An assay that informs precision-based intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy (IPFT) is disclosed. Provided is a simple assay based on measurement of the Fibrinolytic Potential (FP)total fibrinolytic activity in pleural fluid when plasminogen activator inhibitors (PAIs) are neutralized and endogenous plasminogen (PLG) is activated. The assay is used to determine FP in baseline pleural fluids of patients undergoing IPFT with agents such as tPA or scuPA to determine the dose and dose intervals for the particular patient. Pleural fluids are also collected after IPFT to confirm that intrapleural fibrinolysis is inhibited and endogenous PLG accumulates in the pleural fluid. Inhibition of intrapleural fibrinolysis in combination with its increase after supplementation of pleural fluid with a plasminogen activator indicates whether or not the subject should be treated with more or higher doses of an IPFT drug.

Provided are substantially dephosphorylated forms of lysosomal storage disease (LSD) proteins, including dephosphorylated forms of iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS, or I2D) and iduronidase (IDU), having increased ability to traverse or penetrate the blood brain barrier (BBB) relative to phosphorylated forms of the protein, and p97 conjugates thereof. Also provided are compositions comprising such dephosphorylated LSD proteins and p97 conjugates, and methods of use thereof, for instance, to treat any one or more lysosomal storage diseases, such as Hunter Syndrome (or MPS Type II).

Provided are substantially dephosphorylated forms of lysosomal storage disease (LSD) proteins, including dephosphorylated forms of iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS, or I2D) and iduronidase (IDU), having increased ability to traverse or penetrate the blood brain barrier (BBB) relative to phosphorylated forms of the protein, and p97 conjugates thereof. Also provided are compositions comprising such dephosphorylated LSD proteins and p97 conjugates, and methods of use thereof, for instance, to treat any one or more lysosomal storage diseases, such as Hunter Syndrome (or MPS Type II).

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an apparatus for immobilizing a microbial cell, the apparatus including: a mixing tank in which a cell-carrier-containing mixed solution is accommodated; a nozzle part through which the cell-carrier-containing mixed solution is injected from the mixing tank and is discharged to the outside; and a reaction tank in which a cell immobilized bead is formed by contact between the cell-carrier-containing mixed solution discharged from the nozzle part and an aqueous curing agent solution. In the apparatus for immobilizing a microbial cell according to the present disclosure, since the cell-carrier-containing mixed solution is injected through an air spraying nozzle, even when an immobilized carrier solution having a high viscosity is used, a microbial cell immobilized bead having a small size and having a spherical shape, or an almost spherical shape may be mass-produced.

The present invention provides a novel dual-function lipase mutant and its application in processing of flour products. The amino acid sequence of the lipase has one of the following amino acid substitutions: P298T,P298T/H317P, P298T/H317P/V326S, P298T/T218S/S234F, P298T/H317P/P168L/A129S, P298T/S234F/K161R/V326S, wherein the substitutions are relative to a parent amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1; wherein the lipase mutant maintains a triglyceride and lecithin hydrolysis activity and good performance in thermostability. The mutants have good performance in processing of flour products, while they can significantly whiten the bread or other products in processing of flour products and significantly increase the specific volume in bread baking process.

A detoxification method for treating sepsis, microbial infections, and other inflammatory conditions includes the steps of inducing flow of patient blood through a blood treatment device consisting of a bioreactor inlet and outlet in fluid connection to the circulatory system of a patient. Biological agents including lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) contained within patient blood can be irreversibly detoxified by passage of patient blood over a bioreactor surface having attached or immobilized alkaline phosphatase enzymes and acyloxyacyl hydrolase enzyme, with the bioreactor being contained within the blood treatment device. The method uses continuous treatment of a patient's blood to convert LPS and extracellular ATP in blood into inhibitors of inflammation in vivo without adding any chemicals to the bloodstream of the patient.

A detoxification method for treating sepsis, microbial infections, and other inflammatory conditions includes the steps of inducing flow of patient blood through a blood treatment device consisting of a bioreactor inlet and outlet in fluid connection to the circulatory system of a patient. Biological agents including lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) contained within patient blood can be irreversibly detoxified by passage of patient blood over a bioreactor surface having attached or immobilized alkaline phosphatase enzymes and acyloxyacyl hydrolase enzyme, with the bioreactor being contained within the blood treatment device. The method uses continuous treatment of a patient's blood to convert LPS and extracellular ATP in blood into inhibitors of inflammation in vivo without adding any chemicals to the bloodstream of the patient.

A blood treatment method includes the steps of inducing flow of a patient's blood through a blood treatment device inlet and outlet in fluid connection to the circulatory system of the patient. Metastatic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) contained within patient blood is destroyed by passing a patient's blood over a bioreactor surface having attached or immobilized deoxyribonuclease 1 (DNase 1) enzyme. The blood treatment device which consists of a bioreactor containing immobilized DNase 1, enables continuous treatment of a patient's blood and increases the effective concentration of DNase 1 in a patient's bloodstream to convert metastasizing cancer DNA in blood into non-oncogenic nucleotide fragments in vivo without adding any chemicals to the blood of the patient.

A blood treatment method includes the steps of inducing flow of a patient's blood through a blood treatment device inlet and outlet in fluid connection to the circulatory system of the patient. Metastatic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) contained within patient blood is destroyed by passing a patient's blood over a bioreactor surface having attached or immobilized deoxyribonuclease 1 (DNase 1) enzyme. The blood treatment device which consists of a bioreactor containing immobilized DNase 1, enables continuous treatment of a patient's blood and increases the effective concentration of DNase 1 in a patient's bloodstream to convert metastasizing cancer DNA in blood into non-oncogenic nucleotide fragments in vivo without adding any chemicals to the blood of the patient.

Compositions and methods related to Cas proteins, nucleic acids encoding the Cas proteins, and modified host cells comprising the Cas proteins and/or encoding nucleic acids are disclosed. Cas proteins are useful in a variety of applications. Cas proteins bind guide RNAs that in turn provide functional specificity to the Cas proteins, nucleic acids encoding the Cas guide RNAs, and modified host cells comprising the Cas guide RNAs and/or encoding nucleic acids. The Cas polypeptides and corresponding guide RNAs can be used in a variety of applications.