492 results about "Metabolic activity" patented technology

Disclosed are methods for non-destructively measuring in vitro the effect on cellular metabolism of the addition to animal cells in culture of a soluble molecule potentially capable of perturbing the biological state of the cells, such as a drug or drug candidate, a toxin, a ligand known or suspected to bind to a cell surface receptor, a nutrient, a cytokine, a growth factor, a chemokine, a metabolism inhibitor or stimulator. Also disclosed are methods for measuring cell viability, vitality, or quality, e.g., in anticipation of the execution of an experiment on the cells. The measurements are done by observing alteration in the rates of consumption or production of extracellular solutes related to aerobic and anaerobic cellular metabolism, such as oxygen, protons, nutrients, carbon dioxide, lactate, or lactic acid. The methods are particularly useful in drug discovery efforts, such as cancer drug discovery and searches for modulators of cellular metabolism.

The instant invention provides a method of treating or preventing osteoarthritis, joint effusion, joint inflammation and pain, synovitis, lameness, post operative arthroscopic surgery, deterioration of proper joint function including joint mobility, the reduction or inhibition of metabolic activity of chondrocytes, the activity of enzymes that degrade cartilage, the reduction or inhibition of the production of Hyaluronic acid, said method comprising orally administering to a mammalian species a therapeutically effective amount of Hyaluronic Acid or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. Additionally, compositions containing hyaluronic acid; chondroitin sulfate, and glucosamine sulfate in a paste formulation are also disclosed which can be administered on their own or can be used as a feed additive.

A method for modifying silk polymer by coupling a chemical moiety to a tyrosine residue of a silk polymer is described herein for the purpose of altering the physical properties of the silk protein. Thus, silk proteins with desired physical properties can be produced by the methods described herein. These methods are particularly useful when the introduction of cells to a mammal is desired, since modifications to the silk protein affect the physical properties and thus the adhesion, metabolic activity and cell morphology of the desired cells. The silk protein can be modified to produce, or modify, a structure that provides an optimal environment for the desired cells.

The present invention provides a substantially purified growth differentiation factor (GDF) receptor, including a GDF-8 (myostatin) receptor, as well as functional peptide portions thereof. In addition, the invention provides a virtual representation of a GDF receptor or a functional peptide portion thereof. The present invention also provides a method of modulating an effect of myostatin on a cell by contacting the cell with an agent that affects myostatin signal transduction in the cell. In addition, the invention provides a method of ameliorating the severity of a pathologic condition, which is characterized, at least in part, by an abnormal amount, development or metabolic activity of muscle or adipose tissue in a subject, by modulating myostatin signal transduction in a muscle cell or an adipose tissue cell in the subject. The invention also provides a method of modulating the growth of muscle tissue or adipose tissue in a eukaryotic organism by administering an agent that affects myostatin signal transduction to the organism.

The system and process of the present invention employs encrypted data input from both users and physicians to identify disturbances in human biologic function. Physical and metabolic characteristics, historical data and current symptoms are compiled through use of a computerized expert system that recognizes patterns predictive of metabolic dysfunction or insufficiency. Functional capabilities of all bodily systems are simultaneously evaluated at each input session through expert system analysis to create science-based remedial plans exemplifying methods of lifestyle alteration and biologic response modification through nutrition and other means. Enhancement of metabolic activity is presumed on the basis of improving symptom, metabolic, and laboratory scores. Lifestyle, fitness, nutritional, and dietary plans are formatted for uncomplicated implementation and professional guidance in applying all interventions to uniquely integrate the offerings of medical, healthcare and lifestyle professionals.

A method for an anaerobic digester system is provided that employs a cumulative data base to better monitor and control the anaerobic process, as compared with conventional anaerobic digester systems. The method includes the storing and ensiling of a feedstock, preferably a biomass, to form a digester feed material, which then processed by a digester. The process evolves a biogas and forms a digested material. The process is monitored, to collect a plurality of digester data from all stages of the process. These individual points or elements of the data are telemetered to a cumulative data base for storage and eventual retrieval and the cumulative data base is mined to compile predictive, feed forward controls and construct feedstock correlations between the metabolic activity within the digesters and an analysis of the feedstocks into the digesters. The method further includes the production of a high quality plant growth media from the digested mash, and recovery of the biogas generated within the digester. The biogas is collected with the aid of a biogas recovery system. The biogas is predominantly methane, and the anaerobic digester system is preferably operated to maximize the quantity and quality of methane generated.

