Investigations on Selectivity of Gas-Liquid Reactions in Capillaries

Biocatalysis offers a broad spectrum of possible ecological and economic advantages over conventional chemical catalysis processes, e.g., lower energy consumption and high enantio selectivity. The focus of this work is on gas-liquid reactions. These are of great importance in the chemical and biochemical industry and subject of current research since they are often limited by mass transfer or show low selectivity. Different suitable biocatalytically gas-liquid reaction systems were tested in capillary reactor designs in order to obtain information about the interaction between reaction and fluid mechanics. Furthermore, an optical measuring method was established. The experiments were performed in batch mode in a glass beaker with a flow cuvette for UV/Vis measurement of product concentration.     

Comparative study of self-assembling of multilayers using reactive sputter deposition and mass selective ion beam deposition

While experimenting with the growth of metal-containing amorphous carbon (a-c:Me) thin films using two different growth processes, self-assembled multilayered structures were observed. One of the processes is a reactive magnetron sputter deposition process. The other process is a mass selective ion beam deposition process. Despite of the differences in the growth method and the growth condition, self-assembled multilayered thin films, consisting of alternating dark layer and bright layer, were obtained in both processes. Based on the consideration of energy for atomic diffusion in the thin films, the growth mechanism is discussed.     

Altered mRNA and Protein Expression of Monocarboxylate Transporter MCT1 in the Cerebral Cortex and Cerebellum of Prion Protein Knockout Mice

The effect of a cellular prion protein (PrP^c) deficiency on neuroenergetics was primarily analyzed via surveying the expression of genes specifically involved in lactate/pyruvate metabolism, such as monocarboxylate transporters (MCT1, MCT2, MCT4). The aim of the present study was to elucidate a potential involvement of PrP^c in the regulation of energy metabolism in different brain regions. By using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), we observed a marked reduction in MCT1 mRNA expression in the cortex of symptomatic Zürich I Prnp^−/− mice, as compared to their wild-type (WT) counterparts. MCT1 downregulation in the cortex was accompanied with significantly decreased expression of the MCT1 functional interplayer, the Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase α2 subunit. Conversely, the MCT1 mRNA level was significantly raised in the cerebellum of Prnp^−/− vs. WT control group, without a substantial change in the Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase α2 subunit expression. To validate the observed mRNA findings, we confirmed the observed change in MCT1 mRNA expression level in the cortex at the protein level. MCT4, highly expressed in tissues that rely on glycolysis as an energy source, exhibited a significant reduction in the hippocampus of Prnp^−/− vs. WT mice. The present study demonstrates that a lack of PrP^c leads to altered MCT1 and MCT4 mRNA/protein expression in different brain regions of Prnp^−/− vs. WT mice. Our findings provide evidence that PrP^c might affect the monocarboxylate intercellular transport, which needs to be confirmed in further studies.     

Multiple Na,K-ATPase Subunits Colocalize in the Brush Border of Mouse Choroid Plexus Epithelial Cells

(1) Background: The unusual accumulation of Na,K-ATPase complexes in the brush border membrane of choroid plexus epithelial cells have intrigued researchers for decades. However, the full range of the expressed Na,K-ATPase subunits and their relation to the microvillus cytoskeleton remains unknown. (2) Methods: RT-PCR analysis, co-immunoprecipitation, native PAGE, mass spectrometry, and differential centrifugation were combined with high-resolution immunofluorescence histochemistry, proximity ligase assays, and stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy on mouse choroid plexus cells or tissues in order to resolve these issues. (3) Results: The choroid plexus epithelium expresses Na,K-ATPase subunits α1, α2, β1, β2, β3, and phospholemman. The α1, α2, β1, and β2, subunits are all localized to the brush border membrane, where they appear to form a complex. The ATPase complexes may stabilize in the brush border membrane via anchoring to microvillar actin indirectly through ankyrin-3 or directly via other co-precipitated proteins. Aquaporin 1 (AQP1) may form part of the proposed multi-protein complexes in contrast to another membrane protein, the Na-K-2Cl cotransporter 1 (NKCC1). NKCC1 expression seems necessary for full brush border membrane accumulation of the Na,K-ATPase in the choroid plexus. (4) Conclusion: A multitude of Na,K-ATPase subunits form molecular complexes in the choroid plexus brush border, which may bind to the cytoskeleton by various alternative actin binding proteins.     

