Ristikkorakenteisen hihnakuljetinsillan mitoitustyökalun kehittäminen

Hihnakuljettimia käytetään muun muassa voimalaitos- ja sellutehdasympäristöissä kuljettamaan kiinteää polttoainetta tai haketta pitkiä matkoja. Pitkät hihnakuljettimet asennetaan yleensä teräsristikoista rakennettujen kuljetinsiltojen sisään. Kuljetinsilta toimii siis hihnakuljettimen ja hoitokäytävän runkona sekä suojaa kuljetinta ja kuljetettavaa materiaalia säältä. Tässä diplomityössä on laadittu mitoitustyökalu, jolla voidaan nopeasti mitoittaa ristikkorakenteisen hihnakuljetinsillan sauvat sekä määrittää rakenteen massa. Laskentaohjelma on toteutettu Microsoft Excel -taulukkolaskentana. Sillan poikkileikkaus voi olla suljettu symmetrinen umpirakenne tai avorakenne, jossa on ulokkeellinen hoitotaso. Ristikon sauvat ovat RHS-putkia. Rakenteeseen voi vaikuttaa jatkuvia kuormia, pistekuormia sekä näistä johdetut, ekvivalenttiin staattiseen voimaan perustuvat maanjäristyskuormat. Diplomityössä on perehdytty mitoitustyökalussa sovellettuihin teorioihin. Voimasuureiden laskenta perustuu 2-tukisina palkkeina käsiteltävien siltalohkojen ratkaisuun ja palkkianalogiaan, jossa ristikon sauvavoimat ratkaistaan käsittelemällä ristikkoa palkkina. Sauvojen kestävyyden laskenta perustuu SFS-EN 1993-1-1 -normiin, joka on osa Eurocode -rakennesuunnittelunormistoa. Lisäksi työssä on käsitelty ristikkoliitosten mitoitusta SFS-EN 1993-1-8 mukaan. Mitoitusohjelman toimivuutta on testattu tarkastelemalla esimerkkisiltaa laaditulla mitoituspohjalla ja Autodesk Robot Professional 2013 -FE-analyysiohjelmisuolla. Tulosten perusteella mitoitustyökalua voidaan käyttää ainakin tarjousvaiheen nopeisiin tarkasteluihin ja omamassan määritykseen, mutta myös lopulliseen mitoitukseen, mikäli hyväksytään konservatiivinen mitoitus.

Impact of mineral fillers on the properties of extruded wood-polypropylene composites

The main aim of this thesis is to study the effect of mineral fillers on the properties of extruded wood-polypropylene composites (WPC). The studied minerals are Talc, Calcite (CaCO3), two quantities of Wollastonite and Soapstone, and the level of mineral addition is 20 w-%. The study shows that mineral fillers can be used to modify and improve the properties of woodplastic composites. Especially the moisture-related properties of WPCs were found to be improved significantly by mineral addition. As the WPCs of the studied type are commonly used in outdoor applications, this is of importance in terms of usability. In machining, the addition of two minerals retained the surface roughness at same level throughout the test, indicating a favorable effect on machinability. The use of hard minerals shortened the tool life in machining. In general, a modest increase in density was observed. In many of the studied properties, no apparent influence of mineral addition was found, indicating that the properties were not weakened. An overall result was that talc showed the best overall performance, indicating that it can be used as an active filler improving most of the studied properties, especially moisture resistance. Calcite was found to have nearly similar performance. According to the findings, mineral addition to wood-plastic composites appears to be beneficial; especially moisture resistance can be enhanced without diminishing the other properties or usability in general.

