Use and calibration of the pH meter in controlled conditions

Vrednost pH je pomembna veličina pri proizvodnem procesu. V diplomskem delu je predstavljen proces delovanja pH metra in njegove karakteristike. Kalibracija oz. umerjanje pH metra je pomemben del vsakega proizvodnega procesa pri proizvodnji produkta v farmaciji in v ostalih panogah, kjer se držijo strogih pogojev dela in delujejo v reguliranih pogojih. Problem, ki ga imamo pri merjenju pH vrednosti je, da nismo prepričani ali so naše meritve točne. Zato v diplomskem delu opišem karakteristike pH sond, s katerimi si lahko pomagamo in lažje prepoznamo napake. Cilj diplomskega dela je bil, da izboljšam proces umerjanja pH metrov in merjenje pH vrednosti s stališča točnosti in negotovosti. To dosežem s pomočjo avtomatizacije meritev in sicer tako, da pH meter povežem na SCADA sistem, s pomočjo katerega se meritve sproti shranjujejo in se na zaslonu tudi prikazuje trend izmerjenih vrednosti. V uvodu diplomskega dela na kratko predstavim kaj so biološka zdravila. Predstavim regulatorni organ FDA in njegovo pomembno poslanstvo zaščite bolnikov in kakovostno uvrščanje zdravil na trg. V nadaljevanju opišem, kako se v vsakem farmacevtskem podjetju držijo smernic GMP. Pomembno je razumevanje samega proizvodnega procesa, ki deluje v takem okolju. Sledi poglavje o kalibraciji pH metra, kar je ključna tema diplomske naloge. Tekom študija smo spoznali pomembne pojme kot so: točnost, natančnost, kalibracija, itd. Vsi ti pojmi so jasno opisani, saj so pomembni za razumevanje. V nadaljevanju opišem, zakaj potrebujemo kalibracijo inštrumenta in kakšne načine poznamo. Predstavim dejavnike, ki vplivajo na kakovost meritev s pH metrom. V naslednjem poglavju predstavim kalibracijo generičnih pH sond ter opišem kaj so puferske raztopine oz. pufri. Pri pufrih predstavim pomen sledljivosti. V zaključku dela opišem delovanje Hamiltonovega pH senzorja. Uporaba Hamiltonovega pH senzorja preko dlančnika Handheld prinaša določene pomanjkljivosti. Vse prehitro se nam izprazni naprava Handheld, ker kalibracija poteka s pomočjo wi-fi signala. Prav tako je težava tudi v sledljivosti podatkov ter neodzivnosti naprave. Kalibracija in meritve pH metra preko SCADA sistema nam omogoča boljši in hitrejši proces kalibracije in meritev pH vrednosti. Podatke lahko statistično obdelamo in tako s pomočjo statističnih operacij izboljšamo naš proces. V primeru uporabe sistema SCADA je zagotovljena tudi sledljivost podatkov. V zaključku predstavim potek kalibracije preko SCADA sistema in dlančnika Hamilton. Meritve ne potekajo več samo preko dlančnika, ampak imamo nadzorovan proces preko SCADE. Na SCADA sistemu se meritve zapišejo na interval desetih minut. Te podatke lahko uporabimo za statistično obdelavo. V zaključku izračunamo standardno deviacijo meritev. S pomočjo standardne deviacije določimo negotovost. Na grafih predstavim porazdelitve, ki nam povejo, če so meritve točne in natančne. Na koncu še predstavim prispevke negotovosti pri kalibraciji pH metrov.The pH value is an important variable in the production process. This bachelor\u27s thesis presents the process of the functioning of the pH meter and its characteristics. Calibrating the pH meter is an important part of every production process when producing a product in the pharmaceutical and other industries which adhere to strict working conditions and work in a regulated environment. The problem we face when measuring pH values is not being sure if our measurements are accurate. That is why in the thesis I describe the characteristics of pH probes which can be used to aid us and make recognising errors easier. The objective of the thesis is to improve on the process of calibrating pH meters and measuring pH values from the point of view of accuracy and uncertainty. I achieve this by automating measurements by connecting the pH meter to the SCADA system with which the measurements are stored continuously and the display shows the trends of measured values. In the introduction to the thesis I briefly introduce biological medicinal products. I introduce the regulatory authority FDA and its important mission of protecting the patients and high-quality introduction of medicines to the market. Afterwards I describe how every pharmaceutical company follows GMP guidelines. The understanding of the production process operating in such an environment itself is important. This is followed by the chapter on calibrating the pH meter, which is the main theme of the thesis. During our studies we learned important terms such as: accuracy, precision, calibration, etc. All these terms are clearly described as they are important for understanding. I continue to describe why we need to calibrate the instrument and the known ways of doing so. I introduce the factors which influence the quality of measurements made with a pH meter. In the next chapter I introduce the calibration of generic pH probes and describe buffer solutions or buffers, respectively. I introduce the importance of the traceability of buffers. In the conclusion of the thesis I describe the functioning of Hamilton\u27s pH sensor. The use of Hamilton\u27s pH sensor through a Handheld PDA has certain shortcomings. The Handheld device runs out of battery all too quickly because the calibration is carried out with the help of a Wi-Fi signal. The traceability of data and unresponsiveness of the device are also problematic. The calibration and measurements of the pH meter using the SCADA system provide us with a better and faster process of calibration and measuring pH values. The data can be statistically analysed and used to improve on our process with the help of statistic operations. When using the SCADA system, the traceability of data is also ensured. In the conclusion of the thesis I introduce the process of calibration with the SCADA system and the Hamilton PDA. The measurements do not only take place via the PDA, we also have a controlled process via SCADA. On the SCADA system, the measurements are entered at intervals of ten minutes. This data can be used for statistical processing. In the conclusion we calculate the standard deviations of the measurements. With the help of the standard deviation we determine uncertainty. I introduce the distributions which tell us if the measurements are accurate and precise using charts. Finally I introduce the contributions of uncertainty when calibrating pH meters

