Abstract: The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by restoring an ASD patient's gut microbiota. These methods can be used with ASD patient with or without ongoing gastrointestinal symptoms. Provided here is a method for modulating the abundance of one or more gut microorganisms in a subject in need thereof, said method comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a fecal microbe preparation to achieve at least a 2-fold change of the abundance of said one or more fecal microorganisms, wherein said one or more gut microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium, Prevotella, Desulfovibrio, Copprococcus, Clostridium, and Bacteroides.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition for preserving cells and a method for preserving cells and, more specifically, to: a composition for preserving cells, containing, as active ingredients, plant-derived recombinant human serum albumin and plant peptides, wherein the composition maintains a high cellular survival rate while maintaining animal-free and xeno-free properties and is stable without changes in cellular morphology or surface expression factors in the short-term preservation of cells such as stem cells or primary cultured cells; and a method for preserving cells by using the same.

Abstract: The present invention resides in the discovery that abundance and diversity of viral species in the fecal matter from a donor used in fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) treatment can influence the outcome of the FMT treatment. Thus, novel methods are provided for identifying subjects as suitable donors for FMT, for assessing the likelihood of FMT treatment success, and for enhancing FMT treatment efficacy. Also provided are kits and compositions for FMT with enhanced efficacy.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling an enzymatic pre-treatment process, e.g. a mashing process. The method allows for accurate determination of specific sugar molecules as well as the average length of the sugar chains in real-time during e.g. a mashing process. Further information on e.g. the concentration of dissolved protein and free amino acids can also be obtained simultaneously. The method comprises the use of an infrared (IR) spectometer for continuously measuring attenuated total reflectance (ATR) IR spectra of samples obtained during pre-treatment of biomass.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for detection of cancerous cells from an organ tissue. The system includes a plurality of cells obtained from the organ tissue, a light source for directing light through the plurality of cells and an image sensor for detecting and measuring optical transmission characteristics of the plurality of cells. The proposed method includes modeling the measured optical transmission characteristics using a statistical algorithm and calculating a figure of merit (FOM) for each of the plurality of cells for enhancing identification accuracy of cancerous cells, wherein the FOM is calculated from pole coefficients and locations corresponding to the plurality of cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparation of an enzyme-modified stevia sugar. The method includes the steps of adding a ?-fructosidase to a solution in which a stevia sugar raw material and sucrose are dissolved to obtain a reaction solution, adjusting the pH of the reaction solution to be 5.0-8.0, maintaining a reaction temperature at 20-45° C., and after a reaction with stirring, collecting the enzyme-modified stevia sugar. The stevia sugar raw material includes one or more of stevioside and rebaudioside A, and the ?-fructosidase is derived from Microbacterium saccharophilum or Aspergillus japonicus. The preparation method takes a short time, is efficient and convenient to operate, low in cost, high in conversion rate, green and environmentally friendly, and can be widely applied to industrial scale production. The present invention further provides an enzyme for preparation of the enzyme-modified stevia sugar and application thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to the preparation of biological cells for the mass spectrometric analysis of cellular properties such as taxonomic classification, antibiotic resistances, response to drugs or other active substances, and others. The cells can be prokaryotic or eukaryotic microorganisms which have particularly been cultivated directly on a mass spectrometric sample support, or eukaryotic cells from tissues or cell cultures. The invention proposes that the cells are not disrupted by adding matrix solution for a subsequent ionization by matrix-assisted laser desorption (MALDI), but that they are disrupted in a separate treatment step using acids and/or solvents on the sample support itself. Surprisingly, the cell proteins released then adhere to the sample support so that they can be carefully washed with buffer solution to remove salts and other soluble impurities which can stem from earlier treatment steps, for example from nutrient solution.

Abstract: Biological agent for bio-augmentation of an anaerobic digestion reactor, named first anaerobic digestion reactor, comprising a mixture of microorganisms including at least 10% of relative abundance in said mixture, of a unique Cloacimonetes sp. This agent is prepared by enrichment of a biological sample in a separate reactor fed with carbohydrate-rich substrate and oxygenated gas. Said agent comprising this unique Cloacimonetes sp. is able to restore and stabilize the biogas production of an anaerobic digestion reactor after acidosis, in a very short time.

