Abstract: A system and method for forming a cardiac muscle construct are provided, the system including a substrate and cardiac cells provided on the substrate in the absence of a scaffold. The cardiac cells are cultured in vitro under conditions to allow the cells to become confluent and detach from the substrate to form a three-dimensional cardiac muscle construct.

Abstract: A tubular tissue scaffold is described which comprises a tube having a wall, wherein the wall includes biopolymer fibrils that are aligned in a helical pattern around the longitudinal axis of the tube where the pitch of the helical pattern changes with the radial position in the tube wall. The scaffold is capable of directing the morphological pattern of attached and growing cells to form a helical pattern around the tube walls. Additionally, an apparatus for producing such a tubular tissue scaffold is disclosed, the apparatus comprising a biopolymer gel dispersion feed pump that is operably connected to a tube-forming device having an exit port, where the tube-forming device is capable of producing a tube from the gel dispersion while providing an angular shear force across the wall of the tube, and a liquid bath located to receive the tubular tissue scaffold from the tube-forming device. A method for producing the tubular tissue scaffolds is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides methodologies and apparatus for producing acellular soft-tissue implants, both in small quantities and in commercializable quantities. Such soft-tissue implants include vascular graft substitutes. An acellular graft is produced by subjecting the tissue sample to an induced pressure mediated flow of an extracting solution, followed by inducing a pressure mediated flow of a treating solution, then washing the treated tissue to produce the acellular graft. The acellular grafts produced are uniform and non-immunogenic. The inventive method allows for the production of multiple decellularized soft tissue implants, where processing time is significantly less than prior art processes and the number of implants produced per day is increased over prior art processes. In clinical use, the decellularized grafts produced exhibit significantly improved in long-term durability and function.

Abstract: A particulate bone of defined sizes which has a unique property of direct bone osteoinduction without going through endochondral ossification stage is disclosed. The bone is not subjected to chemical extraction or decalcification. This allows for the retention of all physiologically active components of native bone. The invention hinges on the newly discovered ability of bone particles of defined sizes to exert osteoinduction by a pathway superior to and distinct from demineralized bone matrix and similar preparations.

Abstract: A method of a pretreatment of a sample for quantitating cholesterol characterized by, before measuring cholesterol contained in specific lipoproteins, treating the sample containing lipoproteins with an enzyme, the substrate of which is free cholesterol, optionally together with a reaction accelerator; a method for quantitating cholesterol in specific lipoproteins by using the above method; and a kit for quantitating cholesterol in specific lipoproteins to be used in the above quantification method. By using this quantification method, cholesterol in a specific fraction can be conveniently, accurately and efficiently quantitated fundamentally without resort to polyanion, etc. Thus, this method is appropriately usable in various automatic analyzers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to medical devices that are to be implanted or inserted into the body of a patient for the purpose of removing undesired body tissues. In one embodiment of the invention the medical device comprises a body tissue removal agent for removing undesired body tissue simultaneously with or prior to treatment of body tissue that is in proximity to the undesired body tissue with a biologically active material. Such biologically active material may facilitate regeneration of the body tissue that was removed or may prevent the recurrence of the undesired body tissue.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a new epoxypolysaccharide-producing bacterium, the exopolysaccharide isolated from this bacterium and the use of the exopolysaccharide.

Abstract: Provided are methods of removing bisulfite material from a composition that contains a bisulfite material and an enzyme. The method includes contacting the composition with a compound containing at least one aldehyde functional group to form an aldehyde-bisulfite complex, whereby the aldehyde-bisulfite complex may be separated from the composition.

Abstract: An enzyme multimer is provided which comprises a plurality of monomer units including a first monomer unit having enzymatic activity and a second monomer unit having enzymatic activity, wherein each of the first monomer unit and the second monomer unit comprise a cysteine residue and the cysteine residues of each monomer unit are covalently bound to each other through a disulfide bond to covalently attach the first monomer unit to the second monomer unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing an optically active allene represented by formula (1): wherein R2 and R3 are different and each represents a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted C1-20 alkyl group or an optionally substituted C6-20 aryl group, and R4 represents an acyl group, which comprises reacting an allene derivative represented by formula (2): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted acyl group and R2 and R3 have the same meaning as defined above, with an acylating agent having an acyl group represented by R4 when both R1s are each a hydrogen atom or with water when both R1s are each an acyl group represented by R4, in the presence of an enzyme catalyst. According to this production process, an optically active allene can be produced efficiently and enantioselectively from an allene derivative having a symmetrical structure.