Direct Comparison of Au3+ and C60+ Cluster Projectiles in SIMS Molecular Depth Profiling

The sputtering properties of two representative cluster ion beams in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), C60+ and Au3+, have been directly compared. Organic thin films consisting of trehalose and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) are employed as prototypical targets. The strategy is to make direct comparison of the response of a molecular solid to each type of the bombarding cluster by overlapping the two ion beams onto the same area of the sample surface. The ion beams alternately erode the sample while keeping the same projectile for spectral acquisition. The results from these experiments are important to further optimize the use of cluster projectiles for SIMS molecular depth profiling experiments. For example, Au3+ bombardment is found to induce more chemical damage as well as Au implantation when compared with C60+. Moreover, C60+ is found to be able to remove the damage and the implanted Au effectively. Discussions are also presented on strategies of enhancing sensitivity for imaging applications with cluster SIMS

Writing a detailed expert report to enter the broadband network of electronic communications in the municipality of Krško into the ZK GJI

The thesis describes the individual steps of writing a detailed expert report to enter the broadband network of electronic communications in the municipality of Krško into ZK GJI. It begins by presenting the legal regulations covering the recording of data into ZK GJI. That is followed by a decription of the manner of recording buildings and networks of electronic communications, the recommended location accuracy and the methods of measurement (classic and GNSS methods of measurement). That is followed by a description of used measuring apparatus, the actual software used and the ways of processing the data and entry into ZK using the programme module Infra 2. The thesis concludes with a presentation of the contents of the detailed expert report for entry into ZK GJI and of the documents neccessary to forward the captured data to the Surverying and mapping authority of the Republic of Slovenia

Eliciting stories of gender-transformative change: Investigating the effectiveness of question prompt formulations in qualitative gender assessments

Evaluations of gender equality initiatives in development programmes traditionally assess cognitive dimensions such as knowledge, attitudes, and awareness; and often rely solely on women’s perspectives. Leveraging story-based evaluation methods, this article explores the assessment of complex gender-transformations and focuses on effective question prompts to elicit significant and meaningful narratives of change from both women and men. In collaboration with a development programme in Cambodia, a staff assessment process led to a set of criteria for considering the quality of respondent stories and testing the efficacy of four different question prompts (n = 176): verb-, value-, sphere-, and theme-based. Highlighting aspects of embodiment, the study suggests that verb-based prompts were the most effective at eliciting stories that reflect diverse experiences of both women and men in processes of gender-transformation. Findings from our analysis can support evaluators in balancing simplicity and specificity of questions in assessing the unique experiences of individuals undergoing complex change. </jats:p

Direct Potential Modulation of Neurogenic Differentiation Markers by Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) in the Rodent Brain

The hematopoietic granulocyte-colony stimulating growth factor (G-CSF, filgrastim) is an approved drug in hematology and oncology. Filgrastim’s potential in neurodegenerative disorders is gaining increasingly more attention, as preclinical and early clinical studies suggest it could be a promising treatment option. G-CSF has had a tremendous record as a safe drug for more than three decades; however, its effects upon the central nervous system (CNS) are still not fully understood. In contrast to conceptual long-term clinical application with lower dosing, our present pilot study intends to give a first insight into the molecular effects of a single subcutaneous (s.c.) high-dose G-CSF application upon different regions of the rodent brain. We analyzed mRNA—and in some instances—protein data of neurogenic and non-neurogenic differentiation markers in different regions of rat brains five days after G-CSF (1.3 mg/kg) or physiological saline. We found a continuous downregulation of several markers in most brain regions. Remarkably, cerebellum and hypothalamus showed an upregulation of different markers. In conclusion, our study reveals minor suppressive or stimulatory effects of a single exceptional high G-CSF dose upon neurogenic and non-neurogenic differentiation markers in relevant brain regions, excluding unregulated responses or unexpected patterns of marker expression

3D ToF-SIMS imaging of polymer multilayer films using argon cluster sputter depth profiling

ToF-SIMS imaging with argon cluster sputter depth profiling has provided detailed insight into the three-dimensional (3D) chemical composition of a series of polymer multilayer structures. Depths of more than 15 μm were profiled in these samples while maintaining uniform sputter rates. The 3D chemical images provide information regarding the structure of the multilayer systems that could be used to inform future systems manufacturing and development. This also includes measuring the layer homogeneity, thickness, and interface widths. The systems analyzed were spin-cast multilayers comprising alternating polystyrene (PS) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) layers. These included samples where the PVP and PS layer thickness values were kept constant throughout and samples where the layer thickness was varied as a function of depth in the multilayer. The depth profile data obtained was observed to be superior to that obtained for the same materials using alternative ion sources such as C60 n+. The data closely reflected the “as manufactured” sample specification, exhibiting good agreement with ellipsometry measurements of layer thickness, while also maintaining secondary ion intensities throughout the profiling regime. The unprecedented quality of the data allowed a detailed analysis of the chemical structure of these systems, revealing some minor imperfections within the polymer layers and demonstrating the enhanced capabilities of the argon cluster depth profiling technique