Abstract: The claims describe methods and apparatus for obtaining a target component from a milk source using a membrane-based electrophoresis separation system. They may also be used in conjunction with or as a substitute for one or more steps in a conventional purification scheme for obtaining target component from a milk source.

Abstract: The claims provide for detecting prions in a sample by (a) subjecting a sample to membrane-based electrophoresis to separate and/or concentrate at least some prions present in the sample; and (b) detecting and or identifying the presence of the separated and/or concentrated prions.

Abstract: A method for drying a polyacrylamide gel, the method comprising contacting the gel with an aqueous solution of a polyhydoxy alcohol other than a polyhydroxy alcohol having at least 3 vicinal hydroxy groups and drying the gel. Examples of suitable polyhydroxy alcohols include 1,2-ethane diol, 1,2-propane diol, 1,3-propane diol, 1,4-butane diol, 1,6 hexane diol, alkyl triol, 1,2,6-trihydroxy hexane, trimethylol propane and pentaerythritol. The gel may be dried between two cellophane sheets positioned in a drying frame arrangement.

Abstract: A method of removing a biological contaminant from a mixture containing a biomolecule and the biological contaminant, the method comprising: (a) placing the biomolecule and contaminant mixture in a first solvent stream, the first solvent stream being separated from a second solvent stream by an electrophoretic membrane; (b) selecting a buffer for the first solvent stream having a required pH; (c) applying an electric potential between the two solvent streams causing movement of the biomolecule through the membrane into the second solvent stream while the biological contaminant is substantially retained in the first sample stream, or if entering the membrane, being substantially prevented from entering the second solvent stream; (d) optionally, periodically stopping and reversing the electric potential to cause movement of any biological contaminants having entered the membrane to move back into the first solvent stream, wherein substantially not causing any biomolecules that have entered the second solvent st

Abstract: A method of removing a biological contaminant from a mixture containing a biomolecule and the biological contaminant, the method comprising: (a) placing the biomolecule and contaminant mixture in a first solvent stream, the first solvent stream being separated from a second solvent stream by an electrophoretic membrane; (b) selecting a buffer for the first solvent stream having a required pH; (c) applying an electric potential between the two solvent streams causing movement of the biomolecule through the membrane into the second solvent stream while the biological contaminant is substantially retained in the first sample stream, or if entering the membrane, being substantially prevented from entering the second solvent stream; (d) optionally, periodically stopping and reversing the electric potential to cause movement of any biological contaminants having entered the membrane to move back into the first solvent stream, wherein substantially not causing any biomolecules that have entered the second solvent st

Abstract: An improved cassette for use in the formation of an electrophoretic gel comprises two plates with substantially planar walls having two sides and two ends so arranged in a side by side spaced apart array to form a gel receiving space between them. A plurality of dividing ribs on one or each of the walls extend from a first end of the wall or walls substantially parallel to at least one of the sides thereof to a rib base end. The ribs extend into the space so as to subdivide at least one end of the space into a plurality of substantially parallel wells. A plurality of holes extend through at least one of the walls of the cassette located at or adjacent the base of the dividing rib and aligned with the rib. The arrangement of holes allow sufficient current flow to replace that lost due to the dividing ribs.

Abstract: A method for separating components from plasma, the method comprising (I) separating the plasma into a first and second component, the first component comprising an albumin/&agr;-1-antitrypsin pool and the second component comprising plasma containing components having a molecular mass greater than albumin; (II) treating the second component to form an immunoglobulins concentrate containing immunoglobulins substantially free from components having a molecular mass less than immunoglobulins; (III) treating the immunoglobulins concentrate to remove components having a molecular mass greater than immunoglobulins; and (IV) separating albumin and &agr;-1-antitrypsin from the albumin/&agr;-1-antitrypsin pool.

Abstract: An electrophoresis apparatus, comprises a cartridge configured to be removably mounted in the apparatus, and a separation membrane positioned in the cartridge. The separation membrane has a first side along which a first flow path defined in a first grid element and a second side along which a second flow path defined in a second grid element is provided. Restriction membranes separate buffer flow from the first flow path and the second flow path. The apparatus includes connection blocks which house electrodes and inlets and outlets for buffer flow and sample flows. The cartridge is removable from the connection blocks for replacement with another cartridge.

Abstract: The method for determining functional activity of protein C in a human plasma sample includes incubating the human plasma sample with exogenous reagents that activate factor V and a common pathway of the blood coagulation mechanism through factor X, with activated exogenous protein C and with components that are necessary for efficient clotting of the human plasma sample, or incubating the human plasma sample with exogenous reagents that induce the presence of thrombin in a factor V dependent manner, with activated exogenous protein C and with components that are necessary for efficient clotting of the human plasma sample; monitoring a reaction indicative of a potential rate of coagulation of the plasma sample and comparing the resulting potential rate of coagulation with an equivalent rate for normal patient, or comparing the resulting potential rate of coagulation with an equivalent rate determined for the plasma sample in the absence of activated exogenous protein C; and determining the functional activity

Abstract: A cassette (10) for use in the formation of an electrophoretic gel comprising two plates with substantially planar walls (11, 13) each having two sides and two ends so arranged in a side-by-side, spaced apart array to form a gel receiving space (15) between them, the improvement consisting of a plurality of projections (16) on one or each of the plates, the projections extending into the gel receiving space and the projections being so sized and so spaced apart over the surface of one or each of the plates that when a gel is introduced into the gel receiving space and a well-forming comb is inserted into the space, a plurality of spaced wells are formed in the gel, at least some of the wells being separated by a tongue of gel which surrounds and engages at least one of the projections, wherein the projections prevent the tongues of the gel from moving relative to the two plates when the electrophoretic gel is in use.

Abstract: The method and apparatus are useful for determining a propensity of a blood sample to change from a liquid state to a coagulated state and additionally for measuring the propensity of a coagulated blood sample to lyse. The method includes providing a porous sheet, at least one surface of which contacts an impervious layer; applying the blood sample to an exposed surface of the porous sheet so that the blood sample spreads through a part of the porous sheet; and after the applying of the blood sample to the porous sheet, measuring at least one of a spreading extent and a spreading rate of the blood sample in the porous sheet by measuring either an optical property, an electrical conductivity across the porous sheet, an electrical potential across the porous sheet and an electrical resistance of the porous sheet to determine the propensity of the blood sample to coagulate. The porous sheet can also be impregnated with a clotting agent or a lytic agent to affect the clotting or lysing of the blood sample.

Abstract: A cassette for holding an electrophoretic gel. The cassette has two substantially planar wall members formed of a synthetic plastics material, each wall member having two sides and two ends. The wall members are formed integrally along each side with an array of interdigitating ribs and grooves which releasably hold the wall members in substantially parallel array spaced apart sufficiently to define between them an electrophoretic gel receiving space. The ribs and grooves also serve to form a substantially fluid tight seal down each side of the gel receiving space. A plurality of ribs extend between the upper edges of the two wall members to define a series of wells above the gel into which samples to be electrophoretically separated may be placed.