Investigation of endoglucanase selectivity on carboxymethyl cellulose by mass spectrometric techniques

The benefits of applying cellulose selective enzymes as analytical tools for chemical structure characterization of cellulose derivatives have been frequently addressed over the years. In a recent study the high selectivity of cellulase Cel45A from Trichoderma reesei (Tr Cel45A) was utilized for relating the chemical structure to the flow properties of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). However, in order to take full advantage of the enzymatic hydrolysis the enzyme selectivity on the cellulose substrate must be further investigated. Therefore, the selectivity of Tr Cel45A on CMC was studied by chemical sample preparation of the enzyme products followed by mass spectrometric chemical structure characterization. The results strongly suggest that, in accordance with recent studies, also this highly selective endoglucanase is able to catalyze hydrolysis of glucosidic bonds adjacent to mono-substituted anhydroglucose units (AGUs). Furthermore, the results also indicate that substituents on the nearby AGUs will affect the hydrolysis.     

Chiral separations of metoprolol and some analogs with carbon dioxide on chiralcel OD and chiralpak AD stationary phases. Use of chemometrics

Summary The influence of methanol concentration, column temperature, and column back-pressure on the enantios-electivity of the separation of eighteen amino alcohols in supercritical-fluid chromatography has been investigated by use of statistical experimental design. The enantioselective retention of the amino alcohols was studied using Chiralcel OD and Chiralpak AD as the chiral stationary phases and the experimental responses obtained—retention factors (k) and selectivity factors (α)—were evaluated by use of the partial least squares algorithm. The performance of the columns was compared and the enantioselectivity of the Chiralcel OD column was found to be superior. Almost all the racemic amino alcohols tested were separated and separation factors as high as 4.5 were obtained by use of the Chiralcel OD column. Experimental results from a factorial design with three centerpoints resulted in a statistical model based on linear terms only. The first-eluted enantiomers, which, when identified, were found to be theR forms, had similar retention times, whereas the retention times of theS forms were more varied. The column temperature had a greater effect on enantioselectivity than methanol content. Changes in the system back-pressure had no significant influence on enantioselectivity. The results obtained from the factorial design were used to predictk and α. Differences between predicted and experimental data were less than 10%. The effect on enantioselectivity of protolytic mobile phase additives, e. g. dimethyloctylamine, acetic acid, and trifluoroacetic acid, and of mobile-phase flow-rate, were also studied, as was the effect of solute structure. The position of substituents on the aromatic ring, type of alkyl group attached to the nitrogen atom, and the number of methylene groups between the stereogenic center and the nitrogen atom all affected enantioselectivity. The chromatographic system developed could be used to determine enantiomeric purity even if the chiral impurity eluted after the main peak.     

Anisotropy of electron structure at InAs(1 1 1) surfaces by laser pump-and-probe photoemission spectroscopy

The electronic structure and the electron dynamics of the clean InAs(1 1 1)A 2 × 2 and the InAs(1 1 1)B 1 × 1 surfaces have been studied by laser pump-and-probe photoemission spectroscopy. Normally unpopulated electron states above the valence band maximum (VBM) are filled on the InAs(1 1 1)A surface due to the conduction band pinning above the Fermi level (E_F). Accompanied by the downward band banding alignment, a charge accumulation layer is confined to the surface region creating a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG). The decay of the photoexcited carriers above the conduction band minimum (CBM) is originated by bulk states affected by the presence of the surface. No occupied states were found on the InAs(1 1 1)B 1 × 1 surface. This fact is suggested to be due to the surface stabilisation by the charge removal from the surface into the bulk. The weak photoemission intensity above the VBM on the (1 1 1)B surface is attributed to electron states trapped by surface defects. The fast decay of the photoexcited electron states on the (1 1 1)A and the (1 1 1)B surfaces was found to be τ_1 1 1 A ? 5 ps and τ_1 1 1 B ?  4 ps, respectively. We suggest the diffusion of the hot electrons into the bulk is the decay mechanism.     

On the complexity of submodular function minimisation on diamonds

Let (L;?,?) be a finite lattice and let n be a positive integer. A function f:Lⁿ→R is said to be submodular if for all . In this article we study submodular functions when L is a diamond. Given oracle access to f we are interested in finding such that as efficiently as possible. We establish

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  a min–max theorem, which states that the minimum of the submodular function is equal to the maximum of a certain function defined over a certain polyhedron; and

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  a good characterisation of the minimisation problem, i.e., we show that given an oracle for computing a submodular f:Ln→Z and an integer m such that , there is a proof of this fact which can be verified in time polynomial in n and ; and

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  a pseudopolynomial-time algorithm for the minimisation problem, i.e., given an oracle for computing a submodular f:Ln→Z one can find in time bounded by a polynomial in n and .

     

Extracting the invariant model from the feedback paths of digital hearing aids

Feedback whistling is a severe problem with hearing aids. A typical acoustical feedback path represents a wave propagation path from the receiver to the microphone and includes many complicated effects among which some are invariant or nearly invariant for all users and in all acoustical environments given a specific type of hearing aids. Based on this observation, a feedback path model that consists of an invariant model and a variant model is proposed. A common-acoustical-pole and zero model-based approach and an iterative least-square search-based approach are used to extract the invariant model from a set of impulse responses of the feedback paths. A hybrid approach combining the two methods is also proposed. The general properties of the three methods are studied using artificial datasets, and the methods are cross-validated using the measured feedback paths. The results show that the proposed hybrid method gives the best overall performance, and the extracted invariant model is effective in modeling the feedback path.     

Potential solutions to improved sound performance of volume based lightweight multi-storey timber buildings

Lightweight building systems in general suffer from poor sound insulation, especially in the low frequency region. Since no reliable mathematical models that can predict the impact sound pressure level exists, the lightweight building design is to a high extent based upon previous experience and upon measurements. A special difficulty is related to experimental measurements since the variation among identical units must not be neglected. A modern volume based lightweight wooden building concept has here been tested by numerous well controlled measurements, in laboratory as well as in more field like conditions. The volume construction technique offers new possibilities and challenges to improve sound insulation in light weight timber construction. The main purpose was to investigate how different constructional solutions in the floor, like plaster board, mineral wool, elastic glue, dividing board, floating floor etc., affect the sound insulation. Many of the tested modifications resulted in only marginally changed impact sound pressure level but parameters that substantially can improve the sound insulation were found in using elastic glue to mount the floor boards, to install extra board layers and to use floating floors.     

Quasi-steady model of the acoustic scattering properties of a T-junction

T-junctions are common elements in flow duct networks. It is shown that for low Strouhal numbers, based on the duct diameter, their acoustic scattering properties can be described using an incompressible quasi-steady model. Models are derived for systems subjected to combinations of grazing and bias mean flow, and are shown to work in both the limiting cases—that is, grazing or bias flow alone—as well as for the joining or dividing flow configurations. The upper Strouhal number for which the quasi-steady models are applicable is limited by flow-acoustic interaction effects, which differ significantly between the different flow configurations. Generally the models are applicable up to Strouhal numbers of approximately 0.1-0.2, which is comparable with previous published models for other configurations such as bends and orifices. This range is sufficient to make the model useful in many important engineering applications.     

Solutions for the storage and handling of SPINE standard pucks

Currently there is no rack system for the long‐term storage of SPINE pucks in spite of their commercial availability and heavy usage at the ESRF. The only way to store pucks is in transport dewar canisters which presents a number of limitations and drawbacks. Here a simple affordable rack for storing SPINE pucks is described, which we believe is accessible to not only synchrotrons but also both academic and industrial research laboratories.