| 1. |
- Jaaskelainen, A. J., et al.
(author)
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Performance of a multiplexed serological microarray for the detection of antibodies against central nervous system pathogens
- 2014
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In: Journal of Microbiological Methods. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-7012. ; 100, s. 27-31
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Central nervous system (CNS) infections have multiple potential causative agents for which simultaneous pathogen screening can provide a useful tool. This study evaluated a multiplexed microarray for the simultaneous detection of antibodies against CNS pathogens. The performance of selected microarray antigens for the detection of IgG antibodies against herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), adenovirus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, was evaluated using serum sample panels tested with reference assays used in a routine diagnostic laboratory. The microarray sensitivity for HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV, adenovirus and M. pneumonia ranged from 77% to 100%, and the specificity ranged from 74% to 97%. Very variable sensitivities and specificities were found for borrelial antigens of three different VIsE protein IR(6) peptide variants (IR6p1, IR6p2, IR6p4) and three recombinant decorin binding proteins A (DbpA; DbpAla, DbpA91, DbpAG40). For single antigens, good specificity was shown for antigens of IR6p4 and DbpAla (96%), while DbpA91, IR6p1 and IR6p2 were moderately specific (88-92%). The analytical sensitivity of the microarray was dependent on the borrelial IgG concentration of the specimen. The overall performance and technical features of the platform showed that the platform supports both recombinant proteins, whole viruses and peptides as antigens. This study showed diagnostic potential for all six CNS pathogens, including Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, using glutaraldehyde based microarray, and further highlighted the importance of careful antigen selection and the requirement for the use of multiple borrelial antigens in order to increase specificity without a major lack of sensitivity. (c) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 2. |
- Somppi, J.L., et al.
(author)
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Ultrafine ash particle formation during waste sludge incineration in fluidized bed reactors
- 1998
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In: Combustion Science and Technology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0010-2202 .- 1563-521X. ; 134, s. 433-455
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ash formation during the bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) combustion of bark and pulp mill sludge has been studied on an industrial and bench scale. During co-firing in an industrial BFB a submicron fly ash mode was formed via condensation of volatilized K, Na, S and Cl species at 0.05-0.3 μm. The submicron mass mode below 0.3 μm made up 2.2-5.0% of the fly ash, while the share of the supermicron mass fraction was 93.6-97.2%. Elements depleted in the ultrafine ash were Ca, Si, Al, Mg, Fe, Mn, P and Ti. The bench-scale test showed that the ultrafine particle concentration was increased by a higher bed temperature and decreased due to sludge moisture. As, Cd, Pb and Rb were enriched in the ultrafine ash on a bench scale, while Ba, Co, Sr and V were depleted. Cu and Zn were enriched in the ultrafine ash during the combustion of dried sludge, but not when wet sludge was fired. Micron-size ash particles composed of non-volatile species, Ca, Si, Mg, Al, P and Mn, adhered to the bed sand, presumably by surface forces, and sintering densified the ash layer. © 1998 OPA (Overseas Publishers Association) N.V. Published by license under the Gordon and Breach Science Publishers imprint.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Boguslavski, K., et al.
(author)
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Heavy quark diffusion coefficient during hydrodynamization - non-equilibrium vs. equilibrium
- 2024
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In: Proceedings of Science. - 1824-8039. ; 438
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We compute the heavy quark momentum diffusion coefficient using effective kinetic theory for a system going through bottom-up isotropization until approximate hydrodynamization. We find that when comparing the nonthermal diffusion coefficient to the thermal one for the same energy density, the observed deviations throughout the whole evolution are within 30% from the thermal value. For thermal systems matched to other quantities we observe considerably larger deviations. We also observe that the diffusion coefficient in the transverse direction dominates at large occupation number, whereas for an underoccupied system the longitudinal diffusion coefficient dominates. Similarly, we study the jet quenching parameter, where we obtain a smooth evolution connecting the large values of the glasma phase with the smaller values in the hydrodynamical regime.
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| 5. |
- Boguslavski, K., et al.
(author)
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Heavy quark diffusion coefficient in heavy-ion collisions via kinetic theory
- 2024
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In: Physical Review D. - 2470-0010. ; 109:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We compute the heavy quark momentum diffusion coefficient κ using QCD kinetic theory for a system going through bottom-up isotropization in the initial stages of a heavy ion collision. We find that the values of κ are within 30% from a thermal system at the same energy density. When matching for other quantities we observe considerably larger deviations. We also observe that the diffusion coefficient in the transverse direction is larger at high occupation numbers, whereas for an underoccupied system the longitudinal diffusion coefficient dominates. The behavior of the diffusion coefficient can be understood on a qualitative level based on the Debye mass mD and the effective temperature of soft modes T∗. Our findings for the kinetic evolution of κ in different directions can be used in phenomenological descriptions of heavy quark diffusion and quarkonium dynamics to include the impact of preequilibrium stages.
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| 6. |
- Boguslavski, K., et al.
