Taajuusmuuttajan hyödyntämismahdollisuudet kompressorijärjestelmien elinkaarikustannusten optimoimisessa

Paineilmaa on kutsuttu neljänneksi perushyödykkeeksi veden, sähkön ja kaasun lisäksi. Paineilman kuluttaja on usein myös sen tuottaja. EU:n alueen teollisuudessa keskimää-rin 16 % kulutetusta kokonaissähkötehosta kuluu ilmakompressoreiden käyttöön. Taa-juusmuuttajan käyttö on viime vuosikymmeninä lisääntynyt merkittävästi, kun on pyrit-ty energiatehokkaisiin ratkaisuihin esimerkiksi pumppaus- ja puhallinjärjestelmissä. Kompressorijärjestelmissä taajuusmuuttajien käyttö ei ole vielä yhtä yleistä kuin esi-merkiksi pumppukäytöissä, vaikka taajuusmuuttajan käytöllä saavutetaan useimmissa tapauksissa huomattavia etuja. Tässä työssä tutkitaan taajuusmuuttajan hyödyntämismahdollisuuksia kompressorijär-jestelmien käytönaikaisten elinkaarikustannusten optimoimisessa. Työssä selvitetään säästöpotentiaalia, ja pohditaan pyörimisnopeussäädöllä saavutettavia etuja eri komp-ressorityypeillä. Lopuksi muodostetaan elinkaarikustannusanalyysit kahdelle todelliselle teollisuuden kompressorikohteelle. Tutkimusmenetelminä ovat kirjallisuustyö sekä asi-antuntijahaastattelut teollisuudesta. Työn tavoitteena on kartoittaa taajuusmuuttajan hyödyntämispotentiaalia kompressorijärjestelmissä ja luoda pohjaa mahdolliselle jatko-tutkimukselle.

"Dov'è la sinistra?" Hemispatial neglect in stroke

As long as the incidence of stroke continues to grow, patients with large right hemisphere lesions suffering from hemispatial neglect will require neuropsychological evaluation and rehabilitation. The inability to process information especially that coming from the left side accompanied by the magnetic orientation to the ipsilesional side represents a real challenge for rehabilitation. This dissertation is concerned with crucial aspects in the clinical neuropsychological practice of hemispatial neglect. In studying the convergence of the visual and behavioural test batteries in the assessment of neglect, nine of the seventeen patients, who completed both the conventional subtests of the Behavioural Inattention Test and the Catherine Bergego Scale assessments, showed a similar severity of neglect and thus good convergence in both tests. However, patients with neglect and hemianopia had poorer scores in the line bisection test and they displayed stronger neglect in behaviour than patients with pure neglect. The second study examined, whether arm activation, modified from the Constraint Induced Movement Therapy, could be applied as neglect rehabilitation alone without any visual training. Twelve acute- or subacute patients were randomized into two rehabilitation groups: arm activation training or traditional voluntary visual scanning training. Neglect was ameliorated significantly or almost significantly in both training groups due to rehabilitation with the effect being maintained for at least six months. In studying the reflections of hemispatial neglect on visual memory, the associations of severity of neglect and visual memory performances were explored. The performances of acute and subacute patients with hemispatial neglect were compared with the performances of matched healthy control subjects. As hypothesized, encoding from the left side and immediate recall of visual material were significantly compromised in patients with neglect. Another mechanism of neglect affecting visual memory processes is observed in delayed visual reproduction. Delayed recall demands that the individual must make a match helped by a cue or it requires a search for relevant material from long-term memory storage. In the case of representational neglect, the search may succeed but the left side of the recollected memory still fails to open. Visual and auditory evoked potentials were measured in 21 patients with hemispatial neglect. Stimuli coming from the left or right were processed differently in both sensory modalities in acute and subacute patients as compared with the chronic patients. The differences equalized during the course of recovery. Recovery from hemispatial neglect was strongly associated with early rehabilitation and with the severity of neglect. Extinction was common in patients with neglect and it did not ameliorate with the recovery of neglect. The presence of pusher symptom hampered amelioration of visual neglect in acute and subacute stroke patients, whereas depression did not have any significant effect in the early phases after the stroke. However, depression had an unfavourable effect on recovery in the chronic phase. In conclusion, the combination of neglect and hemianopia may explain part of the residual behavioural neglect that is no longer evident in visual testing. Further research is needed in order to determine which specific rehabilitation procedures would be most beneficial in patients suffering the combination of neglect and hemianopia. Arm activation should be included in the rehabilitation programs of neglect; this is a useful technique for patients who need bedside treatment in the acute phase. With respect to the deficit in visual memory in association with neglect, the possible mechanisms of lateralized deficit in delayed recall need to be further examined and clarified. Intensive treatment induced recovery in both severe and moderate visual neglect long after the first two to first three months after the stroke.

