A new family of yeast genes implicated in ergosterol synthesis is related to the human oxysterol binding protein

We have identified three yeast genes, KES1, HES1 and OSH1, whose products show homology to the human oxysterol binding protein (OSBP). Mutations in these genes resulted in pleiotropic sterol-related phenotypes. These include tryptophan-transport defects and nystatin resistance, shown by double and triple mutants. In addition, mutant combinations showed small but apparently cumulative reductions in membrane ergosterol levels. The three yeast genes are also functionally related as overexpression of HES1 or KES1 alleviated the tryptophan-transport defect in kes1Δ or osh1Δ mutants, respectively. Our study implicates this new yeast gene family in ergosterol synthesis and provides comparative evidence of a role for human OSBP in cholesterol synthesis.     

XV. Yeast sequencing reports. Isolation and DNA sequence of the STE13 gene encoding dipeptidyl aminopeptidase

We have isolated a mutant which exhibits partial constitutivity for a -specific gene expression in α cells. The wild-type gene was cloned and demonstrated to be allelic to the STE13 gene, which encodes the dipeptidyl aminopeptidase involved in processing of the α-factor prepropheromone. Thus, the mating defect of the ste13 mutations in α cells may result both from the production of incompletely processed α-factor and from the increased expression of a -specific genes. The STE13 open reading frame of 931 amino acids contains a putative membrane-spanning segment near its amino terminus and is 31% identical to a second yeast dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (DAP2). A null mutant of STE13 has been constructed: it is viable and sporulation-proficient. The sequence has been deposited in the GenBank data library under Accession Number L21944.     

粉末布法制备SiC/Ti基复合材料

用粉末布法制备了低成本SiC/Ti基复合材料.结果表明,采用合适的轧制参数即可容易地获得厚度合适、均匀的粉末布;热失重分析和热解残余物分析指出用来制备粉末布的有机粘结剂的去除过程分成两个阶段,合理除气后,基本没有残余物.使用真空热压工艺制备的SiC/Ti基复合材料,纤维分布基本均匀,纤维与基体的界面结合良好.     

Storage stability of a high protein food beverage powder prepared from the Nigerian ‘red skin’ groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) protein concentrates

A high protein, groundnut-based powder reconstitutable into a milk-like beverage was packed in polyethylene bags and in lacquered tin cans, and stored at both room temperature (25 ± 2°C) and in a domestic refrigerator (5 ± 2°C) for 60 days. Storage stability was evaluated by analysing periodically for changes in physical characteristics, proximate composition, and development of browning and rancidity, and assessing moisture sorption characteristics. Protein, lipid, total soluble sugars, peroxide value, total carbonyls and extinction values of the ethanolic extract remained practically constant during storage. The isotherm curves exhibited the characteristic sigmoidal shape typical of high protein foods. There was a greater increase in density, hygroscopicity and wettability in polyethylene-packed samples at both temperatures suggesting that the lacquered tin can leads to better keeping quality for this product.     

Effect of material and process parameters on the mechanical properties of unidirectional and multidirectional flax/polypropylene composites

Unidirectional (UD) and multidirectional (MD) flax/polypropylene composites were studied. Flax with varying retting degree and boiled flax was used as reinforcement for the UD composites and unmodified and maleic acid anhydride modified polypropylene (MAA-PP) was used as matrix. Multidirectional flax/polypropylene composites were manufactured on laboratory scale and on pilot scale. They were made from needle-punched hybrid flax/PP non-wovens. Normally retted flax as well as boiled flax was used. For the specimens made on pilot scale, a third kind of flax, namely bleached flax was also studied. The influence of different process times and temperatures on the mechanical properties of the composites was analysed. Generally, the composites have adequate good mechanical properties. The unidirectional composites of boiled flax combined with MAA-PP show the best mechanical properties. Contrary to the UD composites, flax treatment did not lead to the expected property improvements for MD composites.     

