Using NIR technology to reduce the number of hazardous samples in resin production

Abstract. The goal of this master’s thesis was to clarify the potential of the NIR technology to reduce the number of the hazardous samples and survey useful of the NIR technology in the resin production. The phenolic resin samples are toxic for the health and the NIR technology is the newest technology, whose potential was reviewed during the master’s thesis. The purpose of the experimental section was to be created the NIR calibration models for each resin material and study how reliably the NIR technology can analyze the property 1, the property 2 for the resins, the properties 3 and 4 in the resin production. During the experimental section was collected the data from final samples of the various resin materials using with the NIR probe in the manufacturing laboratory to be created the NIR spectra set. The resins were produced in the batch reactors in the resin plant and the data was arranged in the cooperation of the manufacturing operators. The reference analyzes were performed within the data collection in cooperation of the manufacturing operators and the reference results were created to be compared to the NIR results. There was found the exact the wavenumbers of the near-infrared spectroscopy to be predicted the properties 1 and 2, but not was found the exact wavenumbers to be predicted the properties 3 and 4. NIR technology can be used to be predicted the property 1 using with the wavenumber of 6102–5446 cm-1 and the property 2 using with the wavenumber of 6846–6900 cm-1. The wavenumber region of 4000–12000 cm-1 to be predicted the properties 3 and 4. According to the results the NIR technology requiring the exact calibration models for each analyzable property of the resin and there is needed approximately 40–50 samples to be created models, which are enough precise to be predicted the results of the reference analyzes in the resin production. NIR is able to predict the results of the reference analyzes with the little sample set, but then the models are not the statistically significant. The linear model was noted to be the best model to predict the results of the reference analyzes, but the precise models were not achieved during the master’s thesis process. The results can be utilized for the resin production and the hazardous samples can be reduced using with the NIR technology, if the models are the statistically precise and the creation of the calibration models need the patience.Tiivistelmä. Diplomityön tavoitteena oli selvittää NIR teknologian potentiaalisuutta vähentää haitallisten näytteiden määrää sekä kartoittaa NIR teknologian käyttöä hartsituotannossa. Fenoliset hartsinäytteet ovat terveydelle haitallisia ja NIR on uusinta teknologiaa, jonka potentiaalisuutta tarkasteltiin diplomityössä. Työn kokeellisen osion tarkoituksena oli luoda NIR kalibraatiomallit erilaisille hartsimateriaaleille ja tutkia, kuinka luotettavasti NIR teknologialla voidaan analysoida ominaisuutta 1, hartsien ominaisuutta 2, ominaisuuksia 3 ja 4 hartsituotannossa. Työn kokeellisessa osiossa kerättiin dataa hartsien loppunäytteistä tuotannon laboratoriossa käyttäen NIR anturia NIR spektrien luomiseen. Hartsit valmistettiin liimatehtaan panosreaktoreissa normaalin tuotannon yhteydessä ja datan keruu toteutettiin yhteistyössä tuotannon operaattoreiden kanssa. Referenssianalyysit suoritettiin datan keruun yhteydessä tuotannon operaattoreiden toimesta ja samalla luotiin referenssitulokset NIR:n antamille tuloksille. Ominaisuuksien 1 ja 2 ennustamiseen löydettiin tarkat lähi-infrapunaspektroskopian aaltolukualueet, mutta ominaisuuksien 3 ja 4 ennustamiseen ei löydetty tarkkoja aaltolukualueita. NIR teknologia käyttää ominaisuuden 1 ennustamiseen aaltolukualuetta 6102–5446 cm-1 ja ominaisuuden 2 ennustamiseen aaltolukualuetta 6846–6900 cm-1. Ominaisuuksien 3 ja 4 ennustamiseen käytettiin aaltolukualuetta 4000–12000 cm-1, joka kattaa lähes koko lähi-infrapunaspektroskopian aaltolukualueen. Tulosten perusteella NIR teknologia vaatii tarkat kalibraatiomallit hartsin jokaiselle analysoitavalle ominaisuudelle ja mallien luomista varten tulee kerätä arviolta 40–50 näytettä, jotta malleista saadaan riittävän tarkkoja ennustamaan referenssianalyysien tuloksia hartsituotannossa. NIR pystyy ennustamaan vähäiselläkin näytemäärällä referenssianalyysien tuloksia, mutta mallit eivät ole tilastollisesti merkittäviä normaalijakauman mukaisesti. Lineaarinen malli todettiin olevan paras malli ennustamaan referenssianalyysien tuloksia, mutta riittävän tarkkoja malleja ei saatu aikaiseksi diplomityön aikana. Tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää hartsituotannossa, sillä tuloksien mukaan haitallisten näytteiden määrää voidaan vähentää NIR teknologialla, jos malleista saadaan tilastollisesti riittävän tarkkoja ja kalibraatiomallien luominen opetusdatalla vaatii pitkäjänteisyytt