Effects of water deficit in two phenological stages on production of japanese cucumber cultived in greenhouse

The experiment was performed in the experimental area of the Engineering Department Federal University of Lavras, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. It aimed at identifying the adequate irrigation management of the greenhouse-cultivated Japanese cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). complete randomized design, with four levels of soil water potential (15; 30; 60 e 120 kPa) at two phenological phases (vegetative and reproductive), and 5 replications. Overall, the results showed decrease of yield according to increase of soil water potentials. During the reproductive stage, Japanese cucumber plants were more sensitive to water deficit, resulting in further decrease in yield compared to applied water deficit during the vegetative stage of the culture.

Anaerobic biodigestion of pigs feces in the initial, growing and finishing stages fed with diets formulated with corn or sorghum

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality and the production of biogas and biofertilizer obtained from biodigester supplied with pig feces in the initial, growing and finishing stages, fed with diets formulated based on corn or sorghum. Twenty bench biodigesters were used with hydraulic retention time of 30 days and daily loads that contained 4 to 6% of total solids (TS) and 3.6 to 5.2% of volatile solids (VS). In the effluent of the biodigesters, mean levels of TS were observed ranging between 1.6 and 2.0% and of VS between 1.2 and 1.6%. The mean reductions of TS were 57.7 to 64.7% and of VS from 61.7 to 69.0%, and there was only difference in the finishing phase, in which the major averages reductions were produced by the biodigesters supplied with feces from animals fed with diets based on corn. In biodigesters supplied with feces from animals in the initial and growing stages fed with diets based on corn, were observed higher average productions of biogas and the greatest average potentials of biogas production. The average potentials obtained were 0.033; 0.181; 0.685; 0.788 and 1.132 m³ per kg of affluent, manure, TS added, VS added and VS reduced, respectively. No differences were found on the average content of methane in the biogas between diets and stages. The average concentrations of nutrients N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu in the biodigester affluent and effluent, ranged between diets and stages.

Bimodal pore distribution on soils under conservation management system for coffee crop

This study aims at detailing bimodal pore distribution by means of water retention curve in an oxidic-gibbsitic Latosol and in a kaolinitic cambisol Latossol under conservation management system of coffee crop. Samples were collected at depths of 20; 40; 80; 120 and 160 cm on coffee trees rows and between rows under oxidic-gibbsitic Latosol (LVd) and kaolinitic cambisol Latossol (LVAd). Water retention curve was determined at matrix potentials (Ψm) -1; -2; -4; -6; -10 kPa obtained from the suction unit; the Ψm of -33; -100; -500; -1,500 kPa were obtained by the Richards extractor, and WP4-T psychrometer was used to determine Ψm -1,500 to -300,000 kPa. The water retention data were adjusted to the double van Genuchten model by nonlinear model procedures of the R 2.12.1 software. Was estimated the model parameter and inflection point slope. The system promoted changes in soil structure and water retention for the conditions evaluated, and both showed bimodal pores distribution, which were stronger in LVd. There was a strong influence of mineralogy gibbsitic in the water retention more negative than Ψm -1500 kPa, reflected in the values of the residual water content.

