Abstract: Disclosed are flexible polyamines, flexible amine-terminated polyformal adducts, flexible-amine-terminated polythioether adducts, compositions comprising flexible polyamines and isocyanate-terminated prepolymers, and compositions comprising flexible amine-terminated adducts and isocyanate-terminated prepolymers. Uses of the compositions as sealants, and particularly as aerospace sealants, are also disclosed.

Abstract: The methods and reagents described in this invention are used to analyze circulating tumor cells, clusters, fragments, and debris. Analysis is performed with a number of platforms, including flow cytometry and the CELLSPOTTER® fluorescent microscopy imaging system. Analyzing damaged cells has shown to be important. However, there are two sources of damage: in vivo and in vitro. Damage in vivo occurs by apoptosis, necrosis, or immune response. Damage in vitro occurs during sample acquisition, handling, transport, processing, or analysis. It is therefore desirable to confine, reduce, eliminate, or at least qualify in vitro damage to prevent it from interfering in analysis. Described herein are methods to diagnose, monitor, and screen disease based on circulating rare cells, including malignancy as determined by CTC, clusters, fragments, and debris. Also provided are kits for assaying biological specimens using these methods.

Abstract: A novel cytometer system, methods and algorithms which provide a rugged, affordable and easy-to-use device in remote locations. All cells in a biological sample are fluorescently labeled, with target cells also magnetically labeled. Non-magnetically labeled cells are imaged for viability. Labeled sample is placed between two wedge-shaped magnets to selectively move the magnetically labeled cells for observation. A LED illuminates the cells and a CCO camera captures the images of the fluorescent light emitted by the target cells. Image analysis performed with a novel algorithm provides a cell count that can be related to the target cell concentration of the original sample.

Abstract: A highly sensitive assay is disclosed which combines immunomagnetic enrichment with multiparameter flow cytometric or image cytometry to detect, enumerate and characterize carcinoma cells in the blood. The present invention incorporates the conjugation of different antibodies to the same ferrofluid. This has the effect of making the ferrofluid polyspecific with respect to the antigens that the ferrofluid will bind. The multiple antibodies present on the same ferrofluid do not appear to block or otherwise interfere with each other. Such ferrofluids have the highly desirable effect of being able to bind specifically to more than one type of cell. The assay is especially useful to enable the capture of CTCs that have low EpCAM expression, but high expression of other tumor markers; Accordingly, the assay facilitates the biological characterization and staging of carcinoma cells.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for making a cured sealant. The methods include depositing an uncured sealant composition on a substrate and exposing the uncured sealant composition to actinic radiation to provide a cured sealant. The uncured sealant composition includes a thiol-terminated polythioether and a polyene comprising a polyvinyl ether and/or a polyallyl compound. Related sealant compositions are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions that include: a) a thiol-terminated polymer; and b) a sulfur-containing ethylenically unsaturated silane. Related products, such as sealants, that include polymers derived from such compositions, are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an automated method for capturing and detecting circulating melanoma cells (CMC's) in the blood of patients with melanoma. The absolute number of circulating melanoma cells detected in the peripheral blood tumor load is, in part, a factor in prediction of survival, time to progression, and response to therapy.

Abstract: The methods and reagents described in this invention are used to analyze circulating tumor cells, clusters, fragments, and debris. Analysis is performed with a number of platforms, including flow cytometry and the CellSpotter® fluorescent microscopy imaging system. Analyzing damaged cells has shown to be important. However, there are two sources of damage: in vivo and in vitro. Damage in vivo occurs by apoptosis, necrosis, or immune response. Damage in vitro occurs during sample acquisition, handling, transport, processing, or analysis. It is therefore desirable to confine, reduce, eliminate, or at least qualify in vitro damage to prevent it from interfering in analysis. Described herein are methods to diagnose, monitor, and screen disease based on circulating rare cells, including malignancy as determined by CTC, clusters, fragments, and debris. Also provided are kits for assaying biological specimens using these methods.

Abstract: Elevated number of Circulating Endothelial Cells (CEC) have been implicated in disease conditions associated with the formation or destruction of blood vessels such as acute coronary syndrome, thrombocytopenic purpura, sickle cell disease, sepsis, lupus, nephrotic syndromes, rejection of organ transplants, surgical trauma and cancer. This invention provides a method for assessing the levels of CEC which vary between different studies using a sensitive enrichment, imaging, and enumberation analysis. CD146 is one of the most specific endothelium-associated cell-surface antigens which can be used in image cytometry. CEC analysis provides an essential tool in prognostic/diagnostic evaluation in the clinic.

