S-adenosyl-l-methionine: (S) -7,8,13, 14-tetrahydroberberine--n-methyltransferase, a branch point enzyme in the biosynthesis of benzophenanthridine and protopine alkaloids.

The enzyme which transfers the CH3-group of S-adenosylmethionine to the nitrogen atom of (S)-tetrahydroberberine and (S)-stylopine is found to occur in a number of plant cell cultures originating from species containing alkaloids; it is located at an important branch point in isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis

Enzymatic formation of protopines by a microsomal cytochrome P-450 system of Corydalis vaginans

A microsomal cytochrome P-450-NADPH dependent enzyme which hydroxylates stereo- and regiospecifically carbon atom 14 of (S)- -N- methyltetrahydroprotoberberines has been discovered in a number of plant cell cultures originating from species containing protopine alkaloids; the monooxygenase was solubilized, partially purified (100-fold) and characterized

Worcester Public Art for ESL Students

Funded by the Steinbrecher Fellowship, Worcester Public Art for ESL Students are original teaching materials (a 28-page booklet and worksheets) that utilize simple English to introduce some of Worcester\u27s iconic public artworks. While the intended audience is English learners, the focus is on the content and is encouraged for use by anyone looking to enjoy and learn about Worcester history and art. The booklet includes descriptions and histories of six Worcester artworks (Burnside Fountain, Soldiers\u27 Monument, Major Taylor Statue, Mechanics Hall Mural, Rogers-Kennedy Memorial, and Chamberlain Fountain) with technical terms or difficult words bolded and explained in a glossary. Eleanor Rueffer does literacy volunteering in Worcester through the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester (LVGW) and noticed a lack of relevant materials geared toward adults. She wanted to make something that both learners and educators alike could use. All photographs were taken by Eleanor Rueffer. The primary downloadable file is the booklet. The supplementary file contains the practice questions

The changing role of the exchange rate in a globalised economy.

In addition to its direct effects on the global trading and production structure, the ongoing process of globalisation may have important implications for the interaction of exchange rates and the overall economy. This paper presents evidence regarding possible changes in the role of exchange rates in a more globalised economy. First, it analyses the link between exchange rates and prices, showing that there is at most a moderate decline in exchange rate pass-through for the euro area. Next, it turns to the effect of exchange rate changes on trade flows. The findings indicate that the responsiveness of euro area exports to exchange rate changes may have declined somewhat as a result of globalisation, reflecting mainly shifts in the geographical and sectoral composition of trade flows. The paper also provides a firm-level analysis of the impact of exchange rate changes on corporate profits, which suggests that overall this relationship appears to be relatively stable over time, although there are important crosscountry differences. In addition, it studies the overall impact of exchange rates on GDP and the potential role of valuation effects as a transmission channel in the case of the euro area. JEL Classification: E3, F15, F31.Globalisation, exchange rate, trade exchange rate pass-through, valuation effects.

S-adenosyl-L-methionine: (S)-scoulerine 9-O-methyltransferase, a highly stereo- and regio-specific enzyme in tetrahydroprotoberberine biosynthesis

Suspension cultures of Berberis species are useful sources for the detection and isolation of a new enzyme which transfers the methyl group from S-adenosyl-L-methionine specifically to the 9-position of the (S)-enantiomer of scoulerine, producing (S)-tetrahydrocolumbamine. The enzyme was enriched 27-fold; it is not particle bound, has a pH optimum of 8.9, a molecular weight of 63 000 and shows a high degree of substrate specificity

Biosynthesis of the protoberberine alkaloid jatrorrhizine

Feeding experiments with distant single or doubly labelled precursors show that the methylene dioxy group of berberine is opened in the formation of jatrorrhizine

Strictosidine, the common precursor for monoterpenoid indole alkaloids with 3 α and 3 β configuration

Recently we reported that strictosidine (l> is the key intermediate in the formation of the three classes (ASDidOf3DeIm5, Iboga, Corynanthe) of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids In Catharanthus roseus and a variety of other plant species in cell culture using in vivo and in vitro techniques"2. These results were independently confirmed In Manchester 394 and subsequently also Scott et a1.5 were able to confirm the precursor role of (1) using Catharanthus material. All these results are in accord with reports on the biosynthesis of an alkaloid of taxonomically distant origin, camptothecln, for which strictosidine la&am6 was previously found to be a precursor, and recently7 also (1). The key intermediate in the biosynthesis of the majority of mono-terpenoid alkaloids is therefore (1) with 3 a (2) configuration, rather than vincoside (2) with 3 13 (lX> configuration as had previously been assumeda. However, a generalization of this precursor function of (1

Bildungshomogamie im internationalen Vergleich: empirische Untersuchungen für die USA, Österreich, Ungarn und Deutschland

'Bei dem vorliegenden Beitrag handelt es sich um eine international vergleichende Analyse zur Bildungshomogamie. Untersucht werden die Länder USA, Österreich, Ungarn und Deutschland. Dabei wird auf die Daten des International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) zurückgegriffen. Im Beitrag wird analysiert, inwieweit Randverteilungseinflüsse und institutionelle Rahmenbedingungen zur Entstehung von Bildungshomogamie beitragen. Des weiteren wird überprüft, ob es sich bei bildungsbezogenen Heiratsbarrieren eher um sozialisations- oder statusbedingte Heiratsbarrieren handelt. Ausserdem wird auf verschiedene Formen sozialer Abgrenzung zwischen den Bildungsgruppen eingegangen. Die Analyse zeigt, dass die Unterschiede der Bildungshomogamie in den untersuchten Ländern vorwiegend durch Randverteilungseffekte zustande kommt. Die relative Bedeutung von Sozialisations- und Statuseffekten divergiert kaum zwischen den vier untersuchten Ländern. Dies weist auf die Existenz eines länderübergreifenden 'sozialen' Mechanismus hin, der unanhängig von institutionellen Rahmenbedingungen und länderspezifischen Vorgaben wirksam wird.' (Autorenreferat

Comparison of the lossy image data compressions for the MESUR Pathfinder and for the Huygens Titan Probe

The commercial JPEG standard complies well with the specific requirements of exploratory space missions. Therefore, JPEG has been chosen to be the baseline for a series of spaceborne image data compressions (e.g. MARS94-HRSC, -WAOSS, HUYGENS-DISR, MESUR-IMP). One S/W-implementation (IMP) and one H/W-implementation (DISR) of image data compression are presented. Details of the modifications applied to standard JPEG are outlined. Finally, a performance comparison of the two implementations is given