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Lipases are hydrolytic enzymes which have significant potential for commercial applications, particularly in the breakdown of oil contaminants. Serratia marcescens EGHK-19 isolate exhibited considerable lipase activity. This study investigates the optimization, purification, and characterization of lipase from the Serratia marcescens EGHK-19 isolate. The optimized culture conditions revealed that maximal lipase activity was achieved after 24 hours at 30°C and pH 7, with continuous shaking at 150 rpm. Utilizing a 2% inoculum percentage with 1% diesel and 0.3% tryptone in the presence of Fe2+, Ca2+, Mg2+ salts, and Tween 80 resulted in the highest activity at 17.278 U/ml/min. The purification process involved acetone precipitation and DEAE-Sephadex column chromatography, revealing a molecular weight of approximately 60 kDa on SDS-PAGE. This method exhibited a 0.985-fold purification, and the final yield was limited to 2.097% due to lipase aggregates. Characterization of the purified lipase indicated optimal activity (8.765 U/mL/min) at 40°C a nd p H 7. T he K m a nd V max values w ere c alculated a s 6 .89 m M a nd 6 5.79 µmol/min, respectively. The presence of SDS, Tween 80, and Triton X-100 surfactants resulted in the inhibition of lipase activity. Despite these insuggestss, the biochemical characteristics of the purified lipase suggest its potential as an excellent candidate for various industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Susan Howe's difficulty has often led critics to address her poetry in relation to language poets and abstract expressionists causing many to read her poems as painterly hybrids dependent on reader-beholder experience rather than meaning. Putting Howe's poetry in conversation with Modernist painting, I establish that Howe's painterly aspects, like her 1960s counterparts on the verge of an ontological crisis, cease to be painterly. Although Howe's poems engage with the problems at the end of Modernist painting--the possibility of white space and pictorial composition--they do so with a canvas that has come to function like a page. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate a PCR based method of Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of short tandem repeats and its quantification for detecting donor chimerism after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in acute leukaemias. Methods: The descriptive study was conducted at Genetic Resource Centre (GRC) Lab Rawalpindi from Feb 2018 - Nov 2020. A total of twenty patients with acute leukaemias having undergone HSCT were selected and assessed for the analysis of chimerism status. DNA extraction from the whole blood was done by chelex method and short tandem repeats were amplified by using conventional STR-PCR assay. Electrophoresis was carried out and 6% Polyacrylamide gels were used for the resultant amplified DNA products and then followed by their densitometry. These patients had undergone HSCT from Pakistan Institute of Medical Science and Armed Forces Bone Marrow Transplant Centre. Results: The peaks in the PAGE densitometry represented the donor chimerism in all post transplant samples of the patients. Conclusion: Our study showed that densitometry of STR PCR PAGE is a useful and cheaper method for demonstration of donor chimerism in acute leukaemia patients having undergone HSCT. Hence this method can be a valuable option in the monitoring of chimerism status in these patients and therefore helps in preventing graft failure by fast and early treatment strategies for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to detect picobirnavirus (PBV) in the fecal samples of wild and domestic animals from 2014 to 2016 in the Amazon biome. Fecal samples from different animals, including birds (n = 41) and mammals (n = 217), were used. The PAGE test showed negativity for PBV. However, 32 samples (12.4%, 32/258) showed positive results in RT-PCR analyses. Among the positive samples, pigs and cats, both with 28.12% (9/32), registered the highest frequencies. In a phylogenetic analysis, eight sequences from positive samples were grouped in the Genogroup 1 of PBV (PBV GI). PBV occurrence was significantly related to cats and pigs but not other mammals or birds, independently of their geographical origin. A nucleotide analysis demonstrated similarity among the feline group but the absence of a defined structure between the clades. PBVs are highly widespread viruses that can affect the most diverse types of hosts in the Amazon biome, including humans.