Methods, systems, devices and computer program products monitor in vivo detected radiation in a target localized site within a subject, over a selected time period, to do one or more of: (a) quantify a radiation dose received at a local site; (b) assess bioreceptiveness to a particular treatment time or type; (c) evaluate the pharmacokinetics of a radiolabeled analyte corresponding to a non-radiolabeled analyte; (d) monitor or evaluate metabolic activity; or (e) evaluate a tumor prior to or after a therapeutic treatment.

Susceptibility of sessile microorganisms to antimicrobial agents is tested with a method comprising growing the microorganisms on a support to form a biofilm, contacting the biofilm with a metabolic substrate having a chromogenic and / or fluorogenic moiety to continue a base-line metabolic activity of the biofilm, contacting the biofilm with one or more antimicrobial agents, determining an experimental metabolic activity of the biofilm by measuring a signal from the metabolic substrate, and comparing the base-line metabolic activity with the experimental activity. The biofilm may be grown in a device comprising a plurality of wells, each well having a planar bottom and at least on wall, a plurality of supports comprising discs for growing the biofilm, each support disposed within a well perpendicular to the planar bottom, and at least one cover that fittably seals the top of each well.

The present invention relates to methods for detection and evaluation of metabolic activity of eukaryotic and / or prokaryotic cells based upon their ability to consume dissolved oxygen. The methods utilize a luminescence detection system which makes use of the sensitivity of the luminescent emission of certain compounds to the presence of oxygen, which quenches (diminishes) the compound's luminescent emission in a concentration dependent manner. Respiring eukaryotic and / or prokaryotic cells will affect the oxygen concentration of a liquid medium in which they are immersed. Thus, this invention provides a convenient system to gather information on the presence, identification, quantification and cytotoxic activity of eukaryotic and / or prokaryotic cells by determining their effect on the oxygen concentration of the media in which they are present.

The invention provides recombinant native and mutein forms of human follicle stimulating hormone beta subunit (FSH beta) with characteristic glycosylation patterns which are influential in the metabolic activity of the protein. The invention also provides recombinant mutant forms of the human alpha subunit common to FSH, LH, CG, and TSH, to obtain hormones which also have unique glycosylation patterns. Also provided are recombinant materials to produce these subunits separately or together to obtain complete heterodimeric hormones of regulated glycosylation pattern.

The invention provides a method for typing three sites of key enzyme genes (MTHFR and MTRR) for folic acid metabolism by utilizing a fluorescence labeling probe and combining with a multiple PCR method. An amplimer and a fluorescent probe are designed according to MTHFR and MTRR genes; three sections of DNA sequences are detected in the amplification of a PCR amplifier; fluorescence signals which are released in amplification and dissolution processes in a reaction system are detected; a result is judged in the manner of (1) judging a typing result according to a Tm value shown by a hybrid peak of wild type and mutant type standard plasmids and (2) simultaneously typing according to the magnitude of a fluorescence value of an amplification curve. The primer and the probe adopted by the invention are high in specificity and sensitivity; the detection for three sites is simultaneously performed; the operation is simple and the result is easily judged; the typing result is more accurate and reliable in the manner of twice calibrating typing. The method provided by the invention can be applied to the aspects of guiding the pregnant woman to orally take and supplement folic acid, prompting the high risk in cerebral apoplexy, coronary heart disease and venous thrombus, assessing the metabolic activity of folic acid, and the like.

The invention features methods for producing isoprene from cultured cells. The invention also provides compositions that include these cultured cells. The invention provides isoprene compositions, such as compositions with increased amount of isoprene or increased purity. Additionally, the invention provides methods of producing isoprene by culturing cells under conditions suitable for isoprene production while maintaining cell viability and / or metabolic activity.

