| 1. |
- Andersson, Anton, et al.
(författare)
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A holistic and experimentally-based view on recycling of off-gas dust within the integrated steel plant
- 2018
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Ingår i: Metals. - Basel : MDPI AG. - 2075-4701. ; 8:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ore-based ironmaking generates a variety of residues, including slags and fines such as dust and sludges. Recycling of these residues within the integrated steel plant or in other applications is essential from a raw-material efficiency perspective. The main recycling route of off-gas dust is to the blast furnace (BF) via sinter, cold-bonded briquettes and tuyere injection. However, solely relying on the BF for recycling implicates that certain residues cannot be recycled in order to avoid build-up of unwanted elements, such as zinc. By introducing a holistic view on recycling where recycling via other process routes, such as the desulfurization (deS) station and the basic oxygen furnace (BOF), landfilling can be avoided. In the present study, process integration analyses were utilized to determine the most efficient recycling routes for off-gas dust that are currently not recycled within the integrated steel plants of Sweden. The feasibility of recycling was studied in experiments conducted in laboratory, pilot, and full-scale trials in the BF, deS station, and BOF. The process integration analyses suggested that recycling to the BF should be maximized before considering the deS station and BOF. The experiments indicated that the amount of residue that are not recycled could be minimized.
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| 2. |
- Backlund, Fredrik, et al.
(författare)
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Continuous improvement : challenges for the project-based organization
- 2018
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Ingår i: International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0265-671X .- 1758-6682. ; 35:7, s. 1306-1320
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeThere are limited studies of Continuous improvement from the perspective of a project-based organization (PBO). Hence, this article explores challenges that PBOs may encounter when applying Continuous improvement.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory and qualitative approach has been used, involving six management teams in six different project-based organizations, using focus groups interviews as data collecting method.FindingsA high degree of autonomy among project managers seems to limit a collective approach to project management in PBOs. As a consequence the overall PBO performance becomes subordinate to the individual project performance – an approach opposite to that of Continuous improvement. Further, the management teams themselves seem to uphold a project focus, also complicating improvement initiatives from a PBO perspective.Research limitations/implicationsThe management teams have been the unit of analysis, where the PBOs mainly conduct projects in an engineering and construction context, and are located in the same country and region. This approach enables the thorough study of a phenomenon, while preconditions for generalization are limited. However, the findings could be used by researchers as a basis for more in-depth studies of specific challenges, and for making surveys to obtain generalization of results.Practical implicationsThe results can induce awareness and understanding of different challenges if applying Continuous improvement in a PBO, hence a starting point for finding ways to overcome these challenges.Originality/valueThe article contributes to an increased understanding of challenges that PBOs may encounter when applying Continuous improvement, confirming and presenting additional findings compared to previous studies.
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| 3. |
- Backlund, Fredrik, et al.
(författare)
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Maturity assessment : towards continuous improvements for project-based organisations?
- 2015
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Ingår i: International Journal of Managing Projects in Business/Emerald. - 1753-8378 .- 1753-8386. ; 8:2, s. 256-278
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeThe aim of this study is to contribute to the empirical research on project management maturity assessments, specifically based on a maturity model. Design/methodology/approachThe empirical data is based on a case study including in-depth interviews with a semi-structured approach, followed by a focus group interview. A survey was distributed within a project-based organisation and to client and stakeholder representatives, and then analysed. The organisation in the case study is a project department within a Swedish mining company. FindingsCareful considerations are needed when choosing a project management maturity model (PM3) as the model structure can influence the assessment’s focus. It is also important to include both internal and external project stakeholders in the assessment to achieve an efficiency and effectiveness perspective when analysing PM capabilities. Valid information from an assessment is crucial, therefore, clear communication from management is important in order to motivate the participants in the assessment. Research limitations/implicationsImproved understanding for implementing and applying a PM3 contributes to the increased knowledge of drivers, enablers and obstacles when assessing PM maturity, which also creates a basis for further research initiatives. Practical implicationsAn increased knowledge of drivers, enablers and obstacles should be valuable for practitioners introducing and applying a PM3.Originality/valueThis case study gives an in-depth insight into the implementation of a PM3 within a project-based organisation. Through conducting a literature review, it was found that this type of empirical research is rare
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| 4. |
- Barrio, Isabel C., et al.