Abstract: Provided are an Aspergillus oryzae BLCY-006 strain and an application thereof in the preparation of a galactooligosaccharide. The strain produces ?-galactosidase, and the enzyme activity can reach 300 U/ml after culturing and fermentation, which is more than 50% higher than traditional ?-galactosidase activity. The enzyme also has lactose and glucose resistance properties.

Abstract: This document provides dietary supplements. For example, composition having a combination of ingredients useful in reducing cholesterol and improving overall cardiovascular health as well as methods for reducing cholesterol and improving overall cardiovascular health are provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of determining glycan moiety on a recombinant glycoprotein using condensation nucleation light scattering detection.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a cell culture medium comprising copper as a media supplement, which was shown to control recombinant protein glycosylation and methods of using thereof. The present invention further pertains to a method of controlling or manipulating glycosylation of a recombinant protein of interest in a large scale cell culture.

Abstract: Provided is a microorganism of the genus Epidermidibacterium belonging to the family Sporichthyaceae, or a culture thereof, or a composition for preventing, improving, or treating skin conditions or inflammatory diseases including the same.

Abstract: A method is disclosed in which filamentous fungi are macerated and encapsulated in an inert matrix to form beads, which can be used to promote reactions carried out by the fungi. The beads are useful, e.g., for producing compounds and compound libraries.

Abstract: A method for intracellular delivery of single proteins or other cargo molecules by encapsulation within nanocapsules formed by interfacial polymerization of one or more types of monomers and selected protease cleavable cross-linkers is provided. The thin positively charged capsules are readily brought into the cytosol of target cells by endocytosis. The capsules are degraded by the action of endogenous proteases or co-delivered proteases on the cross-linkers releasing the functional cargo unaltered. The cross-linkers can be adapted to be cleavable by specific enzymes selected from available intracellular enzymes within the target cell or co-delivered or self-cleaving when the cargo itself is a protease. The nanocapsules produced by the methods have been shown to have long-term stability, high cell penetration capability, low toxicity and efficient protease-modulated specific degradability without affecting cargo protein function.

Abstract: Entomopathogenic fungal strains, compositions, and methods and compositions of producing and using the strains for reducing overall insect damage.

Abstract: A method for ex vivo treating blood or plasma is provided. The method includes (a) ex vivo contacting a blood or plasma with an enzyme composition to react the enzyme composition with the blood or plasma, wherein the enzyme composition is capable of eliminating electronegative low-density lipoprotein from the blood or plasma by the activity of the enzyme composition, and the enzyme composition is selected from a group consisting of: a first enzyme for eliminating a glycan residue of an electronegative low-density lipoprotein (LDL); a second enzyme for eliminating ceramide carried by a electronegative low-density lipoprotein (LDL); and a combination thereof; and (b) terminating contact between the blood or plasma and the enzyme composition to terminate the reaction of the enzyme composition with the blood or plasma.

Abstract: Glucosyl stevia compositions are prepared from steviol glycosides of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. The glucosylation was performed by cyclodextrin glucanotransferase using the starch as source of glucose residues. The short-chain glucosyl stevia compositions were purified to >95% content of total steviol glycosides. The compositions can be used as sweetness enhancers, flavor enhancers and sweeteners in foods, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: A streamlined method for purifying alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) from an AAT-containing protein mixture, such as Coh fraction IV precipitate, is provided. In the method of the invention, contaminating proteins are destabilized by cleavage of disulfide bonds with a reducing reagent, such as dithiol, which does not affect AAT. The destabilized proteins are then preferentially adsorbed on a solid protein-adsorbing material, without the addition of a salt as a precipitant. Separation of the solid absorbent from the solution leaves a purified AAT solution that is directly suitable for chromatographic purification, without the need for extensive desalting as in prior art processes. A process incorporating this method, which provides pharmaceutical grade AAT in high yield on a commercial scale, is also described.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing lipids and amino acids from a gaseous substrate comprising methane and oxygen. The process uses a culture of a methanotrophic microorganism in a liquid nutrient medium. The methanotrophic microorganism can be a Methylomicrobium bacterium and more specifically Methylomicrobium buryatense 5GB1. The lipid products can be in the cellular membrane of the methanotroph and can be extracted in a separate extraction zone.