Abstract: The present disclosure concerns embodiments of new hard pullulan capsule shells and capsules comprising (I) moisture, (II) a mono-, di-, and oligosaccharides free pullulan and (III) a setting system. Also provided are an aqueous composition and a dip-molding manufacturing method for the manufacture of such shells and capsules.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, process, solar cell design, and fabrication technology for high-efficiency, low-cost, crystalline silicon (Si) solar cells including but not restricted to solar grade single crystal Si (c-Si), multi-crystalline Si (mc-Si), poly-Si, and micro-Si solar cells and solar modules. The RTWCG solar cell fabrication technology creates a RTWCG SiOx thin film antireflection coating (ARC) with a graded index of refraction and a selective emitter (SE). The resulting top surface of the SiOx oxide can be textured (TO) concomitant with the growth process or through an additional mild wet chemical step.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to overcome conventional demerits of pullulan powders prepared by conventional techniques, i.e., they could not be homogeneously mixed with non-reducing saccharides composed of glucose units when mixed together, and the resulting mixtures do not easily dissolve in water; and to provide a pullulan-containing powder with an improved rate of water dissolution, as well as to provide preparations and uses thereof. The present invention solves the above object by providing a pullulan-containing powder which uniformly comprises pullulan as a main ingredient and a non-reducing saccharide, and their process and uses; wherein the pullulan-containing powder is prepared by the steps of preparing a solution dissolving pullulan and a non-reducing saccharide homogeneously, pulverizing the solution, and collecting the resulting pullulan-containing powder.

Abstract: A method of oxidizing a saccharide, by contacting the saccharide with an alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) enzyme selected from a quinone redox cofactor-dependent ADH, a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) redox cofactor-dependent ADH, a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+) redox cofactor-dependent ADH, and any combination thereof is described. An oxidized saccharide obtainable by the method and products, in particular food products and paper products, containing the oxidized saccharide, are also described.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method of providing a biopolymer comprises: cryodesiccating a broth, wherein the broth comprises: (A) a biopolymer, wherein the biopolymer is an exopolysaccharide; and (B) a liquid growth medium. According to certain embodiments, the biopolymer is produced by the fermentation of at least one carbohydrate via a microbe. According to an embodiment, the microbe is a bacterium. According to another embodiment, the microbe is a fungus.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a particulate composition containing pullulan, which can be produced without employing any complicated purification step such as solvent precipitation and, when formed into a film, exhibits a higher rupture strength compared to conventional ones; a process for producing the same; and uses thereof.

Abstract: A method of oxidising a saccharide, by contacting the saccharide with an alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) enzyme selected from a quinone redox cofactor-dependent ADH, a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) redox cofactor-dependent ADH, a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+) redox cofactor-dependent ADH, and any combination thereof is described. An oxidised saccharide obtainable by the method and products, in particular food products and paper products, containing the oxidised saccharide, are also described.

Abstract: Polypeptides comprising a catalytic starch debranching domain and a starch binding domain are disclosed. The polypeptides comprising the starch binding domain have an improved functionality in raw starch degradation compared with same catalytic unit in same amount but without the starch binding domain.

Abstract: An exemplary measuring apparatus includes a base, a table, a light blocking piece, a sensor, a luminance meter, a drive assembly, and a controller. The table defines a first elongated slot. A light guide plate is arranged on the table with a central portion of a bottom surface thereof exposed to the first elongated slot. The light blocking piece is attached to the central portion of the bottom surface and exposed to the first elongated slot. The sensor is configured for sensing light and generating a sensing signal. The luminance meter is configured for measuring luminance of the back-light source module. The drive assembly is configured for moving the table to align the light blocking piece with the sensor. The controller is configured for switching off the drive assembly when the light is blocked by the light blocking piece from reaching the sensor.

Abstract: A biosensor in which a carbohydrate or a derivative of a carbohydrate is used to generate a detectable signal by way of the specific binding to a protein, a virus or a cell.

