Introducing energetic and capacitive energy efficiency measures in the sector of chilled and frozen food storage via an electronic platform

The freshness of agricultural products is kept well when chilled or frozen. Additionally, chilled and frozen food is en vogue due to convenience reasons. The growing demand for chilled and frozen food on a global scale has some negative ecological side effects, though. The GEMIT Institute for Business process Management and IT developed the idea to combine an electronic market place for idle cold storage capacities with a tool that helps coldstores increase their energy efficiency. It is ecologically worthwhile in a branch characterized by high CO2-emissions and energy consumption. A future marketplace does not only serve as a spot market for short term demand in storage, where it guarantees cheaper storage space in proximity and higher independency from common cold storage services. Additionally, the supplier of empty cold storage space generates new revenues and at the same time spends the maintenance energy more efficiently. Finally, the participating suppliers can benefit from a benchmarking tool and information about their own energy savings potentials. The current market situation is especially advantageous for an introduction of ECO-Store, with growing cold storage spaces in Germany and an increasing consumption of chilled food worldwide. Aspects that can impose a barrier to the project are considered as well. It was found out that companies might not want to disclose data or cooperate with possible competitors and operating providers of cold storage space fear a decline in prices. Reaching a critical mass of participants in order to assure the cost effectiveness of the investment and to increase the attractiveness itself is a crucial issue. Finally, resembling concepts already exist on the market. Yet, what it makes unique is the combination of the electronic market place and a tool aiming at reducing individual energy consumption

Introducing energetic and capacitive energy efficiency measures in the sector of chilled and frozen food storage via an electronic platform

The freshness of agricultural products is kept well when chilled or frozen. Additionally, chilled and frozen food is en vogue due to convenience reasons. The growing demand for chilled and frozen food on a global scale has some negative ecological side effects, though. The GEMIT Institute for Business process Management and IT developed the idea to combine an electronic market place for idle cold storage capacities with a tool that helps coldstores increase their energy efficiency. It is ecologically worthwhile in a branch characterized by high CO2-emissions and energy consumption. A future marketplace does not only serve as a spot market for short term demand in storage, where it guarantees cheaper storage space in proximity and higher independency from common cold storage services. Additionally, the supplier of empty cold storage space generates new revenues and at the same time spends the maintenance energy more efficiently. Finally, the participating suppliers can benefit from a benchmarking tool and information about their own energy savings potentials. The current market situation is especially advantageous for an introduction of ECO-Store, with growing cold storage spaces in Germany and an increasing consumption of chilled food worldwide. Aspects that can impose a barrier to the project are considered as well. It was found out that companies might not want to disclose data or cooperate with possible competitors and operating providers of cold storage space fear a decline in prices. Reaching a critical mass of participants in order to assure the cost effectiveness of the investment and to increase the attractiveness itself is a crucial issue. Finally, resembling concepts already exist on the market. Yet, what it makes unique is the combination of the electronic market place and a tool aiming at reducing individual energy consumption

Application of 13C(ω1)-half-filtered [1H,1H]-NOESY for studies of a complex formed between DNA and a 13C-labeled minor-groove-binding drug

AbstractThe complex formed between the anticancer drug 4-[p-[p-(4-quinolylamino)benzamido]anilino]pyridine (SN 6999) and the decadeoxyribonucleoside nonaphosphate d-(GCATTAATGC)2 was investigated using two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (NOESY) with a 13C(ω1)-half-filter. The two quaternary methyl groups in SN 6999 had been labeled with 13C for these experiments. The simplified subspectra of [1H,1H]-NOESY obtained with this procedure greatly facilitate the identification and assignment of intermolecular NOEs. Quite generally, the combined use of isotope labeling and heteronuclear filters in [1H,1H]-NOESY provides an improved experimental basis for structural studies of drug/ DNA complexes

Compound Evolutionary History of the Rhesus Macaque Mhc Class I B Region Revealed by Microsatellite Analysis and Localization of Retroviral Sequences

In humans, the single polymorphic B locus of the major histocompatibility complex is linked to the microsatellite MIB. In rhesus macaques, however, haplotypes are characterized by the presence of unique combinations of multiple B genes, which may display different levels of polymorphism. The aim of the study was to shed light on the evolutionary history of this highly complex region. First, the robustness of the microsatellite MIB-linked to almost half of the B genes in rhesus macaques (Mamu-B)–for accurate B haplotyping was studied. Based on the physical map of an established haplotype comprising 7 MIB loci, each located next to a certain Mamu-B gene, two MIB loci, MIB1 and MIB6, were investigated in a panel of MHC homozygous monkeys. MIB1 revealed a complex genotyping pattern, whereas MIB6 analysis resulted in the detection of one or no amplicon. Both patterns are specific for a given B haplotype, show Mendelian segregation, and even allow a more precise haplotype definition than do traditional typing methods. Second, a search was performed for retroelements that may have played a role in duplication processes as observed in the macaque B region. This resulted in the description of two types of duplicons. One basic unit comprises an expressed Mamu-B gene, adjacent to an HERV16 copy closely linked to MIB. The second type of duplicon comprises a Mamu-B (pseudo)gene, linked to a truncated HERV16 structure lacking its MIB segment. Such truncation seems to coincide with the loss of B gene transcription. Subsequent to the duplication processes, recombination between MIB and Mamu-B loci appears to have occurred, resulting in a hyperplastic B region. Thus, analysis of MIB in addition to B loci allows deciphering of the compound evolutionary history of the class I B region in Old World monkeys

