354results about "Microbiological testing/measurement" patented technology

Devices and methods for determining analyte levels are described. The devices and methods allow for the implantation of analyte-monitoring devices, such as glucose monitoring devices, that result in the delivery of a dependable flow of blood to deliver sample to the implanted device. The devices comprise a unique microarchitectural arrangement in the sensor region that allows accurate data to be obtained over long periods of time.

The present invention relates to molecules, particularly polypeptides, more particularly immunoglobulins (e.g., antibodies), comprising a variant Fc region, wherein said variant Fc region comprises at least one amino acid modification relative to a wild-type Fc region, which variant Fc region binds FcγRIIIA and/or FcγRIIA with a greater affinity, relative to a comparable molecule comprising the wild-type Fc region. The molecules of the invention are particularly useful in preventing, treating, or ameliorating one or more symptoms associated with a disease, disorder, or infection. The molecules of the invention are particularly useful for the treatment or prevention of a disease or disorder where an enhanced efficacy of effector cell function (e.g., ADCC) mediated by FcγR is desired, e.g., cancer, infectious disease, and in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of therapeutic antibodies the effect of which is mediated by ADCC.

This invention provides methods for massive parallel nucleic acid analysis. A closed complex of nucleic acid template, nucleotide and polymerase can be formed during polymerase reaction, absent divalent metal ion. This is used to trap the nucleotide complementary to the next template nucleotide in the closed complex. Detection of the trapped nucleotide allows determination of the sequence of this next correct nucleotide. In this way, sequential nucleotides of a nucleic acid template can be identified, effectively determining the sequence. This method is applied to sequence multiple templates in parallel, particularly if they are immobilized on a solid support.

The present disclosure relates to methods for isolating, amplifying, and/or analyzing nucleic acids in the presence of an anion exchange material by performing the isolation, amplification and/or analysis step in the presence of at least one anionic compound.

Methods and compositions are provided for the identification of expression signatures in ER+ breast cancer cases, where the signatures correlate with responsiveness, or lack thereof, to tamoxifen treatment. The signature profiles are identified based upon sampling of reference breast tissue samples from independent cases of breast cancer and provide a reliable set of molecular criteria for predicting the efficacy of treating a subject with ER+ breast cancer with tamoxifen. Additional methods and compositions are provided for predicting tamoxifen responsiveness in cases of ER+ breast cancer by use of three biomarkers. Two biomarkers display increased expression correlated with tamoxifen response while the third biomarker displays decreased expression correlated with tamoxifen response.

A method for authenticating a product where the product is composed of a plurality of components is described. The method for authenticating the product comprises providing a liquid compound, e.g. paint, that comprises at least one invisible market, e.g. nucleic acid, in which the compound is associated with a first entity. The method then proceeds to apply the compound to the surface of the product at the juncture of at least two components. The method also comprises associating the application of the compound to the at least two components with the first entity.

The present invention calls utilized genes differentially expressed in target cells to design vaccines to generate an immune response. Unlike prior art methods that seek to identify antigenic proteins from phenotypic analysis, the subject method applies functional genomics for antigen identification. The method is exemplified herein and therefore provides compositions and methods for inducing an immune response against gp 100 melanoma cells and for inducing an immune response against HER-2+cells. Cancer vaccines and adoptive immunotherapeutic methods to treat and prevent conditions associated with the presence of these cells in a subject also are provided. The methods can be practiced by administering the appropriate gene or cancer vaccine, antibody, protein, polypeptide, antigen-presenting cell or immune effector cell.

The present invention relates to methods and devices for identifying and quantifying, including low abundance, nucleotide base mutations, insertions, deletions, translocations, splice variants, miRNA variants, alternative transcripts, alternative start sites, alternative coding sequences, alternative non-coding sequences, alternative splicings, exon insertions, exon deletions, intron insertions, or other rearrangement at the genome level and/or methylated nucleotide bases.

A method and a system for separating glycated hemoglobin from non-glycated hemoglobin, and a method for one-read quantitative determination of the glycated hemoglobin and %HbA.sub.1c that does not require an additional measurement of total hemoglobin.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a recombinant polyclonal protein composition, in particular a recombinant polyclonal antibody composition. The method comprises obtaining a collection of cells transfected with a library of variant nucleic acid sequences, wherein each cell in the collection is transfected with and capable of expressing one member of the library, which encodes a distinct member of a polyclonal protein that binds a particular antigen and which is located at the same single site in the genome of individual cells in said collection, wherein said nucleic acid sequence is not naturally associated with said cell in the collection. The cells are cultured under suitable conditions for expression of the polyclonal protein, which is obtained from the cells or culture supernatant. The nucleic acid sequence id introduced into the cells by transfection with a library of vectors for site-specific integration. The present method is suitable for manufacturing recombinant polyclonal antibodies, thereby mailing available a superior replacement of plasma-derived therapeutic immunoglobulin products.

The invention provides a method of RNA interference, which comprises contacting the cell with a fusion protein-double stranded RNA complex, the complex comprising the double stranded RNA segment containing a double stranded RNA of interest and a fusion protein, the fusion protein comprising (1) a targeting moiety, which will specifically binds to a site on a target cell, and (2) a binding moiety, which will bind to the double stranded RNA, wherein the double stranded RNA segment initiates RNA interference in the cell.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for treating, characterizing, and diagnosing cancer. In particular, the present invention provides gene expression profiles associated with solid tumor stem cells, as well as novel stem cell cancer gene signatures useful for the diagnosis, characterization, prognosis and treatment of solid tumor stem cells.

