Abstract: Method for regeneration of mesenchymal tissue from mesenchymal cells on a porous sheet composed of bioabsorbable polymer material.

Abstract: A sampling system and method may use a kit that has a package enclosing a swab and a receptacle. The swab may have a shaft and a tip. The tip may be substantially made of calcium alginate. The receptacle may contain a diluent, such as sodium citrate, and glass beads. The swab may be used in an environment to sample microorganisms present on surfaces or in equipment. The kit may be used in a method of sampling and the resulting sample may be used in a method of quantitative testing.

Abstract: A method for measuring LAM and a method for detecting an acid-fast bacterium, which comprise at least a step of allowing a Limulus reagent to contact with a LAM-containing sample; a method for removing reactivity of LAM with a Limulus reagent, which comprises at least a step of allowing a predetermined substance to coexist with a LAM-containing sample; a method for measuring Et in a LAM-containing sample and a method for detecting an Et-related disease, which each is a method for measuring an endotoxin using a Limulus reagent, which comprises at least a step of removing reactivity of LAM with a Limulus reagent by the above-described removing method; a method for measuring BG in a LAM-containing sample and a method for detecting mycosis, which is a method for measuring BG using a Limulus reagent, which comprises at least a step of removing reactivity of LAM with a Limulus reagent by the described-described removing method; and the like.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of purifying PEGylated proteins by removing impurities from samples containing PEGylated proteins, in particular, but not exclusively vitamin K-dependent blood coagulation factors such as Factor IX (FIX), to proteins purified by said method and to the use of said purified proteins in therapy, in particular but not exclusively, for the treatment of diseases alleviated by blood coagulation factors such as the prophylactic treatment of hemophilia.

Abstract: The invention includes methods and compositions for treating an animal to inhibit the incidence and growth of E. coli O157:H7 and other pathogenic bacteria. The treatment method comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of Lactobacillus acidophilus or one or a combination of a number of other probiotic bacteria to an animal. An alternative treatment method comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of a lactic acid producing bacterium such as Lactobacillus acidophilus in combination with a lactate utilizing bacterium such as Propionibacterium freudenreichii.

Abstract: Methods of producing lignin peroxidase are provided. Also provided are methods and cosmetic compositions suitable for skin and hair lightening as well as kits and an article-of manufacturing including active ingredients for skin and hair lightening.

Abstract: Provided is a microarray platform for the culture of cells atop combinatorial matrix mixtures; enabling the study of differentiation in response to a multitude of microenvironments in parallel.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for producing high levels of alcohol during fermentation of plant material, and to the high alcohol beer produced. The present invention is also directed to methods for producing high protein distiller's dried grain from fermentation of plant material, and to the high protein distiller's dried grain produced. The present invention also relates to reduced stack emissions from drying distillation products from the production of ethanol.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring bacteria that includes a sampling device for processing fluorescently stained bacteria, a detector for detecting size information from the bacteria in the sample, and a detector for detecting fluorescence information expressing intensity of fluorescent light emitted by the bacteria. The apparatus further includes a processor and memory that includes programs for creating a scattergram representing a distribution of the bacteria based on the size information and the fluorescence information detected, analyzing the distribution of the bacteria in the scattergram, and determining whether the bacteria in the sample is bacillus or coccus based on a result of the analysis.

Abstract: The present invention features hydrophilic IR-transparent porous membranes, particularly hydrophilic IR-transparent porous polyethylene membranes and methods of preparing the hydrophilic membranes by treatment of hydrophobic IR-transparent porous membranes with plasma. The present invention further features spectroscopic sample holders which incorporate the hydrophilic IR-transparent porous membranes and methods of identifying bacteria and other microorganisms in samples by infrared spectroscopy.

