Initial Yields Research Articles

TRANSBRONCHIAL NEEDLE ASPIRATION: An Underused Diagnostic Technique

Despite its proven usefulness, TBNA is not widely used. An American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) survey showed that only 11.8% of pulmonologists use TBNA. Most pulmonologists in the 1980s were not formally trained in TBNA. This lack of training has unfortunately translated to minimal emphasis on TBNA in current training programs in a large number of institutions. Technical problems with the procedure (faulty site selection, incomplete needle penetration, catheter kinking that prevents adequate suction, etc.), the confusing array of needles, low diagnostic yields, unproven concerns regarding the safety of the procedure, inadequate cytopathology support, and bronchoscopic damage have all perpetuated the image of limited usefulness for this procedure. Limitations to the practice of TBNA are: Lack of training during fellowship Technical inadequacies Lack of cytopathologists trained in TBNA interpretation Fear of bronchoscope damage Safety issues Failure to reproduce published successes Reservations regarding usefulness of TBNA results Hands-on experience with TBNA, developing familiarity and expertise with only a few needles, and paying careful attention to anatomy, procedure techniques, and specimen acquisition may all help to increase yield. The following lists how better results can be obtained with TBNA: Preprocedure Review TBNA instruction tapes Attend hands-on courses Practice with lung models Review patient's CAT scans Familiarize with one-two cytology and histology needle Obtain a trained assistant Procedural Identify target site Needle to airway angle at least greater than 45 degrees Insert entire length of the needle Use scope channel to support the catheter Release suction before withdrawing needle (for staging) Specimen acquisition Avoid delay in preparing slides Adequate sampling (at least two) Use smear method for cytology specimen Analyze all samples flush solutions cell block Postprocedure Find an experienced cytopathologist Review your procedure (by watching video) Review pathology slides Acquisition of skills with cytology needles should precede the use of the histology needle. Increasing education and experience can also increase diagnostic yields. Transbronchial needle aspiration has been proven to be accurate in staging lung cancers, identifying inoperable carcinomas, and diagnosing a variety of lung diseases. Few complications have been encountered and the technique is less invasive and less costly than surgical procedures. Drawing on evidence from published literature, we suggest the following guidelines for TBNA: All patients presenting with mediastinal or hilar adenopathy or both, should have 22-ga and/or 19-ga TBNA as the initial procedure. These procedures would help diagnose malignant and nonmalignant diseases, and stage lung cancers. All patients with evidence of submucosal and peribronchial disease should have 22-ga needle cytology sampling. In patients with visible endobronchial disease, 22-ga TBNA should be optional. In the presence of a necrotic or a hemorrhagic tumor, or in a patient with a bleeding diathesis, TBNA would be helpful. In all patients with Type III and IV peripheral nodules, TBNA should be the initial diagnostic procedure. There remains no doubt about the diagnostic usefulness of TBNA. Guidelines must be developed to ensure that pulmonary fellows are adequately trained in this procedure. Regional workshops with hands-on experience targeted to practicing pulmonologists organized by the ACCP would help popularize the procedure. Initial low yields should not discourage pulmonologists from using the procedure. Collaboration between thoracic surgeons, oncologists, and pulmonary physicians is essential to set up TBNA programs within institutions. With time, as more and more pulmonologists attain expertise in TBNA, the full potential of this nonsurgical, cost-effective, and safe procedure will be realized.

Constraints on galaxy formation from -enhancement in luminous elliptical galaxies

We explore the formation of α-enhanced and metal-rich stellar populations in the nuclei of luminous ellipticals under the assumption of two extreme galaxy formation scenarios based on hierarchical clustering, namely a fast clumpy collapse and the merger of two spirals. We investigate the parameter space of the star formation time-scale, the slope of the initial mass function (IMF) and stellar yields. In particular, the latter add a huge uncertainty in constraining time-scales and IMF slopes. We find that—for Thielemann, Nomoto & Hashimoto nucleosynthesis—in a fast clumpy collapse scenario an [α/Fe] overabundance of ∼ 0.2 dex in the high-metallicity stars can be achieved with a Salpeter IMF and star formation time-scales of the order 109 yr. The scenario of two merging spirals that are similar to our Galaxy, instead, fails to reproduce the α-enhanced abundance ratios in the metal-rich stars, unless the IMF is flattened during the burst ignited by the merger. This result is independent of the burst time-scale. We suggest that abundance gradients give hints to distinguish between the two extreme formation scenarios considered in this paper.

