Abstract: The present invention relates to a bioreactor apparatus, and methods of use, for the isolation of rare blood cells, including hematopoietic stem cells and megakaryocytes. The apparatus includes a soft substrate and an anti-contractility agent, thereby providing a soft microenvironment to cultured cells. The apparatus of the invention is permissive for the survival of non-dividing cells while dividing cells are eliminated. This unique property allows for the simple isolation of rare blood cells without the use of costly equipment and antibodies.

Abstract: A selective agent comprising a triclosan derivative for use in selective inhibition of non-target cells in a mixed population of target and non-target cells. Preferably the triclosan derivative is a glycoside derivative, more preferably a pyranoside derivative. Suitably a selective medium comprising said selective agent and methods of culturing cells using the selective agent are provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cell culturing method and cell culturing apparatus and kit for use therewith. The method includes applying cells on a porous polyimide film and culturing. One embodiment includes a process for sowing cells on the surface of the film. Another embodiment includes a process for placing a cell suspension on the dried surface of the film and leaving the film undisturbed, moving the film to promote liquid efflux, or stimulating a portion of the surface to entangle the cell suspension into the film, and then retaining the cells in suspension inside the film while allowing moisture to flow out. Another embodiment includes a process for moistening one or both surfaces of the film with a cell culture solution or sterilized liquid, loading a cell suspension on the moistened film, retaining the cells in suspension inside the film, and allowing moisture to flow out.

Abstract: The present invention provides an embedding resin composition for electron microscopy having satisfactory performance as an embedding medium, including embedding performance and sectioning quality, and exhibiting excellent antistatic performance; and a method for observing a sample with an electron microscope using the composition. The embedding resin composition for electron microscopy of the present invention having antistatic performance comprises an ionic liquid and an embedding medium comprising an epoxy-based resin, a methacrylate resin or an unsaturated polyester resin. Preferably, the ionic liquid comprising a quaternary ammonium compound based on the formula (I): and an anion selected from the group consisting of BF4?, PF6?, (CF3SO2)2N?, a halide ion, a conjugate base of carboxylic acid, a conjugate base of sulfonic acid and a conjugate base of an inorganic acid.

Abstract: Provided are a hydrogel-encapsulated cell patterning and transferring method comprising: preparing a substrate having a hydrogel-encapsulated cell patterning comprising a first cell and an alginate hydrogel; preparing an agarose hydrogel substrate comprising agarose hydrogel and any one of a second cell and a physiological active substance; and disposing the substrate having the hydrogel-encapsulated cell patterning on the agarose hydrogel substrate and transferring the cell patterning and a biosensor comprising: a first substrate having a hydrogel-encapsulated cell patterning comprising a first cell and an alginate hydrogel; and an agarose hydrogel second substrate comprising agarose hydrogel and any one of a second cell and a physiological active substance.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the disclosure relates generally to methods as well as related compositions, systems, kits and apparatus comprising linking proteins to target compounds and/or to locations of interest using tethers. For example, the tether can be used to link the protein to a target compound, for example, to link an enzyme to a substrate. Similarly, the tether can be used to link the protein at or near a desired location on a surface. In one group of embodiments, the tether includes a polynucleotide and the target compound or location on the surface includes another polynucleotide that is capable of hybridizing to the tether. In such embodiments, the tether can be used to link the protein to the target compound or location using nucleic acid hybridization.

Abstract: A conditioned medium of CD11blow macrophages and methods for preparing it are provided. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the CD11blow macrophages conditioned medium or a culture of CD11blow macrophages and their use in the treatment of cancer or fibrosis are also provided.

Abstract: The present application relates to a non-human mammal model of a human neurodegenerative disorder, methods of producing the non-human mammal model, and methods of using the non-human mammal model to identify agents suitable for treating a neurodegenerative disorder. The present application also relates to methods of treating neurodegenerative disorders and restoring normal brain interstitial potassium levels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and methods for identifying a compound for de-fatting and functional recovery of macrosteatotic hepatocytes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparation of an artificial blood vessel using a tube-type porous biodegradable scaffold having a double layered structure and a stem cell, and an artificial blood vessel made by the same. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for preparation of an artificial blood vessel by separately seeding a stem cell onto the inner membrane and an outer membrane of a tube-type porous biodegradable scaffold having a double layered structure, wherein the inner membrane and the outer membrane having different biodegradable polymer nano-fiber arrangements are continuously linked, and by inducing differentiation; and an artificial blood vessel made by the same.