Entrepreneurship and the carbon market: opportunities and challenges for South African entrepreneurs

The Kyoto Protocol and its implementation brought forward issues of climate change and its mitigation strategy by national measures through the creation of market mechanisms in carbon trading. The trading of emission certificates has become an important trade commodity worldwide, and its markets have diversified. While this opportunity has created new markets for entrepreneurs and actors that range from farmers to brokers, unequal involvement in most developing countries is noted. This has been mostly observed in those countries where entrepreneurship is often regarded as the cornerstone of economic growth and social improvement. South Africa has spearheaded other African countries in its implementation of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects leading to carbon trading. Based on our research on South African entrepreneurship and its involvement in the carbon market, we conclude that albeit a number of opportunities, the biggest challenge for entrepreneurial participation in the carbon market remains in the nature and processes of CDM project implementation, the lack of a clear supportive system, limited access to financing and—more importantly—general ignorance of the trading opportunities by entrepreneurs. The complex nature of CDM projects themselves limits participation due to lack of the necessary skills on the national level leading to uneven distribution of CDM projects on provincial levels in South Africa. Recommendations are provided to overcome the obstacles and to promote entrepreneurial activity in the carbon market.     

The construction of self in social medias,such as Facebook

Social medias have changed and challenge the way we interact with each other. Social medias, such as Facebook, open up new possibilities for presentation of self and of managing the self you present to others. Is this process different for those that have grown up with social medias (The Net Generation) [Tapscott (Growing up digital: the rise of the net generation. Mcgraw-Hill, NY, 1998)] from how an older group of social media users would do it? What is their primary use of Facebook and how does this differ between generations? Such questions are discussed through engaging a group of Facebook users, with clear ideas of why and how they use Facebook, in joint reflections. The participants represent two generations of internet users; Those who was introduced to internet and social medias, such as Facebook, as adults (i.e. 40 years and older) and those who have grown up with the technology (i.e. under 25 years old, also called “The Net Generation”). The discussion indicate that there are differences in how these two groups relate to social medias, such as Facebook and for what they use Facebook. Further research is necessary to pursue those differences.     

Sulfur deactivation and regeneration of Pt/BaO/Al2O3 and Pt/SrO/Al2O3 NO x storage catalysts

Transient experiments were performed to study sulfur deactivation and regeneration of Pt/BaO/Al₂O₃ and Pt/SrO/Al₂O₃ NO _x storage catalysts. It was found that the strontium-based catalysts are more easily regenerated than the barium-based catalysts and that a higher fraction of the NO _x storage sites are regenerated when H₂ is used in combination with CO₂ compared to H₂ only.     

Enterprise networks: The re-engineering of complex software systems

Today technology design can no longer be understood as a design process on a green site. Design and implementation of new technology are always dependent on existing technology and the way it is used by people. In this respect Software-Engineering has also changed to the characteristics of normal technology design taking into account existing computer systems. Experiences show that the conditions and needs of such Software-Reengineering projects are highly complex and differ in their special characteristics ranging from aspects of quality of existing system documentation to organizational structures of the computer departments concerned. The Task-Artifact Cycle presented here gives a suitable reengineering approach emphasizing both analysis and design in Software-Reengineering.     

Chemical Composition of Seed Oils Recovered from Different Pear (Pyrus communis L.) Cultivars

Lipophilic bioactive compounds in oils recovered from the seeds of eight pear (Pyrus communis L.) cultivars were studied. Oil yield in pear seeds ranged between 16.3 and 31.5 % (w/w) dw. The main fatty acids were palmitic acid (6.13–8.52 %), oleic acid (27.39–38.17 %) and linoleic acid (50.73–63.78 %), all three representing 96–99 % of the total detected fatty acids. The range of total tocochromanols was between 120.5 and 216.1 mg/100 g of oil. Independent of the cultivar, the γ‐tocopherol was the main tocochromanol and constituted approximately 88 %. The contents of the carotenoids and squalene were between 0.69–2.99 and 25.5–40.8 mg/100 g of oil, respectively. The β‐sitosterol constituted 83.4–87.6 % of total sterols contents, which ranged between 276.4 and 600.1 mg/100 g of oil. Three significant correlations were found between oil yield and total contents of sterols (r = ?0.893), tocochromanols (r = ?0.955) and carotenoids (r = ?0.685) in pear seed oils.