Material Balance Adjustement in Raw Material Processing

Circuit of one processing plant was studied in order to adjust the mass balance. The granulometric composition of the streams that belong to grinding and classifying processes was analyzed, while the chemical content was determined only at the streams related to separation process. Three connection matrixes are considered in this paper, one corresponding to the size fraction equations, the second corresponding to the chemical content measurements and the third, the solid flow rate balance. The technique used consisted of filtering all the data by a weighted least-squares procedure. Then running the output data in a custom designed feature of the computer program MATLAB. The raw data was then corrected and the different missing assays calculated and presented here

Material Balance Adjustement in Raw Material Processing

Circuit of one processing plant was studied in order to adjust the mass balance. The granulometric composition of the streams that belong to grinding and classifying processes was analysed, while the chemical content was determined only at the streams related to separation process. Three connection matrixes are considered in this paper, one corresponding to the size fraction equations, the second corresponding to the chemical content measurements and the third, the solid flow rate balance. The technique used consisted of filtering all the data by a weighted least-squares procedure. Then running the output data in a custom designed feature of the computer program MATLAB. The raw data was then corrected and the different missing assays calculated and presented here

Correlation of OPG/RANKL in Patients with Thalassemia Major in the Center of Haemoglobinopathy Lushnje, Albania

Osteoporosis is an important cause of morbidity in hemoglobinopathy patients. It is characterized by low bone mass and disruption of bone architecture, resulting in reduced bone strength and increased risk of fractures. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of NF-kappa-B ligand (RANKL) have been recently implicated in the pathogenesis of various types of osteoporosis.  The aim of our study was to determine if there was any correlation between OPG/RANKL and the patients affected by thalassemia major in the Center of Haemoglobinopathy in Lushnje. Methods: We measured in 70 patients with Thalassemia major and in 67 healthy control serum OPG and RANKL levels and determined correlations with BMD. We measured T-score and BMD too. Results: 31.1% of our patients with Thalassemia major had osteoporosis and 21.6 % had osteopenia. We found a correlation between OPG-BMD (r=-0.768, p=0.000 and RANKL-BMD (r=0.468; p=0.000). OPG-T-score (r=0.729. p=0.000) and Rankl-T-score r=-0.409; p=0.000). Conclusion:  OPG and RANKL in Thalassemia major patients should be consider as a main factor responsible for osteoclast activation

Understanding sports hernia (athletic pubalgia) - The anatomic and pathophysiologic basis for abdominal and groin pain in athletes

Recent publicity and some scientific reports suggest increasing success in treating an entity called “sports hernia” - more accurately named athletic pubalgia. The primary purpose of this article is to portray what we believe to be the key concept for understanding this wide variety of abdominal and groin injuries that afflict high performance athletes. These injuries have been plaguing athletes for a long time, and past treatments, based on concepts of occult hernia or simple strains, have generally failed. The former concepts do not take into account the likely mechanisms of injury or various patterns of pain that these athletes exhibit. The authors believe that the concept of a pubic joint or pubic dynamic complex is fundamental to understanding the anatomy and pertinent pathophysiology in these patients. Many injuries can now be treated successfully. Some of the injuries require surgery and others do not. In most cases, decisions regarding treatment and timing for return to full play require proper identification of the problems and consideration of a wide variety of medical, social, and business factors

