Abstract: A radially expansible annular stent is disclosed. The stent comprises a plurality of stenting turns around a lumen centred on a longitudinal axis. Adjacent turns of the stent are joined by connector struts. The stent annulus has a wall thickness related to the material from which it is formed. The radial thickness of the connector struts is smaller than that of the stent annulus. A method of making such a stent is also disclosed. The method includes cutting the connector struts from a tubular workpiece with a laser beam. The laser beam is aimed so as to be offset from a longitudinal axis of the workpiece to provide the reduced radial thickness of the connector struts.

Abstract: There is provided a microbial cell for producing at least one omega-functionalized carboxylic acid ester from at least one alkane, wherein the cell is genetically modified to increase the expression relative to the wild type cell of (i) Enzyme E1 capable of converting the alkane to the corresponding 1-alkanol; (ii) Enzyme E2 capable of converting the 1-alkanol of (i) to the corresponding 1-alkanal; (iii) Enzyme E3 capable of converting the 1-alkanal of (ii) to the corresponding alkanoic acid; (iv) Enzyme E4 capable of converting the alkanoic acid of (iii) to the corresponding alkanoic acid ester; and (iv) Enzyme E5 capable of converting the alkanoic acid ester of (iv) to the corresponding omega-hydroxy-alkanoic acid ester, and wherein the cell does not comprise a genetic modification that increases the expression relative to the wild type cell of at least one of the following enzymes E20-E24 selected from the group consisting of: E20 Acyl-ACP thioesterase, of EC 3.1.2.14 or EC 3.1.2.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a dermatologically active yeast extract, comprising the following steps: providing a preculture of the yeast cells, culturing the cells for at least fifteen minutes at a pH of 1.8-4, harvesting the cells and lysing the cells, and a yeast extract produced thereby and products comprising said yeast extract.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for oxidizing a fatty acid or an ester thereof of formula (I) H3C —(CH2)n-COOR, wherein R is selected from the group that comprises H, methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl, wherein n is 0 to 30, preferably 6 to 24, comprising the step of oxidizing the fatty acid or the ester thereof by contacting the fatty acid or the ester thereof with a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase of the CYP153 family in the presence of molecular oxygen and NAD(P)H and a whole-cell catalyst that expresses a recombinant cytochrome P450 monooxygenase of the CYP153 family, a recombinant alcohol dehydrogenase, a recombinant transaminase, and optionally one or more than one recombinant enzyme from the group comprising alanine dehydrogenase, ferredoxin, and ferredoxin reductase, and the use of said whole-cell catalyst to oxidize a fatty acid or an ester thereof.

Abstract: A method including the steps a) providing a primary alcohol of the formula HO—(CH2)x—R1, where R1 is —OH, —SH, —NH2 or —COOR2; x is at least 3; and R2 is H, alkyl or aryl, b) oxidizing the primary alcohol by contacting it with an NAD(P)+-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase, and c) contacting the oxidation product of step a) with a transaminase, where the NAD(P)+-alcohol dehydrogenase and/or the transaminase is a recombinant or isolated enzyme. A whole cell catalyst for carrying out the method. The use of such a whole cell catalyst for oxidizing a primary alcohol.

Abstract: A method and a device estimate a profile depth of a tire of a vehicle during operation of the vehicle. The method measures signals from a piezoelectric element which is disposed on an inner side of the tire in a region which deforms in the event of tread shuffle. The measured signals or actual data derived from the signals are compared with comparison data. The comparison data contain data sets which each indicate signals to be expected for a profile depth or actual data which are to be expected. The profile depth is then estimated on the basis of the comparison of the signals or of the actual data with the comparison data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a microbial cell capable of producing at least one terminal alkene from at least one short chain fatty acid, wherein the cell is genetically modified to comprise at least a first genetic mutation that increases the expression relative to the wild type cell of an enzyme (E1) selected from the CYP152 peroxygenase family, and at least a second genetic mutation that increases the expression relative to the wild type cell of at least one NAD(P)+ oxidoreductase (E2) and the corresponding mediator protein, wherein the short chain fatty acid is a C4-C10 fatty acid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method comprising the method steps A) Providing at least one compound of the general formula I) where X=divalent organic radical comprising 1 to 19 carbon atoms B) Contacting the compound of the general formula I) with an enzyme E1 selected from the group esterases, lipases and lactonases, characterized in that method step B) is carried out in the presence of at least one aliphatic alcohol comprising 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cell expressing an amino acid-N-acyl-transferase, which is preferably recombinant, and an acyl-CoA synthetase, which is preferably recombinant, wherein the cell has a reduced fatty acid degradation capacity, a method for producing acyl amino acids, comprising the step contacting an amino acid and an acyl CoA in the presence of an amino acid-N-acyl-transferase, which is preferably isolated and/or recombinant, wherein the amino acid-N-acyl-transferase is preferably a human amino acid-N-acyl-transferase, or culturing the cell and a reaction mixture comprising an amino acid-N-acyl-transferase, which is preferably isolated and/or recombinant, an acyl-CoA synthetase, which is preferably isolated and/or recombinant, an amino acid and either a fatty acid-CoA or a fatty acid and an acyl-CoA-synthase.

