Thermal energy is an important resource for many industrial processes and is usually produced by combustion of hydrocarbon fuels with air. These processes could beneficiate from the use of oxygen-enhanced combustion (OEC), whose benefits (pollutants emissions reduction, fuel savings, productivity increase and volumes reduction) are already known. However, low costs oxygen production is still a challenge as the currently most used technique, cryogenics, is very energy consuming and costly. So, the present work proposes the thermodynamic analysis of two different techniques for production of oxidant required for the OEC process, the first one including air separation by polymeric membrane and the second one by PSA. Both systems were simulated on the software EES. Results show an increase of the energetic efficiency in both of the systems (from 22% to 58% in the membrane case and 66% in the PSA case) and of the exergetic efficiencies (from 18% to 48.5% and 54% respectively). A reduction of more than 60% of specific pollutants emissions was shown. The assessed techniques were shown to be energetically more attractive than cryogenics for small plants, the size limit depending on operating conditions.

No description available.

This diploma thesis deals with the quality of ejaculate of shepherd dog breeds. In the first part we will classify shephed dogs within the FCI organization and we will approach the breeds that we assess in this work. We will describe the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the reproductive organ of male dog, its ejaculate, ejaculation, semen and their development. We will also learn about the possibilities of dog ejaculate collection. In the main section we will deal with the evaluation of the ejaculate and we will focus on the macroscopic and microscopic examination of fresh ejaculate. In the course of the work, 100 ejaculates from 28 dogs belonging to I. FCI group will be evaluated, each dog will be taken twice to four times and one shot will be made from each sampling. The dogs will be divided into groups according to age, breed, stabling and feeding, and the examined parameters of the quality of the ejaculate will be discussed and compared. In terms of the monitored indicators, a highly statistically significant effect (P is less than or equal 0.01) of the order of collection on the volume of ejaculate obtained will be demonstrated. A statistically significant difference (P is less than or equal 0.05) between the first and the second sampling will be found in the evaluation of the effect of the order of collection during one day. The second volume will be found to be lower than the first one. It will be also shown that this value is affected by the age of the dog. According to our research, breed type and age of the dog causes a statistically significant difference (P is less than or equal 0,05) for sperm activity. The order of collection and stabling have a lesser influence on this indicator and the feed represents a negligible factor. Concerning the sperm concentration in the ejaculate, we will demonstrate a statistically significant difference (P is less than or equal 0.01) between the age groups of the dogs and the type of their accommodation. We will find a statistically significant difference (P is less than or equal 0.05) in the order of sampling. The factors of breed type and feed will have minimal influence in this case. We will not prove a statistical difference in the influence of the studied factors on color and odor, and we will be able to assert that these factors have negligible influence on these values. As for the qualitative sperm indicators, we will focus on the percentage of altered heads, connecting parts, flagella, degenerate and immature sperm. Concerning the values, we will conclude that the breed type, the age and, in the case of immature sperm, the order of collection have the most important influence on these parameters.