Surface characterization of chemically modified fiber, wood and paper

Inorganic-organic sol-gel hybrid coatings can be used for improving and modifying properties of wood-based materials. By selecting a proper precursor, wood can be made water repellent, decay-, moisture- or UV-resistant. However, to control the barrier properties of sol-gel coatings on wood substrates against moisture uptake and weathering, an understanding of the surface morphology and chemistry of the deposited sol-gel coatings on wood substrates is needed. Mechanical pulp is used in production of wood-containing printing papers. The physical and chemical fiber surface characteristics, as created in the chosen mechanical pulp manufacturing process, play a key role in controlling the properties of the end-use product. A detailed understanding of how process parameters influence fiber surfaces can help improving cost-effectiveness of pulp and paper production. The current work focuses on physico-chemical characterization of modified wood-based materials with surface sensitive analytical tools. The overall objectives were, through advanced microscopy and chemical analysis techniques, (i) to collect versatile information about the surface structures of Norway spruce thermomechanical pulp fiber walls and understand how they are influenced by the selected chemical treatments, and (ii) to clarify the effect of various sol-gel coatings on surface structural and chemical properties of wood-based substrates. A special emphasis was on understanding the effect of sol-gel coatings on the water repellency of modified wood and paper surfaces. In the first part of the work, effects of chemical treatment on micro- and nano-scale surface structure of 1st stage TMP latewood fibers from Norway spruce were investigated. The chemicals applied were buffered sodium oxalate and hydrochloric acid. The outer and the inner fiber wall layers of the untreated and chemically treated fibers were separately analyzed by light microscopy, atomic force microscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The selected characterization methods enabled the demonstration of the effect of different treatments on the fiber surface structure, both visually and quantitatively. The outer fiber wall areas appeared as intact bands surrounding the fiber and they were clearly rougher than areas of exposed inner fiber wall. The roughness of the outer fiber wall areas increased most in the sodium oxalate treatment. The results indicated formation of more surface pores on the exposed inner fiber wall areas than on the corresponding outer fiber wall areas as a result of the chemical treatments. The hydrochloric acid treatment seemed to increase the surface porosity of the inner wall areas. In the second part of the work, three silane-based sol-gel hybrid coatings were selected in order to improve moisture resistance of wood and paper substrates. The coatings differed from each other in terms of having different alkyl (CH3–, CH3-(CH2)7–) and fluorocarbon (CF3–) chains attached to the trialkoxysilane sol-gel precursor. The sol-gel coatings were deposited by a wet coating method, i.e. spraying or spreading by brush. The effect of solgel coatings on surface structural and chemical properties of wood-based substrates was studied by using advanced surface analyzing tools: atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion spectroscopy. The results show that the applied sol-gel coatings, deposited as thin films or particulate coatings, have different effects on surface characteristics of wood and wood-based materials. The coating which has a long hydrocarbon chain (CH3-(CH2)7–) attached to the silane backbone (octyltriethoxysilane) produced the highest hydrophobicity for wood and wood-based materials.

State of logistics and transport in the Baltic Sea region in 2025

The world’s pace of change is accelerating and new innovations, inventions and technologies come about every day. Change is unavoidable. It is difficult to keep up and even more difficult to prepare for the future. Even though it is not possible to know exactly what will happen in the future, by studying futures people can better anticipate what might lie ahead. By making decisions and realizing the consequences of their choices today, people and governments are able to actively decide how they will act in the future. Both opportunities and pitfalls lie ahead, which encourages actors to make more farsighted decisions. The Baltic Sea region is an interesting area for futures studies. It comprises 11 nations and more than 100 million inhabitants and entails countries with advanced, high-income economies, like Finland, Germany and Denmark, and developing economies, like Russia, Latvia and Lithuania. The western, eastern, northern and southern parts of the region are separated by the Baltic Sea, which at the same time represents a barrier and a facility for trade and travel between the countries belonging to the region The purpose of this study was to uncover the most probable future of transport and logistics in the Baltic Sea region in 2025 by using the Delphi method. Altogether 109 responses were collected in two separate instances from experts in all the Baltic Sea region countries, 56 of whom were defined as academic respondents and 53 of whom business respondents. Only minor differences in the opinions of academic and business experts were discovered, and the larger differences lie between eastern and western response groups. The Baltic Sea region is a very heterogeneous region and the division is clearest between East and West, which differ in political, economic, social, technological and environmental aspects. The probable future of the Baltic Sea region presented in this study is coherent with previous studies on the same subject. The future of the Baltic Sea region in terms of logistics and transport looks quite bright according to the experts who participated in the study. Trade volumes will grow and the importance of logistics and transport to the competitiveness of the region will increase. Respondents from eastern countries seemed to be more optimistic about the future in general. Most differences between opinions could be explained by the gap in technological and infrastructural development between the East and West. As eastern countries are less-developed in some parts of their economies, it is easier for them to improve the technical condition of infrastructure by merely catching up with the western countries.

