Posture variation among office workers when using different information and communication technologies at work and away from work

Office workers perform tasks using different information and communication technologies (ICT) involving various postures. Adequate variation in postures and muscle activity is generally believed to protect against musculoskeletal complaints, but insufficient information exists regarding the effect on postural variation of using different ICT. Thus, this study among office workers aimed to determine and compare postures and postural variation associated with using distinct types of ICT. Upper arm, head and trunk postures of 24 office workers were measured with the Physiometer® over a whole day in their natural work and away-from-work environments. Postural variation was quantified using two indices: APDF_(90-10) and EVA_(sd). Various ICT had different postural means and variation. Paper-based tasks had more non-neutral, yet also more variable postures. Electronics-based tasks had more neutral postures, with less postural variability. Tasks simultaneously using paper- and electronics-based ICT had least neutral and least variable postures. Tasks without ICT usually had the most posture variability. Interspersing tasks involving different ICT could increase overall exposure variation among office workers and may thus contribute to musculoskeletal risk reduction.     

Crystallization of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) by exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets

Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) has been shown to be efficiently nucleated by exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGnP). The nucleating effect of xGnP was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry, optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Nonisothermal crystallization of PHB from the melt required lower activation energies for PHB containing 1 wt % and 3 wt % xGnP (?214 and ?102 kJ/mol respectively) than for pure PHB (?60 kJ/mol). A kinetic study of the PHB/xGnP crystallization employing a modified form of the Avrami equation revealed that the presence of xGnP increased the PHB crystallization temperature, as well as the crystallization rates, and generated smaller and more numerous spherulites. Optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy confirmed the incorporation of xGnP into the lamellar structure of the PHB spherulites and provided insight into the influence of xGnP on spherulite size and lamellae thickness. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007     

玄武岩纤维表面处理及其复合材料界面改性研究

为改善玄武岩纤维的织造性能及其复合材料的界面性能，本文采用表面偶联剂结合乳液型浆料上浆的方法对纤维进行表面处理，研究表明，采用乳液型浆料处理后，玄武岩纤维的织造性能得到显著改善，在上浆处理前对纤维进行表面偶联剂处理，可使玄武岩纤维／环氧复合材料的界面性能得到明显提高，从而实现了纤维织造性能与复合材料界面力学性能的共同改善。     

Synthesis and properties of polyimides derived from cis- and trans-1,2,3,4-cyclohexanetetracarboxylic dianhydrides

Cis-1,2,3,4-cyclohexanetetracarboxylic dianhydride (cis-1,2,3,4-CHDA) was synthesized. It was found that under such conditions as heating or boiling in acetic anhydride, cis-1,2,3,4-CHDA could be converted to its trans-isomer. The process of thermal isomerization was monitored by ¹H NMR spectra and the mechanism of conversion was proposed. Their absolute structures of cis- and trans-1,2,3,4-CHDAs were elucidated by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The polycondensations of cis- and trans-1,2,3,4-CHDAs with aromatic diamines such as 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA), 4,4′-methylenedianiline (MDA), 4,4′-diamino-3,3′-dimethyldiphenylmethane (DMMDA), 4,4′-bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene (TPEQ), 2,2-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]propane (BAPP) were studied. It is easy to obtain higher molecular weight polyimides from trans-1,2,3,4-CHDA using conventional one-step or two-step methods. However, higher molecular weight polyimides derived from cis-1,2,3,4-CHDA could not be prepared by the usual methods (solid content ca. 10%) owing to the trend of forming cyclic oligomers. Increasing the concentration of monomers could give higher molecular weight cis-polymers. All of the cis-polyimides were soluble at room temperature in aprotic polar solvents and phenolic solvents and some of them even soluble in chloroform and tetrahydrofuran, while the corresponding trans-polymers showed poor solubility as compared to cis-polymers. All of the polyimides showed good thermal stability with the 5% weight loss temperatures in air over 415 °C. Furthermore, polyimides derived from cis-1,2,3,4-CHDA have higher glass transition temperatures (T_gs) than corresponding trans-polyimides. The flexible polyimide films possessed a tensile modulus range of 2.1-3.6 GPa, a tensile strength range of 42-116 MPa, an elongation at break of 4-18%. These polyimides exhibited cutoffs at wavelengths around 270 nm and were entirely colorless. All the polyimides showed amorphous pattern according to Wide angle X-ray diffraction measurements. The differences of polymerization and properties were explained by the structural changes resulted from isomerism.     

