Investigating the Performance of the Compact Particulate Matter Collector for Use in Domestic Water Systems

The concept of the new water treatment system was developed. The system is based on the previously invented technology – Compact Particulate Matter Collector (CPMC). A primary area was defined in which such technology is intended to be used: water treatment in compact flue-gas condensation systems for a low-power wood-fuelled biomass boiler. Such a system is intended for use in domestic conditions. Such a process involves contamination of technical water with a mixture of particulate matter, resulting in suspension. The CPMC aims to divide the suspension into the relevant fractions effectively. A prototype operating based on CPMC technology was built. An experimental plan was developed, and an experimental stand was constructed to determine the prototype’s efficiency. The experimental plan envisaged five different prototype operating modes and two research steps, depending on the degree of prototype modification. Based on the research results, it was concluded that the prototype could operate effectively in the laboratory environment: achievable efficiency is equal on average between 57.84 % and 88.09 % depending on the operating mode (see the diagram below). The result is assessed as positive. TRL 3 has been reached. The next phases of the study would be the integration of the prototype into the relevant compact flue-gas condensation system and the exploration of commercialisation capabilities, which will stimulate TRL increase

A Dynamic Simulation Tool for Modelling Climate Neutrality Scenarios in Municipalities

Human activities, primarily burning fossil fuels, have increased global temperature at an unprecedented rate since the pre-industrial period. Cities and municipalities have a crucial role in accelerating the decarbonization of economic sectors, since they are at the hub of economic development and progress. The percentage of people who live in cities is expected to rise significantly by 2050, and so do GHG emissions from cities unless urban decision-makers commit to significant improvements. They are in charge of establishing a strategy course to boost energy efficiency, generate renewable energy, and reduce GHG emissions. They are crucial in inspiring communities and stakeholders to promote energy alternatives that are climate neutral. Nevertheless, this potential is not yet fully realized due to a lack of knowledge and helpful tools. It is challenging for municipality representatives to estimate baseline CO2 emissions, and it is even more difficult to comprehend several potential future situations. This research contextualizes a new computer simulation tool called the CommitClimate Simulator. The tool was developed to help municipalities calculate the carbon footprint and propose a framework for long-term scenario design and future projections. The modeling tool is based on the System Dynamics approach and includes all major GHG emission sectors following international guidelines. The modeling results emphasize the significant impact of behavior change measures on transforming local economies towards climate neutrality. Behavioral change measures are especially crucial in hard-to-decarbonize sectors such as transport. This means that policymakers should not only consider technical or economic aspects in the policy design process, but great care should also be placed on public education and involvement, information and awareness raising campaigns, and fundamental research of energy consumption habits and determining factors

Carbon Neutrality in Municipalities: Balancing Local and Centralized Renewable Energy Solutions

Carbon-neutrality in municipalities can be achieved by combining individual heating (IH) and district heating (DH) solutions involving the use of renewable energy sources (RES). Each approach has advantages and disadvantages, but the best solution depends on the specific circumstances of each municipality. As an environmentally friendly and efficient energy use, a decentralised heat supply contributes to achieving energy conservation and emissions reduction goals. Decentralised energy use, such as solar collectors with an accumulation system or biomass as a resource, reduces dependence on centralised heat generation and transmission. Often, the appropriate infrastructure for connection to DH networks has not yet been built. On the other hand, it is easier to make investments to construct proper infrastructure in the case of large-scale centralised heat supply. Moreover, a centralised heat supply with RES can provide more inhabitants with RES heat energy. Within the framework of the study, the possibilities of using renewable energy sources in one of the municipalities of Latvia – the Carnikava parish of Ādaži Municipality – are analysed. The study examines two scenario complexes including IH solutions in buildings or DH solutions with a centralised approach. The study evaluates several alternatives to increase the share of RES (e.g., solar collectors, biomass, heat pumps, etc.) in the centralised heat supply. To evaluate RES individual solutions in various municipal buildings, the study evaluates alternatives with different technical solutions that increase the use of RES in heat supply

