit risk model used to generate the trading signals and the strategy execution in itself are analyzed. First, the aim is to test how the Merton (1974) Moody’s KMV credit risk model performs in a capital structure arbitrage setting when different calibration methodologies are utilized. Second, a new trading execution strategy involving variance and credit default swaps is tested. To test the model and the proposed strategy execution methodology, a sample consisting of 102 European obligors is analyzed during the post-financial crisis era spanning from 2.8.2012 to 30.7.2019. Finally, results are compared to previous studies so that conclusions regarding the viability of the tested approach can be made. The results indicate that the use of market-implied data, e.g., implied equity volatility, in the model calibration leads to improved model accuracy and higher trading strategy profits on average. Similar results are found if Student’s t-distribution is applied in default probability calculations instead of the normal distribution. Additionally, the use of variance swaps in the trading strategy can be seen as a valid alternative compared to cash equities, for example. With the best-performing model variant, Sharpe ratios calculated from monthly excess returns vary between 0.43 and 0.59. Altogether, both the Merton (1974) Moody’s KMV and the variance swap-based execution strategy can be seen to perform inline or in some instances even better than other model and strategy specifications when the results are compared to previous studies.Vuosituhannen vaihteessa akateemikot ja edistykselliset sijoittajat alkoivat kiinnittää entistä enemmän huomiota uuteen strategiaan, joka nojautui yksittäisen yhtiön pääomarakenteessa ilmenevien hinnoitteluvirheiden hyödyntämiseen. Tässä pääomarakennearbitraasiksikin kutsutussa strategiassa sijoitetaan riskiekvivalentisti yhtiön osakkeesta ja luottoriskistä riippuvaisiin instrumentteihin, mikäli hinnoitteluvirhe onnistutaan havaitsemaan rakenteellista luottoriskimallia hyödyntämällä. Olettaen, että käytetty luottoriskimalli tuottaa luotettavia signaaleja pitäisi hankittujen instrumenttien nettotuoton olla positiivinen, kun hinnoitteluvirhe markkinoilla korjautuu. Tässä tutkielmassa tarkastellaan sekä signaaleja tuottavaa rakenteellista luottoriskimallia että strategian toteuttamista käytännössä. Tutkimusongelma rakentuu kahden osa-alueen varaan. Ensinnäkin tavoitteena on testata millaisia tuloksia Merton (1974) Moody’s KMV -luottoriskimallilla ja sen erilaisilla kalibraatiometodeilla on mahdollista saavuttaa pääomarakennearbitraasiin keskittyvässä viitekehyksessä. Tämän lisäksi analysoidaan uutta strategian toteutusmetodia, jossa hyödynnetään varianssin (varianssiswap) ja luottoriskin vaihtosopimuksia. Tulokset lasketaan otoksesta, joka koostuu 102 eurooppalaisesta yrityksestä ja joka ulottuu elokuusta 2011 aina heinäkuuhun 2019 saakka. Jotta lähestymistavan tehokkuutta voidaan kommentoida, vertaillaan tuloksia aikaisemmissa tutkimuksissa käsiteltyihin tuloksiin. Tulokset osoittavat, että markkinoilta johdetun informaation ja Studentin t-jakauman käyttö normaalijakauman sijaan luottoriskimarginaaleja laskettaessa johtavat keskimäärin korkeampiin strategiatuottoihin ja parantuneeseen ennustetarkkuuteen. Lisäksi huomataan, että varianssin vaihtosopimukset toimivat strategiaa toteutettaessa osakkeita vastaavalla tavalla. Soveltuvimman strategiavariantin kuukausittaisista ylituotoista laskettu Sharpen luku kustannusten jälkeen on 0,43 ja 0,59 välillä riippuen strategian toteutustavasta. Tulosten valossa voi siis todeta, että Merton (1974) Moody’s KMV -malliin nojaavilla luottoriskiennusteilla ja varianssin vaihtosopimuksiin pohjaavalla strategialla voidaan saavuttaa tuloksia, jotka ovat linjassa aikaisempien tutkimustulosten kanssa kanssa

