Abstract: A method of measuring the susceptibility of a subject to calcifying nanoparticle formation is disclosed. The method can include obtaining a cell culture comprising peripheral blood mononuclear cells, immune cells, or both, from a peripheral blood mononuclear fraction of a subject in a complete culture media; extracting a first aliquot and a second aliquot from the cell culture; and dispensing the first and second aliquot in different wells. The surface of the well containing the first aliquot can include a calcifying nanoparticle biofilm, while the well containing the second aliquot does not. The first and second aliquots can be incubated and the concentration of osteopontin in each aliquot determined. An osteopontin factor can be calculated and compared to osteopontin factors from a representative sample of other subjects. The osteopontin factor can be defined as the osteopontin concentration in the first aliquot divided by the osteopontin concentration in the second aliquot.

Abstract: A lateral flow immunoassay device for identifying the presence of tissue from a particular species of billfish in a test sample includes a substrate onto which a billfish specific antigen-containing sample has been immobilized. The substrate has a first end having thereon the immobilized billfish specific antigen-containing sample and a second end adapted to receive a solution including an antibody that specifically binds the billfish specific antigen.

Abstract: The invention relates to a channel catfish virus vaccine comprising an attenuated strain or strains of channel catfish virus and a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent and a method of preparation thereof comprising the serial passage of a channel catfish virus through a plurality of tissue cell cultures until the resulting virus material is sufficiently attenuated to permit its safe administration to channel catfish. The invention also relates to a method of immunizing channel catfish from channel catfish virus disease comprising hyperosmotically infiltrating the channel catfish with the above-described vaccine followed by a the hyperosmotic infiltration thereof with a booster dose of said vaccine.