Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
309 words
A method for extracting lipid bound sialic acid from whole blood and determining the amount of sialic acid in a sample of human whole blood which comprises the following steps: (a) adding to a predetermined volume of a whole blood sample a sufficient combined volume of a lower alkyl alcohol and deionized distilled water to disrupt the blood cells present in the sample and to effect substantially complete dissociation of cell membrane material, the ratio of lower alkyl, alcohol to water added being such that agglomeration of said cell membrane material in the sample is avoided; (b) mixing the resulting sample for a suitable period of time to obtain a substantially homogeneous sample; (c) adding to the mixed sample a sufficient volume of a mixture of a lower alkyl alcohol and a chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon to extract sialic acid-containing material present in the mixed sample, the ratio of total lower alkyl alcohol added in this step (c) and in step (a) to chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon being such that agglomeration of said cell membrane material in the sample is avoided; (d) mixing the resulting admixture for a suitable period of time to dissolve sialic acid-containing material present in the sample in the chlorinated hydrocarbon/lower alkyl alcohol/water admixture and to permit formation of a recoverable, substantially clear upper phase; (e) separately recovering from the clear upper phase so formed a predetermined volume of the upper phase; (f) adding to the predetermined volume of the upper phase an amount of a protein-precipitating agent effective to cause precipitation of sialic acid-containing materials present in the upper phase; (g) mixing the resulting admixture; (h) separately recovering the resulting precipitate; (i) suspending the precipitate in a suitable volume of distilled water; and (j) determining the amount of sialic acid present in the suspended precipitate and thereby the amount present in the blood sample.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
309 words
A method for extracting lipid bound sialic acid from whole blood and determining the amount of sialic acid in a sample of human whole blood which comprises the following steps: (a) adding to a predetermined volume of a whole blood sample a sufficient combined volume of a lower alkyl alcohol and deionized distilled water to disrupt the blood cells present in the sample and to effect substantially complete dissociation of cell membrane material, the ratio of lower alkyl, alcohol to water added being such that agglomeration of said cell membrane material in the sample is avoided; (b) mixing the resulting sample for a suitable period of time to obtain a substantially homogeneous sample; (c) adding to the mixed sample a sufficient volume of a mixture of a lower alkyl alcohol and a chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon to extract sialic acid-containing material present in the mixed sample, the ratio of total lower alkyl alcohol added in this step (c) and in step (a) to chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon being such that agglomeration of said cell membrane material in the sample is avoided; (d) mixing the resulting admixture for a suitable period of time to dissolve sialic acid-containing material present in the sample in the chlorinated hydrocarbon/lower alkyl alcohol/water admixture and to permit formation of a recoverable, substantially clear upper phase; (e) separately recovering from the clear upper phase so formed a predetermined volume of the upper phase; (f) adding to the predetermined volume of the upper phase an amount of a protein-precipitating agent effective to cause precipitation of sialic acid-containing materials present in the upper phase; (g) mixing the resulting admixture; (h) separately recovering the resulting precipitate; (i) suspending the precipitate in a suitable volume of distilled water; and (j) determining the amount of sialic acid present in the suspended precipitate and thereby the amount present in the blood sample.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein in step (a) the blood sample to be tested is dried onto a support means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein the support means is a filter paper strip or circle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein in step the addition of the deionized distilled water precedes the addition of the lower alkyl alcohol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein the support means onto which the blood is dried has previously been impregnated with a stabilizing agent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein the stabilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of a pH 7-8 NaHCO 3 solution, a 1% (w/v) sodium azide solution, a 0.01-1.0% (w/v) benzamidine hydrochloride solution and a 0.001-0.01% (w/v) phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride solution.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
323 words
