Abstract: The invention relates to an optical system for determining the distribution, environment, or activity of fluorescently labeled reporter molecules in cells for the purpose of screening large numbers of compounds for specific biological activity. The invention involves providing cells containing fluorescent reporter molecules in an array of locations and scanning numerous cells in each location with a fluorescent microscope, converting the optical information into digital data, and utilizing the digital data to determine the distribution, environment or activity of the fluorescently labeled reporter molecules in the cells. The array of locations may be an industry standard 96 well or 384 well microtiter plate or a microplate which is a microplate having a cells in a micropaterned array of locations. The invention includes apparatus and computerized method for processing, displaying and storing the data.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a novel and newly discovered low molecular weight protein fragments that are degradation products of COMP and have a molecular weight of about 14-33 kilodaltons and polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to the new COMP fragment and other known COMP fragments of molecular weight 67-80 kDa and 150-250 kDa, and thrombospondin fragments (collectivvly referred to as “ADP”) as well as an assay to measure the level of ADP comprising: (1) incubating a body fluid sample, which has been obtained from an arthritis patient, under reducing or non-reducing conditions; (2) incubating the body fluid sample with an anti-ADP antibody; and (3) measuring the level of bound anti-ADP antibody in the body fluid sample. Also disclosed is an assay to measure the ratio of ADP to KS as a diagnostic measure of arthritic disease.

Abstract: Method for specific detection of one or more analytes in a sample. The method includes specifically associating any one or more analytes in the sample with a scattered-light detectable particle, illuminating any particle associated with the analytes with light under conditions which produce scattered light from the particle and in which light scattered from one or more particles can be detected by a human eye with less than 500 times magnification and without electronic amplification. The method also includes detecting the light scattered by any such particles under those conditions as a measure of the presence of the analytes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for identifying a test compound that binds to a target species. The method includes: incubating at least one test mixture under isothermal denaturing conditions, each test mixture comprising at least one test compound, and at least one target species, wherein the isothermal denaturing conditions are effective to cause at least a portion of the target species to denature to a measurable extent; detecting a denaturation signal of each target species in the presence of the at least one test compound by a change in the diffusion properties of the target molecule using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy; and comparing the denaturation signal of each target species in the presence of at least one test compound with a denaturation signal of the same target species in the absence of the at least one test compound under the same isothermal denaturing conditions.

Abstract: A method for purifying factor VIII/vWF complex or free vWF by immunoaffinity chromatography in a form suitable for use as a medicament. Factor VIII/vWF complex or free vWF is recovered from an immunoaffinity adsorbent by using an eluting agent containing a zwitterionic species. The presence of the zwitterionic species allows for the use of mild conditions throughout the preparation, facilitating retention of molecular integrity, activity, and incorporation of the recovered proteins into pharmaceutical preparations without the need for additional stabilizers or preservatives.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are described for the detection and quantitation of cardiac specific troponin I and troponin T in samples. Cardiac-specific troponin isoforms exist in various forms in the blood, including free and complexed forms. By selecting antibodies that are sensitive and/or insensitive to these various forms, the present invention can provide immunoassays that more accurately reflect the clinical state of an individual. These described methods and compositions can be used for providing indicators of myocardial infarction and other cardiac pathologies.

Abstract: The present invention relates to male infertility, and in particular to assays for predicting fertility in animals including human and bovines. In some embodiments, semen samples are evaluated by measuring the amount of ubiquitin in the sample, and in particular by measuring the extent of ubiquitination spermatozoa. Increased levels of ubiquitination in a sample are correlated with lower fertility. Ubiquitination may be assayed by several methods, including immunocytochemical measurement, ELISA, and flow cytometry.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved method for detection of panel reactive antibodies in serum of a subject against HLA class I antigens, which comprises the steps of adding serum from a subject to an array of microbeads, each microbead presenting HLA antigens from a cell population presenting the same HLA antigens; incubating the serum and microbeads for sufficient time for anti-HLA antibodies in the serum to bind to the HLA antigens presented on the microbeads; removing the serum components which do not specifically bind with the HLA antigens presented on the microbeads; incubating the microbeads with a labeled ligand capable of specifically binding with anti-HLA antibodies bound to said HLA antigens; removing the labeled ligand which is not bound to said HLA antigens; and detecting the presence of labeled ligand bound to said HLA antigens by flow cytometry.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of predicting pregnancy outcome in a subject by determining the amount of an early pregnancy associated molecular isoform of hCG in a sample. The present invention further provides a method for determining the amount of early pregnancy associated molecular isoforms of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in a sample. The present invention also provides a diagnostic kit for determining the amount of early pregnancy associated hCG is a sample. The present invention additionally provides an antibody which specifically binds to an early pregnancy associated molecular isoform of human chorionic gonadotropin. Finally, the present invention provides methods for detecting trophoblast or non-trophoblast malignancy in a sample.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining alcohol intake or alcohol induced liver damage in a subject by quantifying the content of sialic acid in apolipoprotein J (Apo J). In particular the present invention involves the steps of (a) providing a sample containing Apo J from a subject; (b) purifying the Apo J from the sample; (c) determining sialylation index, i.e., moles of sialic acid peer mole of Apo J in the sample; and (d) evaluating whether the sialylation index is an indication of alcohol intake or alcohol related liver damage recovery from alcohol addiction or alcohol relapse in the subject.

