Abstract: An immunoassay for the quantitative determination of inactive, non-zymogen, free PSA in a biological sample taken from an individual, including contacting the biological sample with a reagent, where the reagent comprises an antibody or antibody fragments that bind specifically to inactive, non-zymogen, free PSA, the antibody being a purified polyclonal antibody or a monoclonal antibody, and evaluating the amount of inactive, non-zymogen, free PSA bound to the antibodies or antibody fragments.

Abstract: A patient's genetic predisposition to a disease may be analyzed by placing, in the presence of probes, at least one type of amplicon, derived from the amplification of at least one polymorphic region of nucleic acid from the patient. The polymorphic region is a polymorphic region of interest with respect to the disease(s) being sought.

Abstract: The invention concerns novel enzymatic substrates of general formula (I) wherein: X represents a nitrogen atom or a carbon atom substituted with a phenyl group, said phenyl group being optionally substituted in meta or para position: Y and Z represent a hydrogen atom when X represents a carbon atom or Y and Z represent together an ether, thioether or amine bond optionally substituted with an alkyl or aryl group; R1 and R2 independently represent each H, Cl, F, I, Br and can be identical or different or R1 and R2 together represent a substituted or non-substituted fused benzene ring, R3 and R4 independently represent each H, Cl, F, I, Br and can be identical or different; R represents a group such that the O—R bond is capable of being hydrolysed by an enzyme. The invention also concerns a method for synthesizing said substrates, a composition, a kit and a method for detecting at least one micro-organism using said enzymatic substrate.

Abstract: The invention concerns composite nanospheres having a diameter ranging between about 50 and 1000 nm plus or minus 5%, preferably between about 100 and 500 nm plus or minus 5% and advantageously between 100 and 200 nm plus or minus 5%, and comprising an essentially liquid core consisting of an organic phase and inorganic nanoparticles, distributed inside the organic phase, and a skin consisting of at least a hydrophilic polymer derived from the polymerisation of at least one water soluble monomer, in particular N-alkylacrylamide or a N-N-dialkylacrylamide; conjugates derived from said nanospheres; their preparation methods and their uses.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for analyzing at least an analyte, comprising a container and a biochip defining together at least a section, attached to the container by a suitable adhesive. The biochip comprises a support, for example polyhedral, comprising an active face including an active surface, whereon are distributed and bound a plurality of ligands) to be analysed, at least a face opposite to the active face, and a transverse peripheral strip linking the active and opposite faces, comprising for example several edges. The invention is characterized in that the adhesive fixing the biochip to the container links, on one side the transverse strip of the biochip, practically excluding any other part, face or surface of the biochip, to the container, and the adhesive completely exposes the peripheral zone of the active face of the biochip.

Abstract: An oligopeptides comprising the following sequence Thr Gln Cys His Cys Gly Lys Cys (SEQ ID NO: 5) may be used as an antigenic compound capable of being recognized by anti-ovary antibodies and as an immunogenic compound capable of inducing the production of anti-ovary antibodies. In addition, the oligopeptides may be used to detect and/or quantify anti-ovary antibodies.

Abstract: The invention concerns a structural peptide, identified by antibodies directed against a polypeptide, comprising the 2-45 amino acid sequence of the N-terminal end of the Core or nucleocapsid (p21) protein of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), excluding any protein or peptide compound comprising or consisting of the N-terminal end. The invention is characterized in that it comprises a tertiary structure consisting of at least a first peptide fragment having a secondary structure in ? helix, a second peptide fragment having secondary structure in ? helix and a third peptide bond fragment linking the two ? helices, these two ? helices being substantially perpendicular to each other in space. This peptide can be used for detecting antibodies directed against the p21 protein of HCV, for detecting all of part of the RNA of HCV and for preparing a diagnostic, prophylactic or therapeutic composition for detecting, preventing or treating an HCV infection.

Abstract: The invention relates to hydraulic device produced from one or several components, for example from a support comprising: an operative cavity, at least two ducts, for example an inlet and outlet for a liquid of interest which communicate with said operative cavity, at least two valve bodies with no moving pieces for control of said cavity. The above is characterised in that said device further comprises two trapping chambers for a gas, for example, air, in communication only and respectively with two ducts, by means of two connecting channels respectively, both pertaining to thermal exchange with a heat source.

Abstract: The nucleotide sequence of Tc100, a gene encoding PTc100, a new Trypanosoma antigen, and the amino acid sequence of PTc100 are described. Tc100 and PTc100, or fragments thereof, modified or otherwise, can be used directly or indirectly for the detection of Trypanosoma cruzi, or for the monitoring of the infection generated by Trypanosoma cruzi, in man or in animals.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for diagnosing a prostate adenocarcinoma in a male human patient without performing a prostatic biopsy, using the PSA protein (prostate specific antigen) present in the patient's blood, serum, urine or seminal fluid that involves measuring the free PSA total level, i.e., cleaved and non-cleaved; measuring the level of all or part of the cleaved free PSA; calculating the proportion of cleaved free PSA relative to the total free PSA, non-cleaved free PSA to free PSA, and/or cleaved free PSA to any of non-cleaved free, total, or complexed PSA; and diagnosing that the patient suffers from a prostate adenocarcinoma when the ratio used is not more than a reference value or a benign pathology when the ratio used is higher than the reference value.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for performing a reaction or at least two reactions in parallel or in series, and for transferring a fluid flow, consisting of. an upper surface (2) and a lower surface (3) mutually linked by an edge (4); at least a duct (5) wherein a fluid flow (F1) can be generated by means transferring at least one sample (6) to be treated and/or analysed, and at least a valve (8) incorporated in each duct (4) for directing each sample (6) thereby controlling the transfers, reactions and analyses in the device. Each valve (8) consists of two means (9 and 10) integral with the device, the first means (9) being mobile between an inoperative position wherein the fluid transfer (6) is possible and an active position wherein said transfer cannot take place, and the second means (10) being mobile between a position wherein it is not in contact with said first means (9) and an active position wherein it deforms the first means (9) and it is activated by an actuator external to the device.