Big problem, little answer: overcoming bed agglomeration and reactor slagging during the gasification of barley straw under continuous operation

Defluidisation as a result of reactor bed agglomeration is a global challenge associated with the gasification of lignocellulosic biomass waste, specifically its high inorganic content. The use of conventional water leaching has been scrutanised for the removal of inorganic constituents from barley straw, a highly abundant waste feedstock with high ash content. The resulting pre-treated material was subsequently gasified at 750 oC and 850 oC under continuous flow, where it was found that bed agglomeration as a result of the ash melting induced mechanism can be eliminated, as visuallised by SEM and EDX studies. Here, the presence of eutetic mixtures result in the fusing of a SiO2 rich bed material that cause a sudden pressure drop in the reactor, resulting in a forced shutdown. Leached barley straw was found to effectively solve this issue and sustained gasification for a long period of time, as well as limiting inorganic based decoration on the surface of bed material grains after reaction. Additionally, leaching was found to enhance the production of low carbon fuel gases where an improved product yield of 31.9%vol and 37.3%vol for CO and CH4 was observed at 850 oC, as compared to untreated equivalent

A High Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Manifestations in Common Variable Immunodeficiency

OBJECTIVES: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is associated with a spectrum of autoimmune complications. We studied the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations and infections in patients with CVID. METHODS: Complete clinical data of 132 Finnish patients with CVID (106 probable and 26 possible CVID) followed up between 2007 and 2016 were collected to a structured database. Data on endoscopies, histology, and laboratory studies were retrieved from patient files. RESULTS: Most common referral indications were diarrhea and/or weight loss (47%-67%). Patients with probable CVID had higher fecal calprotectin and a1-antitrypsin and lower blood vitamin B12 than patients with possible CVID. Gastroscopy and colonoscopy were done to 71 (67%) and 63 (59%) patients with probable CVID, respectively. Endoscopies showed that 15% of them had chronic active gastritis and 17% atrophic gastritis and 3% had gastric adenocarcinoma. A celiac sprue-like condition was found in 7 patients (10%), of whom 3 responded to a gluten-free diet. Colonoscopies demonstrated unspecific colitis (14%), ulcerative colitis (8%), microscopic colitis (10%), and Crohn's disease (2%). Colonic polyps were noted in30% of patients, and3% had lower GI malignancies. Thirty-five patients with CVID had bacterial or parasitic gastroenteritis; chronic norovirus was detected in 4 patients with probable CVID. Patients with GI inflammation had higher levels of fecal calprotectin and blood CD81 T lymphocytes but lower counts of CD191CD271 memory B cells and/or CD191 B cells. Immunophenotype with low B-cell counts was associated with higher fecal calprotectin levels. DISCUSSION: Patients with CVID had a high prevalence of GI manifestations and infections of the GI tract. GI inflammation was associated with a distinct immunophenotype and elevated fecal calprotectin.Peer reviewe

Inoculating an agile company with user-centred design: an empirical study

We present an empirical study on facilitating the adoption of user-centred design (UCD) in small Agile companies. To this end, we introduced a curated set of qualitative design practices in an Agile organisation, engaging developers in a lightweight series of workshops. Our results suggest that the approach followed enhanced internal communication and promoted a concrete shift towards a more user-centred perspective. However, the presence of a predominant non-Agile customer seems to have limited potential benefits. © The Author(s) 2017

On Online Banking Authentication for All: A Comparison of BankID Login Efficiency Using Smartphones Versus Code Generators

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A novel, non-canonical mechanism of regulation of MST3 (mammalian Sterile20-related kinase 3)