Oxalic acid and calcium oxalate in production of wood-containing paper : formation, analysis, and control

Papperstillverkningen störs ofta av oönskade föreningar som kan bilda avsättningar på processytor, vilket i sin tur kan ge upphov till störningar i pappersproduktionen samt försämring av papperskvaliteten. Förutom avsättningar av vedharts är stenliknande avlagringar av svårlösliga salter vanliga. I vårt dagliga liv är kalkavlagringar i kaffe- och vattenkokare exempel på liknande problem. I massa- och pappersindustrin är en av de mest problematiska föreningarna kalciumoxalat; detta salt är nästan olösligt i vatten och avlagringarna är mycket svåra att avlägsna. Kalciumoxalat är också känt som en av orsakerna till njurstenar hos människor. Veden och speciellt barken innehåller alltid en viss mängd oxalat men en större källa är oxalsyra som bildas när massan bleks med oxiderande kemikalier, t.ex. väteperoxid. Kalciumoxalat bildas när oxalsyran reagerar med kalcium som kommer in i processen med råvattnet, veden eller olika tillsatsmedel. I denna avhandling undersöktes faktorer som påverkar bildningen av oxalsyra och utfällningen av kalciumoxalat, med hjälp av bleknings- och utfällningsexperiment. Forskningens fokus låg speciellt på olika sätt att förebygga uppkomsten av avlagringar vid tillverkning av trähaltigt papper. Resultaten i denna avhandling visar att bildningen av oxalsyra samt utfällning av kalciumoxalat kan påverkas genom processtekniska och våtändskemiska metoder. Noggrann avbarkning av veden, kontrollerade förhållanden under den alkaliska peroxidblekningen, noggrann hantering och kontroll av andra lösta och kolloidala substanser, samt utnyttjande av skräddarsydd kemi för kontroll av avlagringar är nyckelfaktorer. Resultaten kan utnyttjas då man planerar blekningssekvenser för olika massor samt för att lösa problem orsakade av kalciumoxalat. Forskningsmetoderna som användes i utfällningsstudierna samt för utvärdering av tillsatsmedel kan också utnyttjas inom andra områden, t.ex. bryggeri- och sockerindustrin, där kalciumoxalatproblem är vanligt förekommande. -------------------------------------------- Paperinvalmistusta häiritsevät usein erilaiset epäpuhtaudet, jotka kiinnittyvät prosessipinnoille ja haittaavat tuotantoa sekä paperin laatua. Puun pihkan lisäksi eräs yleinen ongelma on niukkaliukoisten suolojen aiheuttamat kivettymät. Kalkkisaostuma kahvinkeittimessä on esimerkki vastaavasta ongelmasta arkielämässä. Massa- ja paperiteollisuudessa yksi hankalimmista kivettymien muodostajista on kalsiumoksalaatti, koska se on lähes liukenematonta ja sen aiheuttamat saostumat ovat erittäin vaikeasti poistettavia. Kalsiumoksalaatti on yleisesti tunnettu myös munuaiskivien aiheuttajana ihmisillä. Puu ja varsinkin sen kuori sisältää aina jonkin verran oksalaattia, mutta suurempi lähde on kuitenkin oksaalihappo jota muodostuu valkaistaessa massaa hapettavilla kemikaaleilla, kuten vetyperoksidilla. Kalsiumoksalaattia syntyy kun veden, puun ja lisäaineiden mukana prosessiin tuleva kalsium reagoi oksalaatin kanssa. Tässä väitöskirjatyössä tutkittiin oksaalihapon muodostumiseen ja kalsiumoksalaatin saostumiseen vaikuttavia tekijöitä valkaisu- ja saostumiskokeiden avulla. Tutkimuksen painopiste oli saostumien ehkäisemisessä puupitoisten painopaperien valmistuksessa. Työssä saadut tulokset osoittavat että oksaalihapon muodostumiseen ja kalsiumoksalaatin saostumiseen voidaan vaikuttaa sekä prosessiteknisten että märänpään kemian keinojen avulla. Tehokas puun kuorinta, optimoidut olosuhteet peroksidivalkaisussa, muiden liuenneiden ja kolloidisten aineiden hallinta sekä räätälöidyn kemian hyödyntäminen kalsiumoksalaattisaostumien torjunnassa ovat keskeisissä rooleissa ongelmien välttämiseksi. Väitöskirjatyön tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää massan valkaisulinjoja suunniteltaessa sekä kalsiumoksalaatin aiheuttamien ongelmien ratkaisemisessa. Tutkimusmenetelmiä, joita käytettiin saostumiskokeissa ja eri lisäaineiden vaikutusten arvioinnissa, voidaan hyödyntää massa- ja paperiteollisuuden lisäksi myös muilla alueilla, kuten sokeri- ja panimoteollisuudessa, joissa ongelma on myös yleinen.