The insecticidal crystal proteins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis during sporulation are active ingredients against lepidopteran, dipteran, and coleopteran insects. Several methods have been reported for their quantification, such as crystal counting, ELISA, and SDS-PAGE/densitometry. One of the major tasks in industrial processes is the analysis of raw material dependency and costs. Thus, the crystal protein quantification method is expected to be compatible with the presence of complex and inexpensive culture medium components. This work presents a revalidated elution-based method for the quantification of insecticidal crystal proteins produced by the native strain B. thuringiensis RT. To quantify proteins, a calibration curve was generated by varying the amount of BSA loaded into SDS-PAGE gels. First, SDS-PAGE was performed for quality control of the bioinsecticide. Then, the stained protein band was excised from 10% polyacrylamide gel and the protein-associated dye was eluted with an alcoholic solution of SDS (3% SDS in 50% isopropanol) during 45 min at 95°C. This protocol was a sensitive procedure to quantify proteins in the range of 2.0–10.0 µg. As proof of concept, proteins of samples obtained from a complex fermented broth were separated by SDS-PAGE. Then, Cry1 and Cry2 proteins were properly quantified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: One of the factors contributing to the emergence and resurgence of diseases is the persistent disruption and inadequate management of natural ecosystems. This poses a significant threat to many wildlife species, which are considered potential reservoirs of human diseases, as well as to the biodiversity of the Brazilian Amazon. Understanding the potential of enteric viruses is of great importance due to the substantial impact on both animal and human populations. Picobirnaviruses serve as examples of pathogens that infect various animal species, including mammals and non-mammals, either symptomatically or asymptomatically. They function as emerging opportunistic agents and are regarded as potential zoonotic pathogens. This study successfully detected picobirnavirus in fecal specimens collected from companion animals (mostly cats), livestock (mostly pigs), and wild animals inhabiting areas affected by anthropogenic changes. The data underscore the importance of monitoring viruses in animals in order to identify potential points of spillover to humans. This study aimed to detect picobirnavirus (PBV) in the fecal samples of wild and domestic animals from 2014 to 2016 in the Amazon biome. Fecal samples from different animals, including birds (n = 41) and mammals (n = 217), were used. The PAGE test showed negativity for PBV. However, 32 samples (12.4%, 32/258) showed positive results in RT-PCR analyses. Among the positive samples, pigs and cats, both with 28.12% (9/32), registered the highest frequencies. In a phylogenetic analysis, eight sequences from positive samples were grouped in the Genogroup 1 of PBV (PBV GI). PBV occurrence was significantly related to cats and pigs but not other mammals or birds, independently of their geographical origin. A nucleotide analysis demonstrated similarity among the feline group but the absence of a defined structure between the clades. PBVs are highly widespread viruses that can affect the most diverse types of hosts in the Amazon biome, including humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Amyloidosis is an infiltrative disease where amyloid fibrils get deposited in the organs like kidney, liver and spleen. Amyloid deposition in the kidneys classically meant deposition in the glomeruli and mesangium until 2008 when interstitial amyloid deposits were isolated and named as' Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2-associated amyloidosis. It is a progressive disease which clinically manifests as slowly progressive renal dysfunction and/or proteinuria. Our case 34 year old renal transplant recipient underwent graft biopsy post transplantation which revealed interstitial LECT-2 amyloid deposits. Unfortunately, he developed page kidney post biopsy which was managed conservatively with percutaneous drainage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avibacterium paragallinarum (A. paragallinarum) is the aetiological agent of infectious coryza (IC) in chickens and characterized by acute respiratory distress and severe drop in egg production. Vaccination is important in the