Abstract: An in vitro chamber for sustaining organ tissue samples during optical study with, for example a microscope, has a tray assembly with a plurality of wells, each of which may be provided with a clampable sleeve or a vertically adjustable thimble such that an associated organ tissue sample contacts a nutrient medium contained in a reservoir. The tray assembly rests upon a heater assembly having a water-jet-driven magnetic stirrer magnetically coupled with a driven magnetic stirrer in the nutrient reservoir to maintain a substantially uniform temperature in both the heater assembly and the nutrient reservoir. A thermally insulating collar surrounding the tray assembly and the heater assembly maintains relative positions thereof. A transparent cover encloses the top of the tray assembly so that air borne exchanges with the wells and nutrient splashes are substantially contained.

Abstract: Culture vessels for cell cultures having at least one cell culture chamber containing a cell culture mixture that is separated by a dialysis membrane from a nutrient medium in a nutrient supply chamber. Nutrients are transported through the dialysis membrane into the cell culture chamber and metabolic products are transported out of the cell culture chamber into the nutrient supply chamber. To provide a culture vessel for generating cell cultures with a high cell density that is economical to manufacture and easy to handle and to reduce the danger of infections, a gas exchange membrane, that at least partly delimits the cell culture chamber and that is impermeable to liquids and to microorganisms that could contaminate the cell cultures is provided for feeding the gases required for cell culturing to the culture chamber and for discharging the gases generated during cell culturing.

Abstract: A growth medium for enhancing the selective growth of most serotypes of Yersinia enterocolitica obtained from environmental and clinical samples. The medium comprises an effective amount of a composition of a suitable nutrient source for Y. enterocolitica and an effective antimicrobial amount of 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) phenol. The medium components may be provided as a dry powder for use in an aqueous formulation. An improved assay and isolation method is provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a quantitative determination of pyruvic acid, which comprises reacting oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and coenzyme A to a specimen and measuring the amount of the resulting reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. A quantitative analysis for a component of a living body, in which the quantitative determination is used, is also disclosed. Pyruvic acid or other components existing in a living body or formed in the course of a reaction in the living body can be quantitatively determined simply and precisely.

Abstract: An in-situ microbial contaminant detection system provides a chemical reagent within a liquid health care product or in close association with product packaging containing the health care product. The chemical reagent interacts with a variety of microbial contaminants or byproducts, such as enzymes and acids, of the microbial contaminants that are commonly found in health care products (e.g., P. cepacia, S. marcescens, E. cloacae, E. gergoviae, E. aerogenes, K. pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa) and provides a visible indication of microbial contamination that can readily be discerned by a consumer. A color change is preferred.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a three-dimensional cell culture system which can be used to culture a variety of different cells and tissues in vitro for prolonged periods of time. In accordance with the invention, cells derived from a desired tissue are inoculated and grown on a pre-established stromal support matrix. The stromal support matrix comprises stromal cells, such as fibroblasts actively growing on a three-dimensional matrix. Stromal cells may also include other cells found in loose connective tissue such as endothelial cells, macrophages/monocytes, adipocytes, pericytes, reticular cells found in bone marrow stroma, etc. The stromal matrix provides the support, growth factors, and regulatory factors necessary to sustain long-term active proliferation of cells in culture. When grown in this three-dimensional system, the proliferating cells mature and segregate properly to form components of adult tissues analogous to counterparts found in vivo.

Abstract: A unique method of obtaining a recycling of air and/or plasmas, to allow a controlled system for creating and regulating temperature in a container facilitating transport and long-term storage of biological matter. This method allows a sterile packaging of donor biological matter, in protective solutions of extracellular agents, in a controlled temperature system which is regulated by air and/or inert gas refrigerants, passing over a micro-motor, the RPM's of which will set the speed of the refrigerants that regulate the temperature of the contained biological matter. It is comprised of an inert plastic or latex top member which holds the mechanical system, which is placed into the molded plastic based member, which holds a sealed well for placing the donor collected biological matter.

Abstract: Early diagnosis of mastitis or garget is carried out by measuring the concentration of 3-hydroxybutyric acid in milk. Used to this end is a reagent reacting with 3-hydroxybutyric acid to show a color at a concentration of 100 .mu.mol/l or higher.

Abstract: A method for evaluating the comparative effect of growth-affecting substances, such as antimicrobial drugs or antibiotics, on different cultures of microorganisms is disclosed. The cultures are plated on the surface of a culture medium (12), such as agar, in adjacent at least partially separated tracks, such as tracks formed as Archimedes spirals. The cultures may be different concentrations of the same microbe or a test culture and a reference culture. The growth-affecting substances (22) are placed in contact with the culture medium on which the cultures have been plated preferably in the form of disks containing a powdered growth-affecting substance which dissolves and diffuses differentially into the culture medium to produce zones (24) of inhibition of growth extending radially outward from the disk.