Biomass and chemical composition of Nitella furcata subsp. mucronata var. mucronata f. oligospira (A. Braun) R. D. Wood (Chlorophyta, Characeae) in the littoral region of Ninféias Pond, São Paulo, Southeast Brazil

Temporal variation of Nitella furcata (Roxburgh ex Bruzelius) C. Agardh emend. R. D. Wood subsp. mucronata (A. Braun) R. D. Wood var. mucronata f. oligospira (A. Braun) R. D. Wood biomass and chemical composition were studied at the Ninféias Pond (23°38'18.9" S, 46°37'16.3" W), a mesotrophic reservoir located in the Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga Biological Reserve, Municipality of São Paulo, Southeast Brazil. Plants were collected monthly from October 1996 to October 1997 at three fixed stations of reservoir's littoral region. Charophyte biomass spatial distribution pattern did not vary significantly throughout the study period at all sampling stations. As to seasonal variation, the highest average values of the total alga biomass (98.35-266.06 g m-2 DW) were registered during the rainy season, whereas lowest values (48.86-170.56 g m-2 DW) were in the dry season. P values varied from 23.8 to 225.2 mg m-2 and C from 139 to 353 mg m-2. During the rainy season, greatest air and water temperature, rain precipitation, turbidity and dissolved inorganic nitrogen values were measured, constituting the best conditions for charophyte growth. Water temperature and nutrient availability in the reservoir played a decisive role towards growth and accumulation of algal biomass.

Quantitative features of Cedrela odorata L. wood (Meliaceae)

Cedrela odorata L. (Meliaceae) occurs in the Atlantic forest, Amazon rain forest, riparian forest of the country, and wetlands, which demand species adapted to their water conditions. Studies in ecological wood anatomy demonstrated that weather factors' variations have direct influence on the wood anatomical structure and that the fragmentation of the natural habitats is a direct cause of the edge effect which alters the abiotic aspects of the location, interfering consequently in its vegetation. A comparative analysis of 20 anatomical quantitative features of the wood structure was performed in populations of Cedrela odorata growing inside and on the edge of the swamp forest and granulometric analysis was made on the soil. The quantitative data were submitted to the Mann-Whitney's nonparametric test, presenting a statistically significant value decrease in the eleven wood features mean for the specimens growing in the edge of swamp forest.

