Evaluation of kraft cooking behaviour for six different softwoods species

The main goal of this paper is to observe de differences of behaviour between six softwoods species during the kraft cooking sequence, knowing that morphological, physicochemical and hygroscopic characters are different. Six wood species (Scots pine, maritime pine, Aleppo pine, black pine, Douglas fir and Spruce) were analysed separately. Different parameters were evaluated (Lignin content, Polysaccharides content (cellulose and hemicelluloses), Yield, Hexenuronic acids) and for each wood species three temperatures (150ºC, 160ºC and 170ºC) and different cooking times, allowing to study the behaviour of the wood species. Common cooking conditions were applied and temperature program included cold impregnation, a plateau at 110°C during 2.5 hours to perform initial delignification separately followed by a second plateau at cooking temperature. Non-uniform cooking behaviour was observed; chestnut and oak trees consumed much more caustic soda and had a lower yield in the initial phase of the cook. It was possible conclude that in a genera way, the behaviour of the six softwoods is highly homogeneous, for the three temperatures studied. Data analysis was made with Principal component analysis (PCA) and ANOVA. The results of PCA show that all parameters: Yield (Y), Klason lignin (L), cellulose content (C), and effective residual alkali (EA) are well correlated. The cellulose content was negatively correlated with the other factors. The hexenuronic acids (HA) and hemicelluloses content was well correlated witch other. The coking time in the 2nd plateau influence all factors. Moreover, the three different temperatures are very similar they present statically differences with Tukey’s test (P<0.05). For the highest cooking time all parameter present lower values. The time on the 2nd plateau do not influence the yield and the delignification

Drug utilisation pattern in dermatology outpatient department at a tertiary care hospital

Background: Skin is the part of integumentary system that constitutes the largest organ of human body and thus it is exposed to injury by various extrinsic and intrinsic factors. The skin disorders have serious detrimental effect on quality of life of the general population. The present study was planned to define the prescription pattern in terms of rationality, drug interactions and financial burden of disease to the individual. Also, in the identification of problems related to drug use such as poly-pharmacy and drug-drug interaction.Methods: The present study was conducted in the male and female out-patient Department of Dermatology at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Hyderabad, Telangana over a period of two months. Prescriptions of 400 patients were analyzed i.e. 200 each were taken from the male and female OPD patients. An observational and cross-sectional study design was adopted for this study.Results: Prescriptions of 400 patients were analyzed. The average number of drugs per prescription was 3.73 in male OPD and 3.59 in female OPD. The percentage of generic drugs prescribed was 84.13% in male OPD and 77.3% in female OPD, drugs prescribed by brand name was 15.82% in male OPD and 22.7% in female OPD. Antihistamines were the most commonly prescribed drugs followed by antibacterial in female OPD and antifungals in male OPD.Conclusions: Prescription of maximum drugs was by their generic name and was dispensed free of cost to the patients from the hospital pharmacy. Almost all the drugs prescribed as oral formulation were present in the NLEM, India 2011. Whereas some topical formulations prescribed are not present in the NLEM. Therefore, were prescribed by trade name. Regular educational interventions like sensitization on pharmacovigilance may further promote rational prescribing

Evaluation of kraft cooking behaviour for different hardwood species

In this study six wood species (birch, chestnut, oak, beech, poplar and eucalyptus) were analysed separately. Lignin content, Polysaccharides content (cellulose and hemicelluloses), Yield, Hexenuronic acids were evaluated for three cooking temperatures (140ºC, 150ºC and 160ºC) and different cooking times. Common cooking conditions were applied and temperature program included cold impregnation, a plateau at 110°C (2.5 hours) to perform initial delignification separately followed by a second plateau at cooking temperature. The results of PCA show that the almost all parameters (excluding hexenuronic acids) are well correlated between them (total variance: 62%). For Eucalyptus and poplar species the hemicelluloses content aren’t well correlated with the previously parameter, caused by the difference observed for the higher temperatures. In some samples was observed that xylans are partially resistant and their elimination is only partial (30 to 40%) in the early stage of cooking. For the highest cooking time there were observed a significant difference between the three temperatures studied. Chestnut and oak wood species present a different behaviour compared with the other species, caused by their similar anatomical and chemical structure. For the 160º of cooking temperature in the second plateau was the poplar, beech and birch that present a different performance

