The present invention generally relates to bacterial polypeptide display systems, libraries using these bacterial display systems, and methods of making and using these systems, including methods for improved display of polypeptides on the extracellular surface of bacteria using circularly permuted transmembrane bacterial polypeptides that have been modified to increase resistance to protease degradation and to enhance polypeptide display characteristics.

The present invention relates to screening methods for identification of agents (e.g., small molecules) that modulate cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-specific target (e.g., tumor) cell killing, as well as to uses of compounds identified thereby as immunomodulatory, including use of EGFR inhibitors as immunomodulatory agents.

The present invention relates to an in vitro method for preparing and producing canine pancreatic islets from immature pancreatic tissue. Such islets express, produce and secrete insulin upon glucose stimulation. The invention further encompasses canine pancreatic islets obtainable according to the present method, islet population of said islets and compositions comprising said islets. It also relates to transduced canine pancreatic islets, or tumours or cells derived thereof. The present invention also concerns the use of said canine pancreatic islets or cells derived thereof for treating a canine pancreatic disorder, such as canine diabetes, or for diagnosing canine diabetes.

Provided herein are apparatus for independently manipulating the temperature of a plurality of reaction vessels, e.g., for automated processing of nucleic acids present in the vessels. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) comprising a mount area arranged to have mounted thereon a through-hole thermoelectric device (TED) to facilitate independent temperature control of reaction vessels are also provided, as well as methods relating to the same.

In one aspect, provided is a composition (biomimetic composition) that includes a biomimetic in vitro model of an arteriolar vessel comprising: at least one of 1) human smooth muscle cells and 2) human pulmonary endothelial cells; wherein the vessel recapitulates one or more of the overall tubular geometry, morphometrics, extracellular matrix constituents, cellular morphology, cellular alignment, and functional heterotypic connections between the human smooth muscle cells and/or the human endothelial cells as compared to an in vivo arteriolar vessel. A microfluidics-based model platform of the pulmonary circulation is provided. Methods of use include measuring flow in biomimetic vessels, and to determine the resistance of these biomimetic vessels in the setting of a variety of experimental conditions that recapitulate the pathobiology of pulmonary hypertension.

There is provided an evaluation method for permeability of a porous membrane that separates a first flow channel and a second flow channel, the evaluation method including supplying a pressure to a liquid inside the first flow channel and acquiring a change that occurs in a liquid accommodated in the second flow channel as an evaluation indicator of permeability of the porous membrane.

Disclosed are methods related to identifying an essential gene which serves as an antibiotic target in a bacterium.

Disclosed are methods related to identifying an essential gene which serves as an antibiotic target in a bacterium.

Provided is a vector library for yeast two-hybrid screening of a deubiquitinating enzyme that binds to a target protein and a method for identifying a deubiquitinating enzyme binding to a target protein using the same. Further provided is a method for screening an agent having anti-cancer activity targeting the deubiquitinating enzyme USP1, USP7, USP12, or USP49 identified by the identifying method.

Provided is a vector library for yeast two-hybrid screening of a deubiquitinating enzyme that binds to a target protein and a method for identifying a deubiquitinating enzyme binding to a target protein using the same. Further provided is a method for screening an agent having anti-cancer activity targeting the deubiquitinating enzyme USP1, USP7, USP12, or USP49 identified by the identifying method.