Abstract: The present invention concerns methods for the ex vivo formation of mammalian bone and subsequent uses of the bone. A critical and distinguishing feature of the present invention are defined tissue culture conditions and factors resulting in the formation of bone cell spheroids. The invention also provides for methods of implanting into subjects the ex vivo formed bone. Also described are methods for genetically altering the bone cell spheroids to affect bone formation, identification of candidate modulators of bone formation, and identification of genes involved in bone formation.

Abstract: A pig growth enhancer, which comprises, as an active ingredient, at least one compound selected from 5-aminolevulinic acid, a derivative thereof and a salt thereof, and a method for enhancing pig growth, which comprises administering the growth enhancer to a pig.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to nanoparticle compositions for maintaining organ, tissue and cellular viability when such are separated from normal physiological supports. Compositions containing the nanoparticle compositions and methods of preserving organs such as kidneys, both in vivo and ex vivo, are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to Corynebacterium ammoniagenes CJXOL 0201 KCCM 10447 producing 5?-xanthylic acid. More specifically, the invention relates to Corynebacterium ammoniagenes CJXOL 0201 KCCM 10447 which is a mutant strain of Corynebacterium ammoniagenes KCCM 10340 having a resistance to oligomycin. In order to obtain mutant strain having enhanced respiratory activity, the present invention adopted Corynebacterium ammoniagenes KCCM 10340 as parent strain and treated it with UV radiation and mutation derivatives such as N-methyl-N?-nitro-n-nitrosoguanidine(NTG) according to ordinary procedure. Therefore, Corynebacterium ammoniagenes CJXOL 0201 KCCM 10447 of the present invention makes it possible to increase ATP reproducing activity for same period of fermentation and can accumulate 5?xanthylic acid in culture medium at a high yield and concentration rate.

Abstract: A novel microorganism producing a nontoxic, non-antigenic exopolysaccharide is taught. The exopolysaccharide has neutral sugars migrating at the same rate as mannose, fucose, fructose and galactose, acidic sugars migrating at the same rate as fucose and amine sugars migrating at the same rate as glucose and fucose, and wherein the ratio of galactose:fucose:glucose:mannose is about 1:2:3:6. The microbe and the exopolysaccharide have uses as a biofilm in geologic applications and have several consumer uses as food and drug polymers and use as a plasma extender.

Abstract: The invention discloses methods, compositions and kits for stabilizing a solubilized phenyl phosphate, preferably paranitrophenyl phosphate (PNPP), using charcoal. Also disclosed are methods, compositions and kits for recycling solubilized phenyl phosphate, preferably PNPP, that has an absorbance of less than 0.1 when measured at 405 nm due to non-enzymatic hydrolysis.

Abstract: Provided are a process for producing purified anthocyanidin glucoside in which a rhamnose end of anthocyanidin rutinoside is cleaved using rhamnosidase to convert the anthocyanidin rutinoside component into anthocyanidin glucoside, the anthocyanidin glucoside component being then purified and isolated; or a crystalline anthocyanidin glucoside salt obtained by further crystallizing the purified anthocyanidin glucoside and a process for producing the same. Also provided are a process for producing purified anthocyanidin rutinoside in which a glucose end of anthocyanidin glucoside is cleaved using ?-glucosidase to degrade and remove the end, the anthocyanidin rutinoside component being then purified and isolated; or a crystalline anthocyanidin rutinoside salt obtained by further crystallizing the purified anthocyanidin rutinoside and a process for producing the same.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the part purification of fibrinogen from milk, the method comprising the transfer of protease enzyme which is present in the milk, into the whey phase with the removal or partition if fibrinogen into another phase of the milk. The present invention also provides a method for obtaining fibrinogen from a fluid, the method comprising: a) contacting the fluid with a hydrophobic interaction chromatography resin under conditions where the fibrinogen binds to the resin; and b) removing the bound protein by means of elution.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing acrylamide with good storage stability and improved acrylamide polymer physical properties using a microbial catalyst. A microbial catalyst having catalytic activity to convert from acrylonitrile to acrylamide is washed with an aqueous acrylic acid solution, and then the washed microbial catalyst is used for the conversion reaction, so that the production of the above acrylamide is achieved.

Abstract: The present invention provides both a method and means for regulating I?B? degradation, NF?B activity, and NF?B-dependent gene expression within living cells, tissues, and organs in-situ. The selective regulation is performed using native PR-39 peptide or one of its shorter-length homologs, for interaction with such I?B? and proteasomes as are present in the cytoplasm of viable cells. The result of PR-39 peptide interaction with I?B? is a selective alteration in the intracellular proteolytic activity of proteasomes, which in turn, causes a reduction of I?B?, a decrease of NF?B activity, and a down-regulation of NF?B-dependent gene expression.

