Microwave assisted extraction (MAE) tech-nique was employed for the extraction of pectin from black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) pomace in this research. The effects of process variables namely microwave power (300-900 watt), irradiation time (10-30 min) and liquid to solid ratio (15-30 mL/g) on the yield, degree of esterification (DE) and galacturonic acid content (GalA) of pectin were i...

The spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria is one of the most pressing problems in human health today. In the case of the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes lethal airway infections in cystic fibrosis and immunocompromised patients, the formation of biofilms plays an important role in antibiotic resistance and disease progression. Biofilm formation is mediated in part ...

BACKGROUND An affibody-displaying bio-nanocapsule (ZHER2-BNC) with a hepatocyte specificity derived from hepatitis B virus (HBV) was converted into an affibody, ZHER2, that recognizes HER2 receptors. This affibody was previously reported to be the result of the endocytosis-dependent specific uptake of proteins and siRNA into target cancer cells. To assist the endosomal escape of inclusions, a h...

Work on game playing in AI has typically ignored games of imperfect information such as poker. In this paper, we present a framework for dealing with such games. We point out several important issues that arise only in the context of imperfect information games, particularly the insufficiency of a simple game tree model to represent the players’ information state and the need for randomization ...

Multiple-sequence alignment analysis is a powerful approach for understanding phylogenetic relationships, annotating genes, and detecting functional regulatory elements. With a growing number of partly or fully sequenced vertebrate genomes, effective tools for performing multiple comparisons are required to accurately and efficiently assist biological discoveries. Here we introduce Mulan (http:...

The volcanoes of Gala?pagos, Ecuador, are among the most active in world, with an average five eruptions per decade. Monitoring and communication their activity essential for timely management events. In this context, Instituto Geofi?sico de la Escuela Polite?cnica Nacional carries out constant surveillance Gala?pagos using geophysical monitoring, remote sensing, field campaigns support Direcci...

HbVar (http://globin.cse.psu.edu/globin/hbvar/) is a relational database developed by a multi-center academic effort to provide up-to-date and high quality information on the genomic sequence changes leading to hemoglobin variants and all types of thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies. Extensive information is recorded for each variant and mutation, including sequence alterations, biochemical and ...

Although ketoheptose sugars are known to occur in Nature both free (La Forge, 1916-17; La Forge & Hudson, 1917) and in phosphorylated form (Robison, Macfarlane & Tazelaar, 1938; Benson, Bassham & Calvin, 1951; Horecker & Smyrniotis, 1952; Buchanan, 1953), it is only in very recent years that aldoheptose sugars have been detected in natural products. The aldoheptoses have been found, up to the p...

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are products of the flavonoid pathway, which also leads to the production of anthocyanins and flavonols. Many flavonoids have antioxidant properties and may have beneficial effects for human health. PAs are found in the seeds and fruits of many plants. In apple fruit (Malus × domestica Borkh.), the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway is most active in the skin, with the flava...

In this paper we present the structure and describe serological properties of the O-specific polysaccharide of Proteus mirabilis O13 lipopolysaccharide, which contains a unique component: an amide of D-galacturonic acid (D-GalA) with an unusual amino acid, Nepsilon-[(R)-1-carboxyethyl]-L-lysine (alaninolysine, AlaLys). Selective chemical degradations of either GalA or AlaLys resulted in the los...