(S)-Reutericyclin: Susceptibility Testing and In Vivo Effect on Murine Fecal Microbiome and Volatile Organic Compounds

We aimed to assess the in vitro antimicrobial activity and the in vivo effect on the murine fecal microbiome and volatile organic compound (VOC) profile of (S)-reutericyclin. The antimicrobial activity of (S)-reutericyclin was tested against Clostridium difficile, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus (S.) epidermidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Propionibacterium acnes. Reutericyclin or water were gavage fed to male BALBc mice for 7 weeks. Thereafter stool samples underwent 16S based microbiome analysis and VOC analysis by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). (S)-reutericyclin inhibited growth of S. epidermidis only. Oral (S)-reutericyclin treatment caused a trend towards reduced alpha diversity. Beta diversity was significantly influenced by reutericyclin. Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) analysis showed an increase of Streptococcus and Muribaculum as well as a decrease of butyrate producing Ruminoclostridium, Roseburia and Eubacterium in the reutericyclin group. VOC analysis revealed significant increases of pentane and heptane and decreases of 2,3-butanedione and 2-heptanone in reutericyclin animals. The antimicrobial activity of (S)-reutericyclin differs from reports of (R)-reutericyclin with inhibitory effects on a multitude of Gram-positive bacteria reported in the literature. In vivo (S)-reutericyclin treatment led to a microbiome shift towards dysbiosis and distinct alterations of the fecal VOC profile.     

De Novo Missense Mutations in TNNC1 and TNNI3 Causing Severe Infantile Cardiomyopathy Affect Myofilament Structure and Function and Are Modulated by Troponin Targeting Agents

Rare pediatric non-compaction and restrictive cardiomyopathy are usually associated with a rapid and severe disease progression. While the non-compaction phenotype is characterized by structural defects and is correlated with systolic dysfunction, the restrictive phenotype exhibits diastolic dysfunction. The molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Target genes encode among others, the cardiac troponin subunits forming the main regulatory protein complex of the thin filament for muscle contraction. Here, we compare the molecular effects of two infantile de novo point mutations in TNNC1 (p.cTnC-G34S) and TNNI3 (p.cTnI-D127Y) leading to severe non-compaction and restrictive phenotypes, respectively. We used skinned cardiomyocytes, skinned fibers, and reconstituted thin filaments to measure the impact of the mutations on contractile function. We investigated the interaction of these troponin variants with actin and their inter-subunit interactions, as well as the structural integrity of reconstituted thin filaments. Both mutations exhibited similar functional and structural impairments, though the patients developed different phenotypes. Furthermore, the protein quality control system was affected, as shown for TnC-G34S using patient’s myocardial tissue samples. The two troponin targeting agents levosimendan and green tea extract (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCg) stabilized the structural integrity of reconstituted thin filaments and ameliorated contractile function in vitro in some, but not all, aspects to a similar degree for both mutations.     

Monitoring and Improving the Reliability of Plasma Spray Processes

Monitoring and improving of process reliability are prevalent issues in thermal spray technology. They are intended to accomplish specific quality characteristics by controlling the process. For this, implicit approaches are in demand to rapidly conclude on relevant coating properties, i.e., they are not directly measured, but it is assumed that the monitored variables are in fact suggestive for them. Such monitoring can be performed in situ (during the running process) instead of measuring coating characteristics explicitly (directly) and ex situ (after the process). Implicit approaches can be based on extrinsic variables (set from outside) as well as on intrinsic parameters (internal, not directly adjustable) having specific advantages and disadvantages, each. In this work, the effects of atmospheric plasma spray process variables are systemized in process schemes. On this basis, different approaches to contribute to improved process reliability are described and assessed paying particular attention to in-flight particle diagnostics. Finally, a new test applying spray bead analysis is introduced and first results are presented.     