Comparison of full-field electroretinogram in diabetic and non diabetic dogs with cataracts

Being the commonest ocular disorder, dense cataracts disable fundoscopic examination and the diagnosis of retinal disorders, which dogs may be predisposed. The aim of this study was to compare the electroretinographic responses recorded according to the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision human protocol to evaluate retinal function of diabetic and non diabetic dogs, both presenting mature or hypermature cataracts. Full-field electroretinogram was recorded from 66 dogs, with ages varying from 6 to 15 years old allocated into two groups: (1) CG, non diabetic cataractous dogs, and (2) DG, diabetic cataractous dogs. Mean peak-to-peak amplitude (microvolts) and b-wave implicit time (milliseconds) were determined for each of the five standard full-field ERG responses (rod response, maximal response, oscillatory potentials, single-flash cone response and 30 Hz flicker). Comparing CG to DG, ERGs recorded from diabetic dogs presented lower amplitude and prolonged b-wave implicit time in all ERG responses. Prolonged b-wave implicit time was statistically significant (p< 0.05) at 30 Hz flicker (24.0 ms versus 22.4 ms). These data suggests full-field ERG is capable to record sensible alterations, such as flicker's implicit time, being useful to investigate retinal dysfunction in diabetic dogs.

Hallinto-oikeuksien suorituskyvynmittauksen ja tavoiteasetannan kehittämismahdollisuudet

Suomen hallintotuomioistuinten mittaristotyöryhmä on laatinut oikeusasioiden hallintaa parantavan käsittelyn viivästymisestä varoittavan hälytysjärjestelmän sekä luokitellut asiat työmäärään perustuen. Luokille on laadittu työmäärää kuvaavat painokertoimet. Tämän diplomityön tavoitteena on tutkia asiahallintajärjestelmään tehtyjen uudistusten mahdollistamia suorituskyvynmittauksen ja tavoiteasetannan kehittämismahdollisuuksia asiavirtauksen näkökulmasta. Tavoitteeseen pääsemiseksi selvitetään työmääräpainotuksen vaikutuksia hallinto-oikeuksien suorituskyvyn tunnuslukuihin sekä analysoidaan hallinto-oikeuksien suorituskykyä työmääräpainotuksella vuosina 2009-2012. Raportti sisältää tutkimuksen aihetta käsittelevän teoriakatsauksen ja kohdeorganisaatiota tutkivan empiirisen osuuden. Empiirinen osuus perustuu vahvasti kvantitatiiviseen tutkimukseen. Tutkimuksen tuloksena havaittiin, että työmääräpainotus kaventaa hallintooikeuksien välisiä suorituskykyeroja, mutta huomattavia eroja esiintyy myös työmääräpainotuksilla tarkasteltuna. Hallinto-oikeuksien suorituskyvyissä esiintyy eroja sekä oikeuksien välillä että oikeuksien sisällä eri vuosina. Analysoimalla nykyisiä suorituskyvyn mittauksen ja tavoiteasetannan käytäntöjä, voidaan esittää neljä kehittämisen painopistettä: 1) tavoiteasetannan tekeminen pidemmälle tähtäimelle, 2) mittauksen ja seurannan painopiste toteutuneesta ennakointiin, 3) suorituskyvyn tunnusluvut vastaamaan työmääräpainotusta ja 4) tavoitetasojen yhdenmukaistaminen. Näiden havaittujen kehittämispainopisteiden ja suorituskykyanalyysien pohjalta luotiin vaihtoehtoinen tapa mitata suorituskykyä ja asettaa tavoitteita. Kehittämisehdotusta havainnollistettiin erilaisten skenaarioiden avulla. Työ tarjoaa hyödyllistä tietoa hallinto-oikeuksien suorituskyvystä ja siitä millaisia mahdollisuuksia asianhallinnan uudistukset tuovat hallinto-oikeuksien suorituskyvyn kehittämiseen ja seurantaan.

