Abstract: The instant invention is the storage of Type II collagen containing tissue in carbonated water. Such Type II collagen is useful for alleviating the symptoms of arthritis in mammals as well as the treatment of arthritis in mammals. Such Type II collagen is also useful for the prevention of arthritis in mammals. The instant invention is also a method for the preparation of a nutritional supplement that includes the steps of: (a) separating water-insoluble undenatured Type II collagen containing animal tissue from animal tissue not containing Type II collagen; (b) subdividing and sterilizing said tissue under conditions which do not change the original structure of the Type II collagen to produce a subdivided and sterilized product; (c) packaging the subdivided and sterilized product in carbonated water.

Abstract: The present invention is the storage of biologically active natural ingredients in carbonated water. In a specific embodiment, the present invention is the storage in carbonated water of animal tissue containing type II collagen. Such type II collagen is useful for alleviating the symptoms of arthritis in mammals as well as the treatment of arthritis in mammals. Such type II collagen is also useful for the prevention of arthritis in mammals. The present invention is also a method for the preparation of a nutritional supplement that includes the steps of: (a) separating animal tissue containing water-insoluble, undenatured type II collagen from animal tissue not containing type II collagen; (b) subdividing and sterilizing said tissue under conditions which do not change the original structure of the type II collagen to produce a subdivided and sterilized product; (c) packaging the subdivided and sterilized product in carbonated water.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing an acellular dermal matrix, and to an acellular dermal matrix produced by same, and more particularly, to a method for producing an acellular dermal matrix, in which sucrose is added to base ingredients consisting of glycerol, propylene glycol, and a base solvent or solution so as to produce a cryoprotectant, the solution is injected into the skin below the epidermis and dermis from which cells have been removed, and freeze-drying is then performed.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for enhancing the quality and survival of red blood cells during storage by depleting the red blood cells of both carbon dioxide and oxygen and maintaining 2,3-diphosphoglycerate acid levels.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for decreasing oxidative damage to an organ during cold storage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the culturing of cells by continuous perfusion culturing of a cell culture comprising cell culture medium and cells, wherein cell culture medium is added to the cell culture, the cell culture is circulated over a filter module comprising hollow fibers resulting in an outflow of liquid having a lower cell density than the cell culture and the flow within the filter module is an alternating tangential flow. Preferably, culture medium is added at a particular perfusion rate and/or biomass is removed form the culture at least once. The method is especially suitable for the culturing of aggregating cells. The invention also relates to such a process wherein a biological substance, preferably an antibody, is produced by the cells, which biological substance may be further purified in downstream processing.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of detecting bacteria in fluids, including blood, platelets and other blood products for transfusion, and urine. The methods are based on lysing the bacteria to release ATP and detecting the ATP. Eukaryotic cell contamination is a problem to be overcome, because eukaryotic cell contain large amounts of ATP. Thus, some of the methods involve separating intact eukaryotic cells (e.g., platelets) from intact bacterial cells before lysing the bacterial cells to release ATP, contacting the ATP with an ATP-consuming enzyme that catalyzes a reaction, and monitoring the enzyme-catalyzed reaction. Typically, the enzyme is luciferin, and the reaction is monitored by detecting light produced by the luciferin. Other methods of the invention involve contacting a fluid sample with a support surface that binds bacterial cells, lysing the bacterial cells to release ATP, contacting the ATP with an ATP-consuming enzyme, and monitoring the enzyme-catalyzed reaction.

Abstract: Melanin or inorganic fertilizers are produced from fermentation leachates or from low-cost nutrient-rich solutions. The method for producing the melanin or inorganic fertilizer comprises repetitive trophic cycling in the controlled conditions of primary and secondary bioreactors. Nutrients are cycled between microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast and fungi and black soldier fly larvae, Hermetia illucens. Polysaccharides are partly converted into natural melanins or inorganic fertilizer, which are difficult to biodegrade and hence accumulate in the bioreactors. The method can employ, as a source of nutrients, leachates produced from food waste or from sugar-rich liquid waste of the food industry. These leachates can be used raw or can be augmented with low-cost sugar-rich solutions such as molasses, hydrolyzed cellulose or starch. The method is inexpensive and does not require the use of expensive chemically-defined culture media.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the detection of essentially intact encapsulated or non-encapsulated parasites in meat, comprising the maceration of the meat with an alkaline digestion solution which contains a digestive enzyme that is active in an alkaline environment. Further, uses of a serine endopeptidase in a method for the detection of essentially intact encapsulated or non-encapsulated parasites in meat are described. The present invention also describes serine endopeptidases for use in a diagnostic method for the detection of essentially intact encapsulated or non-encapsulated parasites in meat. Finally, a kit is disclosed which comprises the enzymes and alkaline digestion solutions of the present invention.

Abstract: System and method includes a body having a central microchannel separated by one or more porous membranes. The membranes are configured to divide the central microchannel into a two or more parallel central microchannels, wherein one or more first fluids are applied through the first central microchannel and one or more second fluids are applied through the second or more central microchannels. The surfaces of each porous membrane can be coated with cell adhesive molecules to support the attachment of cells and promote their organization into tissues on the upper and lower surface of the membrane. The pores may be large enough to only permit exchange of gases and small chemicals, or to permit migration and transchannel passage of large proteins and whole living cells. Fluid pressure, flow and channel geometry also may be varied to apply a desired mechanical force to one or both tissue layers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of modulating insulin signaling in a cell. This method involves modifying the nuclear or cellular concentration of biliverdin reductase, or fragments or variants thereof, in a cell, whereby a change in nuclear or cellular concentration of biliverdin reductase, or fragments or variants thereof, modulates insulin signaling in the cell via biliverdin reductase interaction with one or both of insulin receptor kinase domain and insulin receptor substrate. Also disclosed are methods of treating a condition associated with insulin signaling and treating a patient for a condition associated with insulin-mediated glucose uptake.