Additional research needs to be conducted to further explore the potential benefits of betaine on mood. In conclusion, two-weeks of betaine supplementation in active, college males appeared to improve muscle endurance of the squat exercise, and increase the quality of repetitions performed (e.g. number of repetitions performed at 90% of 1-RM). These performance improvements were realized within 7-days of supplementation. However, no changes in power performance were seen during this study. Additional research is warranted

to determine the rate of muscle creatine synthesis Selleckchem MK0683 from betaine supplementation, and to compare muscle creatine synthesis kinetics from creatine supplementation versus betaine supplementation. Acknowledgements Study was supported by Danisco-USA, Ardsley, NY References 1. Zeisel SH, Mar MH, Howe JC, Holden JM: Concentrations of choline-containing compounds and betaine

in common foods. J Nutr 2003, 133:1302–1307.PubMed 2. Craig SAS: Betaine in human nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr 2004, 80:539–549.PubMed 3. Eklund M, Bauer E, Wamatu J, Mosenthin R: Potential nutritional and physiological functions of betaine in livestock. Nutr Res Rev 2005, 18:31–48.CrossRefPubMed 4. Olthof MR, van Vliet T, Boelsma E, Verhoef P: Low dose betaine supplementation leads to immediate and long term lowering of plasma homocysteine in healthy men and women. J Nutr 2003, 133:4135–4138.PubMed Selleck Ku 0059436 Casein kinase 1 5. Olthof MR, Verhoef P: Effects of betaine intake on plasma homocysteine concentrations and consequences for health. Current Drug Metab 2005, 6:15–22.CrossRef 6. Detopoulou P, Panagiotakos DB, Antonopoulou S, Pitsavos C, Stefanadis C: Dietary choline and betaine intakes in relation to concentrations of inflammatory markers in healthy adults: the ATTICA study. Am J Clin Nutr 2008, 87:424–430.PubMed 7. du Vigneaud V, Simonds S, Chandler JP, Cohn M: A further investigation of the role of betaine in transmethylation reactions in vivo. J Biol Chem 1946, 165:639–648.PubMed 8. Armstrong LE, Casa DJ, Roti MW, Lee EC, Craig SA, Sutherland JW, Fiala KA, Maresh CM: Influence of betaine consumption

on strenuous running and sprinting in a hot environment. J Strength Cond Res 2008, 22:851–60.CrossRefPubMed 9. Virtanen E: Piecing together the betaine puzzle. Feed Mix 1995, 3:12–17. 10. Fernandez-Figares I, Wray-Cahen D, Steele NC, Campbell RG, Hall DD, Virtanen E, Caperna TJ: Effect of dietary betaine on nutrient utilization and partitioning in the young growing feed-restricted pit. J Anim Sci 2002, 80:421–428.PubMed 11. Wray-Cahen D, Fernández-Fígares I, Virtanen E, Steele NC, Caperna TJ: Betaine improves growth, but does not induce whole body or hepatic palmitate oxidation in swine (Sus scrofa domestica). Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2004, 137:131–140.CrossRefPubMed 12. Warren LK, Lawrence LM, Thompson KN: The influence of betaine on untrained and trained horses exercising to fatigue.

SEM and AFM images confirmed that the black silicon surface textured in the HCCT-MS had both micro- and nanoscale structures. The static contact angle of approximately 118° is adequate to make the surface hydrophobic with a self-cleaning performance. The reflectance of sample B is suppressed due to the unique geometry, which is effective for the enhancement of absorption. How to make better use of the feature in a specific environment still requires further study. The novel construction of a hydrophobic surface on black silicon wafer may be applicable to various applications. Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported by the National Science Foundation of China via grant no. 61204098. The authors would like to thank the State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices in China for the help and equipment support. References 1. Myers RA, Farrell R, Karger AM, Carey JE, Mazur E: Enhancing CH5424802 in vitro near-infrared avalanche Acalabrutinib ic50 photodiode performance by femtosecond laser microstructuring. Appl Optics 2006, 45:8825.CrossRef 2. Kabashin AV, Delaporte P, Pereira A, Grojo D, Torres R, Sarnet T, Sentis M: Nanofabrication with pulsed lasers. Nanoscale Res Lett 2010, 454:5. 3. Li X, Bohn PW: Metal-assisted chemical etching in HF/H 2 O 2 produces porous silicon. Appl Phys Lett 2000, 77:2572.CrossRef 4. Shiu