Effect of Processing Technologies on Phenolic Compounds in Berry Products

In the food industry, berries are conventionally processed into juices, jams, jellies, purées, concentrates and extracts. Phenolic compounds play an important role in the health effects and sensory properties of berry products. The factors influencing the stability of phenolic compounds are the type of process and process parameters, the food matrix (pH, presence of oxygen, enzymes, pectins, sugars and metals), and storage conditions. Anthocyanins are especially vulnerable during processing and storage, resulting in pigment degradation and formation of anthocyanin-tannin/flavan-3-ol polymers. Flavonol glycosides, ellagitannins and derivatives of phenolic acids are hydrolyzed into free aglycones and acids, and the degree of polymerization (DP) of proanthocyanidins is lowered. The decomposition of phenolic compounds, especially anthocyanins, may compromise the sensory and nutritional food quality. Processing berries into juices results in 20–30% of press residue, producing significant ecological problems when discarded as waste. The press residue contains high amounts of phenolic compounds and could be a valuable source of bioactive ingredients. Thermal and non-thermal techniques exploiting cavitation (hydrothermodynamic processing), microwave heating, electroporation (pulsed electric field processing), and high pressure have the potential to provide berry products with improved yields of phenolic compounds and less decomposition due to lower treatment temperatures and shorter exposure to heat during the treatment. These processes are viable alternatives during berry blanching and juice pasteurization, and also for extraction of phenolic fractions from the press residue. In the practical work of the thesis, the impact of various juice pressing technologies and storage conditions were studied on the chemical composition and sensory properties of black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) juices. During juice processing, berries were pressed with and without the application of supplementary enzymes. A two-phase juice extraction process yielded “Non-Enzymatic Berry”- and “Enzymatic Press Residue”-juices, which were compared with the conventional enzyme-assisted juice. The high phenolic content resulted in an increased astringency and bitterness in the enzymatically pressed juices. Native undisrupted pectins in the “Non-Enzymatic Berry”-juice reduced the astringency. The lowest content of phenolic compounds in the “Non-Enzymatic Berry-juice” led to the lowest stability of the phenolic composition during pasteurization and storage. The most notable decrease was observed in the monomeric anthocyanins, and the most significant increase inphenolic acids. Generally, the stability of anthocyanins is mostly influenced by the storage temperature, whereas other phenolic compounds are sensitive to both temperature and light. Light induced the conversion of (E)-p-coumaric acid derivatives into the corresponding (Z)-isomers. Flavonol glycosides were more stable, compared to anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. The chemical and sensory quality of the juices remained rather constant during cold (+4 °C) storage. Analyses were conducted by high-performance liquid chromatography – diode-array detection – electrospray ionization – mass spectrometry or tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–DAD–ESI–MS(–MS2)), high-performance liquid chromatography – diode-array detection – electrospray ionization – quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC–DAD–ESI–Q-TOF-MS) and analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), after isolation with selective high-performance liquid chromatography. Analyses revealed derivatives of hydroxycinnamic acids: 2-(Z)-p-coumaroyloxymethylene-4-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy-2-(Z)-butenenitrile, 2-(E)-caffeoyloxymethylene-4-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy-2-(Z)-butenenitrile, (Z)-p-coumaric acid 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and 1-O-(Z)-p-coumaroyl-β-D-glucopyranose, and also free (Z)-p-coumaric acid. New product concepts for snacks were developed using the press residue obtained from different juice pressing processes. The research conducted for this thesis provided important knowledge on the stability of berry phenolics during various conditions of food processing and storage, and introduced sustainable process technologies for utilization of the berry and the side-stream. The results can promote the development of new berry products with enhanced quality.Siirretty Doriast

Structural and chemical modifications of porous silicon for biomedical applications

