PATENT ABSTRACTS

by combining the picric acid and alkaline buffer components; (ii) at least one pH buffer material; (iii) a detergent for reducing interference by pro- teins in the Jaffe method; and (iv) borate for reducing interference by carbohydrates in the Jaffe method; wherein the alkaline buffer com- ponents contains substantially no metallic ca- tions such that the component remains visibly homogeneous at a temperature between about 2 degrees to about 8 degrees C. for 30 days or more. Preferably the alkaline material is tetra- methylammonium hydroxide, and the detergent is diethanolamine dodecyl sulfate.

4950612

P E R O X Y A C I D P R E T R E A T M E N T I N V I T A M I N B12 A S S A Y

Pyare Khanna, Robert T Dworschack assigned to Microgenics Corporation

Serum samples for vitamin BI2 analysis can be pretreated using a combination of peroxy acid and dithiothreitol. The pretreatment makes vitamin B12 bound to serum binding proteins available for analysis by any of a variety of cur- rently available assay techniques. The pretreat- ment finds particular use in an assay using solid phase intrinsic factor as a specific binding pro- tein.

4952497

S I M P L E A N D R A P I D M E T H O D F O R D E T E C T I O N O F V I R U L E N T

Y E R S I N I A E N T E R O C O L I T I C A

Saumy Bhaduri, Lucille K Conway, Reynato V Lachica assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agri- culture

A crystal-violet dye binding technique useful for the detection and differentiation of virulent plasmid-bearing strains of Yersinia en- terocolitica. Virulent plasmid-bearing strains of the bacteria bind the crystal violet dye to form dark violet colonies while avirulent plasmidless strains fail to bind the dye and remain white in color. The method is simple, rapid, economical and highly reliable.

285

4952498

M E T H O D A N D APPARATUS F O R D E T E C T I N G M I C R O O R G A N I S M

A C T I V I T Y

John Waters

Gas-generating activity of microorganisms is detected by providing a vessel in which the microorganisms are incubated, the vessel having a cap with a membrane indicator therein. The membrane has a deformed region which is in- flated to indicate the existence of an increase in pressure within the vessel as compared with ambient pressure. Visual or automatic monitoring of the inflated portion is disclosed.

4952503

P R O C E S S F O R T H E P R O D U C T I O N O F E T H A N O L

Jurge Granstedt, S 112 55 Stockholm, Sweden

In the production of ethanol by continuous fer- mentation in a fermentor (4) with continuous stillage recirculation (19, 20) to the fermentor, the fermentation liquid (6) continuously with- drawn from the fermentor is first sieved in a straining step (7) for separation of coarse solid particles. Then the fermentation liquid (11) is separated in a yeast separation step (12), from which a yeast stream (13) is recirculated to the fermentor (4) and a yeast-free stream (14) is fed to a primary distillation step (9). From the bot- tom stream (16) from the distillation step (9) a part (19, 20) is recirculated to the fermentor and another part is subjected to final stripping in a secondary distillation step (10). By installing a further centrifugal separation step (22) in the stream (14), which is fed to the distillation step (9), or in the bottom stream (16) which leaves the distillation step (9), finer inert solid particles can be removed from the circulation circuit com- prising the distillation step (9) and the fermentor (4). Thereby a considerable saving of separator capacity in the yeast separation step (12) and an improved fluidity in the system can be achieved.

4952509

F E R M E N T A T I O N B R O T H D E G A S S I F I C A T I O N

Eugene W Wegner, Michael T Seals assigned to Phillips Petroleum Company