Application of multivariate statistical methods to the modelling of a flue gas treatment stage in a waste-to-energy plant

Among all the macro-pollutants released by waste combustion, acid contaminants such as sulphur dioxide, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride have the lowest emission standards in environmental regulations in EU, USA and China. Their removal is thus a key step of flue gas treatment in waste-to-energy (WtE) plants. A widespread approach for acid gas removal is by in-duct injection of dry powdered sorbents, which neutralize the acid pollutants by gas-solid reaction. However, systems based on dry injection, albeit cost-effective and easy to operate, suffer from a limited knowledge of the gas-solid reaction process at industrial operating conditions. High excess of sorbent feed rate is generally required to obtain high acid gas removal efficiencies. The present study proposes a multivariate statistical approach to the modelling of acid gas treatment units, with the aim of extracting information from real process data in order to derive a predictive model of dynamic acid gas removal efficiency. Specifically, process data regarding the composition of the flue gas, the sorbent feed and other operating conditions were elaborated to characterise the different phenomena that influence acid gas abatement. Eventually, a partial least squares (PLS) regression was set up to predict the outlet concentration of hydrogen chloride as a function of the measured process variables. The resulting model is a step forward with respect to previously available stationary models. Its simplicity and low computational cost could make PLS a promising candidate for model-based process control. Nonetheless, a linear approach such as PLS still comes short of predicting large instantaneous deviations from the typical range of operation (e.g. abrupt peaks in inlet acid gas load), for which a modification of the PLS model to incorporate non-linear behaviour is envisaged

Choosing the consolidant for carbonate substrates: Technical performance and environmental sustainability of selected inorganic and organic products

This study aims at providing a dataset for selecting the most suitable consolidant for marble, limestone and lime mortar. Diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP), nanolimes (NL), ethyl silicate (ES) and acrylic resin (B72) were compared. Application was performed by brushing in different amounts to investigate the influence of the product consumption. Effectiveness, compatibility, durability and sustainability were evaluated. DAP showed several advantages over the alternative consolidants, in terms of both technical performance and sustainability. ES exhibited high efficacy but also risks of poor compatibility and durability, together with a high global warming potential. NL and B72 provided the least promising results

Data-driven Models for Advanced Control of Acid Gas Treatment in Waste-to-energy Plants

This paper presents a study of identification and validation of data-driven models for the description of the acid gas treatment process, a key step of flue gas cleaning in waste-to-energy plants. The acid gas removal line of an Italian plant, based on the injection of hydrated lime, Ca(OH)2, for the abatement of hydrogen chloride, HCl, is investigated. The final goal is to minimize the feed rate of reactant needed to achieve the required HCl removal performance, also reducing as a consequence the production of solid process residues. Process data are collected during dedicated plant tests carried out by imposing Generalized Binary Noise (GBN) sequences to the flow rate of Ca(OH)2. Various input-output and state-space models are identified with success, and related model orders are optimized. The models are then validated on different datasets of routine plant operation. The proposed modeling approach appears reliable and promising for control purposes, once implemented into advanced model-based control structures

Understanding Factors Leading to Primary Cesarean Section and Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Delivery in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region (North-Eastern Italy), 2005\u20132015

