2846 results about "Organic molecules" patented technology

The present invention relates to methods of modulating mammalian stem cell and progenitor cell differentiation. The methods of the invention can be employed to regulate and control the differentiation and maturation of mammalian, particularly human stem cells along specific cell and tissue lineages. The methods of the invention relate to the use of certain small organic molecules to modulate the differentiation of stem or progenitor cell populations along specific cell and tissue lineages, and in particular, to the differentiation of embryonic-like stem cells originating from a postpartum placenta or for the differentiation of early progenitor cells to a granulocytic lineage. Finally, the invention relates to the use of such differentiated stem or progenitor cells in transplantation and other medical treatments.

The present invention provides methods of modulating mammalian, particularly human, stem cell and progenitor cell differentiation to regulate and control the differentiation and maturation of these cells along specific cell and tissue lineages. The methods of the invention relate to the use of certain small organic molecules to modulate the differentiation of stem cell populations along specific cell and tissue lineages, particularly embryonic-like stem cells originating from a postpartum placenta or stem cells isolated form sources such as cord blood. The invention also relates to the treatment or prevention of myelodysplastic syndrome or myeloproliferative syndrome, or symptoms thereof, comprising administration of JNK or MKK inhibitors, alone or in combination, as well as with or without the use of unconditioned cells or cells conditioned in accordance with other aspects of the invention. Finally, the invention relates to the use of such differentiated stem cells in transplantation and other medical treatments.

The present invention relates to novel modified proteins having N-terminal free thiols that can be produced by recombinant methods and are ready for further chemical derivatization. In particular, the invention relates to erythropoietin conjugate compounds having altered biochemical, physiochemical and pharmacokinetic properties. More particularly, one embodiment of the invention relates to erythropoietin conjugate compounds of the formula:

(M)_n-X-A-cys-EPO   (I)

where EPO is an erythropoeitin moiety selected from erythropoietin or an erythropoietin variant having at least one amino acid different from the wild-type human EPO, or any pharmaceutical acceptable derivatives thereof having biological properties of causing bone marrow cells to increase production of red blood cells; cys represents the amino acid cysteine and occurs at position −1 relative to the amino acid sequence of the erythropoietin moiety; A indicates the structure of the residual moiety used to chemically attach X to the thiol group of −1Cys; X is a water soluble polymer such as a polyalkylene glycol or other polymer; M is an organic molecule (including peptides and proteins) that increases the circulating half-life of the construct; and N is an integer from 0 to 15.

Certain embodiments and aspects of the present invention relate to photobioreactor apparatus designed to contain a liquid medium comprising at least one species of photosynthetic organisms therein, and to methods of using the photobioreactor apparatus as part of a production process for forming an organic molecule-containing product, such as a polymeric material and/or fuel-grade oil (e.g. biodiesel), from biomass produced in the photobioreactor apparatus. In certain embodiments, the disclosed organic molecule/polymer production systems and methods, photobioreactor apparatus, methods of using such apparatus, and/or gas treatment systems and methods provided herein can be utilized as part of an integrated combustion and polymer and/or fuel-grade oil (e.g. biodiesel) production method and system, wherein photosynthetic organisms utilized within the photobioreactor are used to at least partially remove certain pollutant compounds contained within combustion gases, e.g. CO₂ and/or NO_x, and are subsequently harvested from the photobioreactor, processed, and utilized as a source for generating polymers and/or organic molecule-containing products (e.g. fuel-grade oil (e.g. biodiesel)) and/or as a fuel source for a combustion device (e.g. an electric power plant generator and/or incinerator).

A hydrocarbyldithiomethyl-modified compound of the Formula:

R¹—O—CH₂—S—S—R²

or a salt thereof wherein R¹ is an organic molecule and R² is a hydrocarbyl is useful for protecting and/or blocking hydroxyl groups in organic molecules such as nucleotides. The hydrocarbyldithiomethyl-modified compounds can also be used for chemically synthesizing oligonucleotides and for sequencing nucleic acid compounds.