Semen is one of the most common biological fluids encountered by a forensic serologist on varying substrate types. Seminal fluid contains many enzymes, proteins, and cellular material such as acid phosphatase (AP), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), semenogelin (Sg), and spermatozoa; detection of these components can aid in the forensic identification of body fluids. Forensic laboratories usually follow a prescribed testing workflow (from visual examination including an alternate light source (ALS) and AP testing to PSA or Sg testing followed by a microscopic examination for sperm cells) to ensure laboratory resources are being used in a proper manner with minimal waste of both time and resources. However, this approach can be problematic when degradation of semen stains results in the inability to detect the presence of certain seminal components. When a stain yields negative results for an AP reaction, no further analyses for semen may be performed and analysis comes to an end. In common practice, evidentiary items containing biological fluids may not be immediately recovered following an incident and/or may not be stored properly, causing contamination or exposure of these biological fluids to harsh environments, potentially degrading the sample. This study investigates how exposure to different environmental conditions and packaging types affects the degradation of the four most common semen components targeted in forensic testing: AP, PSA, Sg, and spermatozoa. Semen stains were prepared and exposed to ten different storage and/or environmental conditions to compare their effects on the detectability of seminal components (fluorescence, AP, PSA, Sg, and spermatozoa as well as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing) for a period of approximately four months. Samples from each condition were tested on select days throughout the study. Minimal changes in detection of the seminal components were observed under the five conditions in which the stains remained dry: packaged in paper stored at room temperature, packaged in paper stored at high temperatures, exposed to sunlight, exposed to ultraviolet light, and stored in high humidity. Two of the conditions involved exposure to outdoor environments. The stains openly exposed to the elements or buried in soil exhibited the most notable degradation of all components when compared to other conditions. Negative results were obtained for nearly all seminal components (AP, PSA, or Sg) on Day 8 for stains openly exposed outdoors and Day 32 for buried samples. The remaining three conditions exposed the stains to damp or wet conditions and gave variable results throughout the study. DNA quantification was performed for select samples from each condition to assess DNA degradation. Most samples did not exhibit DNA degradation on quantification results up to Day 112; however, two samples exposed to outdoor environments exhibited DNA degradation as early as Day 8 (earliest day quantified). More notably, two samples from Day 112 demonstrated the presence of non-degraded DNA in sufficient quantity for profiling, while the presumptive semen analyses (AP, PSA, and Sg) for the same samples exhibited negative results when using an AP reaction cut-off time of 2 minutes. These results suggest that an allotted time of 2 minutes for AP detection may not be sufficient in some samples, and that valuable DNA evidence may go undiscovered, especially when other presumptive tests show negative results. Overall, the results revealed variation in the sequence and rate of degradation for seminal components in semen stains exposed to different environmental conditions. It was not possible to predict which of the remaining components of semen would be detectable based on the outcome of any one of the tests. Therefore, it is recommended that comprehensive testing of possible semen stains is performed, even after negative presumptive results are obtained, when the case scenario suggests exposure to damp/wet or otherwise less than ideal conditions.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第21653号 / 医博第4459号 / 新制||医||1035(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 鈴木 実, 教授 富樫 かおり, 教授 森田 智視 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

Bakgrund: Prostatacancer är den ledande dödsorsaken bland män i västvärlden och tidig upptäckt med PSA-prov har visat minska dödligheten. Samtidigt har flera studier rapporterat en signifikant överdiagnostik med PSA-prov som leder till en överbehandling av patienter med biverkningar som sänker deras livskvalitet. Senast 2018 beslutade Socialstyrelsen att inget PSA-baserat screeningprogram skulle införas i Sverige. Syfte: Att genomföra en etisk analys av PSA-baserad screening för prostatacancer med målet att skapa en syntes av för- och motargument kring dess införande eller avvaktande. Frågeställning: Vilken är den medicinska bakgrunden till användande av PSA som screeningverktyg för prostatacancer och vilka är de etiskt grundade för- och nackdelarna med PSA-baserad screening för prostatacancer? Metod: Studien baseras på en hermeneutisk metod genom att analysera olika former avlitteratur. Materialet väljs utifrån relevans till frågeställningarna där argumentationsanalysen är central. Resultat: Frivillig PSA-testning styrker den etiska principen om autonomi för deltagaren. På populationsbasis skulle ett nationellt screeningprogram för prostatacancer leda till en etisk förlust i avseende principen att inte skada då sjukdomen är heterogen. Kvinnorna har screening för bröstcancer vilket enligt principen om rättvisa leder till en påtryckning om införande av ett screeningprogram för prostatacancer. Slutsats: PSA-provets medicinska bakgrund baseras på att det har en god sensitivitet, är billig men har en sämre specificitet. I praktiken kan liv räddas men metoden medför en signifikant överdiagnostik och ett för påtagligt lidande för övriga deltagare. Provets styrkor och svagheter lyfter fram flera etiskt grundade för- och nackdelar baserade på autonomi, rättvisa och att göra gott vilka alla aktualiseras i samhällsdebatten om ett nationellt screeningprogram för prostatacancer. Gemensamt för förespråkare och motståndare är att minska dödligheten i sjukdomen och att PSA-provet är en del av lösningen.

