Abstract: This invention describes expandable greenhouse for growing plants, mainly trees and shrubs from sprouts to maturity in order to protect them from harsh weather conditions of unusual for them growing zones. Greenhouse expands by re-arranging of constructive elements mainly without addition or removing of those elements.

Abstract: Portable reusable fermenter for easy preparation of homemade kefir with use of kefir grains restrained in the plastic chamber submerged in the milk. Chamber has large number of halls for easy access of milk to kefir grains. The size of halls is significantly smaller that the size of kefir grains in order to keep grains inside chamber but big enough for free access to milk. Portable fermenter with the same set of grains is reusable. Drinking of kefir can be done through plastic straw without of separation of grains and ready kefir.

Abstract: Portable reusable fermenter for easy preparation of homemade kefir with use of kefir grains restrained in the plastic chamber submerged in the milk. Chamber has large number of halls for easy access of milk to kefir grains. The size of halls is significantly smaller that the size of kefir grains in order to keep grains inside chamber but big enough for free access to milk. Portable fermenter with the same set of grains is reusable. Drinking of kefir can be done through plastic straw without of separation of grains and ready kefir.

Abstract: The invention provides methods, devices and kits for rapid detection and identification of one or more live target microorganisms in a liquid sample or grown on plates containing nutrient media. The invention includes mixing one or more target microorganisms with one or more aptamers and/or one or more antibodies, each conjugated to a reporter compound and specific for a first site on or more target microorganisms to form a mixture. The mixture is placed on a permeable membrane having immobilized thereon one or more aptamers linked to an amine compound, and/or one or more antibodies, each specific for a second site on one or more target microorganisms or a site on the aptamer conjugate and/or antibody conjugate. A detection solution is added to the membrane and detection and identification of one or more target microorganisms is achieved in about one hour or less.

Abstract: A method and point of use kit to determine under field conditions the presence and/or amount of a selected Pseudomonas species capable of bioremediating organic environmental pollutants, such as petroleum hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A method and point of use kit to determine under field conditions the presence and/or amount of a selected Pseudomonas species capable of bioremediating organic environmental pollutants, such as petroleum hydrocarbons.

Abstract: This invention describes a device consisting of a micro channel plate, filter, and porous holder for filter, which is substituted by a pure agar block during method performance, and supportive structural elements. The device is intended for rapid detection and/or identification of microorganisms. Microorganisms are trapped by filtration in long (diameter/length=1/10-1/100), cylindrical, parallel, micro-channels that are open from both sides and attached to a filter from one side. A micro channel plate houses a multiplicity of micro channels (possible diameter of each channel=1-30 ?m, length 100-1000 ?m, and number on centimeter2=100,000-1,000,000). The micro channel plate with cells trapped on the surface of the filter is attached to an agar block impregnated by artificial substrate(s) so that the molecules of the artificial substrates will fill all micro channels. Trapped cells produce colored or fluorescent molecules from artificial substrates.

Abstract: A method and point of use kit to determine under field conditions the presence and/or amount of a selected Pseudomonas species capable of bioremediating organic environmental pollutants, such as petroleum hydrocarbons.

Abstract: This invention describes method for rapid detection and identification of colonies and micro-colonies of microorganisms growing on the surface of certain nutrient agar under certain porous material(s) impregnated by chromogenic and/or flurogenic substrates and supportive substances. Growth in the space between nutrient agar and impregnated porous material allows limiting the negative influence of unfavorable substrates and substances and allows to reveal color or fluorescence spots at early stage of micro-colony growth.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device such as a medical device for the rapid detection, enumeration and identification of microorganisms. It is based on the production and accumulation of absorbent or fluorescent molecules during reactions between artificial substrates and enzymes in micro-channels of a sampling-detecting unit of the device. Enzymes of cells, or enzymes attached to cell bodies through antibody-enzyme conjugates, produce easily detectable concentrations of colored or fluorescent molecules in very small volumes, much faster than what is produced in conventional large volume devices. Microorganisms contained in the micro-channels appear as colored or fluorescent dots when viewed using a light or a fluorescent microscope.

Abstract: A growth plate or Petri plate and a method for detection and identification of microorganisms by specific or non-specific staining of colonies or microcolonies is described. Analytical substances (chromogenic or fluorogenic substrates, biochemical dyes, dyes indicators of pH, antibiotics and other biological active substances) are applied to the lower surface of a nutrient agar layer. The substances diffuse in the agar, reach cells and react with them. Because colonies or microcolonies are not removed from the media, they retain their shape, color, size and other useful characteristics for analytical purposes.

Abstract: The invention provides methods, devices and kits for rapid detection and identification of one or more live target microorganisms in a liquid sample or grown on plates containing nutrient media. The invention includes mixing one or more target microorganisms with one or more aptamers and/or one or more antibodies, each conjugated to a reporter compound and specific for a first site on one or more target microorganisms to form a mixture. The mixture is placed on a permeable membrane having immobilized thereon one or more aptamers linked to an amine compound, and/or one or more antibodies, each specific for a second site on one or more target microorganisms or a site on the aptamer conjugate and/or antibody conjugate. A detection solution is added to the membrane and detection and identification of one or more target microorganisms is achieved in about one hour or less.

