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CONTROL OF SUBSEA CYCLONE

System and method for control of a subsea located cyclone for separating oil from water. The cyclone is arranged to receive water with oil contents through an inlet line, the oil is separated from the water and delivered through an oil outlet to an oil outlet line, and the water is delivered through a water outlet to a water outlet line. The system is comprising a control valve in the oil outlet or oil outlet line from the cyclone, a first differential pressure transducer arranged between the inlet line and the oil outlet from the cyclone, and a second differential pressure transducer arranged between the inlet line and the water outlet from the cyclone. The system is distinguished in that a sensor for measuring oil contents is arranged in the water outlet or water outlet line, and via a control means said sensor is operatively connected to the control valve.




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DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TREATING LIQUIDS BY MEANS OF OZONE

A method for treating contaminated liquids in a flow by ozone, wherein the ozone is fed in gas form into the flow at one point and then is mixed into the flow in stages by mixers following one another in the flow direction, so that an absolute quantity of introduced ozone increases after each mixer until a feed efficiency of more than 95 percent is reached.




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METHOD TO DISPERSE BYPRODUCTS FORMED IN DILUTION STEAM SYSTEMS

Disclosed herein are methods for reducing fouling caused by process water present within a water recycling loop of a pyrolysis plant. The process water includes water, a pygas, and in some cases pygas byproducts. Fouling is caused by phase separation and accumulation of materials from the process water on equipment surfaces. The method includes applying a total of about 5 ppm to 500 ppm of one or more antifouling polymers to the process water to form a treated process water. The one or more antifouling polymers are selected from the group consisting of copolymers of unsaturated fatty acids, primary diamines, and acrylic acid; copolymers of methacrylamidopropyl trimethylammonium chloride with acrylic acid and/or acrylamide; copolymers of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol; and blends of two or more thereof.




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Waste and/or Hazardous Liquid Containment and Collection System

5 A liquid cleaning system rests on a surface having a non-porous material covering and a drain. A lower plate layer and an upper plate layer each have runners arranged in a grid. The lower plate layer rests upon the surface and the upper plate layer rests upon the lower plate layer offset at an angle with respect to the grid of the lower plate layer. An upper layer covers the upper plate layer and has a plurality of holes for the passage of fluids into the liquid cleaning system. As liquid enters the liquid cleaning system through the holes, the liquid traverses the grid of the lower plate layer and the grid of the upper plate layer flowing towards the drain, and contaminants within the liquid collect within the grid of the lower plate layer and the grid of the upper plate layer.




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POOL WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM

A system and method for filtering pool water by removing algae from the water without the use of chemicals is presented. The system includes a pump, a hose, and a filter. The pump is configured to move a volume of water from the pool and push the water through the hose. A container is in communication with the hose to receive the water. The container includes an internal filter and a series of holes in the body of the container. The water passes through the filter and is discharged out through the holes. The water is recycled through the filter continuously. The location of the pump and the container relative to one another within the pool allows an operator to dictate the level of circulation and filtration of water through the pool.




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The East Bay Hip-Hop Scene Will No Longer Be Ignored

While the region's influence on mainstream hip-hop has gone overlooked for decades, a new generation of break-out artists are reclaiming their musical heritage and drawing national attention back to the area. In the hours leading up to their showcase at The Chapel in San Francisco's Mission District in late February, members of HBK Gang milled about the overcrowded green room, laughing, dancing, and taking selfies. The effervescent supergroup consists of more than a dozen East Bay rappers, singers, and producers mostly in their early twenties.…



  • News & Opinion/Feature

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May Day Protests Begin With Port Shutdown

Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 10 who handle cargo at the Port of Oakland — one of the busiest US seaports — stopped work across the Bay Area today to protest against police brutality. Rallying near the gate of an idle port terminal, Bay Area longshore workers were joined by labor leaders representing BART train operators, city and county workers, port workers from Los Angeles, as well as hundreds of community members.

