C. Will Chen

Production of galactooligosaccharides by β-galactosidase immobilized on glutaraldehyde-treated chitosan beads

β-Galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae, immobilized on glutaraldehyde-treated chitosan beads, produced galactooligosaccharides (GOS) in a plug reactor. Maximum yields of GOS were 18, 21, 26 with lactose at 100, 200, 300 g/L, respectively. Yields of GOS in the immobilized enzyme system were always lower than that of free enzyme system. In a continuous reaction there was no significant loss of activity after 30 days of operation.

Preparation and characterization of poly(hydroxyalkanoate) from the fermentation of Haloferax mediterranei.

In this study, fed-batch fermentation of Haloferax mediterranei using glucose and yeast extract as carbon and nitrogen source, respectively, was carried out to produce poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA). After fermentation for 117 h, the concentration of H. mediterranei and PHA content reached 85.8 g/l and 48.6%, respectively. 1H- and 13C-NMR spectra proved that the produced PHA was poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) P(3HB-co-3HV) co-polymer. However, further fractionation using chloroform/acetone revealed that the produced PHA consisted of at least two compositionally different co-polymers (P1 and P2). One P(3HB-co-3HV) co-polymer (P1, 93.4 wt%) contains 10.7 mol% of 3-HV unit in the chain structure and has a high molecular weight of 569.5 kg/mol. The other one (P2, 6.6 wt%) has a slightly higher 3-HV content, ca. 12.3 mol%, but its molecular weight is relatively low, 78.2 kg/mol. Both fractions exhibit two overlapped melting peaks measured by differential scanning calorimetry when the heating rate is at and below 20°C/min. For example, at a heating rate of 10°C/min, the two melting peaks occur at 134.8°C and 144.3°C for P1, and 131.1°C and 140.6°C for P2. Through observing the variation of relative intensity of these two melting peaks by changing the heating rate, it was proven that the phenomenon is caused by a melt/recrystallization process. Glass-transition temperature, crystallization temperature and thermal degradation behavior of these co-polymers were also discussed.

Wave-induced flow in meridians demonstrated using photoluminescent bioceramic material on acupuncture points

The mechanisms of acupuncture remain poorly understood, but it is generally assumed that measuring the electrical conductivity at various meridians provides data representing various meridian energies. In the past, noninvasive methods have been used to stimulate the acupuncture points at meridians, such as heat, electricity, magnets, and lasers. Photoluminescent bioceramic (PLB) material has been proven to weaken hydrogen bonds and alter the characteristics of liquid water. In this study, we applied the noninvasive PLB technique to acupuncture point irradiation, attempting to detect its effects by using electrical conductivity measurements. We reviewed relevant literature, searching for information on meridians including their wave-induced flow characteristics.

Recombinant sweet potato sporamin production via glucose/pH control in fed-batch cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract Sporamin is a storage protein in sweet potato tubers. In batch fermentation of recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae using selective yeast nitrogen base, the specific trypsin inhibitory activity of sporamin can reach a level of 463 U/g-cell and total volumetric activity of 1574 U/l. However, using non-selective YPAD medium (20 g/l glucose, 10 g/l yeast extract, 10 g/l peptone and 10 g/l ammonia sulphate), only lower specific activity of 344 U/g-cell but higher total activity of 2923 U/l was obtained. Using YPAD medium in fed-batch fermentation and controlling for different glucose concentrations within a specific pH range to reduce the accumulation of ethanol, glycerol and acetate, a specific sporamin activity of 347 U/g-cell and a total activity 6212 U/l was obtained with a glucose concentration of 1 g/l. An increase of specific activity to 831 U/g-cell and a total activity 12 222 U/l was obtained with a glucose concentration of 0.1 g/l.

Production of GST–SOD fusion protein by recombinant E coli XL1 Blue

A recombinant plasmid was constructed by inserting a DNA fragment with the coding region of Cu/Zn–superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn–SOD) cDNA from sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas (l) Lam cv Tainong 57, into the 3′ end of the open reading frame of the glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene in an expression vector, pGEX-2T. The constructed plasmid was transformed into E coli XL1 Blue. Fusion proteins of Cu/Zn–SOD and GST (GST–SOD) were produced from the recombinant E coli. About 6 mg of GST–SOD fusion proteins could be obtained from 1 dm3 of cultural broth after induction with 0.075 mmol dm−3 Isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG). Lactose was not an efficient inducer. High cell density culture was performed by fed-batch fermentation using a glucose analyzer to control glucose concentration at 1 g dm−3. The cell density of the fed-batch culture reached an OD600 of 30, the total amount of GST–SOD fusion protein was 100 mg dm−3 which is about 14 times more than that of the batch culture. Most of the fusion proteins were shown to be in an active monomeric form, and the molecular weight was estimated to be 45 kDa by SDS–PAGE and 47 kDa by gel filtration. The specific activity of the purified fusion proteins was about 1200 mg−1 and equal to 3200 unit per mg of SOD domain only. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry

A technology developed from concept of acupuncture and meridian system, the clinical effect of BIOCERAMIC resonance on psychological related sleep disturbance with findings on questionnaire, EEG and fMRI

Under the concept of meridian channels that belongs to traditional Chinese medicine, BIOCERAMIC Resonance (BR) has already been applied to many clinical medical research projects with functions mimicking of traditional acupuncture. Forty-five patients were recruited with chronic sleep disorders; 36 patients were given, applied to the device with BIOCERAMIC material and sound rhythm on chest skin surface; 9 patients were included as controls. All study participants completed a sleep pattern and quality of life questionnaire (assessment on psychological and physical causes of sleep disturbances), which was repeated before, during and after treatment. Electroencephalograph (EEG) recordings were analyzed before, during and after treatment. Functional MRI (fMRI) was also used for demonstration of BR effect for another 8 candidates. During the first 3 days of treatment, sleep quality improved in all 36 patients especially to psychological reasons; in 91.7% (33/36) treatment was associated with an elevation in the beta spectrum of the EEG (at 15–27 Hz). The result of fMRI found corresponding cerebral and cerebellar areas of activation and deactivation. BIOCERAMIC Resonance can improve sleep disorder due to psychological causes, with transient alter brain wave activity and functional activation on specific locations of brain.