Abstract: The present invention provides orally-administrable compositions comprising stable amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC). The compositions are preferably prepared as solid dosage forms such as tablets, capsules and powders. The present invention further provides methods for supplementing oral calcium intake in subjects and as well as methods for treating osteoporosis, osteomalacia and related diseases.

Abstract: This invention is directed to coral scaffolds seeded with precursor cells in culture in the presence of a chelator and uses thereof in inducing or enhancing bone and/or cartilage formation in a subject, and kits related thereto. This invention is also directed to use of cadherin-upregulating coral for treating cancer or inhibiting cancer progression. This invention is also directed to use of aragonite or calcite-producing species for in vivo calcium release, and its application to the treatment of skin diseases, disorders or conditions.

Abstract: The present invention discloses latent thioester functionalities attached to the C-terminus of a first polypeptide, or a first fragment thereof having a Cys residue at its N-terminus, and a process using this functionality for the preparation of polypeptide thioesters, in particular of ubiquitin thioesters, this process comprising preparing a polypeptide or a fragment thereof, being attached to a latent thioester functionality, which can then be ligated with a second polypeptide fragment, followed by selective activation of the latent thioester functionality group, to provide the requested polypeptide thioester. There are also provided the polypeptides obtained by this method, specific unnatural amino acids useful to be incorporated within the polypeptide thioesters, and kits for preparing them.

Abstract: This invention is directed, inter alia, to methods and kits for rapid, easy and cost-effective methods of breast cancer prediction and diagnosis in inter alia, blood samples.

Abstract: A method of early detection of scaling on internal surfaces of conduits of water processing equipment, is provided herein. The method includes: transmitting ultrasonic signals through the wall of the conduits; deriving data samples from received ultrasonic signals or reflections thereof; calculating a moving average of the scatter of the ultrasonic signals, over time, based on the data samples; applying a statistical operand to the moving average, to yield a statistical distribution metric; determining a dynamic window defined by: (i) an upper boundary being the moving average plus at least a fraction of the statistical distribution metric and (ii) a lower boundary being the moving average minus the at least a fraction of the statistical distribution metric; generating a trend line being a smooth fitting of the derived samples; and monitoring the trend line within the window to detect a crossover of the trend line at either of the boundaries.

Abstract: The present invention provides orally-administrable compositions comprising stable amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC). The compositions are preferably prepared as solid dosage forms such as tablets, capsules and powders. The present invention further provides methods for supplementing oral calcium intake in subjects and as well as methods for treating osteoporosis, osteomalacia and related diseases.

Abstract: A method of analyzing a stream of imaging data is disclosed. The method comprises: for each picture-element of the data, associating a vector of features indicative of temporal intensity variation relative to baseline intensity, thereby providing a plurality of vectors. The method further comprises clustering the picture-elements according to the vectors, thereby providing a plurality of clusters, and identifying different compartments in the vasculature based on the clusters.

Abstract: Provided are a method and an apparatus for modifying particle size of powders in closed items, comprising the exposure of said items to external electric field of suitable parameters. The degree of agglomeration of the particles can be increased or decreased. Applications to neutralization of harmful powders in mails, to dry agglomeration and to volatilization of powders in food industry and in pharmacology are described.

Abstract: An air-cooled absorption refrigerating system and method is provided An evaporated refrigerant is mixed with a weak refrigerant stream Portions of the evaporated refrigerant are absorbed into the weak refrigerant stream via air-cooled absorber means to form a reconstituted solution which is pumped into heater means in heat exchange relationship with a hot weak refrigerant. The hot weak refrigerant stream is conducted therefrom Refrigerant is evaporated from the reconstituted solution via generator means in heat exchange relationship with a heat transfer fluid The generator means stream is separated into a hot weak refrigerant stream and a main refrigerant vapor stream The main refrigerant vapor stream is condensed via air-cooled condenser means The pressure of a condensed refrigerant vapor stream is reduced and conducted into evaporator means, where it is evaporated to form an evaporated refrigerant stream and conducted therefrom.