S-C, Lin S-B, Lin C-F: Reducing Si reflectance by improving density and uniformity of Si nanowires fabricated by metal-assisted etching. Nanomaterials 2010, 160:4236. 5. Jiang J, Li S, Jiang Y, Wu Z, Xiao Z, Su Y: Enhanced ultraviolet to near-infrared absorption by two-tier structured silicon formed by simple chemical etching. Philos Mag 2012, 92:4291.CrossRef 6. Kong D, Junghwa O, Jeon S, Kim B, Cho

C, Lee J: SPTBN5 Fabrication of black silicon by using RIE texturing process as metal mesh. In 17th Opto-Electronics and Communications Conference (OECC): July 2–6 2012; Busan. New York: IEEE; 2012:697–698.CrossRef 7. Sainiemi L, Jokinen V, Shah A, Shpak M, Aura S, Suvanto P, Franssila S: Non-reflecting silicon and polymer surfaces by plasma etching and replication. Adv Mater 2011, 23:122.CrossRef 8. John GC, Singh VA: Porous silicon: theoretical studies. Physics Reports 1995, 263:93.CrossRef 9. Branz HM, Yost VE, Ward S, Jones KM, To B: Nanostructured black silicon and the optical reflectance of graded-density surfaces. Appl Phys Lett 2009, 94:231121.CrossRef 10. Zhu J, Hsu C-M, Zongfu Y, Fan S, Cui Y: Nanodome solar cells with efficient light management and self-cleaning. Nano Lett 2010,10(6):1979.CrossRef 11. Han JT, Lee DH, Ryu CY, Cho K: Fabrication of superhydrophobic from a supramolecular organosilane with quadruple hydrogen bonding. J Am Chem Soc 2004,126(15):4796–4797.CrossRef 12. Lee SE, Lee D, Lee P, Ko SH, Lee SS, Hong SU: Flexible superhydrophobic polymeric surfaces with micro-/nanohybrid structures using black silicon.

g. 5 × 107CFU) of bacteria in each lane. Determination of the CFU counts An aliquot of tissue homogenate or bacterial culture was used to determine its CFU/ml by serial dilution with PBS and plating on LB agar plates [45,48]. The bacteria were enumberated after overnight incubation. Each sample HSP inhibitor was analyzed in triplicate and the analysis was repeated at least twice. The CFU of the sample

was expressed as the average of the values obtained. The concentrations of bacteria were recorded as CFU/ml of organ homogenate or culture. The limit of bacteria detection in the organ homogenates was 10 CFU/ml. Those samples that were negative at a 10-1dilution were designated a value of 10 (101) CFU/ml. Acknowledgements We thank Gerry Abenes, Cindy Loui, Hongwei Gu, and Huiyuan Jiang for suggestions and excellent technical assistance. Y. Y. was a visiting scientist from State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University (P. R. China). L.M. was a recipient of a China Graduate Student Scholarship from the Ministry of Education of China. K. K. and Y. B. were partially supported by a Block Grant Predoctoral Fellowship (UC-Berkeley). The research has been supported

by grants from USDA (CALR-2005-01892) and NIH (RO1-AI-050468 and RO1-DE014145). References 1. Ohl ME, Miller SI:Salmonella: a model PF-02341066 purchase for bacterial pathogenesis. Annu Rev Med2001,52:259–274.CrossRefPubMed 2. Pang T, Levine MM, Ivanoff B, Wain J, Finlay BB:Typhoid fever – important issues still remain. Trends Microbiol1998,6(4):131–133.CrossRefPubMed 3. Jones BD, Falkow S:Salmonellosis: host immune responses and bacterial virulence

