Embodiments of the disclosure encompass methods of amplifying nucleic acid from one or more cells using MALBAC (multiple annealing and looping-based amplification cycles) primers. In particular embodiments, the nucleic acid is amplified as amplicons in a linear manner. Specific embodiments include the removal or effective destruction of nonlinearly produced amplicons.

The invention concerns nucleic acids coding for mutated or truncated forms of the human parkin gene, or forms comprising multiplication of exons, and the corresponding proteins and antibodies. The invention also concerns methods and kits for identifying mutations of the parkin gene, and for studying compounds for therapeutic purposes.

The present invention refers to a process for classifying tumor samples of unknown and/or uncertain primary origin, specifically including the steps of obtaining patterns of biological activity modulation of tumor of unknown and/or uncertain primary origin and comparing them to an specific and unique group of biomarkers which determine the profiles of biological activity modulation of known origin tumors. The present invention belongs to the molecular biology and genetics field.

The present invention relates to methods for predicting the survival time of patients suffering from cancer. Said methods are based on the quantification and analysis of the cell free nucleic acids that are present in a sample from the patient and typically include the determination of the level of the mutant nucleic acid which contains a mutation of interest, the calculation of the mutation load for said mutation of interest, the calculation of the DNA integrity index or a combination thereof.

A method of detecting a cancer progression observation index gene group, comprising: a) preparing a plurality of AKR/J mice in which an oncogene is inserted into a thymocyte; b) dividing the AKR/J mice into three groups, raising the first group of the AKR/J mice after high-dose ionizing radiation of 0.8 Gy/min, raising the second group of the AKR/J mice after low-dose ionizing radiation of 0.7 mGy/hr, and raising the third group of the AKR/J mice in a general environment; c) obtaining a thymus of a dead mouse of the first or second group of the AKR/J mice throughout the b) operation and diagnosing cancer when a weight of the thymus is increased to twice or more than before radiation; d) extracting thymuses by sacrificing the first to third groups of the AKR/J mice at the time at which the third group of the AKR/J mice initially die; and e) selecting only a thymus having no change in weight compared to the organs of the same-aged non-irradiated AKR/J mice from the organs extracted in d) and detecting a gene of the organ whose weight is increased or decreased by a factor of two or more through gene analysis.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to a method for retrieving at least one molecular recognition element in a fixed tissue. In some embodiments the method comprises preparing a solution comprising at least one aldehyde-scavenging agent. In some embodiments, the method comprises contacting the fixed tissue with the solution. In some embodiments, the tissue is fixed with an aldehyde-based cross-linking agent. In some embodiments, a reaction of the aldehyde-scavenging agent with the aldehydes comprising the cross-linking agent retrieves the at least one molecular recognition t. In some embodiments, the at least one rolecular recognition element comprises of amino acids, peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the at least one aldehyde-scavenging agent comprises of beta-dicarbonyl compounds, mono or di-amide scavengers, ethyl alcohols, sulfur containing compounds, mercaptoethylamines, mercaptoethanols, hydrazines, ethanolamines, hydroxylamines, anilines, variation of amines, activated charcoal, phenols, or mixtures and combinations thereof.

Highly efficient and rapid filtration-based concentration devices, systems and methods are disclosed with sample fluidic lines and a filter packaged in a disposable tip which concentrate biological particles that are suspended in liquid from a dilute feed suspension. A sample concentrate or retentate suspension is retained while eliminating the separated fluid in a separate flow stream. The concentrate is then dispensed from the disposable tip in a set volume of elution fluid. Suspended biological particles include such materials as proteins/toxins, viruses, DNA, and/or bacteria in the size range of approximately 0.001 micron to 20 microns diameter. Concentration of these particles is advantageous for detection of target particles in a dilute suspension, because concentrating them into a small volume makes them easier to detect. All conduits by which the disposable tip attaches to the instrument are combined into a single connection point on the upper end of the tip.

A system and method for concurrently and uniformly removing thermal energy from clustered specimen samples.

