Articulating User Needs in Collaborative Design: Towards an Activity-Theoretical Approach

This paper analyses the collaborative design ofa high-technology product, a neuromagnetometerused in the analysis of the activity of thehuman cortex. The producer, Neuromag Company istrying to transform the device from a basicresearch instrument into a means of clinicalpractice. This transition is analyzed as asimultaneous evolution of the product,producer-user network and user activities. Thenetwork is analyzed as a network of activitysystems. Each activity has a historicallyformed object and a motive of its own, as wellas a system of cultural means and expertise. Weuse these to explain and understand theinterests and points of view of the actors inrelation to the product and the contradictionsof the producer-user network. It is suggestedthat the emerging user needs of collectiveactors must be analyzed at three levels. At thefirst level, the use value of the product, itscapacity of solving the vital problems andchallenges of developing user activities, ischaracterized. The second-level analysisconcerns the creation and development of thenecessary complementary tools and services thatmake the implementation and use of the productpossible. This task presupposes collaborationbetween several communities of the innovationnetwork. The third level is the situatedpractical use of the product. In ourexperience, it is advantageous that researcherscontribute with their data to a dialogue inwhich the user needs are articulated.     

Dietary squalene increases tissue sterols and fecal bile acids in the rat

Feeding 1% squalene increased markedly the concentrations of squalene and methyl sterols in each serum lipoprotein class, intestinal mucosa, liver and also in adipose tissue. It also increased cholesterol concentration of the liver and serum VLDL, and esterified cholesterol in serum LDL as well as fecal bile acids. The results suggest that absorbed dietary squalene contributes to some extent to the squalene content of adipose tissue, effectively increases the overall cholesterol synthesis and enhances cholesterol elimination preferentially as fecal bile acids.     

Natural circulation experiments with a VVER reactor geometry

Experiments were conducted to study natural circulation behaviour in the PACTEL facility, a medium-scale integral test loop patterned after Soviet-designed VVER pressurized water reactors. Using stepwise inventory reduction and small-break experiments, primary loop flow behaviour was studied over a range of coolant inventories. The tests revealed a trend toward decreasing primary side mass flow rate with inventory. In the small-break experiments, flow stagnation and system repressurization were observed when the water level in the upper plenum fell below the entrances to the hot legs and coolant flow into the hot legs changed from single to two-phase flow. The cause of this flow interruption was attributed to the hot leg loop seals, which are a unique feature of the VVER geometry. Finally, an experiment was conducted to demonstrate how loop seal refilling behaviour at low coolant inventories depends upon the steam flow rate through an individual hot leg. It was shown that loop seal refilling results when low steam velocities permit countercurrent flow in the upflow side of the loop seal.     

Catalytic Oxidation of Dichloromethane and Perchloroethylene: Laboratory and Industrial Scale Studies

Development of a reliable laboratory scale test for the design of industrial catalysts is crucial. In this article, different laboratory-scale tests were compared with an industrial scale CVOCs treatment. With dichloromethane (DCM) the laboratory scale test results corresponded well to the industrial scale oxidation results. However, the perchloroethylene (PCE) conversions measured in industry were always higher than what was achieved in the laboratory scale indicating that the industrial scale catalytic incinerator operating in transient conditions is highly beneficial in PCE oxidation. It was clearly shown that in order to design high-quality laboratory scale experiments, information on complete composition and total concentration of the emission is needed but also different types of catalytic tests need to be used depending on the industrial reactor. In addition, the catalysts’ performance in an industrial VOC abatement unit was examined as the oxidation efficiencies of DCM, PCE and other hydrocarbons (OHC) were compared after 3, 10 and 23 months of operation. After 23 months and 13,065 operating hours, no significant decrease in the activity of the catalysts was observed showing that the used noble metal catalysts are highly resistant towards these demanding conditions.     

Temperature modeling and measurement of an electrokinetic separation chip

This work presents experimental [infrared (IR) thermography] and computational (finite element model) results of temperature distributions of an electrokinetic separation chip. Thermal characteristics of both the electrolyte solution and the polymer chip (SU-8) are taken into account in modeling temperature distributions during electrokinetic flow. Multiphysics and multiscale simulation couples electrostatics, heat transfer, and fluid dynamics. The accompanying IR thermography is a non-contact method, which can measure fractional temperature differences with sub-second time resolution. Any structures or temperature marker molecules interfering with the experiment are not needed. Nominal spot size in the IR measurements is 30 μm with a field of view of several millimeters enabling both local and chip-scale temperature monitoring simultaneously. As a result, we present a computer model for electrokinetic chips, which enables simulation of fractional temperature changes during electrophoresis under real operating conditions. The accuracy of the model is within ±1°C when the deviation in electrochemical processes is taken into account. The simulation results also suggest that the temperature on the chip surface qualitatively reflects the temperature inside the microchannel with an average offset of 1–2°C.     

