A nanopatterned cell-seeded cardiac patch prevents electro-uncoupling and improves the therapeutic efficacy of cardiac repair.

The heart is an extremely sophisticated organ with nanoscale anisotropic structure, contractility and electro-conductivity; however, few studies have addressed the influence of cardiac anisotropy on cell transplantation for myocardial repair. Here, we hypothesized that a graft's anisotropy of myofiber orientation determines the mechano-electrical characteristics and the therapeutic efficacy. We developed aligned- and random-orientated nanofibrous electrospun patches (aEP and rEP, respectively) with or without seeding of cardiomyocytes (CMs) and endothelial cells (ECs) to test this hypothesis.

Controlled delivery of recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 2 using pH-sensitive poly(ethylene glycol)-poly-L-histidine hydrogels.

Loading of viral vectors in synthetic polymers is a promising strategy for overcoming hurdles associated with viral gene delivery. For enhanced gene expression at a specific site, gene transfer by using hydrogels represents a versatile approach. In this study, adeno-associated virus serotype 2 containing the green fluorescent protein gene (rAAV2-GFP) were loaded into poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels, with and without incorporation of poly-L-hisditine (polyHis).

Immobilization of cellulase onto electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous membranes and its application to the reducing sugar production from microalgae.

This study demonstrates a method to prepare an immobilized cellulase by using an electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous membrane as the support. To obtain an immobilized cellulase with high hydrolytic activity, the immobilization conditions including activation time, enzyme concentration, immobilization time, and temperature were optimized. Under those conditions, the immobilized cellulase possessed a protein loading of 30 mg/g-support and a specific activity of 3.

Hydrolysis of microalgae cell walls for production of reducing sugar and lipid extraction.

In this study, cell walls of microalgae were hydrolyzed for the production of reducing sugar by cellulase, which was immobilized onto an electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous membrane. Since the nitrile groups of the PAN membrane were activated by the amidination reaction and covalent binding to the amino groups of the cellulase, electrospun PAN nanofibrous membranes with a high specific surface area were applied as supports for the immobilization. Under the optimal hydrolysis conditions, the immobilized cellulase performed its hydrolyzing conversion at 62%, and the hydrolysis yield remained at 40% after five times of reuse.

Estimation of fungal biomass and lipid production by morphological characteristics of Mucor rouxii.

This study presents methodology for estimating biomass and lipid production by Mucor rouxii via image analysis. Morphological variations in M. rouxii in relation to its biomass and lipid production were investigated using image analysis.

Effects of biomass weight and light intensity on the performance of photosynthetic microbial fuel cells with Spirulina platensis.

Microalgae Spirulina platensis were attached to the anode of a membrane-free and mediator-free microbial fuel cell (MFC) to produce electricity through the consumption of biochemical compounds inside the microalgae. An increase in open circuit voltage (OCV) was observed with decreasing light intensity and optimal biomass area density. The highest OCV observation for the MFC was 0.

Cultivation of microalgae for oil production with a cultivation strategy of urea limitation.

The microalgae, Chlorella sp., were cultivated in various culture modes to assess biomass and lipid productivity in this study. In the batch mode, the biomass concentrations and lipid content of Chlorella sp.

High cell density cultivation of Escherichia coli with surface anchored transglucosidase for use as whole-cell biocatalyst for alpha-arbutin synthesis.

A fed-batch culture strategy for the production of recombinant Escherichia coli cells anchoring surface-displayed transglucosidase for use as a whole-cell biocatalyst for alpha-arbutin synthesis was developed. Lactose was used as an inducer of the recombinant protein. In fed-batch cultures, dissolved oxygen was used as the feed indicator for glucose, thus accumulation of glucose and acetate that affected the cell growth and recombinant protein production was avoided.

Production of ascorbic acid glucoside by alginate-entrapped mycelia of Aspergillus niger.

The mycelia of Aspergillus niger, cultivated in a medium containing 45 g l(-1) maltose, 66 g l(-1) yeast extract, and 5 g l(-1) K(2)HPO(4) at 30 degrees C and 200 rpm, were used as a biocatalyst in the glucosylation of ascorbic acid. Free mycelia from 3-day-old culture, when used in a 6-h reaction with maltose as the acyl donor, gave 16.07 g l(-1) ascorbic acid glucoside corresponding to a volumetric productivity of 2.

Simultaneous estimation of chlorophyll a and lipid contents in microalgae by three-color analysis.

A method of rapid determination of chlorophyll a and lipid contents of microalgae based on colorimetric analysis of the digital images of the microalgae is proposed. The color variation of microalgae during cultivation is evaluated by the brightness of the three primary colors (red, green, and blue). The brightness values of the three primary colors are modeled as two linear correlation functions (RGB model) for microalgal chlorophyll a and lipid contents, respectively.

Immobilization of lipase to chitosan beads using a natural cross-linker.

