Abstract: A method for identifying test agents that exhibit prebiotic activity on human skin commensal microorganisms and compositions that include such agents. The method includes providing a test culture of a test agent, a human skin commensal microorganism and a minimal carbon medium. The method provides a time efficient and cost effective way to predict in vivo prebiotic activity of a test agent on skin commensal microorganisms.

Abstract: A high-throughput, tiered screening method of indentifying test agents that exhibit prebiotic activity on human skin commensal microorganisms and cosmetic compositions that include such agents. The method includes determining the metabolite level of a culture and comparing the metabolite level to a control value. The assay further comprises performing a plate count using the culture when the metabolite level of the culture is greater than its corresponding control value. The plate count results are compared to another control value, and the test agent is identified as a prebiotic agent when the number of colonies present in the plate count assay of the culture is greater than the second control value.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for enriching a milk extract for angiogenin, such methods involving separation by size, charge or immunoaffinity. The invention also provides the angiogenin enriched extract produced by the methods and provides them in pharmaceutical and neutraceutical compositions and foods for treating a variety of diseases or disorders that can be treated by angiogenin.

Abstract: The invention discloses an isolated, biologically pure culture of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain NRRL B-50349 and its use as an environmentally desirable biofungicide. The invention also discloses a formulation comprising the bacterium and a method for controlling plant fungal diseases and infestation of fungal organisms utilizing the strain.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for production of high yields of butanol by Clostridium beijerinckii ATCC 10132. The process can be completed in a shorter span of time, using batch process through manipulation of various process parameters. The process can also be used for biomass based production of butanol. This paves the way for the strategic shift of major chemical industries from the hazardous routes of biofuel production to the biological, environmentally benign one.

Abstract: A method for producing a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) or a lipid containing a PUFA, a microbial cell containing a PUFA, and use of the microbial cell are provided. A method for producing a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) or a lipid containing a PUFA including culture of a microorganism capable of producing arachidonic acid (ARA) and/or dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) is provided, the method including at least one of the following steps: (a) adding an organic acid in an amount of 0.01 to 5 w/v % to a culture medium after the beginning of main culture; (b) increasing the pH of the culture medium to a range effective for culture after the beginning of the main culture; and (c) adding a metal sulfate in an amount of 0.01 to 0.5 w/w % to the main culture medium.

Abstract: There are provided a method of identifying the longum species alone, such as Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum alone, and measuring the viable cell count thereof, amongst the bacterial cells to be tested which include a microorganism belonging to the genus Bifidobacterium by using a culture medium that contains L-arabinose as a sole sugar source; and also a culture medium which is useful as a selective medium for the above measurement method and which is also easy to prepare.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel strains of Saccharomyces that can be produced on a carbonaceous substrate which makes it possible to completely and/or partially replace the use of sugar, and to the use thereof for the production of yeast, in particular on the industrial scale. The invention also relates to a method for producing yeast of the Saccharomyces genus on a carbonaceous substrate which makes it possible to completely or partially replace the use of sugar.

Abstract: The present invention has as its object developing a method that does not involve genomic modification and which yet is capable of inducing cell death in pluripotent stem cells such as embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, as well as in differentiated cells other than cardiomyocytes derived from pluripotent stem cells, but not in cardiomyocytes. It has been revealed that by establishing a method capable of inducing cell death in cells other than cardiomyocytes in a very efficient manner by adding a substance having no recognized inherent toxicity or cell death inducing action to the culture conditions for pluripotent stem cells and non-cardiomyocytes, the stated problem can be solved without relying upon genomic modification.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for decreasing borborygmi in a subject by administering a probiotic, preferably a bacteria of the Bifidobacterium genus, said method being on one aspect of the invention a non therapeutic method.

Abstract: The chemical oxygen demand of unprocessed, spent metal working fluids, can be reduced to levels of 2000 mg l?1 by using a consortium of micro-organisms capable of growth in untreated semi-synthetic metal working fluids, wherein the consortium has at least four members which are selected from at least one each of Agrobacterium spp., Comamonas spp., Methylobacterium spp., and Microbacterium spp.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a copper-enriched biomass, comprising, in a first step, culturing Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells in a liquid nutrient medium comprising a carbon source, a nitrogen source, at least one amino acid and a copper salt, so as to obtain copper-enriched yeast biomass in the form of a Cu-GSH complex, wherein the intracellular content of Cu-GSH is higher than 1% dw and, in a second step, separating the copper-enriched yeast biomass from the nutrient liquid medium. Two strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are described, designated as SA 221 BM and SA 586 BM, respectively (accession numbers DSM 21530 and DSM 21531, deposited with the DSMZ on Jun. 6, 2008), which have the ability to accumulate particularly high levels of intracellular copper. Moreover, the invention relates to the copper-enriched yeast biomass obtainable by the method of the invention, which has an intracellular Cu-GSH content higher than 1% dw, and its use in cosmetic and probiotic products.

Abstract: The present invention relates to chimeric Factor VII polypeptides and methods of using the same.

Abstract: Non-toxigenic strains of Aspergillus are useful biocontrol agents for preventing toxin contamination in agricultural commodities, especially those for human consumption such as peanuts and corn, for example.

Abstract: Stains that are specific for calcium ion are used to assess and predict the effects of various treatments on the viability of cell types contained in a sample, wherein said stain detects endothelial cells that have massive calcium accumulation death.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel microbial strain, Alteromonas sp. SN2 (KCTC11700BP) having an activity for degrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), a bioremediation process of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminants, comprising contacting a microbial strain Alteromonas sp. with PAH, and a composition for purifying polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminants, comprising a microbial strain Alteromonas sp. It is advantageous that the present invention may be suitably utilized in treatment or remediation of oil contaminants, particularly naphthalene soil contaminants without production of a secondary contaminant source. As the strain and bioremediation process of this invention could be industrially utilized through low-cost and environment-friendly process, the present technology also may be carried out much more economically and efficiently than conventional technologies such as thermal technology, solidification technology, and vapor extraction technology.

Abstract: A novel induction method that effectively produces platelets from platelet precursor cells (e.g., hemopoietic stem/precursor cells) is disclosed. The method includes culturing platelet precursor cells in a culture solution in which a composite membrane is immersed so that the platelet precursor cells differentiate into platelets, the composite membrane including a porous support membrane and a porous thin membrane, the porous thin membrane being stacked on at least one side of the porous support membrane.

Abstract: Provided is an isolated Lactobacillus plantarum CMU995, which was deposited at the Food Industry Research and Development Institute in Taiwan with the accession number BCRC 910472 and in the German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (DSMZ) under accession number DSM 23780. Also provided are a composition comprising Lactobacillus plantarum CMU995 and a method for inhibiting pathogens, protecting the gastrointestinal tract, and/or protecting the urinary tract in a mammal comprising administrating an effective amount of Lactobacillus plantarum CMU995 to the mammal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of degradation with hyperthermophilic organisms, and in particular to the use of hyperthermophilic degradation to produce heat and energy rich components including hydrogen and ethanol from a biomass. In some embodiments, a biomass is fermented in the presence of hyperthermophilic organisms to produce heat. The heat is used to heat a liquid which is used directly in a heat pump or radiant heat or to produce electricity or drive a steam turbine. In some embodiments, acetate is utilized as a substrate to produce energy by methanogenesis.