Abstract: The present invention provides a method for type determination in body fluids of antibodies of a definite immunoglobulin class which are directed against an antigen A according to the immunoassay principle by incubation of the sample solution with at least two receptors R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, of which R.sup.1 is immobilizable and binds with the antibody to be determined and R.sup.2 is labelled and binds either with the antibody to be determined or with the antigen A, separation of the solid phase from the liquid phase and measurement of the label in one of the two phases, wherein the immunological reaction is carried out in homogeneous phase and the sample solution is incubated simultaneously with receptor R.sup.1 and an excess of human antibodies or fragments thereof which belong to the same immunoglobulin class as the antibody to be determined and are not bindable with the antigen A and subsequently receptor R.sup.2 and possibly further receptors are added thereto.

Abstract: The degradation of type III collagen in the body is quantitatively determined by measuring the concentration of the liberated aminoterminal telopeptide region of the type III collagen molecule in the body fluid by a specific immunological method. This degredation product is resistant to further degradation and can thus be found in body fluids e.g. in serum or urine. For the determination the telopeptide region must be isolated from a human source e.g. from uterine leiomyoma.

Abstract: A chemiluminescence method for continuously monitoring in real time the generation of oxidative products such as hydrogen peroxide and superoxide from in vitro cell-biomaterial interactions using cell lines such as Human Leukemic cells (HL-60); tumor cell line hybridomas; cells lacking the respiratory burst such as Chronic Granulomatous Disease cells as controls; Monocytic cell lines; Primary Human cells such as monocytes, pmns, fibroblasts, endothelial cells; and whole and isolated blood cells. The oxidative products have the potential for the degradation of the biomaterial and thus this information can be used to aid in predicting the functional lifetime of the biomaterial when it is used to fabricate an implanted medical device. Further, this method may be used to determine the amount of activation of biological cells which is inferred from the amount of oxidative products.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for separating a component of interest from a mixture containing the component of interest and other components. The method comprises contacting a first liquid medium containing the component of interest and other components with a second liquid medium that is of different density than and/or of different viscosity than the first liquid medium. The contact is carried out in such a way that mixing of the media is minimized or avoided. The component of interest is bound to magnetic particles. The contacted first liquid medium and second liquid medium are subjected to a magnetic field gradient to allow the magnetic particles to migrate into the second liquid medium and separation of the component of interest from other components is realized. Also disclosed are assays employing the present method. Kits for carrying out the present method and assays are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cancer recognition factor (SCM factor) useful in the performance of the structuredness of the cytoplasmic matrix (SCM) test has been isolated, purified to substantial homogeneity, and characterized, and methods for its use have been described. The factor is a peptide of at least 9 amino acid residues including a core sequence of 9 amino acid residues having an amphipathicity profile substantially equivalent to that of the sequence F-L-M-I-D-Q-N-T-K and produces at least a 10 percent decrease in the intracellular fluorescence polarization value of SCM-responding lymphocytes from donors afflicted with cancer. A synthetic SCM factor representing a consensus sequence of M-I-P-P-E-V-K-F-N-K-P-F-V-F-L-M-I-D-Q-N-T-K-V-P-L-F-M-G-K is fully active. Antibodies specific for SCM factor are useful in immunoassays that can detect the factor, including detection in cancer cells grown in vitro.

Abstract: A method of monitoring cell culture which comprises digitizing an image of cultured cells inputted to an image processing equipment through a TV camera connected with an observing means and measuring the number and cell proliferation of cultured cells by a processing with using a spatial filter, can treat a large amount of cells in a short time and give a precise number of the cells.

Abstract: An immunochromatography which comprises chromatographically moving a sample together with or followed by labelling fine particles in a chromatographic medium having at least one reaction site having immobilized thereat a reagent bindable to a substance to be detected in a sample, to contact the above sample and the labelling fine particles with the above reaction site, and detecting the substance to be detected by use of the phenomenon that when the above substance to be detected is present in the sample the labelling fine particles are specifically bound to the above immobilized reagent via the substance to be detected at the above reaction site, to thereby capture the substance to be detected on the chromatographic medium, characterized in that the above labelling fine particles are sensitized dyed particles obtained by sensitizing, with a material bindable to the above substance to be detected, labelling dyed particles obtained by dyeing latex particles of a synthetic high polymer, said labelling dyed part

Abstract: The invention discloses antigenic compositions and an assay for detecting Helicobacter pylori. The antigenic composition includes a comprehensive mixture of fragments purified from Helicobacter pylori for the detection of Helicobacter pylori infection and/or for monitoring the status of such an infection following treatment. The assay involves an ELISA for urine samples, and includes a kit wherein the antigenic composition is immobilized on a solid support.

