Engineering a heavy atom derivative for the X-ray structure analysis of cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase

Based on a preliminary structural model of cyclodextrin glycosyltransferasefrom Bacillus circulans (EC 2.4.1.19 [EC] ), Ser428 and Ser475 ofthe enzyme were mutated to cysteines in order to produce suitableheavy atom derivatives. Mutant Ser475 - Cys could not be expressedas protein. Mutant Ser428 - Cys was expressed in Escherichiacoli and purified. It crystallized isomorphously and gave riseto a mercury derivative that improved the electron density map.The structural results show that the new mercury-binding siteis in a pocket at the protein surface.     

Stereoisomere aromastoffe

Zusammenfassung Die optische Reinheit des Aromastoffs 1-Octen-3-ol in Champignons und Pfifferlingen und der chiralen Fruchtester Essigsäure-(Buttersäu-re)-Petan-2-ylester, Essigsäure-(Buttersäure)-heptan-tan2-ylester und Hexansäure-pentan-2-ylester in Bananen wird untersucht. Über das Vorkommen der chiralen Lactone -Octa-, -Deca- bzw. -Dodecalacton in Kokosnüssen wird berichtet. Die Bedeutung der Chiralität als Beurteilungskriterium natürlicher Aromastoffe wird diskutiert.

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Stereoisomeric flavour compounds.XXI. Chiral aroma compounds in foods

Summary The optical purity of 1-octen-3-ol in mushrooms and the chiral esters of pentan-2-ol, heptan-2-ol with acetic acid, butyric acid and hexanoic acid in bananas is investigated. The analysis of the chiral lactones -octa-, -deca-, and -dodecalactone in coconuts is also reported and the importance of chirality with respect to the identification of natural aroma compounds is discussed.

     

In Situ Tensile Measurements of Single Fibers by Scanning Electron Microscopy

A newly developed tensile module allows tensile experiments of single fibers to be carried out under visual observation in the scanning electron microscope. This allows correlation of measured data with observed changes in the microstructure, such as surface irregularities and crack formation. With point heating, the thermal behavior of the fibers may be studied up to 2500°C. The results are presented with tensile elongation recordings and micrograph sequences of the structural changes. Carbon fibers with and without an aluminum coating were selected as testing specimens.     

Lyso platelet activating factor (LysoPAF) and its enantiomer. Total synthesis and carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy

Described is a reaction sequence for the total synthesis of lyso platelet activating factor (lysoPAF; 1-O-alkyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and its enantiomer. The procedure is versatile and yields optically pure isomers of defined chain length. The synthesis is equally suited for the preparation of lysoPAF analogues and its enantiomers with unsaturation in the long aliphatic chain. First,rac-1(3)-O-alkylglycerol is prepared by alkylation ofrac-isopropylideneglycerol with alkyl methanesulfonate followed by acid-catalyzed removal of the ketal group. The primary hydroxy group of alkylglycerol is then protected by tritylation, the secondary hydroxy group is acylated, and the protective trityl group is removed under mild acidic conditions with boric acid on silicic acid, essentially without acyl migration. Condensation of the diradylglycerol with bromoethyl dichlorophosphate in diethyl ether, hydrolysis of the resulting chloride, and nucleophilic displacement of the bromine with trimethylamine givesrac-1-O-alkyl-2-acylglycero-3-phosphocholine in good overall yield. The racemic alkylacylglycerophosphocholine is finally treated with snake venom phospholipase A₂ (Ophiophagus hannah) which affords 1-O-alkyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (lysoPAF) of natural configuration in optically pure form. The “unnatural” 3-O-alkyl-2-O-acyl-sn-glycerol-1-phosphocholine enantiomer, which is not susceptible to phospholipase A₂ cleavage, gives 3-O-alkyl-sn-glycero-1-phosphocholine upon deacylation with methanolic sodium hydroxide. Homogeneity and structure of the intermediates and final products were ascertained by carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy on monomeric solutions.     

轴流风机叶尖泄漏流动的大涡模拟（英文）

本文采用大涡模拟(LES)的方法研究了在基于外壳直径的雷诺数为9.36×105条件下5叶片的轴流式风扇的流动特性,并且着重分析了叶尖泄漏的流动现象。本文使用了基于有限体积法和分层笛卡尔网格的可压流求解器进行数值计算,并应用了体积守恒的切割网格方法处理风扇几何结构的浸入式边界。同时开发了用于笛卡尔网格的旋转周期性边界条件,这样只需分析由2.5亿网格构造的包含一片叶片的72°区域。该研究首先对网格质量进行了分析,之后讨论了瞬态和时均流场的特性,并与使用RANS的5叶片模拟结果进行了对比。RANS和LES模拟结果的主要不同之处体现在叶尖泄漏涡尾流中的湍流动能。本文进而研究了叶尖间隙对叶尖泄漏涡的影响。研究表明,间隙的大小会影响叶尖泄漏涡的大小形状。此外,间隙中更多的分离现象和反向旋转涡会导致较低的湍流动能。     

Photo-vulcanization using thiol-ene chemistry: Film formation,morphology and network characteristics of UV crosslinked rubber latices

The photo-vulcanization with versatile thiol-ene chemistry represents an innovative approach to crosslink diene-rubber materials both in latex and in solid film state. In this work, the structure of elastomer-based thiol-ene networks and the morphology after film formation are studied in detail using electron microscopic techniques, atomic force microscopy and multiple-quantum solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Additionally, film formation properties and corresponding macroscopic properties of photo-vulcanized natural rubber (NR) latex and its synthetic counterpart, isoprene rubber (IR) latex, are determined in dependence on the curing procedure (pre- and post-vulcanization). The results reveal that thiol-ene cured elastomers comprise homogenously distributed crosslinks with a low amount of short chain defects. Whilst photochemically pre-cured NR latex particles provide coherent films, the film formation and mechanical properties of IR are strongly governed by the crosslink density of the latex particles. In film state, photo-vulcanization promotes narrow crosslink distributions and excellent tensile properties of both NR and IR.     

Lignin Impact on Fibre Degradation: 1—Quinone Methide Intermediates Formedfrom Lignin DuringIn VitroFermentation ofCorn Stover*

Experiments were conducted to determine whether formation of quinone methide intermediates from lignin occurs during ruminal fermentation of corn stover, as indicated by nucleophilic addition reaction with sulphur-containing reducing agents. Corn stover leaf and stem fractions harvested at full maturity were incubated in buffered ruminal fluid without reducing agents or with (NH₄)₂SO₄ (S-control), Na₂S.9H₂O, cysteine-HCl (cysHCl), or cysHCl plus Na₂S.9H₂O; and in only buffer with or without cysHCl plus Na₂S.9H₂O. Mixed reducing agents (cysHCl plus Na₂S.9H₂O) enhanced ( P< 0.001) in vitro fibre degradation after 48 h, tended to increase solubilisation of fibre ( P =0.07) and dry matter ( P =0.06) in buffer alone, and elevated ( P< 0.001) S-content of residual fibre. In vitro incorporation of S into the undegraded fibre was determined for corn stover fractions of varying lignin compositions that were harvested at two maturities (early dent and full maturity) in 2 years. Extent of fibre degradation was correlated with extent of S-incorporation ( r =-0.54, P< 0.001), and with lignin methoxyl content ( r =-0.84, P< 0.001). The negative association of lignin methoxyl content with digestibility is explained by the relative likelihood of quinone methide intermediate formation from guaiacyl and syringyl units in lignin.