Genipin, a reagent of plant origin was used for the immobilization of lipase by cross-linking to chitosan beads. The catalytic properties and operational and storage stabilities of the immobilized lipase were compared with the soluble lipase. Under optimum conditions, 198 microg protein was bound per g chitosan with a protein-coupling yield of 35%.

Production of mouse embryoid bodies with hepatic differentiation potential by stirred tank bioreactor.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells can differentiate into functional hepatic lineage cells, which can potentially be used in biomedicine. To obtain hepatic lineage cells from ES cells, embryoid bodies (EBs) must be formed. In this study, we developed an EB formation system using a spinner flask for mass production of EBs.

A novel approach for medium formulation for growth of a microalga using motile intensity.

Motile intensity of the cells, defined as the specific mean kinetic energy, was measured by image analysis and used to formulate a suitable medium for the cultivation of a motile microalga. Nitrogen source at 60 mg/L was used as the target component. The cells grown in a medium containing urea showed the highest motile intensities during cultivation when compared to the cells grown with NH(4)Cl or (NH(4))(2)SO(4) as the nitrogen source.

Production of ascorbyl palmitate by surfactant-coated lipase in organic media.

The surface of a lipase from Burkholderia cepacia was coated with a nonionic surfactant, propylene glycol monostearate, and was used as a biocatalyst in the production of ascorbic acid in tert-butyl alcohol. The influence of various factors such as the type of surfactant, the pH of the buffer used for coating, the amount of surfactant in the coating, the organic solvent, and the temperature and molar ratio of the substrates used in the reaction on the conversion of ascorbyl palmitate were studied. After 24 h of reaction at 50 degrees C, a conversion of 47% was obtained using an ascorbic acid to palmitic acid molar ratio of 1:6.

Surface display of transglucosidase on Escherichia coli by using the ice nucleation protein of Xanthomonas campestris and its application in glucosylation of hydroquinone.

A surface anchoring motif using the ice nucleation protein (INP) of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris BCRC 12,846 for display of transglucosidase has been developed. The transglucosidase gene from Xanthomonas campestris pv.

Regeneration of immobilized Candida antarctica lipase for transesterification.

Immobilized lipase from Candida antarctica was employed to convert triglycerides to biodiesel using alcohol. Immobilized lipase is frequently deactivated by lower alcohols with deactivation being caused by the immiscibility between triglycerides and methanol or ethanol. When the lower alcohol is adsorbed to the immobilized enzyme, the entry of triglycerides is blocked, which causes the reaction to stop.

Synthesis of mixed esters of ascorbic acid using methyl esters of palm and soybean oils.

Mixed esters of ascorbic acid were synthesized using methyl esters of palm and soybean oils as acyl donors, in acetone at 50 degrees C, and catalyzed by Novozym 435. A conversion of 62% was obtained with palm oil methyl ester at an ascorbic acid to acyl donor molar ratio of 1:4; the mixed ester contained 45.89% ascorbyl palmitate, 42.

Combining induced mutation and protoplasting for strain improvement of Aspergillus oryzae for kojic acid production.

By combining induced mutation, using NTG and UV irradiation, and protoplasting of a wild type strain of Aspergillus oryzae ATCC 22788, a hyper-producing strain was obtained that accumulated 41 g kojic acid l(-1) in shake-flasks, which was 100-fold higher than that in the wild type strains. Similar production of kojic acid was obtained in 5 l stirred-tank fermentations.

Immobilization of Candida rugosa lipase on chitosan with activation of the hydroxyl groups.

A method for immobilization of Candida rugosa lipase to two types of chitosan beads by activating the hydroxyl groups of chitosan using carbodiimide coupling agent has been successfully developed. The ability of carbodiimide to activate the hydroxyl groups of chitosan was confirmed using the electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) technique. The properties of lipase immobilized using dry and wet chitosan beads were also investigated and compared.

Fusion protein of the hyaluronan binding domain from human TSG-6 with luciferase for assay of hyaluronan.

The gene expression plasmid, pET-Lmluc, for the fusion protein of the hyaluronan binding domain from human TSG-6 [product of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-stimulated gene-6] and luciferase from Renilla reniformis was constructed. The fused gene was expressed in Escherichia coli and the resulted insoluble Lm-luc fusion protein was purified and refolded to recover both the hyaluronan binding capability and the luciferase activity. Hyaluronan as low as 1 ng ml(-1) was detected by using the indirect enzymatic immunological assay with the refolded Lm-luc fusion protein.

Cultivation of Acetobacter xylinum for bacterial cellulose production in a modified airlift reactor.

Acetobacter xylinum for bacterial cellulose production was cultivated in a modified airlift reactor. Better results were obtained from the modified reactor than from a conventional bubble column. After 72 h of cultivation, the final concentration of bacterial cellulose was 7.