Insight into Biochemical Characterization of Plant Sesquiterpene Synthases

A fast and reproducible protocol was established for enzymatic characterization of plant sesquiterpene synthases that can incorporate radioactivity in their products. The method utilizes the 96-well format in conjunction with cluster tubes and enables processing of >200 samples a day. Along with reduced reagent usage, it allows further reduction in the use of radioactive isotopes and flammable organic solvents. The sesquiterpene synthases previously characterized were expressed in yeast, and the plant-derived Thapsia garganica kunzeaol synthase TgTPS2 was tested in this method. K M for TgTPS2 was found to be 0.55 μM; the turnover number, k cat , was found to be 0.29 s −1 , k cat for TgTPS2 is in agreement with that of terpene synthases of other plants, and k cat / K M was found to be 0.53 s −1 μM −1 for TgTPS2. The kinetic parameters were in agreement with previously published data

Safety Factors – IEC 61400-1 ed. 4:background document

The aim of this document is to describe the basis for the partial safety factors recommended in IEC61400-1 ed. 4.The scope is to• give the basis for selecting materials partial safety factors in ‘recognized design codes’ –taking into account inspections (e.g. in relation to fatigue)• give the basis for design assisted by testing – determination of characteristic values for material parameters and load bearing capacities on the basis of test results• give the basis for modifying load partial safety factors if compared to the ‘normal’ situation better / additional information (less uncertainty) is available for estimating loads; e.g. modification of safety factors depending on specific site conditions.Section 2 briefly describes the theoretical basis for calibration of partial safety factors using reliability based methods. The required reliability level is discussed in section 3. In section 4 three basic models for calculating the design value of the load bearing capacity is presented. Next, reliability-based calibration of material partial safety factors is described in the following cases: DLC 1.1 and 6.1 with extreme load; fatigue of welded steel details; DLC 2.1 and 2.2 with extreme load and faults; component / consequence class partial safety factor ϒc . Finally, also the load partial safety factor in typhoon conditions is considered. Section 5 how the uncertainty level influences the partial safety factors.Finally annexes are presented on Reliability and partial safety factors for tower buckling; Reliability of concrete structures for wind turbines; Safety factors for fatigue of welded details in steel structures for wind turbines; and an overview of the main changes in material partial factors in the CD IEC 61400-1: 2014 ed. 4 compared to IEC 61400-1: 2005 ed. 3

Developments and Perspectives in Bryophyte Biotechnology in Sub-Saharan Africa

The work described here covers an examination of new bioproducts based on sub-Saharan bryophytes. The work includes in vitro testing of extracts from moss and liverworts against plant pathogenic microbes causing food decay and field crop losses. Additionally, we have shown specific antimicrobial activities of Marchantia debilis and moss against Erwinia spp and Pseudomonas spp. The extracts were also tested against aflatoxin-producing fungi isolated from food crops such as maize and peanuts. The efficacy of the extracts on clinical dermatological fungal isolates like Dermatophilus congolensis has not been reported. This led to the production of an antifungal solution of bryophyte extracts, which was tested in vivo on animals with skin diseases caused by Dermatophilosis. Around 99.5% of the animals were treated. The antifungal solution for treatments has been labeled Bryosol, while the disinfectants solution is labeled Bryo-disinfectants and the crop-fungicide is labeled Bryo-fungicides. A mini field pilot trial with Bryo-fungicide showed that crops infected with pathogenic fungi were treated. The results provide the first attempt to demonstrate the use of bioproducts for organic treatment of agricultural crops and diseases in animals based on sub-Saharan bryophytes