22852 results about "Digestion" patented technology

Methods and apparatus for resecting and ablating tissue at a target site of a patient, the apparatus including a probe having an elongate shaft. The shaft includes a shaft distal end portion and a shaft proximal end portion, and a resection unit located at the shaft distal end portion. The resection unit includes a resection electrode support and at least one resection electrode arranged on the resection electrode support. The at least one resection electrode includes a resection electrode head. The probe and resection electrode head are adapted for concurrent electrical ablation and mechanical resection of target tissue. The shaft may include at least one digestion electrode capable of aggressively ablating resected tissue fragments. At least one fluid delivery port on the shaft distal end portion may provide an electrically conductive fluid to the resection unit or to the target site. The shaft may include at least one aspiration port, located proximal to the resection unit, for aspirating excess or unwanted fluids and resected tissue fragments from the target site. The at least one aspiration port is coupled to an aspiration lumen. The at least one digestion electrode may be arranged within the aspiration lumen for ablation of tissue fragments therein. In use, the digestion and resection electrodes of the probe are coupled to a high frequency power supply. A surgical kit comprising the probe is also disclosed, together with a method of making the probe.

A method for identifying nucleic acid ligands to target molecules using the SELEX procedure wherein the candidate nucleic acids contain photoreactive groups and nucleic acid ligands identified thereby are claimed. The complexes of increased affinity nucleic acids and target molecules formed in the procedure are crosslinked by irradiation to facilitate separation from unbound nucleic acids. In other methods partitioning of high and low affinity nucleic acids is facilitated by primer extension steps as shown in the figure in which chain termination nucleotides, digestion resistant nucleotides or nucleotides that allow retention of the cDNA product on an affinity matrix are differentially incorporated into the cDNA products of either the high or low affinity nucleic acids and the cDNA products are treated accordingly to amplification, enzymatic or chemical digestion or by contact with an affinity matrix.

A training and/or evaluating device is provided particularly useful in performing laparoscopic procedures, radiological procedures, and precise surgeries that simulates the structure and dynamic motion of the corresponding anatomical structure on which the procedure takes place. The device includes an outer housing, which may be designed to mimic the body wall, in which one or more organs are located. Motion of the organ(s), as a result of respiration, pulmonary action, circulation, digestion and other factors present in a live body, is simulated in the device so as to provide accurate dynamic motion of the organs during a procedure.

The present application provides devices and methods for inducing weight loss. In particular, the present application provides devices which are secured in the stomach or external to the stomach to reduce digestion and/or absorption of food in accordance with the methods of the invention

The invention provides a method for constructing a high resolution physical map of a polynucleotide. In accordance with the invention, nucleotide sequences are determined at the ends of restriction fragments produced by a plurality of digestions with a plurality of combinations of restriction endonucleases so that a pair of nucleotide sequences is obtained for each restriction fragment. A physical map of the polynucleotide is constructed by ordering the pairs of sequences by matching the identical sequences among the pairs.

A process for the production of hydrogen from anaerobically decomposed organic materials by applying an electric potential to the anaerobically decomposed organic materials, including landfill materials and sewage, to form hydrogen, and for decreasing the time required to treat these anaerobically decomposed organic materials. The organic materials decompose to volatile acids such as acetic acid, which may be hydrolyzed by electric current to form hydrogen. The process may be continuously run in sewage digestion tanks with the continuous feed of sewage, at landfill sites, or at any site having a supply of anaerobically decomposed or decomposable organic materials.