The scope of this project is to investigate if the software Ecolego is suitable for creating models in accordance with level 3 PSA, with the goal of creating a model calculating the possible outcomes for the radiological impact at 20 km distance resulting from a fictional severe nuclear accident at the Forsmark Nuclear Power Plant. This report aims to answer the questions “What is the concentration on the ground (kBq/m2), at a distance of 20 km, 30 days and 10 years after the fictional severe nuclear accident, with and without filtered venting” and “Is Ecolego a suitable software for level 3 PSA models?” The source term for the fictional severe nuclear accident is made to resemble the actual source term from the Fukushima Daiichi accident including the radionuclides Cs-134, Cs-136, Cs-137, I-131, I-132, I-133 and Te-132. In the model, three source terms are created and tested. Two source terms in which the total emissions are released in 24 hours, for which one contains the total emissions from the Fukushima Daiichi accident and one containing 1 percent of the emissions from the Fukushima Daiichi accident due to reduction of emissions when passing the filtered venting. The thirdsource term is made to resemble the time-dependent emissions for the Fukushima Daiichi accident, with emissions varying in intensity over 50 days. The transport of the radionuclide concentration is only due to atmospheric dispersion in the model, for which the Gaussian Plume Model (GPM) is applied under undisturbed condition where only the concentrations in the centerline of the plume are calculated. Probabilistic variation is performed with Monte Carlo simulations where probability density functions (PDFs) are assigned to wind speed andprecipitation, with 5000 iterations. Simulation of the model with one of the two source terms which has the release period of 24 hours gives reasonable results. However, to run the simulation with the time varying source term the model needs to be developed to generate reasonable results, for which necessary development actions are presented. The calculations of the resulting concentration on the ground 30 days and 10 years after the fictional accident shows that there are multiple possible outcomes, which makes it impossible to give a single answer to the expected concentration on the ground. Due to their short half-lives, there will be no concentrations of I-132 and I-133 on the ground at the distance 20 km after 30 days or 10 years. For the remaining radionuclides, the ranges of the possible outcomes for the concentration on ground are presented. It is concluded that Ecolego is suitable for PSA level 3 with the risk metric of environmental impact based on the results of the investigation. However, due to the time limit of the investigation, the applicability of creating an Ecolego model with the risk metrics health effects and economic impact are not investigated. But the report discusses suitable development of the model to contain the risk metric health effects in accordance with level 3 PSA. With such development the conclusion is that Ecolego is suitable for level 3 PSA.

No description available.

No description available.

Black men have the highest burden of prostate cancer (PCa) compared to all other races. Early detection of PCa is controversial, thus preference based PCa testing is recommended. PCa testing intention can be used as a proxy for testing preferences. Intention is known to predict behavior; however there is a gap between testing intention and testing behavior. The aims of this study were to examine the PCa testing intention-prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing gap and identify social cognitive variables that moderate the gap. Two hundred and sixteen black men participated in this longitudinal study. Results indicated PCa testing intention was a positive but moderate predictor of three PSA testing outcomes, p<.05. Men who tested in accordance with their PCa testing intention (positive or negative) ranged from 52% to 58%. Men who intended to test but did not, were the group most responsible for the PCa intention-PSA testing gap. History of PCa testing had an independent main effect on medical claim of a PSA test between time one interview and one year after time one interview, p<.05. A significant knowledge of PCa testing controversy by PCa testing intention interaction effect on medical claim of a PSA test between time one and time two interview was found, p<.05. Men who do not know about the testing controversy are more likely to have a positive intention and fulfill their testing intention. Conversely, men who are aware and appreciate the controversy surrounding testing are more ambivalent about testing. Social cognitive variables were associated with PCa testing intention-PSA testing outcomes. These variables should be considered when designing interventions to help black men to manage their risk for PCa in a manner that is consistent with their testing preferences. / Public Health