control of IC outbreaks and the efficacy of vaccination is dependent on A. paragallinarum serovars included in the vaccine. Classical serotyping of A. paragallinarum is laborious and hampered by poor availability of antigens and antisera. The haemagglutinin, important in classical serotyping, is encoded by the HMTp210 gene. HMTp210 gene analysis has been shown to have potential as alternative to classical serotyping. The aim of the present study was to further investigate the potential of sequence analyses of partial region 1 of the HMTp210 gene, the HMTp210 hypervariable region and the concatenated sequences of both fragments. For this analysis, 123 HMTp210 gene sequences (field isolates, A. paragallinarum serovar reference strains and vaccine strains) were included. Evaluation of serovar references and vaccine strains revealed a need for critical evaluation, especially within Page serovar B and C. Phylogenetic analysis of HMTp210 region 1 resulted in a separation of Page serovar A, B and C strains. Analysis of the HMTp210 HVR alone was not sufficient to discriminate all nine different Kume serovar references. The concatenated sequences of HMTp210 region 1 and HMTp210 HVR resulted in 14 clusters with a high correlation with Page serovar and with the nine currently known Kume serovars and is therefore proposed as a novel genotyping method that could be used as an alternative for classical serotyping of A. paragallinarum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are small noncoding RNAs derived from genome to control target gene expression. Recently we have developed a novel platform permitting high-yield production of bioengineered miRNA agents (BERA). This study is to produce and utilize novel fully-humanized BERA/miR-328-3p molecule (hBERA/miR-328) to delineate the role of miR-328-3p in controlling nutrient uptake essential for cell metabolism. We first demonstrated successful high-level expression of hBERA/miR-328 in bacteria and purification to high degree of homogeneity (>98%). Biologic miR-328-3p prodrug was selectively processed to miR-328-3p to suppress the growth of highly-proliferative human osteosarcoma (OS) cells. Besides glucose transporter protein type 1, gene symbol solute carrier family 2 member 1 (GLUT1/SLC2A1), we identified and verified large neutral amino acid transporter 1, gene symbol solute carrier family 7 member 5 (LAT1/SLC7A5) as a direct target for miR-328-3p. While reduction of LAT1 protein levels by miR-328-3p did not alter homeostasis of amino acids within OS cells, suppression of GLUT1 led to a significantly lower glucose uptake and decline in intracellular levels of glucose and glycolytic metabolite lactate. Moreover, combination treatment with hBERA/miR-328 and cisplatin or doxorubicin exerted a strong synergism in the inhibition of OS cell proliferation. These findings support the utility of novel bioengineered RNA molecules and establish an important role of miR-328-3p in the control of nutrient transport and homeostasis behind cancer metabolism.

Drug-metabolizing enzymes, transporters, and nuclear receptors are essential for the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) of drugs and xenobiotics. MicroRNAs participate in the regulation of ADME gene expression via imperfect complementary Watson-Crick base pairings with target transcripts. We have previously reported that Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2 (ABCG2) are regulated by miR-27b-3p and miR-328-3p, respectively. Here we employed our newly established RNA bioengineering technology to produce bioengineered RNA agents (BERA), namely BERA/miR-27b-3p and BERA/miR-328-3p, via fermentation. When introduced into human cells, BERA/miR-27b-3p and BERA/miR-328-3p were selectively processed to target miRNAs and thus knock down CYP3A4 and ABCG2 mRNA and their protein levels, respectively, as compared to cells treated with vehicle or control RNA. Consequently, BERA/miR-27b-3p led to a lower midazolam 1'-hydroxylase activity, indicating the reduction of CYP3A4 activity. Likewise, BERA/miR-328-3p treatment elevated the intracellular accumulation of anticancer drug mitoxantrone, a classic substrate of ABCG2, hence sensitized the cells to chemotherapy. The results indicate that biologic miRNA agents made by RNA biotechnology may be applied to research on miRNA functions in the regulation of drug metabolism and disposition that could provide insights into the development of more effective therapies.