Effects of the partial removal of wood hemicelluloses on the properties of kraft pulp

The objective of this work was to study the effects of partial removal of wood hemicelluloses on the properties of kraft pulp.The work was conducted by extracting hemicelluloses (1) by a softwood chip pretreatment process prior to kraft pulping, (2) by alkaline extraction from bleached birch kraft pulp, and (3) by enzymatic treatment, xylanase treatment in particular, of bleached birch kraft pulp. The qualitative and quantitative changes in fibers and paper properties were evaluated. In addition, the applicability of the extraction concepts and hemicellulose-extracted birch kraft pulp as a raw material in papermaking was evaluated in a pilot-scale papermaking environment. The results showed that each examined hemicellulose extraction method has its characteristic effects on fiber properties, seen as differences in both the physical and chemical nature of the fibers. A prehydrolysis process prior to the kraft pulping process offered reductions in cooking time, bleaching chemical consumption and produced fibers with low hemicellulose content that are more susceptible to mechanically induced damages and dislocations. Softwood chip pretreatment for hemicellulose recovery prior to cooking, whether acidic or alkaline, had an impact on the physical properties of the non-refined and refined pulp. In addition, all the pretreated pulps exhibited slower beating response than the unhydrolyzed reference pulp. Both alkaline extraction and enzymatic (xylanase) treatment of bleached birch kraft pulp fibers indicated very selective hemicellulose removal, particularly xylan removal. Furthermore, these two hemicellulose-extracted birch kraft pulps were utilized in a pilot-scale papermaking environment in order to evaluate the upscalability of the extraction concepts. Investigations made using pilot paper machine trials revealed that some amount of alkalineextracted birch kraft pulp, with a 24.9% reduction in the total amount of xylan, could be used in the papermaking stock as a mixture with non-extracted pulp when producing 75 g/m2 paper. For xylanase-treated fibers there were no reductions in the mechanical properties of the 180 g/m2 paper produced compared to paper made from the control pulp, although there was a 14.2% reduction in the total amount of xylan in the xylanase-treated pulp compared to the control birch kraft pulp. This work emphasized the importance of the hemicellulose extraction method in providing new solutions to create functional fibers and in providing a valuable hemicellulose co-product stream. The hemicellulose removal concept therefore plays an important role in the integrated forest biorefinery scenario, where the target is to the co-production of hemicellulose-extracted pulp and hemicellulose-based chemicals or fuels.

Improving the usability of extruded wood-plastic composites by using modification technology

Using cellulosic reinforcement to produce plastic composites is a globally growing trend. One of such materials are wood-plastic composites, which are an extensively studied group of materials for which the global industry is looking for new applications. Issues such as bondability, durability and fire resistance still require development to improve the usability of the wood-plastic composite material. Improvement of the usability of wood-plastic composites is studied in this thesis through the effects of using selected modification technology in wood and plastic industry. The applied modification methods are surface by mechanical abrasion and plasma, chemical impregnation of wood flour, and structural modification by the co-extrusion process. The study shows that the properties of WPC can be influenced by the selected modification methods. The selected methods are also found to be able to result as improvement in the properties of the material. The may also affect other than just the targeted properties of the end-product, either in a positive or a negative manner. Therefore modification as performance improvement should be considered as a caseby- case study. Introducing WPC materials for new applications can be done by using modification technology. Structuralmodification can possibly be used to reduce material costs of the modified WPC material.

Effect of collection, transport, processing and storage of blood specimens on the activity of lysosomal enzymes in plasma and leukocytes

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of different conditions of collection, transport and storage on the quality of blood samples from normal individuals in terms of the activity of the enzymes ß-glucuronidase, total hexosaminidase, hexosaminidase A, arylsulfatase A and ß-galactosidase. The enzyme activities were not affected by the different materials used for collection (plastic syringes or vacuum glass tubes). In the evaluation of different heparin concentrations (10% heparin, 5% heparin, and heparinized syringe) in the syringes, it was observed that higher doses resulted in an increase of at least 1-fold in the activities of ß-galactosidase, total hexosaminidase and hexosaminidase A in leukocytes, and ß-glucuronidase in plasma. When the effects of time and means of transportation were studied, samples that had been kept at room temperature showed higher deterioration with time (72 and 96 h) before processing, and in this case it was impossible to isolate leukocytes from most samples. Comparison of heparin and acid citrate-dextrose (ACD) as anticoagulants revealed that ß-glucuronidase and hexosaminidase activities in plasma reached levels near the lower normal limits when ACD was used. In conclusion, we observed that heparin should be used as the preferable anticoagulant when measuring these lysosomal enzyme activities, and we recommend that, when transport time is more than 24 h, samples should be shipped by air in a styrofoam box containing wet ice.