(author)
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Jet momentum broadening during initial stages in heavy-ion collisions
- 2024
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In: Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - 0370-2693. ; 850
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We study the jet quenching parameter qˆ in the initial pre-equilibrium stages of heavy-ion collisions using the QCD kinetic theory description of the anisotropic quark-gluon plasma. This allows us to smoothly close the gap in the literature between the early glasma stage of the collision and the onset of hydrodynamics. We find that the pre-hydrodynamic evolution of qˆ during the bottom-up kinetic scenario shows little sensitivity to the initial conditions, jet energies and models of the transverse momentum cutoff. We also observe that, similarly to the glasma case, the jet quenching parameter is enhanced along the beam axis as compared to the transverse direction during most of the kinetic evolution.
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| 7. |
- Boguslavski, K., et al.
(author)
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Limiting attractors in heavy-ion collisions
- 2024
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In: Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - 0370-2693. ; 852
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We study universal features of the hydrodynamization process in heavy-ion collisions using QCD kinetic theory simulations for a wide range of couplings. We introduce the new concept of limiting attractors, which are obtained by extrapolation to vanishing and strong couplings. While the hydrodynamic limiting attractor emerges at strong couplings and is governed by the viscosity-related relaxation time scale τR, we identify a bottom-up limiting attractor at weak couplings. It corresponds to the late stages of the perturbative bottom-up thermalization scenario and exhibits isotropization on the time scale τBMSS=αs−13/5/Qs. In contrast to hydrodynamic limiting attractors, at finite couplings the bottom-up limiting attractor provides a good universal description of the pre-hydrodynamic evolution of jet and heavy-quark momentum broadening ratios qˆyy/qˆzz and κT/κz. We also provide parametrizations for these ratios for phenomenological studies of pre-equilibrium effects on jets and heavy quarks.
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| 8. |
- Chawchai, Sakonvan, et al.
(author)
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Lake Kumphawapi revisited – a synthesis of Holocene environmental and climatic changes for NE Thailand
- 2016
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In: The Holocene. - : SAGE Publications. - 0959-6836 .- 1477-0911. ; 26:4, s. 614-626
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Kumphawapi, which is Thailand’s largest natural freshwater lake, contains a >10,000-year-long climatic and environmental archive. New data sets (stratigraphy, chronology, hydrogen isotopes, plant macrofossil and charcoal records) for two sedimentary sequences are here combined with earlier multi-proxy studies to provide a comprehensive reconstruction of past climatic and environmental changes for Northeast Thailand. Gradually higher moisture availability due to a strengthening of the summer monsoon led to the formation of a large shallow lake in the Kumphawapi basin between >10,700 and c. 7000 cal. BP. The marked increase in moisture availability and lower evaporation between c. 7000 and 6400 cal. BP favoured the growth and expansion of vegetation in and around the shallow lake. The increase in biomass led to gradual overgrowing and infilling, to an apparent lake level lowering and to the development of a wetland. Multiple hiatuses are apparent in all investigated sequences between c. 6500 and 1400 cal. BP and are explained by periodic desiccation events of the wetland and erosion due to the subsequent lake level rise. The rise in lake level, which started c. 2000 cal. BP and reached shallower parts c. 1400 cal. BP, is attributed to an increase in effective moisture availability. The timing of hydroclimatic conditions during the past 2000 years cannot be resolved because of chronological limitations.
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| 9. |
- Jalkanen, Pinja, et al.
(author)
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A Combination of N and S Antigens With IgA and IgG Measurement Strengthens the Accuracy of SARS-CoV-2 Serodiagnostics
- 2021
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In: Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Oxford University Press. - 0022-1899 .- 1537-6613. ; 224:2, s. 218-228
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background. Primary diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is based on detection of virus RNA in nasopharyngeal swab samples. In addition, analysis of humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 has an important role in viral diagnostics and seroprevalence estimates. Methods. We developed and optimized an enzyme immunoassays (EIA) using SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein (N), Si and receptor binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike protein, and N proteins from SARS, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and 4 low-pathogenic human CoVs. Neutralizing antibody activity was compared with SARS-CoV-2 IgG, IgA, and IgM EIA results. Results. The sensitivity of EIA for detecting immune response in COVID-19 patients (n = 101) was 77% in the acute phase and 100% in the convalescent phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection when N and RBD were used as antigens in IgG and IgA specific EIAs. SARS-CoV-2 infection significantly increased humoral immune responses against the 229E and NL63 N proteins. Si and RBD-based EIA results had a strong correlation with microneutralization test results. Conclusions. The data indicate a combination of SARS-CoV-2 Si or RBD and N proteins and analysis of IgG and IgA immunoglobulin classes in sera provide an excellent basis for specific and sensitive serological diagnostics of COVID-19.
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| 10. |
- Simell, P., et al.
(author)
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Provisional protocol for the sampling and anlaysis of tar and particulates in the gas from large-scale biomass gasifiers. Version 1998
- 2000
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In: Biomass and Bioenergy. - 0961-9534 .- 1873-2909. ; 18:1, s. 19-38
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents tar sampling protocols for pressurised and atmospheric large scale gasification processes. Methods for constructing sampling lines either to on-line analysers or into sampling systems are described. The tar sampling system consists of a heated probe, a particulate filter and a series of impinger bottles. Dichloromethane is used as the tar absorbing solvent. The solvent containing bottles are placed in a cold bath so that gradual cooling of the sampled gas from about 0 degrees C to the final temperature -79 degrees C takes place in them. Recommendations for suitable sampling gas flow rates and gas temperatures are given. Tar characterisation methods based on different garvimetric measurements and GC analysis are described.
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