Patents Examined by V. Ryan
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Patent number: 6054296Abstract: The present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides encoded by the same, antibodies directed thereto and a method of preparing such polypeptides including: (a) inserting an isolated DNA molecule coding for a polypeptide which is immunoreactive with a 66 kDa polypeptide derived from Borrelia garinii IP90 into an expression vector; (b) transforming a host organism or cell with the vector; (c) culturing the transformed host cell under suitable conditions; and (d) harvesting the polypeptide. The isolated DNA molecule is preferably at least 10 nucleotides in length, and the method may optionally include subjecting the polypeptide to post-translational modification. The host cell can be a bacterium, a yeast, a protozoan, or a cell derived from a multicellular organism such as a fungus, an insect cell, a plant cell, or a mammalian cell.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 1994Date of Patent: April 25, 2000Assignee: Symbicom ABInventors: Sven Bergstrom, Alan George Barbour
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Patent number: 6048684Abstract: A method for the determination of soluble fibrin in a body fluid of a species is described, entailing use of a binding partner which is bound to a solid phase, and of a labeled bioaffinity binding partner, for fibrin.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 1991Date of Patent: April 11, 2000Assignee: Dade Behring Marburg GmbHInventors: Udo Becker, Konrad Braun, Norbert Heimburger
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Patent number: 6045804Abstract: The present invention provides a method for detecting B. burgdorferi infection utilizing an antigen preparation lacking a detectable level of outer surface protein A (OspA). The antigen preparation is made from an isolate of B. burgdorferi that lacks the plasmid encoding outer surface protein A (OspA). The method of the invention discriminates B. burgdorferi infection from OspA vaccination.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 1996Date of Patent: April 4, 2000Assignee: Mayo Foundation for Medical Educational ResearchInventor: David H. Persing
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Patent number: 6037186Abstract: A method to produce arrays of compounds for concurrent testing is described. Two formats are described using porous rods or porous sheet materials. In one format the compounds of the array are immobilized to porous rod elements. In the second format the compounds are immobilized as lines on a sheet of porous material. In both cases, a bundle is formed by radial compression of the rods or spiral wrapping of the sheet. A sheath is applied to the bundle and arrays are cut as slabs. Each synthesis or application step to create an array element is used to fabricate multiple arrays. Relatively high density arrays can be produced with current printing technologies. The method is particularly suited to mass production of arrays.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 1997Date of Patent: March 14, 2000Inventor: Don Stimpson
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Patent number: 6030846Abstract: Avidin-binding azo reagents which alter the spectrophotometric properties of avidin and the use of such reagents in homogeneous assays are described.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 1997Date of Patent: February 29, 2000Assignee: Dade Behring Inc.Inventors: Donald Max Simons, Susan Yen-Tee Tseng, Patricia Carol Weber
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Patent number: 6030625Abstract: An immunogenic composition, characterized in that it comprises an adenyl cyclase-hemolysin (Ac-Hly) protein, or an immunogenic portion of this AC-Hly, of a strain of Bordetella chosen from B. pertussis, B. parapertussis or B. bronchiseptica, and in that it comprises, in addition, a bacterial extract containing the expression products of the vrg genes of a strain of Bordetella chosen from B. pertussis, B. parapertussis or B. bronchiseptica, or a portion of these expression products which is sufficient to induce an immune response in a host to which the extract might be administered.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 1998Date of Patent: February 29, 2000Assignee: Institut PasteurInventors: Pascale Gueirard, Nicole Guiso
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Method for immunological determination of hemoglobin derivative and treating reagent for use therein
Patent number: 6027907Abstract: A hemoglobin derivative-containing sample is treated with a treating reagent containing 2-butanol and then immunologically analyzed to determine the quantity of the hemoglobin derivative. By the treatment with 2-butanol, the immunological determination for the hemoglobin derivative, particularly HbA.sub.1c, can be attained with high sensitivity by a simple procedure. Since 2-butanol-containing treating reagent does not affect the enzymatic activity, the homogeneous enzyme immunoassay with high sensitivity is realized.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1996Date of Patent: February 22, 2000Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Shinoki, Yoshikazu Amano -
