Abstract: Compositions and methods for mucosal delivery of agents are provided. The emulsion compositions are intended for administration to a mucosal surface, such as oral, gastrointestinal and nasal mucosa. The emulsion compositions provided contain one or more mucoadhesive proteins and an agent to be delivered. Methods for delivery of agents using the compositions provided herein are also provided.

Abstract: Lignocellulosic biomass can be fractionated for the purpose of increasing cellulose purity in the pulp, increasing native lignin content of the isolated lignin, and improving cellulose hydrolysis, by performing the steps of: (a) extracting the biomass with an extracting liquid comprising at least 20 wt % of a first organic solvent at a temperature below 100° C.; (b) treating the extracted biomass with a treatment liquid comprising a second organic solvent selected from lower alcohols, ethers and ketones, optionally water and optionally an acid, at a temperature between 120° C. and 280° C., and, optionally: (c) subjecting a cellulose-enriched product stream resulting from step (b) to enzymatic hydrolysis. The first and second organic solvent may be different or the same; in particular they comprise ethanol or acetone.

Abstract: Methods of culturing and detecting a biomarker which may be associated with autoimmune diseases, in particular inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn's disease; also a screening method for substances suitable for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease including Crohn's disease; the method including culturing a biomarker in a culture media which includes a culture broth, OADC, PANTA and Mycobactin J.

Abstract: A composition includes at least one carrier containing a polysaccharide, at least one antioxidant and at least one amino acid selected from cysteine, lysine, alanine and arginine. Such a composition can be used for protection of microorganisms during drying, storage and/or reconstitution. A culture powder, a process of making the culture powder, and products containing the culture powder are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a PPA from a microorganism belonging to the family Halobacteriaceae (HPPA), for example, a PPA from Haloferax volcanii. The HPPA provided by the invention is soluble, thermostable and active at high concentrations of salt and/or organic solvent. An embodiment of the invention provides a method of increasing the rate of a reaction by adding an HPPA to the reaction mixture, wherein the reaction produces PPi, for example, an enzymatic reaction, and wherein the reaction is carried out at moderately high temperature and/or low water activity. Further embodiments of the invention provide an assay to detect the PPi released during a reaction which produces PPi by adding an HPPA to convert the PPi in to Pi and measuring the resultant Pi. The invention further pertains to an assay to monitor a reaction which produces PPi in the presence or the absence of an HPPA.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Dendrobium officinale (D. officinale) endophytic fungus strain and an extracellular polysaccharide produced thereby as well as an extraction method and application of the extracellular polysaccharide. The extraction process of the extracellular polysaccharide includes: activating a strain; culturing seed liquid; fermenting and culturing; filtering the fermented liquid under vacuum; concentrated the filtrate under vacuum; conducting alcohol precipitation on the concentrated liquid; precipitating and centrifuging; dialyzing after dissolving the precipitates in water; freezing and drying the dialysate under vacuum; and obtaining the extracellular polysaccharide. The D. officinale endophytic fungus strain belongs to Fusarium solani, and the extracellular polysaccharide produced thereby has inhibitory effects on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella ssp., and Bacillus subtilis.

Abstract: Provided herein are a device and a method for preparation of immobilized proteins, enzymes or cells on a carrier to achieve the industrial batch production of the immobilized proteins, enzymes or cells.

Abstract: To provide a method for serum-free culture of human cartilage cells and a serum-free culture medium. A method for serum-free culture of cartilage cells, said method comprising: an enzymatic treatment step for treating a human cartilage cell-containing tissue with a protease; an inhibitor-treatment step for, after the enzymatic treatment step, treating the tissue with an inhibitor for the aforesaid protease; and a culture step for, after the inhibitor-treatment step, culturing the tissue in a serum-free culture medium that contains kartogenin and/or SAG, ITS, FGF2 and hydrocortisone. A serum-free culture medium for culturing cartilage cells, said serum-free culture medium containing kartogenin and/or SAG, ITS, FGF2 and hydrocortisone.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a high-density distributed three-dimensional electrode device and an associated electroporation method. The method includes applying an electric pulse of a first polarity to a first group of electrodes while simultaneously applying an electrical pulse of a second polarity to a remaining group of electrodes, and then applying an electric pulse of the first polarity on a second group of electrodes while simultaneously applying an electric pulse of the second polarity to the remaining groups of electrodes. The electrodes receiving the electric pulse of the first polarity being surrounded by the electrodes receiving the electric pulse of the second polarity, and the first polarity and the second polarity are opposite.