PROSES PEMBUATAN PISAU PENCACAH PADA MESIN PENCACAH RUMPUT SECARA KONTINYU

Tujuan dari penyusunan proyek akhir ini adalah untuk membuat mesin pencacah rumput secara kontinyu, mengetahui alat dan mesin yang digunakan dalam proses pembuatan pisau pencacah, mengetahui jenis pisau pencacah yang digunakan, mengetahui susunan mata pisau pada komponen pisau putar, mengetahui proses pembuatan pisau pencacah, mengetahui banyak waktu yang diperlukan dalam proses pembuatan pisau pencacah, mengetahui berapa harga mesin pencacah rumput secara kontinyu, dan mengetahui uji kinerja pisau pencacah. Metode yang digunakan dalam pembuatan pisau putar dan pisau tetap yaitu dimulai dari, pengidentifikasian ukuran bahan, jenis bahan yang digunakan, pemilihan mesin dan alat yang digunakan, serta penentuan proses kerja yang akan digunakan. Bahan yang digunakan adalah Mild Steel St 37. Ukuran bahan untuk pisau putar, pipa : Ø34 mm x 490 mm dan plat flat bar : 4320 mm x 14 mm x 4 mm. Ukuran bahan untuk pisau tetap, dudukan pisau : 605 mm x 40 mm x 10 mm dan plat flat bar : 2080 mm x 14 mm x 4 mm. Mesin dan alat yang digunakan adalah mesin gerinda duduk AMC seri 2520 tipe TG 15/125PL, mesin gerinda potong BOSCH tipe GCO 2000, mesin gerinda tangan MAKITA, mesin bor meja TNW 13 seri 43030, mesin las busur listrik OTC tipe KRJ-180, gunting baja dan beberapa peralatan kerja bangku, instrumen, serta peralatan keselamatan kerja. Langkah kerja yang dilakukan meliputi proses pemotongan bahan, proses penggerindaan, proses pengeboran, proses pengelasan, dan proses kerja bangku. Hasil pembuatan mesin pencacah rumput yang dibuat yaitu (1) dimensi mesin 500 mm x 668 mm x 922 mm, (2) daya motor listrik ½ HP, (3) putaran yang dihasilkan mesin 700 Rpm, (4) sistem pencacahan menggunakan pisau putar dan pisau tetap, (5) mesin ini dapat mencacah dengan ukuran yang seragam 1-3 cm serta, (6) hasil cacahan dapat mencapai kapasitas + 100 kg/jam. Kata Kunci : Mesin pencacah, pisau pencacah, rumpu

Urban waste water discharges and their treatment: Case study Waste Water Treatment Plant of Kavaja (WWTPK)

WWTPK is the first plant built sewage purification in the Republic of Albania (RA). This plant it is placed in the Kavaja region, district of Tirana. For this is an important area sewage treatment and waste water treatment according to the standards of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Management (MoE) in Republic of Albania and not directly discharged untreated in nature. In order to determine productivity of the IPUZ and to predict the future of the operation, the results of the analysis of BOD, COD, SS are produced. According to chemical analyzes carried out in the period from February to May-June 2012 the water quality of effluents meet the standards under MoE for BOD, SS and COD parameters. The method used in this plant is the two stage method, physical and biological treatment. It is important to mention the lack of measurement of pH, temperature and O2 for a period of more than 1 year; and the lack of measurement of total phosphorus as a procedure, as a determinant of nutrients eutrophication of surface waters. For better result of water quality we think it is necessary to use the third level of cleaning waste water (chemical treatment)

Water resources systems planning and management

The most fundamental human needs of water are for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene. In order to fulfill these needs, the quality of the water used should cause no risk to human health. The quality of the water in nature also affects the condition of ecosystems all living organisms depend on. At the same time, humans use water bodies as convenient sinks for the disposal of domestic, industrial and agricultural wastewaters. This, of course, degrades the quality of those water bodies. Water resources management involves the monitoring and management of water quality as much as the monitoring and management of water quantity. Various models have been developed to assist in predicting the water quality impacts of alternative land and water management policies and practices. This research provides a pricing framework for decision-makers that will help in the development of strategies for water quality management. However, trading schemes can be complex to set up with factors such as the number of facilities involved in the scheme and the variety of the pollutants discharged influencing the complexity. Success depends upon achieving a balance between the environmental benefits of improving water quality and administration costs. In Europe the drive to improve water quality under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) encourages European citizens to get involved in improving water quality. Following recommendations from the IPCC3, the WFD aims to prevent and control emissions into water. Implementation of trading schemes could contribute to these goals

Herpes simplex virus type 1 and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection of astrocytes: the effects of co-infection on pathogen replication

Background: Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) and Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) have been studied as pathogens contributing to neurodegenerative diseases. Cpn and HSV-1 are both ubiquitous, thus many individuals presumably are exposed to both pathogens during their life time. Since Cpn can establish persistence under adverse environmental conditions, we speculate that productive HSV infection might induce Cpn persistence in cells infected with both pathogens. Intermittent reactivation of either or both pathogens might contribute to progressive pathology associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Objectives: Determine whether Cpn and HSV-1 can co-infect cells and whether the presence of one pathogen alters replication of the other. Methods: The ability of Cpn and HSV-1 to co-infect an astrocyte cell line (STTG-1) was analyzed by immunofluorescence (IF) labeling using antibodies specific for HSV and Cpn, and RT-PCR using primers specific for each pathogen. Cells were infected with HSV or Cpn alone, or co infected with both pathogens for 24 or 48 hours. Results: IF revealed that cells could be simultaneously infected with both pathogens. Gene expression data support the observation that HSV replication is somewhat diminished in the presence of Cpn; similarly, the developmental cycle of Cpn appears to be disrupted by HSV. Conclusions: IF and gene expression data suggest both HSV-1 and Cpn inhibit, but do not prevent, infection by the second pathogen, possibly by competing for the same cellular receptors. Moreover, disruption of host cell transcription by HSV-1 may modify normal Cpn developmen