Mold growth monitoring and prediction systems and methods for an environment are disclosed. The system includes a processing unit, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor. The processing unit obtains a temperature reading and a humidity reading of the environment from the sensors. The processing unit uses an algorithm to determine a probability of mold growth based on the temperature reading, the humidity reading, and a time reading. For example, the algorithm defines an envelope based on temperature, humidity, and one or more species of mold. The envelope substantially separates conditions detrimental to mold growth from conditions conducive to mold growth for the species of mold. The processing unit uses the algorithm to determine whether the temperature reading and the humidity reading fall within detrimental or conducive conditions to mold growth. Based on the conditions, the processing unit either increases or decreases the probability of mold growth.

A light source locating and visualization apparatus comprises one or more than one LEDs capable to radiate a red light source with a wavelength of 600˜650 nm to locate superficial veins or specific structures; and a method of locating superficial veins with a LED light source comprises to proceed a skin-tightly radiating by using the source locating and visualization apparatus to emitting a red LED light source with wavelength of 600˜656 nm; to produce a lateral scattering and illumination effect by way of emitting red LED light source penetrating through a fat structure to cause reflection and scattering; and to locate superficial veins by naked eyes due to said superficial veins capable of absorbing red light spectrum easily and appearing as a located blood vessel shadow under the lateral scattering and illumination effect; therefore, physicians and nurse are capable by naked eyes to see the size, curve, and bifurcation of subcutaneous blood vessels visually and then select an appropriate injection position along the blood vessel for intravenous puncture easily.

The invention provides methods and systems for detecting and measuring microRNAs.

The present invention provides, in part, methods for recombinantly expressing proteins at a high level along with cell culture media for doing the same.

The present invention provides methods for identifying the plurality of aptamers that bind to different sites of a target molecule and methods for using the same, for example, in sandwich assays. In particular, the plurality of aptamers binding to different sites of the target molecules is identified from a library of aptamers identified from the same SELEX process.

A method of selection for type II methanotrophs is provided that includes enriching a microbial feedstock using a non-sterile bioreactor with a methane source and a nitrogen source, where the microbial feedstock includes a mixture of Type I and Type II methanotrophic cells, where an inhibited growth of the Type I methanotrophic cells and an enhanced growth of the Type II methanotrophic cells forms. The method further includes exposing intermittently the enriched microbial feedstock to i) nitrate, ii) urea, or i) and ii), where enhanced growth of the Type II methanotrophs is established, and exposing the Type II methanotrophs to an unbalanced growth condition where production of polyhydroxybutyrate is induced.

The computerized method, software, and product of this invention implements a process for computationally designing proteins and/or associated molecular targets with desired quantitative stability/flexibility relationships (QSFR). QSFR is an innovative, high dimensional metric calculated using an improved Distance Constraint Model (DCM). This invention includes three distinct aspects: (i.) utilizing QSFR in computational molecular design of protein sequences, or variations of molecular structures, to have specific stability and flexibility relationships deemed important for biochemical function for specified thermodynamic and solvent conditions; (ii.) utilizing QSFR to optimize thermodynamic and/or solvent conditions necessary for a specified molecular system to exhibit protein function characteristics, such as improved catalytic efficiency; and (iii.) utilizing QSFR to computationally screen or design small molecules and/or design its putative receptor so as to exhibit a desired affect on protein function.

A method for detecting human papillomaviruses (HPV) in biological material is described, in which method nucleic acids are extracted/isolated from biological material and HPV-specific DNA is detected in the isolated nucleic acids. This method uses at least one of the nucleotide sequences SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 2 from the enclosed sequence listing or sequences which bind to sequences to which one of the sequences SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 2 binds or sequences which are complementary to the abovementioned sequences.

The invention provides methods and compositions for detecting a change in a nucleic acid polymerase conformation involving contacting a nucleic acid polymerase non-covalently attached to a single walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) with a first nucleotide or first nucleotide analog and a template and detecting the conformationally changed nucleic acid polymerase by measuring a first electrical conductance change in the SWNT between the nucleic acid polymerase and the conformationally changed nucleic acid polymerase. The method is useful for sequencing of polynucleotides.

The invention relates to mutant forms of Msp. The invention also relates to polynucleotide characterisation using Msp.

The present invention provides compositions and methods for the detection and characterization of mutations associated with cystic fibrosis. More particularly, the present invention provides compositions, methods and kits for using invasive cleavage structure assays (e.g. the INVADER assay) to screen nucleic acid samples, e.g., from patients, for the presence of any one of a collection of mutations in the CFTR gene associated with cystic fibrosis. The present invention also provides compositions, methods and kits for screening sets of CFTR alleles in a single reaction container.

This invention is in the field of cancer-related genes. Specifically it relates to methods for detecting cancer or the likelihood of developing cancer based on the presence or absence of the SEM A4D gene or proteins encoded by this gene. The invention also provides methods and molecules for upregulating or downregulating the SEMA4D gene.

Standard reference materials and related methods are described for quality testing and calibration of instruments used for the qualitative and quantitative determination of hemoglobin and glycated hemoglobin as well as other analytes of interest in animal tissue samples. The reference solutions of the disclosure utilize a synthetic cruor in combination with an Hb peptide chain.