Methods, compositions, kits, and apparatus are provided wherein the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase system is used to analyze amino acids. The method allows very small devices for quantitative or semi-quantitative analysis of the amino acids in samples or in sequential or complete proteolytic digestions. The methods can be readily applied to the detection and/or quantitation of one or more primary amino acids by using cognate aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase and cognate tRNA. The basis of the method is that each of the 20 synthetases and/or a tRNA specific for a different amino acid is separated spatially or differentially labeled. The reactions catalyzed by all 20 synthetases may be monitored simultaneously, or nearly simultaneously, or in parallel. Each separately positioned synthetase or tRNA will signal its cognate amino acid. The synthetase reactions can be monitored using continuous spectroscopic assays. Alternatively, since elongation factor Tu:GTP (EF-Tu:GTP) specifically binds all AA-tRNAs, the aminoacylation reactions catalyzed by the synthetases can be monitored using ligand assays. Microarrays and microsensors for amino acid analysis are provided. Additionally, amino acid analysis devices are integrated with protease digestions to produce miniaturized enzymatic sequenators capable of generating either N- or C-terminal sequence and composition data for a protein or peptide. The possibility of parallel processing of many samples in an automated manner is discussed.

Reducing the digestion of digestible carbohydrates in a digestible carbohydrate-based material, and reducing the absorption of the digestion product(s) of digestible carbohydrates (that is, simple sugars) within the small intestine. The undigested digestible carbohydrate and the unabsorbed digestion products pass through the small intestines and into the colon, where they are fermented. In effect, the food materials made by practicing the present invention cause a controlled amount of digestible carbohydrate to by-pass the small intestine, resulting in the fermentation of digestible carbohydrates in the colon. The invention also provides for processing of a digestible carbohydrate-based ingredient with a non-digestible food film material, to form a reduced digestible carbohydrate food having a protective food film network, which can inhibit or prevent digestion of the digestible carbohydrate. The present invention also provides for processing of a digestible carbohydrate-based ingredient with a non-digestible food film material, to provide a resulting reduced digestible carbohydrate food containing a viscosity-building component that contributes to the formation of a viscous intestinal chyme that can inhibit or prevent digestion of the digestible carbohydrate and can inhibit adsorption of digestion products of digestible carbohydrates in the small intestine.

A process for producing biodiesel has been invented by first extracting lipids from the sludges generated during primary and/or biological treatment of municipal, agricultural, and industrial wastewaters using primary, secondary, and tertiary treatments followed by the transesterification of the extracted lipids using transesterification conversion into alcohol-based esters. The resulting products from this process include biodiesel, glycerol, lipid-free proteins, various other useful chemicals and an aqueous-based substrate well suited for optimized digestion within subsequent biological digestion (either aerobic or anaerobic). The lipids extracted from the sludges containing high levels of microorganisms are phospholipids which can also be directly used as lecithin. The extraction of the lipids from the sludges will be performed using chemical extraction techniques with the transesterification of the extracted lipids accomplished using basic, acidic, and/or a combination of the two transesterification techniques.

The invention relates to a membrane bioreactor process combined with an advanced biological sludge digestion process that provides significant improvements in sludge digestion by reducing the costs and resources required for disposing of digested sludge. The offline treatment vessel is used to solubilize the organic material by operating in a very low oxygen environment. Digested process fluid is transferred back to the membrane bioreactor. The processes and apparatus substantially reduce the production of waste sludge.

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for electrical stimulation of the pancreatico-biliary system. Electrode sets are placed in the pancreatico-biliary system in an arrangement that induce contractions or relaxation of the portion or whole of the pancreatico-biliary system by electrical stimulation of the surrounding tissue, muscles and nerves. The electrical stimulus is applied for periods of varying duration and varying frequency so as to produce the desired therapeutic effect, including inhibiting fat digestion or fat absorption by a patient and inducing satiety in the patient.

The present invention provides a method for identifying one or more low abundance sequences differing by one or more single-base changes, insertions, or deletions, from a high abundance sequence in a plurality of target nucleotide sequences. The high abundance wild-type sequence is selectively removed using high fidelity polymerase chain reaction analog conversion, facilitated by optimal buffer conditions, to create a restriction endonuclease site in the high abundance wild-type gene, but not in the low abundance mutant gene. This allows for digestion of the high abundance DNA. Subsequently the low abundant mutant DNA is amplified and detected by the ligase detection reaction assay. The present invention also relates to a kit for carrying out this procedure.