Increasing Sustainability in Vocational Education System: Latvia Case Study

Promoting sustainability in educational systems is crucial for preserving resources and diminishing negative impacts on the environment. A key aspect of this is enhancing energy efficiency within educational institutions. By implementing energy-efficient building systems, advancing the use of renewable energy sources, and incorporating sustainable practices into the curriculum, educational institutions can decrease their environmental impact and conserve resources for future generations. Active participation from all stakeholders, including managers, teaching staff, and students, is essential for the success of these efforts. Providing students with a comprehensive education on sustainability equips them to apply this knowledge in their future professions, thus contributing to a more sustainable society. This research paper aims to explore ways to increase sustainability in Latvia's vocational education system, with a specific focus on reducing energy consumption in buildings and increasing the use of renewable energy sources. A study of 23 professional schools has been conducted to understand the current state of sustainability in the educational system, including data collection on energy consumption and surveying the schools on their current energy efficiency practices, renewable energy sources, and environmental policies. The energy efficiency and renewable energy production measures have been optimized for each school. A composite indicator has been developed to rank and compare schools based on their sustainability, promoting the use of energy-efficient and renewable energy sources within a limited budget. Results of the study show that by implementing mandatory and optional measures, the schools can significantly decrease primary energy consumption by 32% and greenhouse gas emissions by 33%

Experimental investigation of tar arresting techniques and their evaluation for product syngas cleaning from bubbling fluidized bed gasifier

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Hazardous waste products along with the syngas produced from biomass gasification are one of the major problems of today world. Tar and other solid contaminants removal from syngas are necessary as it is widely used for the production of energy in thermal and power sectors. The raw syngas can be clean up by directly controlling the operating parameters and applying cleaning units. This study aimed to analyze bubbling fluidized bed gasifier and focuses on investigating the novel tar reducing techniques. Different cleaning units; char bed, woodchip bed and mop fan were used to arrest tar directly from producer gas. For the first time, a novel strategical technique of mop fan based on water spray was evaluated. Results showed that tar arrest with bio-char is unsuccessful due to the burning of bed while the average concentration of tar captured by woodchips and mop fan with or without water spray was 0.459 mg/L, 0.987 mg/L and 0.617 mg/L respectively. Furthermore, the concentration of naphthalene and phenanthrene reduced significantly by 96.46% and 99.27% with water spray based mop fan. Overall tar arresting percentage efficiency with small woodchip, large woodchip, mop fan without water and mop fan with water spray was 22.5% < 29.4% < 60.54% < 89.61% respectively. Hence, these investigations lead to the important findings that mop fan with water spray can be deployed directly to capture contaminants, to prevent the production of waste and to increase the efficiencies of clean syngas for the safer use in the power sector

Dobrava-Belgrade Hantavirus from Germany Shows Receptor Usage and Innate Immunity Induction Consistent with the Pathogenicity of the Virus in Humans

BACKGROUND: Dobrava-Belgrade virus (DOBV) is a European hantavirus causing hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in humans with fatality rates of up to 12%. DOBV-associated clinical cases typically occur also in the northern part of Germany where the virus is carried by the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius). However, the causative agent responsible for human illness has not been previously isolated. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we report on characterization of a novel cell culture isolate from Germany obtained from a lung tissue of "spillover" infected yellow necked mouse (A. flavicollis) trapped near the city of Greifswald. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated close clustering of the new strain, designated Greifswald/Aa (GRW/Aa) with the nucleotide sequence obtained from a northern German HFRS patient. The virus was effectively blocked by specific antibodies directed against β3 integrins and Decay Accelerating Factor (DAF) indicating that the virus uses same receptors as the highly pathogenic Hantaan virus (HTNV). In addition, activation of selected innate immunity markers as interferon β and λ and antiviral protein MxA after viral infection of A549 cells was investigated and showed that the virus modulates the first-line antiviral response in a similar way as HTNV. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In summary, our study reveals novel data on DOBV receptor usage and innate immunity induction in relationship to virus pathogenicity and underlines the potency of German DOBV strains to act as human pathogen

