A method for screening substances for their ability to reduce malodours from emanations from an animal, said method comprising determining the effect of said substances on the C-S lyase activity of bacteria that emit volatile sulphuric compounds (VSCs), by contacting a test substance with a sample comprising said bacteria or a supernatant obtainable from a culture of said bacteria in the presence of a substrate for a C-S lyase, detecting the levels of thiol production from said bacteria, and comparing the results with those obtained from similar bacteria in the absence of said substance.

An apparatus and method for characterizing a target, e.g., microbial samples or biological toxins, includes labeling the target with a biomolecular recognition construct and measuring an atomic-spectra signal of the biomolecular recognition construct. The method can include heating the labeled target before measuring the atomic-spectra signal. The atomic-spectra signal can be measured by performing laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. The atomic-spectra signal can be measured by performing spark induced breakdown spectroscopy. The biomolecular recognition construct can be prepared by tagging a biological scaffolding with a metal atom or ion. In an aspect in which the target includes a microbial sample, the biological scaffolding can include an antibody against epitopes present on bacterial surface, the antibody linked to a heavy metal. In an aspect in which the target includes a biological toxin, the biological scaffolding can include an antibody against the biological toxin linked to heavy metals.

A microstructured chip (3; 33; 43; 53; 63) for surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis, taking the form of a solid formed by: a base (5; 77); an upper surface (4; 44), at least part of which is covered with a metal layer (2; 22; 42; 52; 62); and at least one side surface (55; 66). The chip is characterized in that the aforementioned upper surface is provided with micrometric zones intended to receive species to be analyzed and selected from among n protrusions and m cavities, and in that when n+m≧2 the zones are separated from one another by planar surfaces, with n varying between 1 and j, m varying between 0 and i, and j and i being integers.

Compositions consisting of bioactive molecules derived from the microbiota of a mammal are provided herein. When administered orally with a colonic delivery system, the compositions are useful for the prophylaxis and treatment of diseases, in particular inflammatory, autoimmune and infectious diseases. The compositions comprise combinations of small molecules and bacterial antigens formulated in colonic delivery systems. Use of the compositions results in any or all of: induction of immune tolerance; strengthening of the gut mucosal barrier integrity; reduction of inflammation; and amelioration of a disease state caused by inflammation, an autoimmune reaction or an infectious agent.

Disclosed are methods, apparatus, kits and compositions for determining the absence of a systemic bacterial infection (sepsis) in patients, particularly ones presenting to hospital emergency departments (ED) as outpatients, by measurement of the host immune response using peripheral blood. The are methods, apparatus, kits and compositions can be used in mammals for diagnosing, making treatment decisions, determining the next procedure or diagnostic test, or management of patients suspected of having an infection, including those presenting with fever or other signs of systemic inflammation. More particularly, peripheral blood RNA and protein biomarkers are disclosed that are useful for distinguishing between the host immune response to bacteria compared to the host immune response to other causes of systemic inflammation including trauma, burns, autoimmune disease, asthma, anaphylaxis, arthritis, obesity and viral infections. As such, the biomarkers are useful for distinguishing bacterial-associated systemic inflammatory response syndrome from non-bacterial systemic inflammation to provide clinicians with strong negative predictive value (>95%) so that sepsis can be excluded as a diagnosis in patients presenting to ED with clinical signs of systemic inflammation.

Air flow systems, devices and methods for monitoring airborne agents include airborne agent collectors. Airborne agent collectors for collecting and detecting the presence and/or identification of an airborne agent(s) include a soluble and hydrophilic polycaprolactone (PCL) that has been treated with a base (e.g., a base having a pH greater than 8 (e.g., NaOH, NaHCO.sub.3, KOH, Na.sub.2CO.sub.3, and CA(OH).sub.2) and in some embodiments, also treated with a neutralizing agent for increasing hydrophilicity. Detection and identification of airborne agents captured by an airborne agent collector can be performed using any suitable analytical protocols. Such protocols are well known in the art, and include nucleic acid assays, protein assays (e.g., mass spectrometry), and bioassays (e.g., in vitro and in vivo assays). The airborne agent collectors can be used for the detection and identification of nucleic acid from cells or organisms of any type (e.g., viruses, bacteria, fungi) in fixed structures (e.g., homes, sports arenas, theaters, buildings such as offices, laboratories, hospitals, schools, airports, train stations, bus stations, etc.) and in mobile, portable devices or machines (e.g., aircraft, automobiles, air-freshener, air-purifier, air re-circulator, vacuum cleaner, etc.).

An object is to strongly suppress a false negative reaction and a false positive reaction, which cannot be sufficiently suppressed by a conventional method, in detection of an antigen such as a virus, a bacterium, or a protein to be detected in a specimen originated from a body fluid such as a nasal swab specimen, a nasal aspirate specimen, a nasal wash specimen, a blown snot specimen, a pharyngeal swab specimen, or a saliva specimen with a detection reagent utilizing an antigen-antibody reaction or a reaction between substances interacting with each other. The present invention provides a test reagent for detecting a target substance in a specimen by utilizing an antigen-antibody reaction or a binding reaction between substances interacting with each other, comprising a specimen extracting solution containing a chelating agent.

Rapid detection of analytes including, for example, systems, kits, and methods for growth, isolation, and/or monitoring of analytes are generally disclosed. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein are generally directed to the capture and/or concentrating of a target species (e.g., analyte) to be detected and/or monitored. In some embodiments, the materials, systems, and methods described herein may be used to create luminescent signals in response to the presence of selected analytes such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. In some cases, the target analyte is a pathogenic bacteria, a pathogenic virus, a pathogenic parasite, or toxin.

Methods of diagnosing infections are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises measuring the amount of each of the polypeptides TRAIL, CRP, IP10 and at least one additional polypeptide selected from the group consisting of IL-6 and PCT.

The present invention aims at providing a specific antibody that can simply and rapidly detect Mycoplasma pneumoniae which is a causative bacterium of mycoplasma pneumonia, with high sensitivity, and also an immunological detection method and a kit containing the same antibody. The present invention makes it possible to diagnose infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae more rapidly and specifically than the conventional method, by producing an antibody recognizing a specific epitope of P30 protein of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and performing an immunological detection using the antibody. Also, the present invention enables easy and rapid detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and diagnosis of infection with the same at a hospital or the like without need of specialized instruments or skilled techniques.