The invention provides methods and compositions for monitoring enzymatic activity as a function of the interaction of modification dependant binding partner polypeptides. Association or dissociation of the binding partner polypeptides is dependant upon the addition or removal of a moiety to or from one or both of the binding partner polypeptides or upon proteolytic digestion of one or both of the binding partner polypeptides by a modifying enzyme.

The invention discloses spicy coarse grain dried bean curd. The spicy coarse grain dried bean curd is prepared from the following raw materials in parts by weight: 90 to 100 parts of dried soybeans, 3 to 4 parts of oat, 3 to 4 parts of millet, 4 to 5 parts of sorghum, 4 to 5 parts of corns, 2 to 3 parts of mulberries, 2 to 3 parts of hawthorn, 2 to 3 parts of jujubes, 1 to 2 parts of calamus leaves, 1 to 2 parts of platycladus orientalis leaves, 2 to 3 parts of prepared rehmannia root, 1 to 2 parts of fructus amomi, 1 to 2 parts of rehmannia flower, 1 to 2 parts of loofah sponge, 2 to 3 parts of cassia bark, and 2 to 3 parts of rhodiola rosea. A variety of grains are added into the spicy coarse grain dried bean curd, so that a nutritionally balanced structure system is formed; a plurality of seasonings are added, so that the dried bean curd tastes spicy and is easily preferred by consumers; the healthcare components of a plurality of traditional Chinese medicines are added, so that the nutrition value of the dried bean curd is high; the finished dried bean curd is ready to eat, spicy, unique, rich in nutrients and chewy, has the effects of stimulating appetite, improving digestion, tonifying liver and kidney, tonifying spleen and stomach, cooling blood to stop bleeding, promoting the secretion of saliva or body fluid and lubricating intestines, and is the best healthcare food catering to the market and consumers.

The invention provides methods and apparatuses that allow a protein sample to undergo reduction, alkylation, and digestion in a continuous flow process carried out within a microfluidic device. Methods and apparatuses in accordance with the invention can be employed as part of an automated proteomics analysis carried out in an integrated proteomics system.

The invention relates to a composite probiotic bacterium microecological preparation and a preparation method thereof. The preparation is prepared by mixing 1.0 to 20 percent of composite microbial bacterium powder, 5.0 to 50 percent of composite oligosaccharide, 30 to 80 percent of auxiliary protective carrier and 0.1 to 0.2 percent of edible essence. The composite probiotic bacterium microecological preparation is prepared from a beneficial microbial preparation and a microbial growth-promoting factor, namely the oligosaccharide, through special combination and technological recombination. The composite probiotic bacterium microecological preparation has the advantages that beneficial active bacteria and the oligosaccharide promote each other, so that the composite probiotic bacterium microecological preparation has the advantages of obviously improving the microecological environment of the whole intestine and contributing to the digestion, preventing and treating intestine diseases, treating diarrhea, chronic diarrhea, diarrhea which can not be cured by antibiotic, constipation, dyspepsia and abdominal distension which are caused by intestine dysbacteriosis, recovering the intestine flora balance, protecting the liver, reinforcing the functions of detoxication and toxin expulsion of the liver, reinforcing the disease prevention and resistance such as the resistance of human body, and the like.

The invention discloses a composite enzyme beverage and a preparation process method thereof. The composite enzyme beverage is prepared from five cereals, fruits and vegetables, edible plants and edible fungi as main raw materials through common fermentation; three-step fermentation is realized by using microzyme, acetic acid bacteria and lactic acid bacteria; and substep fermentation for different strains is adopted at different stages in the manufacturing process, so that the demands of a human body on the efficacies of health and nutrition are met. According to the composite enzyme beverage disclosed by the invention, the mixture ratio of the raw materials is more gentle, more pure natural organic raw materials are used and the three-step fermentation is realized by the microzyme, the acetic acid bacteria and the lactic acid bacteria; and the composite enzyme beverage retains original vitamins and carbohydrate of the fruits and vegetables, is rich in various B-group vitamins and various amino acids, is a nutrient necessary for eliminating the human fatigue and particularly benefits people suffered from chronic disease syndrome. Particularly after coarse grains are fermented, insoluble dietary fibers can be dissolved into small molecular substances which are easily digested and absorbed by the human body, and thus the digestion and intake of nutritive substances by the human body can be enhanced.