Genetisches Reassortment zwischen verschiedenen Dobrava-Virus Linien und die Zuweisung der jeweiligen Genomsegmente zur Modulation des angeborenen Immunsystems

Hantaviruses possess a tri-segmented negative-stranded RNA genome with the potency of genetic reassortment. Reassortment processes between genome segments might cause dramatic changes in the virulence of viruses as has been shown for influenza viruses. The European Dobrava-Belgrade virus species (DOBV) forms distinct lineages associated with different Apodemus mice species and can cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome of different clinical severities. In this study, virological and molecular tools to monitor RNA reassortment in cell culture between two genetic lineages of DOBV were established. Representatives of the DOBV-Af (associated with A. flavicollis) and DOBV-Aa (associated with A. agrarius) lineages were used for dual infection of Vero E6 cells. Two hundred and seven individual virus clones were isolated and screened for reassortment by a newly established strain- and segment-specific multiplex PCR (MP PCR). After co-infection, as much as 31% of virus progeny population was represented by genetically stable reassortants. Reassortment was proven by sequence analyses of the complete S and M segments as well as L-ORF. Two stable reassortment patterns where identified. In all cases, S and L segments originated from the same parental strain and only the M segment was exchanged. Since the different virulence of DOBV-Aa vs. DOBV-Af in humans could be associated with the two viruses´ different abilities to modulate the innate immune response of the host; Three “read-out markers” (physiological role of RIG-I on virus replication, induction of the interferon stimulated response element and of the antiviral MxA protein) after virus infection were investigated. Clear differences to modulate these parameters of innate immune responses were found between DOBV-Aa on the one hand and DOBV-Af on the other. These two different phenotypes were reflected by the two types of reassortants carrying the respective S and L segments of the parental virus. The differential induction/modulation of innate immune responses might represent an important determinant of (different) virulence of hantaviruses in the human organism.Hantaviren besitzen ein in drei Segmente gegliedertes, einzelsträngiges RNA Genom in Negativstrangorientierung. Aufgrund der Segmentierung besteht die Möglichkeit des genetischen Reassortment. Genetisches Reassortment zwischen Genomsegmenten verschiedener Viren kann zu dramatischen Veränderungen der Virulenz führen, wie es für Influenzaviren beschrieben ist. Die europäische Virus Spezies Dobrava-Belgrad (DOBV) bildet, assoziiert mit verschiedenen Apodemus Spezies, verschiedene genetische Linien und verursacht hämorrhagisches Fieber mit renalem Syndrom mit verschieden schweren klinischen Verläufen. In dieser Doktorarbeit wurden virologische und molekularbiologische Methoden etabliert um genetisches Reassortment zwischen zwei genetischen DOBV- Linien in Zellkultur nachzuweisen und zu untersuchen. VeroE6 Zellen wurden mit Vertretern der genetischen Linien DOBV-Af und DOBV-Aa ko-infiziert. Insgesamt wurden 207 Virusklone isoliert und mittels einer neu etablierten stamm- und segmentspezifischen Multiplex-PCR analysiert. Es wurden 31% der isolierten Virusklone als genetisch stabile Reassortanten identifiziert. Das genetische Reassortment wurde durch Sequenzanalysen des kompletten S und M Segments und des kompletten open reading frame des L Segments bestätigt. Es wurden nur zwei stabile Reassortmentmuster gefunden; in beiden Fällen stammten das S and L Segment von dem gleichen Elternstamm, während das M Segment ausgetauscht war. Die unterschiedliche Virulenz von DOBV-Aa gegenüber DOBV-Af im Menschen könnte mit der Fähigkeit beider Viren korrelieren, das angeborene Immunsystem unterschiedlich zu modulieren. Drei „Read Out Marker“, die physiologische Rolle von RIG-I für das Wachstum von Hantaviren, sowie die Aktivierung des „interferon stimulated response Element“ und die Induktion des antiviralen MxA Proteins, wurden untersucht. Anhand dieser Parameter wurden klare Unterschiede in der Modulierung der angeborenen Immunantwort durch DOBV-Aa auf der einen Seite und durch DOBV-Af auf der anderen Seite gefunden. Diese beiden Phänotypen wurden durch die Reassortanten, die das S und L Segment des jeweiligen Elternvirus trugen, bestätigt. Die unterschiedliche Beeinflussung der angeborenen Immunantwort kann eine mögliche Determinante der Virulenz von Hantaviren im menschlichen Organismus aufzeigen

