Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
435031000 | Testing for sterility condition | 29 |
20080199903 | Biological indicator - A biological indicator for monitoring the effectiveness of a sterilizing, disinfecting, etc., compound or condition is disclosed which comprises a substrate having a surface layer containing functional groups thereon desirably free of silicone linking groups. The functional groups are desirably in the form of a monolayer of a uniformed distribution and of a selected quantity. Various types of microorganisms such as spores and/or etiological agents are covalently bonded to the surface layer functional groups through a crosslinking reagent and thus form a uniform number and distribution of the microorganisms and/or etiological agents. After being subjected to sterilization or other similar treatment, etc., along with various articles such as instruments, the indicator can be cultivated to determine the effectiveness of the sterilization, disinfection, etc. process. | 08-21-2008 |
20090087877 | INFECTIVITY ASSAY - There is provided a method for infecting a target cell with a TSE agent, comprising: i) contacting said target cell with a membrane preparation, wherein the membrane preparation comprises the TSE agent and a donor membrane; and ii) infecting said target cell with the TSE agent. There is also provided a contiguous membrane, comprising a donor membrane and a membrane containing a TSE agent, wherein the TSE agent is selected from the group consisting of CJD, vCJD, familial CJD (e.g. FFI or CSS), iatrogenic CJD, BSE, ovine BSE, and CWD. | 04-02-2009 |
20090117608 | APPARATUS FOR ON-SITE MICROBIAL DIAGNOSIS AND DISINFECTION AND METHOD THEREFOR - An apparatus for on-site microbial diagnosis and disinfection comprising a mobile unit for being brought to an infected site in the event of an emergency. The mobile unit comprises at least a first compartment and a second compartment. The first compartment comprises a laboratory for on-site microbial diagnosis of samples of the site. The second compartment comprises a water supply for washing the site and a disinfectant supply for disinfecting the site. A method comprising on-site evaluation of the biological security of a microbiologically contaminated site and of the washing requirements of the site followed by sampling and on-site diagnosis the sample. A disinfection protocol is provided on-site and then applied, the efficacy of the protocol is later evaluated. Bacterium which are competitors to the identified microbiological agent or agents responsible for contamination or infection are then applied to the site. | 05-07-2009 |
20090311739 | DEVICE FOR ACTIVATING A SELF-CONTAINED BIOLOGICAL INDICATOR - The present invention provides a device for activating a self-contained biological indicator. The biological indicator includes a casing, an ampule having a growth-promoting medium disposed therein and microorganisms. The ampule and microorganisms are disposed within the casing. The device is comprised of a first lever arm having a cavity formed therein. The cavity is dimensioned to receive a biological indicator. A second lever arm has a protrusion extending from a surface thereof and is moveable relative to the first lever arm to deform a casing of the biological indicator thereby fracturing an ampule in the casing and exposing microorganisms in the casing to a growth-promoting medium in the ampule of the biological indicator. | 12-17-2009 |
20090325220 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR STERILITY TESTING - Methods and apparatus for testing the sterility of a product to be administered to a patient. The sterility of the product is tested by monitoring the pH change of a culture medium in contact with any culturable organisms (e.g., bacteria) that are collected by filtration of the product to be tested. | 12-31-2009 |
20100081165 | SELF-CONTAINED BIOLOGICAL INDICATOR - The disclosed invention provides a self-contained sterilization indicator for evaluating the effectiveness of a sterilization process. The sterilization indicator includes a cap configured for housing a growth medium, the cap being mountable on a container that contains a concentration of microorganisms. The cap comprises an inner chamber for housing the growth media. The inner chamber has an opening and a breakable barrier overlying the opening for encapsulating the growth media within the inner chamber of the cap. The biological indicator is adapted for breaking the breakable barrier at a selected time to introduce the growth medium into the container such that the growth medium contacts the microorganisms. | 04-01-2010 |
20100248296 | STERILIZATION INDICATOR - The disclosed technology relates to a sterilization indicator and a process to concentrate signal generated by constraining it to a minimal surface, in a minimal volume and minimal pH and growth buffering or mediating influences. The sterilization indicator may comprise a carrier | 09-30-2010 |
