Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a peripheral diagnostic method for screening Alzheimer's disease in patients based on quantitatively measured complexity of skin-sampled fibroblast networks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preserving cells in a cell preservative solution. The cell preservative solution comprises a lower alcohol having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and a divalent metal ion in an aqueous solvent, wherein the concentration of the divalent metal ion is from about 6 mmol/L to about 82 mmol/L.

Abstract: Methods and devices for the selective lysis of cells in a sample comprising micro-organisms such as bacteria are provided. The selective lysis is obtained by incubating the sample in a non-ionic detergent under alkaline conditions.

Abstract: The present application provides a two phase immiscible system for the pretreatment of embedded biological samples comprising placing at least one support having an embedded biological sample on its surface into a pretreatment container, adding to the pretreatment container at least one reagent forming a layer, adding a carrier composition to the pretreatment container, such that reagent forming layer is formed on the top of the carrier composition, and in an amount such that the at least one reagent forming layer contacts at least a portion of the embedded biological sample. Pretreatment of the embedded biological samples can include removal of embedding medium from embedded biological, target retrieval and enzyme blocking samples before staining histochemical analysis or other processes. The system also includes an apparatus and processes of automation of the pretreatment methods.

Abstract: Clostridium difficile disease involves a range of clinical presentations ranging from carrier status with other causes of symptoms to mild and self-limiting diarrhea to life-threatening pseudomembranous colitis and megacolon. Cases of C. difficile are treated differently depending on the presence and then the severity of disease. Patients that are carriers may not receive treatment with concern of causing the disease. Mild to moderate cases may be treated with metronidazole while severe and relapsing cases are often treated with vancomycin or fidaxomicin. Current molecular assays are highly sensitive for detecting toxigenic C. difficile and cannot rule out carrier status. Utilization of a biomarker panel that includes C. difficile antigen (GDH), toxins A and B, and fecal lactoferrin allows clinicians to differentiate between a carrier state and active state of C. difficile and allows for monitoring to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates methods of chromogen layering, wherein a first chromogen and a first stain (color) are produced on a sample, specific for a first analyte, followed by a second chromogen and a second stain (color) being produced on the same sample, specific for a second analyte. In addition, if desired, by overlaying the second stain on top of the first stain, a unique third color is produced that is specific for a third analyte. Therefore, the distribution of different colors throughout the sample could be used to identify at least two or more analytes simultaneously within a single sample.

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: Cranial placodes are embryonic structures essential for sensory and endocrine organ development. The efficient derivation of cranial placodes from human pluripotent stem cells is disclosed where the timed removal of the BMP inhibitor Noggin, a component of the dual-SMAD inhibition strategy of neural induction, triggers placode induction at the expense of CNS fates. Further fate specification at the pre-placode stage enables the selective generation of placode-derived trigeminal ganglia capable of in vivo engraftment, mature lens fibers and anterior pituitary hormone-producing cells that upon transplantation produce hormones including, but not limited to, human growth hormone and adrenocortiocotropic hormone in vivo. Alternatively, anterior pituitary hormone-producing cells are generated in cell culture systems in vitro.

Abstract: The present invention features microgels and microtissues for use in tissue engineering. Featured is a microencapsulation device for making microgels and/or microtissues via an emulsion technology. Also featured are methods of making higher ordered structures that mimic in vivo tissue structures. Methods of us are also featured.

Abstract: A method of cryopreservation of biological material includes the steps of providing an apparatus including a vessel having a reservoir wherein the vessel has a channel formed in a portion of the reservoir, the channel including an intermediate restriction dimensioned to resist passage of the biological material but allow passage of liquid treatment solutions, and the channel including sub-reservoirs at either end of the restriction; introducing the biological material into a reservoir region of the apparatus for capture in a channel region of the vessel; irrigating and draining the biological material with a series of vitrification solutions introduced into a first of the sub-reservoirs and removed from a second of the sub-reservoirs; final draining the irrigation solutions from the vessel; and vitrifying the vessel and captive biological material.

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: Allografts for soft tissue repair, including breast reconstruction and other plastic surgery procedures, are disclosed. One allograft is made from decellularized dermal tissue and constitutes a collagen matrix having substantially uniform density and porosity. Another allograft is a hybrid bilayer tissue form that is made from decellularized dermal and adipose tissues. Methods for making both allografts are also disclosed.

