The present invention relates to a composition for preventing, alleviating, or treating allergic skin diseases comprising, as an active ingredient, an extract of Gardenia fruit from which pigment is removed, and since the extract of Gardenia fruit from which pigment is removed is more effective for allergic skin diseases compared to an extract of Gardenia fruit from which pigment is not removed, the composition can be very advantageously used for allergic skin diseases, in particular, atopic dermatitis.

The invention concerns biocompatible polymer systems comprising at least one polymer with a plurality of pores, said polymer comprising either polyol or zwitterionic groups designed to adsorb endotoxins and other inflammatory mediator molecules. The inventions are in the field of porous polymeric sorbents, also in the field of broadly reducing endotoxins in blood and blood products that can cause endotoxemia, additionally, in the field of broadly removing endotoxins by perfusion or hemoperfusion.

Disclosed is a method for preparing adrenochrome by catalytic oxidation using nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes. The method catalyzes dissolved oxygen in an aqueous solution by the nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes to rapidly oxidize adrenaline, which is completely transformed into adrenochrome. It is a novel preparation process of adrenochrome, which is simple, and has mild reaction conditions, high product purity, an impurity content less than 10.sup.−8%, and low subsequent processing cost, thereby having a great application prospect. The nitrogen-doped carbon tubes after use can be regenerated and recovered, and its reutilization is still able to realize the complete transformation of adrenaline. The high utilization rate of catalytic material conforms to the concept of energy conservation, minimizing the costs.

A reactor for accommodating high contaminant feedstocks includes a reactor vessel having an inlet for introducing a feedstock containing contaminants into an interior of the reactor vessel. A basket is located within the reactor vessel interior and contains a particulate material for removing contaminants from the feedstock to form a purified feedstock that is discharged to a purified feedstock outlet. A catalyst is located within the reactor vessel and in fluid communication with the purified feedstock outlet of the basket for contacting the purified feedstock to form a desired product.

A method for making a caffeoylquinic composition from a botanical source is disclosed. The method may include chromatographing an extract of biomass on an ion exchange stationary phase and obtaining an eluent comprising a caffeoylquinic composition. The biomass may be stevia or yerba mate, for example. The caffeoylquinic composition includes one or more of monocaffeoylquinic acid, dicaffeoylquinic acid, and salts of the foregoing.

Microstructure separation filters are provided herein, as well as chromatography and other separation devices. An exemplary filter device includes a microstructure filter has a plurality of layers of alternating sacrificial and/or structural material which have been etched to create inlet channels and outlet channels. Adjacent ones of the inlet channels and the outlet channels are spaced apart from one another by cross channels that filter a fluid from the inlet channels to the outlet channels. The cross channels include filter features formed by etching away of a portion of the layers. The device also includes a housing configured to receive the microstructure filter.

Disclosed here includes a method for purifying a biologic composition, comprising diafiltering the biologic composition into a composition comprising phosphate buffered saline (PBS) to obtain a purified composition. The method disclosed here can be particularly useful for removing one or more impurities from the biologic composition, such as bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino-tris(hydroxymethyl)methane (Bis-tris).

A column-based device and method for retrieving cells of interest were enclosed. The said device comprises a column comprising (i) an inner wall defining an inner chamber with inlet and outlet openings, (ii) a perforated plug disposed adjacent to the outlet opening, (iii) a sleeve insert with a channel and disposed within the chamber and adjacent to the perforated plug, and (iv) a filtering means housed within sleeve insert sandwiched between two sealing means. In particular, Tumor-derived endothelial cell clusters (TECCs) as characterized multiple nuclei, expression of endothelial markers (PECAM1, VWF and CDH5), and non-expression of leukocyte, megakaryocyte and platelets markers, may be retrieved using the disclosed device. Also encompassed are methods, reagents and kits for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancers by detecting for the presence of TECCs isolated from blood samples using the claimed device.

The present invention describes a simple purification process for recombinant human serum albumin. The process results in highly purified protein with limited number of purification steps. The broth containing human albumin is clarified by centrifugation and microfiltration, diafiltered and captured by cation exchange chromatography by a process that allows 140-230 mg of albumin to be captured per ml of resin. Product related impurities are removed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography, optimised to allow 87-97% recovery in flow through mode. The final series of processes are so combined that there is easy transition from one step to the next with minimal interventions and adjustments. The entire process of purification is completed within two days from harvest to final product. Thus a cost-effective process with improved recovery of protein at each step is developed. The purified human serum albumin is analyzed for purity and shows physicochemical characteristics that are similar to standard albumin.

A reactor for accommodating high contaminant feedstocks includes a reactor vessel having an inlet for introducing a feedstock containing contaminants into an interior of the reactor vessel. A basket is located within the reactor vessel interior and contains a particulate material for removing contaminants from the feedstock to form a purified feedstock that is discharged to a purified feedstock outlet. A catalyst is located within the reactor vessel and in fluid communication with the purified feedstock outlet of the basket for contacting the purified feedstock to form a desired product.