In flow cytometry, particles (2) can be distinguished between populations (8) by combining n-dimensional parameter data, which may be derived from signal data from a particle, to mathematically achieve numerical results representative of an alteration (48). An alteration may include a rotational alteration, a scaled alteration, or perhaps even a translational alteration. Alterations may enhance separation of data points which may provide real-time classification (49) of signal data corresponding to individual particles into one of at least two populations.

A semiconductor device used for fluorescent-based molecule detection and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device has a fluid channel layer defining a fluid channel through which a sample stream flows. A target cell coupled with a fluorescent source is contained by the sample stream. The semiconductor device also has an excitation light source for generating excitation light that reaches the target cell coupled with the fluorescent source to generate fluorescent light. The semiconductor device also has a light filter layer for permitting the fluorescent light to pass through and to block the excitation light and a light detection layer for detecting the fluorescent light. The functional components of the device are highly integrated. Leakage of the excitation light and background noise into the light detection component can be minimized to improve the quality of detection.

The present invention provides methods of determining cell sensitivity to a therapeutic agent.

The present invention provides a method for imaging microtentacles on isolated, living, non-adherent primary tumor cells from a cancer subject comprising: i) obtaining one or more living, non-adherent primary tumor cells that has been isolated from a solid tumor from the subject; and ii) imaging the one or more living, non-adherent primary tumor cells and detecting the microtentacles.

An assay and a method for identifying a prebiotic to treat a subject in need thereof to promote intestinal barrier integrity or to blunt an inflammatory response are provided.

A sensing sensor includes a wiring board, a piezoelectric resonator, a channel forming member, a case body, and a regulating portion. The case body houses the wiring board, the piezoelectric resonator, and the channel forming member. The case body includes a window faced to a region including the output terminal on the another surface side of the wiring board and an injection port supplying a supply liquid to the one end side of the channel. The regulating portion is disposed in the case body. The regulating portion regulates the wiring board from the one surface side when the wiring board is pressed from the another surface side. The piezoelectric resonator is pressed against the surrounding portion by the output terminal being pressed from the another surface side.

Viruses and other bioagents are of high medical and biodefense concern and their detection at concentrations well below the threshold necessary to cause health hazards continues to be a challenge with respect to sensitivity, specificity, and selectivity. Ideally, assays for accurate and real time detection of viral agents and other bioagents would not necessitate any pre-processing of the analyte, which would make them applicable for example to bodily fluids (blood, sputum) and man-made as well as naturally occurring bodies of water (pools, rivers). We describe herein a robust biosensor that combines the sensitivity of surface acoustic waves (SAW) generated at a frequency of 325 MHz with the specificity provided by antibodies and other ligands for the detection of viral agents. In preferred embodiments, a lithium tantalate based SAW transducer with silicon dioxide waveguide sensor platform featuring three test and one reference delay lines was used to adsorb antibodies directed against Coxsackie virus B4 or the negative-stranded category A bioagent Sin Nombre virus (SNV), a member of the genus Hantavirus, family Bunyaviridae, negative-stranded RNA viruses. Rapid detection (within seconds) of increasing concentrations of viral particles was linear over a range of order of magnitude for both viruses, although the sensor was approximately 50×104-fold more sensitive for the detection of SNV. For both pathogens, the sensor's selectivity for its target was not compromised by the presence of confounding Herpes Simplex virus type 1. The biosensor was able to detect SNV at doses lower than the load of virus typically found in a human patient suffering from hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). Further, in a proof-of-principle real world application, the SAW biosensor was capable of selectively detecting SNV agents in complex solutions, such as naturally occurring bodies of water (river, sewage effluent) without analyte pre-processing.

An antigenic characterization method using polyclonal antibody-based proximity ligation assays (polyPLA). Methods, kits, and other tools disclosed herein are useful in detecting microbial antigenic variants in samples, including clinical samples. The methods and kits have great utility in detecting antigenic variants for pathogenic microbes, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites.