Abstract: The disclosure discloses Bacteroides ovatus for relieving endotoxin infection and application thereof, and belongs to the technical field of microorganisms. The Bacteroides ovatus CCFM1021 of the disclosure has low immunogenicity, and can reduce the content of pro-inflammatory factors and increase the concentration of anti-inflammatory factors in the blood of mice infected with endotoxin, up-regulate the number of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells and stabilize the composition of the intestinal microbiota. A pharmaceutical composition of the Bacteroides ovatus CCFM1021 for relieving endotoxin infection has broad application prospects.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for quantifying phosphatidylinositol in a sample, comprising the following step: (1) treating the sample with phospholipase D and inositol dehydrogenase; and a kit for quantifying phosphatidylinositol, containing phospholipase D and inositol dehydrogenase.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to hemostatic compositions comprising at least partially integrated agglomerated ORC fibers, fibrinogen, and thrombin and methods of forming a powdered hemostatic composition, comprising the steps of: forming a suspension of a mixture comprising particles of fibrinogen, thrombin, ORC fibers in a non-aqueous low boiling solvent, agitating and shearing said suspension in a high shear mixing reactor, adding water to allow particles to agglomerate, allowing the non-aqueous solvent to evaporate, drying and sieving the composition; and thus forming the powdered hemostatic composition.

Abstract: A detection of the Gram type of a bacterial strain includes: illumination, in the wavelength range 415 nm-440 nm, of at least one bacterium of said strain having a natural electromagnetic response in said range; acquisition, in the range 415 nm-440 nm, of a light intensity reflected by, or transmitted through, said illuminated bacterium; and determination of the Gram type of the bacterial strain as a function of the light intensity acquired in the range 415 nm-440 nm.

Abstract: Compositions comprising a combination of myeloperoxidase and a peroxide-producing oxidase and methods of using the compositions to inactivate gram negative bacterial lipopolysaccharides and lipid A endotoxin are provided.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention include hematology analysis reagents, systems and methods that can be used to preserve blood cell morphology and integrity as well as provide sample integrity and optical clarity to facilitate optical analysis of blood samples. In some embodiments, the reagents include a non-phosphate organic buffer and a sphering surfactant. The pH and osmolality of the reagents may be adjusted to desired ranges. In addition, the reagents can be simply diluted with de-ionized water prior to use.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method for preparing vanillin by fermentation with eugenol as a substrate, preparing vanillin by a mixed fermentation of Penicillium simplicissimum OMK-68 and Bacillus sp. OMK-69, its potency reached 35 g/L, the mass conversion rate of eugenol reaches 83.3%. Penicillium simplicissimum OMK-68 in the present disclosure can use eugenol as a substrate for fermentation to prepare coniferyl alcohol, and its fermentation effect and substrate utilization rate are far better than wild-type Penicillium simplicissimum. The Bacillus sp. OMK-69 in the present disclosure can use coniferyl alcohol as a substrate for fermentation to prepare vanillin, and its fermentation effect and substrate utilization rate are far better than wild-type Bacillus sp.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions comprising bacterial strains for treating and preventing central nervous system disorders and conditions.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pharmaceutical composition or dosage form having a stable, low (diluted) digestive enzyme content comprising at least one digestive enzyme and at least one carrier, or a dosage form thereof. The invention is also directed to a process of preparation of the composition or the dosage form. In addition the invention is directed to the treatment and prevention of disorders or conditions associated with a digestive enzyme deficiency in a patient in need thereof, comprising administering to said patient a pharmaceutically acceptable amount of the composition having a stable low digestive enzyme content or dosage form thereof.

Abstract: Pelagic, surface floating, macroalga, Sargassum is harvested at large scale from a free-roaming farm floating freely on the ocean surface, monitored and tracked with GPS drifters and contained only by naturally occurring circular currents known as eddies or gyres, without aquaculture equipment. The farming technique occurs in open ocean through the utilization of system design and technology. Satellite imagery is interpreted to locate naturally occurring Sargassum aggregations or mats. Harvest vessel(s) travel to an identified mat, where only a portion of the natural mat is harvested as starter culture for a free-roaming farm. Cuttings are left behind to become new plants to restore the “mother mat” for no net loss of habitat and for migration for cohabitating organisms. The remainder of the biomass is transported to the identified free-roaming farm site which is in a suitable Eddie. GPS drifters are adhered with seedlings until the crop is ready for harvest.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method for separating biomass from solid fermentation product wherein a slurry comprising biomass and solid fermentation product is provided to the top of a biomass separator unit and an aqueous medium is provided to the bottom of a biomass separator unit, while a product stream comprising solid fermentation product is withdrawn from the bottom of the biomass separator unit and a waste stream comprising biomass is withdrawn from the top of the biomass separator unit. It has been found that the method according to the invention makes it possible to provide a solid fermentation product which comprises very low amounts of remaining biomass, while product loss can be limited.