determinants. Annu Rev Immunol1996,14:533–561.CrossRefPubMed 4. Tsolis RM, Kingsley RA, Townsend SM, Ficht TA, Adams LG, Baumler AJ:Of mice, calves, and men. Comparison of the mouse typhoid model with other Salmonella infections. Adv Exp Med Biol1999,473:261–274.PubMed 5. Galan JE, Wolf-Watz H:Protein delivery into eukaryotic cells by type III secretion machines. TCL Nature2006,444(7119):567–573.CrossRefPubMed 6. Cornelis GR, Van Gijsegem F:Assembly and function of type III secretory systems. Annu Rev Microbiol2000,54:735–774.CrossRefPubMed 7. Galan JE, Collmer A:Type III secretion machines: bacterial devices for protein delivery into host cells. Science1999,284(5418):1322–1328.CrossRefPubMed 8. Hueck CJ:Type III protein secretion systems in bacterial pathogens of animals and plants. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev1998,62(2):379–433.PubMed 9. Galan JE:Salmonella interactions with host cells: type III secretion at work. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol2001,17:53–86.CrossRefPubMed 10. Blanc-Potard AB, Solomon F, Kayser J, Groisman EA:The SPI-3 pathogenicity island of Salmonella enterica. J Bacteriol1999,181(3):998–1004.PubMed 11. Kiss T, Morgan E, Nagy G:Contribution of SPI-4 genes to the virulence of Salmonella enterica. FEMS Microbiol Lett2007,275(1):153–159.CrossRefPubMed 12.

5 ± 0.7Bb 2.4 ± 1.2Bb 3.5 ± 0.7Bb 104 1.7 ± 0.6Bb 2.7 ± 0.5Bb 13.3 ± 4.4Aa 10.8 ± 2.3Aa 105 1.3 ± 0.2Bb 2.4 ± 1.5Bb 8.7 ± 0.8Aa 14.2 ± 1.6Aa 106 0.2 ± 0.1Bb 0.7 ± 0.6Bb 3.2 ± 1.9Bb 9.0 ± 2.3Aa 107 0.3 ± 0.3Bb 0.8 ± 0.6Bb 3.0 ± 2.4Bb 6.1 ± 2.3Bb 108 0.01 ± 0.0Bb 0.2 ± 0.1Bb 2.6 ± 2.6Bb 1.0 ± 0.2Bb L. marthii BAA-1595 103 2.3 ± 0.5Bb 2.0 ± 0.4Bb 2.2 ± 0.0Bb 4.5 ± 0.7Bb 104 1.5 ± 0.2Bb 0.6 ± 0.3Bb 4.0 ± 0.8Bb 7.7 ± 5.6Aa 105 0.5 ± 0.0Bb 2.0 ± 0.4Bb 5.3 ± 1.1Bb 18.0 ± 3.6Aa 106 0.6 ± 0.1Bb 1.3 ± 0.7Bb 7.3 ± 1.1Aa 5.5 ± 3.0Bb

107 0.2 ± 0.8Bb 0.3 ± 0.2Bb 2.5 ± 1.8Bb 3.2 ± 0.5Bb   108 2.8 ± 0.4Bb 0.02 ± 0.0Bb 1.1 ± 0.3Bb 2.0 ± 0.3Bb aBacteria were grown in TSB-YE for 18 h at 37 °C. The data are average of 3 experiments analyzed in duplicate. Values labeled with different letters (A, check details B, C, D or a, b, c, d) in a row or in a column are significantly different at P < 0.05. Figure 4 (a) Capture efficiency of MAb-coated paramagnetic beads from a cell suspension containing variable concentrations of L. monocytogenes . Data are the mean ± SD of three Copanlisib mouse independent assays performed in duplicate. (b) Photomicrograph showing capture of GFP-expressing L. monocytogenes using MyOne-2D12 (anti-InlA MAb). Beads, red arrow; bacteria, blue arrow; bar = 1 μm. All subsequent IMS experiments were performed using MyOne beads. The fluorescence microscopic image in Figure  4b shows the capture of L.

monocytogenes by MyOne-2D12. The capture efficiency of MyOne-2D12 and MyOne-3F8 was evaluated with bacteria grown