Abstract: The treatment of spirulina by a process which includes placing spirulina that has not been previously heat-sterilized, lactic acid bacteria and sugar in water, then culturing the lactic acid bacteria provides treated spirulina in which the distinctive taste and odor of spirulina are minimized, in which active ingredients such as phycocyanin remain intact, and which contains a reduced level of bacteria other than lactic acid bacteria.

Abstract: Reducing or preventing adhesions which would otherwise form in a patient during or after surgery by administering a fibrinogen preparation containing a non-plasmin-acting fibrinolysis inhibitor such as eglin.

Abstract: Demineralized bone particles are obtained by demineralizing whole bone and thereafter subdividing the demineralized bone to provide the demineralized bone particles.

Abstract: A method for inhibiting bacterial growth in whole blood and/or blood components, which may therefore also be used to extend the storage time for the whole blood and/or blood components, through treatment with carbon monoxide. This method is preferably used for the preservation of platelets, which are both particularly vulnerable to bacterial and other microbial infection, and which are also particularly suitable for use with the method of the present invention. Carbon monoxide may be present in an amount of from about 40% to about 100%. Platelets may be stored in a solution buffered by any suitable buffer, such as sodium bicarbonate. Platelet viability may be determined by measuring the ability to aggregate, for example in response to an agonist such as collagen.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition for the oral administration of beneficial microorganisms in a discrete dosage form, comprising about 10% to about 50% by weight of a starch component, about 25% to about 50% by weight of a sugar component, about 0-20% of a humectant component, and about 5% to about 25% by weight of water. The composition has a soft and chewy texture and water activity of about 0.60 to about 0.75.

Abstract: Separation of long molecules by length is obtained by forcing such molecules to traverse a boundary between a low free-energy region and a high free-energy region. In one embodiment, the high free-energy region is a dense pillar region or other structure formed on a semiconductor substrate. One or more membranes are used in further embodiments. The low free-energy region is a larger chamber formed adjacent the high free-energy region. A recoil phase allows longer molecules not fully driven into the high free-energy region to recoil into the low free-energy region. In a further variation, the high free-energy region is a membrane having nanoscale holes.

Abstract: Methods are described for using compositions containing platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of a variety of tissue lesions. Particularly, delivery of platelet-rich plasma to connective tissue is described. The described method and compositions have been shown to provide both pain relief and improved mobility in treatment of lateral epicondylitis.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for reliably stabilizing eukaryotic cells that express the P2X7 receptor channel, particularly mammalian and other vertebrate cells, including human cells, for example mammalian macrophages, or hematopoietic stem cells, in order to introduce otherwise membrane-impermeable compounds that are helpful for stabilizing the cells during drying, chilling, freezing, freeze-drying, or cryopreservation. The cells are exposed to extracellular ATP in concentration sufficient to open pores in the plasma membrane. One or more otherwise membrane-impermeable compounds that aid the survivorship of cells are then introduced, for example, trehalose, and after a brief time the pores are closed—for example, by adding divalent cations, or by diluting the extracellular solution. Once the trehalose or other stabilizing compound has been introduced, the cells may be stably preserved. By taking advantage of an endogenous mammalian receptor and ATP, no antigenic compounds need be introduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of resveratrol in cell cultures. The inventive method consists in: incubating a culture of cells which produce resveratrol naturally, in suspension, in the presence of randomly-methylated ?-cyclodextrin (RMBCD) with a degree of substitution of between 11 and 13 under conditions that allow resveratrol synthesis and the excretion of same into the culture medium; and, if desired, isolating the resveratrol produced from said culture medium. The resveratrol can be used in the production of pharmaceutical or nutraceutical products.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for producing an aqueous acrylamide solution by hydrating acrylonitrile in an aqueous solution while in the presence of a biocatalyst.