The versatility in properties of porous silicon (PSi) has enabled a broad spectrum of applications, ranging from microelectronics and various types of sensors to its use as a biocompatible material in drug delivery. Structural properties of PSi were shown in this work to be adaptable post-fabrication using thermal annealing. Control over the average pore size of the material proved to be beneficial, when adjustments were necessary to accommodate larger biomolecules within the pores of the PSi. Furthermore, a facile method of fabricating PSi nanoparticles was introduced using a multilayer approach with a stepwise electrochemical etching process, where the comminution of the material was guided with formation of fragile, high porosity perforation layers at specific intervals. This method has been proven successful, being utilized in over 70 publications so far. For extended control over biocompatibility and biodistribution of PSi micro- and nanoparticles, two new surface modifications based on hydrolytically stabilized PSi were introduced. Amine-terminated thermally carbonized PSi, capable of carbodiimide crosslinking for further functionalization with biomolecules, and an alkyne-terminated hydrocarbonized PSi, enabling the use of click chemistry -based addition reaction for secondary functionalization. Solid-state properties of confined drug molecules adsorbed into PSi microparticles were also studied. As PSi is known to enhance aqueous dissolution and cellular permeability of poorly soluble drugs, more accurate information was sought on the effects of the mesoscale confinement. Small molecule drugs were observed to partially have a liquid-like behavior according to solid-state NMR analysis and participate in interactions with the pore walls, according the availability of specific functional groups. Slight disruption in short-range order of the adsorbed drugs was also found, as the confinement appeared to reduce the true density of the drug molecules below that of a bulk amorphous state. Study over the conditions for efficient drug adsorption into the pores showed the importance of solvent and drug solution concentration selection. Optimal choices enabled high drug payload within the PSi, without precipitation of crystalline drug on the external surface of the PSi microparticles.Huokoisen piin (porous silicon, PSi) monipuoliset ominaisuudet ovat mahdollistaneet runsaasti erilaisia sovelluksia, lähtien mikroelektroniikasta ja ilmaisimista aina tämän käyttöön bioyhteensopivana materiaalina lääkeannostelussa. Tässä työssä osoitettiin huokoisen piin rakenteen olevan jälkikäteen muokattavissa hallitusti lämpökäsittelyn avulla. Huokoskokoa kasvattamalla mahdollistettiin tarpeen vaatiessa suurempien biomolekyylien pääsy huokosiin. Tämän lisäksi esiteltiin menetelmä huokoisen piin nanopartikkelien valmistamiseksi syövyttämällä sähkökemiallisesti huokoinen monikerrosrakenne, missä tasaisin välimatkoin sijaitsevat hauraat korkean huokoisuuden kerrokset toimivat murtumista edistävinä kohtina. Menetelmää on sittemmin hyödynnetty tähän mennessä yli 70:ssä tieteellisessä julkaisussa. Huokoisen piin mikro- ja nanopartikkelien bioyhteensopivuuden ja kulkeutumisen hallintaan työssä kehitettiin kaksi uutta pintakemiallista muunnosta huokoiselle piille, mikä oli esikäsitelty heikosti veteen liukenevaksi. Muunnokset perustuivat vapaiden amiiniryhmien ja alkyynien saatavuuteen huokoisen piin pinnoilla. Näistä edellinen mahdollisti biologisen funktionalisoinnin karbodi-imidisilloituksen kautta, jälkimmäisen puolestaan mahdollistaen monipuolinen funktionalisointi kupariavusteisen sykloadditioreaktion kautta. Lääkemolekyylien fysikaalista olotilaa nanokokoluokan huokosissa tutkittiin huokoisen piin mikropartikkelien avulla. Huokosiin adsorboitujen niukkaliukoisten lääkeaineiden tiedetään liukenevan tehokkaasti veteen, mutta syitä tälle voi olla useita. Pienmolekyylilääkkeiden havaittiin olevan osittain nestemäisessä muodossa huokosten sisällä NMR-tutkimusten mukaan. Molekyylien lähijärjestys vaikutti myös osittain muuttuneen, huokosiin adsorboituneen lääkeaineen tiheyden ollessa tavallista amorfista tilaa alhaisempi. Lääkeaineen adsorptiota huokosiin pyrittiin myös tehostamaan seuraamalla liuottimen ja lääkeaineliuoksen konsentraation vaikutusta. Sopivin parametrein saavutettiin korkea lääkkeen hyötykuorma, ilman lääkemolekyylien kiteytymistä huokoisen piin mikropartikkelien ulkopinnoille