“There is an epidemic of police terror,” said Jack Heyman, a retired Oakland port worker.…




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Did Punk Break? Green Day Played Gilman Last Night (Photos)

"So the last time we played here was September 6th, 1993," announced Billie Joe Armstrong. He was on stage at storied Berkeley venue 924 Gilman Street, flanked by Mike Dirnt, Tre Cool, Jason White, and Jason Freese.…



  • Blogs/Arts & Music

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Slideshow: Backbeat Psychosis at Burger Boogaloo 2015


John Waters, the venerable sultan of sleaze who we recently visited at home in San Francisco, presided over this year's Burger Boogaloo festivities in Oakland's Mosswood Park. He was the consummate host.…



  • Blogs/Arts & Music

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Bay Area Vibez: Strictly Roots, Almost


The Bay Area Vibez festival landed at the Port of Oakland this past weekend, bringing world-renowned reggae, electronic, and hip-hop artists to Middle Harbor Shoreline Park — a vast, open space that overlooks the San Francisco skyline. In its first year, the event arrived with a seemingly enormous budget and star-studded lineup that included living legends Stephen Marley, Damian Marley, and Nas.

But despite the festival’s grandiosity, the event ultimately felt like a way to capitalize on people’s nostalgia for bygone eras, prioritizing artists who haven’t released new material in years or are descendants of celebrated musicians.…



  • Blogs/Arts & Music

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Friday’s FTP Rally Shows Schaaf Has Abandoned Her Nighttime Street March Ban



Roughly fifty demonstrators marched from Fruitvale BART on Friday night to Oakland City Hall in an anti-police rally called in response to the fatal shooting of Richard Perkins by Oakland police on November 15. But unlike protests earlier this year, police didn’t try to drive demonstrators onto the sidewalks to comply with Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf’s policy banning nighttime street marches.…




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This Year’s Oakland Music Festival Was a Marathon of Small, Local Gigs


Jay Stone looked at home as he took the stage in a burgundy bathrobe last Thursday at The Night Light, a bar near Jack London Square.…



  • Blogs/Arts & Music

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This Year's Oakland Music Festival Was a Marathon of Small, Local Gigs

Despite some growing pains, the fest successfully expanded into a ten-day concert series that highlighted outstanding local talent. Jay Stone looked at home as he took the stage in a burgundy bathrobe last Thursday at The Night Light, a bar near Jack London Square. He was headlining the seventh night of Oakland Music Festival, which dominated the local concert calendar from September 30 to October 9 with shows taking place at different venues every night.…




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Bay Area Activists Protest Peter Thiel's Partnership With Immigration and Customs Enforcement

'Don’t build technology for Mordor.' On Saturday at Peter Thiel’s San Francisco home overlooking the Bay, protesters demonstrated against a collaboration between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Palantir Technologies, a data-mining firm that Thiel co-founded. As reported in The Intercept, ICE will be using a new Palantir product called Investigative Case Management to to aid in its expanded deportation mission.…



  • News & Opinion/News

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Berkeley Police Basically MIA At Saturday's Violent Pro-Trump Vs. AntiFa Brawl

Including a photo slideshow. Even at 10 a.m. this past Saturday morning, hours before a throng of anti-fascists and Trump-supporting white nationalists overtook downtown Berkeley’s streets, it was clear that most of the attendees were less interested in speeches, protesting, and free speech — and were mostly there just to tee-off on each other. Before the brawling began, officers stationed themselves at the entrances to downtown's "Peace Park."…



  • News & Opinion/News

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Photos: Warriors Celebrate Second Title in Three Years with Parade and Rally in Oakland

The Golden State Warriors paraded for the second time in three years in downtown Oakland yesterday. Players rode by in topless busses, paired with teammates and families, along with coaches, members of the team's ownership group, and of course the odd ambassadorial pairing of Mayor Libby Schaaf and MC Hammer.…




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Photo Essay: On #510Day Our People Are Oakland



Recently, a video where a woman called the police on a Black family who was barbecuing at Lake Merritt went viral, and several local and national outlets published pieces on the outraging incident.…



  • Blogs/Arts & Music

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Review: J Balvin Proved Why He's One of the World's Biggest Latinx Acts at Oracle Arena


