Abstract: A process for obtaining trehalose by growing a fungus of the genus Pleurotus in a liquid or solid medium and purifying the trehalose produced by the fungus.

Abstract: Nucleotide sequences of two circular single-stranded DNAs associated with Banana Bunchy Top Virus and the proteins encoded by the open reading frames in the nucleotide sequences are provided. A method for detecting Banana Bunchy Top Virus using the PCR technique based on the nucleotide sequences is also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel compounds of formula (I) ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents hydrogen, hydroxy or alkoxy;R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 may be hydrogen or alkyl; andn is 0,1 or 2;and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.The invention also relates to the processes for preparing the compounds of formula (I), and the pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and their use as a low density lipoprotein peroxidation inhibitors, anti-atherosclerotic agents and/or antihyperlipidemic agents.

Abstract: The invention relates to compounds of formula (I) ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is an optional substituent any position of phenyl ring and is selected from halogen, --NO.sub.2, --NH.sub.2, --OH and --O--CR.sub.1-6 alkyl;--CH.sub.2 R.sup.2 is a substituent at 1- or 3- position of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline, whereinR.sup.2 is an azole group such as imidazole or triazole; andR.sup.3 is phenyl optionally substituted with one or more halogen,and pharmaceutical salts thereof.The compounds of formula (I) and salts thereof are useful as antifungal agents.The invention also relates to the antifungal pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds of formula (I), the methods of treating fungal infections using the compounds of formula (I) and the process for preparing the compounds of formula (I).

Abstract: Disclosed are new fluorogenic substrates for assay of angiotensin converting enzyme, a process for preparing them and methods for using them to assay angiotensin converting enzyme and to screen antihypertensive agents which inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme.

Abstract: A process for preparing fluconazole, including the steps of (1) acylating 1,3-difluorobenzene (DFB) to obtain 2-chloro-2',4'-difluoroacetophenone (CAP); (2) alkylating 4-amino-4H-1,2,4-triazole (4-AT) with CAP to obtain 2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-2',4'-difluoroacetophenone (TAAP) salt; (3) deaminating TAAP salt to obtain TAAP; and (4) reacting TAAP with 1,2,4-triazole to obtain fluconazole.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic computer-controlled bioreactor system for enzymatic synthesis of L-tryptophan which comprises a bioreactor linked to a computer equipped with an on-line indole assay device, in which the computer controls the feeding of indole, pyruvic acid and/or its salt and an ammonium salt into the bioreactor and feedback-controls the reaction in the bioreactor by indole concentration determined by the on-line indole assay device, wherein the feeding of indole and ammonium salt is controlled by a pre-defined profile that agrees with a tryptophanase activity profile and pyruvic acid and/or its salt is added at a predetermined time.

Abstract: A process of preparing 2-cyano-3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxypyridine. The process includes the steps of: acylating 2-methyl-1-penten-1-alkoxy-3-one to obtain 2-alkoxycarbonyl-3,5-dimethyl-4-pyrone; ammonolyzing 2-alkoxycarbonyl-3,5-dimethyl-4-pyrone to obtain 2-carboxamido-3,5-dimethyl-4(1H)-pyridone; methylating 2-carboxamido-3,5-dimethyl-4(1H)-pyridone to obtain 2-carboxamido-3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxypyridine; and dehydrating said 2-carboxamido-3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxypyridone to obtain 2-cyano-3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxypyridine.

Abstract: A process of preparing 2-hydroxymethyl-3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxypyridine including the steps of acylating 2-methyl-1-penten-1-alkoxy-3-one to obtain 2-alkoxycarbonyl-3,5-dimethyl-4-pyrone; ammonolyzing 2-alkoxycarbonyl-3,5-dimethyl-4-pyrone to obtain 2-alkoxycarbonyl-3,5-dimethyl-4(1H)-pyridone; halogenating 2-alkoxycarbonyl-3,5-dimethyl-4(1H)-pyridone to obtain 2-alkoxycarbonyl-4-halo-3,5-dimethylpyridine; methoxylating 2-alkoxycarbonyl-4-halo-3,5-dimethylpyridine to obtain 2-methoxycarbonyl-3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxypyridine; and reducing 2-methoxycarbonyl-3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxypyridine to obtain 2-hydroxymethyl-3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxypyridine.