A process economic approach to develop a dilute-acid cellulose hydrolysis process to produce ethanol from biomass.

Successful deployment of a bioethanol process depends on the integration of technologies that can be economically commercialized. Pretreatment and fermentation operations of the traditional enzymatic bioethanol-production process constitute the largest portion of the capital and operating costs. Cost reduction in these areas, through improved reactions and reduced capital, will improve the economic feasibility of a large-scale plant. A technoeconomic model was developed using the ASPEN Plus modeling software package. This model included a two-stage pretreatment operation with a co-current first stage and countercurrent second stage, a lignin adsorption unit, and a cofermentation unit. Data from kinetic modeling of the pretreatment reactions, verified by bench-scale experiments, were used to create the ASPEN Plus base model. Results from the initial pretreatment and fermentation yields of the two-stage system correlated well to the performance targets established by the model. The ASPEN Plus model determined mass and energy-balance information, which was supplied to an economic module to determine the required selling price of the ethanol. Several pretreatment process variables such as glucose yield, liquid: solid ratio, additional pretreatment stages, and lignin adsorption were varied to determine which parameters had the greatest effect on the process economics. Optimized values for these key variables became target values for the bench-scale research, either to achieve or identify as potential obstacles in the future commercialization process. Results from this modeling and experimentation sequence have led to the design of an advanced two-stage engineering- scale reactor for a dilute-acid hydrolysis process.

Decay of 2 - Anions in Solid Parahydrogen via Two-Stage Quantum Tunneling Diffusion Processes

Decay mechanism of H 2 - anions in X(γ)-irradiated solid para-H2 (p-H 2 ) has been studied using high-resolution ESR spectroscopy in the temperature range between 1.3–6.6 K. The results are summarized as follows. First,the decay rate constant of the 2 - anions is not proportional to initial yields of reactive species such as cations and H atoms but proportional to the concentration of less-reactive species of HD molecules in p-H2 . This result shows that the decay of the 2 - anion is due to the reaction neither with cations nor H atoms but with HD molecules originally contained in the p-H2 sample at natural abundance. Second,the decay rate constant of the 2 - anions increases proportionally with the increase in temperature below 3 K and decreases with the increase in temperature between 3–5 K,although it increases exponentially with the increase in temperature above 5 K. This result indicates that the decay rate constant of the 2 - anions is controlled by the rate constant for the diffusion of the 2 - anions via one-phonon assisted quantum tunneling below 3 K,two-phonon scattered or assisted quantum tunneling between 3–5 K,and thermally-activated process above 5 K.

Influence of Catalyst Weight/Biomass Flow Rate Ratio on Gas Production in the Catalytic Pyrolysis of Pine Sawdust at Low Temperatures

Pine sawdust catalytic pyrolysis has been studied in a fluidized bed at temperatures of 650 and 700 °C. The experimental work was carried out in a bench-scale plant based on Waterloo Fast Pyrolysis Process (WFPP) technology. The Ni−Al catalyst used was prepared by coprecipitation with a molar ratio 1:2 (Ni−Al) and calcined at 750 °C for 3 h. The catalyst was not reduced prior to the biomass reaction. The influence of the catalyst weight/biomass flow rate ratio (W/mb) on the product distribution and on the quality of the gas product obtained was analyzed. An increase of the W/mb ratio increases the total gas yield and diminishes the liquid yield. When the W/mb ratio increases, H2 and CO yields increase while CO2, CH4, and C2 yields decrease. For W/mb ratios ≥ 0.4 h, no significant modifications are observed on the initial yields of different gases, and it is confirmed that under these conditions the initial gas composition is similar to that for thermodynamic equilibrium. For W/mb ratios < 0.4 h, a simple ...