Abstract: Described herein is the analysis of nanomechanical characteristics of cells. In particular, changes in certain local nanomechanical characteristics of ex vivo human cells can correlate with presence of a human disease, such as cancer, as well as a particular stage of progression of the disease. Also, for human patients that are administered with a therapeutic agent, changes in local nanomechanical characteristics of ex vivo cells collected from the patients can correlate with effectiveness of the therapeutic agent in terms of impeding or reversing progression of the disease. By exploiting this correlation, systems and related methods can be advantageously implemented for disease state detection and therapeutic agent selection and monitoring.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to nanoparticulate active agent compositions comprising lysozyme as a surface stabilizer. Also encompassed by the invention are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a nanoparticulate active agent composition of the invention and methods of making and using such nanoparticulate and pharmaceutical compositions.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a fluidized bed detector for continuous detection of biological and chemical materials comprising a fluidized bed of detecting elements suspended in a continuous flow system wherein the detecting elements remain in the system when a first force trying to move the detecting elements to the bottom of the system is balanced with a second opposing force of a flowing gas or liquid trying to move detecting elements to the top of the system and wherein the presence of a target molecule in the flowing gas or liquid disrupts the balance of the first and second forces causing the detecting element to exit the system. The release of the detecting element indicates the presence of the target molecule and may be captured, concentrated, or both for further evaluation by other assays or other means. Also disclosed is the related method of detecting biological and chemical materials using a fluidized bed detector.

Abstract: The process described in the instant invention has the steps of dissolving the lipid-containing biomass in an ionic liquid, whereby a lipid phase and a hydrophilic phase are formed. The lipid phase contains primarily triglycerides, which can be converted to biodiesel by transesterification to, e.g., methyl esters. The hydrophilic phase comprises dissolved biopolymers, such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and protein. The biopolymers are converted in situ to compounds that are insoluble in the molten inorganic salt hydrate. The molten inorganic salt hydrates regenerated by removing insolubles, such as lignin, ash from the biomass, and water.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel methods and devices for measurement of particle concentration or changes in particle concentration over a wide linear range. The invention comprises one or more radiation sources and one or more detectors contained in a housing which is interfaced to a medium containing particulate matter. The one or more radiation sources are directed into the medium, scattered or transmitted by the particulate matter, and then some portion of the radiation is detected by the one or more detectors. Methods for confining the measurement to a specific volume within the medium are described. Algorithms are provided for combining the signals generated by multiple source-detector pairs in a manner that results in a wide linear range of response to changes in particle concentration. In one embodiment the sensor provides non-invasive measurements of biomass in a bioreactor. In another embodiment an immersible probe design is described, which may be suited for one-time use.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing high levels of alcohol during fermentation of plant material, and to the high alcohol beer produced. The method can include selecting plant material. Selecting can include excluding plant material that has been exposed to high temperatures or that has had high moisture content.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for performing a biological test under conditions in which an artificially prepared cell pattern with initial position coordinates that can be determined is three-dimensionally cultured within a gelled matrix. The present invention relates to a biological test method that comprises testing a biological indicator with reference to at least one selected from the group consisting of cell proliferation, cell movement, and cell differentiation in a cell pattern substantially embedded in gel. The present invention also relates to a kit for the biological test method.

Abstract: A packet of an enzyme and/or enzyme producing bacteria is contained within the core of a roll of toilet tissue or similar paper product wound on a core. The packet has a cover that dissolves or disintegrates on contact with water and disperses its contents into the aqueous waste stream. The packet may contain a mixture of bacterial cultures that produce enzymes to attack the greasy or fatty components of the waste stream. An additional article such as a sample of a liquid or creme personal care product may also be contained within the tissue paper core.

Abstract: A method for surface modification of single walled carbon nanotubes is described. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of providing a detergent solution, adding a plurality of single walled carbon nanotubes into the detergent solution, performing a first sonication to disperse the single walled carbon nanotubes in the detergent solution, and performing a second sonication after the first sonication to make detergent encased single walled carbon nanotubes. At least one of the plurality of single walled carbon nanotubes is at least partially wrapped by one or more detergent molecules to make it a detergent encased single walled carbon nanotube. In one embodiment, the detergent comprises SDS, PSS or a combination of them. The surface modified carbon nanotubes can be used to detect a chemical compound by associating a solution of the surface modified nanotubes with the chemical compound and optically detecting a chemical property change of the solution.

Abstract: The invention mainly relates to the mass spectrometric identification of pathogens in blood cultures from blood-stream infections (septicemia). The invention provides a method with which microbial pathogens can be separated in purified form from blood after a relatively brief cultivation in a blood culture flask, without any interfering human proteins or any residual fractions of blood particles such as erythrocytes and leukocytes, and can be directly identified by mass spectrometric measurement of their protein profiles. The method is based on the use of relatively strong tensides to destroy the blood particles by dissolving the weak cell membranes and most of the internal structures of the blood particles; in spite of the fact that tensides are regarded as strong ionization inhibitors in MALDI and other ionization processes required for mass spectrometric measurements.