Abstract: Scalable, high throughput and power-efficient electromechanical lysis using low electric potential, which can be used for harvesting valuable intracellular biomolecules (DNA, RNA, and proteins) and metabolites (e.g., biodiesels, bioplastics, antibiotics, and antibodies), and for sterilizing large volume solutions (e.g. disinfection of bacterial contaminated drinking water). The method can be directly integrated with other microfluidic devices for all-in-one, fully integrated total-analysis systems for various bacterial (and cellular) studies and clinical applications.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising mesenchymal stem cells, a hyaluronan and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The pharmaceutical composition is used for the treatment of the joint disease. The mesenchymal stem cells in the composition are at least one selected from the group consisting of infra-patellar fat pad stromal cells, bone marrow stem cells, Wharton's jelly stem cells and adipose derived stem cells. The concentration of the hyaluronan is in a range from 25% (v/v) to 75% (v/v). The present invention further provides a method for treating a joint disease, comprising a step of administrating a composition containing mesenchymal stem cells, a hyaluronan and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to an injured joint tissue of a subject.

Abstract: The invention relates to processes and equipment for treatment of a feedstock by anaerobic organisms to produce a methane containing biogas that can be used as a source of energy. The invention is particularly concerned with producing methane from a waste plant material such as produced by fermentation processes used in the alcoholic beverages industry, such as from brewing/distilling processes which employ grain material for fermentation.

Abstract: Described herein are new approaches for the selection of S. cerevisiae strains with increased ethanol production from hydrolyzed starch derived sugars. An industrial production strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae AS400 was subjected to positive selection of mutants resistant to toxic concentrations of oxythiamine, trehalose, 3-bromopyruvate, glyoxylic acid, and glucosamine. The selected mutants are characterized by 5-8% increase in ethanol yield (g g?1 of consumed glucose) as compared to the parental industrial ethanol-producing strain. A multiple-step selection approach that consisted of the sequential selection using glyoxylic acid, glucosamine and bromopyruvate as selective agents resulted in a 12% increase in ethanol yield during fermentation on industrial media. These results indicate that the selection methods provided herein are useful for producing a variety of strains that are promising candidates for industrial ethanol production.

Abstract: The invention provides a quiescent stem cell having the capacity to differentiate into ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm, and which does not express cell surface markers including MHC class I, MHC class II, CD44, CD45, CD13, CD34, CD49c, CD73, CD105, CD90, CD66A, CD66E, CXCR4, CD133 or an SSEA. The invention further provides a proliferative stem cell, which expresses genes including Oct-4, Nanog, Sox2, GDF3, P16INK4, BMI, Notch, HDAC4, TERT, Rex-1, TWIST, KLF-4 and Stella but does not express cell surface markers including MHC class I, MHC class II, CD44, CD45, CD13, CD34, CD49c, CD73, CD105, CD90, CD66A, CD66E, CXCF4, CD133 or an SSEA. The cells of the invention can be isolated from adult mammals, have embryonic cell characteristics, and can form embryoid bodies. Methods for obtaining the stem cells, as well as methods of treating diseases and differentiating the stem cells, are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for growing photosynthetic organisms lacking Photosystem II (PSII) function using externally supplied electrons shuttled into the organism using redox mediators to improve photosynthetic output and to produce and recover chemicals of interest. By removing PSII, all PAR photons are funneled toward Photosystem I, thereby significantly increasing the theoretical photon utilization efficiency for CO2 fixation, energy storage and the capacity to synthesize valuable chemicals. Additional genetic modification can be performed to insert or enhance specific metabolic pathways to generate products of commercial interest.

Abstract: Described are methods of producing an autologous composition useful for treatment of damaged and/or injured connective tissues, chronic tendinosis, chronic muscle tears and/or chronic degenerative joint conditions and skin inflammatory disorders in a mammal. The method comprises preparing an anti-inflammatory/anti-catabolic component of the autologous composition comprising IL-1ra and TIMPs. An anti-inflammatory/anti-catabolic component is prepared comprising: collecting blood from the mammal; delivering the blood to a tube; incubating the blood at a temperature of from about 37° C. to about 39° C. for about 24 hours, preferably in the presence of sodium citrate; centrifuging the blood to separate the blood into a supernatant component and a cellular fraction; and collecting the supernatant component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming dihydroferulic acid comprising providing ferulic acid and incubating the ferulic acid with a bacterial preparation of Lactobacillus johnsonii CNCM 1-1225 or a bacterial preparation of natural derivatives of Lactobacillus johnsonii CNCM 1-1225. An aspect of the invention is a composition comprising dihydroferulic acid and a bacterial preparation of Lactobacillus johnsonii CNCM 1-1225 or its natural derivatives. A further aspect of the invention is a composition comprising ferulic acid and a bacterial preparation of Lactobacillus johnsonii CNCM 1-1225 or its natural derivatives for use in the treatment or prevention of metabolic disease. Further aspects of the invention are the use of a bacterial preparation of Lactobacillus johnsonii CNCM 1-1225 or its natural derivatives; and a kit for preparing a food product.

