The disclosure provides, inter alia, methods of improving sperm function and related methods of fertilization, together with preparations of activated or potentiated sperm. The methods provided by the disclosure, in some embodiments entail energy depletion with subsequent staged reintroduction of different energy sources. The disclosure additionally provides articles of manufacture suitable for performing the methods provided by the invention. The invention provides kits for separating sperm and for processing and preparing sperm for, in some embodiments, IVF or IUI. Also provided are nutrient free reagents useful preparing sperm.

The present disclosure discloses a method for screening bacteria capable of tolerating and degrading ethylene oxide, comprising: preliminary screening, purification, ethylene oxide tolerance acclimatization, and ethylene oxide degradation acclimatization. The methods for screening and acclimatization provided by the present application is simple to operate, and the ability of the acclimatized strains to degrade ethylene oxide is significantly improved. Therefore, a series of ethylene oxide-degrading strains capable of tolerating and degrading ethylene oxide may be obtained, which have excellent treatment performance and is safe, environmentally friendly, and is of great significance for decontamination treatment of ethylene oxide.

Systems and methods for growing cells or cell sheets are described. The method may use biocompatible or food-safe materials. The method may allow for cell alignment, optionally in selected patterns, which may be produced by casting a membrane on a 3D printed mold. The method may include surface treatment of an elastomeric membrane. The method may allow for the reuse of the membranes by autoclaving and/or a washing step. The method may create multi-layer cell sheets with an extracellular matrix (ECM) created by the cells, which may be detached from the membrane. Optionally, the cells may be separated from the ECM.

The present invention relates to methods of modulating (e.g., reducing) the mannose content, particularly high-mannose content of recombinant glycoproteins.

Growth medium are disclosed for use in fermenting a marine microorganism. The medium comprise Potassium, Calcium, Strontium, Borate and Fluoride at specific concentrations. Alternatively, the growth medium comprises cobalt at specified concentrations or comprises vitamin B.sub.12 at specified concentrations. Methods of producing certain desired compound by fermentation of a marine microorganism are also disclosed.

The present invention provides a lactic acid bacterial fermentation-promoting agent suitable for use in food production. The present invention relates to a fermentation promoting agent for Streptococcus thermophilus, comprising a solution prepared by exposing an alkaline solution comprising a reducing sugar to a temperature in the range of 5° C. or more and 135° C. or less to induce a color reaction of sugar, and a production method thereof; and a method for promoting fermentation for Streptococcus thermophilus using the fermentation promoting agent and a method for producing a fermented food such as fermented milk.

The present invention relates to a mesenchymal stem cell storing or transport formulation, a method of preparing the mesenchymal stem cell toring or transport formulation as well as to methods of using the mesenchymal stem cell storing or transport formulation. Such methods include a method of transporting mesenchymal stem cells in this storing or transport formulation as well as a method of treating a subject having a disease, the method comprising topically administering mesenchymal stem cells that have been stored or transported in this storing or transport formulation. Also concerned is a unit dosage of the mesenchymal stem cells.

Provided are media and methods for establishing and maintaining mammalian early embryo-like cells. The culture media can be used to culture mammalian pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), are chemically defined, and comprise basal media for culturing stem cells supplemented with a S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAH)/Polycomb repressive complexes (PRC)/EZH2 inhibitor and a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor. With the culture media thereof, primate (human and non-human) PSCs can be converted to preimplantation ICM-like cells (ICLCs) or 8-cell embryo-like cells (8CLCs).

Provided are media and methods for establishing and maintaining mammalian early embryo-like cells. The culture media can be used to culture mammalian pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), which is chemically defined and comprises basal media for culturing stem cells supplemented with a S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAH)/Polycomb repressive complexes (PRC)/EZH2 inhibitor, a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor and a WNT/-catenin signaling/tankyrase inhibitor. With the culture media, primate (human and non-human) PSCs can be converted to preimplantation ICM-like cells (ICLCs) or 8-cell embryo-like cells (8CLCs).

Delivering a payload across a plasma membrane of a cell includes providing a population of cells and contacting the population of cells with a volume of an aqueous solution. The aqueous solution includes the payload and alcohol content greater than 5 percent concentration. The volume of the aqueous solution may be a function of exposed surface area of the population of cells, or may be a function of a number of cells in the population of cells. Related compositions, apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.