Two commercially available micromethod multitest systems (API, Analytab Products, Inc., Minitek-Bioquest) were compared with conventional tests suggested by the Center for Disease Control for the identification of anaerobes. Anaerobiosis for the microsystems was achieved using GasPak system (BBL), A total of 175 anaerobes, including 158 clinical isolates and 17 reference strains, were used. Gra...

Metabolomics, the quantification of small biochemicals in plasma and tissues, can provide insight into complex biochemical processes and enable the identification of biomarkers that may serve as therapeutic targets. We hypothesized that the plasma metabolome of asthma would reveal metabolic consequences of the specific immune and inflammatory responses unique to endotypes of asthma. The plasma ...

Introduction: If life ever evolved on Mars, it could leave molecular remnants – biomarkers which can be preserved within the Martian geological environment. It has been demonstrated that the survival of extremophiles in stressed terrestrial environments fundamentally depends upon their synthesis of a specialized suite of protective biochemicals in response to desiccation, low-wavelength high-en...

Biomass is a primary source of renewable carbon that can be utilized as a feedstock for biofuels or biochemicals production in order to achieve energy independence of energy importing countries. The low bulk density, high moisture content, degradation during the storage, and low energy density of raw lignocellulosic biomass are all significant challenges in supplying agricultural residues as a ...

Bioprocesses conducted under conditions with restricted O2 supply are increasingly exploited for the synthesis of reduced biochemicals using different biocatalysts. The model facultative aerobe Escherichia coli, the microbial cell factory par excellence, has elaborate sensing and signal transduction mechanisms that respond to the availability of electron acceptors and alternative carbon sources...

An aldehyde dehydrogenase capable of acting on Llactaldehyde was detected in a strain of Escherichia coli K-12 selected to grow on 1,2-propanediol as the sole source of carbon and energy. This enzyme activity was purified over 200-fold by ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by diethylaminoethyl cellulose chromatography, Sephadex G-100 gel flltration, and DEAE-Sephadex chromatography. The pu...

Raman spectroscopy has been employed to identify differences in the biochemical constitution of malignant [basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and melanoma (MEL)] cells compared to normal skin tissues, with the goal of skin cancer diagnosis. We collected Raman spectra from compounds such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, which are expected to be represented in human skin spectra, and developed a l...

Despite recent advances in understanding mechanism of toxicity, the development of biomarkers (biochemicals that vary significantly with exposure to chemicals) for pesticides and environmental contaminants exposure is still a challenging task. Carbofuran is one of the most commonly used pesticides in agriculture and said to be most toxic carbamate pesticide. It is necessary to identify the bioc...