The invention concerns soluble and antigenic HTLV p24 variants that can be fused to chaperones and their use in diagnostic applications such as immunoassays for detecting antibodies against HTLV-I or HTLV-II in an isolated biological sample. In particular, the invention relates to a soluble HTLV-I or HTLV-II p24 antigen comprising either the N- or the C-terminal domain of p24 and lacking the other domain. Moreover, the invention covers recombinant DNA molecules encoding these HTLV-I and -II fusion antigens as well as their recombinant production using expression vectors and host cells transformed with such expression vectors. In addition, the invention focuses on compositions of these HTLV p24 antigens with HTLV gp21 antigen and on an immunoassay method for detection of HTLV antibodies using the antigens of the invention. Also the use of HTLV p24 antigens in an in vitro diagnostic assay as well as a reagent kit for detection of anti-HTLV-antibodies comprising said HTLV antigens is encompassed.

This invention publicizes a chronic renal disease diagnostic kit, comprised of FGF23 monoclonal antibody, biotin labeling reagent Sulfo-NHS-LC-Biotin, PBS buffer solution (pH7.0, 0.1M), casein saline solution, streptomycin avidin and substrate TMB. The labeling condition is the weight ratio of FGF23 antibody and Sulfo-NHS-LC-Biotin, which is 1:5-1:12. The dilution ratio of streptomycin avidin is 1:3000. The lowest testing threshold limit value of FGF23 kit is 10 pg/ml, whose sensitivity is 10 times higher than that of common monoclonal antibody, which is very significant for early diagnose of chronic renal disease.

The present invention relates to in vitro methods of assessing the susceptibility or responsiveness of a subject to the treatment with an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor/antagonist, wherein the subject has been diagnosed or suspected of suffering from inflammation-associated. These methods comprise determining the level of expression of EGFR in myeloid cells in a sample from the subject, wherein an expression of EGFR in the myeloid cells is indicative of the subject being susceptible to the treatment with an EGFR inhibitor/antagonist. The invention also relates to EGFR inhibitors/antagonists for use in the treatment or amelioration of inflammation-associated cancer. The invention furthermore provides in vitro methods of prognosing the survival time, progression-free survival time or disease course of a subject that has been diagnosed or suspected of suffering from from inflammation-associated cancer. In addition thereto, the invention relates to in vitro diagnostic methods of assessing the proneness of a subject to develop inflammation-associated cancer in which the expression of EGFR is determined in myeloid cells from the subject.

The present invention provides an approach for the determination of the activation states of a plurality of proteins in single cells. This approach permits the rapid detection of heterogeneity in a complex cell population based on activation states, expression markers and other criteria, and the identification of cellular subsets that exhibit correlated changes in activation within the cell population. Moreover, this approach allows the correlation of cellular activities or properties. In addition, the use of modulators of cellular activation allows for characterization of pathways and cell populations. Several exemplary diseases that can be analyzed using the invention include AML, MDS, and MPN.

A method to detect prostate cancer comprising contacting a sample of prostate cells from the patient with a set of detectably labeled probes under hybridization conditions and determining the presence of chromosomal abnormalities in prostate tumor tissue, PIN (intra-epithelial neoplasia), histologically benign tissue and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); a method to combine immunofluorescence and FISH (IF-FISH) to facilitate the assessment of chromosomal abnormalities; a set of probes; and a kit comprising the set of probes and instructions for diagnosing prostate cancer in a patient.

The diagnosis of male infertility is based predominantly on the results of standard semen analysis for concentration, total motility, progressive motility, volume, pH, viscosity and/or morphology. When sperm enter the female reproductive tract, they must undergo a series of physiological changes, known as capacitation, in order to fertilize an egg. This process involves plasma membrane changes that occur in response to stimuli within the female tract. These changes include removal of sterols and redistribution of the ganglioside GM1. Semen analysis identifies only half the cases of male infertility due to standard semen analysis providing little information on sperm functional competence. Previous data demonstrated that localization of the ganglioside, GM1, identifies sub-populations of sperm capable of undergoing the functional maturation process known as capacitation and tracks strongly with fertility.