A method for extracting lipid bound sialic acid from whole blood and determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid in a sample of human whole blood which comprises the following steps; (a) adding to a predetermined volume of a whole blood sample a lower alkyl alcohol and deionized distilled water in a combined volume of about 20 to 50 times the predetermined volume of the blood sample, to disrupt the blood cells present in the sample and to effect substantially complete dissociation of cell membrane material, the volume ratio of lower alkyl alcohol to water added being in the range from about 3:1 to about 1:1; (b) mixing the diluted sample for a suitable period of time to obtain a substantially homogeneous sample; (c) adding to the mixed sample a mixture of a lower alkyl alcohol and a chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon to extract sialic acid present in the mixed sample, the volume of the mixture added being about 20 to 60 times the predetermined volume of the blood sample, and the volume ratio of chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon to lower alkyl alcohol being in the range from about 15:1 to about 5:1; (d) mixing the resulting admixture for a suitable period of time to dissolve sialic acid present in the sample in the chlorianted hydrocarbon/methanol/water admixture and to permit formation of a recoverable, substantially clear upper phase; (e) separately recovering from the clear upper phase so formed a predetermined volume of the upper phase; (f) adding to the predetermined volume of the upper phase an amount of a protein-precipitating agent effective to cause precipitation of the lipid bound sialic acid, (g) mixing the resulting admixture; (h) separately recovering from the mixed admixture the resulting precipitate; (i) suspending the precipitate in a suitable volume of deionized distilled water; and (j) determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid present in the suspended precipitate and thereby the amount present in the blood sample.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
323 words
A method for extracting lipid bound sialic acid from whole blood and determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid in a sample of human whole blood which comprises the following steps; (a) adding to a predetermined volume of a whole blood sample a lower alkyl alcohol and deionized distilled water in a combined volume of about 20 to 50 times the predetermined volume of the blood sample, to disrupt the blood cells present in the sample and to effect substantially complete dissociation of cell membrane material, the volume ratio of lower alkyl alcohol to water added being in the range from about 3:1 to about 1:1; (b) mixing the diluted sample for a suitable period of time to obtain a substantially homogeneous sample; (c) adding to the mixed sample a mixture of a lower alkyl alcohol and a chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon to extract sialic acid present in the mixed sample, the volume of the mixture added being about 20 to 60 times the predetermined volume of the blood sample, and the volume ratio of chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon to lower alkyl alcohol being in the range from about 15:1 to about 5:1; (d) mixing the resulting admixture for a suitable period of time to dissolve sialic acid present in the sample in the chlorianted hydrocarbon/methanol/water admixture and to permit formation of a recoverable, substantially clear upper phase; (e) separately recovering from the clear upper phase so formed a predetermined volume of the upper phase; (f) adding to the predetermined volume of the upper phase an amount of a protein-precipitating agent effective to cause precipitation of the lipid bound sialic acid, (g) mixing the resulting admixture; (h) separately recovering from the mixed admixture the resulting precipitate; (i) suspending the precipitate in a suitable volume of deionized distilled water; and (j) determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid present in the suspended precipitate and thereby the amount present in the blood sample.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein in step (a) the blood sample to be tested is dried onto a support means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein the support means is a filter paper strip or circle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein in step the addition of the deionized distilled water precedes the addition of the lower alkyl alcohol.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein the support means onto which the blood is dried has previously been impregnated with a stabilizing agent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the stabilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of a pH 7-8 NaHCO 3 solution, a 1% (w/v) sodium azide solution, a 0.01-1.0% (w/v) benzamidine hydrochloride solution and a 0.001-0.01% (w/v) phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride solution.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
275 words
A method for extracting lipid bound sialic acid from whole blood and determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid in a sample of human whole blood which comprises the following steps; (a) adding to a predetermined volume of a whole blood sample a lower alkyl alcohol and deionized distilled water, the combined volume added being about thirty times the predetermined volume of the whole blood sample, and the volume ratio of alcohol to water added being about 2:1; (b) mixing the diluted sample for a suitable period of time to obtain a substantially homogeneous sample; (c) adding to the resulting sample a mixture of a chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon and a lower alkyl alcohol, the volume of the mixture added being about forty times the predetermined volume of the whole blood sample, and the total volume ratio of chlorinated hydrocarbon to alcohol in the mixture being about 10:1; (d) mixing the resulting admixture for a suitable period of time to dissolve sialic acid containing material present in the sample in the chlorinated hydrocarbon/alcohol mixture and to permit formation of a recoverable, substantially clear upper phase; (e) separately recovering from the clear upper phase so formed a predetermined volume of the upper phase; (f) adding to the predetermined volume of the upper phase an amount of a protein-precipitating agent effective to cause precipitation of the lipid bound sialic acid; (g) mixing the resulting admixture; (h) separately recovering the resulting precipitate; (i) suspending the precipitate in a suitable volume of distilled water; and (j) determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid present in the suspended precipitate and thereby the amount present in the blood sample.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
