Abstract: Composition comprising two pathogenic and/or infective agents associated with multiple sclerosis, namely a first agent which consists of a human virus possessing reverse transcriptase activity and related to a family of endogenous retroviral elements, or a variant of said virus, and a second agent, or a variant of said second agent, these two pathogenic and/or infective agents originating from the same viral strain chosen from the strains designated, respectively, POL-2 deposited with the ECACC on Jul. 22 1992 under Accession Number V92072202 and MS7PG deposited with the ECACC on Jan. 8 1993 under Accession Number V93010816, and from their variant strains.

Abstract: The invention concerns a chromogenous substrate for detecting the presence of at least one enzyme enzymatic activity. The invention also concerns a method for using such a substrate. The invention further concerns a method for identification based on such substrates and a device for implementing said identification method. The invention is characterized in that the substrate consists of at lease two molecules, a first molecule consisting of a non-chromogenous marker part associated with at least a specific target part for the enzyme and a second molecule consisting of a non-chromogenous part, and the non-chromogenous marker part, once it is released, reacts with the second molecule to form a chromogenous molecule. The invention is particularly applicable in bacteriology.

Abstract: A monoclonal or polyclonal antibody specific for an epitope common to Staphylococcus aureus strains of various capsular serotypes, particularly methicillin-resistant strains, the antibody being selected from immunoglobulins G, M, and A, and the use thereof in a reagent for detecting Staphylococcus aureus.

Abstract: Process for in vitro production of a culture or cell line infected by a viral strain associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to which a body sample is taken from an individual suffering from MS, the sample is cultivated in a culture medium which promotes the growth of infected cells to obtain a culture of primary infected cells, and a sample of the culture of primary cells or of a subculture of the latter is cultivated in series, that is to say by successive passages, in the culture medium to obtain the culture or cell line infected by a virus associated with MS. The process includes a procedure in which the culture medium also contains a beta anti-interferon antibody or an antibody which is directed against an antigenically close molecule, the antibody playing an inhibiting role in viral expression and allowing long-lasting expression and propagation of the viral strain in the culture or cell line.

Abstract: The invention proposes a method for detecting and/or quantifying, in a biological sample, a cytotoxic factor, in particular a gliotoxic factor, with respect to adherent target cells, in particular macroglial cells, the toxicity of which causes the death by apoptosis of said cells. The method comprises providing an initial fraction of the sample, optionally enriched with the toxic factor by previous treatment, incubating the initial toxic factor with a reference culture medium comprising adherent target cells, and detecting and/or quantifying in the adherent target cells killed by apoptosis, by flow cytometry, at least one direct or indirect characteristic associated with the apoptotic adherent cells of the whole or part of the incubated medium, which, if it is present and/or is quantified, qualifies the sample as positive, i.e. as containing said toxic factor. The initial biological sample is preferably a urine specimen.

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: A test sample card is produced from a mold machined in accordance with an electronic discharge machining (EDM) process, with a resulting finely textured surface of the mold left intact. The mold produces a test sample card that has an even finely textured surface which improves the adhesion of a membrane to the card surface. The card is better able to withstand prolonged incubation periods without separation of the adhesive membrane from the card surface, as compared to prior art cards.

Abstract: A device for transferring a liquid sample drawn by suction, through a wall having an orifice, the device including a conduit, a plunger sealingly sliding in the conduit, and a rod controlling the plunger. The device includes a joining piece extending the conduit, with an outer cross-section adapted to fit in the aperture, for example sealing it, with close working clearance required for inserting the joining piece in the orifice, the joining piece being arranged to be separated from the conduit once it is engaged in the orifice, and to seal the orifice, when or once the joining piece engaged in the orifice is separated from the conduit.

Abstract: A test sample card has a well formed in the card body for receiving a fluid sample containing a microbiological agent or microorganism and a reagent. The test sample card has a membrane in the form of a tape covering the sample well to form a closed reaction chamber of the fluid sample and reagent and provide a barrier between the fluid sample and the atmosphere. The tape is made from polymethylpentene. The high oxygen permeable and transmissible characteristics of the tape promotes a reaction between the reagent and the microorganism. The increased growth rate exhibited by the microorganism, as compared to prior art tapes, substantially reduces the time needed to complete the test detection such as using transmittance optical analysis, for example confirm of the identity of the microbiological agent or the susceptibility of the microorganism to antibiotic agents.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polypeptide comprising a peptide sequence belonging to the sequence of the first 62 amino acids of the terminal part of the CORE (or capsid) protein of the human hepatitis C virus (HCV), the polypeptide comprising either an isolated peptide sequence that is composed of the 45 N-terminal amino acids of the core protein, with 1 to 10 amino acids optionally amputated from its N-terminal part and/or its C-terminal part, or an immunogenic sequence equivalent to the peptide sequence and exhibiting immunological cross-reactivity with the peptide sequence towards HCV. The invention also relates to a polypeptide composition, a reagent and a means for the detection of the HCV virus, a process and a device for the detection of anti-HCV antibodies, an immunotherapeutic composition and antibodies directed against HCV.

