Lantibiotics are lanthionine-containing peptide antibiotics. Nisin, encoded by nisA, is a pentacyclic lantibiotic produced by some Lactococcus lactis strains. Its thioether rings are posttranslationally introduced by a membrane-bound enzyme complex. This complex is composed of three enzymes: NisB, which dehydrates serines and threonines; NisC, which couples these dehydrated residues to cysteine...

The main goal of this study is to investigate the opportunities, challenges, and prospects of applying Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to the food supply management context where food safety issue is highly valued. Several key factors and implications have been identified based on longitudinal data gathered from a real life RFID project that was initiated and implemented by the...

The biosynthetic genes of the nisin-producing strain Lactococcus lactis 6F3 are organized in an operon-like structure starting with the structural gene nisA followed by the genes nisB, nisT, and nisC, which are probably involved in chemical modification and secretion of the prepeptide (G. Engelke, Z. Gutowski-Eckel, M. Hammelmann, and K.-D. Entian, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 58:3730-3743, 1992)....

Quorum sensing in lactic acid bacteria (LAB) involves peptides that are directly sensed by membrane-located histidine kinases, after which the signal is transmitted to an intracellular response regulator. This regulator in turn activates transcription of target genes, that commonly include the structural gene for the inducer molecule. The two-component signal-transduction machinery has proven t...

Normal mastication with its varying magnitude and direction generates considerable reactionary stresses in teeth and their supporting tissues. The structure of the human tooth and its supporting tissues is a complex assemblage of materials of varied mechanical properties. The finite element method (FEM), a modern technique of numerical stress analysis, has the great advantage of being applicabl...

The aim of this qualitative study was to gain insight into the experiences of fathers living with their chronically ill children in rural Australia. Data were collected via unstructured interviews with four fathers. Analysis followed the procedural steps for phenomenological data as outlined by Colaizzi (1978). Fathers described their experience of living with their chronically ill child as bei...

Optimization of landscape mosaics is a theme that involves both compositional and configuration features. This paper just deals with the first problem: may we say what are the optimal proportions of different habitats in a mosaic under specified criteria? Environmental economists claim that landscape changes reflect monetary values and utility maximization or, in more general terms, maximizatio...