Optics: measuring and testing – For light transmission or absorption – Of fluent material
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-01
2004-03-23
Font, Frank G. (Department: 2877)
Optics: measuring and testing
For light transmission or absorption
Of fluent material
C356S039000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06710879
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and a system for the determination or assessment of the number of somatic cells (or fragments thereof, the fragments to be understood to be included whenever somatic cells are mentioned in the following) in a milk or a milk product analyte material. The present invention relates to the assessment of somatic cells in milk product analyte such as, raw milk collected at cow side, raw milk collected during milking, bulk milk delivered by the dairy fanner, milk and milk products produced by dairies and milk samples being measured on central laboratories.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Determinations or assessments of the number of somatic cells in a milk or a milk product analyte have been performed by various methods. One of these methods is flow cytometry; instrument for performing flow cytometry are available, e.g., from Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes. Flow cytometry requires rather elaborate and high cost equipment, partly because of the high accuracy of flow rate necessary to give reliable results, arid partly because the high sensitivity needed to detect the weak signals from the particles in question during the relative short period of time the particle is present in the detector.
Another known method for the determination of somatic cells in milk is based on the detection of signals from particles which are dispersed on the rim of a polished rotating disc, one such instrument available from Foss Electric, Hillerød. The accuracy in the assessment of the number of particles using this method is dependent on the physical shape of the thin film of sample dispersed on the disk, and high sensitivity is needed to detect the weak signals from the particles in question in the course of the relative short period of time the particle is present in the detector.
One known method for the determination of somatic cells in milk based on spreading a film of milk onto a ribbon-like film which is then analysed by the means Hillerød. The accuracy in the assessment of the number of parties using this method is dependent on the physical shape of the thin film of sample dispersed on the disk, and high sensitivity is needed to detect the weak signals from the particles in question in the course of the relative short period of time the particle is present in the detector.
One known method for the determination of somatic cells in milk based on spreading a film of milk onto a ribbon-like film which is then analysed by the means of a microscope, cf. European patent 0 683 395. This method appears to requires a complex mechanical solution in order to work reliably.
Due to the relative high complexity and cost the instruments used today, most of the assessments of biological particles are carried out on in a laboratory where skilled operators operate the instruments.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention offers substantial simplification of the assessment of quantity parameters and/or quality parameters of biological particles in liquid analyte materials and therefore makes it possible for operators without any particular skill in this fields of technique to perform the assessment. In particular, the invention makes it possible to perform the assessment in the clinic or on the farm where the sample is taken, thus making the results of the assessment available for the user substantially immediately after the sample material has been collected.
The physical dimension of an instrument based on the present invention is also such that the instrument will be well suited for transport,thus making it possible for medical doctors or veterinarians to transport the instrument to or on a location where the analysis is needed. The principle of measurement of the present invention provides a major improvement in the assessment of biological particles, such as DNA containing particles, e.g. somatic cells or bacteria, or red blood cells, in a liquid analyte material, such as milk, blood or urine, compared to the methods hitherto used for this purpose.
This invention extends the capabilities of prior devices and methods to enable more simple and reliable assessment of biological particles in liquid analyte material. The properties which can be assessed are the number of particles in a volume of the analyte material, any morphological properties such as size or area of the particles, or the identification of the type of particle being analysed. In particular it is possible to assess more than one of these properties simultaneously.
At the same time, this invention allows these analysis to be carried out with the use of considerably smaller amounts of chemicals than normally are required to do these analysis. These chemicals are often considered hazardous, either to humans and other living organism or to the environment. Furthermore, this invention presents a solution which minimises the exposure of any hazardous sample or chemicals used for the analysis by either allowing the analysis to be performed in a closed flow system or by the use of a sealed and disposable sample compartment which contains all sample material and chemicals used for the assessment and allows save transport of the sample and any chemicals.
The high cost as well as the mechanical complexity of the instruments hitherto used for the routine assessment of the number of particles in liquid analyte material has made the instruments impractical to use routinely under condition such as are normally present on dairy farms, on milk dairies, or in medical or veterinary clinics. Such analyses are of great interest, for instance, a dairy farmer can monitor the somatic cell count or bacterial count of an individual animal in order to follow the course of clinical or subclinical mastitis or infection, and to control the cell count of the bulk milk delivered to the dairy, thereby minimising the use of antibiotics and preventing the economical penalty which is often a consequence when the cell count of bulk milk exceeds predefined limits.
Medical clinics are often in the need to know the count of one or more particles in blood, urine or other biological fluids such as somatic cells or bacteria, but since such analysis are usually carried out in a central laboratory, this often delays the response of such analysis due to transport of the sample.
It was found that this invention allows the analysis of various types of biological particles, such as DNA-containing particles, red blood cells, blood platelets, yeast cells, bacteria cells, lipid globules, protein micelles, dust particles, or polymer particles normally found in liquid biological analyte material such as milk, blood, urine, faces, salvia, inflammation, of either human or animal origin, or samples originating from the petrochemical industry, the pharmaceutical industry, feed industry, food industry or the like. The method is also well suited for the detection of any other biological particle or fragments thereof, such particle being a part or a fraction of living matter and displaying properties which can be detected with the detection of electromagnetic radiation.
This invention is particularly suited for the assessment of the number of somatic cells in milk from human, cow, goat, sheep, buffalo or other animal. In particular, this invention is suited for the assessment of the number of somatic cells in milk during milking by integrating the system with the milking equipment, either in-line where the measurement is taken substantially from the milking system and analysed by an instrument which is operated synchronised with the milking, or at-line where the sample is taken before, during or after milking and measured on an instrument in is manual operation, in particular it is well suited to obtain an estimate of the number of somatic cells when the purpose of the analysis is to control the number of somatic cells in the bulk of milk delivered to the dairy, for instance by directing any milk which is found to have high cell count to a separate container or outlet.
Methods according to the invention are suited for the on-l
Arnvidarson Borkur
Glensbjerg Martin
Hansen Frans Ejner Rvan
Jeppesen Jesper Myron
Chemometec A/S
Font Frank G.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Merlino Amanda
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