Adapting virus filtration to continuous processing: Effects of product and process variability on filtration performance.

Virus filtration (VF) is an important unit operation in the manufacture of biotherapeutics that provides robust removal of potential virus contaminants. Small virus removal can be impacted by the low operating pressures and potential depressurization events that are often associated with continuous operations where increased operational flexibility for higher loading at low flux and low pressure is required. In this study, we evaluated the impact of low flux (7 LMH) and pressure interruptions on minute virus of mice (MVM) removal.

Diversity and genetic architecture of agro-morphological traits in a core collection of European traditional tomato.

European traditional tomato varieties have been selected by farmers given their consistent performance and adaptation to local growing conditions. Here we developed a multipurpose core collection, comprising 226 accessions representative of the genotypic, phenotypic, and geographical diversity present in European traditional tomatoes, to investigate the basis of their phenotypic variation, gene×environment interactions, and stability for 33 agro-morphological traits. Comparison of the traditional varieties with a modern reference panel revealed that some traditional varieties displayed excellent agronomic performance and high trait stability, as good as or better than that of their modern counterparts.

Automated Data Generation for Raman Spectroscopy Calibrations in Multi-Parallel Mini Bioreactors.

Raman spectroscopy is an analytical technology for the simultaneous measurement of important process parameters, such as concentrations of nutrients, metabolites, and product titer in mammalian cell culture. The majority of published Raman studies have concentrated on using the technique for the monitoring and control of bioreactors at pilot and manufacturing scales. This research presents a novel approach to generating Raman models using a high-throughput 250 mL mini bioreactor system with the following two integrated analysis modules: a prototype flow cell enabling on-line Raman measurements and a bioanalyzer to generate reference measurements without a significant time-shift, compared to the corresponding Raman measurement.

External validation of a pediatric decision rule for blunt abdominal trauma.

Introduction: Blunt traumatic injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. Contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography is the best imaging tool for screening patients at risk of blunt abdominal injury. The Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) abdominal rule was derived to identify patients at low risk for significant abdominal injury who do not require imaging.