Germination and emergence of Stachytarpheta cayennensis and Ipomoea asarifolia

Understanding how weed seed germination and emergence respond to environmental factors is critical to determining their adaptive capabilities and potential for infestations, and could also aid in the development of effective control practices. Germination of Ipomoea asarifolia (Desr.) Roem. & Schultz and Stachytarpheta cayennensis (Rich) Vahl. decreased linearly with decreasing osmotic potentials. Also, increasing osmotic stress delayed germination of Ipomoea more than that of Stachytarpheta. Ipomoea germination was insensitive to light, while Stachytarpheta showed a positive photoblastic behavior. Nitrate had a negative effect on germination of Ipomoea seed under both light and dark conditions but stimulated dark germination of Stachytarpheta. Ipomoea emergence was not significantly affected by planting depth. However, for Stachytarpheta emergence was restrited to seeds planted at the soil surface. Emergence of Ipomoea seedlings from greater than 6cm significantly decreased the amount of biomass allocated to roots, while biomass allocated to leaves was decreased for seedlings that emerged from depths greater than 2cm. These germination and emergence responses are discussed in relation to their ecological implications and to weed control strategies.

The consequences of e-HRM on line managers

The purpose of this research was to provide a deeper insight into the consequences of electronic human resource management (e-HRM) for line managers. The consequences are viewed as used information system (IS) potentials pertaining to the moderate voluntaristic category of consequences. Due to the need to contextualize the research and draw on line managers’ personal experiences, a qualitative approach in a case study setting was selected. The empirical part of the research is loosely based on literature on HRM and e-HRM and it was conducted in an industrial private sector company. In this thesis, method triangulation was utilized, as nine semi-structured interviews, conducted in a European setting, created the main method for data collection and analysis. Other complementary data such as HRM documentation and statistics of e-HRM system usage were utilized as background information to help to put the results into context. E-HRM has partly been taken into use in the case study company. Line managers tend to use e-HRM when a particular task requires it, but they are not familiar with all the features and possibilities which e-HRM has to offer. The advantages of e-HRM are in line with the company’s goals. The advantages are e.g. an transparency of data, process consistency, and having an efficient and easy-to-use tool at one’s disposal. However, several unintended, even contradictory, and mainly negative outcomes can also be identified, such as over-complicated processes, in-security in use of the tool, and the lack of co-operation with HR professionals. The use of e-HRM and managers’ perceptions regarding e-HRM affect the way in which managers perceive the consequences of e-HRM on their work. Overall, the consequences of e-HRM are divergent, even contradictory. The managers who considered e-HRM mostly beneficial to their work found that e-HRM affects their work by providing information and increasing efficiency. Those managers who mostly perceived challenges in e-HRM did not think that e-HRM had affected their role or their work. Even though the perceptions regarding e-HRM and its consequences might reflect the strategies, the distribution of work, and the ways of working in all HRM in general and can’t be generalized as such, this research contributed to the field of e-HRM and it provides new perspectives to e-HRM in the case study organization and in the academic field in general.

Economical potential of controlling charging of electric vehicles by using price signal

The number of electric vehicles grows continuously and the implementation of charging electric vehicles is an important issue for the future. Increasing amount of electric vehicles can cause problems to distribution grid by increasing peak load. Currently charging of electric vehicles is uncontrolled, but as the amount of electric vehicles grows, smart charg-ing (controlled charging) will be one possible solution to handle this situation. In this thesis smart charging of electric vehicles is examined from electricity retailers` point of view. The purpose is to find out plausible saving potentials of smart charging, when it´s controlled by price signal. Saving potential is calculated by comparing costs of price signal controlled charging and uncontrolled charging.

