Addressing Paraffin Deposition Challenges Through New Technologies

Paraffin deposition is a common challenge for production facilities globally where production fluid/process surface temperature cools down and reach below the wax appearance temperature (WAT) of the oil. Although chemical treatment is used widely for suitable mitigation of wax deposition, conventional test methods like cold finger often fail to recommend the right product for the field. The current study will present development of two new technologies PARA-Window and Dynamic Paraffin Deposition Cell (DPDC)to address such limitations. Large temperature gradient between bulk oil and cold surface has been identified as a major limitation of cold finger. To address this, PARA-Window has been developed to capture the paraffin deposition at a more realistic temperature gradient (5°C) between the bulk oil and surface temperature using a NIR optical probe. Absence of brine and lack of shear has been identified as another limitation of cold finger technique. DPDC has been developed to study paraffin deposition and chemical effectiveness in presence of brine. Specially designed cells are placed horizontally inside a shaker bath to achieve good mixing between oil and water for DPDC application. A prior study by Russell et al., (2019) showed the effectiveness of PARA-Window in capturing deposition phenomena of higher molecular weight paraffin chains that resemble closely to field deposits under narrow temperature gradient around WAT. Conventional test methods fail to capture meaningful product differentiation in most oils under such conditions and hence can only recommend a crystal modifier type of paraffin chemistries. PARA-Window technique can expand product selection to other type of paraffin chemistries (paraffin crystal modifiers, dispersants and solvents) as shown earlier by Russell et al., (2021). The usage of DPDC allows us to create a dynamic mixing condition inside the test cells with both oil and water under a condition similar to production pipe systems. This allows DPDC to assess water effect on paraffin chemistries (crystal modifiers and dispersants). This study presents the usage of these two new technologies to screen performance of different types of paraffin chemistries on select oils and their advantages over cold finger. The results identify how mimicking field conditions using these new technologies can capture new insights into paraffin products.

Specificity of eccentric hamstring training and the lack of consistency between strength assessments using conventional test devices

Hamstring injuries are endemic, but influences of test-specific training and the application of different test methods on decision making remain elusive. Sport-students were randomised to isokinetic (IG) or Nordic hamstring (NG) exercise or a control group (CG) for six weeks. Training and testing procedures were matched to biomechanical parameters. Hamstring strength (EPT), work, muscle soreness (visual analogue scale (VAS)), biceps femoris (BFlh) muscle size and architecture were assessed. Anthropometrics and strength parameters did not differ at baseline. Yet, body mass normalised EPT, and work revealed a significant group × time × device effect, with a significant main effect for devices. Experimental conditions triggered meaningful increases in EPT compared to the control group, but the effects were higher when recorded on the training device. Despite significant group × time interactions, normalised average work on the NHD was only higher in the NG compared to CG of the left leg (+ 35%). No effects were found for BFlh parameters. Hamstrings showed a high training specificity, but adaptations likely remain undetected owing to the low sensitivity of conventional test devices. Moreover, strength increase of ~ 15% does not necessarily have to be reflected in BFlh parameters.

PCR Development for the Diagnosis of Dermatophytes in Equines

Development and standardize of PCR for diagnose of most common equine dermatophytes was carried out. We used one reference strain and four isolates characterized by routinely methods from clinical samples. Sabouraud broth was used to obtain the fungal mass by long 8 days incubation. Once the mass was dried, it was pulverized with liquid nitrogen in a mortar and deposited in tubes to obtained DNA by phenolic extraction. NCBI GenBank data were used for the primer design, the sequences were aligned manually and once the initiators were selected, they were placed in the DNAMAN program, in order to differentiate the five species involved. We diagnosed successfully common dermatophytes in Equidae by standardized PCR test. A total of 50 samples were used for the challenge test, 22 have been declared positive by conventional diagnostic methods, and the remaining samples were selected randomly the obtained results were similar compared with conventional test. M. canis primers were highly sensitive. For the others species we need more samples to corroborate the usefulness of the test.

