Evaluation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) as a measure of cell wall degradation during enzymatic treatment of microalgae

The feasibility of using Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) measurements as a means to assess the efficacy of an enzyme-assisted pretreatment on the recovery of lipids from microalgae was investigated. Attention was focused on Nannochloropsis sp., a marine microalga of great biotechnological interest for its ability to accumulate large amounts of lipids and other valuable compounds. The enzymatic pretreatment was carried out using two commercial enzyme preparations, one (CEL) rich in cellulase and the other (GMA) rich in galactomannase. Experiments were performed according to a fractional two-level factorial design. The factors studied were temperature (15–75 °C), pH (2–8), pretreatment time (30–270 min), CEL dosage (0–20mg/g) and GMA dosage (0–2 mg/g). DOC was determined by a TOC analyzer and used as the response variable. Under the experimental design conditions, temperature, pH, pretreatment time and CEL dosage were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05), with the former factor being the most influential. No significant interactions were observed between the main factors, indicating that each of them exerted its effect independently of the others. A good correlation was also found between the measured DOC values and the yields of lipid extraction from the enzymatically treated biomass, demonstrating that DOC measurements can be used to quantify the enzyme-induced degradation of algal cell walls

Research on the combination of water and membranes as a structural building material

p. 3024-3033The aim of this paper is to investigate the combination of water and membranes for temporary architectural applications. Water as a construction material, can be useful for three different purposes: first of all, thanks to its thermal mass, it can be used as a medium for cooling down or heating up buildings (Pronk et al [6]); secondly water is uncompressible and, in combination with air, can be used as part of a structural element; thirdly the mass of water could work as a sound barrier so it can be used as sound insulation material (Rodrigues and Coutinho [7]). This paper shows the result of the structural behaviour. There is another paper about sound insulation properties of water. The research in both structural and sound insulation fields was carried out in the laboratories of Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The prototype is a "waterbeam" of 2 m span. Starting from the Tensairity(R) technology principle (Luchsinger et al [8]) developed by Airlight, the purpose of this experiment is to replace the iron struts with a second membrane chamber filled with water. Water works well in compression and air prevents buckling. The result is a rigid structural element made by non-rigid material (water, air, membranes and cables) with a significant reduction of weight and cost of transportation compared to the traditional iron beam but also compared with the Tensairity(R) system. Different bending tests were carried out. In each test, the two chambers of the beam were filled with air or water to understand the material behaviour.The comparison between the results shows that water works slightly better than air (stiffness increase of a range of 8-13% in the elements filled with water). Water application in architecture showed promising results. Further investigation (pure compression tests on columns, multiple layers sound barrier) should be carried out. These results could give architects new design opportunities and solutions concerning temporary buildings and moveable architecture. Moreover the company and building construction industry could develop innovative structural elements and new insulation components.Pronk, A.; Maffei, R.; Martin, H. (2009). Research on the combination of water and membranes as a structural building material. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/670

Research on the combination of water and membranes as sound insulation building material

p. 3034-3040This research concerns a 200 mm thick panel filled with water. The airborne sound insulation of this panel was measured in accordance with standard ISO 140-3 [2]. Results show that the single number rating for the airborne sound insulation Rw [3] for an average water layer thickness of 200 mm is 48 dB. This value is comparable to the one of a 150 mm brick wall or 100 mm concrete panel. Predictions about sound insulation of the same system at different thickness and possible applications such as highway sound barrier or construction site sound barrier are presented in the following pagePronk, A.; Maffei, R.; Martin, H. (2009). Research on the combination of water and membranes as sound insulation building material. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/670

Engineering and fabrication of the “Off the Cuff” pavilion, Fuorisalone 2017, Milan

The paper presents the engineering and fabrication of the “Off The Cuff” pavilion designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro for the exhibition “A Matter of Perception: LINKING MINDS” organised by DAMNº and Mosca Partners at Palazzo Litta for the FuoriSalone2017. The roof canopy is composed of 300 pairs of jeans. DS+R deploys the jeans as ready-mades, intentionally misusing and translating them from the context of the human body into an architectural module. The design exploits the implicit structural logic of the jeans connecting them waist-to-waist and cuff-to-cuff to create a tensile, catenary diagrid that spans the open space of the courtyard. The net gives the impression of a body imprinted in space, but one also defamiliarised by repetition. As an architectural figure, the net springs across the courtyard, describing a collective ethos; as a series of modular parts, the jeans point to the individual human dimension. A contemporary folly in the bracketed context of monumental classicism, the canopy stitches together two vital scales of urban life. The authors, with Maco Technology srl as main contractor and the University of Nottingham as structural consultant, worked as project managers for the pavilion supporting DS+R from the progressive development of the initial idea to the fabrication and installation of the pavilion. The activity here presented included the refining the preliminary engineering design done by Thornton Tomasetti and the selection of the suppliers

