Abstract: Disclosed is a method of diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus, or Crohn's disease, which involves detecting the presence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in a human subject having at least one symptom associated with a suspected diagnosis of any of those diagnostic categories. Also disclosed is a method of treating these disorders, and other disorders caused by SIBO, that involves at least partially eradicating a SIBO condition in the human subject. The method includes administration of anti-microbial or probiotic agents, or normalizing intestinal motility by employing a prokinetic agent. The method improves symptoms, including hyperalgesia related to SIBO and disorders caused by SIBO.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus, or Crohn's disease, which involves detecting the presence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in a human subject having at least one symptom associated with a suspected diagnosis of any of those diagnostic categories. Also disclosed is a method of treating these disorders, and other disorders caused by SIBO, that involves at least partially eradicating a SIBO condition in the human subject. The method includes administration of anti-microbial or probiotic agents, or normalizing intestinal motility by employing a prokinetic agent. The method improves symptoms, including hyperalgesia related to SIBO and disorders caused by SIBO.

Abstract: Methods of increasing yields of succinate using aerobic culture methods and a multi-mutant E. coli strain are provided. Also provided is a mutant strain of E. coli that produces high amounts of succinic acid.

Abstract: Methods of increasing yields of succinate using aerobic culture methods and a multi-mutant E. coli strain are provided. Also provided is a mutant strain of E. coli that produces high amounts of succinic acid.

Abstract: Methods of increasing yields of succinate using aerobic culture methods and a multi-mutant E. coli strain are provided. Also provided is a mutant strain of E. coli that produces high amounts of succinic acid.

Abstract: A blind includes tension means in a bottom rail and including an output drum, a storage drum, and two cord reels at both sides all being meshed together in gears, an S-shaped tape spring interconnected the output drum and the storage drum, two lines interconnected a head rail and the bottom rail by passing a sheet of drapery material, a portion of the line being wound on the cord reels, and a trigger mechanism including a push button and a spring biased lock member adapted to move either lockingly engage with both the output drum and the storage drum by pressing the push button or not for winding or unwinding the lines to raise or lower the sheet of drapery material. The sheet of drapery material may stay at any desired position after stopping pressing the push button.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manipulating the rate of upper gastrointestinal transit of a substance in a mammal. Also disclosed are methods of manipulating satiety and post-prandial visceral blood flow. A method of treating visceral pain or visceral hypersensitivity in a human subject is also described. A method for prolonging the residence time of an orally or enterally administered substance by promoting its dissolution, bioavailability and/or absorption in the small intestine is also described. These methods are related to a method of transmitting to and replicating at a second location in the central nervous system a serotonergic neural signal originating at a first location in the proximal or distal gut of a mammal and/or a method of transmitting to and replicating at a second location in the upper gastrointestinal tract a serotonergic neural signal originating at a first location in the proximal or distal gut.

Abstract: The invention provides parylene membrane filters, filter devices and methods of making them and using them in the mechanical separation of cells and particles by size. The provision of parylene membrane filters with high figures of merit and finely controlled hole sizes allows the separation of cells and particles in a variety of biological and other fluids according to sizes.

Abstract: This utility model has practical and new technique realm of curtain, especially refers to a kind that can provide various installation methods with convenient installation solution. The main components include Upper Track, Curtain Cloth, and Curtain Carrier on the top of the Curtain Cloth, several upward extended Cloth Strap and molded Installation Slot on the side back of the Upper Track. The bottom face of Installation Slot has several Loops. The lateral face of Installation Slot is installed several cramp pieces. The installation of this new model is to embed the holding block to the Installation Slot, and fix the holding block to the window, or make a cloth pipe combined with the Curtain Carrier and Upper Track Installation Slot to adapt with the installation of curtain Installation Rod; or make a loop Cloth Strap combined with the upper Cloth Strap of the Curtain Cloth and the Loops of Upper Track to adapt with the installation of the curtain Installation Rod.

