Abstract: A membrane perfusion apparatus and method for determining the effective rase rates of soluble biologically active chemical agents from a surface. A test cell houses a porous membrane so as to expose one surface of the membrane to a fluid containing at least one organism potentially reactive with a chemical agent of interest being perfused through the membrane at predetermined rates. In the context of antifoulant chemical agents, the invention permits the determination of the minimum effective release rates for biocides.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an isolating medium for the identification of the Salmonella bacterium, wherein a polyol metabolizable by Salmonella and a pH indicator reacting to acidification are added to a culture support containing peptones.The present invention also relates to a process for identifying the Salmonella bacterium from the said medium.

Abstract: An immunogenic conjugate which is the reductive amination product of an immunogenic capsular polymer fragment having at least one reducing group and derived from a bacterial capsular polymer of a bacterial pathogen, and a bacterial toxin or toxoid. The invention also relates to methods for the preparation of the conjugates, a vaccine containing the conjugates which elicits effective levels of anti-capsular polymer antibodies in humans. Also disclosed are methods for inducing active immunization against systemic infection in young mammals caused by bacterial pathogens comprising the administration of an immunogenic amount of the abovedescribed conjugate. In a preferred embodiment, the capsular polymer fragment prior to conjugation has at least one aldehyde group at each end of the fragment. The final conjugate made with such capsular polymers has a lattice or network structure, and provides extremely high levels of anti-capsular polymer antibodies in infants.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for detecting analytes in samples of whole blood using solid-phase, permeable support assay devices. The whole blood assays require no steps or reagents other than those necessary to carry out the same analysis on plasma or serum using the devices. The color visualization of the analytical field on which the interpretation of the assay depends is not affected by the presence of intact erythrocytes or any degree of hemolysis in the blood sample.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the improved colorimetric determination of hydrogen peroxide as formed by a hydrogen peroxide-producing oxidase, by addition of a chromogenic system and measurement of the colored material formed, wherein superoxide dismutase (E.C. 1.15.1.1) is added to the reagent solution.The present invention also provides a reagent for the improved colorimetric determination of hydrogen peroxide, comprising a hydrogen peroxide-producing oxidase, a chromogenic system, a buffer and optionally adjuvant enzymes, wherein it also contains superoxide dismutase.

Abstract: The invention relates to magnetic protein conjugates of the formula IM--NH--CO--(CH.sub.2).sub.n --S--P' Iwith n=1-6, preferably with a n=1 or 2 and particularly preferably with n=1, in which M is a dispersible, magnetically reacting material or particle which carries amino groups, and P' is a protein, to a process for the preparation thereof and to the use thereof for the specific removal of cells or soluble antigens, receptors, substrates, cofactors or carbohydrate determinants from aqueous salt solutions or body fluids or as part of a diagnostic method or as a diagnostic aid, preferably for the removal of cells, preferably for bone marrow depletion or for HLA typing.

Abstract: A purified guaiacum resin which is obtained by isolation from a natural guaiacum resin with chromatography using a gel for reversed chromatography as a stationary phase and a polar solvent as a mobile phase. The purified guaiacum resin does not contain substances causing the repellency of a specimen or constituents exhibiting unstable color development when it is used as a body fluid inspection agent and is subjected to color reaction in the presence of a peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: A dry-type analytical element for immunoassay having at least one water-permeable layer for measuring a ligand in a sample according to enzyme immunoassay, which comprises,(A) a water-insoluble macromolecular substrate, and(B) an antibody, reacting with the ligand in the sample, conjugated with an enzyme capable of acting on the above water-insoluble macromolecular substrate.The above analytical substance further comprises,(C) a macromolecular substance which is a conjugate of the ligand or its derivative with a macromolecular compound in the above water-permeable layer of the above dry-type analytical element.The invention can conduct a highly sensitive and simple enzyme immunoassay.

Abstract: A method for producing a binding assay device composed of antigens on a cellulose nitrate, cellulose nitrate/acetate or similar solid phase is described. The method involves applying to a solid phase a small amount of an allergen composition, or a pretreated allergen composition, containing a certain concentration of allergen and drying the solution. The device is used by contacting a patient test sample to the immobilized allergen and determining whether or not the test sample contains IgE antibodies for the allergen.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of glycoproteins and proteins from cultures of archaebacteria, comprising culturing archaebacteria, isolating glycoprotein and/or protein from the archaebacteria or their cell walls, enzymatically degrading the glycoprotein and/or protein, purifying and isolating the degradation products, and separating those fractions in the individual purification steps based on the biological activity of the fraction. The products increase the body's defenses against infection.