(författare)
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Background invertebrate herbivory on dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa-nana complex) increases with temperature and precipitation across the tundra biome
- 2017
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Ingår i: Polar Biology. - : Springer. - 0722-4060 .- 1432-2056. ; 40:11, s. 2265-2278
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chronic, low intensity herbivory by invertebrates, termed background herbivory, has been understudied in tundra, yet its impacts are likely to increase in a warmer Arctic. The magnitude of these changes is however hard to predict as we know little about the drivers of current levels of invertebrate herbivory in tundra. We assessed the intensity of invertebrate herbivory on a common tundra plant, the dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa-nana complex), and investigated its relationship to latitude and climate across the tundra biome. Leaf damage by defoliating, mining and gall-forming invertebrates was measured in samples collected from 192 sites at 56 locations. Our results indicate that invertebrate herbivory is nearly ubiquitous across the tundra biome but occurs at low intensity. On average, invertebrates damaged 11.2% of the leaves and removed 1.4% of total leaf area. The damage was mainly caused by external leaf feeders, and most damaged leaves were only slightly affected (12% leaf area lost). Foliar damage was consistently positively correlated with mid-summer (July) temperature and, to a lesser extent, precipitation in the year of data collection, irrespective of latitude. Our models predict that, on average, foliar losses to invertebrates on dwarf birch are likely to increase by 6-7% over the current levels with a 1 degrees C increase in summer temperatures. Our results show that invertebrate herbivory on dwarf birch is small in magnitude but given its prevalence and dependence on climatic variables, background invertebrate herbivory should be included in predictions of climate change impacts on tundra ecosystems.
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| 5. |
- Barrio, Isabel C., et al.
(författare)
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Publisher Correction to : Background invertebrate herbivory on dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa-nana complex) increases with temperature and precipitation across the tundra biome (vol 40, pg 2265, 2017)
- 2018
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Ingår i: Polar Biology. - : Springer. - 0722-4060 .- 1432-2056. ; 41:8, s. 1653-1654
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The above mentioned article was originally scheduled for publication in the special issue on Ecology of Tundra Arthropods with guest editors Toke T. Hoye . Lauren E. Culler. Erroneously, the article was published in Polar Biology, Volume 40, Issue 11, November, 2017. The publisher sincerely apologizes to the guest editors and the authors for the inconvenience caused.
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| 6. |
- Björnsdottir, Halla, et al.
(författare)
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Neutrophil NET formation is regulated from the inside by myeloperoxidase-processed reactive oxygen species.
- 2015
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Ingår i: Free radical biology & medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-4596 .- 0891-5849. ; 89, s. 1024-1035
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are mesh-like DNA fibers clad with intracellular proteins that are cast out from neutrophils in response to certain stimuli. The process is thought to depend on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by the phagocyte NADPH-oxidase and the ROS-modulating granule enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO), but when, how, and where these factors contribute is so far uncertain. The neutrophil NADPH-oxidase can be activated at different cellular sites and ROS may be produced and processed by MPO within intracellular granules, even in situations where a phagosome is not formed, e.g., upon stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA).
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| 7. |
- Brandström, Josef, et al.
