Lapland University of Applied Sciences

Cronartium pini (Willd.) Jørst. is a major rust pathogen that kills especially Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). Early diagnosis of the pathogen would reduce significant losses in managed forest productivity. Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris L.) with their accurate sense of smell have potential to detect forest pathogens at an early stage before they cause significant losses in forests. In this study, we tested in northern Finland whether trained volunteer dog-handler teams could identify infected wood, fruit bodies, spores or mycelia of C. pini in vitro and in vivo to facilitate early disease diagnosis. Volunteer dog-handler teams were able to indicate C. pini spores, fruit bodies and both fresh and old rust lesions on Scots pine including alive shoots, where the rust was present yet as latent. Five dogs out of five detected in vitro C. pini (both life-cycle forms), with 51% mean sensitivity and 58% mean precision. Four dogs out of four detected in vivo the autoecious life-cycle form of C. pini, with 95% mean sensitivity and 89% mean precision. In in vivo detection of the heteroecious life cycle form on pine, two dogs out of two performed with 78% mean sensitivity (100% precision). For identifying C. pini on alternate hosts in vivo, the mean sensitivity was 58% (precision 100%). Trained dog-handler pairs show promise as an aid in searching for C. pini especially in Scots pine stands at their early epidemical stage, but further testing is needed.

Problematic gaming is a distinguishable problem associated with impairments to personal well-being. The Restart program is a novel digital intervention that was designed to help individuals improve their control over excessive gaming. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of the Restart program on gaming behaviour and well-being among problematic gamers. We utilised a quasi-experimental design, including one group with pre-and post-test measurements; no control group was employed. The analysed data described individuals' life situations, gaming behaviour, problematic gaming, compulsive internet use and subjective well-being. Data were collected at the baseline and post-program time points, as well as 3 months after the end of the program, and analysed using a linear mixed model. At the baseline, 110 individuals engaged in the intervention, and 50 participants completed all pre-, post- and follow-up tests. Statistically significant differences between the baseline and post-program scores were discerned for all variables. Moreover, the total time spent on gaming and the proportion of problematic gaming time decreased across the post-intervention and follow-up time points, a trend that may reflect changes in gaming control and behaviour. The results also revealed improvements in subjective well-being among participants. Participants showed improvements in gaming behaviour and well-being, suggesting that participation in the Restart program may be associated with positive changes; however, the findings remain preliminary. Future research should focus on the long-term benefits of such therapeutic approaches.

Gait impairments are a well-documented consequence of stroke, yet the impact of transient ischemic attack (TIA) on gait remains underexplored. This study aimed to characterize acute changes in gait patterns within three days of stroke or TIA onset using an accelerometer, and to examine the relationship between gait patterns and questionnaire-based measures of balance confidence. We found that patients with TIA showed significantly lower variability in swing time, stance time, and step time than patients with stroke. Comparisons between patients with TIA and controls indicated that controls had higher mean step velocity and lower step time asymmetry. Additionally, compared with controls, patients with stroke demonstrated a slower and less temporally consistent pace, indicated by shorter step length, lower step velocity, and higher standard deviation (SD) for swing time, stance time, and step time. They also showed greater variability, reflected by higher step length SD, and more pronounced gait asymmetry, with greater asymmetry in swing time, step time, and stance time. The balance confidence was associated with gait parameters in patients with stroke and in controls, but not in patients with TIA. In both groups, higher confidence related to longer step length and faster step velocity; in stroke it was also linked to lower swing time variability and longer step and stance times, and in controls to lower step time variability. These findings demonstrate that TIA involves detectable neurological changes affecting motor control, highlighting the value of detailed accelerometer-based gait analysis for early detection of functional deficits.

While knowledge management (KM) and KM maturity have been widely studied in the private sector, literature on nonprofits remains limited. Consequently, literature on KM maturity in this sector remains limited. In nonprofits, including child rights NGOs, effective KM plays, however, a crucial role in maximizing impact, ensuring accountability and improving programme outcomes. This study assesses KM maturity in a Finnish child rights NGO’s International Programme (IP). Objectives include measuring KM maturity, identifying existing practices and challenges, and exploring management’s perspectives on improvement needs. A KM Maturity Model developed for the public sector was modified for this study. Interviews were conducted with four IP senior management team members, who rated KM-related statements on a five-point Likert scale and answered open-ended questions related to the statement themes. Responses were transcribed and analysed using thematic grouping, with frequency and median used for quantitative analysis. Findings show that while KM was a relatively new concept for the respondents, several KM practices were already in place. Identified strengths include strategic alignment of indicators with organisational goals, a positive attitude toward KM, and the use of extensive data products from the NGO’s international headquarters. Key challenges include limited time for deeper KM integration and a lack of structured knowledge-sharing processes. Respondents emphasised the need to strengthen team-wide KM understanding and proposed improvements like increasing transparency in decision-making, fostering collaborative learning, and systematically developing KM structures. This study provides a foundation for advancing KM within the studied NGO in order to enhance organisational performance. Next steps include developing a detailed KM improvement plan and potentially extending the maturity analysis organisation-wide. The study demonstrates that the use of a suitable KM maturity model can be useful for NGOs and nonprofits. Beyond its implications for the studied NGO, the findings can help other nonprofits to take the step to assess KM processes and implement improvements, ultimately enhancing effectiveness and impact across the sector.

