Abstract: A method of determining the therapeutic effect of an agent, such as a metabolite, comprising: (a) exposing a pathological microbiome to the agent; and (b) comparing the signature of the pathological microbiome following the exposing with a reference signature of a healthy microbiome, wherein when the signature of the microbiome is statistically significantly similar to the healthy microbiome reference signature, it is indicative that the agent has a therapeutic effect on the microbiome. The agent may be provided to a subject having a pathological microbiome once it has been classified as therapeutic.

Abstract: A method of reducing the liver toxicity of a liver-damaging agent is disclosed. The method comprises administering to the subject: (i) the liver-damaging agent; and (ii) an agent which alters the circadian rhythmicity of microbes of the gut microbiome of the subject.

Abstract: Method of predicting a response of a subject to food is disclosed. The method comprises: selecting a food to which a response of the subject is unknown; accessing a first database having data describing the subject but not a response of the subject to the selected food; accessing a second database having data pertaining to responses of other subjects to foods, the responses of the other subjects including responses of at least one other subject to the selected food or a food similar to said selected food; and analyzing the databases based on the selected food to estimate the response of the subject to the selected food.

Abstract: Disclosed is an agrochemical delivery unit comprising an impermeable cell which is a cell made of material that is impermeable to water; an agrochemical within the impermeable cell; and a wick comprising a hydrogel, said wick having a portion located within the impermeable cell and a portion located outside of the impermeable cell. Also disclosed is an agrochemical delivery unit comprising (a) a cell comprising two or more cell wall segments wherein at least one segment is impermeable to water and at least one segment is permeable to water; and (ii) an agrochemical within the cell. The invention provides methods of making and using the units.

Abstract: Method of predicting a response of a subject to food is disclosed. The method comprises: selecting a food to which a response of the subject is unknown; accessing a first database having data describing the subject but not a response of the subject to the selected food; accessing a second database having data pertaining to responses of other subjects to foods, the responses of the other subjects including responses of at least one other subject to the selected food or a food similar to said selected food; and analyzing the databases based on the selected food to estimate the response of the subject to the selected food.

Abstract: A method of analyzing the likelihood of weight regain in a subject who has reached a target weight by practicing a weight loss program is disclosed. The method comprises determining an amount or presence of at least one microbe and/or product thereof in the gut microbiome of the subject, wherein the amount of the at least one microbe is altered during a prior weight gain period of the subject to reach a level representative of an obese subject and further wherein the amount of the at least one microbe is retained at the level following the weight loss program, wherein the amount or presence of the at least one microbe or product thereof is predictive of weight regain.

Abstract: A method of assessing the growth dynamics of a bacterium in a microbiome is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of determining tolerance to an agent in a healthy subject is disclosed. The method comprises: (a) determining a signature of a microbiome in a sample of the healthy subject who has been subjected to the agent or condition; and (b) comparing the signature of the microbiome of the healthy subject to at least one reference signature of a pathological microbiome, wherein when the signature of the microbiome of the healthy subject is statistically significantly similar to the reference signature of the pathological microbiome, it is indicative that the healthy subject is intolerant to the agent.

Abstract: A computer appliance including a front-end interface communicating with a client computer, a back-end interface communicating with a storage, a compressor receiving native next generation sequencing (NGS) data from an application running on the client computer via the front-end interface, the application being programmed to process native NGS data, adding a compressed form of the native NGS data into a portion of an encoded data file or data object, and storing the portion of the encoded data file or data object in the storage via the back-end interface, and a decompressor receiving a portion of an encoded data file or data object from the storage via the back-end interface, decompressing the portion of the encoded data file or data object to generate therefrom native NGS data, and transmitting the native NGS data to the client via the front-end interface, for use by the application running on the client.

Abstract: A method of determining the therapeutic effect of an agent, such as a metabolite, comprising: (a) exposing a pathological microbiome to the agent; and (b) comparing the signature of the pathological microbiome following the exposing with a reference signature of a healthy microbiome, wherein when the signature of the microbiome is statistically significantly similar to the healthy microbiome reference signature, it is indicative that the agent has a therapeutic effect on the microbiome. The agent may be provided to a subject having a pathological microbiome once it has been classified as therapeutic.