Retrofitting of ETFE roofs

ETFE is one of the most stable chemical compounds and its films are largely employed in the building industry due to the very good long-term stability, resistance to soiling and high light transmittance. The mechanical strength is relatively good, especially considering that the material is not reinforced by a woven support, and make ETFE foils suitable for load bearing envelopes characterised by small spans or supported by cables [1]. ETFE foils are traditionally used for multilayer pneumatic cushions, however, in recent projects the application of single skin ETFE foils has been successfully investigated. This innovative application opens new areas of interest in the area of the building envelope, such as a protective secondary facade. In addition, the growing demand for reducing the heating\cooling costs has recently increased the demand for ETFE foils with pigments or surface treatments able to improve the environmental performance of lightweight envelopes based on ETFE foils [2]. This research paper describes the thermal performance of an existing ETFE roof in Verona and the subsequent retrofitting of the structure in order to meet the targets of solar shading specified by the client. The paper includes the data obtained through the monitoring of the structure before and after the installation of a new set of cushions manufactured with a bespoke silver ETFE designed in order to reduce the solar gains and improve the overall level of comfort during the warm season

Design and manufacturing of the Linko demountable fabric pavilion for the motorsport sector

This paper offers a detailed overview of the design and manufacturing aspects faced during the design and construction of the temporary pavilion for Linko Resources Ltd. The pavilion has been designed for the motorsport season 2015 and is based on bent aluminium profiles, designed to minimize the weight of the structures, and a double membranes skin realized through a PU coated Polyester fabric (waterproof layer) and a PVC coated polyester open mesh fabric (solar radiation control). The first section of the paper describes the requirements of the client, the architectural design and the structural design of the components. The second section presents the materials used, the connections and the optimization of the packaging in order to minimize the transportations volumes

Design tools for inflatable structures

This paper shows different tools and approaches that can be useful for the definition of the design of pneumatic structures. Some of these tools have been applied for the design of a Tensairity® hull

Enhanced lipid extraction from unbroken microalgal cells using enzymes

The marine microalga Nannochloropsis sp. was chosen as a model organism to investigate the feasibility of using cell wall-degrading enzymes to enhance the recovery of intracellular lipids. An enzyme cocktail containing galactomannanase, 1,4-β-cellobiosidase and β-glucosidase as main components was prepared from commercial enzyme preparations. The effects of pretreatment time (P), enzyme dosage (D), pH and temperature (T) on the amount of extracted lipids were investigated using response surface methodology. Under the best conditions (P = 90 min, D = 1.3 mg g–1, pH = 5, T = 36°C) over 70% of the lipids present in the microalga were recovered. SEM and TEM characterization of enzyme-treated microalgae showed extensive cell damage with significant disruption of the cell wall and release of algal material. Overall, the results of this study strongly support the use of commercial enzyme preparations to improve lipid recovery from microalgae and provide useful information on the influence of process conditions on the treatment efficiency

Pneumatic membranes for biogas plants

The biogas sector had a rapid development in the last decade with several new industrial plants realized all over Europe and Worldwide. The intrinsic efficiency of membrane structures [1] provided a cost effective solution to cover digesters, bio-filters, lagoons and gas holders through different concepts such as floating membranes, anticlastic geometries and pneumatic structures. However, after less than ten years of use, the structures show several critical aspects, generally related to the premature corrosion of the membrane, the failure of the joints and the overload due to strong winds and heavy snowfalls. This paper presents a review of the main structural solutions based on a pneumatic concept such as air-halls, pneumatic beams and floating roofs. The description will be supported by case studies of each type of structure including air-halls for digesters and bio-filters, Tensairity® and pneumatic beams for long span roofs, floating roofs for large lagoons. For each case study the authors will present data and examples related to the design, manufacturing and installation of the membrane and the issues related to the rapid degradation of the performance of the structure due to the extreme corrosive environment based on high temperatures and high concentration of corrosive chemicals. Finally, the paper will offer a review of the current precautions and solutions to reduces the risks of failures and to improve the expected lifespan of the structures

Targeting neoplastic B cells and harnessing microenvironment: the “double face” of ibrutinib and idelalisib

Relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not suitable for high dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has a dismal prognosis and no standard therapy. We designed an Italian multicenter retrospective study aimed at evaluating the safety and efficacy of rituximab plus bendamustine (R–B) as salvage treatment in patients not eligible for ASCT because of age and/or comorbidity or in patients with post-ASCT recurrence. Fifty-five patients with a median age of 76 years were included. The overall response rate was 50%, including 28% complete remission and 22% partial remission. The median overall survival (OS) was 10.8 months. The median progression free survival (PFS) was 8.8 months. Eleven patients are still alive and in complete remission at last follow-up (12–71 months). Toxicity was moderate, mainly grades 1 and 2. R–B showed promising efficacy results with an acceptable toxicity profile and should be further investigated, possibly in combination with novel drugs