Abstract: The invention provides a flow cytometric method for measuring dendritic cell function in whole blood, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a whole blood sample with a dendritic cell activator; (b) adding to the sample a plurality of dendritic cell-distinguishing antibodies and at least one cytokine-specific antibody; and then (c) flow cytometrically assaying the sample for the binding of the cytokine-specific antibody by at least one distinguishable DC subset.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the quantification and assessment of platelet activation in whole blood samples and monitoring of antiplatelet pharmacologic agents. The method for quantifying platelet activation includes exposing platelets to a physiological concentration of an agonist that activates some of the platelets, resulting in the formation of at least one binding site on the surface of the activated platelets, and measuring the activated platelets. The present invention provides a method of assessing specific components of platelet activation.

Abstract: Novel bipyridyl-osmium complex conjugates, their preparation, and their use in electrochemical assays are described. The redox reversible-osmium complexes can be prepared to exhibit unique reversible redox potentials and can thus be used in combination with other electroactive redox reversible species having redox potentials differing by at least 50 millivolts in electrochemical assays designed for use of multiple electroactive species in the same cell and in the same sample without interference between the two or more redox coupled conjugate systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of tyramide coating live cells for flow cytometry, using catalyzed reporter deposition and serial amplification staining. A catalyzed reporter deposition or an analyte dependent enzyme activation system is described for detecting and/or quantitating an analyte of interest on the surface of a cell by flow cytometry. Also described is a method for serial amplification staining by tyramide coating cells which possess an analyte of interest or a solid phase to which an analyte is bound.

Abstract: Methods of treating and imaging diseased tissue having the steps of administering a radiosensitizer agent proximate to or into the diseased tissue; and treating the diseased tissue with x-rays or other ionizing radiation so as to activate the radiosensitizer agent in the diseased tissue. Preferably, the radiosensitizer agent is a halogenated xanthene.

Abstract: A method having clinically sufficient degree of diagnostic accuracy for detecting the presence of coronary artery disease in a human patient from the general population and for distinguishing between the stages of the disease in that patient is disclosed. The stages are, first, the non-acute stage, which is either asymptomatic coronary artery disease or stable angina, second, the acute stage known as unstable angina, and, third, the acute stage known as acute myocardial infarction. The diseased state (as opposed to the non-diseased state) is indicated by the clinically significant presence of a first marker in a sample from the patient. The presence of one of the two acute stages, unstable angina or acute myocardial infarction, is indicated by the clinically significant presence of a second marker in a sample from the patient. The presence of the more severe acute stage known as acute myocardial infarction is indicated by the clinically significant presence of a third marker in a sample from the patient.

Abstract: Microporous solid phase materials that are suitable for lateral flow and other assays for detecting the presence of analytes in test samples, that are stable under variations in humidity and, even after storage for extended periods of time, can form stable covalent bonds with molecules containing a free primary or secondary amine group or sulfhydryl group are described. The invention further concerns chemically derivatized solid phase materials, and conjugates comprising such materials. Examples of lateral flow devices for the quantitative or semi-quantitative determination of an analyte in a biological sample are described.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of determining the presence or amount of an analyte in a sample suspected of containing the analyte, said method comprising the steps of: (a) bringing together in an aqueous medium to form a mixture: (i) the sample; (ii) at least one specific binder for the analyte; (iii) a first binding agent coupled to either (1) exogenous analyte or (2) the specific binder for the analyte; (iv) a support comprising a second binding agent; b) adding an activator to the mixture, wherein the activator binds the first binding agent and the second binding agent of the support to immobilize the first binding agent; c)determining the amount of the analyte in the sample by detecting the immobilized first binding agent, the presence or amount thereof being related to the presence or amount of the analyte in the sample.

Abstract: An analytical system comprises a frame and movable carriage. An analytical rotor is mounted on the carriage and can be translated among a sample dispensing station, a fluid dispensing station, and a label detection zone. In order to perform assays, the analyzer system requires only the introduction of the analytical rotor, sample, and a volume of diluent solution. Sample within the analyzer is contained at all times within either a sample receptacle or the rotor. The method allows for the sequential addition of sample and diluent in order to perform multiple assay steps and is particularly suitable for performing heterogeneous immunoassays. The use of fluorescent label in the system allows multiple analyte detection reactions to be performed from a single sample applied to a single rotor.

Abstract: A cell containing sample is separated into a cell containing portion and a substantially cell depleted portion, by mixing the sample with particles to produce a cell containing network, and separating the network from the remaining substantially cell depleted portion within a plurality of confining walls, wherein at least one of the walls is flexible. While in some aspects the separation is performed employing a magnetic force, in other aspects the separation is performed using two forces, wherein one force is a magnetic force and the other force is a mechanical force. It is contemplated that whole blood may be used as the sample, and that the cell-containing portion largely comprises a network of inter-linked red blood cells. It is especially contemplated that separation involves antiligands, preferably primary antibodies that bind to a ligand such as antigen on or in red blood cell membranes, and secondary antibodies that bind to the primary antibodies.