Abstract: The methods and reagents described in this invention are used to analyze circulating tumor cells, clusters, fragments, and debris. Analysis is performed with a number of platforms, including flow cytometry and the CellSpotter® fluorescent microscopy imaging system. Analyzing damaged cells has shown to be important. However, there are two sources of damage: in vivo and in vitro. Damage in vivo occurs by apoptosis, necrosis, or immune response. Damage in vitro occurs during sample acquisition, handling, transport, processing, or analysis. It is therefore desirable to confine, reduce, eliminate, or at least qualify in vitro damage to prevent it from interfering in analysis. Described herein are methods to diagnose, monitor, and screen disease based on circulating rare cells, including malignancy as determined by CTC, clusters, fragments, and debris. Also provided are kits for assaying biological specimens using these methods.

Abstract: An improved cartridge for holding a fluid sample with a small volume is disclosed herein. The cartridge has a test chamber and a vestibule through which the test fluids are inserted into the test chamber. Improved grips are flared-out to aid manipulation. The handle portion is reinforced to prevent flexing, and a prefabricated trough along the edge of the land surface prevents introduction of the adhesive into the region for analysis. The cartridge has a stopper having a dual sealing mechanism, which seals the test chamber inlet between the vestibule and the test chamber, and the mouth of the vestibule so that when the stopper is in place, the test chamber is closed to the admission of air or other contaminants. The vestibule is similarly closed against escape of the overflow from the test chamber. The stopper is composed of a single elastomer. An improved locking mechanism has two flexible walls on either side of the handhold that locks into their respective keepers on the cartridge to provide a secure lock.

Abstract: An improved cartridge for holding a fluid sample with a small volume is disclosed herein. The cartridge has a test chamber and a vestibule through which the test fluids are inserted into the test chamber. Improved grips are flared-out to aid manipulation. The handle portion is reinforced to prevent flexing, and a prefabricated trough along the edge of the land surface prevents introduction of the adhesive into the region for analysis. The cartridge has a stopper having a dual sealing mechanism, which seals the test chamber inlet between the vestibule and the test chamber, and the mouth of the vestibule so that when the stopper is in place, the test chamber is closed to the admission of air or other contaminants. The vestibule is similarly closed against escape of the overflow from the test chamber. The stopper is composed of a single elastomer. An improved locking mechanism has two flexible walls on either side of the handhold that locks into their respective keepers on the cartridge to provide a secure lock.

Abstract: A method for assessing cancer in test subjects is described based upon enumeration of circulating endothelial cells and/or disseminated tumor cells in a test subject. This method is used to quantify disseminated tumor cells. Correlations with circulating tumor cells provides prognostic information with high accuracy in assessing the risk of recurrence in patients with primary breast cancer.

Abstract: The CellTracks® System provides a system to enumerate circulating melanoma cells in blood. The system immunomagnetically concentrates epithelial cells, fluorescently labels the cells and identifies and quantifies circulating melanoma cells. The absolute number of circulating melanoma cells detected in the peripheral blood tumor load is, in part, a factor in prediction of survival, time to progression, and response to therapy. Diagnosis and monitoring of melanoma has been limited by the inability to monitor circulating melanoma cells. The present invention provides a method to enumerate circulating melanoma cells in blood samples. Accordingly, this technology provides a means and device for monitoring disease progression in patients with melanoma.

Abstract: A highly sensitive assay is disclosed which combines immunomagnetic enrichment with multiparameter flow cytometric and immunocytochemical analysis to detect, enumerate and characterize carcinoma cells in the blood. The assay can detect one epithelial cell or less in 1 ml of blood and has a greater sensitivity than conventional PCR or immunohistochemistry by 1-2 orders of magnitude. In addition, the assay facilitates the biological characterization and staging of carcinoma cells.

Abstract: Epoxy-capped polythioethers and curable compositions of epoxy-capped polythioethers are disclosed.

Abstract: Epoxy-capped polythioethers, amine/hydroxy-capped polythioethers, and curable compositions of epoxy-capped polythioethers are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and kits for used as an internal or external control in rare cell analysis are disclosed. A plurality of fluorescently distinct sets of cells is used to define a range to assess the isolation of rare target cells from a sample. Thus, a known number of cells, expressing the surface and intracellular antigens present in the targeted rare cells, are stabilized and modified in such a way that they can be discriminated from the targeted rare cells. In addition, these cells are separated into at least two sets based upon the number. These sets are detectably distinct from each other and provide an upper and lower indication of the detection ability of the rare cell assay.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sulfur-containing polyureaurethane and a method of preparing said polyureaurethane. In an embodiment, the sulfur-containing polyureaurethane adapted to have a refractive index of at least 1.57, an Abbe number of at least 32 and a density of less than 1.3 grams/cm3, when at least partially cured.

Abstract: An optical disk physical has a recording region divided into zones, each zone including physical tracks adjacent to each other. An integer number of sectors are provided in each physical track. The angular recording density is higher in the more outward zones such that the linear recording density is substantially constant throughout the recording region, and logical tracks are formed of a predetermined number of sectors, independent of the physical tracks. The conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from a host device is easy. The addresses written in headers of the sectors in the logical track in which data are actually recorded, including substitute sectors used in place of defect sectors, are preferably consecutive to further facilitate the conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from the host device.