1 Introduction Plasmonic nanoantennas have become a subject of considerable interest [1–3]. Numerous intriguing applications of nanoantennas in areas as diverse as optical and quantum communication, nonlinear optics, sensing, and photovoltaics have been discussed [3]. Ar-rayed nanoantennas like Yagi–Uda architectures down-scaled to nanometer dimensions are particularly suited for such applicati...

Chitin-binding lectins form the hevein family in plants, which are defined by the presence of single or multiple structurally conserved GlcNAc (N-acetylglucosamine)-binding domains. Although they have been used as probes for chito-oligosaccharides, their detailed specificities remain to be investigated. In this study, we analyzed six chitin-binding lectins, DSA, LEL, PWM, STL, UDA, and WGA, by ...

The catalytic domain of xylanases belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 10 (GH10) can be divided into 22 modules (M1 to M22; Sato, Y., Niimura, Y., Yura, K., and Go, M. (1999) Gene (Amst.) 238, 93-101). Inspection of the crystal structure of a GH10 xylanase from Streptomyces olivaceoviridis E-86 (SoXyn10A) revealed that the catalytic domain of GH10 xylanases can be dissected into two parts, a...

Cellulomonas sp. strain B6 was isolated from a subtropical forest soil sample and presented (hemi)cellulose-degrading activity. We report here its draft genome sequence, with an estimated genome size of 4 Mb, a G+C content of 75.1%, and 3,443 predicted protein-coding sequences, 92 of which are glycosyl hydrolases involved in polysaccharide degradation.

To develop an effective technology for conversion of inorganic arsenic to methylated organic compounds by using microorganisms, we have searched microorganisms the methylation ability that are adequately applicable detoxification process. As a result, isolated arsenic-methylating bacteria Cellulomonas sp. K31.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a highly lethal emerging disease caused by coronavirus SARS-CoV. New lethal animal models for SARS were needed to facilitate antiviral research. We adapted and characterized a new strain of SARS-CoV (strain v2163) that was highly lethal in 5- to 6-week-old BALB/c mice. It had nine mutations affecting 10 amino acid residues. Strain v2163 increased IL-1...

This paper presents an optimum design technique of an asymmetric V-dipole antenna and it’s a three-element Yagi-Uda array using Genetic Algorithm (GA). The optimization parameter for the V-dipole is the directivity and that for the Yagi-Uda array are the input impedance and directivity. The theoretical analysis has been done using a Moment-Method technique in a very simple step-by-step way, and...