Newly Isolated Animal Pathogen Corynebacterium silvaticum Is Cytotoxic to Human Epithelial Cells

Corynebacterium silvaticum is a newly identified animal pathogen of forest animals such as roe deer and wild boars. The species is closely related to the emerging human pathogen Corynebacterium ulcerans and the widely distributed animal pathogen Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. In this study, Corynebacterium silvaticum strain W25 was characterized with respect to its interaction with human cell lines. Microscopy, measurement of transepithelial electric resistance and cytotoxicity assays revealed detrimental effects of C. silvaticum to different human epithelial cell lines and to an invertebrate animal model, Galleria mellonella larvae, comparable to diphtheria toxin-secreting C. ulcerans. Furthermore, the results obtained may indicate a considerable zoonotic potential of this newly identified species.     

The Nexus of Corporate Entrepreneurship and Radical Innovation

This paper explores the linkage between the entrepreneurial orientation of established firms and the development of radical innovation. Through five case studies in firms involved in radical innovation, three propositions are developed, suggesting that proactiveness, risk‐taking and autonomy stimulate the development of radical innovation, whereas competitive aggressiveness does not necessarily do so, as radical innovations are directed towards the creation of entirely new arenas of business, where existing competitors are not present.     

Atomistic simulations of grain boundary migration in copper

While the motion of twist boundaries can be readily studied by atomistic simulations with molecular dynamics (MD) under the action of an elastic driving force, the approach fails for tilt boundaries. This is due to the interaction of the elastic stress with the grain boundary (GB) structure, which causes plastic strain by GB sliding. A novel concept, the orientation correlated driving force, is introduced to circumvent this problem. It is shown that this concept can be successfully applied to the study of the migration of tilt boundaries. The migration behavior of several twist and tilt GBs was investigated. The transition from low-to high-angle boundaries can be captured, and a structural transition of tilt boundaries was found at high temperatures, which also affected the migration behavior. The results compare well with experimental results of the motion high-angle boundaries, but for low-angle boundaries, the agreement is poor. This article is based on a presentation made in the “Hillert Symposium on Thermodynamics & Kinetics of Migrating Interfaces in Steels and Other Complex Alloys,” December 2–3, 2004, organized by The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden.     

Sensor guided handling and assembly of active micro-systems

Positioning accuracies in the range of a few micrometers and below are necessary for the assembly of active micro-systems. In order to reach these accuracies, an assembly system for sensor guided micro-assembly is developed in the Collaborative Research Centre 516 “Design and manufacturing of active micro-systems”. The combination of a parallel robot with an integrated 3D vision sensor and a micro-gripper enables to reach relative positioning accuracies below 1 μm.     

Surfactant replacement therapy in acute respiratory distress syndrome from viral pneumonia

A modified natural surfactant was administered to a patient with life-threatening adult respiratory distress syndrome caused by viral pneumonia. Subsequently, there was a marked improvement in gas exchange. In order to assess the mechanism for improved oxygenation, computed tomography of the lungs was done. Quantitative analysis of the scans taken before and after surfactant administration indicates that improvement in gas exchange was largely due to the expansion of underinflated and collapsed lung areas. Although this is a single case report, it provides insight into the possible beneficial effect of instilled surfactant in severe respiratory distress from viral pneumonia.     

Growth Stresses in the Oxide Scales on TiAl Alloys at 800 and 900°C

In the oxidation of TiAl alloys, the role of scale-growth stresses formed during oxidation has, thus far, been unknown. In the present paper the oxide-growth stresses were investigated by the deflection-test method in monofacial oxidation (DTMO) accompanied by acoustic-emission measurements. On unmodified surfaces the growth stresses are compressive and reach levels of around –100 MPa. At the same time, significant acoustic emission occurs indicating that even under isothermal conditions, stresses are relieved by a scale-cracking mechanism. For oxide scales on TiAl surfaces, which had been ion implanted with chlorine before oxidation, a very thin protective alumina layer is formed which, however, develops growth stresses in the range of several GPa, accompanied by intensive acoustic emission. In all stress–time curves, a dynamic situation is observed. This consists of phases of stress relief by scale microcracking and phases of stresses increase due to crack healing and further oxide growth. As a result, the level of stress as a function of oxidation time, is characterized by an oscillating course.