Altered Properties of the Branched Chain Amino Acid-preferring Activity Contribute to Increased Cleavages after Branched Chain Residues by the “Immunoproteasome”

The multicatalytic proteinase complex (MPC, proteasome) is assembled from 14 nonidentical protein subunits. It expresses five distinct proteolytic activities, including a chymotrypsin-like activity, cleaving after hydrophobic residues, and a branched chain amino acid-preferring component (BrAAP), cleaving preferentially after branched chain residues. Exposure of cells to interferons leads to replacement of the X, Y, and Z subunits by the LMP2, LMP7, and MECL1 subunits. This "immunoproteasome" is critical to processing of certain antigens. The enzymatic basis for enhanced antigen processing has not been determined. To gain insight into this question, we examined sites and relative rates of cleavage of bonds in denatured, reduced, carboxyamidomethylated lysozyme, a 129-amino acid protein, by MPC from bovine spleen, in which the X, Y, and Z subunits are replaced by LMP2, LMP7, and MECL1. We compared cleavages to those catalyzed by MPC from bovine pituitary, which contains only the X, Y, and Z subunits. We found marked increases in the rates and number of cleavages after branched chain residues in reduced, carboxyamidomethylated lysozyme by the spleen MPC. This was largely due to accelerated cleavages of bonds after a Phi-X-Br motif, where Phi is a hydrophobic residue, X is a small neutral or polar residue, and Br is a branched chain residue. Inhibitors with these structural properties were selective and potent inhibitors of the BrAAP activity of the spleen MPC. The above findings indicate that alterations in activity and substrate specificity of the BrAAP activity are important factors underlying the altered cleavages after hydrophobic residues associated with incorporation of interferon-inducible subunits. The potential relevance of the findings to antigen processing functions of MPC is discussed.

Advanced oxidation of 4-chlorobenzaldehyde in water by UV-light, ozonation and combination of both methods

A comparative study was performed on the oxidizing degradation of 4-ClBzAl (used a model pollutant in water) by photolysis (λ=253.7 nm), ozonation and by combination of both methods. The resulting yields of the degradation products (Cl − ions, aldehydes, carboxylic acids) were investigated as a function of UV-dose and action of ozone. The product yields were determined by HPLC-analysis and their initial quantum yields (Q i) were calculated. Based on the results, it was shown that the synergistic action of UV-irradiation and ozone leads to a more efficient degradation of 4-ClBzAl. For explanation of the experimental results probable reaction mechanisms are suggested.

Visualization of Proteins by Modification of Lysines, Cysteines, and Phosphorylated Serines Facilitates Sample Preparation for Microsequencing

A procedure for visualization and sensitive detection of protein during sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) and subsequent sample preparation for sequence analysis is described. This procedure utilizes either fluorescent or visible tags for certain amino acids in protein molecules, e.g., lysines modified with dansyl/dabsyl chloride and cystines/cysteines or phosphorylated serines modified with iodoacetamidofluorescein (I-15) after proper sample pretreatments. Modifications are performed prior to SDS–PAGE, eliminating the need for fixing, staining, and destaining as required for the conventional procedures. After electrophoresis, the fluorescent or visible bands are excised from the gel, homogenized in microcentrifuge tubes, and soaked in an appropriate buffer to release the separated proteins into solution. Enzymatic digestion can then be carried out in solution for better efficiency of digestion and recovery. The subsequent HPLC mapping and collection of protein digests are performed on PE Applied Biosystems Model 173A MicroBlotter. The separated peptides containing tagged amino acids are visible on the PVDF membrane and can be excised for direct sequence analysis. This approach has been employed for selectively isolating the lysine, cysteine, or phosphorylated serine containing peptides using model proteins. The sequencing results of the peptides generated from premodified proteins demonstrate that this approach facilitates sample preparation for microsequence analysis at low picomole level. Overall recoveries of 20–30% by sequencing initial yields have been achieved using our model proteins.