Mass Testing With Contact Tracing Compared to Test and Trace for the Effective Suppression of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom: Systematic Review

Background Making testing available to everyone and tracing contacts might be the gold standard to control COVID-19. Many countries including the United Kingdom have relied on the symptom-based test and trace strategy in bringing the COVID-19 pandemic under control. The effectiveness of a test and trace strategy based on symptoms has been questionable and has failed to meet testing and tracing needs. This is further exacerbated by it not being delivered at the point of care, leading to rising cases and deaths. Increases in COVID-19 cases and deaths in the United Kingdom despite performing the highest number of tests in Europe suggest that symptom-based testing and contact tracing might not be effective as a control strategy. An alternative strategy is making testing available to all. Objective The primary objective of this review was to compare mass testing and contact tracing with the conventional test and trace method in the suppression of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The secondary objective was to determine the proportion of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases reported during mass testing interventions. Methods Literature in English was searched from September through December 2020 in Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Mendeley, and PubMed. Search terms included “mass testing,” “test and trace,” “contact tracing,” “COVID-19,” “SARS-CoV-2,” “effectiveness,” “asymptomatic,” “symptomatic,” “community screening,” “UK,” and “2020.” Search results were synthesized without meta-analysis using the direction of effect as the standardized metric and vote counting as the synthesis metric. A statistical synthesis was performed using Stata 14.2. Tabular and graphical methods were used to present findings. Results The literature search yielded 286 articles from Google Scholar, 20 from ScienceDirect, 14 from Mendeley, 27 from PubMed, and 15 through manual search. A total of 35 articles were included in the review, with a sample size of nearly 1 million participants. We found a 76.9% (10/13, 95% CI 46.2%-95.0%; P=.09) majority vote in favor of the intervention under the primary objective. The overall proportion of asymptomatic cases among those who tested positive and in the tested sample populations under the secondary objective was 40.7% (1084/2661, 95% CI 38.9%-42.6%) and 0.0% (1084/9,942,878, 95% CI 0.0%-0.0%), respectively. Conclusions There was low-level but promising evidence that mass testing and contact tracing could be more effective in bringing the virus under control and even more effective if combined with social distancing and face coverings. The conventional test and trace method should be superseded by decentralized and regular mass rapid testing and contact tracing, championed by general practitioner surgeries and low-cost community services.

TREATMENT OF TEXTILE EFFLUENT USING NATURALLY PREPARED COAGULANT FROM MORINGA OLEIFERA SEED

This investigation is intended for Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Dissolved Solid (TDS), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Conductivity, Dissolved oxygen, Absorbance, PH and turbidity reduction from textile industrial produce effluents that are highly complex and characterized. In this study coagulant using Moringa Oliefera seed was used to reduce the suspended and colloidal materials responsible for turbidity of the waste water. The seed powder was used as a natural coagulant to reduce turbidity, the test were carried out using textile effluent with conventional test apparatus. Various result were obtained by increasing dosage of Moringa Oleifera seed powder from 4g to 24g optimum dosage for reduction of COD, BOD, TDS, Turbidity, Conductivity, Absorbance and D.O was determined. It was observed that the highest dose which is 24g has a greater efficiency in reduction of all parameters tested with Ph of 6.48, COD 46mg/L, BOD 12mg/L, and Conductivity 360MSCm-1, TDS 212mg/L, Turbidity 8NTU, DO 4.7 and absorbance of 0.65. Moringa Oleifera seed showed potential in industrial textile effluent treatments among others.