Although there is no evidence that elevated rates of cesarean sections (CS) translate into reduced maternal/child perinatal morbidity or mortality, CS have been increasingly overused almost everywhere, both in high and low-income countries. The primary cesarean section (PC S) has become a major driver of the overall CS (OCS) rate, since it carries intrinsic risk of repeat CS (RCS) in future pregnancies. In our study we examined patterns of PCS, pl compared with planned TO LAC anned PCS (PPCS), vaginal birth after 1 previous CS (VBAC-1) and associated factors in Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG), a region of North-Eastern Italy, collecting data from its 11 maternity centres (coded from A to K) during 2005\u20132015. By fitting three multiple logistic regression models (one for each delivery mode), we calculated the adjusted rates of PCS and PPCS among women without history of CS, whilst the calculation of the VBAC rate was restricted to women with just one previous CS (VBAC-1). Results, expressed as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI), were controlled for the effect of hospital, calendar year as well as several factors related to the clinical and obstetric conditions of the mothers and the newborn, the obstetric history and socio-demographic background. In FVG during 2005\u20132015 there were 24,467 OCS (rate of 24.2%), 19,565 PCS (19.6%), 7,736 PPCS (7.7%) and 2,303 VBAC-1 (28.4%). We found high variability of delivery mode (DM) at hospital level, especially for PCS and PPCS. Breech presentation was the strongest determinant for PCS as well as PPCS. Leaving aside placenta previa/abuptio placenta/ante-partum hemorrhage, further significant factors, more importantly associated with PCS than PPCS were non-reassuring fetal status and obstructed labour, followed by (in order of statistical significance): multiple birth; eclampsia/pre-eclampsia; maternal age 40\u201344 years; placental weight 600-99 g; oligohydramios; pre-delivery LoS 3\u20135 days; maternal age 35\u201339 years; placenta weight 1,000\u20131,500 g; birthweight < 2,000 g; maternal age 65 45 years; pre-delivery LoS 65 6 days; mother\u2019s age 30\u201334 years; low birthweight (2,000\u20132,500 g); polyhydramnions; cord prolaspe; 656 US scas performed during pregnancy and pre-term gestations (33\u201336 weeks). Significant factors for PPCS were (in order of statistical significance): breech presentation; placenta previa/abruptio placenta/ante-partum haemorrhage; multiple birth; pre-delivery LoS 65 3 days; placental weight 65 600 g; maternal age 40\u201344 years; 656 US scans performed in pregnancy; maternal age 65 45 and 35\u201339 years; oligohydramnios; eclampsia/pre-eclampsia; mother\u2019s age 30\u201334 years; birthweight <2,000 g; polyhydramnios and pre-term gestation (33\u201336 weeks). VBAC-1 were more likely with gestation 65 41 weeks, placental weight <500 g and especially labour analgesia. During 2005\u20132015 the overall rate of PCS in FVG (19.6%) was substantially lower than the corresponding figure reported in 2010 for the entire Italy (29%) and still slightly under the most recent national PCS rate for 2017 (22.2%). The VBAC-1 rate on women with history of one previous CS in FVG was 28.4% (25.3% considering VBAC on all women with at least 1 previous CS), roughly three times the Italian national rate of 9% reported for 2017. The discrepancy between the OCS rate at country level (38.1%) and FVG\u2019s (24.2%) is therefore mainly attributable to RCS. Although there was a marginal decrease of PCS and PPCS crudes rates over time in the whole region, accompained by a progressive enhancement of the crude VBAC rate, we found remarkable variability of DM across hospitals. To further contain the number of unnecessary PCS and promote VBAC where appropriate, standardized obstetric protocols should be introduced and enforced at hospital level. Decision-making on PCS should be carefully scrutinized, introducing a diagnostic second opinion for all PCS, particularly for term singleton pregancies with cephalic presentation and in case of obstructed labour as well as non-reassuring fetal status, grey areas potentially affected by subjective clinical assessment. This process of change could be facilitated with education of staff/ patients by opinion leaders and prenatal counseling for women and partners, although clinical audits, financial penalties and rewards to efficient maternity centres could also be considered

Using shared needles for subcutaneous inoculation can transmit bluetongue virus mechanically between ruminant hosts

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an economically important arbovirus of ruminants that is transmitted by Culicoides spp. biting midges. BTV infection of ruminants results in a high viraemia, suggesting that repeated sharing of needles between animals could result in its iatrogenic transmission. Studies defining the risk of iatrogenic transmission of blood-borne pathogens by less invasive routes, such as subcutaneous or intradermal inoculations are rare, even though the sharing of needles is common practice for these inoculation routes in the veterinary sector. Here we demonstrate that BTV can be transmitted by needle sharing during subcutaneous inoculation, despite the absence of visible blood contamination of the needles. The incubation period, measured from sharing of needles, to detection of BTV in the recipient sheep or cattle, was substantially longer than has previously been reported after experimental infection of ruminants by either direct inoculation of virus, or through blood feeding by infected Culicoides. Although such mechanical transmission is most likely rare under field condition, these results are likely to influence future advice given in relation to sharing needles during veterinary vaccination campaigns and will also be of interest for the public health sector considering the risk of pathogen transmission during subcutaneous inoculations with re-used needles

SF3B1-mutated chronic lymphocytic leukemia shows evidence of NOTCH1 pathway activation including CD20 downregulation

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by a low CD20 expression, in part explained by an epigenetic-driven downregulation triggered by mutations of the NOTCH1 gene. In the present study, by taking advantage of a wide and well-characterized CLL cohort (n=537), we demonstrate that CD20 expression is downregulated in SF3B1-mutated CLL in an extent similar to NOTCH1-mutated CLL. In fact, SF3B1-mutated CLL cells show common features with NOTCH1-mutated CLL cells, including a gene expression profile enriched of NOTCH1-related gene sets and elevated expression of the active intracytoplasmic NOTCH1. Activation of the NOTCH1 signaling and down-regulation of surface CD20 in SF3B1-mutated CLL cells correlate with over-expression of an alternatively spliced form of DVL2, a component of the Wnt pathway and negative regulator of the NOTCH1 pathway. These findings are confirmed by separately analyzing the CD20-dim and CD20-bright cell fractions from SF3B1-mutated cases as well as by DVL2 knock-out experiments in CLL-like cell models. Altogether, the clinical and biological features that characterize NOTCH1-mutated CLL may also be recapitulated in SF3B1-mutated CLL, contributing to explain the poor prognosis of this CLL subset and providing the rationale for expanding novel agents-based therapies to SF3B1-mutated CLL

