Outotec Follow-up Form Application

The main purpose of this thesis was to suggest and create an electronic version of follow-up form for Outotec Company. Another goal of this work was to get familiar with new technology features and new development processes of a real company. Information and knowledge was gathered mostly from the internet resources. The created web application (follow-up form) should be compatible with an Apple iPad and should enable to use the form also without internet connection. State of the art technology, such as HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript and PHP were used during development process. The final result of this thesis is a web application, which has met all requirements. This application enables to collect, edit and store customer’s data without using a paper version of the mentioned form. The work was consulted and supervised by Mr. Eero Enovaara. Source data for development and the origin paper form was provided by Outotec Company as well

Variation in honey bee gut microbial diversity affected by ontogenetic stage, age and geographic location

Social honey bees, Apis mellifera, host a set of distinct microbiota, which is similar across the continents and various honey bee species. Some of these bacteria, such as lactobacilli, have been linked to immunity and defence against pathogens. Pathogen defence is crucial, particularly in larval stages, as many pathogens affect the brood. However, information on larval microbiota is conflicting. Seven developmental stages and drones were sampled from 3 colonies at each of the 4 geographic locations of A. mellifera carnica, and the samples were maintained separately for analysis. We analysed the variation and abundance of important bacterial groups and taxa in the collected bees. Major bacterial groups were evaluated over the entire life of honey bee individuals, where digestive tracts of same aged bees were sampled in the course of time. The results showed that the microbial tract of 6-day-old 5th instar larvae were nearly equally rich in total microbial counts per total digestive tract weight as foraging bees, showing a high percentage of various lactobacilli (Firmicutes) and Gilliamella apicola (Gammaproteobacteria 1). However, during pupation, microbial counts were significantly reduced but recovered quickly by 6 days post-emergence. Between emergence and day 6, imago reached the highest counts of Firmicutes and Gammaproteobacteria, which then gradually declined with bee age. Redundancy analysis conducted using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis identified bacterial species that were characteristic of each developmental stage. The results suggest that 3-day 4th instar larvae contain low microbial counts that increase 2-fold by day 6 and then decrease during pupation. Microbial succession of the imago begins soon after emergence. We found that bacterial counts do not show only yearly cycles within a colony, but vary on the individual level. Sampling and pooling adult bees or 6th day larvae may lead to high errors and variability, as both of these stages may be undergoing dynamic succession

Kinetic and thermodynamic description of intermediary phases formation in Ti-Al system during reactive sintering

Reactive sintering is currently considered as a promising production route for titanium aluminides in many research works. However, the published descriptions of the reaction mechanism are contradictory or lacking, especially at the temperatures below the melting point of aluminium. This work aims to fill this gap, providing the description of the reactive sintering process at the temperatures between 400 and 900 degrees C. The phases' formation sequence and reaction kinetics were studied and explained using experimental model (Ti/Al diffusion couple) and real reactively sintered samples of equiatomic Ti-Al compressed powder blend. Moreover, phase formation was thermodynamically assessed. It was revealed that Ti2Al5 phase formed preferentially. This phase has not been reported previously as a starting phase in reactive sintering. According to results obtained by experimental model, its formation is controlled by diffusion at 700 degrees C. This phase reacted with aluminium forming pure TiAl3 phase or with titanium, resulting in TiAl phase. Subsequently, TiAl phase reacted with titanium, leading to the Ti3Al phase, or with already present Ti2Al5 phase yielding TiAl2 intermetallic compound. Titanium-rich Ti3Al phase could form only at the temperature of 600 degrees C or above

Carbon composite micro- and nano-tubes-based electrodes for detection of nucleic acids

The first aim of this study was to fabricate vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). MWCNTs were successfully prepared by using plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. Further, three carbon composite electrodes with different content of carbon particles with various shapes and sizes were prepared and tested on measuring of nucleic acids. The dependences of adenine peak height on the concentration of nucleic acid sample were measured. Carbon composite electrode prepared from a mixture of glassy and spherical carbon powder and MWCNTs had the highest sensitivity to nucleic acids. Other interesting result is the fact that we were able to distinguish signals for all bases using this electrode

Anncolvar: Approximation of Complex Collective Variables by Artificial Neural Networks for Analysis and Biasing of Molecular Simulations

The state of a molecular system can be described in terms of collective variables. These low-dimensional descriptors of molecular structure can be used to monitor the state of the simulation, to calculate free energy profiles or to accelerate rare events by a bias potential or a bias force. Frequent calculation of some complex collective variables may slow down the simulation or analysis of trajectories. Moreover, many collective variables cannot be explicitly calculated for newly sampled structures. In order to address this problem, we developed a new package called anncolvar. This package makes it possible to build and train an artificial neural network model that approximates a collective variable. It can be used to generate an input for the open-source enhanced sampling simulation PLUMED package, so the collective variable can be monitored and biased by methods available in this program. The computational efficiency and the accuracy of anncolvar are demonstrated on selected molecular systems (cyclooctane derivative, Trp-cage miniprotein) and selected collective variables (Isomap, molecular surface area)

