Lightweight floors — Vibration

Civil Engineer Sigurd Hveem at the Norwegian Building Research Institute, BI, describes the laboratory and field tests carried out on the dynamic response of different lightweight timber floors to establish new design guidelines. NBI are also looking at theoretical calculation methods in order to predict the results obtained by measuring dynamic properties.     

Modulation of Aβ42 Aggregation Kinetics and Pathway by Low-Molecular-Weight Inhibitors

The aggregation of amyloid-β 42 (Aβ42) is directly related to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Here, we have investigated the early stages of the aggregation process, during which most of the cytotoxic species are formed. Aβ42 aggregation kinetics, characterized by the quantification of Aβ42 monomer consumption, were tracked by real-time solution NMR spectroscopy (RT-NMR) allowing the impact that low-molecular-weight (LMW) inhibitors and modulators exert on the aggregation process to be analysed. Distinct differences in the Aβ42 kinetic profiles were apparent and were further investigated kinetically and structurally by using thioflavin T (ThT) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. LMW inhibitors were shown to have a differential impact on early-state aggregation. Insight provided here could direct future therapeutic design based on kinetic profiling of the process of fibril formation.     

Improving 2‐phenylethanol and 6‐pentyl‐α‐pyrone production with fungi by microparticle‐enhanced cultivation (MPEC)

Trichoderma atroviride IMI 206040 synthesizes the coconut lactone 6‐pentyl‐α‐pyrone (6‐PAP) de novo and Aspergillus niger DSM 821 produces the rose‐like flavour compound 2‐phenylethanol (2‐PE) from the precursor l ‐phenylalanine. Here, microparticles of different chemical composition and nominal particle diameter in the range 5–250 µm were added to shake‐flask cultures of both fungi to investigate the particles' effect on product formation. Maximum 2‐PE concentration increased by a factor of 1.3 to 1430 mg/l with the addition of 2% w/v talc (40 µm diameter). Maximum 6‐PAP concentration increased by a factor of 2 to 40 mg/l with the addition of 2% w/v iron (II, III) oxide. The influence of ions leaching out of the particles was investigated by cultivating the fungi in leached particle medium. For the first time, the positive effect of the microparticle‐enhanced cultivation (MPEC) technique on the microbial production of volatile metabolites, here flavour compounds from submerged fungal cultures, is demonstrated. The effect is strain‐ and particle‐specific. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Future manufacturing approaches in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry

In order to develop future manufacturing strategies the chemical and pharmaceutical industry works on the implementation of process intensification and new modularization methods. In this paper current challenges, process intensification approaches and future manufacturing initiatives are summarized and discussed.     

Effects of psychological hardiness, job demands, and job control on sickness absence: A prospective study.

This study prospectively investigated the effects of psychological hardiness, job control, and job demands on medically certified sickness absence. Data from a questionnaire survey were combined with archival data for sickness absence among 7,239 civilian and military employees of the Norwegian Armed Forces (84.3% male, 69.8% military). A 2-component hurdle regression was used in the statistical analyses of the sickness absence data. After controlling for age, sex, and baseline absence, hardiness predicted both the likelihood of having any sickness absence (odds ratio = 0.97) and the number of absence spells (a 6.5% decrease in the expected count for 1 standard deviation change in hardiness). In addition, an interaction was found among hardiness, job control, and psychological demands. When demands were high, high job control was associated with more absence among employees with low levels of hardiness. Together, these findings point to hardiness as an important individual resource in relation to health, and that it is necessary to consider individual differences when examining the effects of work characteristics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Practice world

Civil Engineer Sigurd Hveem at the Norwegian Building Research Institute, BI, describes the laboratory and field tests carried out on the dynamic response of different lightweight timber floors to establish new design guidelines. NBI are also looking at theoretical calculation methods in order to predict the results obtained by measuring dynamic properties.     

Compatibility Testing of Colored Cosmetics – A New Tool for Objective Testing Near Infrared Remission Spectroscopy (NIR-RS)

The ability to continuously examine the interior hair structure throughout a treatment process is very important in designing effective hair products. Microscopy is commonly used to observe the interior of hair, but this method requires a sliced sample, making continuous observation impossible. Use of X-ray computed tomography (CT) as a non-destructive measurement has been proposed, but this method has a disadvantage in that it is impossible to obtain full-color interior images of the sample. Thus, a non-destructive method for continuous, full-color examination of the interior hair structure has been lacking. In this study a new method is proposed that enables non-destructive and continuous measurement of the interior hair structure with color information. In our method, optical CT is used for reconstruction of the interior hair structure. Our new theories enabled us to solve the crucial problem of the large observational error of traditional optical CT systems caused by internal light scattering and to make its practical application possible. A new optical CT system based on our method was implemented. This system displayed sufficient accuracy when the phantom image was measured, and clear and full-color cross-sectional images were obtained without destruction of the sample when human hair was observed. When the bleaching and dyeing processes were continuously measured, changes in the interior hair with time could be observed. These results clearly indicate that our new method provides a powerful tool for research and product development.     

Oligophenylenevinylenes in Spatially Confined Nanochannels: Monitoring Intermolecular Interactions by UV/Vis and Raman Spectroscopy

Perhydrotriphenylene‐based channel‐forming inclusion compounds (ICs) and thin films made of polyphenylenevinylene (PPV)‐type oligomers with terminal alkoxy groups are investigated and compared in a combined experimental and theoretical approach. Interchromophore interactions and host‐guest interactions are elucidated by UV/Vis and Raman spectroscopy. The impact of the local environment of the chromophore on the optical and photophysical properties is discussed in light of quantum‐chemical calculations. In stark contrast to thin films where preferential side‐by‐side orientation leads to quenching of photoluminescence (PL) via non‐emissive traps, the ICs are found to be attractive materials for opto‐electronic applications: they offer high chromophore concentrations, but at the same time behave as quasi‐isolated entities of tightly packed, well‐oriented objects with high PL quantum yields and the possibility of color tuning.