Abstract: Disclosed are diagnostic methods for determining a subtype of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a biological sample of a mammal. Methods include providing a biological sample of the mammal, performing a PCR analysis of the biological sample, and analyzing the PCR amplicons with respect to their sizes so as to determine for type I, type II, type III, type IV or type V MRSA that may be present in the biological sample. Further example embodiments include using at least one mecA primer pair and/or using at least one Staphylococcus aureus nuc primer pair in the PCR analysis. Further disclosed are methods for screening populations for MRSA, and methods of treating a mammal testing positive for Type IV MRSA. Also disclosed are kits for determining a MRSA subtype in a mammal and isolated primers that may be used in the present methods and kits.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a system, non-transitory computer-readable medium, and method for responding to natural language queries. Keywords likely to appear in a natural language query are determined and each likely keyword is associated with a module. A response to a natural language query comprises information generated by each module associated with a likely keyword appearing in the natural language query.

Abstract: Methods and compositions useful in the detection and identifcation of species of Candida are disclosed. The compositions are combinations of oligonucleotides, where the forward primers of the primer pairs have identical sequences, while each reverse primer of the primer pairs has a unique sequence relative to all of the other reverse primers; or the reverse primers of the primer pairs have identical sequences, while each forward primer of the primer pairs has a unique sequence relative to all of the other forward primers. The oligonucleotides also include probes capable of detecting these amplicons, and sequencing primers for determining, in primer extension reactions, the nucleotide sequences contained within the amplicons. The detection of an amplicon indicated that the sample contains at least one isolate of Candida ablicans, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, or Candida tropicalis, and the nucleotide sequence data is used to determine which of these four Candida species is present.

Abstract: Disclosed are the cloning and expression of a novel antigen of Bartonella henselae. The recombinant polypeptide is found to be highly immunogenic and is useful as a diagnostic test antigen. The polypeptide of the present invention provides the basis of a diagnostic assay that is sensitive, rapid and accurate diagnosis of infection with Bartonella henselae using patient's sera. Disclosed also are the ELISA for both IgG and IgM and allows diagnosis of early and late infection.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and compositions for conducting assays utilizing real-time polymerase chain reactions (“PCRs”) in detection of serotypes L I, L II, and L III, but not stereotype B, of Chlamydia trachomatis, capable of causing lymphogranuloma venereum (“LGV”). These assays take advantage of a deletion occurring in the cytotoxin gene locus specific to the L I, L II, and L III serotypes. Each assay employs a first primer having a nucleotide sequence flanking one side of the deletion point and a second primer having a nucleotide sequence flanking the other side of the deletion point, wherein the first primer and the second primer are capable of hybridizing respectively to the plus strand and the minus strand of the genome of Chlamydia trachomatis during PCR. Synthesis during PCR of a sequence-specific amplicon containing this deletion point indicates that the sample contains nucleic acid specific to an LGV-causing serotype of Chlamydia trachomatis.

Abstract: Methods for using oligonucleotides in the detection of Aspergillus fumigatus are disclosed. The oligonucleotides of the invention have nucleotide sequences derived from the gene encoding the cytochrome P450 14 alpha-sterol demethylase (the cyp51A protein) of Aspergillus fumigatus. The oligonucleotides include primers capable of producing amplicons specific to cyp51A in polymerase chain reactions using nucleic acids isolated from Aspergillus fumigatus as templates. The oligonucleotides also include probes capable of detecting these cyp51A-specific amplicons. The oligonucleotides of the invention also include primers for nucleotide sequencing reactions to determine whether an isolate of Aspergillus fumigatus is more tolerant than wild-type Aspergillus fumigatus to a triazole.

Abstract: A method for matching a user to a conversation includes, for each of a plurality of documents, mapping the document to one or more of a plurality of topics. The document is associated with a user. For each user, the user is mapped to each of the plurality of topics that are mapped to documents with which the user is associated. One of the users is matched to a conversation according to the mappings of the users to those of the plurality of topics that are also mapped to the conversation.

Abstract: Methods and compositions useful in the detection and identification of species of Candida are disclosed. The compositions are combinations of oligonucleotides, where the forward primers of the primer pairs have identical sequences, while each reverse primer of the primer pairs has a unique sequence relative to all of the other reverse primers; or the reverse primers of the primer pairs have identical sequences, while each forward primer of the primer pairs has a unique sequence relative to all of the other forward primers. The oligonucleotides also include probes capable of detecting these amplicons, and sequencing primers for determining, in primer extension reactions, the nucleotide sequences contained within the amplicons. The detection of an amplicon indicates that the sample contains at least one isolate of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, or Candida tropicalis, and the nucleotide sequence data is used to determine which of these four Candida species is present.