Abstract: Process for extracting volatile fatty acids (VFA), organic molecules called precursors produced by microorganisms (M) in a fermentation reactor (2) by anaerobic fermentation (3) using fermentable biomass (1), said molecules being fermentative metabolites, comprising at least the following steps: a) selecting an extraction means (8) from extraction means that is, at least, insoluble in the fermentation medium and the processing conditions of which preserve the capacity of the microorganisms (M) present in the fermentation medium to produce the molecules, b) bringing the chosen extraction means (8) into contact (9) with the fermentation medium without interrupting the fermentation (3), c) recovering (12) the extracted molecules, at a pH lower than 4.5, by the extraction means (8) outside the fermentation reactor (2). The invention also relates to an installation for implementing the method.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a fungal serine protease enzyme, which said enzyme has serine protease activity and comprises an amino acid sequence of Malbranchea ALKO4122 mature protease as defined in SEQ ID NO:18 or an amino acid sequence having at least 66% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:18. Also disclosed is an isolated nucleic acid molecule, comprising a polynucleotide sequence which encodes a fungal serine protease enzyme, nucleic acid sequences encoding said protease, a host cell and a process of producing a polypeptide having serine protease activity. Said protease is useful as an enzyme preparation applicable in detergent compositions and for treating fibers, wool, hair, leather, or silk, for treating food or feed, or for any applications involving modification, degradation or removal of proteinaceous material.

Abstract: A method for treating a patient suffering from a condition with an active compound comprising the steps of (a) treating the patient intranasally with an effective amount of MMP-9 or a functionally equivalent fragment, wherein the tight junctions of the patient's nasal epithelial cells are modulated or wherein the basal lamina of the patient is partially digested and type IV collagen of the patient is degraded or wherein access to the patient's perineural, perivascular, or lymphatic compartment spaces is facilitated and (b) treating the patient intranasally with an active compound is disclosed.

Abstract: Devices and methods for transplanting cells in a host body are described. The cell comprises a porous scaffold that allows ingrowth of vascular and connective tissues, a plug or plug system configured for placement within the porous scaffold, and a seal configured to enclose a proximal opening in the porous scaffold. The device may further comprise a cell delivery device for delivering cells into the porous scaffold. The method of cell transplantation comprises a two step process. The device is incubated in the host body to form a vascularized collagen matrix around a plug positioned within the porous scaffold. The plug is then retracted from the porous scaffold, and cells are delivered into the vascularized space created within the porous scaffold.

Abstract: A process is provided for forming a fuel or a fuel intermediate from two fermentations that includes feeding an aqueous solution comprising a fermentation product from a first bioreactor to a second bioreactor and/or a stage upstream of the second bioreactor, which also produces the fermentation product. The aqueous solution may be added at any stage of the second fermentation and/or processing steps upstream from the second bioreactor that would otherwise require the addition of water. Accordingly, the product yield is increased while fresh/treated water usage is decreased.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for manufacturing an active substance for inducing self-lysis in microalga cells, including: inoculating a bacterial strain belonging to Bacillus into a culturing medium to obtain a bacterial suspension; culturing the bacterial strain belonging to Bacillus at least to a stationary phase to a condition in which the bacterial strain belonging to Bacillus aggregates in the bacterial suspension and the bacterial suspension becomes pellucid; and after the bacterial strain belonging to Bacillus aggregates in the bacterial suspension and the bacterial suspension becomes pellucid, performing a vacuum distillation procedure on the bacterial suspension to obtain an active solution, wherein the active solution contains an active substance for inducing self-lysis in microalga cells.

Abstract: The invention relates to biomarkers for diagnosing, monitoring and/or treating tuberculosis in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals with or without co-infection with HIV, monitoring the responses of individuals to anti-mycobacterial chemotherapy, monitoring the progression of latent tuberculosis to active tuberculosis, differentiating active tuberculosis from latent tuberculosis, and from other clinical conditions that mimic tuberculosis (TB). The invention also relates to methods for diagnosing, monitoring and/or treating tuberculosis using said biomarkers. The above pertain in all aspects both to pulmonary and extrapulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections, with Mycobacterium tuberculosis being the causative organism in tuberculosis. The invention therefore finds great utility in assisting with future drug discovery efforts for tuberculosis and also provides proxy clinical end points as well as being an effective predictor of a response to treatment.

Abstract: Compositions comprising cellulase and at least one poly alpha-1,3-glucan ether compound having a degree of substitution with a positively charged organic group of about 0.05-3.0 are disclosed. Such compositions can be dry or aqueous, the latter of which can have a viscosity of at least about 10 cPs. The disclosed composition can be in the form of a personal care product, household product, or industrial product, for example. Also disclosed are a method for preparing an aqueous composition comprising cellulase and a poly alpha-1,3-glucan ether compound, and a method of treating a material such as fabric by contacting it with this aqueous composition.