Wages and salaries in the analysis and development opportunities for SIA Cetra Būve

Darba atalgojums ir liela motivācija darbiniekam, veikt savus tiešos un netiešos darba pienākumus godprātīgi un atbildīgi, bet ne vienmēr šī atalgojuma apmērs atbilst padarītajam darbam. Tāpēc bakalaura darba”Darba samaksas analīze un tās pilnveidošanas iespējas uzņēmumā SIA CETRA BŪVE” mērķis ir darba atlīdzības sistēmas pilnveidošana uzņēmumā SIA CETRA BŪVE. Darba 1.daļā ir pētīta uzņēmuma konkurence un tā konkurēt spēja. Darba 2.daļā tiek veikta saimnieciskās darbības analīze un personāla darba samaksas izpēte. Darba 3.daļā tiek izstrādāti darba samaksas pilnveidojumi uzņēmumā. Bakalaura darba apjoms ir 65 lappuses, tas sastāv no ievada, 3 nodaļām, secinājumiem un priekšlikumiem, kā arī no pielikuma. Darbā ievietotas 6 tabulas, 4 grafiskie attēli, ir viens pielikums.Wage is a big motivation for an employee to carry out their direct and indirect duties with integrity and responsibility, but not necessarily the salary scale appropriate to the work done. So bachelor labor "wages and salaries in the analysis and development opportunities for SIA CETRA BŪVE" is the reward systems within the enterprise SIA CETRA BŪVE. Working in paragraph 1 has been investigated in the company's competition and its ability to compete. Working in paragraph 2 is carried out business analysis and research staff wages. Work carried out in part 3 of wage developments in the company. Bachelor's workload is 65 pages, it consists of an introduction, 3 chapters, conclusions and proposals, as well as the Annex. The paper placed 6 tables, 4 graphs

Latvian tax system and it's influence on attraction of direct foreign investments

Diplomdarba tēma ir “Nodokļu sistēma Latvijā un tās ietekme uz tiešo ārvalstu investīciju piesaisti”. Diplomdarba mērķis ir izpētīt un ar statistikas metodēm novērtēt Latvijas nodokļu politikas ietekmi uz ienākošām ārvalstu tiešām investīcijām. Mērķa sasniegšanai izvirzīti vairāki uzdevumi - izpētīt nodokļu politikas teorētiskos aspektus, apskatīt ārvalstu tiešo investīciju teorijas, raksturot ienākošās ārvalstu tiešās investīcijas Latvijā valstu un nozaru griezumā, novērtēt 2018.gadā nodokļu reformas ietekmi uz uzņēmējdarbības vidi Latvijā un ienākošām ārvalstu tiešām investīcijām. Diplomdarbs sastāv no ievada, trīs nodaļām, secinājumiem un priekšlikumiem. Diplomdarba pamatteksts ir izklāstīts uz 76 lapaspusēm un ilustrēts 19 attēlos un 3 tabulās. Atslēgvārdi: ārvalstu investīcijas, investīciju vide, nodokļi, nodokļu reforma.The subject of the diploma thesis is “Latvian tax system and it’s influence on attraction of direct foreign investments”. The aim of diploma thesis is to investigate and evaluate the impact of Latvia’s tax policy on inward foreign direct investment. To achieve the diploma thesis aim was performed analysis of tax policy theoretical aspects, foreign direct investment theory, inward foreign direct investment in Latvia by countries and sectors and tax reform impact on the business environment in Latvia and inward foreign direct investment. The diploma thesis consists of introduction, three chapters, conclusions and proposals. The contents of diploma thesis is laid down on 76 pages. The thesis contains 19 figures and 3 tables. Key words: foreign investment, investment climate, taxes, tax reform