Abstract: In a method for diagnosing and/or prognosis of cancers, diagnosing origin of tumor cells, optimizing cancer therapy, and screening active substances for oncology, the mechanical properties of tumor cells and reference cells are analyzed under mechanical load that causes linear or non-linear deformation of the loaded cell. The engineering strain of the cells caused by directed mechanical stress being introduced is used to determine metastasis risk and the presence of uncontrollably proliferating and/or invasive cells, or the origin of the tumor. The metastasis risk is determined based on the proportion of cells in the sample exhibiting engineering strain in a direction opposite to the stressing direction. The risk of the presence of uncontrollably proliferating cells for non-linear deformation of the cell is determined in the sample based on the mean value of the engineering strain in the direction of cell stressing.

Abstract: A liquid anti-aging antioxidant nutritional supplement comprising collagen, carnosine, CoEnzyme Q10 and Resveratrol particularly suitable for reducing oxidative damage to the integumentary system.

Abstract: Methods for producing extracted and digested products from pretreated lignocellulosic biomass are provided. The methods include converting native cellulose I? to cellulose IIII by pretreating the lignocellulosic biomass with liquid ammonia under certain conditions, and performing extracting or digesting steps on the pretreated/converted lignocellulosic biomass.

Abstract: Methods and systems for producing and removing C6 and/or C8 carboxylates and/or methane from carbohydrate containing biomass, an alcohol, and mixtures of microorganisms under an anaerobic environment. The C6 and/or C8 carboxylates are removed continuously or in-line. Methanogenesis is not inhibited and very little input carbon is lost as carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A process for pretreatment of a biomass material, comprising subjecting a biomass material to a biphasic mixture of water and supercritical CO2 at a temperature in the range of 150° C. to 250° C. under high pressure for a time of from 10 seconds to 100 minutes. In particular embodiments, the process is performed as a two-stage temperature process wherein an initial short high-temperature stage is conducted at a temperature of at least 200° C. for up to 20 minutes and a subsequent longer low-temperature stage is conducted at a temperature of at least 140° C. and up to 190° C. for 10-120 minutes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a myocardial sheet using a group of cells derived from embryonic stem cells. This method is characterized by mixing Flk/KDR positive cells, cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, and mural cells, all derived from embryonic stem cells, and culturing the mixed cells. Furthermore, the myocardial sheet can be used as a therapeutic agent for heart diseases since VEGF is released from the sheet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method that allows the preparation of a cell concentrate in a short time without loss of cells and great damage on cells by simple operations. The present invention provides a method for producing a cell concentrate using an inside-out filtration system for processing a cell suspension, the system including: a cell suspension inlet port; a filtrate outlet port; a cell suspension outlet port; and a hollow fiber separation membrane interposed between the cell suspension inlet port and the cell suspension outlet port, wherein the hollow fiber separation membrane is provided with inner pores with an average pore size of 0.1 ?m to 10 ?m, and the quotient of the division of an initial filtrate flow rate by a linear velocity of the cell suspension flowing through the hollow fibers is 2.5 or less.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods of treating anal gland disease in subjects. In particular, the disclosure provides supplement compositions useful for treatment of anal gland disease. Such compositions comprise a probiotic, a fiber source, and an anti-inflammatory agent.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for the determination of vitamin B6 in samples as well as to reagent compositions for assaying a sample for vitamin B6 and to a test kit suitable for carrying out the methods according to the present invention. Further, the invention relates to the use of such methods for the application to different analyzing devices such as micro-titer plate readers and fully automated clinical chemistry analyzers (autoanalyzers).

Abstract: The invention relates to a bacterial strain belonging to the genus Rhodococcus which is a producer of a nitrile hydratase. The invention also relates to a method for producing acrylamide by hydration of acrylonitrile using a biomass of the bacterial strain and to a method of culturing the bacterial strain.