Hyperthermostable mutants of Bacillus licheniformis {alpha}-amylase: multiple amino acid replacements and molecular modelling

We have identified previously two critical positions for thethermostability of the highly thermostable -amylase from Bacilluslicheniformis. We have now introduced all 19 possible aminoacid residues to these two positions, His 133 and Ala209. Themost favourable substitutions were to Ile and Val, respectively,which both increased the half-life of the enzyme at 80°Cby a factor of 3. At both positions a stabilizing effect ofhydrophobic residues was observed, although only in the caseof position 133 could a clear correlation be drawn between thehydrophobicity of the inserted amino acid and the gain in proteinstability. The construction of double mutants showed a cumulativeeffect of the most favourable and/or deleterious substitutions.Computer modelling was used to generate a 3-D structure of thewild-type protein and to model substitutions at position 209,which lies in the conserved (/ß)₈ barrel domain of-amylase; Ala209 would be located at the beginning of the thirdhelix of the barrel, in the bottom of a small cavity facingthe fourth helix. The model suggests that replacement by, forexample, a valine could fill this cavity and therefore increaseintra- and interhelical compactness and hydrophobic interactions.     

Le programme d’admissibilité avec contraintes de sécurité et coûts de mutations: application aux réseaux de transmission mixtes (analogiques et numériques)

This paper presents a second version of the «feasibility program» (securad)developed by the cnet.This program enables the routing at minimal cost of several thousands of requirements (expressed in circuits or groups of circuits) on very large mixed (analogue and digital) transmission networks, while respecting given capacities and taking into account security constraints and network-rearrangement costs. The authors also describe a procedure for determining lower bounds for the cost of the optimal solution by solving a dual problem, and thus checking the quality of the approximate solutions obtained. This program has already been widely applied to the long-distance transmission network and to large digital metropolitan networks for both short term and medium to long term planning purposes.     

Powered two-wheeler drivers’ crash risk associated with the use of bus lanes

Context

Authorizing powered two-wheeler drivers to drive in lanes reserved to buses is a measure that is sometimes mentioned to improve mobility conditions for these users. But what effect would this measure have on the safety of these users and on the safety of the other users with whom they share the traffic space?

Objective

The objective of this study is to contribute elements to help answer this question. More precisely, the objective is to estimate the risk of having an accident per kilometer driven by powered two-wheeler drivers who drive in bus lanes and to compare this risk with that of powered two-wheeler drivers who drive in general traffic lanes.

Method

Using the bodily injury accidents recorded by the police over two years on 13 roads in the city of Marseille and a campaign of periodical observations of powered two-wheeler traffic, we estimated the risk per kilometer driven by powered two-wheeler drivers who drive in bus lanes and compared it with that of drivers who do not drive in them.

Results

The results show that the risk for powered two-wheeler drivers who drive in bus lanes of being involved in a bodily injury accident is significantly higher than the risk run by drivers who drive in general traffic lanes. For the 13 roads studied, it is on average 3.25 times higher (95% CI: 2.03; 5.21).

Conclusion

In the current situation, powered two-wheeler drivers who drive in bus lanes are less safe than those who drive in general traffic lanes. The analysis of police reports suggests that part of this increased risk comes from collisions between automobile drivers turning right and powered two-wheelers driving in the bus lane who continue straight ahead.     

Improving trochoidal tool paths generation and implementation using process constraints modelling

With the emergence of high dynamic machine tools equipped with performing NC controllers, new types of strategies have risen to meet the demands associated to high-speed milling process. Among them, trochoidal tool paths are applied in rough machining applications. In this paper several improvements for their implementation are proposed. First, maximal radial depth of cut calculation according to tool path parameterization is made. Two interpolation models are tested and compared. The aim is to select the best tool path parameters according to the process constraints. Then, improved tool path generation for pocket milling applications is proposed. An experimental study is performed to validate the proposed approach and study the efficiency of trochoidal tool path implementation for pocket milling applications. The impact of the dynamics of the machine tool is evaluated in particular. The work presented here leads consequently to enhancement of implementation of trochoidal tool paths according to process constraints.     

Ion transport in CLIP: Investigation through conductivity and NMR measurements

The study deals with the electrochemical and physico-chemical characterizations of new proton-conducting ionic liquids. Through the use of several amines and perfluorinated acids, it attempts to define the most appropriate ionic liquids for use in high temperature PEMFCs. In addition to the usual characterizations based on Pulsed Field Gradient NMR and conductivity measurements, NMR correlation techniques NOESY, HOESY and COSY experiments are used to characterize the interactions and spatial proximities of ionic liquid species.     

Microtribological and corrosion behaviors of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol self-assembled films on copper surfaces

Fluoroorganic monolayers adsorped on copper are studied in terms of organization, structure, electrochemical behavior, corrosion and tribological properties. 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol thin films are grafted on copper via a self-assembling process. PM-IRRAS and XPS were used to investigate the organization, composition and structural properties of the SAMs. Cyclic voltammetry studies revealed a good oxidation blocking factor and polarization curves showed good anti-corrosion properties for the fluoroorganic film. However, these properties were inferior to those of n-dodecanethiol based SAMs. This was accounted for by the lower packing density and the larger number of defects of the 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol SAMs probably due to electrostatic and steric repulsion between fluorine atoms along the carbon chain and a number of CH₂ groups insufficient to permit good organization.Fluorine groups present in the monolayer of the fluoroorganic SAMs led to excellent lubricant properties for the ultrathin film. Surface wear resistance was also improved thanks to SAM grafting. 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol SAMs thus appear to be very interesting lubricants for copper as they improve surface mechanical properties by diminishing surface friction and wear.     

Thermochemistry, bonding, and reactivity of Ni+ and Ni2+ in the gas phase

In this review, we present a general overview on the studies carried out on Ni(+-)- and Ni(2+)-containing systems in the gas phase since 1996. We have focused our attention in the determination of binding energies in parallel with an analysis of the structure and bonding of the complexes formed by the interaction of Ni(+) with one ligand, or in clusters where this metal ion binds several identical or different ligands. Solvation of Ni(2+) by different ligands is also discussed, together with the theoretical information available of doubly charged Ni-containing species. The final section of this review is devoted to an analysis of the gas-phase uni- and bimolecular reactivity of Ni(+) and Ni(2+) complexes.