Abstract: The present invention provides a parylene-based membrane filter device for capturing of circulating tumor cells (CTC). The membrane filter has an array of holes having a predetermined geometric design with precisely controlled size, shape and density. In one aspect, the device has a stack of substantially parallel membrane filters with uniformly-spaced and/or monodispersed holes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manipulating the rate of upper gastrointestinal transit of a substance in a mammal. Also disclosed are methods of manipulating satiety and post-prandial visceral blood flow. A method of treating visceral pain or visceral hypersensitivity in a human subject is also described. A method for prolonging the residence time of an orally or enterally administered substance by promoting its dissolution, bioavailability and/or absorption in the small intestine is also described. These methods are related to a method of transmitting to and replicating at a second location in the central nervous system a serotonergic neural signal originating at a first location in the proximal or distal gut of a mammal and/or a method of transmitting to and replicating at a second location in the upper gastrointestinal tract a serotonergic neural signal originating at a first location in the proximal or distal gut.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manipulating the rate of gastrointestinal transit in a mammalian subject Also disclosed is the use, in the manufacture of a medicamens for the treatment of constipation, of a selective inhibitor of methanogensis, a methanogen-displacing probiotic agent, or a prebiotic agent that inhibits the growth of methanogenic bacteria or promotes the growth of competing non-methanogenic intestinal flora. Alternatively, in accordance with the invention, is disclosed the use in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of diarrhea, of methane, or a methane precursor, a methanogenic or other methane-enhancing probiotic agent, or a methanogenesis-enhancing prebiotic agent.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manipulating the rate of upper gastrointestinal transit of a substance in a mammal. Also disclosed are methods of manipulating satiety and post-prandial visceral blood flow. A method of treating visceral pain or visceral hypersensitivity in a human subject is also described. A method for prolonging the residence time of an orally or enterally administered substance by promoting its dissolution, bioavailability and/or absorption in the small intestine is also described. These methods are related to a method of transmitting to and replicating at a second location in the central nervous system a serotonergic neural signal originating at a first location in the proximal or distal gut of a mammal and/or a method of transmitting to and replicating at a second location in the upper gastrointestinal tract a serotonergic neural signal originating at a first location in the proximal or distal gut.

Abstract: Provided is a temporary covering for a window comprising a foldable slat assembly including a top having an adhesive to be attached to a window, a plurality of foldable slats disposed under the top wherein either side of each slat comprises an opening and the openings are aligned, and a bottom adapted to unfold and position the slat assembly in a fully folded one, a fully extended one, or an intermediate one therebetween; and two locking mechanisms each mounted in either side of the slat assembly. Each locking mechanism is adapted to insert through the openings of a selected number of slats and lock the same, thereby determining an area of the window covered by the slat assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of treating small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or a SIBO-caused condition in a human subject. SIBO-caused conditions include irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, impaired mentation, impaired memory, halitosis, tinnitus, sugar craving, autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, drug sensitivity, an autoimmune disease, and Crohn's disease. Also disclosed are a method of screening for the abnormally likely presence of SIBO in a human subject and a method of detecting SIBO in a human subject. A method of determining the relative severity of SIBO or a SIBO-caused condition in a human subject, in whom small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) has been detected, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A winding mechanism mounts at a groove of a head rail of a blind and comprises a cord wrapped around a bottom stiffener strip and the head rail, a rope roller, a rope wound around the rope roller and coupled to the cord, a first roller coupled to the rope roller by gear, a second roller, and an S-shaped spring interconnected the first and second rollers, the spring adapted to exert a force to support the drapery material. In a downward pulling of the stiffener strip the rope roller rotates to release the rope and the cord with one worm section of the spring being further wound and the other worm section thereof being loosened for reaching a balance with the blind. An upward pulling of the same has an opposite effect. The drapery material is able to stay at any position in response to stopping the rope roller.

Abstract: A winding mechanism mounts at head rail of blind and includes lines each wrapped around a bottom stiffener strip and the head rail, a cord wound around cord reel and having at least one loop wrapped around a bight section of the line, a first drum coupled to the cord reel by gear, a second drum, and an S-shaped tape spring interconnected the first and second drums, the spring adapted to exert a force to support the drapery material. In a downward pulling of the stiffener strip the cord reel rotates to release each line and the cord with one worm section of the spring being further wound and the other worm section thereof being loosened for reaching a balance with the blind. An upward pulling of the same has an opposite effect. The drapery material is able to stay at any position in response to stopping the cord reel.