Volatile lactones from streptomycetes arise via the antimycin biosynthetic pathway

The volatiles released by several streptomycetes were collected by using a closed-loop stripping apparatus (CLSA) and analysed by GC-MS. The obtained headspace extracts of various species contained blastmycinone, a known degradation product of the fungicidal antibiotic, antimycin A(3b), and several unknown derivatives. The suggested structures of these compounds, based on their mass spectra and GC retention indices, were confirmed by comparison to synthetic reference samples. Additional compounds found in the headspace extracts were butenolides formed from the blastmycinones by elimination of the carboxylic acid moiety. Analysis of a gene knockout mutant in the antimycin biosynthetic gene cluster demonstrated that all blastmycinones and butenolides are formed via the antimycin biosynthetic pathway. The structural variation of the blastmycinones identified here is much larger than within the known antimycins, thus suggesting that several antimycin derivatives remain to be discovered.     

Identification of intensity ratio break points from photon arrival trajectories in ratiometric single molecule spectroscopy

We describe a statistical method to analyze dual-channel photon arrival trajectories from single molecule spectroscopy model-free to identify break points in the intensity ratio. Photons are binned with a short bin size to calculate the logarithm of the intensity ratio for each bin. Stochastic photon counting noise leads to a near-normal distribution of this logarithm and the standard student t-test is used to find statistically significant changes in this quantity. In stochastic simulations we determine the significance threshold for the t-test's p-value at a given level of confidence. We test the method's sensitivity and accuracy indicating that the analysis reliably locates break points with significant changes in the intensity ratio with little or no error in realistic trajectories with large numbers of small change points, while still identifying a large fraction of the frequent break points with small intensity changes. Based on these results we present an approach to estimate confidence intervals for the identified break point locations and recommend a bin size to choose for the analysis. The method proves powerful and reliable in the analysis of simulated and actual data of single molecule reorientation in a glassy matrix.     

An Engineering Approach for Estimating the Formation of Nitric Oxide from Fuel‐Nitrogen

Explicit approximate equations for estimating the conversion factor of fuel‐nitrogen into nitric oxide are presented. They depend on the fuel‐nitrogen mole fraction, the initial nitric oxide mole fraction, and the kinetics‐equilibrium mole fraction of nitric oxide. This last parameter expresses a limiting value of fuel‐nitrogen conversion; it includes the complex nitrogen chemistry and depends thus on combustion conditions. Experimental results demonstrate that the kinetics‐equilibrium mole fraction for fuel‐lean and high‐temperature conditions can be well estimated by the chemical‐equilibrium mole fraction, but for lower temperatures the kinetics‐equilibrium mole fraction has to be described by other correlations.     

采用新型焊接电弧提高焊接生产的经济效益和焊缝质量

通过在传统的短路过渡电弧和射流过渡电弧的基础上进行创新,发展新型的焊接电弧,可以显著地提高电弧焊接在金属连接中的优越性。两种新的焊接电弧,forceArc~杂志焊接电弧和coldArc~焊接电弧可以在一个焊接电源上实现,对焊接生产具有现实意义。了解和掌握这些新型电弧的工艺特点,可以有效地将其应用到生产中,以此提高焊接产品的质量和焊接生产的经济效益。新型焊接电弧的出现使现有的有关焊前焊接接头准备的标准和规定,特别是有关坡口角度和焊接位置,需要重新考虑。新型焊接电弧可以应用于各种金属加工工业中的焊接生产,是对弧焊工艺的一个创新。     

Produktionsintegrierter Umweltschutz – Verwertung von Reststoffen

Production-integrated environmental protection – Utilization of residues . Chemical plants as well as coal-fired powerstations utilize chemical reactions in order to produce materials or energy. Most of these reactions additionally produce gaseous, liquid, or solid residues. It is the main objective of production-integrated environmental protection to use these residues as suitable feedstocks in order to reduce environmental pollution and lower the consumption of raw materials. Several examples from the BASF Group will show how, by crossing the borders of the respective plant, reasonable solutions for material, or at least energetic, utilization of residues can be achieved. As a result of permanent efforts in production-integrated environmental protection over many years and despite increasing outputs the emissions of the chemical industry have been continuously reduced.     

In vitro and in vivo Staining Characteristics of Small,Fluorescent, Aβ42‐Binding D‐Enantiomeric Peptides in Transgenic AD Mouse Models

Plaque visualisation : We identified three different D ‐enantiomeric peptides that bind to Alzheimer's amyloid β (Aβ1‐42). As there is currently no definitive pre‐mortem diagnosis for Alzheimer's disease, we investigated the peptides' suitability as molecular probes for in vivo imaging in transgenic mouse models.

     

Discovery of Riociguat (BAY 63‐2521): A Potent,Oral Stimulator of Soluble Guanylate Cyclase for the Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension

Direct stimulation of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) represents a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of a range of diseases, including the severely disabling pulmonary hypertension (PH). Optimization of the unfavorable DMPK profile of previous sGC stimulators provided riociguat, which is currently being investigated in phase III clinical trials for the oral treatment of PH.

     

Phase decomposition upon alteration of radiation-damaged monazite-(ce) from moss, Østfold, norway

The internal textures of crystals of moderately radiation-damaged monazite-(Ce) from Moss, Norway, indicate heavy, secondary chemical alteration. In fact, the cm-sized specimens are no longer mono-mineral monazite but rather a composite consisting of monazite-(Ce) and apatite pervaded by several generations of fractures filled with sulphides and a phase rich in Th, Y, and Si. This composite is virtually a 'pseudomorph' after primary euhedral monazite crystals whose faces are still well preserved. The chemical alteration has resulted in major reworking and decomposition of the primary crystals, with potentially uncontrolled elemental changes, including extensive release of Th from the primary monazite and local redeposition of radionuclides in fracture fillings. This seems to question the general alteration-resistance of orthophosphate phases in a low-temperature, 'wet' environment, and hence their suitability as potential host ceramics for the long-term immobilisation of radioactive waste.