Erik P Gustafson

US Patent:

8442924, May 14, 2013

Filed:

Nov 12, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/944992

Inventors:

Jiuliu Lu - Homestead FL, US
Zihua Wang - Newton MA, US
Antonio Arevalo Reyes - Middleton MA, US
Erik Alan Gustafson - Norwood MA, US
John Steven Riley - Miami FL, US

Assignee:

Beckman Coulter, Inc. - Brea CA

International Classification:

G06F 15/18

US Classification:

706 12

Abstract:

A method for determining the presence of a biological entity. The method may include entering into a digital computer, at least a plurality of first input values associated with a first genetic element (e. g. , mecA), a plurality of second input values associated with a second genetic element (femA), and a plurality of third input values associated with a third genetic element (e. g. , orfX) associated with a plurality of samples. Each sample includes a first input value in the plurality of first input values, a second input value in the plurality of second input values, and a third input value in the plurality of third input values. The method also includes determining a threshold value associated with the third genetic element, separating the samples using the threshold value into a first set of samples and a second set of samples, clustering the first set of samples in a feature space defined by the first genetic element and the second genetic element, defining a first boundary space using the first set of samples, and defining a second boundary space using the second set of samples. The first and second boundary spaces differentiate a biological entity from other biological statuses. Other embodiments may also include the use of a genetic element such as SCCmec.

US Patent:

20120283957, Nov 8, 2012

Filed:

Nov 11, 2010

Appl. No.:

13/509347

Inventors:

Jiuliu Lu - Homestead FL, US
Zihua Wang - Newton MA, US
Antonio Arevalo Reyes - Middleton MA, US
Erik Alan Gustafson - Norwood MA, US
John Steven Riley - Miami FL, US

Assignee:

Beckman Coulter, Inc. - Brea CA

International Classification:

G06F 19/10
G06G 7/60
G06F 19/12
G06F 19/00

US Classification:

702 19, 703 11, 703 2

Abstract:

Systems and methods for identifying Methicillin resistant strains of (MRSA) in a sample are used that are based on the fact that an MRSA positive sample should have roughly the same copy numbers of mecA, SCCmec, and a -specific target gene sequence. The systems and methods may further present the three assays simultaneously on a 2-D plot with each axis of the plot 120 degrees apart. According to one embodiment, a Y plot is used for the 2-D display. If a given sample has similar readings of mecA, SCCmec, and a -specific target gene sequence, the sample's measured copy numbers of mecA, SCCmec, and the -specific target gene sequence can plot close to the origin regardless of the sample's absolute assay readings. With the help of this transformation, a boundary function can be defined that can be used to distinguish MRSA-positive samples from MRSA-negative samples.