Synthesis of peptides onto the surface of poly(ethylene terephthalate) particle track membranes

In this article, we describe the synthesis of polypeptides onto the whole specific surface of poly(ethylene terephthalate) particle track membranes. In this case, initial functionalization is necessary. It had been done by an optimized surface oxidation in accordance with the method of Marchant‐Brynaert, J.; Deldime, M.; Dupont, I.; Dewez, J.‐L.; Schneider, Y.‐J. (J Colloid Interface Sci 1995, 173, 236). Subsequent activation with carbodiimide and reaction with multifunctional amines yielded an aminated surface. The synthesis of peptides was carried out by two different means: first, by the coupling of single amino acids analogous to the method of Merrifield, and second, by coupling of presynthesized polypeptides consisting of 18 helix‐forming amino acids. Analytical characterization was carried out by fluorescence spectroscopy by using the label Fluram® and confirmed by the results of X‐ray photoelectron (XP) spectroscopy. Only the stepwise synthesis led to a dense surface functionalization with peptides, whereas the coupling of fragments resulted in lower yields of coupling. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 1669–1674, 1999     

Homogenization and crystallization of histidine ammonia-lyase by exchange of a surface cysteine residue

Histidase (histidine ammonia-lyase, EC 4.3.1.3) from Pseudomonasputida was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. In theabsence of thiols the tetrameric enzyme gave rise to undefinedaggregates and suitable crystals could not be obtained. Thesolvent accessibility along the chain was predicted from theamino acid sequence. Among the seven cysteines, only one waslabeled as `solvent-exposed'. The exchange of this cysteineto alanine abolished all undefined aggregations and yieldedreadily crystals diffracting to 1.8 Å resolution.     

Satellite-derived irradiance statistics for Africa

Hourly images registered by the Meteosat satellite are used to derive the global irradiance at ground level. Keeping almost the full spatial information of the original images, maps of irradiance characteristics for Africa are derived with a resolution of approx. 10 × 10 km². Monthly irradiance conditions are characterized by means and standard deviations of daily sums and the irradiance of specific daytime hours. The data also allow for the extraction of irradiance time series for specific sites. In addition, the analysis of the spatial structure of the satellite-derived irradiance fields is used to identify regions in which the radiation characteristics call for special attention.     

Consumption of fish from a contaminated lake strongly affects the concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and hexabromocyclododecane in serum

Very high concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) have been reported in fish from Lake Mj?sa in Norway. This study was performed to examine the serum concentrations of PBDE and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in consumers of fish from this lake and to investigate possible relationships between serum concentrations, self-reported fish intake and calculated total dietary PBDE exposure. Serum concentrations of the sum of the seven PBDE (BDE-28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154 and 183) were significantly higher than those of a reference group of Norwegians eating only food with background levels of contamination (medians: 18 ng/g lipids men, 8.4 ng/g lipids women). The median dietary intake of Sum 7 PBDE was 2549 ng/day (30 ng/kg body weight/day), the highest dietary intake of PBDE reported. The contribution from fish caught from the contaminated lake comprised 98.7% of the total dietary exposure. For men, serum levels of PBDE were strongly correlated with the calculated dietary exposure, except for BDE-209. This suggests that sources other than the diet are important for human BDE-209 exposure. The median serum HBCD concentration was 4.1 and 2.6 ng/g lipids for men and women, respectively, and was also found to be associated with consumption of fish from Lake Mj?sa.     

Meteorological wind energy potential in the Alps using ERA40 and wind measurement sites in the Tyrolean Alps

The peculiarities of meteorological wind potential in alpine settings compared to flatland and offshore sites are studied. Four data sources are used: Global reanalysis ERA40 from ECMWF, long‐term stations in the Tyrolean Alps, spatially dense measurements near the best site and Doppler sodar wind profiles. Due to the decrease of density with height, alpine sites suffer from a nearly linear decrease of harvestable power with altitude, which is more than offset by the increase of wind speed at altitudes above 1.5 km MSL. ERA40 data show higher potential on the northern than on the southern side of the Alps. The best locations are not isolated peaks but ridges within wide orographic channels. The best potential sites in the Tyrolean part of the Alps have median wind speeds of up to 7.1 m s^?1 and extractable potentials between 2900 and 1600 kWh per year and per square meter of rotor area. The profile of horizontal wind speed at ridge sites is often not logarithmic but approximately constant within the height of a wind turbine due to a (nearly) complete absence of upwind fetch. Also, the turbulence intensity is independent of height. Icing can cause considerable downtimes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An Improved On-Wafer Measurement Method for PHEMT Modeling for Millimeter Wave Application

An improved on-wafer measurement method by using coaxial calibration instead of on-wafer calibration for PHEMT modeling is proposed in this paper. The advantage is that S-parameters of PHEMT device can be measured on wafer without impedance standard substrate (ISS) after the S-parameters of the microprobes have been determined. Excellent agreement is obtained between on-wafer calibration measurement and coaxial calibration measurements, respectively.