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DETERMINANTS OF HOUSING PRICE BOOM IN HONG KONG

Hong Kong’s housing market witnessed a dramatic housing price appreciation in recent years, with the price index for private domestic housing units being three times higher than ten years ago. This trend is supported by both internal and external factors, as illustrated in this paper. By developing a theoretical model and an empirical analysis on the key variables influencing housing prices using monthly data from 1999 to 2018, we find that the main drivers of housing price appreciation are from the demand side and include income level, money supply and inflation. The main contribution of this study is the quantification of the role of Mainland China’s macroeconomic factors in housing price booms in Hong Kong. Our study shows that capital inflow from and inflation and recessions in Mainland China contribute to increasing housing prices in Hong Kong because the city’s real estate is seen as a way to preserve asset value. These findings call for the need for control of capital inflow between the two economies as well as for stricter regulations against empty houses in Hong Kong.Hong Kong’s housing market witnessed a dramatic housing price appreciation in recent years, with the price index for private domestic housing units being three times higher than ten years ago. This trend is supported by both internal and external factors, as illustrated in this paper. By developing a theoretical model and an empirical analysis on the key variables influencing housing prices using monthly data from 1999 to 2018, we find that the main drivers of housing price appreciation are from the demand side and include income level, money supply and inflation. The main contribution of this study is the quantification of the role of Mainland China’s macroeconomic factors in housing price booms in Hong Kong. Our study shows that capital inflow from and inflation and recessions in Mainland China contribute to increasing housing prices in Hong Kong because the city’s real estate is seen as a way to preserve asset value. These findings call for the need for control of capital inflow between the two economies as well as for stricter regulations against empty houses in Hong Kong

A statistical analysis on the remission of pain and the intensity of depression in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Rheumatoid arthritis and depression commonly occur together. Although this is known, people with rheumatoid arthritis often aren't screened for depression, so it may not be diagnosed or treated. The main aim of the work is to evaluate the remission of pain and estimate intensity of depression in rheumatoid arthritis patients. We collected 40 cases of Rheumatoid arthritis at VIRRD hospital and collected the details. By using Visual analogue scale we have estimated the pain remission and by using Beck Depression Inventory we evaluated intensity of depression. This study shows the Adults (Above 18 years) are affected more with RA than that of other age groups. This study reveals that people affected with RA are 80% of female. So that females are more affected. As chronic pain is the important symptom of RA we evaluated the remission of pain. We observed there is decrease in pain after using the medication which indicates that there is remission of pain in patients when they are on regular treatment. This study showed a strong relation between RA and subsequent risk of depression. Based on the study almost 62.5% RA patients have some level of depression. We suggest that for optimal care and better outcomes of RA patient, detection and management of depression is important as there is some level of depression in RA patient and for such patients the treatment should be based on their level

Modélisation et simulation de l'atelier de régénération de l'usine Kraft

L atelier de régénération d une usine kraft permet d extraire des liqueurs noires les élémentschimiques nécessaires à la cuisson du bois et de les régénérer sous leur forme active, ainsi quede valoriser la fraction organique dissoute sous forme de chaleur. Les opérations unitaires enoeuvre sont nombreuses, complexes, et souvent mal décrites. Ce travail vise à permettre unemeilleure compréhension de la régénération, par la réalisation de modèles fiables décrivant lesphénomènes et processus dans chaque opération unitaire, leur implémentation algorithmiqueet leur exploitation par la simulation du procédé global.Chemical recovery at the kraft mill is the process whereby the valuable inorganic elements areextracted from spent kraft liquors and regenerated under their form effective to the cooking ofthe wood and energy is producted from the dissolved organic fraction. Many unit operations areinvolved, often poorly described. This work aims at a better understanding of the recovery processes.Reliable models describing the physical phenomena were proposed for each operation andimplemented as a computer algorithm. The whole chemical recovery unit was then simulated.SAVOIE-SCD - Bib.électronique (730659901) / SudocGRENOBLE1/INP-Bib.électronique (384210012) / SudocGRENOBLE2/3-Bib.électronique (384219901) / SudocSudocFranceF

