Abstract:
Clostridium difficile disease involves a range of clinical presentations ranging from mild to self-limiting diarrhea to life-threatening pseudomembranous colitis and megacolon. Cases of C. difficile are treated differently depending on severity of disease. Mild and moderate cases may be treated with metronidazole while moderate-to-severe and relapsing cases are often treated with vancomycin or fidaxomicin. The presence of C. difficile disease is detected using a biomarker panel that includes C. difficile antigen (GDH), toxins A and B, and fecal lactoferrin. In patients suspected of C. difficile disease, if GDH is detected indicating the presence of C. difficile, and then toxins A and/or B are detected to indicate toxigenic C. difficile and support a diagnosis of C. difficile-associated disease, fecal lactoferrin concentrations are measured to determine severity of the disease by indicating the amount of intestinal inflammation.
Abstract:
The invention provides materials, compositions, methods, and kits for deterring or repelling animals from eating plant materials. The invention relates to the use of particulate matter to deter animals from eating plant materials that are susceptible to grazing by animals. In exemplary embodiments, an adhesive is applied to target plant material and the particulate matter is then applied prior to curing or drying of the adhesive.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to the field of medical immunology and further to pharmaceutical compositions, methods of making and methods of use of vaccines. More specifically this invention relates to recombinant proteins derived from the genes encoding Clostridium difficile toxin A and toxin B, and their use in an active vaccine against C. difficile.
Abstract:
A method is provided for detecting the presence of C. difficile toxin A. Stool or other appropriate specimen is contacted with a reagent containing an available non-reducing galactose-alpha-1-3-galactosyl structure, which is a specific receptor for toxin A. The reagent may be intact cells, cell membranes, membrane fractions containing the toxin A receptor structure, glycoconjugates, as well as the purified toxin A receptor per se. Binding of toxin A is determined by conventional assay techniques. The method may also be used to isolate and purify toxin A. Conversely, immobilized toxin A is used to detect, isolate, or purify biological materials of interest containing the receptor structure.
Abstract:
The present invention provides assays and devices for detection of substances in liquid samples. The assays and devices utilize passive diffusion between a porous material and a porous membrane containing a specific binding pair member to enable detection of the substance of interest.
Abstract:
The present invention provides assays and devices for detection of substances in liquid samples. The assays and devices utilize passive diffusion between a porous material and a porous membrane containing a specific binding pair member to enable detection of the substance of interest.
Abstract:
Mono-specific antibodies for each of toxin A and toxin B of C. difficile are produced and used in an assay for toxin A and toxin B, respectively. Purified toxin A of C. difficile is also produced.
Abstract:
Mono-specific antibodies for each of toxin A and toxin B of C. difficile are produced and used in an assay for toxin A and toxin B, respectively. Purified toxin A of C. difficile is also produced.
Abstract:
The invention provides materials, compositions, methods, and kits for deterring or repelling animals from eating plant materials. The invention relates to the use of particulate matter to deter animals from eating plant materials that are susceptible to grazing by animals. In exemplary embodiments, an adhesive is applied to target plant material and the particulate matter is then applied prior to curing or drying of the adhesive.
Abstract:
Clostridium difficile disease involves a range of clinical presentations ranging from mild to self-limiting diarrhea to life-threatening pseudomembranous colitis and megacolon. Cases of C. difficile are treated differently depending on severity of disease. Mild and moderate cases may be treated with metronidazole while moderate-to-severe and relapsing cases are often treated with vancomycin or fidaxomicin. The presence of C. difficile disease is detected using a biomarker panel that includes C. difficile antigen (GDH), toxins A and B, and fecal lactoferrin. In patients suspected of C. difficile disease, if GDH is detected indicating the presence of C. difficile, and then toxins A and/or B are detected to indicate toxigenic C. difficile and support a diagnosis of C. difficile-associated disease, fecal lactoferrin concentrations are measured to determine severity of the disease by indicating the amount of intestinal inflammation.