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) with sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and Coomassie brilliant blue (CBB) staining is widely used in protein research and requires time for electrophoresis, staining and destaining. Because the protein bands electrophoresed in the gel are invisible in most cases, the results cannot be observed until the whole process is complete. In this study, shadowgraph was applied to detect biomolecules such as proteins during electrophoresis. A simple optical system and camera-enabled real-time monitoring of migration and separation of individual protein bands in polyacrylamide gels without staining. The visibility was high enough that it was possible to visualize substances other than proteins, such as DNA. This method provides protein profiles instantly in the early stage of electrophoresis. The elimination of the staining and destaining steps will help save researchers' time. The method is also environmentally friendly and will help reduce the generation of waste solutions containing synthetic dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation was conducted to compare the electrophoretetic banding patterns of esterase isozyme in the gill, liver, and brain tissues of the freshwater fish Channa punctatus (Bloch) at 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, and 96 hours after exposure to Malathion (an Organophosphate) to those at the control group. Quantitative analysis of the esterase isozymes was performed using 7.5 native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) stained with -naphthyl acetate as substrate. The relative mobilities of three esterase Isozyme bands in gill, liver, and brain tissue were determined to be 0.60.05, 0.40.05, and 0.30.05, respectively; these bands were designated Est-1, Est-2, and Est-3, respectively. Control samples from the gill, liver, and brain all had all three esterase bands. Both Est-2 and Est-3 Esterase Isozyme bands in gill and liver tissue were eliminated when fish were subjected to Malathion (an Organophosphate) for 72 and 96 hours, respectively. Malathion induced greater damage in Est-1 and Est-3 brain tissue than in Est-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The present work is based on analysis of inhibitory activity of alpha-amylase inhibitor in selected cultivars of Phaseolus vulgaris of Uttarakhand. Fifteen samples were assessed for inhibitory activity of alpha-amylase inhibitor. Significant variations were found in different cultivars. Crude extract of alpha-amylase inhibitor from sample PUR (Purola) have shown maximum inhibitory activity (70.2 ± 0.84). Crude extract of all the cultivars have shown considerable variations in inhibitory activity in the temperature ranging from 20ºC to 100ºC. Based on inhibitory activity and heat stability profile, the alpha amylase inhibitor was purified from PUR cultivar. The purified inhibitor was found to be stable even at 90ºC with an inhibitory activity of 97.20 ±0.09. The molecular weight of purified inhibitor on Native PAGE (Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) was found to be 31kd, consisting of two subunits of 17kd and 14kd on SDS-PAGE.

In infants with immunodeficiency, rotavirus (RV) vaccines can be continuously excreted in stool. We analysed nosocomial infection with RV vaccine strain in immunodeficient paediatric patients. RV1 RNAs were detected in stool and serum samples from case A, who was vaccinated with RV1, and case B, who was not. PAGE analysis of serial stool samples of case A revealed several rearrangements of the RV genome. In case B, the only band pattern detected was the same as a rearrangement detected in case A at the same time. In summary, RV vaccination of infants with immunodeficiency poses a risk of nosocomial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the characteristics of 133 Haemophilus parasuis isolates in southern China. These isolates belonged to eleven serovars (1, 2, 4-10, 13 and 15) with 12.0% of them being characterised as non-typable. A relatively high level in resistance was encountered for trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole (89.9%), tetracycline (75.3%), amoxicillin (69.1%), streptomycin (63.6%), carbenicillin (60.2%), kanamycin (46.6%) and ampicillin (45.6%). A total of 60% of the isolates were negative for group 1 virulence-associated autotransporters (vtaA). All group 1 vtaA negative isolates fell into polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) type I, while all group 1 vtaA positive isolates were classified as PAGE type II. The results of Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) indicated a high degree of variation, 45 isolates in the study were assigned into 31 sequence types with 28 of these being new (not found in the MLST database). Antimicrobial resistance was observed in every serovar, there was no statistically significant correlation between the antimicrobial resistance and the serovars. The isolates allocated to clade 2 (based on MLST target sequences) showed the molecular characteristics of highly pathogenic strains in whole-cell protein profiling, vtaA groups 1, superoxide dismutase (sodA) sequence and MLST.