Provided are a detection agent for detecting hydroxy vitamin D, preparation method thereof, and use thereof in 25-hydroxy vitamin D immunological detection. The detection agent comprises a conjugate formed by a 25-hydroxy vitamin D antigen derivative and protein carrier, and magnetic spheres coated by the conjugate. Also provided is a 25-hydroxy vitamin D detection kit comprising the detection agent.

A population of bright and stable nanocrystals is provided. The nanocrystals include a semiconductor core and a thick semiconductor shell and can exhibit high extinction coefficients, high quantum yields, and limited or no detectable blinking.

The owners of Oakland's Homestead Restaurant have just debuted a new business concept that is meant to outlast the Covid-19 crisis.

Currently operating at the restaurant's 4029 Piedmont Ave. space Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. via curbside pickup and Caviar or Doordash delivery, The Humble Sandwich comprises a selection of classic deli sandos made with the same high-quality ingredients for which the seven-year-old restaurant is revered.…

The owners of Oakland's Homestead Restaurant have debuted a new concept meant to outlast the COVID-19 crisis.

Shelter-in-place rules prevent Local Food Adventures founder Lauren McCabe Herpich from leading groups on East Bay culinary walking tours, as is her usual stock-in-trade.

But she has come up with another project to further tempt food fans while supporting local makers and proprietors.…

East Bay resident Miles Woodruff, CEO of the pioneering vegan-seafood brand Sophie's Kitchen, has just donated 3,000 cases of plant-based Toona to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County as well as several other Bay Area food shelters.

Amidst the Covid-19 outbreak, the company's brand-new Lemon Grass Toona flavor has not yet arrived in grocery stores — but 100 percent of it is now being provided to people in need.…

The brick-and-mortar Fruitvale location of La Guerrera's Kitchen is now closed — permanently.

Mother-and-daughter owners Ofelia Barajas and Reyna Maldonado decided against negotiating a new lease for the restaurant when their previous one ended in March, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Instead, the pair will sell tamales online with pickups several days a week at the Ale Industries brewery.…

Benchmark Pizzeria in Old Oakland has closed permanently.

A notice now posted at the restaurant's website, addressed "to our Friends, Regulars, and Supporters," reads:

"We have made the very tough decision to close Benchmark Oakland permanently.…

The 2012 Progressive Opportunities Conference showcased the best work of nonprofits, companies, unions, activists, and government leaders, looking to shed light on some of our most pressing economic issues. The Conference sought to create an opportunity to network and exchange ideas, arming attendees with new tools to make positive economic change.…

California today announced its intent to declare bisphenol A a reproductive hazard. Under a state law known as Prop 65, warning signs would be required for consumer items that contain a certain high level of BPA.…

Stories you shouldn’t miss:

1. Alameda County Public Health Director Muntu Davis contends that gentrification should be examined in terms of health impacts because of the displacement and stress it causes for low-income residents, the Bay Area News Group$ reports.…

If you happen to run into any medical residents anytime soon, they may look a little fatigued and broke, especially if they happen to be residents or pediatricians of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital of Oakland. Today, the CIR/SEIU Healthcare union that represents resident physicians and pediatricians said it plans to rally in front of the hospital on Friday at 12:15 p.m. along with nurses and community leaders to demand better wagers and working conditions.…

The city's 911 system can leave callers waiting for more than 120 seconds before an operator ever answers. Seconds of delay in an emergency can lead to death. As a result, 911 calls are supposed to be answered quickly.…

A ceramic electronic component includes an interior part and an exterior part. The interior part includes an interior part dielectric layer and an internal electrode layer. The exterior part includes an exterior part dielectric layer. The exterior part is positioned outside the interior part along a laminating direction thereof. The interior part dielectric layer and the exterior part dielectric layer respectively contain barium titanate as a main component. β−α≧0.20 and α/β≦0.88 are satisfied, where α mol part and β mol part are respectively an amount of a rare earth element contained in the interior and exterior part dielectric layers, provided that an amount of barium titanate contained in the interior and exterior part dielectric layers is respectively 100 mol parts in terms of BaTiO3.