The canonical pathway of regulation of the germinal centre kinase (GCK) III subgroup member, mammalian Sterile20-related kinase 3 (MST3), involves a caspase-mediated cleavage between N-terminal catalytic and C-terminal regulatory domains with possible concurrent autophosphorylation of the activation loop MST3(Thr178-), induction of Ser-/Thr-protein kinase activity and nuclear localisation. We identified an alternative ‘non-canonical’ pathway of MST3 activation (regulated primarily through dephosphorylation) which may also be applicable to other GCKIII (and GCKVI) subgroup members. In the basal state, inactive MST3 co-immunoprecipitated with the Golgi protein, GOLGA2/gm130. Activation of MST3 by calyculin A (a protein Ser-/Thr- phosphatase 1/2A inhibitor) stimulated (auto)phosphorylation of MST3(Thr178-) in the catalytic domain with essentially simultaneous cis-autophosphorylation of MST3(Thr328-) in the regulatory domain, an event also requiring the MST3(341-376) sequence which acts as a putative docking domain. MST3(Thr178-) phosphorylation increased MST3 kinase activity but this activity was independent of MST3(Thr328-) phosphorylation. Interestingly, MST3(Thr328-) lies immediately C-terminal to a STRAD pseudokinase-like site recently identified as being involved in binding of GCKIII/GCKVI members to MO25 scaffolding proteins. MST3(Thr178- /Thr328-) phosphorylation was concurrent with dissociation of MST3 from GOLGA2/gm130 and association of MST3 with MO25, and MST3(Thr328-) phosphorylation was necessary for formation of the activated MST3-MO25 holocomplex

Agile software development practices in Egypt SMEs : a grounded theory investigation

Agile information system development methods have been adopted by most software development organizations due to their proven benefits in terms of flexibility, reliability, and responsiveness. However, companies face significant challenges in adopting these approaches. Specifically, this research investigates challenges faced by software development companies in Egypt while transitioning to Agile. As little previous research is available targeting their concerns, we have conducted a grounded theory investigation. Key problem areas were found including lack of cadence in sprints planning, inadequate use of effort estimation and product quality issues. The developed grounded theory reflects on the key problem areas found with SMEs adopting agile practices and can be used by software development practitioners adopting agile methods in Egypt or similar developing countries as an outline for the common problem areas they are expected to find

Frontotemporal dementia with the C9ORF72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion: clinical, neuroanatomical and neuropathological features

An expanded hexanucleotide repeat in the C9ORF72 gene has recently been identified as a major cause of familial frontotemporal lobar degeneration and motor neuron disease, including cases previously identified as linked to chromosome 9. Here we present a detailed retrospective clinical, neuroimaging and histopathological analysis of a C9ORF72 mutation case series in relation to other forms of genetically determined frontotemporal lobar degeneration ascertained at a specialist centre. Eighteen probands (19 cases in total) were identified, representing 35% of frontotemporal lobar degeneration cases with identified mutations, 36% of cases with clinical evidence of motor neuron disease and 7% of the entire cohort. Thirty-three per cent of these C9ORF72 cases had no identified relevant family history. Families showed wide variation in clinical onset (43–68 years) and duration (1.7–22 years). The most common presenting syndrome (comprising a half of cases) was behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, however, there was substantial clinical heterogeneity across the C9ORF72 mutation cohort. Sixty per cent of cases developed clinical features consistent with motor neuron disease during the period of follow-up. Anxiety and agitation and memory impairment were prominent features (between a half to two-thirds of cases), and dominant parietal dysfunction was also frequent. Affected individuals showed variable magnetic resonance imaging findings; however, relative to healthy controls, the group as a whole showed extensive thinning of frontal, temporal and parietal cortices, subcortical grey matter atrophy including thalamus and cerebellum and involvement of long intrahemispheric, commissural and corticospinal tracts. The neuroimaging profile of the C9ORF72 expansion was significantly more symmetrical than progranulin mutations with significantly less temporal lobe involvement than microtubule-associated protein tau mutations. Neuropathological examination in six cases with C9ORF72 mutation from the frontotemporal lobar degeneration series identified histomorphological features consistent with either type A or B TAR DNA-binding protein-43 deposition; however, p62-positive (in excess of TAR DNA-binding protein-43 positive) neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions in hippocampus and cerebellum were a consistent feature of these cases, in contrast to the similar frequency of p62 and TAR DNA-binding protein-43 deposition in 53 control cases with frontotemporal lobar degeneration–TAR DNA-binding protein. These findings corroborate the clinical importance of the C9ORF72 mutation in frontotemporal lobar degeneration, delineate phenotypic and neuropathological features that could help to guide genetic testing, and suggest hypotheses for elucidating the neurobiology of a culprit subcortical network