The last time J Balvin was at Oracle arena was back on Feb. 15, 2015 when he was the opening act for Pitbull and Enrique Iglesias' joint tour. I was at that show with my mom as my date, and vividly remember her saying, “one day he’s going to headline his own tour here.” I brushed off her comment, it wasn’t that I didn’t believe that he was talented.…



  • Blogs/Arts & Music

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SF’s Lava Mae Brings Showers, ‘Radical Hospitality’ to Oakland Homeless Encampments

The organization sets up at 27th Street and Northgate Avenue and at 6th and Castro streets. Blair Hippolyte and Jannie Rutledge, two Oakland residents who are homeless, sat on the sidewalk of 27th Street.…



  • News & Opinion/Feature

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Careful What You Wish For

Fantasy Island is back. Who wished for that? The people who tell you "there are more tears shed over answered prayers" are people who weren't going to answer your prayers anyway. I was a non-TV watching snob during Fantasy Island's six-year reign on TV, as it impressed upon its viewers the importance of not asking for trouble by wishing for anything.…




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Hollow-Point Rounds in the Holy Land

Israeli film Incitement traces the trajectory of a rightwing terrorist. Yaron Zilberman's Incitement is a fine example of the dramatized history lesson that fills in the gaps of our knowledge on the subject of who did what to whom, and why, in the seemingly eternal political turmoil of modern-day Israel. In this case the subject is the 1995 assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, a crime committed to avenge Rabin's rapprochement with the Palestinian people — with the emphasis on the assassin, a religiously motivated young Jewish idealist named Yigal Amir.…




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Tacos Super Monilla brings over 50 years of taco experience to Bladium.

This Mexico City taquero serves tacos and tortas sure to satisfy soccer stars. Most gym-goers have a favorite post-workout meal. Some swear by chocolate milk with its blend of sugar, protein, and fat, while others swear by cottage cheese, oatmeal, or smoothies.…




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Kitchen Story Tells a Familiar Yet Refreshing Tale

The 10th restaurant from Bay Area restaurateur Hoyul Steven Choi offers a creative take on Korean-infused cuisine. You'd think that after opening nearly a dozen successful restaurants in the ultra-competitive Bay Area dining scene, restaurateur Hoyul Steven Choi would have calmed his new restaurant jitters by now. But Choi says that's not the case.…




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The Hidden Cafe Is the Hub of Strawberry Creek Park

Its inventive menu includes Italian sausage tacos, chicken soup tacos, and botanical teas. Most of us go to cafes for the coffee, the Wi-Fi, or the opportunity to plant ourselves near an outlet, put on our noise-cancelling headphones, and crank out some work on our laptops. Few visit cafes for the food, much less the social interaction.…




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Crowd-Sourcing an Oakland Grammy Nomination

Oakland’s Alphabet Rockers lands a second nomination for best children’s music album for record honoring gender and cultural diversity. The motto of the Alphabet Rockers is: "We make music that makes change." On its most recent album, The Love, the Oakland hip-hop collective lives up to that promise.…




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METHODS OF LINEARLY AMPLIFYING WHOLE GENOME OF A SINGLE CELL

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.




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SYSTEMS FOR HANDLING MICROFLUIDIC DROPLETS

The invention generally relates to assemblies for displacing droplets from a vessel that facilitate the collection and transfer of the droplets while minimizing sample loss. In certain aspects, the assembly includes at least one droplet formation module, in which the module is configured to form droplets surrounded by an immiscible fluid. The assembly also includes at least one chamber including an outlet, in which the chamber is configured to receive droplets and an immiscible fluid, and in which the outlet is configured to receive substantially only droplets. The assembly further includes a channel, configured such that the droplet formation module and the chamber are in fluid communication with each other via the channel. In other aspects, the assembly includes a plurality of hollow members, in which the hollow members are channels and in which the members are configured to interact with a vessel. The plurality of hollow members includes a first member configured to expel a fluid immiscible with droplets in the vessel and a second member configured to substantially only droplets from the vessel. The assembly also includes a main channel, in which the second member is in fluid communication with the main channel. The assembly also includes at least one analysis module connected to the main channel.




