Enzymatic Oxygen Microsensor Based on Bilirubin Oxidase Applied to Microbial Fuel Cells Analysis

A selective oxygen biosensor based on bilirubin oxidase (BOx) was developed. The sensor was used for determining oxygen profiles in a membraneless, single‐chamber microbial fuel cell (SCMFC), fed with raw wastewater. The linear response of the sensor was optimized by a diffusion layer of silica gel. A computer‐controlled stage was used to obtain accurate and precise measurements. Oxygen concentration in biofilms covering electrodes was measured, showing 3 mg L^?1 of O₂ in the bulk solution, decreasing to 0 mg L^?1 in the cathodic biofilm. The MFC generated power in the range of 0–0.08 mW, associated to the oxygen content.     

Prion protein self-peptides modulate prion interactions and conversion

Background  

Molecular mechanisms underlying prion agent replication, converting host-encoded cellular prion protein (PrP^C) into the scrapie associated isoform (PrP^Sc), are poorly understood. Selective self-interaction between PrP molecules forms a basis underlying the observed differences of the PrP^C into PrP^Sc conversion process (agent replication). The importance of previously peptide-scanning mapped ovine PrP self-interaction domains on this conversion was investigated by studying the ability of six of these ovine PrP based peptides to modulate two processes; PrP self-interaction and conversion.     

Strengths of electromagnetic transitions between bound states for a < 45

A recent review of the strengths of about 600 γ-ray transitions between bound states in the A = 21–44 region is extended in the present paper by including (i) the A<21 region, (ii) recent data on the A = 21–44 region, (iii) E0 transitions, (iv) magnetic transitions of which the (experimentally unknown) mixing ratio can be assumed to be negligibly small. The present addition concerns 350 transitions. Interesting new groups are the isovector E2 transitions (9 cases), and the isoscalar M2 transitions (7 cases). For magnetic transitions, the dependence of isospin retardation on multipolarity is stronger than expected theoretically. Recommended upper limits are presented for the 11 groups with reasonably good statistics. Because the strengths in the A<21 and A = 21–44 regions differ but little, the same upper limits can be used for the two regions.     

Expression of a Chitinase Gene from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Metarhizium anisopliae</Emphasis> in Tobacco Plants Confers Resistance against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizoctonia solani</Emphasis>

The chit1 gene from the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, encoding the endochitinase CHIT42, was placed under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter, and the resulting construct was transferred to tobacco. Seventeen kanamycin-resistant transgenic lines were recovered, and the presence of the transgene was confirmed by polymerase chain reactions and Southern blot hybridization. The number of chit1 copies was determined to be varying from one to four. Copy number had observable effects neither on plant growth nor development. Substantial heterogeneity concerning production of the recombinant chitinase, and both general and specific chitinolytic activities were detected in leaf extracts from primary transformants. The highest chitinase activities were found in plants harboring two copies of chit1 inserts at different loci. Progeny derived from self-pollination of the primary transgenics revealed a stable inheritance pattern, with transgene segregation following a mendelian dihybrid ratio. Two selected plants expressing high levels of CHIT42 were consistently resistant to the soilborne pathogen Rhizoctonia solani, suggesting a direct relationship between enzyme activity and reduction of foliar area affected by fungal lesions. To date, this is the first report of resistance to fungal attack in plants mediated by a recombinant chitinase from an entomopathogenic and acaricide fungus.     

The reaction 23Na(n, γ)24Na studied with unpolarized and polarized thermal neutrons

The γ-radiation produced by thermal neutron capture in a natural Na sample has been investigated. Of the 158 γ-rays ascribed to the ²³Na(n, γ)²⁴Na reaction, 143 have been placed in a ²⁴Na decay scheme accounting for 100(2) % of the total primary strength. The reaction Q-value amounts to 6959.42 ± 0.08 keV. The data resulted in spin assignments for four and spin restrictions for six levels.The circular polarization of 14 γ-rays from the capture of polarized neutrons has been measured. The contribution of the J^π = 2⁺ channel in thermal capture was determined to be below 5 %.     

The excited states of 27Al

The γ-decay of 60 and the strengths of 51 ²⁶Mg(p, γ)²⁷Al resonances were studied for E_p < 2.20 MeV. The energies of 32 and the γ-decay of 54 bound levels were determined. Spin and parity assignments $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{5}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{,}\text{5}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{,}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{,}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{,}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{and}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ were made to the bound states at E_x = 4.81, 5.44, 6.61, 6.78, 7.68 and 7.86 MeV, respectively. Spin assignments $\text{J =}\text{5}\text{2}$and $\text{3}\text{2}$ were made to the bound levels at Einx = 5.55 and 6.08 MeV, respectively. For other levels spin and parity limitations were set. Lifetimes or lifetime upper limits of 19 bound levels were measured by means of the DSA technique. The spins and/or parities of 15 resonances were unambiguously determined from γ-ray angular distributions and strengths.