Oncologic Outcomes of Incidental Versus Biopsy-diagnosed Grade Group 1 Prostate Cancer:A Multi-institutional Study

Background and objective: Patients diagnosed with grade group (GG) 1 prostate cancer (PCa) following treatment for benign disease (“incidental” PCa) are typically managed with active surveillance (AS). It is not known how their outcomes compare with those observed in patients diagnosed with GG1 on biopsy. We aimed at determining whether long-term oncologic outcomes of AS for patients with GG1 PCa differ according to the type of diagnosis: incidental versus biopsy detected. Methods: A retrospective, multi-institutional analysis of PCa patients with GG1 on AS at eight institutions was conducted. Competing risk analyses estimated the incidence of metastases, PCa mortality, and conversion to treatment. As a secondary analysis, we estimated the risk of GG ≥2 on the first follow-up biopsy according to the type of initial diagnosis. Key findings and limitations: A total of 213 versus 1900 patients with incidental versus biopsy-diagnosed GG1 were identified. Patients with incidental cancers were followed with repeated biopsies and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging less frequently than those diagnosed on biopsy. The 10-yr incidence of treatment was 22% for incidental cancers versus 53% for biopsy (subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR] 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.26–0.46, p &lt; 0.001). Distant metastases developed in one patient with incidental cancer versus 17 diagnosed on biopsy and were diagnosed with molecular imaging in 13 (72%) patients. The 10-yr incidence of metastases was 0.8% for patients with incidental PCa and 2% for those diagnosed on biopsy (sHR 0.35, 95% CI 0.05–2.54, p = 0.3). The risk of GG ≥2 on the first follow-up biopsy was low if the initial diagnosis was incidental (7% vs 22%, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions and clinical implications: Patients with GG1 incidental PCa should be evaluated further to exclude aggressive disease, preferably with a biopsy. If no cancer is found on biopsy, then they should receive the same follow-up of a patient with a negative biopsy. Further research should confirm whether imaging and biopsies can be avoided if postoperative prostate-specific antigen is low (&lt;1–2 ng/ml). Patient summary: We compared the outcomes of patients with low-grade prostate cancer on active surveillance according to the type of their initial diagnosis. Patients who have low-grade cancer diagnosed on a procedure to relieve urinary symptoms (incidental prostate cancer) are followed less intensively and undergo curative-intended treatment less frequently. We also found that patients with incidental prostate cancer are more likely to have no cancer on their first follow-up biopsy than patients who have low-grade cancer initially diagnosed on a biopsy. These patients have a more favorable prognosis than their biopsy-detected counterparts and should be managed the same way as patients with negative biopsies if they undergo a subsequent biopsy that shows no cancer.</p

Gravitational Waves From Known Pulsars: Results From The Initial Detector Era

We present the results of searches for gravitational waves from a large selection of pulsars using data from the most recent science runs (S6, VSR2 and VSR4) of the initial generation of interferometric gravitational wave detectors LIGO (Laser Interferometric Gravitational-wave Observatory) and Virgo. We do not see evidence for gravitational wave emission from any of the targeted sources but produce upper limits on the emission amplitude. We highlight the results from seven young pulsars with large spin-down luminosities. We reach within a factor of five of the canonical spin-down limit for all seven of these, whilst for the Crab and Vela pulsars we further surpass their spin-down limits. We present new or updated limits for 172 other pulsars (including both young and millisecond pulsars). Now that the detectors are undergoing major upgrades, and, for completeness, we bring together all of the most up-to-date results from all pulsars searched for during the operations of the first-generation LIGO, Virgo and GEO600 detectors. This gives a total of 195 pulsars including the most recent results described in this paper.United States National Science FoundationScience and Technology Facilities Council of the United KingdomMax-Planck-SocietyState of Niedersachsen/GermanyAustralian Research CouncilInternational Science Linkages program of the Commonwealth of AustraliaCouncil of Scientific and Industrial Research of IndiaIstituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare of ItalySpanish Ministerio de Economia y CompetitividadConselleria d'Economia Hisenda i Innovacio of the Govern de les Illes BalearsNetherlands Organisation for Scientific ResearchPolish Ministry of Science and Higher EducationFOCUS Programme of Foundation for Polish ScienceRoyal SocietyScottish Funding CouncilScottish Universities Physics AllianceNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationOTKA of HungaryLyon Institute of Origins (LIO)National Research Foundation of KoreaIndustry CanadaProvince of Ontario through the Ministry of Economic Development and InnovationNational Science and Engineering Research Council CanadaCarnegie TrustLeverhulme TrustDavid and Lucile Packard FoundationResearch CorporationAlfred P. Sloan FoundationAstronom