Mass Testing With Contact Tracing Compared to Test and Trace for the Effective Suppression of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom: Systematic Review (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Making testing available to everyone and tracing contacts might be the gold standard to control COVID-19. Many countries including the United Kingdom have relied on the symptom-based test and trace strategy in bringing the COVID-19 pandemic under control. The effectiveness of a test and trace strategy based on symptoms has been questionable and has failed to meet testing and tracing needs. This is further exacerbated by it not being delivered at the point of care, leading to rising cases and deaths. Increases in COVID-19 cases and deaths in the United Kingdom despite performing the highest number of tests in Europe suggest that symptom-based testing and contact tracing might not be effective as a control strategy. An alternative strategy is making testing available to all. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this review was to compare mass testing and contact tracing with the conventional test and trace method in the suppression of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The secondary objective was to determine the proportion of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases reported during mass testing interventions. METHODS Literature in English was searched from September through December 2020 in Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Mendeley, and PubMed. Search terms included “mass testing,” “test and trace,” “contact tracing,” “COVID-19,” “SARS-CoV-2,” “effectiveness,” “asymptomatic,” “symptomatic,” “community screening,” “UK,” and “2020.” Search results were synthesized without meta-analysis using the direction of effect as the standardized metric and vote counting as the synthesis metric. A statistical synthesis was performed using Stata 14.2. Tabular and graphical methods were used to present findings. RESULTS The literature search yielded 286 articles from Google Scholar, 20 from ScienceDirect, 14 from Mendeley, 27 from PubMed, and 15 through manual search. A total of 35 articles were included in the review, with a sample size of nearly 1 million participants. We found a 76.9% (10/13, 95% CI 46.2%-95.0%; <i>P</i>=.09) majority vote in favor of the intervention under the primary objective. The overall proportion of asymptomatic cases among those who tested positive and in the tested sample populations under the secondary objective was 40.7% (1084/2661, 95% CI 38.9%-42.6%) and 0.0% (1084/9,942,878, 95% CI 0.0%-0.0%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS There was low-level but promising evidence that mass testing and contact tracing could be more effective in bringing the virus under control and even more effective if combined with social distancing and face coverings. The conventional test and trace method should be superseded by decentralized and regular mass rapid testing and contact tracing, championed by general practitioner surgeries and low-cost community services.

Mass Testing with Contact Tracing Compared to Test and Trace for Effective Suppression of COVID-19 in the UK: A rapid review

BackgroundMaking testing available to everyone and tracing contacts might be the gold standard towards the control of COVID-19, particularly when significant transmissions are without symptoms. This study evaluated the effectiveness of mass testing and contact tracing in the suppression of COVID-19 compared to conventional Test and Trace in the UK.DesignA rapid review of available evidencePrimary research questionIs there evidence that mass testing and tracing could suppress community spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections better than Test and Trace?Secondary research questionWhat is the proportion of asymptomatic cases of SARS-CoV-2 reported during mass testing interventions?MethodsLiterature was searched in September through December 2020 in Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Mendeley and PubMed.ResultsLiterature search yielded 286 articles from Google Scholar, 20 from Science Direct, 14 from Mendeley, 27 from Pubmed and 15 through manual search. Altogether 35 articles were included, making a sample size of close to a million participants.ConclusionThere was a very low level but promising evidence of 76.9% (95% CI: 46.2 – 95.0, P=0.09) majority vote in favour of the intervention under the primary objective. The overall proportion of asymptomatic cases among those tested positive and tested sample populations under the secondary objective was 40.7% (95% CI: 38.8– 42.5) and 0.01% (95% CI: 0.01 – 0.012) respectively. Conventional test and trace should be superseded by a decentralised and regular mass rapid testing and contact tracing, championed by GP surgeries and low cost community services.

Tire Dynamics Modeling Method Based on Rapid Test Method

Combined with the tire dynamics theoretical model, a rapid test method to obtain tire lateral and longitudinal both steady-state and transient characteristics only based on the tire quasi-steady-state test results is proposed. For steady state data extraction, the test time of the rapid test method is half that of the conventional test method. For transient tire characteristics the rapid test method omits the traditional tire test totally. At the mean time the accuracy of the two method is much closed. The rapid test method is explained theoretically and the test process is designed. The key parameters of tire are extracted and the comparison is made between rapid test and traditional test method. The result show that the identification accuracy based on the rapid test method is almost equal to the accuracy of the conventional one. Then, the heat generated during the rapid test method and that generated during the conventional test are calculated separately. The comparison shows that the heat generated during the rapid test is much smaller than the heat generated during the conventional test process. This benefits to the reduction of tire wear and the consistency of test results. Finally, it can be concluded that the fast test method can efficiently, accurately and energy-efficiently measure the steady-state and transient characteristics of the tire.