471 results about "Infectious agent" patented technology

Integrated microfluidic cartridges for nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and detection from clinical samples are disclosed. The devices are single-entry, sanitary, and disposable. The devices enable simplex or multiplex nucleic acid target detection, as for example: assay panels for multiple infectious agents, or assay panels for cancerous cell types. Methods for use of microfluidic cartridges in a fully automated, pneumatically controlled apparatus are also disclosed.

Solid phase methods for the identification of an analyte in a biological medium, such as a body fluid, using bioluminescence are provided. A chip designed for performing the method and detecting the bioluminescence is also provided. Methods employing biomineralization for depositing silicon on a matrix support are also provided. A synthetic synapse is also provided.

A disposable digit cover structured to be applied to envelop a portion of a human finger or toe, i.e., digit, for aiding in prevention of the spread of communicable diseases and cross-patient contamination from pulse oximeter probes. The cover is a flexible, tubular structure of material impervious to the passage of infectious agents, and having one open end and an oppositely disposed closed end, and is sufficiently thin and transparent to light to serve as infectious agent barrier between a human digit and a pulse oximeter probe. The covers are stored in a flattened state in a clean condition with a dispensing package containing a plurality of the covers stacked upon each other and secure to the package. The package includes a closeable opening allowing access to the digit covers. The dispensing package is small enough to be carried in a garment pocket.

The present invention is a bioreactor wound dressing which includes a first layer, being a transport layer, in direct contact with a wound. It includes at least one layer of a permeable polymeric media containing, in equilibrium with body fluids, at least 40% by weight of liquid, and is impermeable for infectious agents of any kind and being permeable to water soluble substances having molecular weight up to at least 1000 Daltons. There is a second layer, being a fluid reservoir layer that is adjacent to the transport layer and is capable of containing between 40% and 100% of its volume of an aqueous liquid, wherein the transport layer and reservoir layer are permeably interconnected for aqueous solutions and are in a substantial osmotic equilibrium. The invention also includes a method of wound treatment utilizing the bioreactor wound dressing.

Disclosed are immunopotentiating agents, and vaccines thereof, which enhance and/or otherwise modify immune responses, and method for their preparation and use in vivo. Immunopotentiating agents can be single agents that act directly, adjuvants added concurrently with the agents, or heteroconjugates wherein the immunopotentiating agent is chemically coupled to the compound against which an immune response is desired. Examples of immunopotentiating agents include monoclonal antibodies, such as anti-CD3, anti-CD2) and anti-CD5 antibodies, and proteins derived from microorganisms (e.g., enterotoxins) which activate T cells. The compounds against which an immune response can be generated, which may be the second component in a heteroconjugate, include compound from abnormal or diseased tissues such as tumors, or infectious agents, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoal or metozoal parasites, and can be obtained by natural or recombinant means. Methods of using the invention to prepare monoclonal antibodies are particularly disclosed.

The present invention provides a vaccine which protects pigs from a virus and/or an infectious agent causing a porcine respiratory and reproductive disease, a method of protecting a pig from a disease caused by a virus and/or an infectious agent which causes a respiratory and reproductive disease, a method of producing a vaccine against a virus and/or an infectious agent causing a porcine reproductive and respiratory disease, and a biologically pure sample of a virus and/or infectious agent associated with a porcine respiratory and reproductive disease, particularly the Iowa strain of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), and an isolated polynucleotide which is at least 90% homologous with a polynucleotide obtained from the genome of a virus and/or infectious agent which causes a porcine respiratory and reproductive disease.

The present invention comprises compositions, methods, and devices for creating an stimulating an antigen-specific dendritic cell immune response. Devices and methods provide prophylactic and therapeutic immunity to subjects against cancer and infectious agents.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions which employ low concentrations of combinations of zinc salts to prevent the irritation of skin or mucous membranes that may be caused by therapeutic agents, by personal hygiene products, or by various physical, chemical, mechanical, or biological irritants, including infectious agents.

A method of stimulating an immune response in a human against malignant cells or an infectious agent comprises the step of administering to the human an immunogenic amount of a primate anti-idiotype antibody or antibody fragment that acts as an immunogenic functional mimic of an antigen produced by or associated with a malignant cell or an infectious agent. Sub-human primate anti-idiotype antisera, especially from baboons, are preferred. Such anti-idiotype antibodies are used to make vaccines for inducing preventive immunity or a therapeutic immune response against tumors, viruses, bacteria, rickettsia, mycoplasma, protozoa, fungi and multicellular parasites.

Provided herein are compositions and methods related to MHC II binding peptides. In some embodiments, the peptides are obtained or derived from a common source. In other embodiment, the peptides are obtained or derived from an infectious agent to which a subject has been repeatedly exposed.

Methods and apparatus for the inactivation of infectious agents in, on or around a catheter residing in a patient's body cavity. The method comprises transmitting non-ultraviolet sterilizing electromagnetic radiation (EMR) substantially axially along an optical element in the catheter body. Through delivery of the sterilizing EMR to particular areas of highest infection, the present disclosure is able to inactivate the major sources of infection in catheters.

The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for detection of one or more analytes. Analytes include agents or components of infectious agents such as pathogenic virus, as well as enzymes, proteins and biomarkers.

A medical product is provided that is selected from at least one of, nasal cannulas, oxygen masks, wound dressings, bandages, band aids, catheters, endotrachial tubes, condoms, surgical and other gloves, sheaths for endoscopy probes, and medical products that physically touch the body. A coating is included with at least one of, a non-antibiotic, antimicrobial and/or antiviral substance that prevents further local, non-systemic, colonization of infections.