Historically, the concern for intellectual creation has tended to hide, in a fetishistic way, the work and materiality necessary for its circulation. This implies that the mind or genius of the creator is privileged (generally thinking in masculine terms). In this obliteration falls even the contemporary concern for materiality, which usually ignores its own materiality, that is, it ignores its very contextual and production conditions. This essay reflects on the place of the page on which the thought is inscribed, but, at the same time, making explicit that it is done from a hand articulated to a brain, to a body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For more than two centuries, publishers and critics have tried to design an English Bible that would be easy to hold and a delight to read. This essay tracks various attempts to design such a bible, beginning with early nineteenth-century printings that sought to declutter the bible page and to break the thick book into multiple volumes, before turning to early calls to revise the Authorized Version (a.k.a. the King James Version) so that it would be easier for modern audiences to comprehend. The latter half of the essay examines two recent efforts to reform the English Bible physically and textually, Adam Lewis Greene's Bibliotheca (2016) and Robert Alter's The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary (2018), arguing that each makes important strides toward producing the long-awaited "readable Bible." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): With emergence of drug resistance, novel approaches such as phage therapy for treatment of bacterial infections have received significant attention. The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify effective bacteriophages on extremely drug-resistant (XDR) bacteria isolated from burn wounds. Materials and Methods: Pathogenic bacteria were isolated from hospitalized patient wounds in specialized burn hospitals in Iran, and their identification was performed based on biochemical testing and sequencing of the gene encoding 16S rRNA. Bacteriophages were isolated from municipal sewage, Isfahan, Iran. The phage morphology was observed by TEM. After detection of the host range, adsorption rate, and one-step growth curve, the phage proteomics pattern and restriction enzyme digestion pattern were analyzed. Results: All isolates of bacteria were highly resistant to antibiotics. Among isolates, Acinetobacter baumannii strain IAU_FAL101 (GenBank accession number: MW845680), which was an XDR bacterium, showed significant sensitivity to phage PФ-Bw-Ab. TEM determined the phage belongs to Siphoviridae. They had double-stranded DNA. This phage showed the highest antibacterial effect at 15 °C and pH 7. Analysis of the restriction enzyme digestion pattern showed PФ-Bw-Ab phage was sensitive to most of the used enzymes and based on SDS-PAGE, protein profiles were revealed 43 to 90kDa. Conclusion: Considering the potential ability of the isolated phage, it had an antibacterial impact on other used bacterial spp and also strong antibacterial effects on XDR A. baumannii. Also, it had long latency and low burst size. This phage can be a suitable candidate for phage therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical mobilization following IEF enables single-point detection of an ideally stationary equilibrium electrophoresis mode. Despite prior studies exploring optimization of chemical mobilization conditions and recent insight from numerical simulations, understanding of both chemical mobilization mechanisms and the implications of mobilization on IEF analytical performance remains limited. In this study, we utilize full-field imaging of microchannel IEF to assess the performance of a range of canonical chemical mobilization schemes. We empirically demonstrate and characterize key areas where limited understanding of performance implications exists, including: the effects of mobilization solution pH and ion concentration, differences between ionic and zwitterionic mobilization, and diffusion as a source of zone broadening. We utilize Simul5 simulations to gain insight into the sources of the measured performance differences. Measurements of the location, linearity, and slope of the IEF pH gradient (via fluorescent pH markers imaged before and during mobilization) as well as mobilization-associated broadening of focused analytes were performed to quantify performance and determine the dominant sources of variability. Our results suggest that nonuniform broadening of the pH gradient and changes in the pH gradient linearity stem from conductivity nonuniformities in the separation channel and not diffusion-associated band broadening during mobilization.

A Brabender Kompakt extruder KE 19/25 was used to create third-generation corn pellets using a high moisture content (25, 30, and 35%) and moderate temperature. The pellets were subjected to microwave expansion, and the drying curves were fitted to Page, Logarithmic, and Midilli–Kucuk mathematical models. The Page model best fits the experimental data, closely followed by the Midilli–Kucuk model. The variables evaluated were appearance, sectional expansion index (SEI), and volumetric expansion index (VEI), and they showed a strong dependency on moisture content. According to the results, the recommended expansion times for mixtures with a 25, 30, and 35% moisture content are 50, 60, and 60–75 s, respectively.

