Lignin from Annual Plants as Raw Material Source for Flavors and Basic Chemicals

The enzymatic conversion of lignins, possibly in combination with electrochemical oxidation, makes aromatics such as syringol, guaiacol, vanillin and catechol available in the qualities required by the fragrance industry. The lignins were obtained by soda digestion from wheat straw and Miscanthus, characterized and then converted with laccases. The overall yield amounted up to 9 wt % with a product spectrum confined to four substances. Catechol was the major product, with a fraction of ≈75 %. It can easily be isolated by extraction with acetone.     

Trams-a risk factor for pedestrians

In Gothenburg tram injuries were identified to be an important cause of traffic injuries and fatalities (48%) among pedestrians. During the summer middle-aged men, often under the influence of alcohol, were often severely injured and the injury rate was also high during the autumn. A majority (60%) of those fatally injured were under the influence of alcohol. Most injury events happened at or near a tram stop. The most serious injuries arose when the victim landed under a tram. In 1992, a runaway tram caused a major disaster, killing 10 pedestrians and injuring 30. The injury reducing measures the tram company has now started to introduce include safety railings at tram stops, side barriers on the tramcars to prevent people from falling under the tram and lower speeds near tram stops.     

Acceptability of genetically modified cheese presented as real product alternative

European consumers, in general, have negative attitudes towards the use of gene technology in food production. The objective of this study was to examine whether taste and health benefits influence the acceptability of genetically modified (gm) products when they are presented as real product alternatives. Consumers in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden (n=738) assessed two cheeses: one was labelled as genetically modified (preferred in an earlier product test) and the other as conventional (neutral in an earlier product test). A smaller control group received two cheeses with blind codes. Labelling decreased consumers' intentions to buy the originally preferred gm-labelled cheese, but still the intentions were at the same level with the conventionally labelled option. Participants chose two gm cheeses out of five possible when given the option to take cheese home after tasting. Intentions to buy gm cheese could best be explained by respondents' attitudes towards gene technology and perceived taste benefits. General health interest was also a reinforcer of intentions for gm cheese with reduced fat content.     

Effect of Carbon Content on Variant Pairing in Bainitic Low Alloy Steel

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - Variant pairing in bainite was evaluated in four different commercial low alloy steels with medium to high carbon content. The steels investigated were...     

„E-Mail made in Germany“

Das Projekt ?E-Mail made in Germany“ wurde als Reaktion auf die Enthüllungen von Edward Snowden initiiert. Es ist das erklärte Ziel, den E-Mail-Nutzern in Deutschland einen hohen Sicherheits- und Datenschutzstandard anzubieten. Das Produkt wurde mit einer breit angelegten Werbekampagne beworben. Im Mittelpunkt der Kampagne stand ein 30sekündiger TV-Spot, der auf die Notwendigkeit von sicherer E-Mail-Kommunikation eingeht. Kritiker bemängeln jedoch, dass dabei ein falsches Sicherheitsverständnis von ?E-Mail made in Germany“ vermittelt wird. Dieser Kritik wurde mit einer Laborstudie nachgegangen.     

The Formation of Calcified Nanospherites during Micropetrosis Represents a Unique Mineralization Mechanism in Aged Human Bone

Osteocytes—the central regulators of bone remodeling—are enclosed in a network of microcavities (lacunae) and nanocanals (canaliculi) pervading the mineralized bone. In a hitherto obscure process related to aging and disease, local plugs in the lacuno‐canalicular network disrupt cellular communication and impede bone homeostasis. By utilizing a suite of high‐resolution imaging and physics‐based techniques, it is shown here that the local plugs develop by accumulation and fusion of calcified nanospherites in lacunae and canaliculi (micropetrosis). Two distinctive nanospherites phenotypes are found to originate from different osteocytic elements. A substantial deviation in the spherites' composition in comparison to mineralized bone further suggests a mineralization process unlike regular bone mineralization. Clearly, mineralization of osteocyte lacunae qualifies as a strong marker for degrading bone material quality in skeletal aging. The understanding of micropetrosis may guide future therapeutics toward preserving osteocyte viability to maintain mechanical competence and fracture resistance of bone in elderly individuals.