The invention discloses an aquaculture water purifying agent. The aquaculture water purifying agent comprises the following components in part by weight: 5 to 20 parts of tourmaline, 20 to 60 parts of montmorillonite, 100 to 500 parts of zeolite, 5 to 30 parts of molasses, 0.5 to 5 parts of phosphate, 0.1 to 1 part of tryptophan and 10 to 50 parts of microbial agent. The purifying agent is compounded by using the microbial agent, mineral biological activating agents and nutrient elements; and the tourmaline, the montmorillonite and the zeolite can promote microbe growth and metabolic activity, and can be attached to or fix microbes to play a barrier protection role. The nutrient elements can regulate the carbon nitrogen ratio balance of the water and promote the growth and the degrading effect of the microbes, and the zeolite and the montmorillonite are good controlled release carriers and have remarkable controlled release effect on the nutrient elements. The purifying agent can strengthen and activate the metabolic activity and the environmental adaptability of the microbial agent; and by compounding the minerals and the nutrient elements, the optimal ecological environment of microbe degradation is regulated and controlled, a biodegradable micro-ecological system for constructing the culture water is optimized and biological repair of the water is promoted.

The invention discloses a lake mandarin fish scale culturing method, comprising feeding efficiency, defecation rate, excretion rate, standard metabolism, SDA, activity metabolism and fish physical ability value and growth sub-model. The growing conditions and the bait consumption rate of the piscivorous fish after stocking can be predicted by the model; water body is taken as the research site, the time and space distribution characteristics, the biomass, the structure of the main population, the population growth trends of the growth period, the bait base and tropic niche width and competition overlapping of the advantageous small-sized fish in the shallow water reeds lakes are systematically researched, thus establishing the quantitatively acquiring method of the small-sized fish in theshallow water reeds lakes, completing the productivity analysis and measurement of the advantageous population of the small-sized fish in the shallow water reeds lakes, and estimating the sustainableproduction capacity of the lake bait fish.

The present invention belongs to the waste water treating technology utilizing sulfate reducing bacteria. Upwards flowing anaerobic composite bed bioreactor and mixed sulfate reducing bacteria are used in treating acid waste water containing Cr2O72-, CrO42-, Cu2+, Zn 2+, Mn2+ and other heavy metal ions. The present invention has high activity of sulfate reducing bacteria and high waste water treating efficiency. The present invention features that inside the reactor or waste water tank, simple substance iron is added to result in waste water pH value of 5.5-8.5, and that the biochemical reaction is performed at 25-30 deg.c. The present invention has the advantages of addition of simple substance iron, raised waste water pH value, improved bacteria living environment, high metabolic activity of the bacteria, reinforced capacity of the sulfate reducing bacteria, raised bacteria adaptability and waste water treating capacity.

The invention relates to a liquid microbial fertilizer with nitrogen-fixing, phosphorus-dissolving and potassium-dissolving effects, and a preparation method thereof. The liquid microbial fertilizer consists of the following microbial fermentation liquids in parts by volume: 1 to 10 parts of azotobacter chroococcum, 1 to 30 parts of bacillus mucilaginosus, 1 to 10 parts of phosphorus-dissolving bacillus megatherium, 1 to 10 parts of bacillus amyloliquefaciens, 1 to 10 parts of bacillus subtilis, 1 to 5 parts of photosynthetic bacteria and 1 to 10 parts of streptomyces microflavus. The functional bacteria serve as main functional flora of the microbial fertilizer, so that the obtained product has remarkable effects of fixing nitrogen, dissolving phosphorus, dissolving potassium and resisting disease, can enhance the total metabolic activity of soil bacterial community and the diversity of the bacterial community, improve the soil micro-ecological environment, promote growth and reproduction of beneficial microorganisms and inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria, is an ideal fertilizer in green agriculture and organic agriculture, and has a wide prospect in agricultural sustainable development.