This work investigates the relationships between page, landscape and voice from the theories of F. Lyotard, M. de Certeau and E. Glissant, fundamentally. The reflection continues in the original line of study on a "phonic materialism" and proposes to study "phonic fictions" in the poetic writing of Beatriz Vallejos and Juan Carlos Bustriazo Ortiz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental - Agriambi is the property of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The effect of peroxide-induced oxidation of fibrinogen on modification of its primary structure and functional properties was investigated. The oxidation sites were shown to be Met, Trp, and His residues. Using the DLS method, it was found that the oxidative modification of fibrinogen results in the change of microrheological characteristics of fibrin network. The fibrinogen oxidation diminishes its tolerance to plasmin hydrolysis and deteriorates the factor XIIIa ability to stabilize the fibrin gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Metals present in environment render the bacteria to attain certain resistance machinery to survive, one of which is transformation of metal ions to nano forms. Various enzymes and proteins have been suggested to play significant role in synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in bacteria. In present study, we have purified lignin peroxidase from secreted enzyme extract of Acinetobacter sp. employing diethyl aminoethyl cellulose ion exchange and Biogel P-150 gel filtration column chromatography. The purified fraction has a specific activity of 1.571 U/mg with substrate n-propanol and 6.5-fold purification. The tetrameric enzyme, with molecular weight of 99 kDa, consisted of dimers of two polypetides of 23.9 and 24.6 kDa as revealed by native and SDS-PAGE. On exposure to purified enzyme, spherical polydispersed AgNPs of ~ 50 nm were obtained as observed under transmission electron microscope. Optimum activity of the purified enzyme was obtained at pH 2 and 60 °C with n-propanol as substrate. This is the first report describing the reduction of extracellular silver ions by lignin peroxidase purified from Acinetobacter sp.

A secagem aplicada as sementes de abóbora, proporciona o aumento da vida de prateleira do produto e consequentemente facilita a sua comercialização. Objetivou-se através do presente estudo realizar a cinética de secagem das sementes de abóbora sem cascas em diferentes temperaturas do ar de secagem, ajustando os dados experimentais obtidos à modelos matemáticos empíricos, avaliando a influência da secagem em suas dimensões. A cinética de secagem das sementes de abóbora sem casca foi realizada em temperaturas do ar de secagem (50, 70 e 90 °C), ajustando os dados à modelos matemáticos empíricos de Handerson e Pabis, Lewis e Page. O tamanho das sementes foi analisado quanto ao comprimento, largura, espessura com auxílio de paquímetro digital. Com relação aos modelos matemáticos aplicados, o modelo de Page foi considerado como sendo mais eficiente na descrição do processo de secagem de sementes de abóbora sem casca. Constatou-se que as dimensões das sementes foram diretamente influenciadas pelo aumento da temperatura de secagem. Portanto, o aumento da temperatura do ar de secagem aplicado proporciona maior remoção de umidade do produto e os dados de suas dimensões podem ser usados para dimensionar o tamanho de peneiras e equipamentos de pós-colheita.

La electroforésis es una técnica para separación de biomoléculas según su movilidad y naturaleza (generalmente ácidos nucleicos o proteínas) en un campo eléctrico sobre una matríz porosa, cuya composición depende de la biomolécula a analizar. Para la separación de ácidos nucléicos se utilizan matrices de agarosa y para la separación de proteínas se utilizan matrices de poliacrilamida. Esta técnica representa una herramienta fundamental de análisis cuantitativos en diversos campos de ciencias biológicas como biología molecular, bioquímica o proteómica. Entre las distintas plataformas de electroforésis, las más utilizadas en análisis de ácidos nucléicos son la electroforésis en gel de agarosa, la electroforésis de campo pulsado (PFGE) o la electroforésis en gel con gradiente de desnaturalización (DGGE), y las más utilizadas para análisis de proteínas son la electroforésis en gel de poliacrilamida con duodecil sulfato de sodio (SDS) y la electroforésis bidimensional. Esta revisión discutirá las técnicas previamente mencionadas y sus recientes...