Fatty acid selectivity of lipases: Erucic acid from rapeseed oil

The fatty acid selectivity of several commercial lipases was evaluated in the hydrolysis of high-erucic acid rapeseed oil (HEARO). The lipase ofPseudomonas cepacia catalyzed virtually complete hydrolysis of the oil (94–97%), while that ofGeotrichum candidum discriminated strongly against erucic acid, especially in esterification. A two-step process is suggested for obtaining a highly enriched erucic acid in which theG. candidum lipase is employed to selectively esterify the fatty acid residues of unsaturated C-18, and shorter chain acids, from a mixture of HEARO fatty acids obtained from total hydrolysis of the oil withP. cepacia lipase.     

β-Sialon-Al2 O3-SiC系复相材料的研制和性能

研究了在 15 0 0℃的流动氮气中 ,用Al粉、Si粉、Al2 O3粉、刚玉和SiC的颗粒及细粉直接制备 β Sialon -Al2 O3-SiC系复相材料的氮化烧结技术。XRD和SEM分析表明 ,结合相 β Sialon的显微形貌随刚玉量的增加由纤维状向棱柱状转变 ,发育良好。复相材料的高温抗折强度高于常温抗折强度。抗热震试验结果显示 :添加适量的刚玉对β Sialon -SiC复相材料和添加适量的SiC对β Sialon -刚玉 复相材料都具有良好的增韧效果 ,这是β Sialon的纤维增强及柱状晶体原位自补强增韧和复合弥散相增韧综合作用的结果。抗碱和抗高炉渣试验均显示了该复相材料优良的抗碱和抗铁渣侵蚀能力。     

2-羟基-3-氰甲基-5-甲基苯乙酮的合成

探索黄酮醋酸类化合物中间体的合成方法。通过酰基化、Fries重排、氯甲基化和氰化合成2 -羟基 - 3-氰甲基 - 5 -甲基苯乙酮 ,获得了满意的收率 ( 88.5 % )。采用新方法合成了鲜见文献报道的新化合物 2 -羟基 - 3-氰甲基 - 5 -甲基苯乙酮。该方法具有反应时间短、操作简便、收率好等优点。     

二-(4-羟基丁基)四甲基二硅氧烷的合成研究

采用一步法以二甲基二氯硅烷、四氢呋喃和金属镁粉为原料,在碘乙烷和单质碘催化下合成二-(4-羟基丁基)四甲基二硅氧烷。产物温合物减压过滤,以除去镁盐。滤液无需蒸馏提纯,而直接水解,干燥,减压蒸馏,收集71℃/1333Pa馏份。还探讨和优化合成条件:四氢呋喃与二甲基二氯硅烷之摩尔比应大于3.5;Grignard反应停止后应继续加热回流1小时;蒸馏时系统压力为1333Pa。     

没食子酸异戊酯的合成研究

以壳聚糖硫酸盐为催化剂，用没食子酸与异戊酸直接酯化合成了没食子酸异戊酯，用正交试验确定了酸酸物质的量比、催化剂用量、反应时间对没食子酸异戊酯收率的影响。得到了最佳工艺条件：醇酸物质的量比为10：1，催化剂用量为1．0g，反应时间为4h，没食子酸异戊酯的收率可达96．2％。实验表明，该催化剂用于合成没食子酸异戊酯具有极好的催化活性和重复使用性。     

SO_4~(2-)TiO_2固体超酸催化合成异丙基萘的研究

用SO2 - 4 TiO2 固体超酸为催化剂合成了二异丙基萘 ,生产过程简单、无污染、无腐蚀。SO2 - 4 TiO2 固体超酸催化剂较为适宜的制备条件是 :浸酸浓度为 0 5 0mol/L、焙烧温度为 5 0 0℃。在催化剂用量为 10 %、反应温度为 160℃、反应时间为 2 5h的条件下连续两次使用SO2 - 4 TiO2 超酸催化萘对丙烯的烷基化反应 ,产品中一异丙基萘、二异丙基萘、三异丙基萘的总含量大于 98%。