Abstract: An automated instrument and method for nucleic acid analysis is provided. The automated instrument is an integrated system including a sample processing station, a first reaction module, a second reaction module, a detection module and a control module for performing homogenous screening of broad specificity and multi-detection reactions on a nucleic acid test sample. The nucleic acid analysis performed in the instrument includes the steps of conducting a first test reaction using a low detection format, and if necessary, a selected second test reaction using a high detection format, detecting signals generated from the test reactions and processing signal data in a control module.

Abstract: A flow monitoring method and device including introducing at at least a point in a pipeline at least one detectable body carried by the flow of liquid. A stationary detector for detecting the passage of the detectable body, wherein, the detectable body contains an electronic chip associated with an antenna, for being detected by electromagnetic method. The antenna at least transmits a signal to and receives a signal from the stationary detector. An interceptor for intercepting the detectable body at at least a point in the pipeline.

Abstract: A method for determining the presence, in a liquid medium, of a plurality of different nucleic ligands in the free state comprises: (a) providing a support for plural complexing on which are distributed a plurality of immobilizing sites in which are immobilized a plurality of different nucleic anti-ligands; and (b) contacting the liquid medium with the support, whereby the nucleic ligands are paired with the nucleic anti-ligands. The stability of each ligand/anti-ligand complex is dependent upon at least one exogenous parameter, namely temperature, conditioning the support; the immobilizing sites on the support are differentiated, depending on the exogenous parameter, having respectively different values in the sites; and the anti-ligands are distributed among the different immobilizing sites, depending on the optimum values of the exogenous parameter, determining the stability of the different nucleic ligand/anti-ligand complexes respectively.

Abstract: The extension of primers capable of hybridizing to the nucleic acid of interest results in a process for generating single-stranded polynucleotides. The process includes contacting the nucleic acid of interest under conditions allowing extension of the primers with a first primer and a second primer capable of hybridizing to a first region and a second region, respectively, of the nucleic acid, wherein the second region overlaps with the first region.

Abstract: There are electrically conductive, electroactive functionalized conjugated polymers having formula (I): These electrically conducive, electroactive conjugated polymers may be covalently bonded to a first biological molecule or antiligand. Polymers bonded to a first biological molecule or antiligand may be used to form an electrode and may be used to assay for, detect and/or extract a second biological molecule or ligand.

Abstract: Process for covering a surface (1a) of a substrate (1) with a layer (2) of a fluid material, characterized in that: (a) with a confining wall (3) closed up on itself, arranged some distance from and above the surface to be covered (1a), and whose lower edge (3a) forms together with the latter a peripheral void (4), is defined a treatment chamber (5) delimiting an area (6) to be treated on the said surface to be covered; (b) a controlled vacuum is established inside the treatment chamber (5) by admitting an incoming gas stream (7) via the peripheral void (4), and by extracting an outgoing gas stream (8) from the treatment chamber, so as to obtain an internal pressure in the said chamber which is lower than the external pressure; (c) a controlled fluid stream (10) is introduced into the treatment chamber (5) under vacuum, this stream comprising the fluid covering material, which forms at the level of the peripheral void, together with the incoming gas stream (7), a turbulent mixed flow, which is aspirated into

Abstract: Composition comprising two pathogenic and/or infective agents associated with multiple sclerosis, namely a first agent which consists of a human virus possessing reverse transcriptase activity and related to a family of endogenous retroviral elements, or a variant of said virus, and a second agent, or a variant of said second agent, these two pathogenic and/or infective agents originating from the same viral strain chosen from the strains designated, respectively, POL-2 deposited with the ECACC on Jul. 22, 1992 under Accession Number V92072202 and MS7PG deposited with the ECACC on Jan. 8, 1993 under Accession Number V93010816, and from their variant strains.

Abstract: The superparamagnetic monodispersed particles comprise a core of a first polymer, an internal layer of a second polymer coating the core and in which a magnetic material is distributed, and an external layer of a third polymer coating the magnetic layer and capable of interacting with at least one biological molecule. At least the second polymer is heat sensitive and has a predetermined lower critical solubility temperature (LCST) of 15-65.degree. C. These particles may be used to isolate at least one biological molecule from a liquid specimen.

Abstract: A testing apparatus is described that contains a test sample and one or more reagents, or reaction solutions associated with chemical reactions and a resilient, compressible, porous material, and which is amenable to subsequent process or reaction steps or liquid transfer steps. A piece of sponge or foam rubber, which is compatible with the amplification reactions and amplification products, is introduced into the reaction vessel and absorbs the test sample and reagents, or reaction solutions associated with an amplification process, or amplification products thus, reducing their loss through aerosolation.

Abstract: There are electrically conductive, electroactive functionalized conjugated polymers having formula (I): ##STR1## These electrically conducive, electroactive conjugated polymers may be covalently bonded to a first biological molecule or antiligand. Polymers bonded to a first biological molecule or antiligand may be used to form an electrode and may be used to assay for, detect and/or extract a second biological molecule or ligand.