Ultraviolet light protection and weathering properties of wood-polypropylene composites

The main aim of this thesis is to study the effect of pigments on the weathering properties of wood-polypropylene composites (WPC). The studied properties are color change, water absorption, thickness swelling and Charpy impact strength. The impact of weathering and UV exposure on WPCs was studied by using pigments and minerals as protective agents. The study shows that the pigments and/or mineral fillers can be used to improve the weathering properties of WPCs. The effect of pigments was found to vary with the type of pigment and the method of weathering. The black pigment, an inorganic carbon black master-batch, was found to be the most effective one in reduction of the discoloration of WPCs. By preventing discoloration, and further reducing the degradation of the surface of the WPC, the pigments were found to reduce the decrease in the impact strength after weathering. As well as UV protection, the moisture resistance is a significant factor affecting the durability of WPCs. The addition of mineral fillers was found to improve the moisture-related properties, such as water absorption and thickness swelling, of WPC significantly. According to the findings, addition of pigments and mineral fillers to wood-polypropylene composites appears to be beneficial: color stability and moisture resistance can be enhanced especially in outdoor weathering. The combined effect of black pigment (carbon black master-batch) and wollastonite as a mineral filler was found to bring about the most effective properties against weathering.

Conditions and practices in the commercialisation of innovations in wood industry

The report 'Conditions and practices in the commercialisation of innovation in wood industry' has been written as a part of the Wood Academy project. The report analyses the commercialisation conditions and practices of wood industry by utilising product categorisation based on a conceptual schema which combines the aspects of the transfer of the procession of utility and the degree of form/service utility (or value-added) created or provided by the company. Open innovation approaches help to perceive the possible new product and service innovations as well as the new business models and earning logics in the industry. The report also contains brief company cases to demonstrate theory-to-practice and showcase company examples from successful Finnish companies.

Pressurized hot water flow-through extraction of birch wood

Effective processes to fractionate the main compounds in biomass, such as wood, are a prerequisite for an effective biorefinery. Water is environmentally friendly and widely used in industry, which makes it a potential solvent also for forest biomass. At elevated temperatures over 100 °C, water can readily hydrolyse and dissolve hemicelluloses from biomass. In this work, birch sawdust was extracted using pressurized hot water (PHWE) flow-through systems. The hypothesis of the work was that it is possible to obtain polymeric, water-soluble hemicelluloses from birch sawdust using flow-through PHW extractions at both laboratory and large scale. Different extraction temperatures in the range 140–200 °C were evaluated to see the effect of temperature to the xylan yield. The yields and extracted hemicelluloses were analysed to obtain sugar ratios, the amount of acetyl groups, furfurals and the xylan yields. Higher extraction temperatures increased the xylan yield, but decreased the molar mass of the dissolved xylan. As the extraction temperature increased, more acetic acid was released from the hemicelluloses, thus further decreasing the pH of the extract. There were only trace amounts of furfurals present after the extractions, indicating that the treatment was mild enough not to degrade the sugars further. The sawdust extraction density was increased by packing more sawdust in the laboratory scale extraction vessel. The aim was to obtain extracts with higher concentration than in typical extraction densities. The extraction times and water flow rates were kept constant during these extractions. The higher sawdust packing degree decreased the water use in the extractions and the extracts had higher hemicellulose concentrations than extractions with lower sawdust degrees of packing. The molar masses of the hemicelluloses were similar in higher packing degrees and in the degrees of packing that were used in typical PHWE flow-through extractions. The structure of extracted sawdust was investigated using small angle-(SAXS) and wide angle (WAXS) x-ray scattering. The cell wall topography of birch sawdust and extracted sawdust was compared using x-ray tomography. The results showed that the structure of the cell walls of extracted birch sawdust was preserved but the cell walls were thinner after the extractions. Larger pores were opened inside the fibres and cellulose microfibrils were more tightly packed after the extraction. Acetate buffers were used to control the pH of the extracts during the extractions. The pH control prevented excessive xylan hydrolysis and increased the molar masses of the extracted xylans. The yields of buffered extractions were lower than for plain water extractions at 160–170 °C, but at 180 °C yields were similar to those from plain water and pH buffers. The pH can thus be controlled during extraction with acetate buffer to obtain xylan with higher molar mass than those obtainable using plain water. Birch sawdust was extracted both in the laboratory and pilot scale. The performance of the PHWE flow-through system was evaluated in the laboratory and the pilot scale using vessels with the same shape but different volumes, with the same relative water flow through the sawdust bed, and in the same extraction temperature. Pre-steaming improved the extraction efficiency and the water flow through the sawdust bed. The extracted birch sawdust and the extracted xylan were similar in both laboratory and pilot scale. The PHWE system was successfully scaled up by a factor of 6000 from the laboratory to pilot scale and extractions performed equally well in both scales. The results show that a flow-through system can be further scaled up and used to extract water-soluble xylans from birch sawdust. Extracted xylans can be concentrated, purified, and then used in e.g. films and barriers, or as building blocks for novel material applications.