Performance and Analysis Of Modern Soot Blower By Improving Boiler Efficiency Of A Thermal Power Plant

In Thermal power plants for better performance and maximum efficiency the best suitable method is Energy Audit, which plays a key role in any industry or organization. Every problem has a solution; we have so many ways to solve a problem but choosing a best method, give better results and save the time and money which is possible by energy audit. In this thesis to accomplish the task, KTPS 500MW Thermal power plant is selected. Here the maximum boiler efficiency is 78% at full load operating conditions. To know the reason behind this reducing the boiler efficiency, conducted an audit and identified the main losses. After analyzing all losses the major one is heat loss due to dry flue gas, which is nearly 12% compared to remaining losses.   The main reason behind this loss is, there is no proper heat transfer between flue gas and feed water contained in the economizer coil, after combustion of coal the flue gases are released at the same time soot also liberated and it is largely placed at the top of the boiler in the surface of economizer coil. To remove that soot on the economizer coil surface present in KTPS they use some soot blowers but they are not achieving the better results as well as operating and maintaining cost is very high.   Main motto of this thesis is to develop a modern soot blower with less operating cost and achieve better results. The main important change in this advanced blower is change in the working medium. In the present soot blower the working medium is steam. It means by using boiler output they are running the present soot blower still not obtaining good results and at the same time losing the boiler efficiency. In the modern soot blower the working medium is hot air so without using the output of boiler, run this modern designed soot blower at the same time the soot is totally removed from the surface of economizer coil and the loss due to dry flue gas is reduced up to 4%. So boiler efficiency is improved and have a chance to economic benefit also by using this modern designed soot blower because of its working medium and less operating cost

Immunogenicity of targeted lentivectors

To increase the safety and possibly efficacy of HIV-1 derived lentivectors (LVs) as an anti-cancer vaccine, we recently developed the Nanobody (Nb) display technology to target LVs to antigen presenting cells (APCs). In this study, we extend these data with exclusive targeting of LVs to conventional dendritic cells (DCs), which are believed to be the main cross-presenting APCs for the induction of a TH1-conducted antitumor immune response. The immunogenicity of these DC-subtype targeted LVs was compared to that of broad tropism, general APC-targeted and non-infectious LVs. Intranodal immunization with ovalbumin encoding LVs induced proliferation of antigen specific CD4(+) T cells, irrespective of the LVs' targeting ability. However, the cytokine secretion profile of the restimulated CD4(+) T cells demonstrated that general APC targeting induced a similar TH1-profile as the broad tropism LVs while transduction of conventional DCs alone induced a similar and less potent TH1 profile as the non-infectious LVs. This observation contradicts the hypothesis that conventional DCs are the most important APCs and suggests that the activation of other APCs is also meaningful. Despite these differences, all targeted LVs were able to stimulate cytotoxic T lymphocytes, be it to a lesser extent than broad tropism LVs. Furthermore this induction was shown to be dependent on type I interferon for the targeted and non-infectious LVs, but not for broad tropism LVs. Finally we demonstrated that the APC-targeted LVs were as potent in therapy as broad tropism LVs and as such deliver on their promise as safer and efficacious LV-based vaccines

Innate lymphoid cells integrate stromal and immune signals to enhance antibody production by splenic marginal zone B cells

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) regulate stromal, epithelial and immune cells, but their impact on B cells remains unclear. We identified RORγt + ILCs nearby the marginal zone (MZ), a splenic compartment containing innate-like B cells that respond to circulating T cell-independent (TI) antigens. Spenic ILCs established a bidirectional crosstalk with MAdCAM-1 + marginal reticular cells by providing tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and lymphotoxin, and activated MZ B cells via BAFF, CD40 ligand and the Notch ligand, Delta-like 1. Splenic ILCs further helped MZ B cells and their plasma cell progeny by co-opting neutrophils through the release of GM-CSF. Consequently, ILC depletion impaired both pre- and post-immune TI antibody responses. Thus, ILCs integrate stromal and myeloid signals to orchestrate innate-like antibody production at the interface between the immune and circulatory systems