Testamentti jälkipolville

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Foucault ja feministinen teoria estetiikan näkökulmasta

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Noitarakkaus : luento Platonista : Pidot, "Diotiman puhe"

Artikkeliin liittyy Pia Siveniuksen esipuhe Diotima.

Vahvat naiset murtautuvat marginaalista

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Optimization of hydrogen plant efficiency

The purpose of this master’s thesis was to study ways to increase the operating cost-efficiency of the hydrogen production process by optimizing the process parameters while, at the same time, maintaining plant reliability and safety. The literature part reviewed other hydrogen production and purification processes as well as raw material alternatives for hydrogen production. The experimental part of the master’s thesis was conducted at Solvay Chemicals Finland Oy’s hydrogen plant in spring 2012. It was performed by changing the process parameters, first, one by one, aiming for a more efficient process with clean product gas and lower natural gas consumption. The values of the process parameters were tested based on the information from the literature, process simulation and experiences of previous similar processes. The studied parameters were reformer outlet temperature, shift converter inlet temperature and steam/carbon ratio. The results show that the optimal process conditions are a lower steam/carbon ratio and reformer outlet temperature than the current values of 3.0 and 798 °C. An increase/decrease in the shift conversion inlet temperature does not affect natural gas consumption, but it has an effect on minimizing the process steam overload.

Molecular diagnostics of rare inherited SYNDROMES with a view on diagnostic test development

CHARGE syndrome, Sotos syndrome and 3p deletion syndrome are examples of rare inherited syndromes that have been recognized for decades but for which the molecular diagnostics only have been made possible by recent advances in genomic research. Despite these advances, development of diagnostic tests for rare syndromes has been hindered by diagnostic laboratories having limited funds for test development, and their prioritization of tests for which a (relatively) high demand can be expected. In this study, the molecular diagnostic tests for CHARGE syndrome and Sotos syndrome were developed, resulting in their successful translation into routine diagnostic testing in the laboratory of Medical Genetics (UTUlab). In the CHARGE syndrome group, mutation was identified in 40.5% of the patients and in the Sotos syndrome group, in 34%, reflecting the use of the tests in routine diagnostics in differential diagnostics. In CHARGE syndrome, the low prevalence of structural aberrations was also confirmed. In 3p deletion syndrome, it was shown that small terminal deletions are not causative for the syndrome, and that testing with arraybased analysis provides a reliable estimate of the deletion size but benign copy number variants complicate result interpretation. During the development of the tests, it was discovered that finding an optimal molecular diagnostic strategy for a given syndrome is always a compromise between the sensitivity, specificity and feasibility of applying a new method. In addition, the clinical utility of the test should be considered prior to test development: sometimes a test performing well in a laboratory has limited utility for the patient, whereas a test performing poorly in the laboratory may have a great impact on the patient and their family. At present, the development of next generation sequencing methods is changing the concept of molecular diagnostics of rare diseases from single tests towards whole-genome analysis.

Manuseio da síndrome compartimental abdominal em unidade de tratamento intensivo

A síndrome compartimental abdominal (SCA) decorre de um aumento agudo na pressão intra-abdominal (PIA), promovendo alterações fisiológicas adversas devido ao acometimento dos principais sistemas orgânicos, podendo levar a falência orgânica e óbito. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a SCA em pacientes com hipertensão intra-abdominal (HIA) admitidos na unidade de terapia intensiva (UTI). MÉTODO: Foi realizado um estudo de 548 pacientes submetidos a laparotomia, necessitando de UTI, durante o período de janeiro de 1997 a março de 2001. RESULTADOS: A SCA foi identificada em 29 pacientes (5,29%). Analisando-se o valor máximo de PIA, 9 (31,03%) foram grau II, 10 (34,48%) foram grau III e 10 (34,48%) foram grau IV. Dezoito (62,07%) foram reoperados e o fechamento temporário foi realizado em 6 (20,69%). A mortalidade global foi de 68,97%, sendo que a SCA grau II teve 55,56% de mortalidade; a de grau III, 50%; a de grau IV, 100% e a mortalidade dos pacientes reoperados, 61,11%. CONCLUSÕES: A SCA acarreta elevada mortalidade, mesmo com a reoperação precoce e adequado manejo em UTI, devendo-se manter maiores cuidados na sua identificação e prevenção.

Comportamento da pressão intracraniana, da perfusão cerebral e dos parâmetros hemodinâmicos durante a síndrome do compartimento abdominal em cães

OBJETIVO: Estudar as alterações hemodinâmicas e as repercussões sobre o sistema nervoso central ocasionados pela síndrome do compartimento abdominal. MÉTODO: Utilizou-se cães sem raça definida submetidos à anestesia geral e monitorização das pressões arterial média(PAM), intracraniana(PIC), de perfusão cerebral(PPC), da artéria pulmonar(PAP) e venosa central(PVC), do débito cardíaco(DC) e da freqüência cardíaca(FC). Aumentou-se a pressão intra-abdominal(PIA) para níveis de 10,20,30 e 40cmH2O . Após atingir-se nível PIA=40cmH2O realizou-se a descompressão cirúrgica da cavidade abdominal. Em cada etapa realizou-se a medida dos parâmetros PIA, PIC, PAM, PPC, PVC e DC. RESULTADOS: Observou-se que o aumento da PIA causou as seguintes alterações fisiológicas: aumento progressivo da PIC; aumento da PAM até PIA=20cmH2O e diminuição progressiva da mesma após PIA= 40cmH2O; aumento da PPC até PIA=10cmH2O e diminuição progressiva da mesma após PIA= 30cmH2O; aumento progressivo da PVC; diminuição progressiva do DC após PIA= 30cmH2O; Após a descompressão da cavidade, notou-se o retorno da PIC, PAM, PPC, PVC e do DC para valores próximos aos dos iniciais (antes do aumento da PIA). CONCLUSÕES: Concluímos que o aumento da PIA provocou alterações nos sistemas cardiovascular e nervoso central, que foram revertidas após a descompressão cirúrgica da cavidade abdominal.