A system and a method of a transparent color image display utilizing fluorescence conversion (FC) of nano-particles and molecules are disclosed. In one preferred embodiment, a color image display system consists of a light source equipped with two-dimensional scanning hardware and a FC display screen board. The FC display screen board consists of a transparent fluorescence display layer, a wavelength filtering coating, and an absorption substrate. In another preferred embodiment, two mechanisms of light excitation are utilized. One of the excitation mechanisms is up-conversion where excitation light wavelength is longer than fluorescence wavelength. The second mechanism is down-conversion where excitation wavelength is shorter than fluorescence wavelength. A host of preferred fluorescence materials for the FC screen are also disclosed. These materials fall into four categories: inorganic nanometer sized phosphors; organic molecules and dyes; semiconductor based nano particles; and organometallic molecules. These molecules or nano-particles are incorporated in the screen in such a way that allows the visible transparency of the screen. Additionally, a preferred fast light scanning system is disclosed. The preferred scanning system consists of dual-axes acousto-optic light deflector, signal processing and control circuits equipped with a close-loop image feedback to maintain position accuracy and pointing stability of the excitation beam.

A process and system suitable for producing syngas from biomass materials. The process and system entail the compaction of a loose biomass material to remove air therefrom and form a compacted biomass material. The compacted biomass material is then introduced into a reactor and heated in the substantial absence of air so as not to combust the compacted biomass material. Instead, the compacted biomass material is heated to a temperature at which organic molecules within the compacted biomass material break down to form ash and gases comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas. Thereafter, the carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas are released from the reactor, and the ash is removed from the reactor.

The present invention concerns an improved optical method and optical sensing device for determining the levels of polyhydroxyl-substituted organic molecules in vitro and/or in vivo in aqueous media. The range of detection is between about 400 and 800 nm. In particular, a sensory devise is implemented in a mammal to determine sugar levels. Specifically, a dye is combined with a conjugated nitrogen-containing heterocyclic aromatic boronic acid-substituted bis-onium compound in the presence of a sugar, such as fructose or glucose. The viologens are preferred as the aromatic conjugated nitrogen-containing boronic acid substituted compounds. The method is useful to determine sugar levels in a human being.

The invention provides homogeneous small spherical particles of low molecular weight organic molecules, said small spherical particles having a uniform shape, a narrow size distribution and average diameter of 0.01-200 μm. The invention further provides methods of preparation and methods of use of the small spherical particles. These small spherical particles are suitable for applications that require delivery of micron-size or nanosized particles with uniform size and good aerodynamic or flow characteristics. Pulmonary, intravenous, and other means of administration are among the delivery routes that may benefit from these small spherical particles.

An organic photovoltaic conversion device, such as a solar cell includes a matrix material, such as a polymer matrix material, carbon nanotubes dispersed in the matrix material, and photovoltaic organic molecules, such as organic dye molecules, attached to defect sites on the carbon nanotubes.

This invention relates to a shapable prepreg comprising fibers and a polymeric matrix. The polymeric matrix is a multiphase matrix comprisinga first matrix component consisting of a monomer or a dendrimer, anda second matrix component consisting of high molecular weight organic molecules, said second matrix component forming a sticky membrane of the prepreg with an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) bonding to the first matrix component. Preferably, the prepreg further comprises a third matrix component consisting of high molecular weight organic molecules, said third component being distributed between the fibers.

The present invention provides a photoacoustic spectrometer that is field portable and capable of speciating complex organic molecules in the gas phase. The spectrometer has a tunable light source that has the ability to resolve the fine structure of these molecules over a large wavelength range. The inventive light source includes an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) having combined fine and coarse tuning. By pumping the OPO with the output from a doped-fiber optical amplifier pumped by a diode seed laser, the inventive spectrometer is able to speciate mixtures having parts per billion of organic compounds, with a light source that has a high efficiency and small size, allowing for portability. In an alternative embodiment, the spectrometer is scanned by controlling the laser wavelength, thus resulting in an even more compact and efficient design.