Abstract: Disclosed is the cloning, expression and purification of a hemolysin protein and its protein fragments in Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The recombinant hemolysin and its protein fragments are useful in the ELISA detection of anaplasma pathogen. The use of same as a kit for ELISA is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are the cloning and expression of novel antigens in Babesia microti. The recombinant polypeptides are highly immunogenic. The polypeptides of the present invention provide the basis of a diagnostic assay that is sensitive, rapid and accurate using patient's sera. Also disclosed is an IgG and IgM ELISA using two novel recombinant antigens in the diagnosis of Babesia infection.

Abstract: A system and related method to process natural queries is provided. In one aspect, it is determined whether any portion of the natural language query matches one of a plurality of semantic keywords. In another aspect, the natural language query is translated into at least one database query. In a further aspect, the database query may be executed in a database arranged in accordance with the database model.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and compositions for conducting assays of samples utilizing polymerase chain reactions (“PCRs”) in the detection of serotypes of Chlamydia trachomatis capable of causing lymphogranuloma venereum (“LGV”). These assays take advantage of a deletion occurring in the cytotoxin gene locus specific to the L I, L II, and L serotypes. Each of these assays employs a first primer having a nucleotide sequence flanking one side of the deletion point and a second primer having a nucleotide sequence flanking the other side of the deletion point, wherein the first primer and the second primer are capable of hybridizing respectively to the plus strand and the minus strand of the genome of Chlamydia trachomatis during the PCR. Synthesis during the PCR of a sequence-specific amplicon containing this deletion point indicates that the sample contains nucleic acid specific to an LGV-causing serotype of Chlamydia trachomatis.

Abstract: Disclosed are the cloning and expression of novel antigens in Babesia microti. The recombinant polypeptides are highly immunogenic. The polypeptides of the present invention provide the basis of a diagnostic assay that is sensitive, rapid and accurate using patient's sera. Also disclosed is an IgG and IgM ELISA using two novel recombinant antigens in the diagnosis of Babesia infection.

Abstract: Disclosed are cloning and expression of a plurality of protein fragments of virB10, a Type IV Secretion System (TIVSS) in Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Such recombinant protein fragments are useful in the ELISA detection of anaplasma pathogen. The use of same as kits for ELISA is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are oligonucleotides useful in methods for determining whether a sample contains Cryptococcus neoformans, a causative agent for human cryptococcosis. These oligonucleotides, which have nucleotide sequences derived from a coding segment of the gene encoding the fungal specific transcription factor gene in Cryptococcus neoformans, are useful as forward and reverse primers for a polymerase chain reaction using nucleic acids from a biological sample as templates, and as probes for detecting any resultant amplicon. Detection of an amplicon indicates the sample contains Cryptococcus neoformans. Real-time PCR and detection using florescence resonance energy transfer is disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are the cloning and expression of a novel antigen of Bartonella henselae. The recombinant polypeptide is found to be highly immunogenic and is useful as a diagnostic test antigen. The polypeptide of the present invention provides the basis of a diagnostic assay that is sensitive, rapid and accurate diagnosis of infection with Bartonella henselae using patient's sera. Disclosed also are the ELISA for both IgG and IgM and allows diagnosis of early and late infection.

Abstract: A method for integrating a plurality of existing software applications is disclosed. The method comprises executing the plurality of existing software applications. A composite graphical user interface (GUI) is created containing selected objects. A user's interactions with each of the plurality of existing software applications are recorded to record at least one function from each of the plurality of existing software applications. The at least one recorded function from each of the plurality of existing software applications is assigned to at least one of the selected objects in the composite GUI.

Abstract: Disclosed are two (2) proteins in the Type IV Secretion System (TIVSS) in Anaplasma phagocytophilum (namely, virB10 and virB11) useful in the ELISA detection of Anaplasma pathogen. The recombinant expression of virB10 and virB11 and their use as kits for ELISA are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for matching a user to a conversation includes, for each of a plurality of documents, mapping the document to one or more of a plurality of topics. The document is associated with a user. For each user, the user is mapped to each of the plurality of topics that are mapped to documents with which the user is associated. One of the users is matched to a conversation according to the mappings of the users to those of the plurality of topics that are also mapped to the conversation.

Abstract: Disclosed are two (2) proteins in the Type IV Secretion System (TIVSS) in Anaplasma phagocytophilum (namely, virB10 and virB11) useful in the ELISA detection of Anaplasma pathogen. The recombinant expression of virB10 and virB11 and their use as kits for ELISA are also disclosed.