Abstract: Interleaving circuit for a multiband OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) transceiver of a ultra wide band wireless personal access network transmitting OFDM modulated symbols, wherein each OFDM symbol consists of a predetermined number (NCBPS) of encoded bits, said interleaving circuit comprising a symbol interleaving unit which receives an input bitstream of encoded bits and permutes adjacent bits of said input bitstream across different OFDM symbols; an intra-symbol tone interleaving unit which receives the bits permuted by said symbol interleaving unit and permutes adjacent bits of each OFDM symbol across uncorrelated data sub-carriers; and an intra-symbol cyclic shift unit which shifts cyclically NCBPS bits of each OFDM symbol in response to a shift value (K) which is changed between adjacent OFDM symbols.

Abstract: Aureobasidium ?-1,3-1,6 glucans and compositions containing such glucans, as well as methods of their preparation. Aureobasidium medium that contains ?-1,3-1,6 glucans, particularly medium produced by Aureobasidium strain FERM P-18099. The ?-glucans of the present invention have a variety of industrial and commercial uses, including applications in pharmaceutical or medical products or treatments, for the removal or control of environmental or microbiological contaminants, in cosmetics, and in nutritional products and foods.

Abstract: A system for establishing a cumulative history of stress factors encountered during use of an endodontic file and keeping track of such for a plurality of files so that the files can be re-used with confidence that a given file is as safe to use as a new file. Cost of file maintenance is significantly reduced and the likelihood of file breakage in use is minimized.

Abstract: Urine samples are made free of potentially interfering substances, such as alkaloids or pharmaceuticals, by contacting the urine sample with an amount of a chemical oxidizing agent in a disposable oxidation bag, while retaining the physical indicia characteristic of urine to allow the sample to be further tested.

Abstract: A method for obtaining a substantially biologically pure culture strain of Aureobasidium pullulans from a wild type strain by enriching the collected strain for organisms which grow as fungal yeastlike cells, growing colonies from isolated yeastlike cells and selecting those yeastlike cells which exhibit reduced pigmentation. Biologically pure culture strains obtained by the invention as well as methods for producing pullulan having decreased pigmentation and/or increased molecular weight are disclosed.

Abstract: A fermenter for the production of xanthan gum is provided with an upper helical impeller and a lower turbine impeller which are positioned therewithin, and an agitator shaft for driving these helical impeller and turbine impeller. The helical impeller consists of a pair of vertically spaced arms extending from the agitator shaft in opposite directions and arranged in twisted relationship, and at least one shearing paddle bridging these arms, and the turbine impeller consists of a rotating disc having at least one turbine blade attached thereto.

Abstract: A method for production of toxin-binding, non-toxic, modified, biopolymers and the use thereof for the treatment of septic shock, infections and toxic states and to the use of them as carriers for transportation of biologically or therapeutically important materials (enzymes or drugs) into phagocytes or cells bearing Fc and complement receptors and as a natural source of energy for cells. The toxin binding, non-toxic structurally modified biopolymers are prepared by the reaction of polysaccharides containing alpha 1,4 or 1,6 linkages with glucose-1-phosphate catalyzed by glycogen phosphorylase enzyme in a buffer solution at pH 6.8-7.4 at a temperature of 20.degree.-30.degree. C. and by the separation of the obtained biopolymers in a well-known manner.

Abstract: The invention provides an acidic polysaccharide by culturing acidic polysaccharide-producing germ belonging to Aureobasidium sp. isolated from soil, which has no toxicity and is applicable to growth promotion by adding to feed, waste water-treating agent and foods.

Abstract: The invention relates to viscous liquid compositions of xylitol which are noncrystallizable or which exhibit retarded crystallization, characterized by the fact that they contain:from 51% to 80% of xylitol,from 0.1% to 44% of D-arabitol,from 5% to 48.9% of non-reducing oligomers or polymers of glucose, these percentages being expressed on the dried basis for the compositions. It also relates to a process for producing these compositions. These compositions can be used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and confectionery industry.

Abstract: Pullulan is precipitated from an aqueous solution by mixing with a hydrophilic organic solvent incapable of dissolving pullulan. Solid pullulan is then separated from the liquid component of the dispersion by feeding the dispersion into a V-type disk press having a pair of discoid screens arranged so that the distance between them decreases as they are rotated. The pullulan dispersion is pressed by the discoid screens, recovering the liquid component through the screens. The resulting low-liquid-content pullulan continues to rotate together with the screens to an outlet, where it is discharged from the press.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel high pullulan content product containing pullulan having an average molecular weight less than 250,000, said product being prepared by continuously cultivating a microorganism capable of producing pullulan in a nutrient culture medium containing a 10-20 w/v % saccharide while controlling the viscosity of the nutrient culture medium to a level below 30 cp. The product can be advantageously used in a variety of fields such as viscosity-imparting agent, coating agent, adhesive, formed product, food product, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and material for agriculture, forestry, stock raising and paper processings, as well as for mining and manufacturing industries.

Abstract: A method for obtaining a substantially biologically pure culture strain of Aureobasidium pullulans from a wild type strain by enriching the collected strain for organisms which grow as fungal yeastlike cells, growing colonies from isolated yeastlike cells and selecting those yeastlike cells which exhibit reduced pigmentation. Biologically pure culture strains obtained by the invention as well as methods for producing pullulan having decreased pigmentation and/or increased molecular weight are disclosed.

Abstract: A thermoduric and aciduric pullulanase enzyme, and a process for its production from a microorganism designated as Bacillus naganoensis. The pullulanase is useful for the production of dextrose and high-maltose syrups from starch hydrolyzates.

Abstract: Process for obtaining a mass of polysaccharide-producing microorganisms, consisting in conducting the growth of the microorganisms in a medium containing an enzyme which hydrolyzes the formed polysaccharide.Application in a process for the production of polysaccharide in two stages, in which the growth stage takes place in the presence of an enzyme, particularly for the production of scleroglucane using sclerotium type fungi.

Abstract: A novel strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, designated as strain SB-1, is capable of growth on hydrocarbon substrates having 10 to 32 or more carbon atoms, during which growth there is secreted into the culture medium an emulsifier which can be recovered and used for such applications as reducing the viscosity of crude oil in secondary recovery methods, as well as in oil spill management and the cleaning of oil-contaminated vessels and pipelines. A novel mutant strain of P. aeruginosa SB-1, designated SB-3, has the property of growing on solid (C.sub.20 +) paraffins but not on liquid alkanes. The selective degradation by strain SB-3 of the solid paraffinic components in crude oil is advantageous in reducing the viscosity of the oil for improving the recovery thereof from oil wells. A novel revertant strain of P.

Abstract: A process for producing a variety of chemical products, e.g., ethanol, by fermentation in which the product is removed from the fermentation medium as it is formed by liquid-liquid extraction using an extractant for the product which is immiscible with water. The extractant employed is chosen from the following groups: (A) double bond unsaturated aliphatic alcohols having 12 or more carbon atoms; (B) saturated branched chain aliphatic alcohols having 14 or more carbon atoms or mixtures thereof; (C) double bond unsaturated aliphatic acids having 12 or more carbon atoms; (D) aliphatic and aromatic mono-, di- or tri-esters having 12 or more carbon atoms, other than dibutyl phthalate; (E) aliphatic noncyclic ketones and aliphatic aldehydes having 12 or more carbon atoms; and (F) mixtures of extractants from groups (A) to (E) above or mixtures of at least one of the above extractants and at least one other extractant.

Abstract: Proteinaceous bioactive substances (including lymphokine and peptide hormone) in dry solid are extremely stabilized by the presence of the specific polysaccharide mainly composed of repeating maltotriose units. Pullulan, elsinan, and their partial hydrolysates are feasible as the polysaccharide. The weight ratio of the polysaccharide to the substance which effectively stabilizes the latter substance is at least 0.5 on the basis of dry solids. The dry solid is advantageously usable as a test reagent, injection, granule, tablet, suppository or ointment.

Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of cystic fibrosis ciliostatic factor in mammalian body fluid comprisescontacting an enzyme whose activity is inhibited by the factor with a substrate for the enzyme in the presence of the body fluid, the substrate being substantially resistant to reactions catalyzed by enzymes in the body fluid, whereby the substrate is converted by the enzyme at a measurable rate, andcomparing the rate of substrate conversion with the rate of substrate conversion by the enzyme in the absence of cystic fibrosis ciliostatic factor.

Abstract: A continuous process for producing a self-supporting glucan film, comprises casting an aqueous glucan solution on the surface of a corona-treated endless heat-resistant plastic belt, drying the glucan solution thereon while heating, and releasing the resultant self-supporting glucan film therefrom. Suitable glucans are those which substantially consist of repeating maltotriose units, such as pullulan or elsinan.