Blends of Bio-Based Poly(Limonene Carbonate) with Commodity Polymers

In this study, blends of the bio-based poly(limonene carbonate) (PLimC) with different commodity polymers are investigated in order to explore the potential of PLimC toward generating more sustainable polymer materials by reducing the amount of petro- or food-based polymers. PLimC is employed as minority component in the blends. Next to the morphology and thermal properties of the blends the impact of PLimC on the mechanical properties of the matrix polymers is studied. The interplay of incompatibility and zero-shear melt viscosity contrast determines the blend morphology, leading for all blends to a dispersed droplet morphology for PLimC. Blends with polymers of similar structure to PLimC (i.e., aliphatic/aromatic polyester) show the best performance with respect to mechanical properties, whereas blends with polystyrene or poly(methyl methacrylate) are too brittle and polyamide 12 blends show very low elongations at break. In blends with Ecoflex (poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)) and Arnitel EM400 (copoly(ether ester)) with poly(butylene terephthalate) hard and polytetrahydrofuran soft segments) a threefold increase in E-modulus can be achieved, while keeping the elongation at break at reasonable high values of ≈200%, making these blends highly interesting for applications.     

Exposure to virtual nature: the impact of different immersion levels on skin conductance level,heart rate,and perceived relaxation

Virtual Reality - It is generally accepted that natural environments reduce stress and improve mood. Since access to natural environments is sometimes limited, virtual natural environments,...     

Extracellular Vesicles and Asthma—More Than Just a Co-Existence

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membranous structures, which are secreted by almost every cell type analyzed so far. In addition to their importance for cell-cell communication under physiological conditions, EVs are also released during pathogenesis and mechanistically contribute to this process. Here we summarize their functional relevance in asthma, one of the most common chronic non-communicable diseases. Asthma is a complex persistent inflammatory disorder of the airways characterized by reversible airflow obstruction and, from a long-term perspective, airway remodeling. Overall, mechanistic studies summarized here indicate the importance of different subtypes of EVs and their variable cargoes in the functioning of the pathways underlying asthma, and show some interesting potential for the development of future therapeutic interventions. Association studies in turn demonstrate a good diagnostic potential of EVs in asthma.     

The attitudes of French and Spanish winegrowers towards the use of cover crops in vineyards

Vineyards are an intensive cultivation system and expose the soil to long-lasting stress. Many vineyard areas already show high degrees of soil degradation. To prevent further soil erosion, cover crops, which have various positive effects on the environment, are highly recommended. But, depending on the climatic conditions, cover crops can reduce grape yields and are sometimes more work intensive than bare soil management. In some areas cover crops are already widespread while in others bare soil is dominant. In this qualitative study, we explore the attitudes of European winegrowers towards cover crops and determine the background for differences in the adoption of greened vineyards. Thus, we conducted focus groups with winegrowers in two different regions, namely Coteaux du Layon in France and Montilla-Moriles in Spain. In this setting, the transregional differences are mainly based on the climatic conditions but also on different business structures and knowledge levels. Direct sellers seem to be more attentive to the environment and use cover crops more often than farmers which sell their grapes to cooperatives.     

Design and analysis of an aging‐aware energy management system for islanded grids using mixed‐integer quadratic programming

The rapid increase of renewable energy sources made coordinated control of the distributed and intermittent generation units a more demanded task. Matching demand and supply is particularly challenging in islanded microgrids. In this study, we have demonstrated a mixed‐integer quadratic programming (MIQP) method to achieve efficient use of sources within an islanded microgrid. A unique objective function involving fuel consumption of diesel generator, degradation in a lithium‐ion battery energy storage system, carbon emissions, load shifting, and curtailment of the renewable sources is constructed, and an optimal operating point is pursued using the MIQP approach. A systematic and extensive methodology for building the objective function is given in a sequential and explicit manner with an emphasis on a novel model‐based battery aging formulation. Performance of the designed system and a sensitivity analysis of resulting battery dispatch, diesel generator usage, and storage aging against a range of optimization parameters are presented by considering real‐world specifications of the Semakau Island, an island in the vicinity of Singapore.     

Effect of Constant‐Rate Reduction on the Performance of a Ternary Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 Catalyst in Methanol Synthesis

A multi‐functional flow set‐up was developed for the rate‐ and temperature‐controlled reduction of copper catalysts, their application in high‐pressure methanol synthesis and the determination of the copper surface area by N₂O frontal chromatography. The influence of constant‐rate reduction on the catalytic properties of a ternary Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ catalyst was investigated. The temperature during the constant‐rate reduction was found to decrease, indicating autocatalytic kinetics, but no significant catalytic effect of the milder reduction conditions was observed compared with a slow linear heating ramp.     

Efficient Engineering and Production Concepts for Products in Regulated Environments – Dream or Nightmare?

Manufacturing of chemical‐pharmaceutical products is moving increasingly fast on a global scale. Therefore, developing and starting up production facilities fast, with high quality, and at reasonable costs has become extremely challenging. Engineering concepts like modularization, standardization and simultaneous/parallel engineering are discussed as methods for speeding up process design and filing for regulatory approval. Transfer from batch to continuous operation mode of production is pointed out as the key‐issue in such strategies.     

Die Sturzflut von Braunsbach – Ingenieuranalyse der Gebäudeschäden

The flash flood of Braunsbach – engineering analysis of the building damage At the end of May to the beginning of June, a series of extreme rainfall events occurred in the southern part of Germany, which triggered some severe flash floods with significant building damage in the affected municipalities. The devastating flash flood of May 29, 2016 in Braunsbach in the district Schwäbisch Hall in Baden‐Württemberg caused heavy structural damage to some of the approximately 130 affected buildings. The paper gives an overview of the building damages documented immediately after the event. The damages cases were classified and assessed using the evaluation system of the EDAC‐flood damage model developed at the Earthquake Damage Analysis Center (EDAC) of the Bauhaus‐Universität Weimar. The analysis illustrates the particularities of the damage patterns due to flash floods compared to conventional river floods.