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Process, Apparatus or System and Kit for Classification of Tumor Samples of Unknown and/or Uncertain Origin and Use of Genes of the Group of Biomarkers

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.




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VIRUS CAUSING RESPIRATORY TRACT ILLNESS IN SUSCEPTIBLE MAMMALS

The invention relates to the field of virology. The invention provides an isolated essentially mammalian negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus (MPV) within the subfamily Pneumovirinae of the family Paramyxoviridae and identifiable as phylogenetically corresponding to the genus Metapneumovirus and components thereof.




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MICROBIAL SAMPLING SYSTEM

A microbial gaseous-fluid sampler for collecting microbial particles from gaseous fluid includes a gaseous-fluid intake portion having a sample head with a plurality of holes. The gaseous-fluid intake portion further includes a collar configured to receive a Petri dish including agar. The plurality of holes define an exit plane that is positioned a distance from the agar within a range of 5.5 millimeters to 7.5 millimeters. The velocity of the air exiting the plurality to holes is within a range of 18.5 meters per second to 20.5 meters per second.




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COMPOSITIONS, METHODS, AND SYSTEMS FOR TISSUE FIXATION

The present disclosure relates to use of high-concentration aldehyde-based fixatives to fix tissue samples. Aldehyde concentrations are selected that significantly increase rate of diffusion of the fixative solution into the tissue. When combined in the cold-temperature step of a two-temperature fixation, a substantial improvement in the preservation of post-translationally modified proteins is achieved.




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Enhancing Flow Cytometry Discrimination with Geometric Transformation

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.




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MULTI-COLOR FLOW CYTOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF SAMPLES WITH LOW CELL NUMBERS

Aspects of the present disclosure include methods for processing a biological sample. Methods according to certain embodiments include contacting a biological sample having cells with an assay reagent that includes one or more analyte-specific binding members to produce a biological sample assay composition and introducing the biological assay composition into an inlet of a flow cytometer having an integrated acoustic separator. Systems, including a flow cytometer with integrated acoustic separator having one or more acoustic concentrator devices suitable for practicing the subject methods are also described.




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METHODS OF DETERMINING CELLULAR CHEMOSENSITIVITY

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




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Screening Assay for Choice of Prebiotic to Prevent/Treat Gastrointestinal and Systemic Diseases

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.




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MOLECULAR METHODS FOR ASSESSING POST KIDNEY TRANSPLANT COMPLICATIONS

Methods of screening for expression of an RNA associated with a post-kidney transplant complication include collecting vesicles from urine, isolating vesicle-associated RNA, and analyzing expression patterns. In particular, AIF1, BTN3A3, CCL5, CD48, HAVCR1, or SLC6A6 mRNA expression patterns are analyzed.




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DIGITAL CONTROL OF ON-CHIP MAGNETIC PARTICLE ASSAY

An assay system and method for use in the field of chemical testing is disclosed. The assay system can be used for filtering whole blood for testing on an integrated circuit containing digital control functionality.




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BIS-BIOTINYLATION TAGS

Multi-biotinylated reactants are provided which can be used in divalent complexes for various applications such as colocalization, labeling, immobilization, and purification. Methods for constructing, purifying, and using the bis-biotinylated reactants are also provided. In certain embodiments, two bis-biotinylated reactants are bound to a single streptavidin tetramer to provide a complex having a 1:1 stoichiometry with respect to the bis-biotinylated reactants.




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Assays for the Detection of Anti-TNF Drugs and Autoantibodies

The present invention provides assays for detecting and measuring the presence or level of anti-TNFα drug therapeutics and autoantibodies in a sample. The present invention is useful for optimizing therapy and monitoring patients receiving anti-TNFα drug therapeutics to detect the presence or level of autoantibodies (e.g., HACA and/or HAHA) against the drug.