Emulsifying Capacity and Emulsion Stability of Soy Proteins Compared with Corn Germ Protein Flour

Both emulsifying capacity (EC) and emulsion stability (ES) increased with increasing concentrations from 0.4% to 0.8% of soy flour (SF), soy concentrate (SC), soy isolate (SI) and corn germ protein flour (CGPF) when studied by response surface methodology. EC and ES increased as pH increased from 6 to 8 in all samples. Increasing incubation temperatures of protein solutions from 20–70°C or from 4–20°C did not affect EC or ES, respectively. SF had the highest EC, followd by SI, SC, and CGPF.     

Fractionation and characterisation for antioxidant activity of hydrolysed whey protein

Whey protein isolate (WPI) was hydrolysed for 1 h using Alcalase, Protamex and Flavourzyme. Native WPI, hydrolysed WPI and two commercial WPI hydrolysates were subjected to fractionation by size exclusion chromatography. Antioxidant activity of WPI fractions was measured with a liposome‐oxidising system (50 µM FeCl₃/0.1 µM ascorbate, pH 7.0). Lipid oxidation was measured as thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances (TBARS). Gel electrophoresis and amino acid analysis were run to identify the peptide composition. The influence of amino acid composition on antioxidant activity was evaluated using multivariate analysis methods (correlation analysis, principal component analysis, multiple linear regression and discriminant analysis). TBARS assays indicated the presence of antioxidant activity in all protein fractions, including non‐hydrolysed WPI. For native and hydrolysed WPI samples the first fraction (> 45 kDa) showed a higher TBARS inhibition effect (24–27%) when compared with lower‐molecular‐weight fractions and hydrolysate mixtures. In contrast, for commercial WPI hydrolysates a higher inhibitory effect was found in most of the lower‐molecular‐weight fractions (30–55%). The ability of WPI fractions to delay lipid oxidation was found to be related to the prevalence of histidine and hydrophobic amino acids. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of Flour Quality, Ascorbic Acid, and DATEM on Dough Rheological Parameters and Hearth Loaves Characteristics

ABSTRACT: The effects of protein quality, protein content, ascorbic acid, diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglyc-erides (DATEM), and their interactions on dough rheology and hearth bread properties were studied by size-exclusion fast protein liquid chromatography, Kieffer Dough & Gluten Extensibility Rig, and small-scale baking of hearth loaves. The effect of protein content was either positive or negative on hearth loaf characteristics, form ratio, and area, depending on the amount of the largest glutenin polymers in the flour. Ascorbic acid brought out the potential in the wheat flour known as protein quality. Ascorbic acid and DATEM strengthened the doughs and improved hearth bread characteristics.     

Enzymic and in sacco methods to estimate rumen degradation of food protein in cattle

BACKGROUND: Two factorial studies compared enzymic and in sacco methods to estimate degradation of ruminant foods. Enzyme degradation (in vitro = enzyme) was determined from the release of leucine‐equivalent amino acid (LA) crude protein (CP) from sunflower meal (SF), maize gluten meal (MG), distillers' dark grain (DG) and field beans (FB) after their separate incubations with Streptomyces griseus enzyme for 0–24 h. In sacco crude protein (CP) degradation of these foods was estimated during washing (0 h) and rumen incubations in fistulated cows for 2–24 h. The LA data were expressed as g LA per either kg of CP (LACP) or acid‐hydrolysable LA (HLA) of each food and compared with in sacco data. RESULTS: These methods showed comparable degradation with time (P < 0.01). The in sacco and HLA were greater than LACP for all foods except MG where in sacco value was either lower or equal to LACP depending upon the incubation time (P > 0.05 or P < 0.05). Conversely, HLA was significantly (P < 0.01) greater than LACP from 2 h onwards. At 0 h, in sacco values were significantly greater than those of enzyme for SF, DG and FB (P < 0.05) but not for MG. The foods differed significantly for degradation constants (a, b, c) in each method (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Despite variations between in sacco and enzyme estimates for different foods, the relationships between these estimates suggest that the HLA enzyme method has the potential to estimate food degradation. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

光纤光栅视觉系统

利用光学衍射原理，研制成了光纤光栅衍射屏，并与计算机神经网络相结合，开发了了一种识别立体形状的视觉系统。本文介绍了光纤光栅的设计原理及计算方法，给出了系统的总体结构及工作原理，完成了三棱 柱，三棱锥、四棱柱，四棱锥和球等立体形状学习与识别，并讨论了实验结果。