Abstract: This invention describes a method of rapid detection of micro-colonies of microorganisms by changing their shape from a regular semi-sphere to a long and thin cylinder. Cells are trapped by filtration in long (diameter/length=1/10-1/100), cylindrical, parallel, micro-channels that are open from both sides, and attached to a filter from one side. A micro-channel plate houses a multiplicity of micro-channels (diameter of each channel=1-20 ?m, and length 100-1000 ?m). The micro-channel plate with cells trapped on the surface of the filter is attached to a nutrient media agar block. Cells produce micro-colonies of a long and thin shape according the shape of the micro-channel. The growth of microorganisms in the micro-channels permits a change in the number of cells to accomplish light absorbance. Fewer cells need a shorter time to reproduce. Thus detection and counting of cells can be accomplished in a rapid fashion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device such as a medical device for the rapid detection, enumeration and identification of microorganisms. It is based on the production and accumulation of absorbent or fluorescent molecules during reactions between artificial substrates and enzymes in micro-channels of a sampling-detecting unit of the device. Enzymes of cells, or enzymes attached to cell bodies through antibody-enzyme conjugates, produce easily detectable concentrations of colored or fluorescent molecules in very small volumes, much faster than what is produced in conventional large volume devices. Microorganisms contained in the micro-channels appear as colored or fluorescent dots when viewed using a light or a fluorescent microscope.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for the rapid detection, identification and/or enumeration of one or more live target microorganisms growing on solid nutrient media or filtration membrane. Microcolonies or colonies attach to a porous transfer permeable membrane loaded with immobilized antibodies specific for target microorganisms. Non-specific cells are washed out of the permeable membrane and the membrane then is placed on a container containing a chromogenic and/or a fluorogenic substrate and incubated to allow coloration and subsequent identification and enumeration of color spots of targeted microorganisms and patterns of microcolonies or colonies.

Abstract: This invention describes a method and device for the rapid detection, enumeration and identification of microorganisms. It is based on the production and accumulation of absorbent or fluorescent molecules during reactions between artificial substrates and enzymes in micro-channels of the sampling-detecting unit, which is a part of a sample treating device. The enzymes of cells, or enzymes attached to the cell body through antibody-enzyme conjugates, produce easily detectable concentration of colored or fluorescent molecules in a small volume much faster than in a large volume. Channels that contain microorganisms appear as colored or fluorescent dots when viewed using a light or fluorescent microscope.

Abstract: This invention describes rapid detection and identification of colonies or micro-colonies of microorganisms after regular or short (several hours) growth periods on light pellucid, molecule-permeable membranes installed on solid nutrient media. Colonies or micro-colonies appearing on a membrane can be easily transferred from a growth plate to another media such as, pure agar or paper filled with indicator substances or substrates. Filterable and non-filterable samples can be analyzed by this method. A multitude of different methods of detection and identification can be realized using this invention in a micro-colony format: detection and enumeration of all live cells or specific live cells; detection and simultaneous identification of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms; different immunological methods of detection; detection and enumeration using machine analysis such as automated image identifiers.

Abstract: This invention describes a method of rapid detection of micro-colonies of microorganisms by changing their shape from a regular semi-sphere to a long and thin cylinder. Cells are trapped by filtration in long (diameter/length=1/10-1/100), cylindrical, parallel, micro-channels that are open from both sides, and attached to a filter from one side. A micro-channel plate houses a multiplicity of micro-channels (diameter of each channel=1-20 ?m, and length 100-1000 ?m). The micro-channel plate with cells trapped on the surface of the filter is attached to a nutrient media agar block. Cells produce micro-colonies of a long and thin shape according the shape of the micro-channel. The growth of microorganisms in the micro-channels permits a change in the number of cells to accomplish light absorbance. Fewer cells need a shorter time to reproduce. Thus detection and counting of cells can be accomplished in a rapid fashion.

Abstract: This invention describes a method of rapid detection of micro-colonies of microorganisms by changing their shape from a regular semi-sphere to a long and thin cylinder. Cells are trapped by filtration in long (diameter/length=1/10-1/100), cylindrical, parallel, micro-channels that are open from both sides, and attached to a filter from one side. A micro-channel plate houses a multiplicity of micro-channels (diameter of each channel=1 -20 ?m, and length 100-1000 ?m). The micro-channel plate with cells trapped on the surface of the filter is attached to a nutrient media agar block. Cells produce micro-colonies of a long and thin shape according the shape of the micro-channel. The growth of microorganisms in the micro-channels permits a change in the number of cells to accomplish light absorbance. Fewer cells need a shorter time to reproduce. Thus detection and counting of cells can be accomplished in a rapid fashion.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus comprised of devices for simple, fast and cost-effective storage and plating of solid nutrient medium (SNM) for various uses in the field of microbiological analysis. The devices consist of a container which can be aseptically filled with SNM and equipped with a plunger to accurately press out needed amounts of the SNM; a cutting means to cut, hold and transfer SNM; a measuring means to measure the amount of SNM exiting the container; and a growth plate for storage of SNM, growth of microorganisms on SNM, and introduction of indicator substances to SNM for analysis of microorganisms.