Computer-Aided Stochastic Modeling of the Radiolysis of Liquid Water

A computer-aided stochastic model of the radiolysis of liquid water has been developed. It is based on Monte Carlo simulation of charged-particle tracks, a random-flight method to simulate diffusion of species and the Debye-Smoluchowski theory of reactions between radicals. The model takes into account the formation of ionizations, excitations and subexcitation electrons at the physical stage. The corresponding initial yields at approximately 1 fs were found to be G(ion) = 4.37, G(exc) = 2.81 and G(e-sub) = 4.38. The energy spectrum of subexcitation electrons has been calculated. Autoionizations and dissociations of excited molecules, hole migration, electron thermalization, geminate recombination and the cage effect are considered at the physico-chemical stage. The mean thermalization distance of subexcitation electrons is 24.5 nm. The initial yields of e(aq)-, H+, OH, H, H2 and O are 4.89, 4.86, 5.96, 1.10, 0.15 and 0.15, respectively. The reactions between radicals and products as well as their diffusion are simulated at the chemical stage. The decay kinetics of the most important radicals is reported together with the time evolution of the most important reactions. The yields of the reactive radicals, e(aq)-, H+, OH, H and OH-, at 1 ps are 4.84, 4.85, 5.87, 1.09 and 0.0, respectively. The respective steady-state yields at 10 micros are 2.70, 3.58, 2.89, 1.17 and 0.79. The yields of molecular products, H2O2 and H2, are 0.73 and 0.47 at 10 micros. The concentration-dependent yields of e(aq)-, OH and H2O2 are calculated in three different aqueous solutions. The predictions of the model agree fairly well with experimental data.

Degradation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls Induced by Ionizing Radiation in Aqueous Micellar Solutions

This investigation examines the γ-radiation-induced degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in aqueous surfactant solutions. Dichloro-, tetrachloro-, and decachlorobiphenyl congeners were solubilized in water using a commercially available non-ionic surfactant, Triton X-100, and subsequently irradiated by a 60Co γ-source. Rates and extent of dechlorination were determined at different surfactant concentrations, and intermediate species and byproducts were quantified. Pulse radiolysis was used to measure rates of reaction between PCBs and the solvated electron as well as rates of electron scavenging by the surfactant. Experiments were also conducted in organic solvents, and these results have been compared to those observed in the aqueous surfactant solutions. Each PCB congener was fully dechlorinated by ionizing radiation in the micellar systems. Initial chloride yields were directly proportional to the level of chlorination of the PCB congeners. Scavenging of the aqueous electron by the surfactan...

Corona chemistry in Titan.

The atmosphere of Titan is constantly bombarded by galactic cosmic rays and Saturnian magnetospheric electrons causing the formation of free electrons and primary ions, which are then stabilized by ion cluster formation and charging of aerosols. These charged particles accumulate in drops in cloud regions of the troposphere. Their abundance can substantially increase by friction, fragmentation or collisions during convective activity. Charge separation occurs with help of convection and gravitational settling leading to development of electric fields within the cloud and between the cloud and the ground. Neutralization of these charged particles leads to corona discharges which are characterized by low current densities. We have therefore, experimentally studied the corona discharge of a simulated Titan's atmosphere (10% methane and 2% argon in nitrogen) at 500 Torr and 298 K by GC-FTIR-MS techniques. The main products have been identified as hydrocarbons (ethane, ethyne, ethene, propane, propene+propyne, cyclopropane, butane, 2-methylpropane, 2-methylpropene, n-butane, 2-butene, 2,2-dimethylpropane, 2-methylbutane, 2-methylbutene, n-pentane, 2,2-dimethylbutane, 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane, n-hexane, 2,2-dimethylhexane, 2,2-dimethylpentane, 2,2,3-trimethylbutane, 2,3-dimethylpentane and n-heptane), nitriles (hydrogen cyanide, cyanogen, ethanenitrile, propanenitrile, 2-methylpropanenitrile and butanenitrile) and a highly branched hydrocarbon deposit. We present the trends of hydrocarbons and nitriles formation as a function of discharge time in an ample interval and have derived their initial yields of formation. The results clearly demonstrate that a complex organic chemistry can be initiated by corona processes in the lower atmosphere. Although photochemistry and charged particle chemistry occurring in the stratosphere can account for many of the observed hydrocarbon species in Titan, the predicted abundance of ethene is too low by a factor of 10 to 40. While some ethene will be produced by charged-particle chemistry, the production of ethene by corona processes and its subsequent diffusion into the stratosphere appears to be an adequate source. Because little UV penetrates to the lower atmosphere to destroy the molecules formed there, the corona-produced species may be long-lived and contribute significantly to the composition of the lower atmosphere and surface.