Abstract: A method of improving the glucose response in glucose tolerant and intolerant subjects is provided. The method comprises providing to the subject probiotic compositions, or agents which specifically reduce bacterial species.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bead comprising: i) an external zone comprising a super absorbent polymer (SAP) that is capable of absorbing at least about 5 times its weight in water, surrounding ii) at least one internal zone comprising a core that contains at least one agrochemical, wherein the external zone is permeable to oxygen when hydrated, or the internal zone is formulated to release the at least one agrochemical into the external zone over a period of at least about one week when the hydrogel of the external zone is hydrated. The present invention also provides methods of using beads of the invention.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the invention provides a unit for delivery of agrochemicals to the roots of a plant comprising: one or more root development zones; optionally, one or more agrochemical zones; and a pesticide; wherein the agrochemical zones are formulated to release at least one agrochemical into the root development zones in a controlled release manner when the root development zones are swelled; and wherein the dry weight ratio of the root development zones to the agrochemical zones in a dry unit is 0.05:1 to 20:1, or wherein the total volume of the root development zones in the unit is at least 0.2 mL when the unit is fully swelled.

Abstract: Disclosed is an agrochemical delivery unit comprising an impermeable cell which is a cell made of material that is impermeable to water; an agrochemical within the impermeable cell; and a wick comprising a hydrogel, said wick having a portion located within the impermeable cell and a portion located outside of the impermeable cell. Also disclosed is an agrochemical delivery unit comprising (a) a cell comprising two or more cell wall segments wherein at least one segment is impermeable to water and at least one segment is permeable to water; and (ii) an agrochemical within the cell. The invention provides methods of making and using the units.

Abstract: A method of determining tolerance to an agent in a healthy subject is disclosed. The method comprises: (a) determining a signature of a microbiome in a sample of the healthy subject who has been subjected to the agent or condition; and (b) comparing the signature of the microbiome of the healthy subject to at least one reference signature of a pathological microbiome, wherein when the signature of the microbiome of the healthy subject is statistically significantly similar to the reference signature of the pathological microbiome, it is indicative that the healthy subject is intolerant to the agent.

Abstract: Method of predicting a response of a subject to food is disclosed. The method comprises: selecting a food to which a response of the subject is unknown; accessing a first database having data describing the subject but not a response of the subject to the selected food; accessing a second database having data pertaining to responses of other subjects to foods, the responses of the other subjects including responses of at least one other subject to the selected food or a food similar to said selected food; and analyzing the databases based on the selected food to estimate the response of the subject to the selected food.

Abstract: A method for constructing an association map between imaging features and biological data is described. The method comprises combining one or more image features relating to a clinical subject with biological data and using an algorithm to make predictions based on the features and data.

Abstract: A unit for delivery of agrochemicals to the roots of a plant comprising one or more root development zones, and one or more agrochemical zones containing at least one agrochemical, wherein the agrochemical zones are formulated to release the at least one agrochemical into the root development zones in a controlled release manner when the root development zones are hydrated, and wherein the weight ratio of the root development zones to the agrochemical zones in a dry unit is 0.05:1 to 0.32:1.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bead comprising: i) an external zone comprising a super absorbent polymer (SAP) that is capable of absorbing at least about 5 times its weight in water, surrounding ii) at least one internal zone comprising a core that contains at least one agrochemical, wherein the external zone is permeable to oxygen when hydrated, or the internal zone is formulated to release the at least one agrochemical into the external zone over a period of at least about one week when the hydrogel of the external zone is hydrated. The present invention also provides methods of using beads of the invention.

Abstract: Provided are methods of predicting a pairability of nucleotides of a plurality of RNA polynucleotides by (a) simultaneously determining a paired state or an unpaired state of nucleotides of the plurality of RNA polynucleotides; and (b) corresponding the paired state or the unpaired state of the nucleotides to a database of nucleic acid sequences, the database comprises nucleic acid sequences representing the plurality of RNA polynucleotides, thereby determining the pairability of nucleotides of the plurality of RNA polynucleotides. Also provided are methods of determining a secondary structure of a plurality of RNA molecules; methods of determining if a molecule is capable of modulating a secondary structure of at least one RNA polynucleotide of a plurality of RNA polynucleotides; and methods of screening for a marker associated with a pathology.