Possibility of press forming wood films into primary packaging

In recent times the packaging industry is finding means to maximize profit. Wood used to be the most advantageous and everyday material for packaging, worktables, counters, constructions, interiors, tools and as materials and utensils in the food companies in the world. The use of wood has declined vigorously, and other materials like plastic, ceramic, stainless steel, concrete, and aluminum have taken its place. One way that the industry could reduce its cost is by finding possibilities of using wood for primary packaging after which it can be safely recycled or burned as a carbon source for energy. Therefore, the main objective of this thesis is to investigate the possibility of press-forming a wood film into primary packaging. In order to achieve the stated objectives, discussion on major characteristics of wood in terms of structure, types and application were studied. Two different wood species, pine and birch were used for the experimental work. These were provided by a local carpentry workshop in Lappeenranta and a workshop in Ruokolahti supervised by Professor Timo Kärki. Laboratory tests were carried out at Lappeenranta University of Technology FMS workshop on Stenhøj EPS40 M hydraulic C-frame press coupled with National Instruments VI Logger and on the Adjustable packaging line machine at LUT Packaging laboratory. The tests succeeded better on the LUT packaging line than on the Stenhoj equipment due to the integrated heating system in the machine. However, there is much work to be done before the quality of a tray produced from the wood film is comparable to that of the wood plastic composite tray.

Mitochondrial K+ transport and cardiac protection during ischemia/reperfusion

Mitochondrial ion transport, oxidative phosphorylation, redox balance, and physical integrity are key factors in tissue survival following potentially damaging conditions such as ischemia/reperfusion. Recent research has demonstrated that pharmacologically activated inner mitochondrial membrane ATP-sensitive K+ channels (mitoK ATP) are strongly cardioprotective under these conditions. Furthermore, mitoK ATP are physiologically activated during ischemic preconditioning, a procedure which protects against ischemic damage. In this review, we discuss mechanisms by which mitoK ATP may be activated during preconditioning and the mitochondrial and cellular consequences of this activation, focusing on end-effects which may promote ischemic protection. These effects include decreased loss of tissue ATP through reverse activity of ATP synthase due to increased mitochondrial matrix volumes and lower transport of adenine nucleotides into the matrix. MitoK ATP also decreases the release of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species by promoting mild uncoupling in concert with K+/H+ exchange. Finally, mitoK ATP activity may inhibit mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake during ischemia, which, together with decreased reactive oxygen release, can prevent mitochondrial permeability transition, loss of organelle function, and loss of physical integrity. We discuss how mitochondrial redox status, K+ transport, Ca2+ transport, and permeability transitions are interrelated during ischemia/reperfusion and are determinant factors regarding the extent of tissue damage.