Abstract: Provided is a tissue staining composition containing carbon particles having a mean particle diameter less than 0.3 ?m in diameter (optionally less than 0.2 ?m in diameter) together with one or more agents that maintain the carbon particles in suspension (for example, an anti-settling agent and/or surfactant). In certain circumstances, the anti-settling agent may also have mucoadhesive properties. The tissue staining composition is visually dark and does not disperse rapidly when introduced into regions of tissue of interest making it ideal for marking the regions that can be visualized clearly and over prolonged periods of time via, for example, direct visualization, endoscopic or laparoscopic inspection. The invention also provides methods of making and using the tissue staining composition for marking regions of tissue of interest, for example, gastrointestinal tissue, as well as other tissues.

Abstract: Provided is a tissue staining composition containing carbon particles having a mean particle diameter less than 0.3 ?m in diameter (optionally less than 0.2 ?m in diameter) together with one or more agents that maintain the carbon particles in suspension (for example, an anti-settling agent and/or surfactant). In certain circumstances, the anti-settling agent may also have mucoadhesive properties. The tissue staining composition is visually dark and does not disperse rapidly when introduced into regions of tissue of interest making it ideal for marking the regions that can be visualized clearly and over prolonged periods of time via, for example, direct visualization, endoscopic or laparoscopic inspection. The invention also provides methods of making and using the tissue staining composition for marking regions of tissue of interest, for example, gastrointestinal tissue, as well as other tissues.

Abstract: Provided herein are submucosal lifting compositions and methods of using same. The submucosal lifting agents of the disclosure include a polysaccharide, a polyol, and a colorant.

Abstract: Provided is a tissue staining composition containing carbon particles having a mean particle diameter less than 0.3 ?m in diameter (optionally less than 0.2 ?m in diameter) together with one or more agents that maintain the carbon particles in suspension (for example, an anti-settling agent and/or surfactant). In certain circumstances, the anti-settling agent may also have mucoadhesive properties. The tissue staining composition is visually dark and does not disperse rapidly when introduced into regions of tissue of interest making it ideal for marking the regions that can be visualized clearly and over prolonged periods of time via, for example, direct visualization, endoscopic or laparoscopic inspection. The invention also provides methods of making and using the tissue staining composition for marking regions of tissue of interest, for example, gastrointestinal tissue, as well as other tissues.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acid vectors useful for expression and production of polypeptides, compositions comprising vectors, and methods for the production and use of vectors and polypeptides.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for utilizing spore systems for medicinal and industrial protein applications are provided. Compositions comprise spores that produce and/or display carbohydrates, proteins, peptides, and nucleic acids of interest. Such spores are useful as therapeutic or prophylactic agents or vaccines against a broad spectrum of immunogens and bacterial and viral pathogens. Additionally, spore systems are useful in production, packaging, delivery, and presentation of polypeptides and/or nucleic acids for industrial catalysts, medical applications, and diagnostic applications.

Abstract: An endoscopic stain is provided that includes a carbon pigment and a suspending/viscosity-increasing agent in a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery vehicle, wherein the carbon pigment has a total level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) of not greater than 0.5 ppm. Methods of staining an internal site utilizing the stain of the invention and kits that include the stain of the invention are also provided.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for utilizing spore systems for medicinal and industrial protein applications are provided. Compositions comprise spores that produce and/or display carbohydrates, proteins, peptides, and nucleic acids of interest. Such spores are useful as therapeutic or prophylactic agents or vaccines against a broad spectrum of immunogens and bacterial and viral pathogens. Additionally, spore systems are useful in production, packaging, delivery, and presentation of polypeptides and/or nucleic acids for industrial catalysts, medical applications, and diagnostic applications.

Abstract: An endoscopic stain is provided that includes a carbon pigment and a suspending/viscosity-increasing agent in a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery vehicle, wherein the carbon pigment has a total level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) of not greater than 0.5 ppm. Methods of staining an internal site utilizing the stain of the invention and kits that include the stain of the invention are also provided.

Abstract: An endoscopic tissue staining composition comprises carbon and suspending/viscosity-increasing agent in a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery vehicle. In an embodiment, the composition includes carbon black, activated carbon or unactivated carbon, suspending/viscosity-increasing agent, anti-foaming agent and surfactant. In a particular embodiment, the composition includes 0.01% to 1.0% carbon, 5.0% to 25% suspending/viscosity-increasing agent such as glycerol, 0.005% to 0.05% anti-foaming agent such as simethicone, 0.5% to 1.5% surfactant such as polyoxyethylene sorbitan esterified with fatty acid, and water. A method for staining of internal sites, particularly in the mucosal layers of the gastrointestinal tract, urinary bladder or lungs, includes injecting the composition in staining amount in proximity to the internal site. A kit includes the composition packaged with a means for endoscopic injection, preferably a syringe and sclerotherapy needle.

Abstract: This invention provides methods of obtaining improved genetic vaccines by use of DNA shuffling. Through use of the claimed methods, vectors can be obtained which exhibit increased efficacy for use as genetic vaccines. Improved vectors obtained by using the methods can have, for example, enhanced antigen expression, increased uptake into a cell, increased stability in a cell, ability to tailor an immune response, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved test composition for the diagnosis of gastric ulcers, duodenal ulcers, gastritis, gastric lymphoma and gastric carcinoma by the detection of the bacteria Helicobacter pylori and the enzyme catalase associated with such conditions. The new test composition differs from the prior art agar compositions in being an aqueous solution containing hydrogen peroxide, urea, monobasic sodium phosphate and bromthymol blue as an indicator, and in being far more rapid than the prior art test compositions.