Reverse osmosis membrane surface modification: effects on membrane performance

The aim of this thesis was to study the surface modification of reverse osmosis membranes by surfactants and the effect of modification on rejection and flux. The surfactants included anionic and nonionic surfactants. The purpose of membrane modification was to improve pure water permeability with increasing salt rejection. The literature part of the study deals with the basic principles of reverse osmosis technology and factors affecting the membrane performance. Also the membrane surface modification by surfactants and their influence on membrane’s surface properties and efficiency (permeability and salt rejection) were discussed. In the experimental part of the thesis two thin-film composite membranes, Desal AG and LE-4040, were modified on-line with three different surfactants. The effects of process parameters (pressure, pH, and surfactant concentration) on surface modification were also examined. The characteristics of the modified membranes were determined by measuring the membranes’ contact angle and zeta potentials. The zeta potential and contact angle measurements indicate that the surfactants were adsorbed onto the both membranes. However, the adsorption did not effect on membrane’s pure water permeability and salt rejection. Thereby, the surface modification of the Desal AG and LE-4040 membranes by surfactants was not able to improve the membrane’s performance.

The seed coat as a modulator of seed-environment relationships in Fabaceae

The seed coat is one of the main determinants of seed germination, vigor and longevity potentials. It is also intimately associated with temporal and spatial dispersion of seed germination in a large number of plant species. The understanding of its properties and characteristics may explain, anticipate or even allow the modification of seed performance under certain environmental conditions. There is a growing volume of evidence associating seed coat characteristics to specific seed problems. For example, susceptibility to mechanical damage is related to lignin content of the seed coat, while seed longevity and tolerance to field weathering depends on seed coat integrity. Seed performance in many legumes has been associated with certain seed coat structures, such as the hilum, strophiole and micropyle. In soybean, permeability is also related with porosity, color, and cerosity, that affect seed vigor, storage potential, resistance to shrinking and fungi infection, and to susceptibility to imbibition damage. The understanding of these associations is necessary before genetic alterations through breeding for desirable characteristics and is fundamental for the development and improvement of seed pre-sowing treatments, production, handling and quality evaluation procedures, which may ultimately result in reduction of seed quality losses and increase the efficiency of agricultural production systems.

Metsäenergian liiketoimintojen kehittäminen ja käytön kasvun vaikutukset Kaakkois-Suomessa

Kaakkois-Suomen alueella uusiutuvan energian käyttö ja erityisesti metsäenergian käyttö on kasvanut merkittävästi 2000-luvulla. Tulevaisuudessa metsäenergia nähdään edelleen potenti-aalisimpana vaihtoehtona korvattaessa fossiilisia polttoaineita lämpö- ja voimalaitoskokoluo-kassa. Muita uusiutuvan energian vaihtoehtoja ovat mm. tuuli- ja aurinkovoima, biokaasu sekä erilaiset kiinteät ja nestemäiset polttoainejalosteet. Tulevaisuudessa alueella voi olla mahdollis-ta tuottaa niin kansalliseen kuin kansainväliseen vientiin esim. biopolttonesteitä, biokaasua ja biohiiltä. Tutkimushankkeen tavoitteena oli selvittää metsäenergia-alan alueelliset toimijat sekä metsä-energian soveltuvuus ja liiketoimintamahdollisuudet Kaakkois-Suomen alueen energian tuo-tannossa. Tutkimus koostui seuraavista osatehtävistä: metsäsektorin toimijakentän kartoitus, metsäenergian alueelliset liiketoimintamahdollisuudet, puuperäisten polttoainejalosteiden käyttö- ja liiketoimintamahdollisuudet, muiden uusiutuvien energialähteiden käyttömahdolli-suudet ja vaikutukset Kaakkois-Suomessa. Tutkimuksessa arvioitiin myös Kaakkois-Suomen metsäenergian hankinnan työllisyysvaikutuksia. Tutkimuksen ohjausryhmänä toimi Kaakkois-Suomen metsäenergianeuvottelukunta. Tutkimuksessa kyselytutkimuksella selvitettiin metsäenergian tuottajien ja käyttäjien mielipi-teitä ja kehittämiskohteita toimialalta. Kaakkois-Suomessa hyödynnettävistä uusiutuvista energialähteistä selvitettiin nykyinen käyttö sekä arvioitiin tulevaisuuden hyödyntämismah-dollisuuksia vuonna 2020. Nämä tulokset esitettiin Kaakkois-Suomen energiataseen avulla. Kaakkois-Suomessa uusiutuvista energialähteistä puupolttoaineilla on merkittävin rooli metsä-teollisuuden johdosta ja alueen metsäenergian käyttö voi kasvaa jopa 1,7 TWh:in, mikäli fos-siilisia energialähteitä korvataan edelleen voimalaitoksissa ja lämpökeskuksissa. Metsäenergian käytön kasvussa alueen kunnilla on merkittävä rooli. Viime vuosina erityisesti tuulivoiman tuotanto on kasvanut ja tulee kasvamaan edelleen. Samoin aurinkoenergian hyödyntäminen kiinteistökokoluokassa on lisääntynyt voimakkaasti. Lisäksi maakuntaan on suunnitteilla kiin-teiden, nestemäisten ja kaasumaisten polttoainejalosteiden tuotantolaitoksia. Toteutuessaan laitokset voivat lisätä metsäenergian käyttöä merkittävästi.