20110281296 | Biological indicator with integral package - A biological indicator for determining the effectiveness of a sterilization process is disclosed having a package and carrier integral therewith. The package includes a first sheet and a second sheet having a bottom portion, side portions and a top portion. The first and second sheets are joined together generally along a periphery of the first and second sheets by a peelable adhesive. A carrier having a plurality of spores thereon for determining the effectiveness of a sterilization process is attached to the package between the first and second sheets and at least a portion of the resealable adhesive. The package may be opened and subsequently partially or fully closed to enclose the carrier. | 11-17-2011 |
20120196319 | METHOD FOR ACTIVATING A SELF-CONTAINED BIOLOGICAL INDICATOR - The present invention provides a device for activating a self-contained biological indicator. The biological indicator includes a casing, an ampule having a growth-promoting medium disposed therein and microorganisms. The ampule and microorganisms are disposed within the casing. The device is comprised of a first lever arm having a cavity formed therein. The cavity is dimensioned to receive a biological indicator. A second lever arm has a protrusion extending from a surface thereof and is moveable relative to the first lever arm to deform a casing of the biological indicator thereby fracturing an ampule in the casing and exposing microorganisms in the casing to a growth-promoting medium in the ampule of the biological indicator. | 08-02-2012 |
20130171684 | Aerosol deposition apparatus for highly controlled range of population densities on material surfaces - An aerosol deposition apparatus is described for reproducibly preparing standardized coupon surfaces, which mimic aerosol deposited materials in an uncontrolled environment. The dome shaped apparatus is placed over the surfaces and an aerosol is delivered to the apex of the dome. The aerosol deposited surfaces may be used as standards for evaluating decontamination methods. | 07-04-2013 |
20130273593 | STERILIZATION INDICATORS INCLUDING A NEUTRALIZER AND METHODS - Sterilization indicators that include a neutralizer, such indicators useful for testing the effectiveness of a sterilization procedure by measuring the activity of an active enzyme whose activity is correlated with the survival of microorganisms. | 10-17-2013 |
20130273594 | STERILIZATION INDICATORS INCLUDING A POROUS CARRIER AND METHODS - Sterilization indicators that include a unique porous carrier, such indicators useful for testing the effectiveness of a sterilization procedure by measuring the activity of an active enzyme whose activity is correlated with the survival of microorganisms. | 10-17-2013 |
20130302849 | BIOLOGICAL STERILIZATION INDICATOR AND METHOD OF USING SAME - A biological sterilization indicator (BI) and method of using same. The BI can include a housing, and a container positioned in the housing. The container can contain a liquid and at least a portion of the container can be frangible. The BI can further include a first chamber and a second chamber. The second chamber can include at least one source of biological activity. The BI can further include a first fluid path positioned to fluidly couple the first chamber and the second chamber, and a second fluid path positioned to allow displaced gas to move out of the second chamber. The method can include moving displaced gas out of the second chamber via the second fluid path as a sterilant is moved into the second chamber via the first fluid path and/or as the liquid is moved into the second chamber via the first fluid path. | 11-14-2013 |
20130323779 | Lighting Systems and Methods of Using Lighting Systems for In Vitro Potency Assay for Photofrin - Presently disclosed is a lighting system and methods of using the lighting system for in vitro potency assay for photofrin. The lighting system includes a lamp housing, a first lens, an infrared absorbing filter, an optical filter, and a second lens. The lamp housing includes a lamp and a light-port. In operation, broad spectrum light from the lamp exits the lamp housing by passing through the light-port. The first lens then collimates the broad spectrum light that exits the lamp housing through the light-port. The infrared absorbing filter then passes a first portion of the collimated broad spectrum light to the optical filter and absorbs infrared light of the broad spectrum light. The optical filter then passes a second portion of the collimated broad spectrum light to the second lens. The second lens then disperses the second portion of the collimated light to provide uniform irradiation of a cell culture plate. A method of using the lighting system for studying a photosensitizer is also disclosed. | 12-05-2013 |
20130337490 | SPOILAGE DETECTION USING ELECTROMAGNETIC SIGNAL AND MATHEMATICAL MODELING - The present disclosure provides a system for inspecting a package ( | 12-19-2013 |
