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A method for culturing and maintaining a pluripotent stem cell in an undifferentiated state is provided. The method comprises culturing the pluripotent stem cell in a medium comprising an MEK inhibitor, a GSK3 inhibitor, a dual inhibitor of AMPK and/or BMP signaling and LIF. A cell produced by the method, cell culture medium and a kit for performing the method described is also provided.

The present invention relates to a device for the interfacial augmentation of tissue grafts for the purpose of tendon and ligament reconstruction. The inventive device works both as a delivery vessel for osteoconductive and osteoinductive factors and as a scaffold to stimulate and support bone ingrowth and comprises a tubular composite silk sheath, said tubular composite silk sheath comprising: a backbone consisting of a tubular silk mesh, and a carrier material consisting of a porous silk sponge, wherein said tubular silk mesh consists of degummed silk fibroin fibers, wherein said porous silk sponge comprises silk fibroin fibers and hydroxyapatite particles and said tubular silk mesh and said porous silk sponge form a composite material. The present invention is also directed to a method for the manufacturing of such augmentation devices, a method for fixation of the thus fabricated tissue interface augmentation devices onto ligament or tendon grafts, a method for applying such devices for ligament and/or tendon reconstruction to tendon grafts, as well as their application in ligament and tendon reconstruction.

There is provided a method for synthesizing an alkenoic acid, in particular acrylic acid comprising the step of oxidizing an alkenyl alcohol in the presence of a metal oxide catalyst to form the alkenoic acid. The invention further provides a step of deoxydehydrating a polyol, including glycerol to obtain said alkenyl alcohol including an allyl alcohol.

A transducer is provided, which includes a substrate, wherein a cavity is defined at least partially through the substrate, at least one stopper structure arranged within the cavity, a support layer arranged over the at least one stopper structure and the cavity to seal the cavity, and a piezoelectric functional arrangement arranged on the support layer. According to further embodiments of the present invention, a method for forming a transducer is also provided.

Disclosed is a method of promoting wound healing or wound closure. The method comprises administration of a miR-198 inhibitor and/or a follistatin-like-1 (FSTL1) polypeptide. Also disclosed are method of treating chronic cutaneous wounds, method of identifying a non-healing wound, use and a pharmaceutical composition comprising a miR-198 inhibitor and/or a follistatin-like-1 (FSTL1) polypeptide.

Antibodies of interest comprising a heavy chain signal peptide and/or a light chain signal peptide or combination thereof and compositions are described. The method of determining the signal peptide including creating data set of antibodies signal peptides, clustering, selecting and creating recombinant antibodies for enhanced expression and secretion are described.

The present invention provides an amphiphilic linear peptide and/or peptoid as well as a hydrogel that includes the amphiphilic linear peptide/peptoid. The amphiphilic linear peptide/peptoid is capable of self-assembling into three-dimensional macromolecular nanofibrous networks, which entrap water, and forming a hydrogel. These peptides/peptoids include short amphiphilic sequences with a hydrophobic portion of aliphatic amino acids and at least one acidic, neutral, or basic polar amino acid. The amphiphilic linear peptide/peptoid is build up of non repetitive aliphatic amino acids, which may be in the L- or D-form. A plurality of such peptides/peptoids assembles to supramolecular helical fibers and forms peptide hydrogels after assembly. A corresponding hydrogel is formed in aqueous solutions at physiological pH and is thus useful for inter alia cell culture, tissue engineering, tissue regeneration, wound healing and release of bioactive moieties (including cells, nucleic acids, anti-microbials, micro-/nanoparticles, cosmetic agents and small molecule therapeutics), as well as for providing mechanical support for damaged or missing tissues. Such hydrogels can also be formed in situ, wherein the gelation process occurs within the body following the injection of a peptide solution. Such hydrogels, which are rigid, biocompatible and entrap up to 99.9% of water, are also well suited for applications utilizing electronic devices.

The present disclosure relates to a polymeric system for release of an active agent, comprising a first polymeric phase containing the active agent, the first polymeric phase forming discrete regions of a set size range and being dispersed within a second polymeric phase comprising a cross-linked polymer-phenol conjugate for release of the active agent therein. The present disclosure further provides an injectable hydrogel comprising the disclosed polymeric system, a carrier for delivering a biologically active substance or a drug comprising the injectable hydrogel, and a method for producing the disclosed polymeric system.

We describe a method of detecting pre-eclampsia in a cell, tissue, organ or organism, the method comprising detecting a modulated level of expression, activity or amount of a pre-eclampsia biomarker polypeptide selected from the group consisting of PlGF, FLT1, BNP, ANP, CD9, PAI-1, TGF ?, PCT, SI 00b, TIMP1, CD 105 and IL6 in or of a microparticle type (selected from a CTB binding microparticle and an Annexin V binding microparticle) from the cell, tissue, organ or organism, as compared to level of expression, activity or amount of the pre-eclampsia biomarker polypeptide in the same microparticle type in a cell, tissue, organ or organism not sufferin from pre-eclampsia.

This invention relates to a method for synthesizing a SiO2-coated nanoparticle, the method comprising the step of reacting a hydroxyl-functionalized silane with a nanoparticle in a substantially aqueous phase under conditions to induce silanization of the nanoparticle. The method enables silanization of the nanoparticle in aqueous phase that is substantially free of organic solvents.