Abstract: A method for decreasing the concentration of free actin in the plasma of an animal is described which comprises the administration of native and modified actin-binding proteins, and especially the administration of native and modified actin-binding regions of gelsolin. Diagnostic methods for identifying animals in need of such treatment are also described.

Abstract: Specific binding labels are described which comprise carbon black treated with dextran to which various specific binding reagents are bound by way of fluorescein isothiocyanate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of diagnosing malignant hyperthermia susceptibility by detecting abnormal ryanodine receptor fragments following proteolytic enzyme digestion of ryanodine receptors isolated from the sarcoplasmic reticulum of mammalian skeletal muscle. The detection of abnormal ryanodine receptor fragments is indicative of malignant hyperthermia susceptibility.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel pathogenic mycoplasma isolated from patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and its use in detecting antibodies in sera of AIDS patients, patients with AIDS-related complex (ARC) or patients dying of diseases and symptoms resembling AIDS diseases. The invention further relates to specific DNA sequences, antibodies against the pathogenic mycoplasma, and their use in detecting DNA or antigens of the pathogenic mycoplasma or other genetically and serologically closely related mycoplasmas in infected tissue of patients with AIDS or ARC or patients dying of symptoms resembling AIDS diseases. The invention still further relates to a variety of different forms of vaccine against mycoplasma infection in humans and/or animals.

Abstract: Assays are provided for detecting the existence of active rheumatoid arthritis by detecting rheumatoid factor as a blood component which cross-links human IgG with sheep IgG. Particularly, an enzyme labelled assay is provided using biotin-avidin to link the enzyme to the immunoglobulin.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for the detection of abnormally-responding lymphocytes, e.g., HIV-infected T cells by transformed cells. An antibody, which can specifically recognize a saccharide chain represented by the following formula (I): ##STR1## is caused to act on a sample containing lymphocytes and lymphocytes conjugated with the antibody are then detected. Reagent and kit for the above detection are also disclosed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of determining the presence of incompatibility-reaction-causing substances in blood products. There is also disclosed a method of inactivating incompatibility-reaction-causing substances in blood products to be applied therapeutically and prophylactically. For this purpose, a fraction obtained from human or animal blood is treated with pancreas enzymes bound to water insoluble carrier material and, optionally, the fraction is subjected to further fractionation and concentration.

Abstract: An assay method for the rapid determination of hydrolytic enzyme activity in large numbers of samples is provided which comprises bonding a resin-binding compound, such as biotin, to one side of the scissile bond of the substrate and a reporter molecule, such as a fluorescence marker, to the opposite side of the scissile bond, incubating the modified substrate and the enzyme in multiple well plates, e.g. 96-well plates, optionally in the presence if a test inhibitor or activator compound transferring the incubation solutions to a second multiple well plate having upper and lower chambers separated by a porous membrane the upper chamber of which contains resin beads capable of binding with the resin-binding compound, filtering and washing the wells of the second plate and reading the emission from the plates. The invention also provides protease substrates for HIV-1 protease, vertebrate stromelysin and derivatives thereof which are useful in the assay method.

Abstract: A monoclonal or polyclonal antibody having a specific binding property to an antigenic site on the human sperm acrosome, which is produced by a hybridoma obtained by fusion between an antibody-producing mammalian (except human) cell immunized with the antigenic site on the human sperm acrosome and a cell having permanent proliferation potency.

Abstract: The present invention provides reagents for a detectable label for use in specific binding assays. Specifically, modified .beta.-galactosidase enzyme donors (ED) and acceptors (EA) are utilized. Both ED and EA are modified to form separate ED and EA complexes by coupling each with a linking element and a binding moiety which is specific to a binding site in the analyte. The ED and EA complexes are incapable of forming active enzyme in the absence of the analyte. However, when analyte is present, ED and EA complexes which bind to a common analyte in a sample, active .beta.-galactosidase is formed.

Abstract: A new diagnostic assay of sperm function has been found for infertility treatment and monitoring programs. The hemizona assay (HZA) measures tight binding of human spermatozoa to the human hemizona pellucida.

Abstract: An optical detection method for detecting specific ligands in an immunoassay is formed by diffracting a beam of light through slits formed in a mask and thererby forming an interference pattern. The diffracted light of one of the slits is distributed by an assay having a ligand which when reacted with anti-ligand changes the optical characteristics of the assay thereby changing the interference pattern in a concentration dependent manner.