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E. coli was metabolically engineered to produce vanillin by expression of the fcs and ech genes from Amycolatopsis sp. encoding feruloyl-CoA synthetase and enoyl-CoA hydratase/aldolase, respectively. Vanillin production was optimized by leaky expression of the genes, under the IPTG-inducible trc promoter, in complex 2YT medium. Supplementation with glucose, fructose, galactose, arabinose or glycerol severely decreased vanillin production. The highest vanillin production of 1.1 g l(-1) was obtained with cultivation for 48 h in 2YT medium with 0.2% (w/v) ferulate, without IPTG and no supplementation of carbon sources.

The effect of glassy‐phase chemistry, using Y3Al5O12 (YAG) and SiO2 as sintering additives, on the microstructure and mechanical properties of liquid‐phase‐sintered, and subsequently annealed, α‐SiC materials was investigated. The microstructural development of annealed materials was insensitive to changes in glass chemistry. The mechanical properties vs SiO2/YAG ratio curve had a maximum; i.e., there was a small glass composition range at which optimum mechanical properties were realized. The best results were obtained when the ratio was ∼0.5. The flexural strength and fracture toughness of the material were >450 MPa and >6 MPa·m1/2, respectively.

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A prolonged developmental timeline for GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid)-expressing inhibitory neurons (GABAergic interneurons) is an amplified trait in larger, gyrencephalic animals. In several species, the generation, migration, and maturation of interneurons take place over several months, in some cases persisting after birth. The late integration of GABAergic interneurons occurs in a region-specific pattern, especially during the early postnatal period. These changes can contribute to the formation of functional connectivity and plasticity, especially in the cortical regions responsible for higher cognitive tasks. In this review, we discuss GABAergic interneuron development in the late gestational and postnatal forebrain. We propose the protracted development of interneurons at each stage (neurogenesis, neuronal migration, and network integration), as a mechanism for increased complexity and cognitive flexibility in larger, gyrencephalic brains. This developmental feature of interneurons also provides an avenue for environmental influences to shape neural circuit formation.