Water relations of tree species growing on a rock outcrop in the "Parque Estadual de Itapuã", RS

Water relations of the tree species Myrsine umbellata Mart. ex A. DC., Dodonaea viscosa Jacq. and Erythroxylum argentinum O. E. Schulz, growing on a rock outcrop in the "Parque Estadual de Itapuã" (RS), were studied. Environmental (precipitation, temperature, soil water) and plant (water potential, vapor pressure deficit, stomatal conductance, transpiration, leaf specific hydraulic conductance, osmotic potential and cell wall elasticity) parameters were collected in five periods and pooled into two sets of data: wet and dry periods. Myrsine umbellata showed great stability of the plant parameters, including the maintenance of high pre-dawn (psiwpd) and mid-day (psiwmd) water potentials in the dry period (-0.48 and -1.12 MPa, respectively), suggesting the presence of a deep root system. Dodonaea viscosa and E. argentinum reached lower psiwpd (-1.41 and -1.97 MPa, respectively) and a greater degree of stomatal closure in the dry period, suggesting a shallower root system. Differential exposure to soil drought was also corroborated by differential drought effects on the whole-plant leaf specific hydraulic conductance (Gt). Correlation analysis pointed to weak correlations between psiwpd and g s. Erythroxylum argentinum was the only species to show osmotic adjustment in response to drought. It is suggested that M. umbellata has low tolerance to water deficits, adopting an avoidance behavior. The much lower values of psiw reached by D. viscosa and E. argentinum suggest a greater tolerance to drought by these species.

The effect of water stress on seed germination of three terrestrial bromeliads from restinga

Bromeliad seedlings are rarely found on sandy coastal plains (restinga), limited, probably, by stressful conditions and/or specific abiotic requirements for germination. The effect of water stress on rate, time, synchronicity and spreading of germination was evaluated here for three terrestrial bromeliads from the restinga of Maricá using osmotic solutions of polyethyleneglicol 6000 (PEG 6000), from 0.0 to -0.26 MPa for 30 days. Water stress induced by PEG lowered rate and increased time and synchronicity values, besides the number of daily events of bromeliad seed germination, under water potentials between 0.00 to -0.14 MPa. No seeds germinated under water potentials lower than -0.14 MPa. These results reinforce a constant and/or high moisture requirement for bromeliad seeds to germinate. We conclude that bromeliads are not able to act as pioneer plants through germination outside the vegetation islands of the restinga of Maricá, due to the inability of seeds to germinate under lower water potential.