Described are methods of treating or preventing a disease in a subject treatable by modulating cell mechanics. The method includes administering to a subject having or at risk for such a disease a pharmaceutical composition. comprising an agent selected from the group comprising a salt, solvate, or stereoisomer of compound (VIII) or its derivatives or a mixture of their constituents, where the compound has the formula:

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The present invention provides methods of detecting analytes using particles having different physico-chemical properties, such as buoyancy, size, density, spectral characteristics, and/or binding properties, in solution-based sandwich assays and solution-based competition assays. The methods can be performed using rotors and bench-top centrifuges and provide for rapid, qualitative and quantitative detection of analytes. The present invention also provides kits that can be used to perform the methods, and mixtures containing particles suitable for the methods.

Method and kits are provided determining the presence or absence of parasitic helminth eggs in environmental samples, particularly fecal samples. The methods incorporate egg capture methods and the use of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine specific ligands for egg detection.

Methods and compositions for detecting and diagnosing sexually transmitted infections using a string of epitopes (SOE) specific for detection of causative microorganisms are provided. The antigenic epitopes may be single epitope sequences, a plurality of epitope sequences joined by amino acid linkers to form a series of epitopes (SOE), or nucleotide sequences encoding one or more SOEs and host cells harboring said SOE nucleotide sequences. SOEs specific for highly immunogenic regions of proteins from Trichomonas, Treponema and Neisseria species are provided. SOEs to detect the presence of Trichomonas species comprise regions from Trichomonas aldolase, GAPDH, -enolase and -actinin proteins. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising SOEs can also be used as vaccines or to elicit an immune response to specific microorganisms.

A measurement device includes a stimulus control unit configured to cause a stimulus generation device to generate an external stimulus complying with a chemotaxis condition of an organism, an imaging unit configured to capture an image of a predetermined imaging range in which the external stimulus is generated, and a measurement unit configured to measure a target organism on the basis of the image captured by the imaging unit.

The present invention provides methods of detecting analytes using particles having different physico-chemical properties, such as buoyancy, size, density, spectral characteristics, and/or binding properties, in solution-based sandwich assays and solution-based competition assays. The methods can be performed using rotors and bench-top centrifuges and provide for rapid, qualitative and quantitative detection of analytes. The present invention also provides kits that can be used to perform the methods, and mixtures containing particles suitable for the methods.

The present invention provides an in vitro method for concentrating infectious pathogens found in a biological sample obtained from an individual who is suspected of being infected with the pathogens. Provided herein is also an in vitro method for reducing or eliminating blood cells from a sample obtained from an individual suspected to being infected with an infectious pathogen. The present invention also provides a method for diagnosing malaria and a method for determining if an individual is infected with a pathogen. Provided herein is also a concentrator and a kit for use with the methods.

The present invention provides an in vitro method for concentrating infectious pathogens found in a biological sample obtained from an individual who is suspected of being infected with the pathogens. Provided herein is also an in vitro method for reducing or eliminating blood cells from a sample obtained from an individual suspected to being infected with an infectious pathogen. The present invention also provides a method for diagnosing malaria and a method for determining if an individual is infected with a pathogen. Provided herein is also a concentrator and a kit for use with the methods.

Combinations of Trypanosoma cruzi polypeptides, fusion protein formed therefrom, and compositions and methods of use thereof for improved detection of antibodies against T. cruzi are disclosed. Preferred polypeptide combinations include two or more polypeptides selected from Table 1, or a variant or fragment thereof. In particularly preferred embodiments, the polypeptide combinations include the two polypeptide as paired in Table 2 or Table 3, or variants or fragments thereof. Preferably, the one, or more preferably both, of the polypeptides are antigenic to T. cruzi antibodies. The polypeptide combination can unfused or fused for form fusion proteins. Methods of using the disclosed compositions, including methods of detecting anti-T. cruzi antibodies, diagnosing T. cruzi infections, and monitoring disease status and treatment efficacy are also provided.

The present invention provides an in vitro method for concentrating infectious pathogens found in a biological sample obtained from an individual who is suspected of being infected with the pathogens. Provided herein is also an in vitro method for reducing or eliminating blood cells from a sample obtained from an individual suspected to being infected with an infectious pathogen. The present invention also provides a method for diagnosing malaria and a method for determining if an individual is infected with a pathogen. Provided herein is also a concentrator and a kit for use with the methods.