The present disclosure provides a brain organoid for culturing cancer cells for a prolonged period of time and methods for culturing cancer cells in a brain organoid for a period of time at least one week. The cancer cells may be primary cancer cells obtained from a cancer from a subject. The brain organoid may be generated from embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells that are not transformed to render them oncogenic. In certain aspects, the cancer cells cultured in the brain organoid may be Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type Z1 (PTPRZ1) expressing cancer cells obtained from a cancer from a subject. Also provided are methods for inhibiting tumor invasion in a cancer of a nervous system by administering to a subject suffering from such cancer an inhibitor of the PTPRZ1 pathway and for screening for inhibitors of cancer cell growth and/or invasion.

Provided is a ultra-high-sensitivity assay in which the assay can be made on a commonly used assay apparatus such as an absorptiometer and a plate reader or with naked eyes. The high-sensitivity assay in which the assay can be made on a commonly used assay apparatus or with naked eyes can be provided by combining an enzyme cycling method using thio-NAD(P) as a coenzyme, a labeling enzyme and a substrate for the labeling enzyme optimally, and by amplifying thio-NAD(P)H, which is a signaling substance, exponentially and then quantifying the thio-NAD(P)H colorimetrically.

A device and method for the rapid on-site detection of inhibitors of enzymes, such as acetylcholinesterase, is described wherein the device contains all reagents added to a sample pad containing dried releasable enzyme creating a reaction mixture wherein inhibitor deactivates the enzyme, while said reaction mixture travels via a longitudinal membrane to a distal porous pad containing a substrate for the enzyme. The reaction of the enzyme and the substrate results in a product that can generate a measurable signal such as color, fluorescence or luminescence to serve as a reporter. Signal that is generated at this reaction zone is inversely proportional to inhibitor concentration in the test sample. A device containing two such strips, one for a test sample, the other for a negative control fluid as an onboard comparator is described. A purpose-built reader or an illuminating device, such as, containing an incandescent light source, a diode, a UV light source or any other illumination source that is suitable for the reporter or mere visualization is used to determine the level of reporter.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, kinetic parameters of I2S enzyme are determined. In some instances, a sample including I2S enzyme is incubated under defined conditions, with a series of determined amounts of I2S substrate including a detectable label. Following incubation, the reaction mixture can be analyzed, e.g., by a method including chromatography. A detection unit can be used to measure the presence of the detectable label. Data can be analyzed to determine kinetic parameters.

This invention is directed to compositions and methods to detect and treat gastrointestinal diseases.

Methods of assessing, such as characterizing or determining, condensate-associated characteristics of a compound, such as a test compound, and applications thereof are provided. For example, methods of determining a partition characteristic of a test compound in a target condensate, methods of determining a relative partition characteristic of a test compound in a target condensate, and methods of determining a condensate preference profile of a test compound are provided. Additionally, methods of designing and/or identifying and/or making a compound, or portion thereof, with a desired relative condensate partition characteristic are provided.

The present invention provides a method and system for diagnosing a central nervous system disease, and a composition, and a kit. The diagnosing system comprises: a first detection module, used for detecting a central nervous system-derived marker in a biological body fluid of a subject; a second detection module, used for detecting a central nervous system disease-related marker in the biological body fluid of the subject; and a diagnosis module, diagnosing, on the basis of central nervous system-derived marker and central nervous system disease-related marker detection results respectively obtained by the first detection module and the second detection module, whether the subject suffers from a central nervous system disease.

Method for detecting the presence of nucleases in a sample, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: —incubating the sample to be tested for the presence of nucleases with at least one oligonucleotide linker constituting the substrate for the nuclease to be detected, for a sufficient time to cause degradation of said oligonucleotide linker by the nuclease possibly present in the sample, —adding to the sample, upon incubation, colloidal gold nanoparticles comprising gold nanoparticles functionalized with a first probe oligonucleotide and gold nanoparticles functionalized with a respective second probe oligonucleotide, said first and second probe oligonucleotides being complementary to a respective portion of the nucleotide sequence of the oligonucleotide linker, and—examining the possible colour change of the sample as a result of the addition of said nanoparticles, a colour change of the sample to the colour assumed by the colloidal gold particles when aggregated at a distance less than their size being indicative of the absence of the tested nuclease from the sample.

Devices, assays and methods for detecting analytes in a sample are provided. Biosensor devices include a biosensor interface that includes enzyme-conjugated molecules, antibodies and an enzyme driven redox cycle coupled to an electrically conductive electrode for signal amplification. The biosensor devices are easily adaptable to a variety of assay formats, a variety of target analytes and provide real-time measurements combined with high sensitivity and high specificity for the analyte.

We provide VHZ for use in a method of treatment, prophylaxis or alleviation of a cancer, such as breast cancer, in an individual. We provide an anti-VHZ agent for the treatment, prophylaxis or alleviation of cancer. We further provide a kit for detecting breast cancer in an individual or susceptibility of the individual to breast cancer comprising means for detection of VHZ expression in the individual or a sample taken from him or her as well as a method of detecting a cancer cell, the method comprising detecting modulation of expression, amount or activity of VHZ in the cell.