Digesting cellulosic biomass in the presence of a slurry catalyst may reduce degradation product formation, but catalyst distribution and retention can be problematic. Digestion methods can comprise: providing cellulosic biomass solids and a slurry catalyst capable of activating molecular hydrogen in a digestion unit; providing a digestible filter aid in the digestion unit; distributing the slurry catalyst within the cellulosic biomass solids using fluid flow; retaining at least a portion of the slurry catalyst in a fixed location using the digestible filter aid; heating the cellulosic biomass solids in the presence of the slurry catalyst, a digestion solvent, and molecular hydrogen, thereby forming a liquor phase comprising soluble carbohydrates; and performing a catalytic reduction reaction on the soluble carbohydrates within the digestion unit, thereby at least partially forming a reaction product comprising a triol, a diol, a monohydric alcohol, or any combination thereof in the digestion unit.

Detection of toxic gluten oligopeptides refractory to digestion and antibodies and T cells responsive thereto can be used to diagnose Celiac Sprue.

Digestion of cellulosic biomass solids may be complicated by release of lignin therefrom. Methods for digesting cellulosic biomass solids may comprise: heating cellulosic biomass solids and a digestion solvent in the presence of molecular hydrogen and a slurry catalyst capable of activating molecular hydrogen, thereby forming a phenolics liquid phase comprising lignin, an aqueous phase comprising an alcoholic component derived from the cellulosic biomass solids, and an optional light organics phase, the slurry catalyst being distributed in the cellulosic biomass solids and at least a portion of the slurry catalyst accumulating in the phenolics liquid phase as it forms; conveying at least a portion of the phenolics liquid phase and the slurry catalyst to a location above at least a portion of the cellulosic biomass solids; and after conveying the phenolics liquid phase and the slurry catalyst, releasing them such that they come in contact with the cellulosic biomass solids.

An orally administered composition for improving food absorption and digestion contains therapeutically effective dosages of digestive enzymes and L-glutamine as active ingredients. The digestive enzymes include at least one each of a lipase, a protease, and an amylase, and at least a portion of each of these enzymes is enteric coated.

Compositions which provide slowly digestible starch and a source of fermentable dietary fiber. Microparticles in which starch is entrapped in a crosslinked matrix to provide dietary benefit. Such microparticles are used to deliver glucose to targeted regions in the small intestine for beneficial physiological effects, and fermentable dietary fiber to the colon to improve colon health and to treat diseases of the colon. Microparticles can be employed to selectively deliver fermentable dietary fiber to targeted portions of the colon. A method for making the microparticles is provided as well as methods for using the microparticles for controlled digestion of starch on ingestion in the small intestine and methods for using the microparticles to deliver dietary fiber. The microparticles with entrapped starch provide a low glycemic index and extended glucose release in food products and food ingredients. The microparticles with entrapped starch can, in particular, be used as an ingredient in foods that are to be cooked.

A process for the production of hydrogen from anaerobically decomposed organic materials by applying an electric potential to the anaerobically decomposed organic materials, including landfill materials and sewage, to form hydrogen, and for decreasing the time required to treat these anaerobically decomposed organic materials. The organic materials decompose to volatile acids such as acetic acid, which may be hydrolyzed by electric current to form hydrogen. The process may be continuously run in sewage digestion tanks with the continuous feed of sewage, at landfill sites, or at any site having a supply of anaerobically decomposed or decomposable organic materials.