Biodegradation of novel amino acid derivatives suitable for complexing agents in pulp bleaching applications

The biodegradability of four novel diethanolamine derivative complexing agents was examined by using two biodegradation tests standardised by OECD (301B and 301F). Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) were employed as reference substances. Biodegradation of the new complexing agents was studied both with unacclimated and acclimated inocula as well as by simulating wastewater treatment in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). These new complexing agents were of technical grade, and therefore, the results are only indicative but these new compounds hold promise for use as complexing agents in the pulp and paper industry.The novel complexing agents were not readily biodegradable but they showed slight biodegradation. Around 10-30% degradation was found in the SBR where degradation was followed by measurement of concentration. Moreover the novel complexing agents did not have any negative impact on reactor performance as measured by chemical oxygen demand reduction. In the standardised biodegradation tests at best around 50% degradation was observed with the acclimated inoculum and in the prolonged test whereas EDTA and DTPA exhibited no biodegradation. The elevated degradation in acclimated sludge indicates that the water treatment plant microbes are capable of decomposing these molecules under favourable conditions. The total concentration of novel complexing agents decreased slightly during biodegradation tests, while the EDTA and DTPA concentrations remained stable.     

Adhesion, spreading and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells cultured on micropatterned amorphous diamond, titanium, tantalum and chromium coatings on silicon

It was hypothesized that human mesenchymal stromal cell (hMSC) can be guided by patterned and plain amorphous diamond (AD), titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta) and chromium (Cr) coatings, produced on silicon wafer using physical vapour deposition and photolithography. At 7.5 h hMSCs density was 3.0–3.5× higher (P < 0.0003, except Ti) and cells were smaller (68 vs. 102 μm, P 0.000006–0.02) on patterns than on silicon background. HMSC-covered surface of the background silicon was lower on Ti than AD patterns (P = 0.015), but at 5 days this had reversed (P = 0.006). At 7.5 h focal vinculin adhesions and actin cytoskeleton were outgoing from pattern edges so cells assumed geometric square shapes. Patterns allowed induced osteogenesis, but less effectively than plain surfaces, except for AD, which could be used to avoid osseointegration. All these biomaterial patterns exert direct early, intermediate and late guidance on hMSCs and osteogenic differentiation, but indirect interactions exist with cells on silicon background.     

Density functional complexation study of metal ions with poly(carboxylic acid) ligands. Part 1. Poly(acrylic acid) and poly(α-hydroxy acrylic acid)

We have studied metal ion complexation with poly(carboxylic acid) ligands using density functional methods and a continuum-solvation model (COSMO). Geometry optimisations have been carried out for metal complexes of poly(acrylic acid-co-maleic acid), poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic acid), and poly(epoxy succinic acid) oligomers. The complexation energies for Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Fe³⁺ have been calculated and they have been corrected with previously determined metal specific correction parameters. The most effective ligand for all the metal ions was found to be poly(epoxy succinic acid). With Ca²⁺, poly(epoxy succinic acid) was found to form 6-coordinated complex with three metal-coordinating carboxylate oxygen, two ether oxygens, and one hydroxyl oxygen atom. All the other metals favoured 5-coordinated complexation geometry with four metal-coordinating carboxyl oxygens and one ether oxygen atom.     

Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) isoflavones: determination of concentrations by plant stage,flower colour,plant part and cultivar

BACKGROUND: Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), a widely used fodder, has recently received considerable interest as a valuable source of isoflavones for many health‐related applications. The aim of this study was to analyse the concentrations of four isoflavones, daidzein, genistein, formononetin and biochanin A, in extracts of leaves, stems, roots and different coloured flowers from red clover by high‐performance liquid chromatography and to determine the antifungal activities of the extracts. RESULTS: Among greenhouse‐grown samples the highest amounts of daidzein and genistein were found in petioles (0.11–0.28 and 0.30–0.54 mg g^?1 respectively), while leaves were rich in formononetin and biochanin A (5.57–9.05 and 10.94–14.59 mg g^?1 respectively). High formononetin concentrations were found in roots, but very little biochanin A. Among field‐grown samples the highest concentrations of daidzein and genistein were detected in stems collected in August (0.24 and 0.55 mg g^?1 respectively), while the highest amounts of formononetin and biochanin A were found in young leaves collected in June (7.47 and 9.69 mg g^?1 respectively). Most of the extracts inhibited the growth of Drechslera teres, while the root extract showed the strongest effect against Microdochium nivale. CONCLUSION: High levels of bioactive compounds found not only in inflorescences but also in roots, leaves and stems suggest that red clover may be an inexpensive and valuable resource for many applications. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry