Gelation mechanism of agarose

The non-Newtonian behavior and dynamic viscoelasticity of a series of aqueous solutions of agarose were measured with a rheogoniometer. The flow curve, at 25°, of agarose solution approximated to plastic behavior at 0.1, 0.13, and 0.15% concentrations. Gelation occurred at concentration of 0.13% at low temperature (0°). The dynamic modulus of agarose showed a very high value at low temperature, and increased with an increase in temperature, showing a maximum value at 30°, then it decreased. In the presence of NaCl, KCl, CaCl₂, and MgCl₂ for a solution of agarose at 0.08% concentration, the transition temperature, at which dynamic modulus decreased rapidly, was observed at 60°. Gelation was also observed at low temperature (0°) in acid and alkaline range after reaching pH values of 2.3 and 9.5, respectively, by addition of 100m HCl, H₂SO₄, NaOH, and Ca(OH)₂ to a 0.08% agarose solution. A possible mode of intra- and inter-molecular hydrogen bonding within and between the agarose molecules in aqueous solution is proposed.     

The effects of in vivo and in vitro non-enzymatic glycosylation and glycoxidation on physico-chemical properties of haemoglobin in control and diabetic patients

The erythrocyte deformability, which is related to erythrocyte internal viscosity, was suggested to depend upon the physico-chemical properties of haemoglobin. In the present study we employed ESR spectroscopy in order to explore further the extent to which the in vivo or in vitro glycation and/or glycoxidation might affect haemoglobin structure and conformation. We revealed that under both in vivo and in vitro conditions the attachment of glucose induced a mobilization of thiol groups in the selected domains of haemoglobin molecules (the increased h₊₁/h₀ parameter of maleimide spin label, MSL; 0.377 ± 0.021 in diabetics vs 0.338 ± 0.017 in controls, n = 12, P < 0.0001). The relative rotational correlation time (τ_c) of two spin labels, TEMPONE and TEMPAMINE, respectively, in erythrocyte insides (5.22 ± 0.42 in diabetics, n = 21 vs 4.79 ± 0.38, n = 16 in controls, P < 0.005) and in the solutions of in vitro glycated haemoglobin, were increased. Neither oxidation nor crosslinking of thiol groups was evidenced in glycated and/or oxidized haemoglobin. In addition, erythrocyte deformability was found to be reduced in type 2 diabetic patients (6.71 ± 1.08, n = 28 vs 7.31 ± 0.96, n = 21, P < 0.015). In conclusion, these observations suggest that: the attachment of glucose to haemoglobin might have decreased the mobility of the Lys-adjacent Cys residues, thus leading to the increased h₊₁/h₀ parameter of MSL. Such structural changes in haemoglobin owing to non-enzymatic glycosylation may contribute to the increased viscosity of haemoglobin solutions (r = 0.497, P < 0.0035) and the enhanced internal viscosity of diabetic erythrocytes (r = 0.503, P < 0.003). We argue that such changes in haemoglobin, and consequently in red blood cells, might contribute to the handicapped oxygen release under tissue hypoxia in the diabetic state.     

Influence of phosphorus concentration on the growth kinetics and stoichiometry of the microalga Scenedesmus obliquus

The growth of the freshwater microalga Scenedesmus obliquus was studied at 30°C in a mineral culture medium with phosphorus concentrations of between 0 and 372 μ . The values for the specific growth rates, between and , fitted a semistructured substrate-limitation model with μ_m1 = 0·0466 h⁻¹, μ_m2 = 0·0256 h⁻¹ and . The specific uptake rate of phosphorus reached a maximum value of q_Sm1 = 658·01 × 10⁻⁴ μmol P mg⁻¹ biomass h⁻¹.     

Biogas-plant effluent as an organic fertiliser in fish polyculture

Biogas-plant effluent collected from a KVIC model biogas-plant fed on cattle waste was utilised in fish polyculture. Biogas-plant effluent was applied at 0·15% concentration at 3-day intervals. The growth rate of Labeo rohita was 4·52 ±0 ·75 g fish⁻¹ day⁻¹, of Cirrhina mrigala 3·36 ± 0·48 g fish⁻ day⁻¹ and of Cyprinus carpio was 1·82 ± 0·41 g fish⁻¹ day⁻¹. Total fish production was 13·44 ± 0·77 kg 0·002 ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ (6653 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) without any supplementary fish-feed.     

The Production of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids by Microalgae: from Strain Selection to Product Purification

A selection programme to increase the cellular eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) content has been carried out with the microalga Isochrysis galbana. The selection process involved two stages of single selection. EPA content continuously increased from 2·4% dry weight (d.w.) of the ‘parent’ culture to an average value of 5·3% d.w. in the final stage. The proportion of total EPA variation attributable to the genetic variation (heritability in a broad sense) was 0·99 showing the importance of the genome in the determination of this fatty acid. The growth and fatty acid profile of an EPA-rich isolate grown as a chemostat in a cylindrical photobioreactor have been studied. A decrease in EPA content was observed (5·21% w/w to 2·8% w/w) at the lowest dilution rate D = 0·024 h⁻¹, up close to the maximum growth rate, D = 0·038 h⁻¹. At the same time, the biomass concentration also decreased from 1015 mg/litre to 202 mg/litre over the abovementioned range of dilution rate (D). Nonetheless, the EPA productivity increases with D, with a maximum of 15·26 mg/litre/day at D = 0·0208 h⁻¹. Furthermore, steady-state dilution rates may be related to average internal light intensity. Reverse-phase, high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) on octadecylsilyl semi-preparative columns was used to separate stearidonic acid (SA), EPA and docosohexaenoic acid (DHA) in polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrate obtained by the urea complexation method from a fatty acid solution previously obtained by direct saponification of biomass. Isolate SA, EPA and DHA fraction purity was 94·8, 96·0 and 94·9%, respectively, with yields of 100·0, 99·6 and 94·0%.     

Myocardial Tissue Preparation for ESR Spectroscopy: Some Methods May Cause Artifactual Generation of Signals

It has been suggested that some techniques of tissue preparation for esr spectroscopy may artifactually generate radicals. We have investigated this, together with the possibility that the susceptibility of the tissue to preparation artifacts may be altered by ischaemia and reperfusion. Three different methods of tissue processing have been assessed: (i) freeze-clamping (- 196 °C), using grooved, aluminium tongs which produce frozen cylinders of tissue (3 mm diameter) which fit directly into esr tubes; (ii) grinding of freeze-clamped tissue with a porcelain pestle and mortar; (iii) lyophilisation of ground, freeze-clamped, tissue. Isolated rat hearts (n = 7 or n = 5/group) were subjected to aerobic perfusion (10 min, 37 °C), total, global ischaemia (15 min) and reperfusion (30 sec). Hearts were freeze-clamped at the end of each period. Tissue was prepared by each of the three methods and esr spectra recorded at - 100 °C. In spectra from tissue which had been freeze-clamped only, broad high- and low-spin iron III signals (g = 1.9, g = 2.2-2.9 and g = 4.6) were seen together with a narrow, well-defined signal (g = 2.005), possibly from a semiquinone radical. In spectra from ground samples, an anisotropic signal (g_∥ = 2.040 and g_⊥ = 2.008), probably from a peroxyl radical, was observed in addition to the iron III signals. The intensity of the anisotropic signal varied with perfusion conditions; in ischaemic tissue it was decreased to 33 ± 10% of the control value and in reperfused tissue it was decreased to 76 ± 26%. In spectra from lyophilised samples, a narrow signal (g = 2.009), probably from a protein radical, was observed in addition to the iron III signals. The intensity of the signal at g = 2.009 was increased in ischaemic tissue to 170 ± 57% of the control value and in reperfused tissue to 241 ± 85%. In conclusion, artifactual generation of radicals can occur upon grinding (peroxyl radical) and lyophilisation (protein radical). Ischaemia and reperfusion may alter not only radical content per se but may also modify the susceptibility of the tissue to the artifactual production of radicals.     

Studies on the rate-limiting reaction of photosynthetic oxygen evolution in spinach chloroplasts

The modulated oxygen polarograph has been used to study the rate-determining steps of photosynthetic oxygen evolution in spinach chloroplasts. The rate constant, k, of the reaction has a value of 218±10 (S.E.) s⁻¹ at 23 °C and an activation energy of 7±2 (S.E.) kcal · mol⁻¹. A kinetic isotope experiment indicated that this step is probably not the water-splitting reaction. These findings resemble previous results with the unicellular alga Chlorella (Sinclair, J. and Arnason, T. (1974) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 368, 393–400). In other experiments we changed the pH, O₂ concentration and osmolarity of the medium, and treated the chloroplasts with 1 mM NH₄Cl without detecting any significant change in k. These results suggest that the step is irreversible. However, a significantly lower value of k, 110±20 (S.E.) s⁻¹ was obtained when all salts except 1 mM MgCl₂ were removed from the medium bathing the chloroplasts.     

Critical exponents for sol–gel transition in aqueous alginate solutions induced by cupric cations

The sol–gel transition in aqueous alginate solutions of four alginate samples having different molecular weights (M_W) and M/G ratios induced by cupric cations was monitored by rheology measurements. The gel point f_gel and the relaxation critical exponent n were determined using the Winter’s criterion over the alginate concentration C_Alg of 1–4 wt%. The scaling for the zero shear viscosity η₀ before the gel point and the equilibrium modulus G_e after the gel point was established against the relative distance ε from the gel point at the concentration of C_Alg = 1 wt%, giving the critical exponents k and z. The results indicated that f_gel was almost independent of the alginate concentration and became higher for the sample with lower molecular weight. The critical exponent n decreased with the increase in C_Alg for these four Cu-alginate samples and the fractal dimension d_f estimated from n suggested a denser structure in the critical gel with high G content. The critical exponent n evaluated from k and z agreed well with n determined from the Winter’s criterion.     

Colocalization of NO and VIP in neurons of the submucous plexus in the rat intestine

Since very few previous studies have carried out the quantitative analysis for the colocalization of nitric oxide (NO) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the submucous neurons in the rat digestive tract, we applied in vivo treatment of colchicine to enhance the immunoreactivity and examined the colocalization of NO synthase (nNOS) and VIP in neurons of the submucous plexus throughout the rat digestive tract. The density of nNOS-containing neurons in the submucous plexus in the stomach corpus (103±25 cells/cm², n=3) and that in the antrum (157±9 cells/cm², n=3) were significantly lower than those in small and large intestine. However no difference was detected in the cell density among duodenum (1967±188 cells/cm², n=3), jejunum (2640±140 cells/cm², n=3), ileum (2070±42 cells/cm², n=3), proximal colon (2243±138 cells/cm², n=3) and distal colon (2633±376 cells/cm², n=3). The proportion of nNOS-immunoreactive (IR), nNOS/VIP-IR and VIP-IR neurons to the total number of submucous neurons was examined. nNOS/VIP-IR neurons comprised 45–55% of total number of submucous neurons from the duodenum to the proximal colon, however those comprised 66.4±5.1% in the distal colon. The results showed that the dense distribution of nNOS-containing neurons was found in the submucous plexus throughout the small and large intestine, and large population of submucous neurons co-stored nNOS and VIP.     

The crystal and molecular structures of lithium trimethylenediaminetetraacetatoferrate(III) trihydrate Li[Fe(trdta)]·3H2O and sodium ethylenediamine-N,N′-diacetato-N,N′-di-3-propionatoferrate(II) pentahydrate Na[Fe(eddda)]·5H2O

The crystal structures of Li[Fe(trtda)]·3H₂O and Na[Fe(eddda)]·5H₂O (trtda = trimethylenediaminetetraacetate and eddda = ethylenediamine-N,N′-diacetate-N,N′-di-3-propionate) have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The former crystal was monoclinic with the space group P2₁/n,a = 17.775(3),b = 10.261(1),c = 8.883(2)Å, β = 95.86(4)° and Z = 4. The latter was also monoclinic with the space group P2₁/n,a = 6.894(2),b = 20.710(6),c = 13.966(3)Å, β = 101.44(2)° and Z = 4. Both complex anions were found to adopt an octahedral six-coordinated structure with all of six ligand atoms of trdta⁴⁻ or eddda⁴⁻ coordinated to the Fe(III) ion, unlike the corresponding edta⁴⁻ complex which is usually seven-coordinate with the seventh coordination site occupied by H₂O. Of the three geometrical isomers possible for the eddda complex, the trans(O₅) isomer was actually found in the latter crystal. Factors determining the structural types of metal–edta complexes are discussed in detail.     

The chemical composition of the cuticular wax of cranberry

Cuticular wax of cranberry fruit (Vaccinium macrocarpon var. Howes) was analysed by thin layer and gas-liquid chromatography in conjunction with mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy. The wax was shown to contain n-paraffins (10·7%), n-aldehydes (14·3%), n-alcohols (6·5%), n-fatty acids (9·7%), sterols (5·0%) and pentacyclic triterpene alcohols (5·8%), acetates (6·1%) and acids (30·7%).     

Identification of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and associated binding substances in the blood serum of a holocephalan (Hydrolagus colliei)

The identity of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) form and the presence of GnRH-binding substances in the blood serum of the holocephalan, spotted ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei), were investigated. The GnRH-like peptides in the serum were identified on the basis of relative hydrophobicity using reverse-phase HPLC. [His⁵,Trp⁷,Tyr⁸]GnRH (chicken GnRH-II) was the only GnRH form detected in the serum. It has been previously shown to be the only GnRH form in the brain of this species. The presence of GnRH-binding substances was inferred by anomalous HPLC elution of GnRH, ultrafiltration behavior, and by the direct binding of iodinated GnRH analogues by blood serum components. The mean GnRH concentration in the extracted blood serum was 125 ± 11 pg ml⁻¹ (n = 5) in males and 64 ± 48 pg ml⁻¹ (n = 4) and 155 ± 26 (n = 4) in two separate groups of females. Measurement of GnRH in the blood serum is complicated by the presence of GnRH-binding substances, which may cause the coprecipitation of GnRH during extraction with organic solvents. The high concentration of GnRH and the presence of GnRH-binding substances suggest that systemic blood is the route by which GnRH reaches the gonadotropes and/or that GnRH may have a hormonal role in H. colliei.     

Study of the thermal stability of D-amino acid oxidase from Trigonopsis variabilis reveals enzyme inactivation via multiple steps

The thermal stability of a highly purified preparation of D-amino acid oxidase from Trigonopsis variabilis (TvDAO), which does not show microheterogeneity due to the partial oxidation of Cys-108, was studied based on dependence of temperature (20-60°C) and protein concentration (5-100 µmol L^-1). The time courses of loss of enzyme activity in 100 mmol L^-1 potassium phosphate buffer, pH 8.0, are well described by a formal kinetic mechanism in which two parallel denaturation processes, partial thermal unfolding and dissociation of the FAD cofactor, combine to yield the overall inactivation rate. Estimates from global fitting of the data revealed that the first-order rate constant of the unfolding reaction (k _a) increased 10⁴-fold in response to an increase in temperature from 20 to 60°C. The rate constants of FAD release (k _b) and binding (k _-b) as well as the irreversible aggregation of the apo-enzyme (k _agg) were less sensitive to changes in temperature, their activation energy (E _a) being about 52 kJ mol^-1 in comparison with an E _a value of 185 kJ mol^-1 for k _a. The rate-determining step of TvDAO inactivation switched from FAD dissociation to unfolding at high temperatures. The model adequately described the effect of protein concentration on inactivation kinetics. Its predictions regarding the extent of FAD release and aggregation during thermal denaturation were confirmed by experiments. TvDAO is shown to contain two highly reactive cysteines per protein subunit whose modification with 5,5'-dithio-bis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) was accompanied by inactivation. Dithiothreitol (1 mmol L^-1) enhanced up to 10-fold the recovery of enzyme activity during ion exchange chromatography of technical-grade TvDAO. However, it did not stabilize TvDAO at all temperatures and protein concentrations, suggesting that deactivation of cysteines was not responsible for thermal denaturation.     

A computational formula for heat influx in animal experiments

1. 1.The bahavioural paradigm in which cold-exposed animals can work for pulses of infrared radiation has been extensively used in the literature, but a formula to calculate the amount of heat obtained has not been advanced.

2. 2.This paper describes a computational formula for heat influx in rats: E = 3.64 · 10⁻⁶ · n · d · I · M^0.6 where E is heat influx (kJ), n is number of rewards, d is reward duration (sec), I is irradiance (mW/cm²), and M is body mass (g).

Pretreatment of beet molasses to increase pullulan production

Pretreatment of beet molasses with cation exchange resin, sulphuric acid, tricalcium phosphate, potassium ferrocyanide, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and disodium salt (EDTA) to increase the production of pullulan was investigated. Among the above techniques used for the removal of heavy metals, sulphuric acid treatment gave better results regarding polysaccharide concentration, polysaccharide yield, and sugar utilization. Aureobasidium pullulans grown on beet molasses produced a mixture of pullulan and other polysaccharides. The pullulan content of the crude polysaccharide was 30–35%. The addition of nutrients improved the production of polysaccharide. A maximum polysaccharide concentration (32·0±1·0 g litre⁻¹) was achieved in molasses solution (70 g litre ¹ initial sugar concentration, pH 6·5–7·5) treated with sulphuric acid and supplemented with K₂HPO₄ 0·5%, -glutamic acid 1%, olive oil 2·5% and Tween 80 0·5%. In this case, the highest values of biomass dry weight (33·8±1·0 g litre⁻¹), polysaccharide yield (63·5±2·5%), and sugar utilization (97·5±1·5%) were obtained at pH 6·5, 3·5, and 4·5–7·5, respectively.     

Power consumption of three impeller combinations in mixing Xanthan fermentation broths

Xanthan gum fermentation represents a good model for the study of the mixing of rheologically complex culture broths. Most of the previous work on power consumption dealt with ‘standard’, single impellers and used model fluids to simulate xanthan broths. This work describes the characterization of three dual-impeller combinations (D/T = 0·53) for the mixing of dehydrated—reconstituted fermentation broths of Xanthomonas campestris that had matched rheology to the actual broths. The bottom impeller was a Rushton turbine (RT) and the top impeller was another RT, a 45° pitched blade turbine (PT) or an A-310 Lightnin mixer (A310). The experiments were carried out in a tank of 0·0094 m³ working volume equipped with an air bearing dynamometer. The power was measured in a wide range of xanthan concentrations (5–40 kg m⁻³) in aerated (0·25, 0·5 and 1·0 vvm) and unaerated conditions. Unaerated power number (Po) vs. Reynolds number (Re) curves showed similar trends for the three combinations. Exponents close to −1 were obtained in the laminar region. A minimum in Po (Po_min) occurred at Re = 30–40, then increasing to a plateau value which was evident at Re> 200. In the transition region Po_min values were 4·3 (RT and RT), 3·6 (RT and PT) and 2·4 (RT and A310). The aerated power data for (RT and PT) and (RT and A-310) showed higher torque instabilities than the dual RT combinations at higher xanthan concentrations. The higher the xanthan concentrations, the higher the drop in power and the less important the effect of the aeration rate. Among the combinations tested, when using Rushton turbines, the well-mixed ‘cavern’ reached the tank wall (i.e., fluid motion was observed) at the lowest volumetric power input. High     

Kinetic characterisation of enzymatic esterification in a solvent system: adsorptive control of water with molecular sieves

The kinetics of enzymatic esterification of glycerol with oleic acid, in equimolar ratio, catalyzed by immobilized Mucor miehei lipase in a solvent system in the presence of the molecular sieves was carried out at 37°C at different Lipozym and solvent (n-hexane) concentrations and the molecular sieve contents were studied in a batch stirred-tank reactor (BSTR). The reactions were followed by the determination of reaction conversions during 45 h. The experimental data of enzymatic esterification of glycerol with oleic acid in a solvent system in the presence of molecular sieves showed minimal deviation from the calculated value in the irreversible second order kinetic model. On the basis of the experimental data, we found an empirical correlation between concentrations of Lipozym, concentrations of solvent (n-hexane), contents of the molecular sieve and the reaction rate constant, k₁.     

Radical-scavenging activity of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and its metabolites

To clarify the radical-scavenging activity of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a food additive, stoichiometric factors (n) and inhibition rate constants (k_inh) were determined for 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT) and its metabolites 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-benzoquinone (BHT-Q), 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (BHA-CHO) and 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroperoxy-4-methyl-2,5-cyclohexadiene-1-one (BHT-OOH). Values of n and k_inh were determined from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) monitoring of the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated by 2,2′-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) or benzoyl peroxide (BPO) at 70 °C in the presence or absence of antioxidants (BHT-related compounds). The n values declined in the order BHT (1–2) > BHT-CHO, BHT-OOH (0.1–0.3) > BHT-Q (0). The n value for BHT with AIBN was approximately 1.0, suggesting dimerization of BHT. The k_inh values declined in the order BHT-Q ((3.5–4.6)×10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) > BHT-OOH (0.7–1.9×10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) > BHT-CHO ((0.4–1.7)×10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) > BHT ((0.1–0.2)×10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹). The k_inh for metabolites was greater than that for the parent BHT. Growing MMA radicals initiated by BPO were suppressed much more efficiently by BHT or BHT-Q compared with those initiated by AIBN. BHT was effective as a chain-breaking antioxidant.     

Biopsied and vitrified bovine embryos viability is improved by trans10, cis12 conjugated linoleic acid supplementation during in vitro embryo culture

Bovine embryos cultured in serum-containing media abnormally accumulate lipids in the cytoplasm. This is well known to contribute to their higher susceptibility to cryopreservation and biopsied embryos are even further susceptible. We aimed to improve in vitro produced (IVP) embryos resistance to micromanipulation and cryopreservation by supplementing serum-containing media with trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (t10, c12 CLA). The effect of t10, c12 CLA on lipid deposition and embryonic development was also tested. After in vitro maturation and fertilization (IVF day = D0), zygotes were cultured on granulosa cells + M199 + 10% serum + 100 μM GSH supplemented with 100 μM of t10, c12 CLA (CLA group, n = 1394) or without supplementation (control group, n = 1431). Samples of D7/D8 embryos were observed under Nomarsky microscopy for lipid droplets evaluation while others were biopsied and vitrified (group B-Control, n = 24; group B-CLA, n = 23). Non-biopsied embryos were also frozen (group NB-Control, n = 49; group NB-CLA, n = 45). Biopsied cells were used for embryo sex determination. Postwarming embryo survival and viability were determined at 0 and 24 h of culture, respectively. Supplementation of t10, c12 CLA did not influence cleavage, embryo sex ratio, D7/D8 embryo rate or morphological quality. CLA embryos had higher number of small lipid droplets (P ≤ 0.003) and a smaller (P < 0.001) fat embryo index being leaner (P = 0.008) than control embryos. Embryo postwarming survival was higher in B-CLA than in B-control group (95.0 ± 7.0% versus 62.5 ± 7.9%; P < 0.001). After 24 h of culture, the viability (expansion rate) of biopsied embryos and nonbiopsied embryos, cultured with t10, c12 CLA was higher than control embryos (B-CLA = 64.6 ± 4.4% and B-control = 27.5 ± 2.5%, P = 0.01; NB-CLA = 86.0 ± 3.5% and NB-Control = 68.6 ± 7.0%, P = 0.05). Results showed that supplying t10, c12 CLA to serum-containing media decreases embryo cytoplasmic lipid deposition during in vitro culture and significantly improves resistance of IVP embryos to micromanipulation and cryopreservation.     

Production of prednisolone by Bacillus pumilus E601 cells incorporated in radiation induced poly(vinyl alcohol g-2 hydroxyethylmethacrylate) cryogels

Immobilization of Bacillus pumilus E601 in poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) cryogels at a concentration of 10% grafted with hydroxy-ethylmethacrylate (HEMA) at a concentration of 0.4% using a radiation polymerization technique lead to an increase in the prednisolone yield (46%) compared with the prednisolone yield (38%) produced by immobilized B. pumilus E601 carrier on the surface of the polymer at the same concentrations. The Δ¹-dehydrogenase of B. pumilus E601 was affected by the molecular weight, the irradiation dose and the diameter of the polymer. The storage of immobilized B. pumilus E601 in poly(PVA)/HEMA at −4 °C for 30 days shows a higher yield of prednisolone (80%) as compared with prednisolone yield (75%) at 25 °C at the time of storage.