The present invention describes a novel recombinant NADH recycling system that is used as a process for producing reduced compounds. In a specific embodiment, the reduced compounds include ethanol, succinate, lactate, a vitamin, a pharmaceutical and a biodegraded organic molecule. The NADH recycling system effects metabolic flux of reductive pathways in aerobic and anaerobic environments.

The present invention concerns an improved optical method and optical sensing device for determining the levels of polyhydroxyl-substituted organic molecules in vitro and/or in vivo in aqueous media. In particular, a sensory devise is implemented in a mammal to determine sugar levels. Specifically, a dye is combined with a conjugated nitrogen-containing heterocyclic aromatic boronic acid-substituted bis-onium compound in the presence of a sugar, such as fructose or glucose. The viologens are preferred as the aromatic conjugated nitrogen-containing boronic acid substituted compounds. The method is useful to determine sugar levels in a human being.

CO2 conversation into organic molecules is based on the photo-oxidation of water into oxygen gas O2, protons H+, and electrons. The conversion of CO2 occurs at the photo-cathode and involves the generated protons, electrons and the “fuel” CO2.

The invention relates to a multi-effect pollution removal purifying agent and a method for applying the same. The purifying agent is complexly formed by a strong oxidant, an effective adsorbent and an assistant medicament by a weight percentage of strong oxidant 10-80%, effective adsorbent 10-70% and assistant medicament 5-50%. The surface water treatment process of using multi-effect pollution removal purifying agent of the invention comparing with the common flocculants has the following advantages: effectively improving the turbidity removal ratio, increasing the flcos formation amount and alum blossom density for the difficult coagulated surface water, improving the deposition efficiency, oxidizing and removing the organic matters in the water, eliminating the chroma and odor caused by the pollution, increasing the effluent conventional indexes, obviously improving the indexes such as oxygen consumption and ammonia nitrogen, wherein the removal rate of oxygen consumption and ammonia nitrogen can reach 25-60%, the removal rate of small organic molecules, benzenes and phenols can reach more than 80%, playing an obvious roll for the algae inactivation of lake water and reservoir water which are serious eutrophic, improving the algae removal efficiency of the deposition and filtration technologies with an algae removal rate of 80-90%, improving the coagulation efficiency, reducing 20-30% of the common flocculant dosage, effectively adsorbing the codeposition heavy-metal ion. The adding equipment of the invention is easy and convenient to use with little investment and fast effect.

A filtration apparatus and filtration method can be used to reduce at least one contaminant (e.g., organic molecules, ions and/or biological microorganisms) in an aqueous fluid. The filtration apparatuses and methods of the invention can separate at least one contaminant from an aqueous fluid and/or oxidize at least one contaminant. In operation, an aqueous fluid is flowed through a filtration apparatus comprising a porous carbon nanotube filter material at an applied voltage. In some embodiments, the filtration apparatus described herein can be used for dead-end filtration. In some embodiments, the filtration apparatus described herein can be used for cross-over filtration.

A method for encapsulating biologics within a hydrogel by using an aqueous solution of an isocyanate-functional hydrogel prepolymer which is mixed with an amount of biologics and an aqueous solution containing a dithiol crosslinking agent under physiological pH conditions. An additional bidentate crosslinking agent may be included. The product of such method may be a bioreactor or an assay device having a plurality or different biologics encapsulated at predetermined locations in a substrate.

A substrate-free gas-phase synthesis apparatus and method that is capable of rapidly and continuously producing graphene in ambient conditions without the use of graphite or substrates is provided. Graphene sheets are continuously synthesized in fractions of a second by sending an aerosol consisting of argon gas and liquid ethanol droplets into an atmospheric-pressure microwave-generated argon plasma field. The ethanol droplets are evaporated and dissociated in the plasma, forming graphene sheets that are collected. The apparatus can be scaled for the large-scale production of clean and highly ordered graphene and its many applications. The graphene that is produced is clean and highly ordered with few lattice imperfections and oxygen functionalities and therefore has improved characteristics over graphene produced by current methods in the art. The graphene that is produced by the apparatus and methods was shown to be particularly useful as a support substrate that enabled direct atomic resolution imaging of organic molecules and interfaces with nanoparticles at a level previously unachievable.