The present invention provides an attenuated virus, which is derived from Modified Vaccinia Ankara virus and characterized by the loss of its capability to reproductively replicate in human cell lines. It further describes recombinant viruses derived from this virus and the use of the virus, or its recombinants, as a medicament or vaccine. A method is provided for inducing an immune response in individuals who may be immune-compromised, receiving antiviral therapy, or have a pre-existing immunity to the vaccine virus. In addition, a method is provided for the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of the virus, or its recombinants, in a vaccinia virus prime/vaccinia virus boost innoculation regimen. The present invention relates to a method of virus amplification in primary cells which are cultivated in a serum free medium. Viruses produced by this method are advantageously free of any infectious agents comprised in animal sera.

Methods and compositions for developing a series of microfluidic, USB-enabled, wireless-enabled, lab-on-chip devices, designed to reduce the chain-of-custody handling of samples between sample acquisition and final reporting of data, to a single individual. These devices provide on-the-spot testing for micro- and nanoscale (molecular) analysis of blood, urine, infectious agents, toxins, measurement of therapeutic drug levels, purity-of-sample testing and presence of contaminants (toxic and non-toxic, volatile and non-volatile); and for the identification of individual components and formal compounds—elemental, biological, organic and inorganic—inclusive of foodstuffs, air, water, soil, oil and gas samples. These devices may be relatively inexpensive, ruggedly designed, lightweight and capable of being employed—depending upon the specific application—by individuals with limited training, in remote and extreme environments and settings: including combat zones, disaster areas, rural communities, tropical/arctic/desert and other inhospitable climates and challenging terrains. The device may be comprised of materials that are reclaimed, are re-usable and are recyclable.

Provided are methods of generating an immune response to an antigen. The method comprises priming an individual by administering an expression vector encoding the antigen. The vectors comprises a transcription unit encoding a secretable fusion protein, the fusion protein containing an antigen and CD40 ligand. Administration of a fusion protein containing the antigen and CD40 ligand is used to enhance the immune response above that obtained by vector administration alone. The invention methods may be used to generate an immune response against cancer expressing a tumor antigen such as a mucin or human papilloma viral tumor antigen and to generate an immune response against an infectious agent. Also provided is a method for simultaneously producing the expression vector and the fusion protein.

Methods to obtain expression systems and proteins in a high-throughput protocol by utilizing mixtures of cells cultured from those transformed with a desired nucleotide sequence permit rapid production of protein for use in arrays to assess activity. In one embodiment, the proteins (or peptides) in the array are assessed for their immunological activity with regard to an infectious agent.

A method for analyzing blood enables one to isolate, detect, enumerate and confirm under magnification the presence of target cells which have expressed surface epitopes that indicate intracellular infection by various viruses or other infectious agents, and also cells which have expressed surface epitopes that indicate the presence of non-infectious medical conditions. The analysis involves the examination of cells in the blood sample for the presence or absence of particular surface epitopes while the blood sample is disposed in a centrifuged blood sampling container. The epitopic analysis for the presence or absence of infected cells, or cells which indicate the presence of non-infectious medical conditions relies on the detection of known target expressed epitopes. The target epitopes on the target cell types are epitopes which are also known to be absent on normal circulating cells in the blood. Fluorophores or other labels with distinct wavelength emissions are coupled with specific binding agents such as lectins, antibodies, aptamers, or the like, which are directed against the target expressed epitopes. The epitopic analyses may be performed in or near the expanded buffy coat layer in the centrifuged blood sample. The epitopic analysis may be performed under magnification either visually and/or photometrically. The blood sampling container is sized to hold between about 1 and about 20 ml, preferably about 10 ml of blood, and contains an insert that occupies about 90-98% of the volume of the container bore in the area of the container where the target cells will, if present, be detected. The insert forces the target cells in question to reside in an annular space in the container which is adjacent to the circumference of the container bore. The entire analysis can be performed in a relatively short period of time which is typically a matter of minutes to single digit hours.

The present invention provides methods and kits useful for determining rates of replication and destruction of an infectious agent within an infected host organism. In the methods of the invention, an isotopically-labeled precursor molecule is administered to an infected host, and is given sufficient time to pass into the host's metabolic pools into a biochemical component of the infectious agent. The isotopic content and/or pattern or the rate of change of the isotopic content and/or pattern of the biochemical component is then measured to determine the rate of replication (growth) of the infectious organism while in the host. Alternatively, isotopic decay of labeled molecular components of the infectious agent is measured over time after discontinuing administration of the isotopically labeled precursor molecule to determine the rate of destruction (death) of the infectious agent while in the host. Thus, using methods of the invention, in vivo sensitivity of infectious agents to drug agents may be determined, in order to optimize therapy of the infected host.

The present invention concerns methods and compositions for in vivo and in vitro targeting. A large number of targeting peptides directed towards human organs, tissues or cell types are disclosed. The peptides are of use for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents, including but not limited to gene therapy vectors. A novel class of gene therapy vectors is disclosed. Certain of the disclosed peptides have therapeutic use for inhibiting angiogenesis, inhibiting tumor growth, inducing apoptosis, inhibiting pregnancy or inducing weight loss. Methods of identifying novel targeting peptides in humans, as well as identifying endogenous receptor-ligand pairs are disclosed. Methods of identifying novel infectious agents that are causal for human disease states are also disclosed. A novel mechanism for inducing apoptosis is further disclosed.