20140162307 | METHODS FOR MAKING A STERILIZATION INDICATOR AND FOR MONITORING A STERILIZATION PROCESS USING MEMBRANE POTENTIAL - The disclosed invention relates to a method of making a sterilization indicator including depositing an electronically conductive material on a substrate using an ink jet printer and depositing a biological indicator on part or all of the electronically conductive material using the ink jet printer, and further relates to a method for monitoring a sterilization process including (A) exposing an article to be sterilized and a biological indicator to a sterilization medium during a sterilization process, the biological indicator comprising a cell with a plasma membrane in which the biological indicator is positioned on part or all of an electronically conductive material positioned on a substrate; and (B) measuring the membrane potential of the cell to detect the viability of the cell. | 06-12-2014 |
20140273072 | STERILIZATION INDICATOR INCLUDING A SIMPLIFIED GENETICALLY ENGINEERED BIOLOGICAL INDICATOR - A sterilization indicator, including a first compartment containing a genetically engineered biological indicator, and a second compartment containing an enzyme substrate, the second compartment adapted to maintain the enzyme substrate separate from the biological indicator during sterilization, and to permit the enzyme substrate to contact the biological indicator after the biological indicator has been exposed to the sterilization medium; in which the genetically engineered biological indicator comprises at least one test organism and at least one reporter gene suitable for producing an indicator enzyme, the reporter gene being taken up by the test organism; and the test organism is free of any active or activatable repressor gene that would inhibit expression of the reporter gene if present in the test organism or sterilization indicator, and the indicator enzyme and the enzyme substrate are selected such that enzymatic action of the indicator enzyme upon the enzyme substrate yields a detectable signal. | 09-18-2014 |
20140273073 | STERILIZATION INDICATOR OF OXIDATIVE STERILANTS - A sterilization indicator for oxidative sterilants, comprising a first compartment comprising spores of one or more microorganism species, wherein the spores have been pretreated with and comprises a compound comprising a transition metal ion that is reactive with an oxidative sterilant; a second compartment comprising a growth medium and adapted to combine contents of the first compartment with contents of the second compartment for incubation after the sterilization indicator has been exposed to an oxidative sterilant; and an agent disposed in the growth medium and selected to indicate viability of the spores after the sterilization indicator has been exposed to the oxidative sterilant. | 09-18-2014 |
20140356899 | Biological Contamination Modeling of Surfaces in Hot Humid Air - A protocol process is provided for testing and evaluating | 12-04-2014 |
20150147773 | COMBINED STERILIZATION INDICATOR INCUBATOR AND READER SYSTEM - A combined sterilization indicator incubator and reader system, including a sterilization indicator vial containing one of a variety of selected biological indicators and a liquid, at least two incubator blocks, each incubator block independently operable to incubate the sterilization indicator vial at a plurality of independently selectable temperatures, each of the incubator blocks including at least one heating element operable to heat the incubator block to any one of the plurality of independently selectable temperatures; a light source, a photodetector and a control system configured to operate the combined system to determine the efficacy of a variety of sterilization processes. The system calculates and compares a slope to a predetermined threshold slope for the biological indicator, and provides output based only on the comparison of the calculated slope to the predetermined threshold slope without first determining either a baseline or a minimum value of the output from the photodetector. | 05-28-2015 |
20150329893 | DEVICE DESIGNED TO RECEIVE A BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE - Device designed to receive at least one biological sample, said device comprising:
| 11-19-2015 |
20150337354 | BIOLOGICAL STERILIZATION INDICATOR DEVICES AND METHODS OF USE - A biological sterilization indicator device is provided. The device comprises a body, a plurality of test microorganisms, and an oxygen-modulated first fluorescent sensor. The body comprises a first layer attached to a second layer, forming at least one isolatable microchamber and at least one primary passageway that provides fluidic communication between ambience and the at least one microchamber. The microchamber has an isolated volume of about 0.5 microliters to about 9.5 microliters. The plurality of test microorganisms and the oxygen-modulated first fluorescent sensor are disposed in the microchamber. A method of using the device to determine the effectiveness of a sterilization process is also provided. | 11-26-2015 |