Abstract: The present invention relates to bioresorbable scaffolding for tissue regeneration or repair. The present invention describes an epithelial organoid comprising an aggregate of epithelial cells predominantly expressing markers associated with differentiated cell types, and an aggregate which assumes a structure or performs a function associated with an epithelial organ or a fragment thereof. The present invention also provides a method of treating a subject in need of repair or replacement of an organ or a portion thereof; and/or a method of treating a subject with a disease or disorder which impairs or abrogates a liver, kidney, pancreas, thyroid or pituitary function. The present invention also describes an epithelial graft or artificial organ comprising spheroids, organoids or a combination thereof, and a kit for implantable epithelial graft formation comprising organoids.

Abstract: Highly sensitive imaging of diseased tissues such as cancer is attractive because it potentially allows for early tumor detection. One of the problems associated with conventional, low molecular weight imaging probes is the limited tumor: background ratio. To circumvent this, imaging probes were conjugated to polymeric carriers and were surprisingly found to accumulate specifically at cancer sites. This invention describes an innovative targeting strategy for the selective identification of solid tumors by means of polymer-NIR fluorochrome conjugates which accumulate selectively within cancerous tissue relative to normal tissue.

Abstract: A joint-lubricating composition for treating degenerative joint disorders is provided, having microalgal polysaccharides in an aqueous solution, wherein the polysaccharides are stable and non-immunogenic. Further provided is a method for treating a joint disorder by injecting into the joint a viscous aqueous solution of a polysaccharide, wherein the disorder is, for example, arthritis, and the polysaccharide originates, for example, from a red alga.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a process for the preparation of a Poly-ubiquitin chain, this process comprising ligating a Ubiquitin thioester Ubm-SR with a Ubiquitin Ubq. Further are disclosed poly-ubiquitin chains prepared according to this process, in particular poly-ubiquitin chains containing at least one unnatural amino acid.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of essential oil microcapsules comprising dissolving a di- or polyisocyanate into an essential oil, emulsifying the resulting mixture in an aqueous solution containing a di- or polyamine, and or a di or polyhydroxy compound to effect encapsulation of said essential oil through interfacial polymerization, whereby there is formed a polyurea and/or polyurethane film around the essential oil droplets which film enhances the stability of said essential oil, reduces its evaporation rate and controls its release rate when applied to a substrate.

Abstract: An isolated novel oil globule protein encoded by a polynucleotide sequence is provided together with a composition which includes the isolated protein. A transgenic organism transformed by a polynucleotide encoding a protein which at least partially comprises the amino acid sequence of the novel oil globule protein is also provided. The invention also provides a method for producing or enhancing the production of a carotenoid such as astaxanthin, which is an oil globule constituent.

Abstract: Apparatus for detection of human falls comprises: an acceleration detector, for detecting vibration events, typically placed on a floor, a microphone, located in association with the acceleration detector for detection of corresponding sound events, and a classification unit to classify concurrent events from the microphone and the acceleration detector, thereby to determine whether a human fall is indicated. If the event appears to be a human fall, then an alarm is raised.

Abstract: This invention provides derivatives of dodecapeptide ISSIKEKYPSHS (SEQ ID NO: 11) which interfere with binding of calbindin to inositol monophosphatase, and their use in treating mood disorders.

Abstract: Nucleic acid molecules encoding an insulin-like factor of the androgenic gland of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (M. rosenbergii) are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of silencing the expression of the insulin-like factor gene in decapod crustaceans order, particularly in M. rosenbergii, useful for producing male monosex populations.

Abstract: A method of distinguishing sleep period states that a person experiences during a sleep period, the method comprising: using a non-contact microphone to acquire a sleep sound signal representing sounds made by a person during sleep; segmenting the sleep sound signals into epochs; generating a sleep sound feature vector for each epoch; providing a first model that gives a probability that a given sleep period state experienced by the person in a given epoch exhibits a given sleep sound feature vector; providing a second model that gives a probability that a first sleep period state associated with a first epoch transitions to a second sleep period state associated with a subsequent second epoch; and processing the feature vectors using the first and second models to determine a sleep period state of the person from a plurality of possible sleep period states for each of the epochs.

Abstract: A therapeutic composition for treatment of a body tissue which includes an aqueous solution of a cross-linked polymer being capable of: (i) maintaining a liquid state in storage at room temperature for at least 24 hours; and (ii) assuming a gel state following deposition within the body tissue. The therapeutic composition can be effectively administered into a damaged body tissue via injection or catheterization, thereby treating the damaged body tissue.