Creighton University

Other

Zeon Corporation

Jennifer A Black

Kenneth S Thomson

Ellen S Moland

Rahul Sen

David A Roberts

Billy J Smith

Joseph James McDermott

Ellen A Smith Moland

Methods for characterizing a nanotube formulation with respect to one or more particular ionic species are disclosed. Within the methods of the present disclosure, this characterization provides control over the surface roughness (or smoothness) and the degree of rafting within a nanotube fabric formed from such a nanotube formulation. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a nanotube formulation roughness curve (and methods for generating such a curve) that can be used to select a utilizable range of ionic species concentration levels that will provide a nanotube fabric with a desired surface roughness (or smoothness) and degree of rafting. In some aspects of the present disclosure, such a nanotube formulation roughness curve can be used adjust nanotube formulation prior to a nanotube formulation deposition process to provide nanotube fabrics that are relatively smooth with a low degree of rafting.

Methods for characterizing nanotube formulations for nanotube fabrics with controlled surface roughness and degree of rafting

Methods for forming a nanotube fabric with a controlled surface roughness (or smoothness) and a selected degree of rafting are disclosed by adjusting the concentration levels of a selected ionic species within a nanotube formulation used to form the nanotube fabric. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a nanotube formulation roughness curve (and methods for generating such a curve) that can be used to select a utilizable range of ionic species concentration levels that will provide a nanotube fabric with a desired surface roughness (or smoothness) and degree of rafting. In some aspects of the present disclosure, such a nanotube formulation roughness curve can be used adjust nanotube formulation prior to a nanotube formulation deposition process to provide nanotube fabrics that are relatively smooth with a low degree of rafting.

Methods for forming nanotube fabrics with controlled surface roughness and degree of rafting

A method for determining whether a microorganism produces an AmpC &#x3b2;-lactamase is disclosed in which a culture of a microorganism suspected of producing a &#x3b2;-lactamase that inactivates a &#x3b2;-lactam-containing antibiotic is admixed with an effective amount of each of i) a &#x3b2;-lactam-containing antibiotic, ii) a &#x3b2;-lactamase inhibitor to which AmpC &#x3b2;-lactamase is resistant, and iii) a permeabilizing agent for the microorganism present in a non-growth-inhibiting microorganism-permeabilizing amount to form an assay culture. That assay culture in maintained under appropriate culture conditions and for a time period sufficient to determine the interaction of the microorganism with the AmpC &#x3b2;-lactamase resistant inhibitor and antibacterial compound, and thereby determine the presence of an AmpC &#x3b2;-lactamase, wherein a positive test indicates the presence of an AmpC &#x3b2;-lactamase.

Device and direct method for detection of antibiotic-inactivating enzymes

The present invention provides a method of determining the antibiotic susceptibility of a microorganism comprising the following steps. First, a culture of the microorganism whose susceptibility is to be determined is admixed with an antibiotic to which susceptibility is to be assayed, and a permeabilizing agent for the microorganism present in a non-growth-inhibiting microorganism-permeabilizing effective amount to form an assay culture. Next, the assay culture is incubated under appropriate culture conditions and for a time sufficient to determine the susceptibility of the microorganism to the antibiotic. In another aspect, the present invention provides an improved method for antibiotic susceptibility testing of a microorganism in a culture by admixing the culture with an antibiotic to which susceptibility is to be assayed, and incubating the culture for a time sufficient to determine the susceptibility of the microorganism to the antibiotic, the improvement comprising admixing the culture with a permeabilizing agent for the microorganism present in a non-growth inhibiting microorganism-permeabilizing effective amount.

Device and direct method for detecting antibiotic-inactivating factors

The present invention provides a method of detecting production of antibiotic-inactivating factor and for determining the antibiotic susceptibility of a microorganism comprising the following steps, a culture of the microorganism suspected of producing inactivating factors and/or whose susceptibility is to be determined is admixed with an antibiotic to which susceptibility is to be assayed, and a permeabilizing agent for the microorganism present in a non-growth-inhibiting microorganism-permeabilizing effective amount to form an assay culture. The assay culture is incubated under appropriate culture conditions and for a time sufficient to determine production of antibiotic-inactivating factors and/or the susceptibility of the microorganism to the antibiotic. In another aspect, the present invention provides an improved method for antibiotic susceptibility testing of a microorganism in a culture by admixing the culture with an antibiotic to which susceptibility is to be assayed, and incubating the culture for a time sufficient to determine the susceptibility of the microorganism to the antibiotic, the improvement comprising admixing the culture with a permeabilizing agent for the microorganism present in a non-growth inhibiting microorganism-permeabilizing effective amount.

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Omaha, NE, United States of America

Jennifer A Black