An Adsorptive Transfer Technique Coupled with Brdicka Reaction to Reveal the Importance of Metallothionein in Chemotherapy with Platinum Based Cytostatics

The drugs based on platinum metals represent one of the oldest, but also one of the most effective groups of chemotherapeutic agents. Thanks to many clinical studies it is known that resistance of tumor cells to drugs is a frequent cause of chemotherapy failure. With regard to platinum based drugs, multidrug resistance can also be connected with increased expression of low-molecular weight protein metallothionein (MT). This study aimed at investigating the interactions of MT with cisplatin or carboplatin, using the adsorptive transfer technique coupled with differential pulse voltammetry Brdicka reaction (AdTS DPV Brdicka reaction), and a comparison of in vitro results with results obtained in vivo. The results obtained from the in vitro study show a strong affinity between platinum based drugs and MT. Further, we analyzed extracts of neuroblastoma cell lines treated with cisplatin or carboplatin. It is clear that neuroblastoma UKF-NB-4 cisplatin-resistant and cisplatin-sensitive cell lines unlikely respond to the presence of the platinum-based cytostatics cisplatin and carboplatin. Finally, we determined the level of MT in samples from rabbits treated with carboplatin and patients with retinoblastoma treated with the same drug

Influence of Vanadium and Chromium Addition on Morphology and Composition of Iron Based Phases in AlSi10MgMn Alloy

Application of secondary Al-Si alloys is mostly influenced by amount of impurities. Detrimental effect of iron, as the most harmful impurity, refers mainly to morphology of iron intermetallic phases. Morphology of iron phases can be influenced by several methods from which the most common is addition of some elements. In primary alloys manganese is commonly used, but its influence is not such favourable in high iron levels because of so-called sludge phase formation. Higher iron content thus requires other alloying elements which can be vanadium, chromium or others. In this article, vanadium and mutual vanadium and chromium influence on iron phase morphology and chemical composition is analysed by optical microscopy, SEM observations and EDX analysis

Novel Approach in the Use of Plasma Spray: Preparation of Bulk Titanium for Bone Augmentations

Thermal plasma spray is a common, well-established technology used in various application fields. Nevertheless, in our work, this technology was employed in a completely new way; for the preparation of bulk titanium. The aim was to produce titanium with properties similar to human bone to be used for bone augmentations. Titanium rods sprayed on a thin substrate wire exerted a porosity of about 15%, which yielded a significant decrease of Young′s modulus to the bone range and provided rugged topography for enhanced biological fixation. For the first verification of the suitability of the selected approach, tests of the mechanical properties in terms of compression, bending, and impact were carried out, the surface was characterized, and its compatibility with bone cells was studied. While preserving a high enough compressive strength of 628 MPa, the elastic modulus reached 11.6 GPa, thus preventing a stress-shielding effect, a generally known problem of implantable metals. U-2 OS and Saos-2 cells derived from bone osteosarcoma grown on the plasma-sprayed surface showed good viability

Investigation of Liquid Metal Embrittlement during Resistance Spot Welding of Martensitic Steel with Zn Jet Vapor-Deposited Coating

Advanced high-strength steels protected by zinc coatings have contributed to a reduction in CO2 emissions in the automotive industry. However, the liquid metal embrittlement (LME) of the Fe/Zn couple induced by simultaneously acting stresses and high temperatures during resistance spot welding could be the cause of unexpected failure. We investigated the possible risk of LME in spot-welded martensitic steel with Zn jet vapor-deposited coating and its influence on weld strength. The weld nugget cross-sections were analyzed (optical microscopy, SEM-EDS), and their tensile shear strengths were compared with their uncoated counterparts. LME cracks were observed in all samples meeting the process window (6, 6.5, 7 kA) located at the edge of the sheet/electrode indentation area. The frequency and length of cracks increased with current, and the occurrence of Zn within cracks indicated the LME mechanism. The shear tests showed the Zn-coated sample underwent a decrease in tensile shear strength that was most evident at a welding current of 7 kA (13.2%). However, LME was excluded as a cause of lower strength. The decrease was attributed to the smaller nugget diameter and the thin slit of Zn coating remaining in the weld notch

Hydrogen Embrittlement of Ti-Al6-V4 Alloy Manufactured by Laser Powder Bed Fusion Induced by Electrochemical Charging

The 3D printing of Ti-Al6-V4 alloy is subject to much current investigation, with Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB/M) being one of the most applied technologies. Ti-Al6-V4 alloy, despite its great material properties, is susceptible to hydrogen penetration and consequent embrittlement. The level of susceptibility to hydrogen penetration depends on the microstructural state of the alloy. In this work, we compare the effect of electrochemical charging by hydrogen on Ti-Al6-V4 alloy prepared by PBF-LB/M, either in the as-built state or annealed, and conventionally prepared alloy. At the same charging conditions, considerably different hydrogen concentrations were achieved, with the as-built 3D-printed material being the most susceptible. The changes in mechanical properties are discussed in relation to changes in microstructure, studied using microscopy, X-ray, and electron diffraction techniques