Abstract: A biological process indicator is provided for validating a treatment process in which the amount or activity of a contaminant in a sample is reduced. The indicator comprises a thermostable kinase covalently linked to a biological component, with the proviso that the biological component is not an antibody. Methods of preparing the indicator, and methods of using the indicator, are also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides an attenuated poliovirus which does not have a base pair mismatch in stem (a) or (b) of domain V of the 5? non-coding region of its genome, wherein at least seven of the base pairs in stems (a) and (b) are U-A or A-U base pairs.

Abstract: The invention provides an attenuated polio virus having a 5? non-coding region consisting of the 5? non-coding region of Sabin 3, modified so that it does not have a base pair mismatch in stem (a) or (b) of domain V, wherein seven or eight of the base pairs in stems (a) and (b) are U-A or A-U base pairs; and a capsid protein from the Sabin 1, Mahoney, MEF or Saukett strain.

Abstract: The present invention provides nucleic acid products and corresponding methods for screening a biological sample for the presence of an E. coli strain causing an infection.

Abstract: There is provided an antigenic composition comprising (a) a first mycobacterial antigenic polypeptide or a first mycobacterial polynucleotide; and (b) a second mycobacterial antigenic polypeptide or a second mycobacterial polynucleotide; wherein: (i) said first mycobacterial antigenic polypeptide comprises a polypeptide sequence having at least 70% amino acid sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 7, or a fragment thereof having at least 7 consecutive amino acids thereof; (ii) said first mycobacterial polynucleotide comprises a polynucleotide sequence encoding said first mycobacterial antigenic polypeptide; (iii) said second mycobacterial antigenic polypeptide comprises a polypeptide sequence having at least 70% amino acid sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, or a fragment thereof having at least 7 consecutive amino acids thereof; and (iv) said second mycobacterial polynucleotide comprises a polynucleotide sequence encoding said second mycobacterial polypeptid

Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant Clostridium difficile antigens based on a polypeptide, consisting of or comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80% sequence identity with an amino acid sequence consisting of residues 1500-700 of a C. difficile Toxin A sequence or a C. difficile Toxin B sequence; though with the proviso that the polypeptide does not include one or more Repeat Unit (RU) located between amino acid residues 1851-2710 of C. difficile Toxin A and/or residues 1853-2366 of a C. difficile Toxin B protein that consists of or comprises a first amino acid sequence and a second amino acid. Also provided is the use of said antigens for the prevention/treatment/suppression of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), together with methods for generating said antigens, methods for generating antibodies that bind to said antigens, and the use of said antibodies for the prevention/treatment/suppression of CDI.

Abstract: Methods for producing stimulated, positive and negative control reference standard for monitoring intracellular cytokine levels and cytokine release in test samples by stimulating cells to produce cytokines in the presence of a cytokine release inhibitor, fixing the stimulated cells with a fixative such as paraformaldehyde, washing to remove excess fixatives and freeze-drying the stimulated, fixed cells. Methods for producing labeled reference standards for cell proliferation assays are also disclosed, in which proliferation-competent mammalian cells, isolated from a human or animal body are labeled with a label, such as a dye, that is divided between daughter cells during cell proliferation (e.g., carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester), the cells are stimulated to proliferate, the proliferated cells are fixed by addition of a fixative and then preserved by freeze drying or cryopreservation.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of medicinal chemistry and more particularly to the development of antimicrobial compounds. The disclosure relates to the synthesis and characterization of compounds comprising aromatic radical or an aliphatic radical, an alkyl amine and amino acid moiety wherein said compounds exhibit antimicrobial activity against various drug-sensitive and drug-resistant pathogenic 10 microorganisms.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for detecting a mycobacterium belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBc) in a sample, the method comprising: (a) contacting the sample with a forward oligonucleotide primer and a reverse oligonucleotide primer; wherein the forward primer hybridizes to a target nucleic acid sequence located within a Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive Unit (MIRU) repeat element; and wherein the reverse primer hybridizes to a target nucleic acid sequence located within a MIRU repeat element; (b) extending the forward and reverse primers to generate an amplification product; and (c) detecting the amplification product.

Abstract: A kinase is used in a biological indicator for validation of treatment processes designed to reduce the amount or activity of a biological agent in a sample. The indication can be used for validation of sterilization treatment. The formation of ATP from a substrate comprising ADP is measured via the liciferin/luciferate system in a luminameter. Thermostable adenylate kinase from sulfolobus acidocaldarius is especially suitable for the validation of procedures to inactivate transmissable spongiform encephalopathy agents.