in the recommended enrichment broths, LEB or FB. MyOne-2D12 showed significantly higher (P < 0.05) capture of L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii than other Listeria spp., and the capture efficiency was similar for LEB or only FB (Figure  5). The capture efficiency for MyOne-2D12 was comparable for the L. monocytogenes serotypes tested, including 4b (36.9%), 1/2a (27%), and 1/2b (28%), as well as for a strain of L. ivanovii (21.6%), and negligible capture of other Listeria spp. was observed (Figure  5a). MyOne-3F8 displayed similar capture efficiency for all Listeria spp. tested, irrespective of the enrichment broths used (Figure  5b). When the capture efficiency of MyOne-2D12, MyOne-3F8, and Dynabeads anti-Listeria was compared against a Listeria panel, MyOne-2D12 captured the most pathogenic Listeria. For all other Listeria spp., both MyOne-3F8 and Dynabeads anti-Listeria had similar values (Figure  5c). Thus, MyOne-2D12 is highly specific for the capture of pathogenic Listeria, and MyOne-3F8 and Dynabeads anti-Listeria displayed similar capture efficiency for all Listeria spp. tested. Figure 5 Capture efficiency and specificity of (a) MyOne-2D12 (InlA); (b) MyOne-3F8 (p30); and (c) MyOne-2D12 (InlA), MyOne-3F8 (p30), and Dynabeads anti- Listeria (Dynal). Bacteria were grown in FB or LEB, and the capture efficiency was determined using a bacterial concentration of ~106 CFU/mL. Data are the mean ± SD of three independent experiments. The capture efficiency of PMBs for L.

The information included research concerning nitrate in

beetroot juice but the question remains whether this information automatically translates to all nitrate rich foodstuffs. Further studies, using different foodstuffs such as salads, spinach or tomatoes, are required to gain a better insight into this effect. The results provided evidence that knowledge (achieved via a meaningful message), in fact, is linked to beliefs and Metabolism inhibitor implicit attitude formation. In the Theory of Planned Behaviour framework [61], attitude is defined as a decisional balance between pros and cons about performance enhancing substances. Attitudes, complemented by subjective norms and perceived behavioral control, lead to behavioural intentions and progress to volitional phase, if the situation for the act is favorable. Perceived behavioural control is equivalent to the combination of outcome expectancies and construct specific self-efficacy [62], such as doing well without the assistance of performance enhancing substances. In other words, whilst self-efficacy is a belief in self to successfully execute the behavior required for the desirable outcome, outcome expectancy refers to one’s estimation that this behavior will, indeed, lead to the desired outcomes. Therefore, athletes who wish to use performance enhancing substances

but prefer to refrain from the prohibited ones must believe that i) they are able to remain Akt inhibitor competitive without prohibited substances and ii) alternatives (dietary supplements and functional foods) are, indeed, comparable alternatives. Congruently, those who contemplate using or use PEDs must believe that these alternatives are inferior to the prohibited substances and that they would not remain competitive if doping is not used. Assuming that the message is moderated via personal preferences and experiences, affording greater influence on some more than others, in addition to the characteristics of the ‘message’ (information), it is assumed that athletes’ attitudes, outcome expectancies

(beliefs Branched chain aminotransferase about PEDs and FF), motivation toward the importance of performance enhancements within or beyond the permitted means, and their self-efficacy, may serve as moderators in information processing. The results also indicate that individuals prefer to gain their information from peers and websites. This can prove problematic if the person they gain their information from is already affiliated with PED’s. As PEDs are not available from shops and blindly asking the wrong person may result in disapproving looks. For example, access to anabolic steroids has been shown to act as a barrier to use [63]. In order to gain access to PEDs, individuals are likely to have some association with individuals who are able to gain access.

These findings imply that the cenancestral population was likely mesophilic, gram-positive, surrounded by a peptidoglycan layer, and enclosed by ester-linked lipids. Lake JA, Herbold CW, Rivera MC, Servin JA, Skophammer RG. (2007). Rooting the tree of life using nonubiquitous

genes. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 24:130–136. Servin JA, Herbold CW, Skophammer RG, Lake JA. (2008). Evidence excluding the root of the tree of life from the actinobacteria. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 25:1–4. Skophammer RG, Herbold CW, Rivera MC, Servin JA, Lake JA. (2006). Evidence Obeticholic Acid datasheet that the root of the tree of life is not within the Archaea. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 23:1648–1651. Skophammer RG, Servin JA, Herbold CW, Lake JA. (2007). Evidence for a gram-positive, eubacterial root of the tree of life. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 24:1761–1768. E-mail: skop@ucla.​edu Proterozoic Stromatolites and Microfossils from the Lesser Himalaya, India: Unicellular to Multicellular Evolution

of Life Caspase inhibitor Vinod C. Tewari Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India and A.S.International Centre for Theoretica Physics, Trieste, Italy The Meso–Neoproterozoic and Terminal Proterozoic succession of the Lesser Himalaya in the northern India shows excellent preservation of stromatolites and microorganisms from the Jammu Limestone in the NW and Buxa Dolomite in the NE. The most dominant stromatolite assemblage include Colonnella columnaris, Kussiella kussiensis, Conophyton cylindricus,