It collects all the contents of the number in an orderly manner and with indication of the pages in which they appear.

Lectins are proteins found in plants and different organisms. They possess the ability to bind to specific carbohydrate and can agglutinate erythrocytes. In the present study, two Indian varieties of plants namely, Field Beans (Dolichos lablab) and Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) were used to extract and characterize lectins for their haemagglutination activity against the human ABO blood group antigens. Boiled and unboiled seeds and pulp were used. Crude extracts were prepared using 0.15M NaCl solution and were estimated for proteins by Biuret method. Salting out fractions were obtained using Ammonium sulphate and proteins from these fractions were estimated by Folin Lowry method. Field beans had higher protein content (4.76mg/ml) than Bottle Gourd (1.05 mg/ml) and there was a decrease in protein content after boiling(2.12 mg/ml, and 0.58 mg/ml respectively). The crude extract and fractions were assayed for qualitative and quantitative hemagglutination activity and sugar specificity. Field Beans extract of unboiled seeds showed agglutination with human blood group A and B and showed a very high intensity with Hemagglutination Units (HU) of 1024. Field Beans extract showed agglutination with blood group A even after boiling, although the intensity was lesser than unboiled extract. Bottle Gourd extracts did not show any agglutination activity. Positive haemagglutination for Blood Group A and B was observed exclusively in Dolichos lablab fraction: 0-25%. The other fractions did not show any haemagglutination activity indicating that lectin was extracted in the 0-25% fraction. This fraction was electrophoresed by Native PAGE. A single band of approximately 66.5kDa was observed on the gel. Lectins of Dolichos lablab were found to bespecific for sugars- Glucose, Galactose and Lactose. From this study, it was concluded that boiling decreased the lectin activity but did not completely alleviate it. This is contrary to the belief that boiling leads to complete removal of lectin activity. Agglutination activity of Dolichos lablab lectin can be used in blood typing and also in differentiation of normal and aberrant cells. Lectins can help in early detection of changes in cell topology, especially in cancer. The lectin from Dolichos lablab has shown to be very potent, with very high agglutination titreunits. Thus, it shows great promise in detecting very subtle changes in glyco-topology of aberrant cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-air O3 enrichment was used to investigate the responses of different antioxidant mechanisms in different rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars – O3-sensitive hybrid indica (O3-S) cultivars and O3-tolerant conventional japonica (O3-T) cultivars across all growth stages. Elevated [O3] induced increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in O3-S cultivars, which were more pronounced in the later growing stages. In O3-S cultivars, continuous O3 stress decreased catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities, while in O3-T cultivars, short-term O3 stress decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD), CAT, POD and GPX activities. The same POD isozyme patterns were observed in both O3-S and O3-T cultivars, while SOD and APX isozymes varied by cultivar. The results suggest that O3 tolerance might be improved at different rice development stages through regulating the responses of antioxidant mechanisms to O3 stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past decade has seen a technological revolution in human genetics that has empowered population-level investigations into genetic associations with phenotypes. Although these discoveries rely on genetic variation across individuals, association studies have overwhelmingly been performed in populations of European descent. In this review, we describe limitations faced by single-population studies and provide an overview of strategies to improve global representation in existing data sets and future human genomics research via diversity-focused, multiethnic studies. We highlight the successes of individual studies and meta-analysis consortia that have provided unique knowledge. Additionally, we outline the approach taken by the Population Architecture Using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) study to develop best practices for performing genetic epidemiology in multiethnic contexts. Finally, we discuss how limiting investigations to single populations impairs findings in the clinical domain for both rare-variant identification and genetic risk prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antidoping work is heavily based on scientific analyses of biological material, such as urine and blood. Because of the high stakes both for sports and for the athletes involved it is important that analyses are performed and interpreted in agreement with established scientific