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PATHWAY CHARACTERIZATION OF CELLS

The present invention provides methods, compositions and kits for the characterization of cellular pathways in cells containing genetic alterations.




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PERSONALIZED THERAPY OF INFLAMMATION-ASSOCIATED CANCER USING METHODS OF ASSESSING THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF A SUBJECT TO THE TREATMENT WITH EGFR INHIBITORS/ANTAGONISTS

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.




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DIAGNOSTIC OF CHRONIC MYELOMONOCYTIC LEUKEMIA (CMML) BY FLOW CYTOMETRY

The present invention relates to an in vitro method of diagnosing chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) in a subject, said method comprising the steps of: a) Detecting a monocyte population in a biological sample from said subject; b) Quantifying the CD14+/CD16− monocytes in said biological sample; c) Comparing the value of step b) to a reference value; and d) Diagnosing CMML based on said comparison. Preferably, said detecting step a) is performed by an exclusion gating strategy by flow cytometry.




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MATERIALS AND METHODS FOR DIAGNOSIS, PROGNOSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF THERAPEUTIC/PROPHYLACTIC TREATMENT OF PROSTATE CANCER

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.




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METHOD TO IDENTIFY AN APPROACH FOR ACHIEVING MAMMALIAN FERTILIZATION AND TIME PERIOD FOR INSEMINATION

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.




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Human Exhaled Aerosol Droplet Biomarker System and Method

A system and method for detecting a biomarker in exhaled breath condensate nanodroplets comprises noninvasively collecting exhaled breath condensate nanodroplets of a subject, and analyzing said nanodroplets utilizing immuno-quantitative polymerase chain reaction to detect one or more target biomarkers.




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EXOSOME AND LIPID BIOMARKERS FOR MEMORY LOSS

The present invention relates to methods of determining if a subject has an increased risk of suffering from memory impairment. The methods comprise analyzing at least one sample from the subject to determine a value of the subject's exosomal profile or combined biomarker profile (lipids plus exosomal cargo) and comparing the value of the subject's exosomal or combined biomarker profile with the value of a normal exosomal or biomarker profile, respectively. A change in the value of the subject's exosomal or combined biomarker profile, including a change in the subject's exosomal or combined biomarker profile, over normal values is indicative that the subject has an increased risk of suffering from memory impairment compared to a normal individual.




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Methylated Peptides Derived from Tau Protein and their Antibodies for Diagnosis and Therapy of Alzheimer's Disease

In sporadic Alzheimer's disease, neurofibrillary lesion formation is preceded by extensive post-translational modification of the microtubule associated protein tau. Immunoassays have been developed recently that detect tau in biological specimens, thus providing a means for pre-mortem diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, which has remained elusive. These assays have been improved by the analysis of relevant post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, however opportunity for improvement remains. The present invention addresses this issue by disclosing synthetic methylated peptides derived from the tau protein of paired helical filaments and non-diseased control brain. Alzheimer's disease specificity is provided by the presence or absence of methyl moieties on lysine residues and differences between mono-, di-, and tri-methylation. The methylated peptide is useful as an antigen and a binding partner for identifying compounds that interact with the peptide and the methylated tau protein, including antibodies that can distinguish non-diseased brain from that affected by Alzheimer's disease. The resulting antibodies are useful diagnostically and therapeutically. The compounds that specifically bind to methylated tau proteins are useful for eliminating abnormally methylated tau.




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DETECTION AGENT FOR DETECTING 25-HYDROXY VITAMIN D, PREPARATION METHOD AND USE

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.




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SEPARATING AND QUANTIFYING THIAMINE PYROPHOSPHATE AND PYRIDOXAL 5-PHOSPHATE IN HUMAN WHOLE BLOOD

The present disclosure provides robust, high-throughput, and clinically applicable methods for simultaneously separating and quantifying the biologically active forms of Vitamin B1 (TPP) and Vitamin B6 (PLP) from human whole blood.




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Routine Laboratory and Point-of-Care (POC) Testing for Hemostasis

Compositions and methods useful for point of care testing for hemophilia by measuring coagulation factor levels are provided.