Abstract: The invention pertains to/the field of production of natural products and, in particular, in the field of production of cornexistin and hydroxycornexistin. It provides polynucleotides encoding polypeptides involved in the biosynthesis of cornexistin and hydroxycornexistin as well as vectors and recombinant microorganisms comprising such polynucleotides. Also provided are methods for the production of natural products, in particular methods for the production of cornexistin and hydroxycornexistin, using such polynucleotides and polpeptides encoded therein, as well as vectors and recombinant microorganisms comprising such polynucleotides and polypeptides.

Abstract: A mechanically controllable valve drive includes a gas exchange valve on which a transmission arrangement acts via a working contour. The transmission arrangement comprises a first wheel element comprising a toothing which is connected to a camshaft, and a second wheel element comprising a toothing which acts on the gas exchange valve. The transmission arrangement is mounted to move in a cylinder head via a bearing, and is operatively connected to the camshaft and to a valve stroke adjusting device comprising an adjusting shaft. The first and second wheel elements are each mounted to rotate on the adjusting shaft and to be in a geared connection with each another via their respective toothing so that a rotation of the adjusting shaft effects a phase shift between the first and second wheel elements and so that a rotary fixing generates an oscillating movement of the first and second wheel elements.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-stage process for producing substituted, optically active alcohols, comprising an enzyme-catalyzed synthesis step, in particular a synthesis step which is catalyzed by an alcohol dehydrogenase. The inventive method is particularly suitable for producing phenylephrine, i.e. 3-[(1R)-1-hydroxy-2-methylamino-ethyl]-phenol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to proteins having an enzymatic activity of reducing substituted alkanones such as 3-methylamino-1-(2-thienyl)-propan-1-one. The invention furthermore relates to nucleic acids coding for said proteins, nucleic acid constructs, vectors, genetically modified microorganisms and to methods for preparing optically active substituted alkanols, such as, for example, (S)-3-methylamino-1-(2-thienyl)-(S)-propanol.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rolling mill (1) which is used to hot roll metal, in particular aluminium. Said rolling mill comprises a hot strip mill (3) provided with a pre-rolling train (4) and a finishing rolling train (5). The aim of the invention is to improve said rolling mill such that it is more compact and/or such that the systems, which are already compact, are more productive. The pre-rolling train (4) is embodied as a tandem train, wherein the rolling product is milled in a tandem mode for jointly involving at least two pre-rolling frames (8, 9) arranged one behind the other. Alternatively or simultaneously, the pre-rolling train (4) and the finishing train (5) work together as a tandem train. Milling occurs place in the tandem mode when the frame of the pre-rolling train and the finishing train are used together. In the finishing train, milling can take place, preferably, in a reversing tandem mode.

Abstract: A process for preparing optically active alcohols of the formula Ia or Ib in which R1,R2 are alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, or alkylaryl groups which may in turn be substituted one or more times by alkyl, halogen, SH, SR2, OH, OR2, NO2, CN, CO, COOR2, NR2R3 or NR2R3R4+X, where R2, R3 and R4 are independently of one another H or a lower alkyl or lower alkoxy radical, and X?is a counter ion, with the proviso that R1 is not equal to R2, by reducing the corresponding ketone, where the reduction is carried out with a dehydrogenase having the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or NO: 4, or with a polypeptide sequence in which up to 25% of the amino acid residues are altered by comparison with SEQ ID NO: 2 or NO: 4 by deletion, insertion, substitution or a combination thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to the isolation of an alkanol from an aqueous biotransformation mixture, in that a) a first alkanol phase is obtained by means of distilling out an alkanol-water azeotrope from the aqueous biotransformation mixture and, if the azeotrope is a heteroazeotrope, phase separating the azeotrope and separating out an aqueous phase, b) a second alkanol phase is obtained by (i) liquid/liquid extracting the first alkanol phase using a solvent as an extracting agent, or (ii) azeotropic drying the first alkanol phase in the presence of the solvent as a carrier agent, and c) the second alkanol phase is fractionally distilled, producing a pure alkanol fraction. The biotransformation mixture is obtained, for example, by means of reducing an alkanol in the presence of an alcohol dehydrogenase. The method is adapted to the severe dilution of the products of value in the biotransformation mixture and works without long phase separation times when extracting by means of organic solvents.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for the application of agricultural active agents, wherein the device is suitable to be brought to the site of action in a manner temporally and spatially separated from the production process, and comprises a dispenser and non-water-soluble nanofibers and/or mesofibers charged with agricultural active agents. The polymers from which the nanofibers and/or mesofibers are made are preferably biodegradable. The agricultural active agents are selected from fungicides, herbicides, batericides, plant growth regulators and plant nutrients. These are preferably pheromones, kairomones and signaling substances. Furthermore, a method for the production of this device is disclosed, wherein the nanofibers and/or mesofibers charged with active agents are produced via electrospinning. The device is suitable to be used to bring agricultural active agents to the site of action in a manner temporally and spatially separated from the production of this device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel mutants with cyclase activity and use thereof in a method for biocatalytic cyclization of terpenes, such as in particular for the production of isopulegol by cyclization of citronellal; a method for the preparation of menthol and methods for the biocatalytic conversion of further compounds with structural motifs similar to terpene.