standards and professional norms. This is not always the case, as we document here. It is our experience that the antidoping movement does not appear willing to consider that errors can occur and should be corrected. The consequences of the lack of transparency and responsibility are carried by unlucky athletes. Scientific, ethical and legal considerations urge the antidoping movement to reform some of their rules and regulations and to include the possibility that the World Anti‐Doping Agency position could, in some cases, be incorrect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a translation of the kyōgen play Rōmusha based on the text from the Toraakibon of the Ōkura (mid seventeenth century) school. It features the role of a boy acolyte within the homoerotic tradition of Buddhist temples in premodern Japan. Those boys were usually termed chigo. While there is already a considerable amount of research done on the historic circumstances and literary conventions in other genres, their appearance in kyōgen theater may add fruitful insights and also shed some light on their function in the comical arts. In the recent years Rōmusha has been performed again several times and it offers a vivid, realistic and erotic atmosphere which is rare to be seen in classical kyōgen. The paper aims to illustrate the structure of the play. While the focus is on the role of the chigo, comical aspects of the drama, references to nō theatre and different interpretations and performance practices will also be mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The black block, a rectangle of black printing ink on the page of a book, surrounded by blank margins, is a peculiar graphic device. Its literary tradition has usually been considered to start from Tristram Shandy, which includes a renowned black page in memory of "poor Yorick". Nevertheless, Sterne's gimmick can be seen as an allusion to an older typographical tradition of the so-called mourning pages, which were featured in books remembering the departed decades before Tristram Shandy. In this article, we analyze the ways in which the black block is used in narrative literature, with examples chosen mainly from 20th century experimental fiction. The block proves ambivalent in that it seems to fall somewhere between text and image and, moreover, between the storyworld and the world of the book. Often, it underscores the technological aspect of print literature but, at the same time, gives rise to comical effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A white rot fungus Cerrena unicolor has been identified as an important source of laccase, unfortunately regulation of this enzyme genes expression is poorly understood. Using 1D and 2D PAGE and LC-MS/MS, laccase isoenzymes were investigated in the liquid filtrate of C. unicolor culture. The level of expression of laccase genes was measured using qPCR. The elevated concentrations of copper and manganese in the medium caused greatest change in genes expression and three laccase transcripts were significantly affected after culture temperature was decreased from 28 to 4 °C or increased to 40 °C. The small differences in the PAGE band intensities of individual laccase proteins were also observed, indicating that given compound affect particular laccase’s transcript. Analyses of laccase-specific activity, at all tested conditions, showed the increased activities as compared to the control, suggesting that enzyme is regulated at the post-translational stage. We observed that the aspartic protease purified from C. unicolor, significantly stimulate laccase activity. Moreover, electrochemical analysis of protease-treated laccase sample had 5 times higher redox peaks. The obtained results indicate that laccases released by C. unicolor are regulated at transcriptional, translational, and at the post-translational steps of gene expression helping fungus adapt to the environmental changes.

With the public life deeply immersed in the Internet, it is more popular to take advantage of social media to disseminate collection information in archives. Social media can facilitate communication between archives and users and shape the friendly image of archives. Currently, most of the archives have used Facebook to disseminate information with users. The content format and the interactive strategies of Facebook utilizaion will affect users' perception of archives. This paper focused on content analysis of information presentation and user interaction on pages, and the US National Archives, The National Archives of UK, National Archives of Australia, and National Archives Administration, Academia Historica, and National Palace Museum in Taiwan were taken as samples to make comparisions. The immediacy of feedback, update frequency, usefulness of information, comment form and sharing features of these archives from October to December, 2015 were analyzed for discussing the pros and cons of operating Facebook in archives. Finally, the conclusions and suggestions will be proposed for archives reference.