Machine learning based adaptive soft sensor for flash point inference in a refinery realtime process

In industrial control processes, certain characteristics are sometimes difficult to measure by a physical sensor due to technical and/or economic limitations. This fact is especially true in the petrochemical industry. Some of those quantities are especially crucial for operators and process safety. This is the case for the automotive diesel Flash Point Temperature (FT). Traditional methods for FT estimation are based on the study of the empirical inference between flammability properties and the denoted target magnitude. The necessary measures are taken indirectly by samples from the process and analyzing them in the laboratory, this process implies time (can take hours from collection to flash temperature measurement) and thus make it very difficult for real-time monitorization, which in fact results in security and economical losses. This study defines a procedure based on Machine Learning modules that demonstrate the power of real-time monitorization over real data from an important international refinery. As input, easily measured values provided in real-time, such as temperature, pressure, and hydraulic flow are used and a benchmark of different regressive algorithms for FT estimation is presented. The study highlights the importance of sequencing preprocessing techniques for the correct inference of values. The implementation of adaptive learning strategies achieves considerable economic benefits in the productization of this soft sensor. The validity of the method is tested in the reality of a refinery. In addition, real-world industrial data sets tend to be unstable and volatile, and the data is often affected by noise, outliers, irrelevant or unnecessary features, and missing data. This contribution demonstrates with the inclusion of a new concept, called an adaptive soft sensor, the importance of the dynamic adaptation of the conformed schemes based on Machine Learning through their combination with feature selection, dimensional reduction, and signal processing techniques. The economic benefits of applying this soft sensor in the refinery's production plant and presented as potential semi-annual savings.This work has received funding support from the SPRI-Basque Gov- ernment through the ELKARTEK program (OILTWIN project, ref. KK- 2020/00052)

Hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass as one of the most promising alternatives for the synthesis of advanced liquid biofuels: a review

The use of biofuels offers advantages over existing fuels because they come from renewable sources, they are biodegradable, their storage and transport are safer, and their emissions into the atmosphere are lower. Biomass is one of the most promising sustainable energy sources with a wide variety of organic materials as raw material. Chemical, biochemical, and thermochemical methods have been proposed to obtain biofuels from raw materials from biomass. In recent years, a thermochemical method that has generated great interest is hydrothermal liquefaction. In this paper, a brief review of the main sources for liquid biofuels and the synthesis processes is presented, with special emphasis on the production of biofuels using hydrothermal liquefaction by using waste generated by human activity as raw material.The authors are grateful for financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (AEI/MINECO) and the Government of Navarra through projects PID2020-112656RB-C21 and PC034-035 BIOGASOLANA. AG also thanks Santander Bank for funding via the Research Intensification Program

Risk factors associated with xerostomia in haemodialysis patients

To determine the prevalence of xerostomia and hyposalivation in Haemodialysis (HD) patients, to clarify risk factors, assess patient´s quality of life, and to establish a possible correlation among interdialytic weight gain (IDWG) and xerostomia. This study was performed on a group of 50 HD patients. Data were collected using a questionnaire containing demographic and clinical variables, a visual analogue scale (VAS) for xerostomia, IDWG, and an oral health impact profile questionnaire (OHIP-14). Unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) and stimulated whole saliva (SWS) were collected. A total of 28 HD patients (56%) suffered xerostomia. Dry mouth was associated with hypertension (OR, 5.24; 95% CI, 1.11-24.89) and benzodiazepine consumption (OR, 5.96; 95% CI, 1.05-33.99). The mean xerostomia VAS and OHIP-14 scores were 31.74±14.88 and 24.38±11.98, respectively. No significant correlation was observed between IDWG% and VAS and OHIP total score. Nonetheless, a positive correlation between VAS level of thirst and IDWG% was found (r=0.48 p=0.0001). UWS and SWS means (determined in 30 patients) were 0.16±0.17 and 1.12±0.64, respectively. Decreased values of UWS and SWS were reported in 53.33% and 36.66% of HD patients. Xerostomia in HD has a multifactorial aetiology due to accumulative risks as advanced age, systemic disorders, drugs, fluid intake restriction, and salivary parenchymal fibrosis and atrophy. Therefore, it is important to detect possible xerostomia risk factors to treat correctly dry mouth in HD patients and avoid systemic complications

Analysis by temperature-programmed reduction of the catalytic system Ni-Mo-Pd/Al2O3