275 words
A method for extracting lipid bound sialic acid from whole blood and determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid in a sample of human whole blood which comprises the following steps; (a) adding to a predetermined volume of a whole blood sample a lower alkyl alcohol and deionized distilled water, the combined volume added being about thirty times the predetermined volume of the whole blood sample, and the volume ratio of alcohol to water added being about 2:1; (b) mixing the diluted sample for a suitable period of time to obtain a substantially homogeneous sample; (c) adding to the resulting sample a mixture of a chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon and a lower alkyl alcohol, the volume of the mixture added being about forty times the predetermined volume of the whole blood sample, and the total volume ratio of chlorinated hydrocarbon to alcohol in the mixture being about 10:1; (d) mixing the resulting admixture for a suitable period of time to dissolve sialic acid containing material present in the sample in the chlorinated hydrocarbon/alcohol mixture and to permit formation of a recoverable, substantially clear upper phase; (e) separately recovering from the clear upper phase so formed a predetermined volume of the upper phase; (f) adding to the predetermined volume of the upper phase an amount of a protein-precipitating agent effective to cause precipitation of the lipid bound sialic acid; (g) mixing the resulting admixture; (h) separately recovering the resulting precipitate; (i) suspending the precipitate in a suitable volume of distilled water; and (j) determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid present in the suspended precipitate and thereby the amount present in the blood sample.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in step (b) the mixing comprises gentle interrupted vortexing for at least 20 seconds.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in steps (a) and (c) the lower alkyl alcohol is methanol, ethanol, propanol, n-butanol, isopropanol, isobutanol or isoamyl alcohol.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein in step (c) the chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon is chloroform, methylene chloride, ethylene chloride, propylene chloride or carbon tetrachloride.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in step (d) the mixing comprises gentle interrupted vortexing for about 20 seconds followed by centrifuging at above about 2000 rpm for at least 2 minutes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in step (e) the separately recovering comprises removing the upper phase from the lower phase.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in step (g) the mixing comprises vortexing for at least 3 seconds.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in step (h) the separately recovering comprises centrifuging for at least 3 minutes at a speed above about 2000 rpm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in step (i) the suitable volume is about 1 ml.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method of diagnosing cancer in a human subject which comprises determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid in a sample of the subject's blood according to the method of claim 13 and comparing the amount so determined with values obtained for subjects known to have cancer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method of diagnosing cancer in a human subject which comprises determining at regular time intervals the amount of lipid bound sialic acid in a sample of the subject's blood according to the method of claim 13 and comparing the amounts so determined with amounts previously obtained for the subject.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in step (f) an absorbing material capable of absorbing precipitated, lipid bound sialic acid is added together with the protein precipitating agent.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 24, wherein the adsorbing material is silica gel, silica or aluminum oxide.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
166 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in step (j) the amount of lipid bound sialic acid is determined by adding to the suspended precipitate a suitable volume of resorcinol reagent, mixing, boiling for 15 minutes, cooling for about 10 minutes in an ice bath, centrifuging for at least 2 minutes at above about 2000 rpm, adding in a volume about twice said suitable volume of resorcinol reagent a mixture of butyl acetate and n-butanol (65:15 v/v), mixing, centrifuging for about 5 minutes at above about 2000 rpm, separating the organic layer, reading at 580 nm the extracted blue color present in the organic layer, determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid using standard curves developed from a known sample of n-acetyl neuraminic acid (NANA) under the same conditions and applying the formula: LSA (mg/100 ml whole blood)=(x·10.sup.5 μl)/(y·zμl·1000) where x=γNANA read from standard curve, y=volume of upper phase recovered ÷ volume of entire upper phase and z=the predetermined volume of the whole blood sample.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 26, wherein the suitable volume of resorcinol reagent is about 1 ml.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in step (f) the protein-precipitating agent is phosphotungstic acid, trichloroacetic acid, ammonium sulfate or a mixture thereof.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 28, wherein the relative amount by dry weight of protein-precipitating agent to adsorbing material is about 3:1.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 29, wherein about 60-80 mgs of a mixture of about 75% phosphotungstic acid and about 25% silica gel on a dry weight basis is added in step (i).