Abstract: Ethanolamine in a sample can be assayed by treating the sample with ethanolamine oxidase, thereby to catalyze a reaction-consuming ethanolamine, oxygen and water, and forming glycolaldehyde, ammonia and hydrogen peroxide. The amount of consumed oxygen or the amount of generated ammonia or hydrogen peroxide is then determined, as a measure of the ethanolamine that was originally the sample. The ethanolamine can appear in the sample as such, or can be liberated simultaneously with or prior to the catalysis reaction, from an ethanolamine derivative, e.g. phosphatidyl ethanolamine by the action of phospholipase D. Ethanolamine oxidase can be produced from Bacillus sp. B-0783 FERM-P No. 5798 in a conventional culture medium, preferably by submerged aeration liquid culturation.

Abstract: Human monoclonal antibodies capable of specifically reacting with an antigenic determinant of LAV/HTLV-III and cell lines producing those monoclonal antibodies are disclosed. The human monoclonal antibodies may be utilized in a method for determining the presence of LAV/HTLV-III in biological samples, or in a method for separating specific antigenic determinants of LAV/HTLV-III from a mixture. Pharmaceutical compositions containing such a human monoclonal antibody, and a method for significantly reducing the infectivity of LAV/HTLV-III in animals using the composition are also disclosed.

Abstract: An attenuator is included in a reagent medium of a luminescent specific-binding assay to suppress undesirable extraneous light. In one such assay, an analyte in a sample is reacted with a specific binding partner attached to a solid surface, forming an immobilized pair at the surface. One member of the immobilized pair is then allowed to react with a specific binding partner previously conjugated with one component of a luminescent reaction system, and the remaining components are provided in the reagent medium. The resulting light emitted in the luminescent reaction is recorded on photographic film or other photodetector as a measure of the presence and quantity of the analyte in the sample.

Abstract: The presence or absence of a nucleic acid sequence of an isolate of HTLVI and/or HTLVII in a sample containing one or more nucleic acids and suspected of containing such sequence can be detected by amplifying the sequence using primers to form extension products as templates and detecting the amplified product if it is present. This may be accomplished by adding a labeled hydridization probe to the amplified product, either free in solution or after immobilization on a solid support.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing an HIV-2 (LAV-II) infection and a kit containing reagents for the same is disclosed. These reagents include cDNA probes which are capable of hybridizing to at least a portion of the genome of HIV-2. In one embodiment, the DNA probes are capable of hybridizing to the entire genome of HIV-2. These reagents also include polypeptides encoded by some of these DNA sequences.

Abstract: Live vaccines are provided and methods for preparing the live vaccines for protection of a host from a pathogenic microorganism. The vaccines are prepared by introducing at least one modification in a gene involved in at least one, normally at least two, biosynthetic pathways involving the production of products which are unlikely to be found in the disease susceptible host. The modification results in a gene change which cannot be repaired by a single step, e.g. polynucleotide deletions and inversions. Where the aro gene suffers such a change, the resultant auxotrophic mutants require aromatic amino acids, p-aminobenzoic acid and 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid or a highly concentrated source of absorbable iron. The auxotrophic mutations have substantially reduced or nonexistent virulence while retaining the desired immunogenicity to initiate the immunogenic response. Various techniques can be employed for providing the desired change.

Abstract: A method for the detection of nucleic acid-containing moieties is described which combines affinity capture of the moiety with detection and identification of the moiety's nucleic acid.

Abstract: A DNA probe has been isolated which is capable of hybridizing to an oligonucleotide sequence coding for a polypeptide from a major 64 Kilodalton protein of human cytomegalovirus (HCMVgp64). The probe has a sequence of at least seventeen (17) to as many as seven hundred twenty-one 721) nucleotides. The probe may be labelled as by radioactivity. The probe has been used to screen DNA fragments constituting a subgenomic library of human cytomegalovirus DNA to obtain DNA fragments coding for the major late protein of human cytomegalovirus. The DNA fragments coding for the major late protein of human cytomegalovirus (HCMVgp64) may be hybridized to DNA fragments of HCMV DNA from an individual having human cytomegalovirus infection. The viral DNA can be used as whole HCMV DNA or as fragments formed by digesting the human cytomegalovirus DNA with a restriction endonuclease such as one of the restriction endonucleases EcoRI, BamHI, XbaI, HindIII and PrtI.

Abstract: Novel peptides are provided having substantially the same sequence as immunologically significant fragments of AIDS-related viruses. The polypeptides can be used as reagents in the determination of exposure of a human host to the virus. Of particular interest is the use of polypeptides in screening blood products.

Abstract: An immunoassay method which measures test samples at high concentration without dilution is disclosed. Said immunoassay comprises the steps of: (1) reacting a material (A) to be measured, an immobilized component (B) which binds specifically to the material (A), and a labelled component selected from the group consisting of (i) a labelled component (C) which binds specifically to the material (A) and (ii) a labelled component (A) thereby obtaining an immuno-complex and (2) detecting or measuring the labelling fragment, wherein the reaction of the material (A) with the immobilized (B) or the reaction of the material (A) with the immobilized (B) and the labelled component is carried out at a pH of 2-4.5.