Abstract: There is provided a decontaminant product for decontaminating a surface or object that is contaminated, or suspected to be contaminated, with a hazardous chemical agent, wherein the decontaminant product comprises polymeric material comprising a polymer of: (i) itaconic acid, or a derivative thereof such as an itaconic ester or an itaconic acid isomer; (ii) an acrylate monomer, such as 2-trifluoromethyl acrylic acid (TFMAA), methacrylic acid (MA), N,N-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N,N-diethylamino ethyl methacrylate (DEAEM), acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPSA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), acrylic acid, acrylamide, acrylonitrile and acrolein, or a derivative thereof; (iii) urocanic acid, or a derivative thereof such as an ester thereof such as urocanic acid ethyl ester; (iv) a vinyl monomer, such as 1-Vinylimidazole, p-divinylbenzene, m-divinylbenzene, 2-Vinylpyridine and 4-Vinylpyridine; or (v) an amine monomer such as allylamine.

Abstract: An assay is provided for detecting the activity of a reporter kinase comprising (i) adding said reporter kinase to an assay mixture wherein said reporter kinase is contacted with bioluminescent reagent no more than 5 minutes after being contacted with ADP, and wherein, prior to contacting the reporter kinase with ADP, the assay mixture is substantially free from kinase other than reporter kinase; and (ii) detecting light output from the assay mixture. Methods for detecting the presence of an analyte in a sample and methods for validating a treatment process using the above assay are also provided. Further provided are devices for conducting these assays and methods.

Abstract: An improved monocyte activation test is described that is better able to detect non-endotoxin pyrogens in medical products, in which a sample is incubated with a monocyte-containing reagent in an assay system comprising at least one surface comprising polypropylene. The invention also concerns assay systems for use in these tests that include at least one microtiter well having at least one interior surface comprising polypropylene and having a shape such that monocyte-containing reagent is concentrated in the well to provide greater cell to cell contact. The invention also relates to a diagnostic kit that can be used to test for the presence of non-endotoxin pyrogens in a sample.

Abstract: A single polypeptide is provided which comprises first and second domains. The first domain enables the polypeptide to cleave one or more vesicle or plasma-membrane associated proteins essential to exocytosis, and the second domain enables the polypeptide to be translocated into a target cell or increases the solubility of the polypeptide, or both. The polypeptide thus combines useful properties of a clostridial toxin, such as a botulinum or tetanus toxin, without the toxicity associated with the natural molecule. The polypeptide can also contain a third domain that targets it to a specific cell, rendering the polypeptide useful in inhibition of exocytosis in target cells. Fusion proteins comprising the polypeptide, nucleic acids encoding the polypeptide and methods of making the polypeptide are also provided. Controlled activation of the polypeptide, is possible and the polypeptide can be incorporated into vaccines and toxin assays.

Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant Clostridium difficile antigens based on a polypeptide, consisting of or comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80% sequence identity with an amino acid sequence consisting of residues 1500-700 of a C. difficile Toxin A sequence or a C. difficile Toxin B sequence; though with the proviso that the polypeptide does not include one or more Repeat Unit (RU) located between amino acid residues 1851-2710 of C. difficile Toxin A and/or residues 1853-2366 of a C. difficile Toxin B protein that consists of or comprises a first amino acid sequence and a second amino acid. Also provided is the use of said antigens for the prevention/treatment/suppression of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), together with methods for generating said antigens, methods for generating antibodies that bind to said antigens, and the use of said antibodies for the prevention/treatment/suppression of CDI.

Abstract: An instrument for detecting radiation is provided, which comprises an inner core housing a neutron detector, and another core comprising a neutron-moderating material, the instrument further including at least one elongate thermal neutron guide located within the outer core and having an inner end that terminates proximal to the neutron detector. In use, the elongate thermal neutron guide channels thermal neutrons towards the neutron detector. Also provided is a method for using said instrument.

Abstract: The invention provides processes for improving the ability of a peptide to stimulate an immune response, comprising exposing the peptide to a chemical modifying agent. It further provides compositions comprising an antigenic peptide, wherein the peptide has been treated with a chemical modifying agent to improve its ability to stimulate an immune response. It also provides methods of stimulating an immune response in a mammal, comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of a vaccine.

Abstract: There is provided a single-chain fusion protein comprising: (i) a thermostable kinase and (ii) a single-domain antibody or single-domain antibody fragment. There is also provided a method of preparing a single-domain antibody or single-domain antibody fragment, the method comprising: (i) expressing the single-domain antibody or antibody fragment as a single-chain fusion protein with a thermostable kinase, in a host cell such as E. coli; and (ii) purifying the fusion protein from the cytoplasm of the host cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to unique CDR3 amino acid sequences, and to antibodies comprising said sequences. Also provided are therapeutic applications of said antibodies for use in treating or preventing influenza infection, diagnostic applications of said antibodies for use in detecting influenza virus, potency testing of influenza virus vaccines, and screening applications of said antibodies for use in designing a universal influenza vaccine.

Abstract: There is provided a method for detecting M. genitalium nucleic acid in a sample, comprising: (i) amplifying a nucleic acid sequence comprising a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 1 (Mg219 gene); and (ii) detecting said amplified nucleic acid sequence.