Abstract: Implementations herein relates to effect-directed identification of targeted and non-targeted androgen disruptors. The implementations include primary separation, androgenic activity testing, high throughput separation and preparation of toxicants, active component scanning based on high performance liquid chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry, targeted screening of suspicious androgenic substances, non-target identification of androgenic compounds combining mass spectrum, chromatography and toxicity characteristics and toxicity confirmation. The implementations perform separation using SPE and preparative separation in series to obtain high throughput separation fractions, utilize DMSO as a protective agent to optimize concentration of second fractions, utilize target databases to achieve target identification of key toxicants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composite microorganism enzyme, a method for preparing a plant nutrient solution by using the composite microorganism enzyme, and a fertilizer synergist. The method comprises the following steps: mixing fresh kelp pulp with a composite microorganism enzyme; and performing enzymolysis on the mixture of the fresh kelp pulp and the composite microorganism enzyme in an enzymolysis vessel to obtain the plant nutrient solution; the composite microorganism enzyme comprises more than one kind each of cellulase, pectinase, protease and amylase, the mass percentage of the cellulases and the pectinases being far greater than that of the proteases and the amylases. The present method for preparing a plant nutrient solution involves a simple enzymolysis process, mild reaction conditions, low costs and no other chemical compositions during the reaction processes, and maintains more of the active ingredients of the fresh kelp.

Abstract: A method for deep dehydration and desiccation of cyanobacteria includes steps of flocculation conditioning, high pressure diaphragm plate-frame pressure filtration, quartz glass box-type desiccation and negative pressure paddle drying.

Abstract: A diagnostic method for the prediction of tumor prognosis including the likelihood of formation of metastases or of relapse or local recurrence in tumor related diseases in a mammal and the provision of a therapy recommendation for a patient the enzyme activity of key enzymes of the energy metabolism is determined in fresh tumor tissue or fresh tumor cell mass after 24 hours incubation in a cell culture medium. Incubation reduces nutrition, drug and biopsy/surgery effects on the energy metabolism of the tissue slices or the cell mass. The quotients of enzyme activity of anaerobic enzymes are put in ratio to the enzyme activity of aerobic enzymes or vice versa. Said ratio can be taken into account for prognosis of metastasis and a therapy recommendation.

Abstract: System and methods for monitoring the growth of an aquatic plant culture and detecting real-time characteristics associated with the aquatic plant culture aquatic plants. The systems and methods may include a control unit configured to perform an analysis of at least one image of an aquatic plant culture. The analysis may include processing at least one collected image to determine at least one physical characteristic or state of an aquatic plant culture. Systems and methods for distributing aquatic plant cultures are also provided. The distribution systems and methods may track and control the distribution of an aquatic plant culture based on information received from various sources. Systems and methods for growing and harvesting aquatic plants in a controlled and compact environment are also provided. The systems may include a bioreactor having a plurality of vertically stacked modules designed to contain the aquatic plants and a liquid growth medium.

Abstract: A process is described for making acrylic acid from dextrose, which comprises fermenting dextrose; removing solids from the resulting fermentation broth; removing lactic acid from the clarified broth by extraction into an organic solvent; separating out the lactic acid-loaded organic solvent while recycling at least a portion of the remainder back to the fermentation step; reacting the lactic acid with ammonia to provide a dehydration feed comprising ammonium lactate while preferably recycling the organic solvent; carrying out a vapor phase dehydration of the ammonium lactate to produce a crude acrylic acid product; and purifying the crude acrylic acid by distillation followed by melt crystallization, chromatography or both melt crystallization and chromatography.

Abstract: Viral infections of the eye, and particularly viral infections in the Herpesviridae and Adenoviridae families, can be treated by administration of a pharmaceutical made up of an enzymatically active ribonuclease and a vehicle. Advantageously, the enzymatically active ribonuclease is ranpirnase, the '805 variant, rAmphinase 2, and Amphinase 2, and the vehicle is an aqueous solution.

Abstract: The process aseptically inoculates a liquid media with a vegetative Xylaria fungal species to form a culture; statically incubates the culture in a vessel for a time sufficient to begin initiation of fruit body development and asexual sporulation and halts incubation at maximum conidia production prior to the beginning of sexual sporulation. Thereafter, the entire culture contents of the incubation vessel are macerated to homogenize the fungal biomass and conidia therein and form an inoculum.

Abstract: Non-genetically engineered mammalian cells modified by sortase-mediated conjugation of an agent thereto are provided. Methods of conjugating agents to nongenetically engineered mammalian cells using sortase are provided. Methods of using the cells, e.g. a method of modulating an immune response of a subject to an entity of interest, a method of neutralizing a substance in the body of a subject, a method of treating a subject in need of treatment for deficiency of a protein, and a method of treating a subject in need of treatment for a disease, are provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a substance or method for preventing or treating mastitis in ruminant animals, particularly in dairy cows. Specifically provided are: a preventive or therapeutic agent, a feed additive, a feed, and a pharmaceutical composition for ruminant animal mastitis, characterized by comprising, as an active ingredient, a Bacillus genus bacterium having the property of being capable of increasing or maintaining CD11c+ CD172a+ blood dendritic cell gate 2 in cows.

Abstract: Provided is a method of screening for a microorganism having enhanced cellulose productivity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compounded cell culture medium powder formulation comprising: a basal medium powder and a cell culture media supplement, wherein the cell culture media supplement comprises and one or more salts; one or more growth factors; one or more inorganic ions; an amino acid supplement comprising one or more of asparagine, glutamine, histidine, and serine; one or more buffers; and one or more anti-foaming agents. The invention further provides methods of making a compounded cell culture medium powder formulation methods of making a cell culture medium for growing mammalian cells and methods of producing a protein of interest by culturing cells in the cell culture medium and isolating the protein of interest.