(författare)
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Individually dosed omalizumab facilitates peanut oral immunotherapy in peanut allergic adolescents
- 2019
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Ingår i: Clinical and Experimental Allergy. - : Wiley. - 0954-7894 .- 1365-2222. ; 49:10, s. 1328-1341
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Peanut oral immunotherapy (pOIT) has showed good short-term outcomes, but allergic reactions may prevent effective up-dosing and is a major cause of stopping OIT. In placebo-controlled trials, omalizumab has been shown to facilitate allergen immunotherapy and increase tolerance to peanut.Objective: We hypothesized that by combining omalizumab with pOIT, and monitor treatment effects with basophil allergen threshold sensitivity tests (CD-sens), peanut allergic patients could safely initiate pOIT and thereafter slowly withdraw omalizumab.Methods: This is the 2nd part of a one-armed open phase-2 study where peanut allergic adolescents (n = 23) started pOIT after an individualized omalizumab treatment. The pOIT dose was increased from 280 to 2800 mg peanut protein in 8 weeks followed by an individualized step-wise withdrawal of omalizumab, based on clinical symptoms and CD-sens levels. pOIT continued for 12 weeks followed by an open peanut challenge. Peanut CD-sens and allergen-binding activity (ABA) and IgE-ab, IgG-ab and IgG4-ab to peanut and its components were measured during the study.Results: All 23 patients successfully reached the 2800 mg maintenance dose. Moderate/systemic allergic reactions were rare while receiving full-dose omalizumab. Eleven of 23 (48%) successfully continued with pOIT after omalizumab was stopped. Compared to treatment failures, median baseline IgE-ab to peanut components Ara h 1-3 and CD-sens to peanut were significantly lower among successfully treated patients and IgG4-ab to peanut, Ara h 2 and 6 increased significantly more during treatment.Conclusions and clinical relevance: This study indicates that omalizumab is an effective adjunctive therapy for initiation and rapid up-dosing of pOIT; however, adverse events from pOIT become more frequent as omalizumab doses are decreased.
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| 8. |
- Cameron, Erin K., et al.
(författare)
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Uneven global distribution of food web studies under climate change
- 2019
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Ingår i: Ecosphere. - : Wiley. - 2150-8925 .- 2150-8925. ; 10:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Trophic interactions within food webs affect species distributions, coexistence, and provision of ecosystem services but can be strongly impacted by climatic changes. Understanding these impacts is therefore essential for managing ecosystems and sustaining human well-being. Here, we conducted a global synthesis of terrestrial, marine, and freshwater studies to identify key gaps in our knowledge of climate change impacts on food webs and determine whether the areas currently studied are those most likely to be impacted by climate change. We found research suffers from a strong geographic bias, with only 3.5% of studies occurring in the tropics. Importantly, the distribution of sites sampled under projected climate changes was biased-areas with decreases or large increases in precipitation and areas with low magnitudes of temperature change were under-represented. Our results suggest that understanding of climate change impacts on food webs could be broadened by considering more than two trophic levels, responses in addition to species abundance and biomass, impacts of a wider suite of climatic variables, and tropical ecosystems. Most importantly, to enable better forecasts of biodiversity responses to dimate change, we identify critically under-represented geographic regions and climatic conditions which should be prioritized in future research.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Gustafson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Conceptual models for mining at greater depths : Automated bolt rigs and scaling rigs
- 2016
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- One of the challenges that underground mines face today is the deepening of the mines. This, together with lower grades of the deposits, makes the mines strive for higher productivity and lower costs. By introducing autonomous vehicles, the operators will be removed from the face, and thus safety for operators will be improved. Since autonomous vehicles are scheduled to operate during breaks, there is a potential for a productivity increase. The goal with this study was to determine if and to which degree autonomous bolt rigs and scaling rigs can improve the productivity in a deep underground mine.The research is based on data collected during 2013 from New Boliden AB’s Kristineberg mine in Sweden. A simulation tool, SimMine, was used for analyzing the effects of operational changes and for simulation of parameters that are difficult to estimate, such as traffic congestions. A number of scenarios were simulated and compared to the base case with focus on productivity.It can be concluded that the simulation scenarios using faster, manually operated vehicles shows a productivity increase, and that the automated vehicles further improved the productivity increase. The largest productivity increase comes however from faster vehicles, and not from the automation itself.
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