Abstract: The present invention includes a method to determine the immune status of an animal that includes the steps of (a) contacting a biological specimen of the animal with a recombinant infectious agent antigen that is specific for detecting an antibody selective for that infectious agent, under conditions suitable for formation of a complex between the recombinant antigen and the antibody and (b) detecting the presence or absence of the complex, wherein presence or absence of a complex is indicative of the immune status of the animal. Preferably such a method indicates whether the animal should be vaccinated. The present invention also includes an assay comprising (a) a recombinant infectious agent antigen that is specific for detecting an antibody selective for that infectious agent; and (b) a means to detect an antibody that selectively binds to the recombinant antigen.

Abstract: In broad terms, the present invention includes materials and methods useful to distinguish between and among species of a genus. The present methods utilize the differences in PCR amplicon sizes to specifically identify a given species.

Abstract: In broad terms, the present invention includes materials and methods useful to distinguish between and among species of a genus. The present methods utilize the differences in PCR amplicon sizes to specifically identify a given species.

Abstract: In broad terms, the present invention includes materials and methods useful to distinguish between and among species of a genus. The present methods utilize the differences in PCR amplicon sizes to specifically identify a given species.

Abstract: A hand portable, field-deployable thin-layer chromatography (TLC) unit and a hand portable, battery-operated unit for development, illumination, and data acquisition of the TLC plates contain many miniaturized features that permit a large number of samples to be processed efficiently. The TLC unit includes a solvent tank, a holder for TLC plates, and a variety of tool chambers for storing TLC plates, solvent, and pipettes. After processing in the TLC unit, a TLC plate is positioned in a collapsible illumination box, where the box and a CCD camera are optically aligned for optimal pixel resolution of the CCD images of the TLC plate. The TLC system includes an improved development chamber for chemical development of TLC plates that prevents solvent overflow.

Abstract: In broad terms, the present invention includes materials and methods useful to distinguish between and among species of a genus. The present methods utilize the differences in PCR amplicon sizes to specifically identify a given species.

Abstract: In broad terms, the present invention includes materials and methods useful to distinguish between and among species of a genus. The present methods utilize the differences in PCR amplicon sizes to specifically identify a given species.

Abstract: In broad terms, the present invention includes materials and methods useful to distinguish between and among species of a genus. The present methods utilize the differences in PCR amplicon sizes to specifically identify a given species.

Abstract: A hand portable, field-deployable thin-layer chromatography (TLC) unit and a hand portable, battery-operated unit for development, illumination, and data acquisition of the TLC plates contain many miniaturized features that permit a large number of samples to be processed efficiently. The TLC unit includes a solvent tank, a holder for TLC plates, and a variety of tool chambers for storing TLC plates, solvent, and pipettes. After processing in the TLC unit, a TLC plate is positioned in a collapsible illumination box, where the box and a CCD camera are optically aligned for optimal pixel resolution of the CCD images of the TLC plate. The TLC system includes an improved development chamber for chemical development of TLC plates that prevents solvent overflow.

Abstract: This invention relates to a reagent for enzymatic determination of an analyte concentration in a patient wherein the degree of oxidation of a coenzyme is measured, characterized in that said reagent is stabilized against oxidation by a coenzyme reduction system comprising an enzyme and substrate pair selected so as to enable continuous regeneration of said coenzyme throughout storage of said reagent. Also disclosed is an improvement in an enzymatic method of determination of an analyte concentration in a sample body fluid wherein the degree of oxidation of a coenzyme is measured, the improvement comprising stabilizing a reagent comprising said coenzyme against oxidation by a coenzyme reduction system comprising an enzyme and substrate pair selected so as to enable continuous regeneration of said coenzyme throughout storage of said reagent. Also disclosed are reagents for the determination of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, ammonia and urea.

Abstract: A rasp hub assembly for use in a tire buffing machine is disclosed. The hub assembly includes two end plates, and a set of tire rasp blades and spacers arranged in alternating circumferential rows. The blades and spacers have conforming nonplanar elongated bodies, with the blades nested with adjacent spacers. The resulting rasp hub assembly allows the use of an even or odd number of rasp blades in each row, and provides various benefits further described in the specification.

Abstract: A tire rasp blade for use in a tire buffing machine having a rotating hub. A set of rasp blades is arranged in a plurality of circumferential rows. Each of the blades has a non-planar elongated body with generally planar portions, and an arcuate working edge having teeth which extend in a direction generally parallel to the direction of hub rotation. The working edge includes two elliptical-shaped segments.