Abstract: The white rot fungus Scytinostroma galactinum strain F361 and mutants thereof are particularly effective in selectively grading the lignin component of lignin-containing materials, particularly processed wood pulps including chemical pulps, and also particularly effective in degrading lignin degradation products such as chlorinated degraded lignin by-products as found, for example, in E-1 effluents, and also in degrading chlorine-containing aromatic compounds generally as found in aqueous waste streams containing the same.

Abstract: The present invention provides a human polyfuctional protease chracterized in that the protease has unique enzymological and physicochemical properties:

Abstract: A method of revitalizing cells or tissues that are to be cryopreserved for storage at ultracold temperatures, e.g. -196.degree. C. is disclosed which comprises preincubation of the cells or tissue from about 5 minutes to about 24 hours. The preincubation may be conducted at a temperature ranging from about 27.degree. C. to about 42.degree. C., after which the tissue or cells are cryopreserved.

Abstract: The presence of microorganisms in a liquid sample can be determined by a method comprising the steps of (a) filtering the liquid sample through a filter having a pore size which is small enough to prevent passage of microorganisms through the filter but large enough to permit passage of any free reducing agents present in the sample whereby microorganisms present in the sample are retained on the filter; (b) passing a test solution comprising a chromogenic reagent through the filter having the retained microorganisms thereon, said chromogenic reagent having an oxidation potential such that the reagent can be reduced by microbial dehydrogenase and said chromogenic reagent being selected such that reduction of the chromogenic reagent yields a visibly colored product; and (c) monitoring the filter for the formation of a visibly colored product, wherein the formation of a visibly colored product is indicative of the presence of microorganisms in the sample.

Abstract: Devices and methods for both growing and in situ observation of microbiological cultures. The devices utilize thin transparent surfaces which bound a thin chamber which holds a layer of agar or the like and the microbiological sample. The agar and sample can be deposited through a sealable opening into the container. The dimensions of the container are such that it can be placed in a microscope allow in situ viewing of the culture through top or bottom surfaces. The method according to the invention fosters improved culture growth in the thin chamber and allows in situ observation of the culture with a conventional microscope.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of measuring the contribution of one or more exogenously administered .sup.13 C-labeled substrates to acetyl-CoA. The measurement can be made in a tissue or cell using .sup.13 C NMR without the constraint of metabolic or isotopic steady-state. Furthermore, the method permits the determination even when spectral lines are broad due to B.sub.0 inhomogeneity, thereby opening the way for substrate utilization studies in vivo. The method does not require many of the simplifying assumptions involved in .sup.11 C or .sup.14 C methods, and, since a stable isotope, .sup.13 C, is used a wide variety of compounds with complex labeling patterns may be synthesized and studied.

Abstract: A method is described for determining the toxicity of an environmental sample to bacteria. The method includes the use of resazurin dye as an indicator. Glutaraldehyde is used as an accelerating agent to speed the test.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel enzymes, heparitinase T-I, heparitinase T-II, heparitinase T-III and heparitinase T-IV, which degrade heparan sulfate and/or heparin, a process for producing thereof by cultivating a novel Bacillus circulans HpT 298 having an ability of producing these enzymes and a novel Bacillus circulans HpT 298.

Abstract: The invention described herein consists of a process for preparing an antigenic reagent useful for the indirect determination of Salmonella typhi, the organism that is the causal agent of typhoid fever (TF). The invention consists on the following steps: to grow Salmonella typhi in a culture medium, characterized by containing a free-iron chelator, which generates a specific S. typhi outer membrane protein (OMP) pattern, OMPs that are used as a selective antigen for the detection of specific serum antibodies, by an immunoassay technique (ELISA).

Abstract: A method for measuring the number of living microorganisms in a specimen which comprises entrapping the microorganisms on a hydrophobic filter after the dyeing thereof, or alternatively dyeing the microorganisms after entrapping them on the hydrophobic filter, removing excessive coloring matter by washing, and then determining the number of the microorganisms by the degree of coloration thereof. A kit for measuring the number of living microorganisms which comprises a hydrophobic filter, a syringe to which the filter is fittable, a coloring matter solution, a cleaning solution, and a color reference table. The present invention enables the rapid and convenient measurement of the number of living microorganisms in the specimen without use of special equipment. In accordance with the present invention, the measurement is usually completed within ten minutes.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved method for testing for the presence of a particular microorganism or group of microorganisms characterized by a particular enzyme. The method uses a dye-forming substrate throughout a polymer matrix or on the surface of a solid support member that forms a colored precipitate when cleaved by the enzyme. The precipitate is concentrated to the polymer matrix and/or solid support member to create a visible reaction product, wherein the amount of dye-forming substrate needed is independent of the sample size. The present invention further comprises an enzyme indicator device comprising a dye-forming substrate throughout a polymer system or on the surface of a solid support member.