Abstract: A process for producing rhamnolipids involving culturing Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain NRRL B-30761 in a first aqueous culture medium containing about 0.3% NH4H2PO4, about 0.2% K2HPO4, about 0.2% carbon source, about 0.5 mg/L FeSO4, and about 0.1% MgSO4 for about 24–about 48 hours at about 25°–about 30° C. with orbital shaking, and then culturing Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain NRRL B-30761 in a static second aqueous culture medium containing per liter about 2% carbon source, about 0.7 g KH2PO4, about 0.9 g Na2HPO4, about 2 g NaNO3, about 0.4 g MgSO4.7H2O, and about 0.1 g CaCl2.2H2O for at least about 72 hours at about 20°–about 23° C., wherein the first and second aqueous culture medium contains only one source of carbon.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the treatment of uremic toxins in vivo using uremic toxin-treating enzymes, and/or cells capable of producing uremic toxin-treating enzymes or otherwise reacting with uremic toxins. Non-limiting examples of cases where the treatment of uremic toxins is desired include renal disease or dysfunction, gout, subjects receiving chemotherapy, or the like. In one aspect, the treatment includes an oral delivery composition able to reduce the blood concentration of one or more non-protein nitrogen compounds in vivo. The composition, in some cases, may comprise one, two, or more uremic toxin-treating enzymes, such as urease, uricase or creatininase. The oral delivery composition may be able to deliver the uremic toxin-treating enzymes, substantially undigested, to the intestines, where the enzymes can interact with uremic toxins transported to the intestines from the bloodstream.

Abstract: A cell in which a reaction product of a substance to be modified and an amphipathic compound is non-covalently bound to a cell membrane, wherein said compound has the following features: (1) having one or more aliphatic hydrocarbon groups at one end; (2) having one or more portions containing a hydrophilic group in a molecule; and (3) having one or more reactive functional groups which are capable of covalently binding with the substance to be modified at an end different from the end in the above (1).

Abstract: The invention concerns a culture medium for isolating Vibrio bacteria, characterised in that it comprises, in a Vibrio culture medium, at least a chromogenic agent selected among the ?-glucosidase substrates and the ?-galactosidase substrates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for production of functional proteins including hormones by renal cells in a three dimensional co-culture process responsive to shear stress using a rotating wall vessel. Natural mixture of renal cells expresses the enzyme 1-a-hydroxylase which can be used to generate the active form of vitamin D: 1,25-diOH vitamin D3. The fibroblast cultures and co-culture of renal cortical cells express the gene for erythropoietin and secrete erythropoietin into the culture supernatant. Other shear stress response genes are also modulated by shear stress, such as toxin receptors megalin and cubulin (gp280). Also provided is a method of treating in-need individual with the functional proteins produced in a three dimensional co-culture process responsive to shear stress using a rotating wall vessel.

Abstract: This invention relates to enzyme compositions and methods of using these enzyme compositions, inter alia, to degrade succinoglycan. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of degrading succinoglycan comprising contacting the succinoglycan with an enzyme composition that comprises enzymes that are capable of degrading the linkages between sugar moieties of the succinoglycan.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for in vitro maturation of oocytes comprising the steps of: (a) culturing one or more GV oocytes in a culture medium, the culture medium comprising a nuclear maturation inhibiting substance and comprising one or more gonadotropins and/or one or more growth factors, the culturing taking place for a time period sufficient for cytoplasmatic maturation to occur; (b) washing the GV oocytes of step (a) to remove the nuclear maturation inhibiting substance; (c) culturing the washed oocytes of step (b) in a culture medium comprising one or more gonadotropins and/or one or more growth factors and/or MAS for a time period sufficient for nuclear maturation. The invention also relates to an oocyte culture medium comprising a nuclear maturation inhibiting substance and comprising one or more gonadotropins and/or one or more growth factors.

Abstract: Biocompatible bone graft material having a biocompatible, resorbable polymer and a biocompatible, resorbable inorganic material exhibiting macro, meso, and microporosities.

Abstract: The disclosure pertains to enzymatic modification of lecithin and to hydrolyzed lecithin products obtained by such modification. One particular implementation provides methods for producing a hydrolyzed lecithin product containing hydrolyzed phospholipids, monoglycerides, and diglycerides. For example, such a method may include the steps of: (a) contacting a lecithin material, which includes a phospholipid component and a triglyceride component, in an aqueous or organic solvent medium, with a first enzyme effective to hydrolyze the phospholipid; and (b) subsequently contacting the product of step (a) with a second enzyme, effective to hydrolyze the triglyceride; under reaction conditions effective to inhibit esterification of the hydrolyzed phospholipid with released fatty acids.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for inducing the differentiation of mammals' embryonic stem cells into keratinocytes, comprising the following steps of: isolating an extracellular matrix secreted by at least one mammals' cell type, cultivating mammals' embryonic stem cells in parallel in an undifferentiated condition in an appropriate culture medium in the presence of LIF, seeding the embryonic stem cells as a monolayer on said extracellular matrix, cultivating the thus seeded embryonic stem cells in the absence of LIF for a period of time sufficient for their differentiation into keratinocytes, and collecting the thus obtained keratinocytes.