The present invention provides methods, compositions, substrates, and kits useful for analyzing the metabolic activity in cells, tissue, and animals and for screening test compounds for their effect on cytochrome P450 activity. In particular, a one-step and two-step methods using luminogenic molecules, e.g. luciferin or coelenterazines, that are cytochrome P450 substrates and that are also bioluminescent enzyme, e.g., luciferase, pro-substrates are provided. Upon addition of the luciferin derivative or other luminogenic molecule into a P450 reaction, the P450 enzyme metabolizes the molecule into a bioluminescent enzyme substrate, e.g., luciferin and / or luciferin derivative metabolite, in a P450 reaction. The resulting metabolite(s) serves as a substrate of the bioluminescent enzyme, e.g., luciferase, in a second light-generating reaction. Luminescent cytochrome P450 assays with low background signals and high sensitivity are disclosed and isoform selectivity is demonstrated. The present invention also provides an improved method for performing luciferase reactions which employs added pyrophosphatase to remove inorganic pyrophosphate, a luciferase inhibitor which may be present in the reaction mixture as a contaminant or may be generated during the reaction. The present method further provides a method for stabilizing and prolonging the luminescent signal in a luciferase-based assay using luciferase stabilizing agents such as reversible luciferase inhibitors.

A method and system for disinfecting and disinfesting a commodity, such as a perishable agricultural commodity, by treatment with an environment of low oxygen / high ballast gas with cycled pressure changes that overwhelm and damage the respiratory system of the insect without damaging the host commodity. The system and method may also include the introduction of disinfectants, antiseptics and other toxic chemicals or the exposure to radio frequencies with intense electric fields that may increase the metabolic activity of the pest or decrease the fitness of the pest within the low oxygen environment. Treatments according to the methods can also increase the shelf life of agricultural commodities by eradicating or delaying the growth of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and other microbial pests.

The invention discloses a combined refreshing method for prolonging the shelf life of a fresh vegetable lotus seed, belonging to the technical field of fruit and vegetable refreshing and storing. The fresh lotus seed has the characteristics of difficulty in refreshing and storing and acceleration for the deterioration of quality and taste. The high-quality raw materials can be obtained by controlling the harvesting maturity and harvesting in due time according to the unified standard. By adopting vacuum pre-cooling, the field respiration heat of the fresh lotus seed can be quickly eliminated and the quality loss can be prevented. According to the invention, by using 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) to fumigate on the fresh lotus see at lower temperature or room temperature, the ageing and the late maturity of the lotus seed can retarded; by pressurizing the mixed gas of argon gas and xenon gas or the mixed gas of argon gas and krypton gas at the pressure of 20MPa for one hour to carry out the water structured treatment for the fresh lotus seed, the activity of water molecules and the activities of various enzymes in the fresh lotus seed can be reduced and the metabolic activities of the lotus seed can be inhibited. Meanwhile, by combining with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), the fresh lotus seed is cold stored at the temperature of 2-4DEG C so as to well maintain the quality and the taste of the lotus seed. The lotus seed can be refreshed for 15-16 days; and the shelf life of the lotus seed is 11-13 days longer than that of the untreated lotus seed stored at normal temperature and is 8-10 days longer than that of untreated lotus which is cold stored .

The present invention relates to an in vitro assay method and device that provides for detection and measurement of entities in a fluid sample that can be captured and concentrated in a unitized self-contained enclosed filter apparatus that is analyzed in an optical detection instrument for indications of the entity. It provides for analysis of biological material including cells, their enzymes, or other constituents thereof, that can be identified based on an indicator-generating means. The analyses provided for include detection of the presence of the entity, and changes in the entity over time, such as associated with growth and increasing metabolic activity with an expanding population of cells, or decreasing metabolic activity, for example, due to presence of inhibitory or toxic agents.

The invention provides a sludge treatment method which specifically comprises the following steps: (1), anaerobic fermentation and sterilization of the sludge, namely storing the sludge with moisture content of 80% into a sludge storage tank to carry out anaerobic fermentation, stabilizing the sludge by virtue of metabolic activities of microorganisms under an anaerobic condition, and producing methane and CO2 at the same time; (2), chemical conditioning, and sterilization and disinfection of the sludge, namely adding a 4# additive into the sludge subjected to the anaerobic fermentation and sterilization treatment in the step (1) to carry out chemical conditioning of dehydration pretreatment onto the sludge, 3-6 minutes later, adding a 2# additive to kill bacteria and viruses in the sludge, and passivating heavy metals in the sludge to continuously break a colloid structure of the sludge; (3), mixing, stirring and concentrating, namely mixing, stirring and concentrating the sludge treated in the step (2); and (4), mechanical dehydration, namely carrying out mechanical dehydration onto the sludge which is mixed, stirred and concentrated in the step (3), so that the moisture content of the sludge reaches 50%-60%.