Abstract: Process for preparing N-heterocyclic optically active alcohols of the formula I by reduction of the corresponding ketone, where the reduction is carried out using a dehydrogenase having the polypeptide sequence SEQ ID NO:2 or NO:4, or using a polypeptide sequence where, compared to SEQ ID NO:2 or NO:4, up to 25% of the amino acid residues are modified by deletion; insertion, substitution or a combination thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the biocatalytic production of ambroxan by means of a polypeptide with the activity of a homofarnesol-ambroxan cyclase, which are a novel class of enzymes.

Abstract: A device for manufacturing a metal strip has solidification section (3) formed as a horizontally extending conveyor element for transporting cast metal in a transport direction (F), a delivery vessel (2) for delivering liquid metal to a first location of the solidification section (3), a delivery vessel (2) for delivering liquid metal to a first location of the solidification section (3); and a device provided at or downstream of a second location spaced from the first location for maintaining a desired tension of a metal strip and including at least one driver (8, 9) for transporting the metal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to enzymic processes for preparing S-butan-2-ol; and to enzymes for carrying out said processes; to nucleic acid sequences coding for said enzymes, to expression cassettes, vectors and recombinant hosts containing said nucleic acid sequences.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-stage process for producing substituted, optically active alcohols, comprising an enzyme-catalyzed synthesis step, in particular a synthesis step which is catalyzed by an alcohol dehydrogenase. The inventive method is particularly suitable for producing phenylephrine, i.e. 3-[(1R)-1-hydroxy-2-methylamino-ethyl]-phenol.

Abstract: The invention relates to a roller device (50) having a stand and two roller sets having at least two rollers (52, 53, 54, 55) disposed in a stand (51) of the roller device, wherein a roll material (56) can be fed between two rollers (53, 54) of the two roller sets for rolling, wherein at least the rollers (52, 53) of a roller set can be displaced in the rolling direction relative to the stand (51), wherein adjustment means are provided between a roller bearing for receiving the rollers and the stand, each on both sides of the roller bearing. It is thereby particularly advantageous if the circumferential speeds of the rollers, such as the working rollers, are different.

Abstract: A process for preparing optically active alkanols of the formula I in which n is an integer from 0 to 5; Cyc is an optionally substituted, mono- or polynuclear, saturated or unsaturated, carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring, and R1 is halogen, SH, OH, NO2, NR2R3 or NR2R3R4+X?, with R2, R3 and R4 independently of one another being hydrogen or a lower alkyl or lower alkoxy radical and X? being a counterion, which process comprises incubating in a medium comprising alkanone of the formula II ?in which n, Cyc and R1 are as defined above, an enzyme having a polypeptide sequence (i) SEQ ID NO: 1 or (ii) in which, compared to SEQ ID NO:1, up to 25% of the amino acid radicals have been altered by deletion, insertion, substitution or a combination thereof and which retains at least 50% of the enzymic activity of SEQ ID NO:1, with the compound of the formula II being enzymically reduced to give the compound of the formula I, and isolating the product formed.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method for manufacturing a strip (1) of metal, particularly of steel, wherein liquid metal is delivered to a solidification section (3) from a delivery vessel (2), and wherein the cast metal solidifies along the solidification section (3). In order to achieve an optimal strip quality without damages, the inventive method proposes that liquid metal is delivered to a first location (4) of the solidification section (3) that is realized in the form of a horizontally extending conveyor element, and in that the solidified metal departs the conveyor element (3) at a second location (5) that is spaced apart from the first location in the transport direction (F), wherein means (6, 7) for maintaining the mass flow of the strip departing the solidification section (3) and/or the tension in the strip at a desired value are provided at or downstream of the second location (5) referred to the transport direction (F).

Abstract: A method and device for measuring and adjusting the evenness and/or tension of a stainless steel strip (1) during cold rolling in a 4-roll stand (2) provided with at least one control loop (4) comprising several actuators (3), resulting in more precise measurement and adjustment due to the fact that an evenness defect (10) is determined by comparing a tension vector (8) with a predefined reference curve (9), whereupon the characteristic of the evenness defect (10) along the width of the strip is broken down into proportional tension vectors (8) in an analysis building block (11) in a mathematically approximated manner and the evenness defect proportions (C1 . . . Cx) determined by real numerical values are supplied to respectively associated control modules (12a; 12b) for actuation of the respective actuator (3).

Abstract: A process for preparing optically active (1S)-3-chloro-1-(2-thienyl)propan-1-ol of the formula I by, in a medium comprising 3-chloro-1-(2-thienyl)propan-1-one of the formula II reducing this compound to the compound of the formula I by means of an alcohol dehydrogenase from the Thermoanaerobacter genus, and isolating the product formed in substantially enantiomerically pure form.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing the optically active alkanols of formula (I), wherein n is an integer of from 0 to 5; Cyc represents an optionally substituted, mononuclear or polynuclear, saturated or unsaturated, carbocylic or heterocyclic ring, and R1 represents halogen, SH, OH, NO2, NR2R3 or NR2R3R4+X?, wherein R2, R3 and R4 independently represent H or a lower alkyl or lower alkoxy group and X? represents a counterion. According to the invention, an enzyme (E) selected from the groups of dehydrogenases, aldehyde reductases and carbonyl reductases is incubated in a medium containing the alkanone of formula (II), wherein n, Cyc and R1 are defined as above, in the presence of reduction equivalents.