Abstract: A method for localizing the installation position of wheels in a motor vehicle having at least a first, second and third wheels, includes allocating respective wheel electronics to the wheels for emitting a radio signal with an identifier and allocating at least one vehicle-side rotational angle sensor to at least a first possible installation position. The installation position of the first wheel is determined by output signals of the rotational angle sensor at a first possible installation position. In addition, the installation position of the second and third wheels is determined by measuring the field strength of radio signals with identifiers of the wheel electronics of the second and third wheels by using a vehicle-side receiving device. In this way, precise determination of the location of the wheel electronics can be performed with minimum expenditure on devices, without having to provide a rotational angle sensor on each wheel.

Abstract: A method comprising the steps (a) contacting a hydrocarbon comprising a hydroxyl group with a biological agent having oxygen-dependent and cofactor-dependent carbohydrate oxidase activity in the presence of oxygen and carbohydrate oxidase cofactor, and (b) contacting the hydrocarbon produced in step a) with a biological agent having transaminase activity and a biological agent having cofactor-dependent amino acid dehydrogenase activity in the presence of amino acid dehydrogenase cofactor and the substrate amino acid of the amino acid dehydrogenase.

Abstract: A reaction mixture for producing ethanol and/or acetate from a carbon source in aerobic conditions, wherein the mixture comprises a first acetogenic microorganism in an exponential growth phase; free oxygen; and a second acetogenic microorganism in a stationary phase wherein the first and second acetogenic microorganism is capable of converting the carbon source to the acetate and/or ethanol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reaction mixture and a method of producing at least one higher alcohol comprising a reaction mixture comprising a mixed culture of a first and a second microorganism in an aqueous medium comprising carbon monoxide gas, wherein the first microorganism is an acetogenic microorganism capable of converting a carbon source to acetate and/or ethanol; and the second microorganism is selected from the group consisting of Clostridium kluyveri, and C. Carboxidivorans capable of converting the acetate and/or ethanol to form an acid; wherein the first microorganism is further capable of converting the acid to the corresponding higher alcohol and the higher alcohol comprises at least 6 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A method of culturing at least one acetogenic bacteria, includes growing the bacteria in an aqueous medium comprising an amount of cysteine and/or cystine, wherein the cysteine and/or cystine concentration in the medium is maintained at a concentration of less than 0.20 g/L.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing organic compositions comprising the method steps: A) providing an oxyhydrogen bacterium having an activity of an enzyme E1, which is increased by comparison with the wild type thereof and which can catalyse the conversion of 2 acetyl-CoA to acetoacetyl-CoA and CoA, in an aqueous medium; B) bringing the aqueous medium into contact with a gas containing H2, CO2 and O2 in a weight ratio from 20-70 to 10-45 to 5-35 and optionally C) purifying the organic composition.

Abstract: At least one fatty acid and/or derivative thereof is produced from a gas containing H2, CO2, and O2 by providing a genetically modified hydrogen oxidizing bacterium in an aqueous medium; and contacting the aqueous medium with the gas containing H2, CO2 and O2 in a weight ratio of 20 to 70 (H2): 10 to 45 (CO2): 5 to 35 (O2); wherein the fatty acid contains at least 5 carbon atoms and wherein the hydrogen oxidizing bacterium is genetically modified relative to the wild type bacterium to increase the expression of enzyme E1 that is capable of catalyzing the conversion of acetyl CoA to acyl ACP via malonyl coA and to increase the expression of enzyme E2 that is capable of catalyzing the conversion of Acyl ACP to the fatty acid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for utilizing gases containing CO and/or CO2, which method comprises the following steps: A) providing a gas flow of the gas containing CO and/or CO2, B) converting at least a portion of the gas flow into electrical energy, C) transforming at least a portion of the gas flow into at least one organic substance using a biotechnological fermentation process, and possibly D) repeating method steps B) and C).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for removing an organic compound having one or more positive charges from an aqueous solution. Said method consists of the following steps a) the aqueous solution containing the organic compound, and a hydrophobic organic solution which contains a hydrophobic liquid cation exchanger having one or more negative charges and a negative total charge, are provided, b) the aqueous solution and the organic solution are brought into contact with each other and c) the organic solution is separated from the aqueous solution.

Abstract: A process for the improved separation of a hydrophobic organic solution from an aqueous culture medium is provided. The process includes preparing an aqueous culture medium of a metabolically active cell having a decreased activity; contacting of the aqueous culture medium with a hydrophobic organic solution comprising a substrate for biotransformation; conducting a biotransformation of the substrate; and separating the hydrophobic organic solution comprising a biotransformed substrate from the aqueous culture medium. The decreased activity of the metabolically active cell is in comparison to a wild-type of the active cell and the decreased activity is of at least of one enzyme that catalyzes one reaction of ?-oxidation of fatty acids.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing an ?,?-alkanediol comprising the steps of a) reacting an alkanoic acid with an alkanol to give an ester, b) oxidizing at least one terminal carbon atom of the ester by contacting with a whole-cell catalyst, which expresses an alkane hydroxylase, in aqueous solution and in the presence of molecular oxygen, to give an oxidized ester, c) hydrogenating the oxidized ester to form the alkanediol and alkanol, and d) removing the alkanol by distillation, forming a reaction mixture depleted with respect to the alkanol, and recycling the alkanol in step b).