Kamppailu trolleja vastaan : häiriköinnin kohtaaminen verkkoyhteisöissä

Tässä opinnäytetyössä käsittelen trolleja ja trollausta. Sanat viittaavat Internet-kulttuurin ilmiöön, jossa keskusteluryhmien tai yksilöiden toimintaa haitataan provokatiivisilla tai häiritsevillä viesteillä. Ilmiö on laajalle levinnyt, ja suuri osa Internetin käyttäjistä on joutunut sen kanssa tekemisiin. Monet eivät välttämättä kuitenkaan tunnista trolleja, minkä takia tuon ilmiötä esille antamalle sille määritelmän ja osoittamalla tapoja, joilla trollit toimivat keskusteluyhteisöissä. Käsittelen myös trollien käyttäytymisen taustoja tutustumalla tutkimuksiin siitä, miten Internetin anonymiteetti ja tekstipohjainen keskusteluympäristö vaikuttavat ihmisten kanssakäymiseen. Käsittelen myös sitä, miten Internetin käyttäjien pitäisi suhtautua trolleihin ja torjua heidän aiheuttamansa negatiiviset seuraukset Internet-yhteisöille. Osoitan, että Internetin vapauden rajoittaminen ja anonymiteetin poistaminen eivät ole oikeita ratkaisuja ongelmallisen käyttäytymisen karsimiseen. Sen sijaan käyn läpi keinoja, joilla yhteisöjen ylläpitäjät voivat suojautua trolleja vastaan, ja miten tavallinen käyttäjä voi valmistautua trollien kohtaamiseen. Pahimmillaan trollien toiminta voi johtaa mielekkään Internet-kanssakäymisen kuihtumiseen. Tämän takia on tärkeää, että käyttäjät oppivat elämään ilmiön kanssa ja minimoimaan sen vaikutukset omalla toiminnallaan. Tämä edistää Internetin kehitystä vapaana keskusteluympäristönä.In this thesis I examine Internet trolls and trolling. These words refer to a behavior that seeks to disturb Internet communities and individuals, usually by sending provocative and distractive messages or comments to them. This behaviour has turned into a phenomenon that has affacted great portion of Internet users, yet many of them still don't recognize it. Therefore I disclose this phenomenon by giving it definition and by demonstrating ways in which trolls operate in communities. I also investigate the background of trolling behaviour by finding out how anonymity on the Internet and computer mediated communication change users attitudes towards each other. I also examine how Internet users should counter trolls and turn down their negative impacts on communities. I address how limiting freedom of the Internet users and removing anonymity are not right solutions to this. Instead I introduce ways that moderators can use to protect their communities and how regular users can prepare themselves to face trolls. At its worst, trolling can lead to the decrease of meaningfull Internet discourse. This is why it is important that users learn to live with the phenomenon and to minimize it's effects with their own actions. This advances Internets development as an open platform of interaction

Alkemiallinen Eskatologia ja Yhdistyminen John Donnen Metafyysisessä Runoudessa : Tekstuaalinen ja Jungilainen Tulkinta Valituista Runoista

This thesis examines the use of alchemical imagery in selected love poems and religious verse by John Donne. Donne’s alchemical imagery has been argued to represent a blend of eschatology and alchemy, and the mystical imagery can be interpreted as a psychological representation of what Jung calls the “projection of the process of individuation”. The intersection of mystical alchemy, eschatology, and psychological integration materializes as a rich literary concoction in the following poems: “A Litanye”, “Resurrection. Imperfect”, “A Nocturnall vpon St Lucies Day”, “An Elegie vpon the death of the Ladie Marckham”, and “The Extasie”. Through close reading, this thesis employs a combination of textual criticism and Jung’s psychoanalytic treatment of alchemy. This thesis demonstrates the purpose of alchemy in Donne’s poetry to clarify, first, “why alchemy?”, and second, “what makes alchemy a potent tool for the poet?”. The alchemical influence in Donne’s poetry has been broadly recognized by literary critics, but an integrated Jungian analysis provides a more substantial and psychologically informed understanding of Donne’s poetic conceits and images. In this thesis, I present textual and historical readings within the context of the Jungian theory of individuation. The purpose of using Jung’s psychoanalytic concepts is to deepen our critical understanding of the spiritual and physical experiences of Donne as psychologically descriptive and significant. This thesis shows that Donne’s use of alchemical imagery illustrates his psycho-spiritual processes and self-formation in textual form. Close reading and the integration of Jungian alchemical theories help bring these processes to the surface, making what is concealed manifest in Donne’s words. While staying rooted in Christian doctrine, Donne utilizes alchemy as a tool for textual mappings of the internal motion of his soul. By appropriating alchemy as a poetic tool, Donne also participates in a diachronic thread of alchemical thinking from the wake of Hermeticism to 20th-century psychoanalysis and modern-day embodied schemata in cognitive science. The chosen imagery serves as a culturally appropriate vehicle for making sense of abstract subject matter during the golden age of alchemical developments. Furthermore, Donne’s verse shows that for the poet no union and wholeness can be achieved without love as the proverbial alchemist, and neither can he experience redemptive transmutation without God as the “Arch-Chymist”. By turning to psychoanalysis and Jungian concepts, this thesis shows that the process of individuation, and mystical union – coniunctio – is lodged in his verse. The unification of conscious and unconscious mind is textually illustrated in Donne’s reflections on the nature of love and spirituality. Indeed, the selected poems carry a distinct consciousness that seeks moral-intellectual refinement and purification to emulate the divine and to endure the transmutation process to become unified with the divine. Finally, the connection between love and alchemical transmutation lies in the union Donne seeks on spiritual and physical levels