Abstract: The present invention relates to novel therapies for treatment of new and existing type 1 and type 2 diabetes, PreDiabetes, Latent Autoimmune Diabetes of Adulthood, and diseases of insulin deficiency, beta cell deficiency, insulin resistance and impaired glucose metabolism. In particular, the present invention identifies common peptides within the human Reg1a, Reg1b, Reg3a and Reg4, as signaling peptides for beta cell generation acting through the human Reg Receptor on the surface of human pancreatic extra-islet tissue.

Abstract: The disclosure provides culture devices and methods for a microorganism in a sample. The devices include a base member, a cover sheet, an adhesive layer coupled to the base member or the cover sheet, and a cold water-soluble gelling agent disposed on the base member; wherein the devices are substantially optically transmissive when the gelling agent is hydrated with a clear liquid. Methods of use include detecting or enumerating microorganisms. The methods further provide for detecting a microorganism by detecting the presence or size of an abiogenic gas bubble in a culture device.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a fluorescent substrate for detecting the enzymatic activity of a nitrile-related enzyme and compound represented by formula (I) and a fluorescent substrate for detecting the enzymatic activity of a nitrile-related enzyme, which includes the compound.

Abstract: A bioreactor designed to produce N2O from organic nitrogen and/or reactive nitrogen in waste is coupled to a hardware reactor device in which the N2O is consumed in a gas phase chemical reaction, e.g., catalytic decomposition to form oxygen and nitrogen gas. Heat from the exothermic reaction may be used to generate power. The bioreactor may use communities of autotrophic microorganisms such as those capable of nitrifier denitrification, ammonia oxidizing bacteria, and/or ammonia oxidizing archaea. A portion of the N2O dissolved in aqueous effluent from the bioreactor may be separated to increase the amount of gas phase N2O product. The amount of the gas phase N2O in a gas stream may also be concentrated prior to undergoing the chemical reaction. The N2O may alternatively be used as an oxidant or co-oxidant in a combustion reaction, e.g., in the combustion of methane.

Abstract: A method to produce N2O from organic nitrogen and/or reactive nitrogen in waste uses a bioreactor coupled to a hardware reactor device in which the N2O is consumed in a gas phase chemical reaction, e.g., catalytic decomposition to form oxygen and nitrogen gas. Heat from the exothermic reaction may be used to generate power. The N2O may alternatively be used as an oxidant or co-oxidant in a combustion reaction, e.g., in the combustion of methane.

Abstract: A bioreactor designed to produce N2O from organic nitrogen and/or reactive nitrogen in waste is coupled to a hardware reactor device in which the N2O is consumed in a gas phase chemical reaction, e.g., catalytic decomposition to form oxygen and nitrogen gas. Heat from the exothermic reaction may be used to generate power. The N2O may alternatively be used as an oxidant or co-oxidant in a combustion reaction, e.g., in the combustion of methane. The bioreactor may have various designs including a two-stage bioreactor, a hollow-fiber membrane bioreactor, or a sequencing batch reactor. The bioreactor may involve Fe(II)-mediated reduction of nitrite to nitrous oxide.

Abstract: Provided are compositions and methods for treating inflammation due to an immune response. Non-limiting example compositions include class-2 SPATE proteins that are capable of cleaving proteins involved in an inflammatory immune response in a patient. Example compositions include at least one mucin-cleaving class-2 SPATE protein. Further example compositions include protein involved in intestinal colonization (Pic). Non-limiting example methods include methods of decreasing inflammation in a patient having inflammation and methods of perturbing immune response in a patient having a disease or condition in which an active immune response is attributable to a cause of the disease or condition, by administering to the patient a composition including at least one class-2 SPATE protein capable of cleaving proteins involved in an inflammatory immune response.

Abstract: The present invention concerns the reduction of gastro-intestinal methanogenesis in ruminants with the aid of agents that compete for the hydrogen atoms required by methanogens during normal fermentation of ingested feed. The invention in one aspect resides in the findings that both nitrate reductive pathways as well as sulphate reductive pathways outcompete gastro-intestinal methanogenesis in ruminants and, that the methanogenesis reducing effects of nitrate and sulphate are completely additive. At the same time the combined administration of nitrate and sulphate was found to be fully effective to avoid or mitigate the potential problems of nitrite intoxication normally encountered when using nitrate alone, which effect is further enhanced, where necessary, by the addition of a nitrite reducing probiotic micoroorganism.

Abstract: The present invention relates to DNA loaded gold nanoparticles embedded in sharp carbonaceous carriers useful for higher DNA delivery efficiently into plants. These nanogold embedded carbon matrices are prepared by heat treatment of biogenic intracellular gold nanoparticles. The DNA delivery efficiency is tested on model plants. These materials reveal good dispersion of the transport material, producing a greater number of GUS foci per unit area. The added advantages of the composite carrier are the lower plasmid and gold requirements. Plant cell damage with the prepared carbon supported particles is very minimal and can be gauged from the increased plant regeneration and transformation efficiency compared to that of the commercial micrometer sized gold particles. This can be attributed to the sharp edges that the carbon supports possess, which lead to better piercing capabilities with minimum damage.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a fluorescent substrate for detecting the enzymatic activity of a nitrile-related enzyme. The present invention provides a compound represented by formula (I) and a fluorescent substrate for detecting the enzymatic activity of a nitrile-related enzyme, which comprises the compound.

Abstract: A human T cell population which has both cytotoxic and immunosuppressive activities, is efficiently produced by first fractionating CD2-positive CD14-negative cells from mononuclear cells collected from a human umbilical cord blood, and then co-culturing them with stromal cells. The resulting blast cells, which have the desired activity, are proliferated by further culture.