A centripetal microfluidic platform comprised of a microfluidics disc and a reader for testing LAL-reactive substances in fluid samples is provided. The microfluidic disc may comprise at least two testing areas wherein each testing area includes a reservoir portion for receiving at least one fluid sample. The disc may comprise a distribution network portion in fluid communication with the reservoir portion. Each distribution network portion may comprise a distribution network of at least four (4) channels, wherein each channel has a metering portion and at least one analysis chamber portion. The analysis chamber portion may comprise a mixing chamber for mixing samples and reagents and an optical chamber portion that is compatible with an optical reader. The metering portion may be sized to meter an aliquot of the fluid sample for analysis in the analysis chamber portion. At least one analysis chamber portion has at least one reagent isolated therein. The centripetal microfluidic platform further includes a reader for testing fluid samples within a microfluidic disc comprising an enclosure, an optical bench, a centripetal disc drive, and a controller. A method for testing at least one fluid sample for LAL-reactive substances is also provided.

Disclosed is a device for conducting a non-invasive diagnostic test in a subject suspected of suffering brain injury. The device for diagnosing a brain injury in a subject includes a probe of a porous matrix, an indicator formulation disposed on the porous matrix and includes at least one lectin and/or antibody capable of selectively binding to a glycan-based biomarker indicative of brain injury in a sample, and a visually detectable label; and a handle in communication with the probe, wherein at least one of the lectin and/or antibody and/or the visually detectable label is immobilized in and/or on a detection zone in the porous matrix, and the visually detectable label develops a color intensity level and becomes visible upon a binding event of the glycan-based biomarker to the lectin and/or antibody. Also provided is a method for using the device described below and methods for producing the same.

The present teachings relate to methods, systems, and kits for analyzing a sample containing a glycopeptide of interest that can subject the glycopeptide of interest to a plurality of parallel deglycosylation reactions that differentially cleave the glycan, with the various products resulting from the deglycosylation reactions being differentially labeled (e.g., with isobaric and/or isomeric labeling reagents) to thereby produce labeled glycopeptides or labeled fragments of the glycopeptides. The products of the various deglycosylation reactions can then be mixed together and subject to LC-MS/MS using a single injection of the mixture. In accordance with various aspects, by associating the resulting mass spectral data with a particular deglycosylation reaction (e.g., based on the presence in the MS/MS data of product reporter ions associated with the particular differential labels), the methods and systems described herein can aid in the identification of the glycan structure.

An enzymatic extraction agent, as well as methods, compositions and kits for detecting Group A streptococcus in a biological sample, which involve the enzymatic agent, are described.

Glycans having a branched structure are labeled with a labeling agent, such as 2-aminobenzoic acid, having one site that is easily negatively charged. At this time, reduction which is usually performed in labeling by reduction amination is not performed. A sample for mass spectrometry containing the labeled form of glycans thus obtained is prepared, and is subjected to MS/MS analysis in negative ion mode. In the MS/MS spectra obtained by the MS/MS analysis, peaks of E ions, D ions and the like which reflect the branched structure clearly appear. As a result, structural analysis of an entirety of the glycan including the branched structure can be easily performed.

The present disclosure reveals the diagnostic method for the determination of multiday average molar concentration of estradiol (E2) and from this parameter, the assessment of perimenopause and menopause status in examined female subjects, based on quantitative analysis of N-glycans bound on immunoglobulin G (IgG). The diagnostic process is applicable to the female subjects of 40-55 years of age. The revealed method enables the determination of the multiday average molar concentration of estradiol (E2), which is an important diagnostic parameter hardly accessible by any known single diagnostic method applied on only one or more blood analyses.

The present invention is related to a method for generating a nucleic acid molecule capable of binding to a target molecule comprising the following steps: a) providing a reference nucleic acid molecule, wherein the reference nucleic acid molecule is capable of binding to the target molecule and wherein the reference nucleic acid molecule comprises a sequence of nucleotides, wherein the sequence of nucleotides comprises n nucleotides; b) preparing a first level derivative of the reference nucleic acid molecule, wherein the first level derivative of the reference nucleic acid molecule differs from the reference nucleic acid molecule at one nucleotide position, wherein the first level derivative is prepared by replacing the ribonucleotide at the one nucleotide position by a 2-deoxyribonucleotide in case the reference nucleic acid has a ribonucleotide at the nucleotide position and wherein the first level derivative is prepared by replacing the 2-deoxyribonucleotide at the one nucleotide position by a ribonucleotide in case the reference nucleic acid has a 2-deoxyribonucleotide at the nucleotide position and wherein the nucleotide position at which the replacement is made is the modified nucleotide position; and c) repeating step b) for each nucleotide position of the reference nucleic acid molecule, thus preparing a group of first level derivatives of the reference nucleic acid molecule, wherein the group of first level derivatives of the reference nucleic acid molecule consists of n first level derivatives, wherein each of the first level derivatives of the reference nucleic acid molecule differs from the reference nucleic acid molecule by a single nucleotide replacement and wherein each of the first level derivatives of the reference nucleic acid molecule has a single modified nucleotide position which is different from the single modified nucleotide of all of the single modified nucleotide positions of the other first level derivatives of the group of first level derivatives of the reference nucleic acid molecule.

Disclosed is a fluorescently labeled polysaccharide. The fluorescently labeled polysaccharide is formed by covalently coupling a polysaccharide to a fluorescent dye having a structure as shown in Formula I. A stable covalent bond is form between the polysaccharide molecule and the fluorescent dye molecule. The fluorescently labeled polysaccharide has high stability in serum and other detection environments, has high biocompatibility, and is applicable to the detection of carbohydrate molecules inside and outside cells. Due to a large Stokes shift of the fluorescent dye molecule, the fluorescently labeled polysaccharide has advantages of high fluorescence stability, high fluorescence quantum yields, and achieves high signal-to-noise ratios in imaging results. Further disclosed is a method for preparing the fluorescently labeled polysaccharide. The method has mild reaction conditions and high reaction selectivity, is simple to execute, and can be used to prepare a fluorescently labeled polysaccharide in high yield.

A centripetal microfluidic platform comprised of a microfluidics disc and a reader for testing LAL-reactive substances in fluid samples is provided. The microfluidic disc may comprise at least two testing areas wherein each testing area includes a reservoir portion for receiving at least one fluid sample. The disc may comprise a distribution network portion in fluid communication with the reservoir portion. Each distribution network portion may comprise a distribution network of at least four (4) channels, wherein each channel has a metering portion and at least one analysis chamber portion. The analysis chamber portion may comprise a mixing chamber for mixing samples and reagents and an optical chamber portion that is compatible with an optical reader. The metering portion may be sized to meter an aliquot of the fluid sample for analysis in the analysis chamber portion. At least one analysis chamber portion has at least one reagent isolated therein. The centripetal microfluidic platform further includes a reader for testing fluid samples within a microfluidic disc comprising an enclosure, an optical bench, a centripetal disc drive, and a controller. A method for testing at least one fluid sample for LAL-reactive substances is also provided.

Glycans having a branched structure are labeled with a labeling agent, such as 2-aminobenzoic acid, having one site that is easily negatively charged. At this time, reduction which is usually performed in labeling by reduction amination is not performed. A sample for mass spectrometry containing the labeled form of glycans thus obtained is prepared, and is subjected to MS/MS analysis in negative ion mode. In the MS/MS spectra obtained by the MS/MS analysis, peaks of E ions, D ions and the like which reflect the branched structure clearly appear. As a result, structural analysis of an entirety of the glycan including the branched structure can be easily performed.