A method for reducing the effects of biological contamination in a hydrocarbon-containing system comprising the steps of continuously adding a formulation comprising tris(hydroxymethyl)phosphine or a tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium salt to the system for one day or more; monitoring the efficacy of the continuous treatment by an assessment of the extent to which there is any effect on the environment that is attributable to metabolic activity of active microbes present in the system; wherein the tris(hydroxymethyl)phosphine or tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium salt is added at a concentration of from 1 to 30 ppm based on the total volume of aqueous fluid added to the system, and wherein the formulation is added to the system at a stage to minimize incompatibility with any other chemicals that are added to the aqueous fluid. The treatment disrupts the microbial activity of active microbes in the hydrocarbon-containing system and can prevent or reduce detrimental effects arising from the presence of active microbes in the system.

The present invention provides a method of producing a plant which exhibits improved growth and / or yield under reduced nitrogen conditions, that is, under cultivation conditions where nitrogen is limited as compared to ordinary cultivation conditions, by increasing 2-OG content in plants. Particularly, the present invention provides a method of producing a plant which exhibits improved growth and / or yield under conditions where nitrogen is reduced, that is, under cultivation conditions where nitrogen is limited as compared to ordinary cultivation conditions, by introducing a GDH gene or ECASPC gene into plants and expressing the transgene GDH or ECAPS in the plants, which results in increased 2-OG, or by spraying proline on the leaves of plants to increase the 2-OG content, thereby enhancing the incorporation of nitrogen or metabolic activity of plants. Also provided is a method of cultivating such plants under nitrogen-limited conditions.

The invention discloses a parenchymal hepatic cell and preparation, identification and application methods thereof. The invention provides the method for preparing the parenchymal hepatic cell. The method comprises the following steps of: (1) culturing a pluripotent stem cell to obtain an endoderm cell; (2) culturing the endoderm cell obtained in the step (1) to obtain an original intestinal canal cell; (3) culturing the original intestinal canal cell obtained in the step (2) to obtain an adult hepatic cell; and (4) culturing the adult hepatic cell obtained in the step (3) to obtain a mature parenchymal hepatic cell, wherein the step (3) is characterized in that the cell obtained in the step (2) is subjected to passage and then transferred to a hepatic cell induction medium I containing fibroblast growth factors (FGF) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) for culturing to obtain the adult hepatic cell. The invention also relates to the parenchymal hepatic cell prepared by the method. The parenchymal hepatic cell prepared by the method has higher metabolic activity, high preparation efficiency and a wide application prospect than before.

The present invention is directed to a sensor system for monitoring metabolic activity of an anaerobic or aerobic microorganism. The present invention further relates to a sensor system that can individually and simultaneously monitor oxygen and carbon dioxide levels of a gas composition. Also provided is a sensor formulation for use with the sensor system of the present invention and a method of making the same.

A method for combining an anatomic structure and metabolic activity for an object is described. The method includes acquiring a first set of images by scanning the object using a first modality, acquiring a second set of images by scanning the object using a second modality, fusing the first and second sets of images to form a fused volume, identifying a region of interest (ROI) in the fused volume, the ROI corresponding to an organ of interest of the object, and providing a viewing path through the fused volume at least partially following the ROI.

Methods and devices for reducing interference from leukocytes in an analyte immunoassay are provided. In one embodiment, a method is provided comprising the steps of amending a biological sample such as a whole blood sample with one or more leukocidal reagents that reduce or eliminate the metabolic activity of leukocytes, and performing an immunoassay on the amended sample to determine the concentration of analyte in the sample. Preferably, the sample is amended with one or more enzymes and optionally one or more enzyme substrates and cofactors.