Abstract: A method for resolving racemic dimethyl-4,4'-dimethoxy-5,6,5',6'-di(methylenedioxy)biphenyl-2,2'-dicarbox ylate ("DDB"), in which a chiral .alpha.-alkyl benzyl alcohol is used as the resolving agent. More specifically, racemic DDB is first hydrolyzed to form dicarboxylic acid, which is then reacted with chiral .alpha.-alkyl benzyl alcohol to form two chiral isomers. The chiral isomers, after separation either by chromatography or by recrystalli-zation, are respectively hydrogenated and esterified to form chiral DDB isomers.

Abstract: A method for recovering hepatitis B surface antigen protein from transformed yeast cells including the steps of (i) obtaining an aqueous homogenate of the yeast cells; (ii) enriching the hepatitis B surface antigen protein in the homogenate with a protein-aggregating reagent to form a precipitate which contains hepatitis B surface antigen protein; (iii) dissolving the precipitate in a buffer to form a suspension; and (iv) post-homogenizing the suspension to obtain a 10% to 50% increase in yield of the hepatitis B surface antigen protein as calculated based on a yield achieved without performing the post-homogenizing step.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for reducing vitrification of a plant, especially lettuce, in a culture. Replacement of agar with water absorbent polymer successfully prevents vitrification without depressing organogenesis.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of monohydrated sodium phenylpyruvate comprises reacting benzaldehyde with the stoichiometric quantity of hydantoin in the aqueous medium in the presence of a catalytic quantity of a primary or secondary amine at high temperature, treating the reaction mixture with an excess of sodium hydroxide at high temperature, adding sodium chloride to the sodium hydroxide-treated solution, acidifying the so obtained solution with concentrated hydrochloric acid, and washing the formed precipitate with methanol.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of stimulating an immune response by using a hapten. Haptens are adhered onto a solid phase support to form a complex. This complex can stimulate an immune response of an animal and the animal's lymphocytes. The solid phase supports usable in the method preferably are membranes, latex particles or microparticle beads of hydrophilic cellulose mixed ester, nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate, nylon, polyvinylidone, vinylbenzyl chloromethyl styrene, polyacrolein, a ahydrophobic, polytetrafluoroethylene, polystyrene and silica gel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-.alpha.-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester wherein a protease is used to catalyze the condensation reaction of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-aspartic acid with L-phenylalanine methyl ester in a system consisting of ethyl acetate, citrate buffer with the addition of glycerol as a dispersing agent.

Abstract: Disclosed is an encapsulated structure for plant initiate material. Plant initiate material is encapsulated in a waterproof membrane coating or waterproof capsule, onto which water swellable polymeric material particles are partly embedded. This structure provides the encapsulated plant initate material with sufficient pressure resistance to endure rough handling, and allows the plant initiate material to gerninate without difficulty since during imbibition the water swellable particles would swell after absorbing water and thus break the waterproof memebrane coating or the waterproof capsule.

Abstract: Present invention offers, for the first time, a biological approach through the use of white-rot fungi to the decolorization of dye wastewater. It is also applicable to other colored substances and/or their wastewater such as molasses. Because of its low cost, renewable and regenerative activity, and little or no secondary pollution hazard, biological method is the most widely practiced method in nature and in practice in treating organic refuse and industrial waste. Current invention discloses, specifically, undiscovered activities of the Myrothecium and Ganoderma fungi in removing colored substances from dye solutions and dye wastewater. It is the result of a deliberate process of screening for natural water/soil-born and farm/industrial-waste-derived microorganisms for such specific purpose in our laboratory.The accompanied process invention shows that simple biological treatment could also produce consistently effective results in treating a wide spectrum of dye wastewater under greatly varied conditions.

Abstract: 5-methoxy-7-hydroxyflavan compound (I) was isolated and purified from Dragon's Blood resin. The purification process involves 50% ethanol soxhletion overnight and then fraction through silica column with a series of solvent elution. The purified compound (I) was crystallized in benzene: hexane (1:1). The pure compound was identified by instruments including IR, NMR, FAB-MS, and GC-MS and acetylation reaction to confirm the structure. This compound was found to be a strong antifungal chemical with broad spectra against Fusarium oxysporium fsp. niveum, Phytophora capsici, Phoma asparagi, Pythium spinosum, Pythium aphanidermatum, Phthium sylvaticum, Sclerotium rolfsii, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum . For whole plant in vivo testes, it was found that compound (I) significantly protected mung bean and cabbage from being infested and damaged by Sclerotium rolfsii and Pythium aphanidermatum respectively.