Improved production of spiramycin by mutant<Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces ambofaciens</Emphasis>

Strain improvement and medium optimization to increase the productivity of spiramycin were carried out. Of oil tolerant mutant strains screened, one mutant,Streptomyces ambofaciens XC 2–37, produced 9% more spiramycin than the parent strainS. ambofaciens XC 1–29. The effects of soybean oil and propyl alcohol on spiramycin production withS. ambofaciens XC 2–37 were studied. The potency ofS. ambofaciens XC 2–37 was improved by 61.8% with addition of 2% soybean oil in the fermentation medium and 0.4% propyl alcohol at 24 hours after incubation. The suitable time for feeding propyl alcohol is at 24 hours after incubation in flask fermentation and at 20 hours after incubation in fermentor fermentation. The new process withS. ambofaciens XC 2–37 was scaled up for industrial scale production of spiramycin in a 60 m³ fermentor in Xinchang Pharmaceutical Factory, Zhejiang Medicine Company, Ltd., China, and the potency and productivity of fermentation were improved by 42.9%.     

Quantifying and visualizing change: Strain monitoring of tapestries with digital image correlation

A three-year research project at the University of Southampton (2007–2010) investigated whether monitoring techniques commonly used by engineers to assess the strength and durability of materials could be usefully applied to inform the condition assessment of historic tapestries. To date it has not been possible to obtain an objective picture of the overall condition of a tapestry; the study investigated whether it is possible to identify precursors of structural damage. The two techniques, digital image correlation (DIC) and optical fibre sensors, were used to monitor a representative wool fabric, specially woven tapestry samples, a newly woven tapestry, and historic tapestries, both in the laboratory and in situ in a historic house. This study first sets out to answer the question: can DIC be used to monitor and visualize strain in historic tapestries? It is shown that DIC can be used successfully. Secondly, it discusses the map function, a novel development which allowed the monitoring equipment to be moved, so that it could be used in situ in a historic house. Thirdly, it provides further details of the experimental work using optical fibre sensors to confirm the accuracy of the DIC technique.