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At present, coconut proteins are discarded as a waste product by the coconut oil industry. If the range of applications of coconut proteins is to be expanded, their potential functionalities should be investigated. Emulsions and gels are of the greatest interest in food industry. Today the dry processing of copra at elevated temperatures is used to optimize the oil recovery. The functionalities o
Human neutrophils are activated by the beta-galactoside-binding lectin galectin-3, provided that the cells are primed by in vivo extravasation or by in vitro preactivation with, for example, LPS. Removal of terminal sialic acid can change neutrophil functionality and responsiveness due to exposure of underlying glycoconjugate receptors or change in surface charge. Here, we investigated whether suc
Evidence for the importance of genetic factors in male fertility is accumulating. In the literature and the Mendelian Cytogenetics Network database, 265 cases of infertile males with balanced reciprocal translocations have been described. The candidacy for infertility of 14 testis-expressed transcripts (TETs) were examined by comparing their chromosomal mapping position to the position of balanced
B cell superantigens (SAgs) have been implicated in human diseases by demonstrating non-clonotypic expansion of B cells bearing certain immunoglobulin variable region genes. One possibility is that, during infection with microorganisms secreting SAgs, these potent molecules might modulate BcR expression. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the potential effects of a SAg, protein L from Peptos
We have earlier shown that galectin-3, a lactose-binding mammalian lectin that is secreted from activated macrophages, basophils, and mast cells, induces activation of the NADPH oxidase in exudated but not in peripheral blood neutrophils (A. Karlsson, P. Follin, H. Leffler, and C. Dahlgren, Blood 91:3430-3438, 1998). The alteration in responsiveness occurring during extravasation correlated with m
A new family of polymer conjugates is proposed to overcome constraints in the applicability of aqueous two-phase systems for the recovery of lactic acid. Polyethylene glycol-polyethylenimine (PEI) conjugates and ethylene oxide propylene oxide-PEI (EOPO-PEI) conjugates were synthesized. Aqueous two-phase systems were generated when the conjugates were mixed with fractionated dextran or crude hydrol
ATP-dependent priming of the secretory granules precedes Ca(2+)-regulated neuroendocrine secretion, but the exact nature of this reaction is not fully established in all secretory cell types. We have further investigated this reaction in the insulin-secreting pancreatic B-cell and demonstrate that granular acidification driven by a V-type H(+)-ATPase in the granular membrane is a decisive step in
Molecularly imprinted polymer coatings were synthesized in fused-silica capillary columns by the use of a surface-coupled radical initiator. The coatings were prepared using either toluene, dichloromethane, or acetonitrile in the prepolymerization mixtures and were 0.15-2 microm thick as determined by scanning electron microscopy. Solvent-dependent differences in appearance were observed. All the
The scalar polarizability constanta0 for excitedS- andD-states in rubidium and cesium was measured utilizing a two-step excitation scheme. An rf lamp and a single-mode dye laser were used to excite the atoms in a collimated atomic beam. Values ofa0 were determined for the 9–102S1/2 and 7–82D3/2 states of rubidium and for the 10–132S1/2, 9–102D3/2 and 9–112D5/2 states of cesium. Further, the isotop
The enzymatic and bioelectrocatalytic activity of tyrosinase from mushrooms was studied in a system of reversed micelles formed by Aerosol OT (AOT) in hexane. The optimal catechol oxidising activity of tyrosinase incorporated in reversed micelles was found at a hydration degree of w(0) = 25. The catalytic activity was comparable with tyrosinase activity in aqueous media. When immobilized at an Au
The calcium-releasing second messenger inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate is involved in the regulation of stomatal aperture by ABA. In other signalling pathways, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate is generated by the action of phospholipase C. We have studied the importance of phospholipase C in guard cell ABA-signalling pathways. Immunolocalisation of a calcium-activated phospholipase C confirmed the presen
The effect of UV radiation (half-band width 10 nm) in the wavelength range 248-340 nm on chlorophyll fluorescence from a thin layer of spinach thylakoid suspension was investigated. The parameter most sensitive to UV radiation was the rise time of variable fluorescence. The increase in rise time was proportional to UV photon fluence and was used for the determination of an action spectrum. The act
Fuel ethanol can be produced from softwood through hydrolysis in an enzymatic process. Prior to enzymatic hydrolysis of the softwood, pretreatment is necessary. In this study two-step steam pretreatment by dilute H2SO4 impregnation to improve the overall sugar and ethanol yield has been investigated. The first pretreatment step was performed under conditions of low severity (180°C, 10 min, 0.5% H2
Background: Amino acid substitutions due to DNA nucleotide replacements are frequently disease-causing because of affecting functionally important sites. If the substituting amino acid does not fit into the protein, it causes structural alterations that are often harmful. Clashes of amino acids cause local or global structural changes. Testing structural compatibility of variations has been diffic
A novel and generally applicable method for determining structures of membrane proteins in solution via small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) is presented. Common detergents for solubilizing membrane proteins were synthesized in isotope-substituted versions for utilizing the intrinsic neutron scattering length difference between hydrogen and deuterium. Individual hydrogen/deuterium levels of the d
Pickering emulsion polymerization was used to synthesize molecularly imprinted polymer beads for the selective recognition of 17-beta-estradiol under aqueous conditions. Scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that the imprinted polymer beads had a small diameter with a narrow size distribution (18.9 +/- 2.3 mu m). The reduction in particle size achieved in this study was attributed to the
We present here an innovative, fluorescent, monoolein-based cubosome dispersion. Rather than embedded within the monoolein palisade, the fluorescent imaging agent, namely dansyl, was conjugated to the terminal ethylene oxide moieties of the block copolymer Pluronic F108. We discuss the physicochemical and photophysical properties of this fluorescent Pluronic and of a cubosome formulation stabilize
Abstract in UndeterminedIn this paper we describe and reflect upon a novel methodology using attention cards to facilitate communication, concentration and creativity in a user requirement workshop with seniors. Previous research indicates that seniors tend to lose focus and start cross talking during workshops, which results in broad and shallow findings. However, our findings indicate that the u
The linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex (LUBAC) is required for optimal gene activation and prevention of cell death upon activation of immune receptors, including TNFR1 1 . Deficiency in the LUBAC components SHARPIN or HOIP in mice results in severe inflammation in adulthood or embryonic lethality, respectively, owing to deregulation of TNFR1-mediated cell death 2-8 . In humans, deficiency in