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in step (a) the predetermined volume of the whole blood sample is about 50 μl.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 31, wherein in step (e) the predetermined amount of the upper phase is about 0.8 ml.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 31, wherein in step (a) the combined volume of alcohol and water added is about 1.5 ml.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 33, wherein in step (c) the volume of the added mixture is about 2 ml.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 33, wherein in steps (a) and (c) the lower alkyl alcohol is methanol.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in step (a) the whole blood sample to be tested is dried onto a support means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 36, wherein the suitable support means is a filter paper strip or circle.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 36, wherein in step (a) the addition of the deionized distilled water precedes the addition of the lower alkyl alcohol.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 36, wherein the support means onto which the blood is dried has previously been impregnated with a stabilizing agent.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 39, wherein the stabilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of a pH 7-8 NaHCO 3 solution, a 1% (w/v) sodium azide solution, and a 0.01-1.0% (w/v) benzamidine hydrochloride solution a 0.001-0.01% (w/v) phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride solution.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
110 words
A cancer diagnostic kit comprising first support means on which the test sample is to be placed; second support means onto which known amounts of reference samples and n-acetyl neuraminic acid standards have been dried; a container of a mixture of chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon and lower alkyl alcohol in a 10:1 volume ratio; a container of a mixture of lower alkyl alcohol and deionized distilled water in a 2:1 volume ratio; a container of protein precipitating agent; a container of resorcinol reagent; a container of a mixture of butyl acetate and n-butanol in an 85:15 volume ratio; a container of deionized distilled water and pipette tips for the sample.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
110 words
A cancer diagnostic kit comprising first support means on which the test sample is to be placed; second support means onto which known amounts of reference samples and n-acetyl neuraminic acid standards have been dried; a container of a mixture of chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon and lower alkyl alcohol in a 10:1 volume ratio; a container of a mixture of lower alkyl alcohol and deionized distilled water in a 2:1 volume ratio; a container of protein precipitating agent; a container of resorcinol reagent; a container of a mixture of butyl acetate and n-butanol in an 85:15 volume ratio; a container of deionized distilled water and pipette tips for the sample.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
19 words
A cancer diagnostic kit according to claim 41, wherein the first support means is impregnated with a stabilizing agent.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
112 words
A cancer diagnostic kit comprising first support means comprising paper strips or circles for the sample to be tested; second support means comprising paper strips or circles onto which known amounts of reference samples and n-acetyl neuraminic acid standards have been dried; a container of a mixture of methanol and deionized distilled water in a 2:1 volume ratio; a container of a mixture of chloroform and lower alkyl alcohol in a 10:1 volume ratio; a container of protein precipitating agent; a container of resorcinol reagent; a container of a mixture of butyl acetate and n-butanol in an 85:15 volume ratio; a container of deionized distilled water and pipette tips for the sample.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
112 words
A cancer diagnostic kit comprising first support means comprising paper strips or circles for the sample to be tested; second support means comprising paper strips or circles onto which known amounts of reference samples and n-acetyl neuraminic acid standards have been dried; a container of a mixture of methanol and deionized distilled water in a 2:1 volume ratio; a container of a mixture of chloroform and lower alkyl alcohol in a 10:1 volume ratio; a container of protein precipitating agent; a container of resorcinol reagent; a container of a mixture of butyl acetate and n-butanol in an 85:15 volume ratio; a container of deionized distilled water and pipette tips for the sample.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
22 words
A cancer diagnostic kit according to claim 41 or 43, wherein the protein precipitating agent is in admixture with an adsorbing material.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
25 words
A cancer diagnostic kit according to claim 43, wherein the first support means comprise paper strips or circles which are impregnated with a stabilizing agent.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
50 words
A cancer diagnostic kit according to claim 44, wherein the lower alkyl alcohol is methanol, the precipitating agent is phosphotungstic acid, the adsorbing material is silica gel and the admixture of protein precipitating agent and adsorbing material comprises, 75% phosphotungstic acid and 25% silica gel on a dry weight basis.