The invention relates to senescent cell biomarkers and the uses thereof. The invention also extends to methods and kits for detecting senescence, and drug conjugates and pharmaceutical compositions for killing senescent cells.

Various embodiments relate to p-phenylene ethynylene compounds as bioactive and detection agents. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method of inducing germination of microbial spores including contacting the microbial spores with a p-phenylene ethynylene compound. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method for detecting an enzyme, a method of protein analysis, or a method of detecting a chemical agent, including introducing a p-phenylene ethylylene compound to a composition including an enzyme substrate, and analyzing the fluorescence of the p-phenylene ethynylene compound. Various embodiments provide sensors that include a p-phenylene ethynylene compound and an enzyme substrate.

A method is used for diagnosing a disease by detecting in a sample with antibodies from a patient an autoantibody binding to DAGLA.

Lateral flow devices and methods of use for a molecular diagnostic assay are provided. The method is suitable for detection or monitoring of targets, including biological, chemical, and material targets that exist in very low concentrations in biological samples. The methods and devices of the present application are amenable to power source-free point of care testing.

The present invention is directed to fluorescent molecular sensor based on Thiazole Orange for protein detection. Interaction of the protein target with the molecular sensors of this invention results in a significant increase in the fluorescence emission. The generation of light output signal enables one to detect protein biomarkers associated with different diseases or detecting the protein of interest also in living cells.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for analyzing an extracted sample using an immiscible extraction solvent. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a system for analyzing an analyte in a sample. The system includes an ionization probe and a mass spectrometer. The ionization probe includes a hollow body that optionally includes a distal tip. The hollow body is configured such that there is no substrate within the body and no electrode disposed on a surface of the body. An electrode is at least partially disposed within the hollow body.

Various embodiments relate to p-phenylene ethynylene compounds as bioactive and detection agents. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method of inducing germination of microbial spores including contacting the microbial spores with a p-phenylene ethynylene compound. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method for detecting an enzyme, a method of protein analysis, or a method of detecting a chemical agent, including introducing a p-phenylene ethynylene compound to a composition including an enzyme substrate, and analyzing the fluorescence of the p-phenylene ethynylene compound. Various embodiments provide sensors that include a p-phenylene ethynylene compound and an enzyme substrate.

An object of the present invention is to provide a highly versatile, simple and safe method for measuring Lp-PLA.sub.2 activity. Another object of the present invention is to provide an accurate and highly sensitive method for measuring Lp-PLA.sub.2 activity. Provided is a method for measuring lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A.sub.2 (Lp-PLA.sub.2) activity in a sample containing Lp-PLA.sub.2, the method comprising the following steps (A) to (C): (A) converting PAFs into lyso-PAFs by reacting the PAFs with the Lp-PLA.sub.2 in the sample; (B) hydrolyzing the lyso-PAFs produced in the step (A) with an enzyme (lyso-PAF-PLD) to obtain hydrolysate; and (C) measuring Lp-PLA.sub.2 activity in the sample by utilizing a quantitative change attributable to the hydrolysate obtained in step (B) as an indicator.

An apparatus and method for detecting an analyte of interest using paper spray mass spectrometry includes a spray material; a sample on the spray material including an enzyme of interest; a solvent to hydrate the sample, promote enzymatic activity, and extract analytes of interest from the sample; a substrate specific to the enzyme of interest, wherein any of the spray material and the solvent includes the substrate; a voltage source to apply a voltage to the spray material to create charged droplets of a mixture containing the sample; and a mass spectrometer to perform spectrometry on the droplets to perform any of: identify the analytes of interest in the sample; and measure a level of inhibition in any enzymes contained in the sample.

The present invention pertains to a diagnostic and therapeutic method for assessing whether a patient is susceptible to the treatment of an ester-prodrug. The methods of the invention include the analysis of carboxyelesterase 2 (CES2)-expression in tumor samples as a predictive value for the assessment of treatment success with an ester-prodrug of a chemotherapeutic agent. Alternatively, the invention provides methods involving the analysis of the urinary ratio of the prodrug and the active therapeutic as another predictive value for assessing treatment susceptibility.