Alumina-supported nickel catalysts are used to facilitate many reactions at various scales. However, the deactivation of these catalysts is an important problem that has prompted the search for solutions such as the addition of other metals that act as promoters. In this research, the interactions that form between the support and the metals have been studied, a fundamental property that directly affects the performance of the catalyst. With this idea, several Ni-Pd and Ni-Mo bimetallic and various Ni-Mo-Pd trimetallic samples have been prepared, and the reduction capacity of the oxide phases by temperatura-programmed reduction has been analyzed and studied. It has been found that in bimetallic catalysts, Pd favors the appearance of NiO species that are more easily reducible than Mo. In the same way, the data obtained from the trimetallic simples suggest that the impregnation order of Mo and Pd is not a determining factor in these catalysts. In addition, it has been found that the co-impregnation of Ni with Pd gives better results than the sequential impregnation of these metals. The results obtained have also shown that the order of nickel impregnation is decisive. In the case of Ni-Mo catalysts, by impregnating the molybdenum first, catalysts with better reducing properties can be obtained.The authors are grateful for financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (AEI/MINECO) and the Government of Navarra through projects PID2020-112656RB-C21 and PC034-035 BIOGASOLANA. Open access funding provided by Universidad Pública de Navarra. JJTH thanks Universidad Pública de Navarra for a postdoctoral grant. AG also thanks Santander Bank for funding via the Research Intensification Program

Dabigatran : a new oral anticoagulant. Guidelines to follow in oral surgery procedures. A systematic review of the literature

Dabigatran is a newly commercialized drug that is replacing other anticoagulants in the prevention of venous thromboembolism, stroke and systemic arterial valve embolism. It acts directly on thrombin presenting in a dynamic and predictable way, which does not require monitoring these patients. Therefore, we consider the need to assess whether their use increases the risk of bleeding involved before any dental treatment. We performed a systematic review with a bibliographic search in PubMed/Medline along with the Cochrane Library. We excluded articles dealing with all anticoagulants other than dabigatran, and works about surgical treatments in anatomical locations other than the oral cavity. We included a total of 13 papers of which 1 was a randomized clinical trial, 9 narrative literature reviews, 1 case series, 2 clinical cases and 1 expert opinion. Because we did not obtain any properly designed clinical trials, we were unable to conduct a meta-analysis. Currently, there is no consensus on the procedure to be followed in patients taking dabigatran. However, all authors agree to treat each case individually in accordance to the risk of embolism, postoperative bleeding and renal function. Also, it is necessary to perform minimally invasive interventions, and take the appropriate local anti-hemolytic measures

Use of 2-D Dige and preparative denaturing IEF to enhance sensitivity in the differential protein expression analysis of Candida Albicans yeast-to-Hypha transition

Comunicaciones a congreso

Solvent-free ring opening of e-caprolactone with amines assisted by microwave irradiation

The 11th International Electronic Conference on Synthetic Organic Chemistry session Symposium on Microwave Assisted SynthesisIrradiation of e-caprolactone with microwaves in the presence of secondary or primary amines lead to e-hydroxyamides in good yieldsXUNTA DE GALICIA for financial support: PGIDIT05PXIB26201PR, PR405 A 098/59-0. USC for a predoctoral fellowship to JC

Quantitative proteome and acidic subproteome profiling of candida albicans yeast-to-hypha transition

Comunicaciones a congreso

Osteonecrosis of the jaws produced by sunitinib : a systematic review

Tyrosine kinase receptor family is involved in tumor growth, pathological angiogenesis and the progression (metastasis) of cancer. Sunitinib (Sutent®) inhibits members of the tyrosine kinase receptor family affecting the induction of angiogenesis and tumor progression. It is not clear if sunitinib increases the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaws (ONJ). The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic review about ONJ related to sunitinib, describing existing cases and possible associated risk factors. The PubMed/MEDLINE and Cochrane Library databases were searched without date restriction up to September 2018. We included prospective and retrospective observational studies, cross-sectional studies, clinical cases and series of cases, involving only human subjects. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and Newcastle-Ottawa tools. A total of 13 studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria of which 7 were clinical cases, 5 case series and a retrospective study. All the articles were published between 2009 and 2018. Of the 102 patients treated with sunitinib analyzed in this study, 58 developed ONJ, being or having been treated with sunitinib and bisphosphonates or exclusively with sunitinib. In this systematic review, we found an increase of ONJ in patients who are medicated with other drugs different than bisphosphonates and denosumab. It is necessary that dentists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons as well as oncologists know the risk of ONJ that these antiresorptive drugs could have. There is a need to continue researching in this field with the aim of an increasing knowledge in this area and creating an adequate protocol of action for this population