Patent number: 6019982Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided herein for the use of a novel mutant form of E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin which has lost its toxicity but has retained its immunologic activity. This enterotoxin is used in combination with an unrelated antigen to achieve an increased immune response to said antigen when administered as part of an oral vaccine preparation.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 1994Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Assignee: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational FundInventors: John D. Clements, Bonny L. Dickinson
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Patent number: 6004562Abstract: An isolated and purified outer membrane protein B1, and peptides formed therefrom, of Moraxella catarrhalis are described. A method for the isolation and purification of outer membrane protein B1 from a bacterial strain that produces B1 protein, e.g. Moraxella catarrhalis, comprises growing the bacteria in culture in iron-depleted medium to enhance the expression of the B1 protein, harvesting the bacteria from the culture, extracting from the harvested bacteria a preparation substantially comprising an outer membrane protein preparation, contacting the outer membrane preparation with an affinity matrix containing immobilized transferrin wherein B1 protein binds to the transferrin, and eluting the bound B1 protein from the transferrin. Disclosed are the uses of the B1 protein as an immunogen for vaccine formulations, and as antigens in diagnostic immunoassays.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 1996Date of Patent: December 21, 1999Assignee: The Research Foundation of the State University of New YorkInventor: Anthony A. Campagnari
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Patent number: 6001372Abstract: Disclosed herein are short antigenic peptides of MOMP protein from Chlamydia trachomatis. They can be used to stimulate antigenic responses and to diagnose the presence of the bacteria.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 1995Date of Patent: December 14, 1999Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research FoundationInventors: Robert I. DeMars, Linette Ortiz
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Patent number: 5989841Abstract: Nucleic sequences from the genome of Salmonella Typhi include all or part of the genetic information required for the in vitro infection of cultured HeLa cells by Salmonella bacteria. Polypeptides encoded by these nucleic sequences are also described, as is the use of said polypeptides and nucleic sequences for implementing methods of in vitro Salmonella detection in biological samples which are thought to contain it.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: November 23, 1999Assignees: Institut Pasteur, Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche MedicaleInventors: Michel Yvan Popoff, Michel Dion
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Patent number: 5976536Abstract: Provided herein are mutant strains of Neisseria meningitidis which produce lipooligosaccharide (LOS) differing from the wild-type LOS in structure as well as the mutant LOS molecules and immunogenic compositions containing truncated LOS molecules from a Neisseria strain containing a genetically stable in a gene selected from the group consisting of genes encoding .alpha.-1,2-N-acetylglucosamine transferase and a gene homology to an Escherichia coli gene encoding 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase. N. meningitidis NMB-559 harbors an insertion mutation in the gene encoding .alpha.-1, 2-N-acetylglucosamine transferase, and N. meningitidis NMB-469 harbors an insertion mutation in an nlaB gene, the protein product of which has significant amino acid sequence homology to the E. coli gene encoding 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 1995Date of Patent: November 2, 1999Assignee: Emory UniversityInventors: David S. Stephens, Charlene Marree Kahler
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Patent number: 5958134Abstract: Method and apparatus for forming the longitudinal edges of stacks of razor blades by conveying the stacks of razor blades along a conveying path in a vacuum chamber past material deposition and material etching stations. The material etching stations are mounted in the sides of the vacuum chamber to be directed generally toward the edge sides of the edges of the razor blades. In another embodiment, stacks of razor blades are mounted on opposite sides of a rotating pallet and material deposition and etching stations are mounted in both side walls of the vacuum chamber. A DC or RF bias is applied to the stacks of razor blades by capacitively coupling the RF bias or conducting by electrical contacts a DC or RF bias to a central portion of the rotating pallet.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 1995Date of Patent: September 28, 1999Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Tugrul Yasar, Ira Reiss, Subhadra Gupta, Rajendrapura Seetharamaiya Krishnaswamy, Israel Wagner