Hydrogen Bond Dynamics Near A Micellar Surface: Origin of the Universal Slow Relaxation at Complex Aqueous Interfaces

The dynamics of hydrogen bonds among water molecules themselves and with the polar head groups (PHG) at a micellar surface have been investigated by long molecular dynamics simulations. The lifetime of the hydrogen bond between a PHG and a water molecule is found to be much longer than that between any two water molecules, and is likely to be a general feature of hydrophilic surfaces of organized assemblies. Analyses of individual water trajectories suggest that water molecules can remain bound to the micellar surface for more than a hundred picosecond. The activation energy for such a transition from the bound to a free state for the water molecules is estimated to be about 3.5kcal/mole.Comment: 12 pages. Phys. Rev. Lett. (Accepted) (2002

Paramagnetic chemical probes for studying biological macromolecules

Paramagnetic chemical probes have been used in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for more than four decades. Recent years witnessed a great increase in the variety of probes for the study of biological macromolecules (proteins, nucleic acids, and oligosaccharides). This Review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing paramagnetic chemical probes, including chemical synthetic approaches, functional properties, and selected applications. Recent developments have seen, in particular, a rapid expansion of the range of lanthanoid probes with anisotropic magnetic susceptibilities for the generation of structural restraints based on residual dipolar couplings and pseudocontact shifts in solution and solid state NMR spectroscopy, mostly for protein studies. Also many new isotropic paramagnetic probes, suitable for NMR measurements of paramagnetic relaxation enhancements, as well as EPR spectroscopic studies (in particular double resonance techniques) have been developed and employed to investigate biological macromolecules. Notwithstanding the large number of reported probes, only few have found broad application and further development of probes for dedicated applications is foreseen.Macromolecular Biochemistr

Rhesus macaque MHC class I molecules show differential subcellular localizations

The MHC class I gene family of rhesus macaques is characterised by considerable gene duplications. While a HLA-C-orthologous gene is absent, the Mamu-A and in particular the Mamu-B genes have expanded, giving rise to plastic haplotypes with differential gene content. Although some of the rhesus macaque MHC class I genes are known to be associated with susceptibility/resistance to infectious diseases, the functional significance of duplicated Mamu-A and Mamu-B genes and the expression pattern of their encoded proteins are largely unknown. Here, we present data of the subcellular localization of AcGFP-tagged Mamu-A and Mamu-B molecules. We found strong cell surface and low intracellular expression for Mamu-A1, Mamu-A2 and Mamu-A3-encoded molecules as well as for Mamu-B*01704, Mamu-B*02101, Mamu-B*04801, Mamu-B*06002 and Mamu-B*13401. In contrast, weak cell surface and strong intracellular expression was seen for Mamu-A4*1403, Mamu-B*01202, Mamu-B*02804, Mamu-B*03002, Mamu-B*05704, Mamu-I*010201 and Mamu-I*0121. The different expression patterns were assigned to the antigen-binding α1 and α2 domains, suggesting failure of peptide binding is responsible for retaining ‘intracellular’ Mamu class I molecules in the endoplasmic reticulum. These findings indicate a diverse functional role of the duplicated rhesus macaque MHC class I genes

The mosaic of KIR haplotypes in rhesus macaques

To further refine and improve biomedical research in rhesus macaques, it is necessary to increase our knowledge concerning both the degree of allelic variation (polymorphism) and diversity (gene copy number variation) in the killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) gene cluster. Pedigreed animals in particular should be studied, as segregation data will provide clues to the linkage of particular KIR genes/alleles segregating on a haplotype and to its gene content as well. A dual strategy allowed us to screen the presence and absence of genes and the corresponding transcripts, as well as to track differences in transcription levels. On the basis of this approach, 14 diverse KIR haplotypes have been described. These haplotypes consist of multiple inhibitory and activating Mamu-KIR genes, and any gene present on one haplotype may be absent on another. This suggests that the cost of accelerated evolution by recombination may be the loss of certain framework genes on a haplotype