Optimized Alcoholytic Deacetylation ofN-Acetyl-Blocked Polypeptides for Subsequent Edman Degradation

N-terminal protein acetylation is a common posttranslational modification, blocking Edman degradation during sequencer analysis. Use of mass spectrometry allows the analysis also of acetyl-blocked polypeptides; however, for large proteins mass spectrometry is not always informative, and deacetylation by chemical pretreatments is desirable for making direct sequencer analysis possible. For this purpose, alcoholytic deacetylation is attractive. In the present work, we have studied the optimal conditions for specific removal of the acetyl group without extensive cleavage of peptide bonds in general. We find that incubation with trifluoroacetic acid in methanol (1:1, by volume) at an elevated temperature (∼47°C) for 2–3 days results in efficient deacetylation allowing direct application to sequencer analysis with initial yields up to ∼50% of the amount applied for deblocking. Deacetylation compared to internal peptide bond cleavage is often high, as evaluated by recoveries of residues from the deblocked sequence over those from the background, and this applies to both peptides (up to the order of 10:1 for the specific residue versus the background) and proteins (>2:1). Although yields may still vary and some sequences be only partly susceptible to the chemistry, this deblocking can in many cases allow unambiguous interpretation of N-terminally acetyl-blocked sequences.

Thermal open charm signals versus hard initial yields in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions

Exploiting a unique set of parton distribution functions we estimate hard processes for open charm, dilepton and mini-jet production. Assuming rapid thermalization within the mini-jet plasma we follow the evolution (expansion and chemical equilibration) of the parton matter and calculate the energy loss of charm quarks in this environment. A substantial part of charm is expected to thermalize. We try to estimate the thermalized open charm component in the final hadron spectra.

High-sensitivity peptide mapping by micro-LC with on-line membrane blotting and subsequent detection by scanning-IR-MALDI mass spectrometry.

A novel approach to the on-line mass determination of peptides from digested proteins by scanning infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (scanning-IR-MALDI) is described. The peptides were continuously collected directly onto a PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) strip during a HPLC run. Individual peptides were detected by lining up the PVDF strip with the UV trace from the HPLC run, using visible dye markers as reference points. The local resolution of the peptides on the PVDF membrane is preserved during matrix incubation for MALDI-MS as shown by comparing the UV chromatogram and the total ion current (TIC) from an on-line coupled electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometer with the scanning-IR-MALDI data from the corresponding areas on the PVDF strip. The intensities of the mass profiles obtained by scanning-IR-MALDI reflect the amount of peptides present on the PVDF strip. The higher sensitivity of IR-MALDI-MS yielded mass information not detectable by ESI-MS. After the scanning-IR-MALDI experiment, the same membrane strip can be used directly for automated Edman degradation. Comparable initial and repetitive yields were obtained for blotted peptides with and without matrix incubation.

Photoinduced hydrogen production from aqueous solution—Frontiers and new trends

Different possible pathways for the photochemical conversion of light energy, based on light induced electron transfer are described. Selective catalysis with homogeneous H 2 catalysts are proposed as improvement for the light induced hydrogen formation. Two novel Co(II)polypyridinium (Co(pdt) 3 2+ and Co(tpp) 2 2+) catalysts have been developed and were successfully used as homogeneous catalysts for light induced hydrogen production with Ru(bpy) 3 2+ as a photosensitizer and ascorbic acid as a sacrificial electron donor. Initial quantum yields ( φ 1 2 H2 ) were up to 20% for Co(pdt) 3 2+.

Identification of plant mitochondrial proteins: A procedure linking two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to protein sequencing from PVDF membranes using a FastBlot cycle

Identification of the 329 spots visible in 2D gels of plant mitochondrial proteins is a challenge. This paper describes a 2D mini-gel protocol involving free-radical scavengers and purified reagents to make it compatible with protein sequencing, and evaluates its performance. The paper also describes a “FastBlot” sequencing cycle with the cycle time for protein sequencing from PVDF membranes reduced to less than 29 min with femtomole sensitivity. Other benefits of the cycle include reduced lag, reduced background, reduced loss of labile residues, and increased initial and repetitive yields. The procedure gave excellent results with maize mitochondrial proteins: of six protein spots that we tried to sequence, only one was blocked. The other spots yielded considerable sequence information. One spot was identified from the sequence as superoxide dismutase, while another spot corresponded to an unidentified cDNA from rice. The results of these experiments show that modifications of our previous procedures can provide good N-terminal protein sequencing from individual spots on 2D gels. The technique makes it possible to obtain sequence data, prepare gene probes, and identify many of the polypeptides in the 2D-gel map for plant mitochondria.

