A new and rapid method for the determination of nicarbazin residues in poultry feed, eggs and muscle tissue using supercritical fluid extraction and high performance liquid chromatography

A simple and rapid method, using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with off-line high-performance liquid chromatography for the isolation and determination of nicarbazin, a popular broad-spectrum coccidiostatic drug used principally in poultry, is described. Results show good repeatability with a minimum quantification level of 0.4 microgram g-1 and mean 'spiked' recoveries of 98%, 100% and 99% using poultry feeds (n = 18), eggs (n = 28) and chicken tissue (n = 20), respectively. SFE using carbon dioxide is proposed as an alternative isolation method to the current Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) procedure which involves the use of large volumes of a harmful solvent (dimethylformamide) and requires a long tedious separation and clean-up regime (6 h) prior to its determination.     

Shift to Pseudomonic acid B production in P. fluorescens NCIMB10586 by mutation of mupirocin tailoring genes mupO, mupU, mupV, and macpE

Mupirocin, a polyketide-derived antibiotic from Pseudomonas fluorescens NCIMB10586, is a mixture of pseudomonic acids (PA) that target isoleucyl-tRNA synthase. The mup gene cluster encodes both type I polyketide synthases and monofunctional enzymes that should play a role during the conversion of the product of the polyketide synthase into the active antibiotic (tailoring). By in-frame deletion analysis of selected tailoring open-reading frames we show that mupQ, mupS, mupT, and mupW are essential for mupirocin production, whereas mupO, mupU, mupV, and macpE are essential for production of PA-A but not PA-B. Therefore, PA-B is not simply produced by hydroxylation of PA-A but is either a precursor of PA-A or a shunt product. In the mupW mutant, a new metabolite lacking the tetrahydropyran ring is produced, implicating mupW in oxidation of the 16-methyl group.     

Multiple state emission from rhodium(I) and iridium(I) complexes

The effect of temperature (2–100 K) on the emission spectra and lifetimes of [M(2 = phos)₂]ClO₄ (M = Rh(I), Ir(I): 2 = phos is cis-1,2-bis-(diphenylphosphino)ethylene) is interpreted with a two-level spin-orbit-split emitting manifold. For [Ir(2 = phos)₂]ClO₄, Δ? = 143cm^?1, τ(lower) = 999μs, and τ(higher) = 1.54 μs. For the rhodium species, Δ? = 35 cm^?1, τ(lower) = 5920 μs, and τ(higher) = 20.3 μs.     

First in vitro directed biosynthesis of new compounds by a minimal type II polyketide synthase: evidence for the mechanism of chain length determination

The minimal actinorhodin polyketide synthase bearing two point mutations (KSbeta Q161A, ACP C17S) was chemically modified to carry novel C4 to C8 starter units on the ACP: on incubation with an excess of malonyl CoA new 16-carbon polyketides are made, supporting a measuring mechanism.     

Wrinkle morphologies with two distinct wavelengths

Wrinkles with two distinct wavelengths formed sequentially on the same surface are investigated. A series of aligned wrinkles are formed through local strain application on a partially crosslinked elastomer. After the formation of these primary wrinkles, the elastomer is fully crosslinked, and a mechanical compressive strain is applied to the sample orthogonal to the primary wrinkles. This mechanical strain results in smaller secondary wrinkles superimposed on the larger primary aligned wrinkles. Resulting biaxial morphologies suggest that the primary pattern directs the formation of the smaller wrinkles. The modulus mismatch of the substrate on primary and secondary wrinkle formation dictates the ratio between the two resulting wavelengths, as well as the specific biaxial morphologies, ranging from zigzag ridges to ellipsoidal bumps or corn‐on‐the‐cob structures to the classic herringbone. The sequential strain wrinkling process has the potential to be used on an industrial scale for the facile formation of surface topography with two discrete, tunable lateral dimensions over large surface areas. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012     

Controlled evaporative self-assembly of polymer nanoribbons using oscillating capillary bridges

Evaporative self-assembly (ESA), based on the “coffee-ring” effect, is a versatile technique for assembling particle solutions into mesoscale patterns and structures on different substrates. ESA works with a wide variety of organic and inorganic materials, where the solution is a combination of volatile solvent and nonvolatile solute. Modified ESA methods, such as “stop-and-go flow coating,” use a programmed meniscus “stick–slip” motion to create mesoscale assemblies with controlled shape, size, and architecture. However, current methods are not scalable for increased production volumes or patterning large surface areas. We demonstrate a new ESA method, where an oscillating blade controls the meniscus depinning and drives the evaporative assembly of solutes at the pinned meniscus. Results show that oscillation frequency and substrate speed control time/distance intervals between successive meniscus depinning, and the assembly dimensions depend on solution concentration, oscillation frequency, substrate speed, and meniscus height. We report the mechanism of the meniscus depinning and the control over assembly cross-sectional dimensions. This advance provides a scalable ESA method with faster processing times and maintained advantages. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018 , 56, 1545–1551