C. garganicus, Jacutophyton, Baicalia, Jurusania, Gymnosolen, Minjaria, Inzeria, Tungussia, Boxonia and Stratifera. The Krol belt in the central Lesser Himalaya is characterized by mostly stratified and small conical and columnar forms like Stratifera, Conistratifera, Conophyton, Aldania and Collumnaefacta.(Tewari, 1989, 1993, 2004, 2007). Deoban and Buxa black cherts show highly diversified permineralised microbiota. Cyanobacteria found in the Deoban and Buxa cherts include Huronispora psilata, most Myxococcoides minor, Glenobotrydion aenigmatis, Siphonophycus, Oscillatoriopsis, Obruchevella, and Kildinosphaera (Tewari, 2004, Shukla et al 2006, Schopf et al. 2008). The acritarchs show morphological changes through time and therefore has been used as stratigraphic marker in the Infra Krol-Krol cherts of the Lesser Himalaya. The acanthomorphic acritarchs and leiosphaerids are present in the Infra Krol cherts and disappear before the emergence of the Ediacaran biota in the Krol Formation. The acanthomorphs in the Infra Krol and Buxa cherts include Micrhystridium, Trachysphaeridium and Vandalosphaeridium. The multicellular red brown algae Vendotaenia, Krolotaenia, Tyrasotaenia, have been recorded from the Lower Krol Formation (Tewari, 1989, 2004). The Ediacaran assemblage has been recorded The Upper Krol Formation of the Lesser Himalaya.

The array was then washed successively with Gene Expression Wash Buffer 1 and 2 (Agilent). We realized arrays scanning with a GenePix 4200L dual-channel (635 nm and 532 nm) laser

scanner (GenePix). The complete experimental data set was deposited in the GEO database with accession numbers GSM480613 to GSM480620. All slides were analyzed using R and limma software (Linear Model for Microarray Data) from CB-839 research buy Bioconductor project http://​www.​bioconductor.​org. For each slide, we corrected background with the ‘normexp’ method [34], resulting in strictly positive values and reducing variability in the log ratios for genes with low levels of hybridization signal. Then, we normalized each slide with the ‘loess’ method [35]. In order to identify genes differentially expressed, we used the bayesian adjusted t-statistics and we performed a multiple testing correction of Benjamini & Hochberg [36] based on the false discovery rate. A gene was considered as differentially expressed when the p-value is < 0.05. Stress response analysis Disk diffusion

assays were performed as follows: 20 ml calibrated agar plates were poured on a horizontal plane. C. perfringens strain 13 was grown in minimal medium containing 0.5 mM cystine or 1 mM homocysteine until it reached an OD600 nm of 0.5. The cells were then spread onto solid minimal medium containing the same sulfur source. After absorption, a sterile 6 mm disk was placed on the agar and 10 μl of 1 M H2O2, 1 M diamide or CAL 101 0.2 M paraquat was added to the disk. The plates were incubated 48 h at 37°C and the diameters of growth inhibition were measured. These experiments were repeated 5-fold and a Wilcoxon test was realized giving a p-value < 0.05. Results and Discussion Reconstruction of sulfur metabolism in C. perfringens We performed a systematic search in the C. perfringens genomes for genes known to

be involved in assimilation pathways of sulfur-containing compounds. This tentative reconstruction is shown in Fig. 1. We also tested the ability of C. perfringens strain 13 to grow in a sulfur-free minimal medium in the presence of various sulfur sources in order to support the metabolic reconstruction performed Urocanase and to obtain new insights about the physiology of this bacterium. We first tested the growth in the presence of the sulfur-containing amino-acids, methionine or cystine, the dimer of cysteine. This strain can grow in the presence of 0.5 mM cystine as sole sulfur source (Fig. 2) indicating a conversion of cysteine to methionine. Surprisingly, the genes required for methionine biosynthesis via transsulfuration or thiolation in other bacteria (metA, metI, metC, patB, metY, metH, metE, metF) [6, 9] are absent in the genome of C. perfringens strain 13 [21]. This suggests the existence of an atypical methionine biosynthetic pathway in C. perfringens, which remains to be characterized. Figure 2 Growth of C. perfringens strain 13 in the presence of various sulfur sources.