Reciprocal protection of LDL and HDL oxidised by ⋅OH free radicals in the presence of oxygen

The aim of this work was to compare the behaviour of HDL oxidised by ⋅OH or ⋅OH/O ⋅− 2 free radicals produced by gamma radiolysis in the absence or in the presence of LDL at the same concentration of 3 g·l −1, in order to specify the possibility of reciprocal protection of HDL and LDL towards lipid peroxidation. This oxidation was quantitatively evaluated by the decrease of endogenous α-tocopherol and the formation of oxidation products (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and conjugated dienes) and by the determination of initial radiation yields. Our results demonstrated that HDL could be protected by LDL against in vitro radical oxidation only in the presence of oxygen (action of ⋅OH/O ⋅− 2 free radicals). This observation addresses new questions about the interaction between HDL and LDL, especially the possibility of a reciprocal protection. © 1997 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Decay Behaviors of H2- Anions in Solid Parahydrogen: Effect of Nuclear Spins on Chemical Reactions

Decay processes of H2- anions in γ-ray-irradiated solid parahydrogen were studied by using an ESR spectrometer. The following interesting results were obtained. First, the initial yields of ortho-H2- anions in the γ-irradiated solid parahydrogen were 3 times as large as those of para-H2- anions. Second, the yields of para-H2- anions decrease faster than those of ortho-H2- anions upon storage of the irradiated samples at 4.2 K. Third, the decay rate of H2- anions is accelerated by the addition of HD and D2 molecules. Fourth, H2- anions at 2.2 K decay faster than at 4.2 K. According to the parity conservation rule in a homonuclear diatomic molecule, the energy of ortho-H2- anions at the ground state is lower than that of para-H2- anions, whereas that of ortho-H2 molecules is higher than that of para-H2 molecules at low temperatures. The first and second results are ascribed to para → ortho conversion of H2- anions. The third result indicates that nearby HD and D2 accelerate the decay of H2- anion or broaden...

Unsmoothing valuation-based indices using multiple regimes

Valuation error and valuation index smoothing have been the subject of a great deal of recent research efforts, largely due to concerns over the quality of investment decisions that can be made using valuation-based data. To date, unsmoothing models have assumed that the variances in valuation noise and market noise are at a constant ratio, producing a constant unsmoothing parameter. This paper proposes a model which allows this ratio to change over time, depending upon defined growth states in the observed series, using a threshold model with multiple regimes. A rent level index and initial yields are unsmoothed using this model and implied unsmoothed capital value growth rates are calculated. The implied unsmoothed capital value growth rates and unsmoothed yields are then used to construct a total returns series which is compared with the original smoothed total returns series, in terms of its mean and standard deviation, and in terms of its correlation and covariance with total returns on the FTSE. Some implications for two-way asset allocation between a portfolio of shares and property are drawn.

Effect of inulin concentration on the production of inulo-oligosaccharides by soluble and immobilized endoinulinase

Batchwise production of inulo-oligosaccharides from inulin was studied using soluble and immobilized endoinulinase under various initial inulin concentrations. The reaction behaviors and product composition of the inulo-oligosaccharides was significantly altered by the enzyme form and initial inulin concentration in the ranges of 50–150 g/ l. Inulin was completely hydrolyzed to inulobiose and other higher oligofructosides with degrees of polymerization (DP) ranging from 2 to 7; several of the oligosaccharides produced were further hydrolyzed into small oligosaccharides, affecting the final oligosaccharide yield. For the same amounts of enzyme activity per gram of substrate, the initial reaction rates and final yields of inulo-oligosaccharides did not vary significantly with different inulin concentrations. In contrast, the product composition was considerably affected by the inulin concentration and enzyme form. In soluble form, the enzyme produced two major components, inulobiose and DP3 oligosaccharides, whereas when the enzyme was immobilized the inulobiose content was markedly higher due to the diffusional restriction of sugars. The maximum yields of inulo-oligosaccharides using soluble and immobilized endoinulinase were 72 and 83%, respectively, refelecting the different contents of fructose and glucose.