Autonomously driving vehicles and robots that drive in public environments need to be safe and reliable under all weather conditions, including arctic winter conditions. Digital twins provide an opportunity to test autonomous vehicles in a safer, faster, and less expensive environment than carrying out tests in real-life conditions. We developed the data connection via ROS (Robot Operating System) between a mobile robot and its digital twin. This allows for almost real-time exchange of commands, information, and sensor data between the twins.The digital twins of the robo t and the testing ground are constructed in a CARLA-based autonomous driving simulator, which simulates realistic arctic winter weather conditions.The digital twin design was informed by the intended future use cases: Testing, optimizing, controlling, and monitoring autonomous driving and snow cleaning functions first with the digital twin, then in hybrid approaches.In our test setup we tested the hybrid case, where both robot twins were moving in the simulation and the real-world test area at the same time. We verified our digital twin, assessed delays, and the applicability in the intended use cases. Our results show that the digital testing ground would profit from inbuilt reference points to examine the alignment with its real-world counterpart. The communication via ROS was occurring in almost real-time , therefore, the digital twin setup was found to be applicable in hybrid digital twin testing. In the future, we will introduce an autonomous car into this digital twin setup and equip the testing ground with a 5G network.

The CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) regularly releases open data and simulations, enabling a wide range of physics analyses and studies by the global scientific community. The recent introduction of the NanoAOD data format has provided a streamlined and efficient approach to data processing, allowing for fast analysis turnaround. However, the larger MiniAOD format retains richer information that may be crucial for certain types of analyses. This work explores the potential of using public cloud resources for the computationally intensive processing of the MiniAOD format, for which many open data users may not have the necessary computing resources. With a scalable cloud infrastructure, researchers can benefit from increased processing power in their data analysis workflows, with a moderate short-term cost. This study investigates best practices and challenges for efficiently utilizing public cloud platforms to handle the processing of CMS MiniAOD data, with a focus on quantifying the overall time and cost of using these resources. The results indicate that the technical implementation of a typical CMS open data workflow in a public cloud environemnt is smooth, and the processing can be done with a reasonable overall cost and time.

Lifelong learning (LLL) is increasingly recognized as essential for ensuring that engineers remain responsive to technological change, sustainability challenges, and evolving industry needs. While LLL is embedded in engineering, there remains significant potential to strengthen its integration into professional practice, inspired by sectors such as healthcare and industry. This interactive workshop addressed these opportunities by providing cross-sector dialogue and exploring adaptable LLL strategies for engineering. It built on best practices from healthcare and innovative approaches from Asian professional contexts, encouraging participants to analyse transferable models and apply them to engineering settings. The workshop identified simulation-based training, competency frameworks, and interdisciplinary team practices as highly adaptable models. However, these approaches require cultural change and resources, and their scalability varies depending on the type of simulation used. Insights from Asia, particularly Singapore, illustrated how policy-driven initiatives and modular learning pathways can sustain professional growth across career stages. Discussions highlighted that translating such practices into engineering requires technological adaptation, institutional support, stakeholder engagement, and cultural readiness to align diverse needs through flexible and inclusive educational approaches. The workshop concluded with actionable strategies and identified future opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing to advance impactful innovations in LLL within engineering education and practice.

Abstract Abstract The gut microbiota of insects plays a crucial role in digesting food, providing nutrients, and synthesizing enzymes. This approach is particularly relevant for degrading lignocellulosic biomass and managing waste. In Karnataka, the larvae of Holotrichia serrata and Leucopholis canephora are major crop pests, but the role of their bacterial communities in lignocellulose degradation has not been well studied. This study aimed to isolate and evaluate bacteria from these larvae for their ability to degrade lignocellulose.Approximately seventeen cellulolytic bacterial strains were isolated from the fermentation chamber of white grubs, primarily from the Firmicutes and γ-proteobacteria classes. Notable species included Bacillus, Enterobacter, and Klebsiella. Bacillus toyonensis strain LC3B1 demonstrated significant cellulolytic activity, with a cellulolytic index of 1.93 ± 0.037. The degradation of corncob powder was the highest (28.15 ± 1.56%), followed by that of paddy straw powder (31.45 ± 0.608%) and groundnut husk powder (33.25 ± 0.823%), indicating the strong ability of these powders to degrade agricultural residues. FTIR analysis of the substrate carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) hydrolyzed by LC3B1 revealed decomposition products such as ketones, aldehydes, alcohols, and carboxylic acids. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed significant morphological changes and the formation of pores and tunnels in the treated biomass.The diverse cellulolytic capabilities of gut bacteria from white grubs, including those of the Bacillaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, and Pseudomonadaceae families, offer promising opportunities for lignocellulosic biomass degradation, biofuel production, and sustainable waste management.