Abstract: A method for determining the level of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) in a biological sample, including the steps of: a) a measurement of the concentration of PPi in a first fraction of the biological sample, using an assay based on enzymatic reaction, b) a measurement of the concentration of PPi in a second fraction of the biological sample, using an assay based on ionic chromatography, and c) a comparison of the value measured in step a) and the value measured in step b), and assessing if the difference is above a pre-determined threshold. If the difference between the values measured respectively in step a) and in step b) is lower than or equal to the pre-determined threshold, the concentration of PPi in the biological sample is determined as the mean of the values measured in step a) and in step b).

Abstract: The method for the in vitro or ex vivo amplification of stem cells of brown or beige adipocytes includes: extracting (i) a stromal vascular fraction from human adipose tissue including endothelial cells of the vascular network of human adipose tissue and stem cells of brown or beige human adipose tissue and (ii) an extracellular matrix of the human adipose tissue, the extracellular matrix including endothelial cells of the vascular network of human adipose tissue, stem cells of brown or beige human adipose tissue and collagen; mixing the stromal vascular fraction and the extracellular matrix; and culturing the mixture obtained, in suspension, in a culture medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of proteins of the WNT signaling pathway as therapeutic targets of pigmentation disorder and as biomarkers of pigmentation status. The invention in particular relates to products and methods for treating a hypopigmentation disorder. The invention also relates to products and methods for detecting, diagnosing, staging or monitoring the course of hypopigmentation disorder and is particularly suited for human subjects.

Abstract: The method for tin vitro or ex vivo amplification of human adipose tissue stem cells includes: —extracting a stromal vascular fraction of a human adipose tissue including endothelial cells of the human adipose tissue vascular network and human adipose tissue stem cells, and an extracellular matrix of the human adipose tissue, the extracellular matrix including endothelial cells of the human adipose tissue vascular network, human adipose tissue stem cells and collagen; —mixing the stromal vascular fraction and the extracellular matrix; and—culturing the mixture obtained in the preceding step, in suspension, in a culture medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of proteins of the WNT signaling pathway as therapeutic targets of pigmentation disorder and as biomarkers of pigmentation status. The invention in particular relates to products and methods for treating a hypopigmentation disorder. The invention also relates to products and methods for detecting, diagnosing, staging or monitoring the course of hypopigmentation disorder and is particularly suited for human subjects.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for assessing the prognosis of idiopathic membranous nephropathy in a body fluid sample from a human subject, based on profiling PLA2R1 epitopes recognized by autoantibodies in the sample. The method further relates to analysis of PLA2R1 epitope spreading amongst three PLA2R1 domains (Cys R, CTLD1 and CTLD7) that are recognized by anti-PLA2R1 autoantibodies, two of which (CTLD1 and CTLD7) are more closely associated with active idiopathic membranous nephropathy and likely linked by a mechanism of epitope spreading.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of the glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3B or GSK-3P) as a therapeutic target of pigmentation disorder and as biomarker of pigmentation status. The invention in particular relates to products and methods for treating a hypopigmentation disorder. The invention also relates to products and methods for detecting, diagnosing, staging or monitoring the course of hypopigmentation disorder and is particularly suited for human subjects.

Abstract: An anastomotic connector is disclosed that includes a connector body having a first end engageable into a first vessel, the first end being provided with teeth on its outer surface, and a first locking sleeve engageable around the first end, the first locking sleeve surrounding the teeth in a locked position, in order to impede relative movement between the first vessel and the connector body. The first locking sleeve is provided with longitudinal ribs on its inner surface, the ribs being spaced from each other in a circumferential direction of the first locking sleeve.