Thermal shift assays (TSAs) have been extensively used to study thermodynamics of proteins and provide an efficient means to assess protein-ligand binding or protein-protein interaction. However, existing TSAs have limitations such as time consuming, labor intensive, or low sensitivity. Here, an acousto-thermal shift assay (A-TSA) is disclosed and is believed to be the first ultrasound enabled TSA which can provide a real-time analysis of protein thermodynamic stability. A-TSA couples unique acoustic mechanisms to achieve protein unfolding, concentration, and measurement on a single microfluidic chip within minutes. Compared to conventional TSA methods, A-TSA provides an ultra-fast (at least 30 times faster), highly sensitive (7-34 folds higher), and label -free monitoring of protein-ligand interactions and protein stability finding applications for protein analysis in biology, medicine and fast diagnosis.

A diagnostic system detects and/or measures hemoglobin and/or hemoglobin variants in blood of subject to determine hemoglobin levels, hemoglobin variants, and/or anemia in the subject.

The disclosure provides a method for treating sickle cell disease with A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin type 1 motif, member-13 (ADAMTS13). The disclosure provides a method for increasing ADAMTS13-mediated von Willebrand factor (VWF) cleavage in a subject suffering from sickle cell disease by administering ADAMTS13. The disclosure also provides a method of treating a vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) in a subject suffering from sickle cell disease by administering ADAMTS13 after the onset of the VOC. The disclosure also provides a method of preventing a VOC in a subject suffering from sickle cell disease by administering ADAMTS13 prior to the onset of the VOC. The disclosure also provides a method of determining the efficacy of a treatment for a VOC in a mouse model.

The present disclosure provides in vitro methods for identifying the presence or absence of haemoglobin S (HbS) or haemoglobin C (HbC) in a blood sample, kits and devices thereof. The inventors have found that HbS shows a substantial decrease in absorption under deoxygenated conditions compared to oxygenated conditions. The inventors expect HbC to show a similar decrease in absorption under deoxygenated conditions compared to oxygenated conditions. The methods, kits and devices of the disclosure employ this decrease in absorption under deoxygenated conditions to identify the presence or absence of HbS or HbC in a blood sample. The methods, kits and devices of the present disclosure are simple, low cost, and provide a rapid way to identify the presence or absence of HbS or HbC in a blood sample in a point-of-care setting.

Wash reagents for use with a hematology analyzer are disclosed. The wash reagents are capable of removing buildups from a vacuum shuttle chamber (VSC) of a unified fluid circuit (UFC) of the hematology analyzer without substantially damaging the UFC. The wash reagents contain at least one non-ionic surfactant that includes an ethoxylated fatty alcohol group. Also disclosed are kits containing the wash reagents (or at least the non-ionic surfactant component thereof), as well as methods of using the wash reagents to clean at least a portion of an analyzer.

The present description provides a cancer assay panel for targeted detection of cancer-specific methylation patterns. Further provided herein includes methods of designing, making, and using the cancer assay panel for detection of cancer tissue of origin (e.g., types of cancer).

Provided herein are non-invasive methods and biomarkers that identify progression and clonal evolution of plasma cell dyscrasias. Also provided are materials and methods for the diagnosis, prognosis, staging, and monitoring of plasma cell dyscrasias based on the presence of the biomarkers in a blood biopsy, as well as methods for monitoring the progression of a plasma cell dyscrasia, determining the efficacy of a therapeutic agent, determining a targeted therapy related to a plasma cell dyscrasia, and/or treating a plasma cell dyscrasia. The methods provided herein provide several advantages over invasive biopsies.

The present description provides a hematological disorder (HD) assay panel for targeted detection of methylation patterns or variants specific to various hematological disorders, such as clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) and blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoid neoplasms (e.g. lymphoma), multiple myeloma, and myeloid neoplasm. Further provided herein includes methods of designing, making, and using the HD assay panel for detection of various hematological disorders.

Disclosed herein are antibodies specific for erythroferrone and assays comprising the antibodies. Also disclosed are methods for using the assays for the diagnosis or monitoring of disease.

A target hemoglobin level of a patient; a current hemoglobin level of the patient; a specific decrease amount per unit period indicating an amount of decrease of a hemoglobin level of the patient when an erythropoiesis stimulating agent is not administered during the unit period; and a specific increase amount per unit period being an amount of increase of the hemoglobin level of the patient when an erythropoiesis stimulating agent at a maximum allowable unit amount per unit period is administered during the unit period and indicating a relative amount of increase in which the hemoglobin level when the erythropoiesis stimulating agent is not administered during the unit period is used as a reference are acquired. Furthermore, an amount of erythropoiesis stimulating agent to be administered to the patient per unit period is calculated on the basis of these pieces of information.