20150353984 | BIOLOGICAL STERILIZATION INDICATOR SYSTEM AND METHOD - A biological sterilization indicator (BI) system and method. The system can include a BI and a reading apparatus comprising a well. The BI can include a housing, which can include a first portion, and a second portion movable between a first “unactivated” position and a second “activated” position. The BI can further include a frangible container containing a liquid and dimensioned to be positioned in the housing. The reading apparatus can be configured to detect activation of the biological sterilization indicator, for example, by detecting that the second portion is in the second position, and/or by detecting that the liquid from the frangible container is present in a specific chamber of the biological sterilization indicator. The method can include positioning the BI in the well of the reading apparatus and detecting activation, for example, by detecting one or more of the above conditions. | 12-10-2015 |
20160000954 | BIOLOGICAL INDICATOR FOR MONITORING A LOW-TEMPERATURE STERILIZATION PROCESS - An article and method are provided for assessing the efficacy of a sterilization process. The article comprises an outer container having an interior volume; a dry source of measurable biological activity disposed in the interior volume; and an effective amount of a dry agent for neutralizing a sterilant compound; wherein both the source of measurable biological activity and the agent are in vapor communication with an environment outside the outer container. The method comprises exposing the article to a first sterilant and, optionally, a second sterilant for a period of time and detecting the measurable biological activity. | 01-07-2016 |
20160037766 | Regeneration of Antimicrobial Coatings Containing Metal Derivatives Upon Exposure to Aqueous Hydrogen Peroxide - This invention relates to regenerable antimicrobial coatings with long-lasting efficacy for use in medical applications including implants, medical instruments or devices, and hospital equipment. The same coatings would also have broad utility in the consumer, industrial, and institutional markets. The coating technology would be based on sequestration of hydrogen peroxide (HP) by zinc oxide binders incorporated into the coatings. | 02-11-2016 |
20160068883 | MICRO-FLUIDIC MIXER AND METHOD OF DETERMINING PATHOGEN INACTIVATION VIA ANTIMICROBIAL SOLUTIONS - A sample of produce wash water containing an antimicrobial sanitizer fluid, and a reference pathogen fluid are both injected into a pathogen inactivation region of a micro-fluidic mixer. The produce wash water (i.e. sanitizer fluid/pathogen fluid mix) is directed through mixer elements in the pathogen inactivation region of the micro-fluidic mixer. In the sanitizer deactivation region, a sanitizer deactivation solution is added to the sanitizer fluid/pathogen fluid mix to produce a deactivated solution. The deactivated solution is evaluated for the presence of the pathogen and the characteristics of the sanitizer. In the preferred embodiment, the sanitizer comprises chlorine and the pathogen comprises | 03-10-2016 |
20160083771 | NANOSTRUCTURED SPORE CARRIER - Spore carriers suitable for use in biological indicators are described. The spore carriers include a substrate such as polymeric film or non-woven web with a hydrophilic nanostructured layer bonded to it. Spores are bonded to the nanostructured layer. Nanostructured layers including nanoparticles, such as acid-sintered silica nanoparticles are described. Biological indicators including such spore carriers are also described. | 03-24-2016 |
20160137968 | TISSUE CULTURE TESTING SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF USE - Embodiments of the present disclosure provide materials and methods relating to cell and tissue culture testing systems. Certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to in vitro testing systems that are useful for performing experiments to investigate the potential for various factors to reduce bioburden, reduce the manifestations of infection, and to promote wound healing in cultured cells and tissues. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides means for investigating biological mechanisms underlying wound healing, including the ability of pressurized gas to reduce the manifestations of infection by reducing bioburden. | 05-19-2016 |
20160160261 | METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING RESISTANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A BIOLOGICAL INDICATOR - A method is provided for establishing resistance characteristics of a biological indicator in a sterilization process using a sterilant vapor. The method includes the step of creating a biological indicator inactivation profile by obtaining differential sterilant vapor pressure values in a sterilization chamber during sterilant vapor injection and determining D-values as a function of the differential sterilant vapor pressure values obtained. The biological indicator inactivation profile, when represented as a function of differential sterilant vapor pressure, may be linear over the full range of inactivation. The biological indicator inactivation profile may be created by injecting the sterilant vapor into the sterilization chamber and measuring biological indicator survival at different differential sterilant vapor pressure values. The method may include providing biological indicator inactivation data during sterilization at a given sterilization chamber temperature and initial sterilant concentration for use in creating the biological indicator inactivation profile at another temperature and sterilant concentration. | 06-09-2016 |