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Patent number: 5948204Abstract: The present invention discloses an improvement on a wafer carrier ring for use in a chemical-mechanical polishing apparatus for uniformly polishing semiconductor wafers. The apparatus comprises of a ring assembly, a stainless steel backing plate and a rubber bladder for holding the ring assembly and the backing plate. The ring assembly comprises of two rings. The first ring is made of a soft material such as Delrin or PBT for holding the stainless steel backing plate which is attached to the wafer. A top portion of the first ring is cutoff to leave an annular notch. The second ring is made of a hard material such as stainless steel and is fitted into the annular notch of the first ring. Both rings are attached to the rubber bladder through two sets of screws which are evenly spaced through a circular path concentric to the circumference of the first ring.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1996Date of Patent: September 7, 1999Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: James G. Maveety, George T. Waller, Wayne Gaynor
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Patent number: 5939075Abstract: The vaccines are prepared by isolating the Brucella genes complementing mutations in the purEK genes of Escherichia coli, physically mapping, determining the DNA sequence, constructing a defined deletion mutation by polynucleotide chain reaction (PCR), introducing a selectable marker into the deletion, and then selecting a purE mutant in Brucella arising by allelic exchange. The resulting Brucella require purines for growth because they lack the purE gene product that is required for the carboxylation of 5'-phosphoribosyl-5-aminoimidazole.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 1997Date of Patent: August 17, 1999Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Huo-shu H. Houng, Richard L. Warren
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Patent number: 5932220Abstract: Bites from Amblyomma americanum, a hard tick, have been associated with a Lyme disease-like illness in the southeastern and south-central United States. Present in 2% of ticks collected in four states were uncultivable spirochetes. Through use of the polymerase chain reaction, partial sequences of the flagellin and 16s rRNA genes of microorganisms from Texas and New Jersey were obtained. The sequences showed that the spirochete was a Borrelia sp. but distinct from other known members of this genus, including B. burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease. Species-specific differences in the sequences of the flagellin protein, the flagellin gene and the 16s rRNA gene between the new Borrelia species and previously known species provide compositions and methods for assay for determining the presence of this new spirochete, or for providing evidence of past or present infection by this spirochete in animal reservoirs and humans.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 1995Date of Patent: August 3, 1999Assignee: Board of Regents University of Texas SystemInventors: Alan G. Barbour, Carol Carter
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Patent number: 5928900Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of Gram positive bacterial exported proteins, and the genes encoding such proteins. In particular, the invention relates to adhesion associated exported proteins, and to antigens common to many or all strains of a species of Gram positive bacterium. The invention also relates to acellular vaccines to provide protection from Gram positive bacterial infection using such genes or such proteins, and to antibodies against such proteins for use in diagnosis and passive immune therapy. In specific embodiments, fragments of ten genes encoding exported proteins of S. pneumoniae are disclosed, and the functional activity of some of these proteins in adherence is demonstrated.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 1994Date of Patent: July 27, 1999Assignee: The Rockefeller UniversityInventors: H. Robert Masure, Barbara J. Pearce, Elaine Tuomanen
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Patent number: 5925361Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel bacterial respiratory poultry disease and the identification of the causative agent. A vaccine derived from this agent was effective in preventing the disease in chickens challenged with the virulent field strains.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 1996Date of Patent: July 20, 1999Assignee: Akzo Nobel, N.V.Inventors: Paul Karel Storm, Paul Cornelius Maria van Empel
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Patent number: 5925212Abstract: The temperatures of scavenger-emitting kit parts in a high-density plasma (HDP) etching system are elevated to or close to respective steady state equilibrium temperatures so that scavenger chemistry and rates remain substantially the same on a wafer-to-wafer basis. A relatively inert warm-up plasma is turned on within the HDP chamber during idle time periods that precede or occur between executions of a predefined plasma-processing recipe so as to raise the temperatures of chamber-internal kit parts.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 1995Date of Patent: July 20, 1999Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Michael Rice, David W. Groechel, James Cruse, Kenneth S. Collins
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Patent number: 5922536Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of a microorganism in an environmental sample involves contacting the sample with a supercritical fluid to isolate nucleic acid from the microorganism, then detecting the presence of a particular sequence within the isolated nucleic acid. The nucleic acid may optionally be subjected to further purification.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 1996Date of Patent: July 13, 1999Inventors: David E. Nivens, Bruce M. Applegate