Abstract: The invention concerns a culture and identification medium specific of yeasts comprising a chromogenous or fluorigenous substrate, capable of being hydrolyzed by an enzyme of the hexosaminidase and optionally glucosidase group, and/or at least a compound selectively inhibiting the hexosaminidase activity of C. tropicalis, and a method for selectively identifying C. albicans and/or C. tropicalis and/or other Candida, using such a medium. The invention is particularly applicable in the biomedical field and more particularly in bacteriology.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for labeling a synthetic or natural ribonucleic acid (RNA). It also relates to RNA fragments, which have been labeled by fragmenting the RNA to free a terminal phosphate of each fragment for further reaction, and labeling each fragment at the freed terminal phosphate which is located at the 3? end and/or the 5? end of each fragment of the RNA, and to the use of such RNA fragments, for example, in the field of medical diagnosis.

Abstract: The invention concerns composite nanospheres having a diameter ranging between about 50 and 1000 nm plus or minus 5%, preferably between about 100 and 500 nm plus or minus 5% and advantageously between 100 and 200 nm plus or minus 5%, and comprising an essentially liquid core consisting of an organic phase and inorganic nanoparticles, distributed inside the organic phase, and a skin consisting of at least a hydrophilic polymer derived from the polymerisation of at least one water soluble monomer, in particular N-alkylacrylamide or a N-N-dialkylacrylamide; conjugates derived from said nanospheres; their preparation methods and their uses.

Abstract: A process of fragmenting and labeling a synthetic or natural nucleic acid, comprising the steps of providing a mixture containing a nucleic acid, a labeling agent containing a detectable label, and at least one multivalent metal cation in a substantially aqueous solution; chemically fragmenting the nucleic acid in the mixture to produce a multiplicity of nucleic acid fragments; and attaching at least one label to at least one of the nucleic acid fragments to produce a detectably labeled nucleic acid fragment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the detection and/or characterization of circulating tumour cells, in a biological sample from a patient suffering from solid cancer, which can release or secrete in vitro one or more tumour markers. The inventive method consists in: (i) depositing a known quantity of the aforementioned cells at the bottom of a culture surface to which at least one specific binding partner of the tumour marker(s) is fixed, (ii) cultivating said cells in conditions such that they release or secrete the aforementioned tumour markers which are immunocaptured at the bottom of the culture surface, (iii) eliminating the cells by washing, (iv) adding at least one specific labelled conjugate of said tumour markers, and (v) viewing the lablelling thus obtained.

Abstract: The invention relates to a functionalized compound of general formula (I): in which W represents a nucleotide analog, L represents a linker arm comprising at least four atoms, R1 represents a linear or branched alkyl chain, A functionalized polynucleotide comprising at least one said compound and a labeled functionalized polynucleotide comprising at least one functionalized compound corresponding to the formula (I?). A method for detecting a target nucleic acid using a said compound is described.

Abstract: RNA may be transcribed using a nucleotide reagent as the promoter. The reagent may enable RNA to be transcribed without sequence specification and without protein cofactors, by means of an RNA polymerase that is known to be DNA-dependent such as the RNA polymerase of the phage T7, or by means of new, mutated RNA polymerase with the ability to synthesize a transcription product of polynucleotide matrix with a higher yield when the matrix is RNA than when the matrix is DNA. This type of RNA polymerase can be obtained by effecting mutations on a coding gene for a wild-type RNA polymerase, and then by selecting the mutated RNA polymerase with the ability. The invention can be applied notably to the detection, synthesis or quantification of RNA.

Abstract: The invention concerns composite nanospheres having a diameter ranging between about 50 and 1000 nm plus or minus 5%, preferably between about 100 and 500 nm plus or minus 5% and advantageously between 100 and 200 nm plus or minus 5%, and comprising an essentially liquid core consisting of an organic phase and inorganic nanoparticles, distributed inside the organic phase, and a skin consisting of at least a hydrophilic polymer derived from the polymerisation of at least one water soluble monomer, in particular N-alkylacrylamide or a N—N-dialkylacrylamide; conjugates derived from said nanospheres; their preparation methods and their uses.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for transcribing RNA using a nucleotide reagent as the promoter. Such a reagent enables any type of RNA to be transcribed without sequence specification and without protein cofactors, by means of an RNA polymerase that is known to be DNA-dependent such as the RNA polymerase of the phage T7, or by means of new, mutated RNA polymerase with the ability to synthesize a transcription product of a polynucleotide matrix with a higher yield when the matrix is RNA than when said matrix is DNA. This type of RNA polymerase can be obtained by effecting mutations on a coding gene for a wild-type RNA polymerase, and then by selecting the mutated RNA polymerase with said ability. The invention can be applied notably to the detection, synthesis or quantification of RNA.