Διυδρόφιλα Συσταδικά και Τυχαία Συμπολυμερή POEGMA-b-PMETAC και P(OEGMA-co-METAC): Σύνθεση, Χαρακτηρισμός, Αυτοοργάνωση σε Υδατικά Διαλύματα και Σύμπλεξη με DNA

Τα διυδρόφιλα συμπολυμερή έχουν προσελκύσει το επιστημονικό ενδιαφέρον τα τελευταία χρόνια, εξαιτίας της ικανότητάς τους να αυτοοργανώνονται σε υδατικά διαλύματα. Στην παρούσα ερευνητική εργασία συντέθηκαν καινοτόμα πολυμερικά συστήματα με εφαρμογές στον τομέα της γονιδιακής θεραπείας. Η μελέτη της εργασίας αφορά τη σύνθεση διυδρόφιλων συμπολυμερών πολυ(μεθακρυλικού εστέρα της ολιγοαιθυλενογλυκόλης)-b-πολυ([2-(μεθακρυλοϋλοξυ)αιθυλο] τριμεθυλαμμωνίου χλωριδίου) (poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate)-b-poly([2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride), POEGMA-b-PMETAC) και πολυ(μεθακρυλικού εστέρα της ολιγοαιθυλενογλυκόλης-co-[2-(μεθακρυλοϋλοξυ)αιθυλο] τριμεθυλαμμωνίου χλωριδίου) (poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate-co-[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride), P(OEGMA-co-METAC)) μέσω της τεχνικής πολυμερισμού RAFT. Ο μοριακός χαρακτηρισμός των πολυμερών έγινε με χρωματογραφία αποκλεισμού μεγεθών (SEC) και φασματοσκοπία πυρηνικού μαγνητικού συντονισμού πρωτονίου 1H-NMR. Μελετήθηκαν επίσης οι ιδιότητες αυτοοργάνωσής τους σε υδατικά μέσα σαν συνάρτηση μεταβολών στη θερμοκρασία και την ιοντική ισχύ με τη χρήση μεθόδων σκέδασης φωτός (DLS, ELS) και φασματοσκοπίας φθορισμού (FS). H απόκριση των συστημάτων στις παραπάνω φυσικοχημικές παραμέτρους συντελεί στην εφαρμογή τους ως φορείς γονιδίων. Τα κατιοντικά πολυηλεκτρολυτικά πολυμερή συμπλέχθηκαν με μόρια DNA και εξετάστηκαν οι ιδιότητες και η συμπεριφορά των σχηματιζόμενων συμπλόκων.Over the past decades, double-hydrophilic copolymers have attracted the scientific interest because of their ability to self-assemble in aqueous solutions. In the present work, we report the synthesis of novel copolymers that can be applied in gene delivery. The aim of the current research is the synthesis of double-hydrophilic copolymers poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate)-b-poly([2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride) (POEGMA-b-PMETAC) and poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate-co-[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride) (P(OEGMA-co-METAC)) using the RAFT technique. Their molecular characterization was carried out using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR). We also studied the copolymers’ self-assembling behavior in aqueous solutions under the effect of temperature and ionic strength changes using light scattering techniques (DLS, ELS) and fluorescence spectroscopy (FS). The copolymers’ response to physical and chemical parameters contributes to their application as gene vectors. The cationic polyelectrolyte polymers were complexed with DNA molecules and the properties and behavior of the formed complexes were studied

Mechanisms of Mouse Hepatitis Virus Entry into Cells

Background: Viruses can enter cells through several mechanisms, two common ones being clathrin-mediated and caveolin-mediated endocytosis. The clathrin pathway delivers viral particles to endosomes, with subsequent acidification of the endosome and endosome/lysosome fusion often a prerequisite for release of the viral genome into the cytoplasm. The caveolin-mediated pathway delivers virus initially into vesicles called caveosomes, which have a neutral pH, before viral uncoating occurs. Viral entry pathways can be examined by using various drugs to inhibit the different endocytosis pathways, as well as by siRNA technology to down-regulate expression of clathrin or caveolin proteins on the surface of host cells