The polar localization of AidB-YFP is preserved in HeLa cells and RAW264.7 macrophages at different times post-infection. We therefore propose that AidB is a marker of new poles and constriction sites. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that a particular subcellular localization is described for one of the actors involved in the

alkylation damage repair. Interestingly, the constriction site corresponds to the location of the future new poles just after completion of cell division. We therefore propose a model (Figure 6) in which AidB-YFP is not only localized at the new pole, but also at the constriction site in dividing cells, a mechanism by which AidB-YFP would be ideally localized for a localization at the new pole in newly formed sibling cells. This model implies that when new poles mature to old poles, after cell division, they are no longer labelled with AP24534 AidB-YFP (Figure 6). Figure

6 Model for the localization of AidB-YFP along B. abortus cell cycle. The PdhS-mCherry is labelling the old pole of B. abortus. AidB-YFP is therefore localized at the new pole, as suggested by Figure 2. In dividing cells, we hypothesize that AidB-YFP is first present at the young pole (the new pole that becomes old) and at the constriction site. This localization at the young pole would be lost afterwards, allowing the generation of two sibling cells with a AZD5363 unique pole of AidB-YFP. The new (n), young (y) and old (o) poles are labelled. In this model, the constriction region would be the preparation site for the new poles of the sibling cells. In the conditions tested, overexpression of aidB leads to bacteria with aberrant morphology (Figure 5). This

could be due to defects in cell division, cell growth or coordination between both. One hypothesis would be that AidB could indirectly contribute to the generation of new poles, and overexpression of aidB would result in the generation of additional new poles, forming bacteria with abnormal morphology, Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase e.g. multipolar shapes (Figure 5). The selective advantage of the polar localization of AidB is unknown, but it could be related to its role in the adaptative response to alkylating agents, suggested here to block cell cycle before cell division (Figure 3B). This would be consistent with a role of AidB in limiting alkylating damage to DNA, which would logically block replication initiation and/or progression. The B. abortus AidB protein has a high level of identity (42%) to E. coli AidB, suggesting functional conservation between the two proteins. This prediction is supported by the increased sensitivity of the B. abortus aidB mutant strain to the alkylating agent EMS compared to the wild-type control (Figure 1). Brucella genomes contain the ada, alkA and alkB genes necessary for an adaptative response to alkylation damage similar to the one reported for E. coli [11]. We propose that one possible function of AidB would be to help in the detoxification of some alkylating agents, like in E. coli.

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chemical etching of silicon. Nano Lett 2011, 11:2369–2374.CrossRef Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Authors’ contributions HA and SO conceived the idea and designed the experiments. KF carried out all the experiments and data analysis under the instruction of SO. All the authors contributed to the preparation and revision of the manuscript and read and PF-02341066 cell line approved its final version.”
“Background

Polymer-based monoliths which emerged in the early 1990s have attracted significant attention during about 20 years of progress. Up to now, they have been applied for various fields such as chromatography, biomolecule immobilization, and support catalysis, because of their predominant pH stability, nonspecific interaction, EX 527 supplier and fast mass transfer performance [1–4]. However, their main drawbacks include the limit of small surface area for the pore walls and the new lack of functional groups on the pore surface [5, 6]. Stimuli-responsive porous materials have aroused special interest not only for their pore structures, but also because they

can go through the visible changes in their property to respond to environmental variation [6]. Some efforts have been made to introduce functional groups onto the pore surface of polymer monoliths, providing stimuli-responsive properties [7]. In most cases, such monoliths should be fabricated by polymerization of monomers and subsequent surface functionalization. For both processes, time-consuming procedures for precise control of the monolith structure and introduction ratio of the functional group are often involved. Recently, we developed a novel method for preparation of the polymer-based monolith directly from a polymer by means of either thermally induced phase separation or non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS). This phase separation technique represents a very simple and straightforward approach to the formation of a monolith having a uniform nanoscale porous structure (mesoporosity) without assistance of any templates in comparison with conventional fabrication methods from monomers. In NIPS, the addition of non-solvent into a homogeneous polymer solution with appropriate ratio of solvent and non-solvent affords the monolith with a uniform pore structure. So far, we have fabricated monoliths of hydrophobic polymers such as polyacrylonitrile, polycarbonate, and polymethacrylates through this method [8, 9].