Provided are methods and devices for evaluating coagulation, including the identification of a coagulation impairment such as a factor deficiency or the presence of a factor inhibitor. In various embodiments, the methods and devices measure coagulation of a sample in response to the addition of one or more coagulation factors, added at various concentrations to portions of the sample. Such coagulation measurements can be evaluated to accurately profile coagulation impairments of the sample. In additional various embodiments, point-of-care or bedside testing with a convenient, microfluidic device can be used by minimally trained personnel.

The present invention is directed to compounds, methods for stabilizing thrombin activity with a thrombin binding oligonucleotide and to stabilized thrombin. The thrombin binding oligonucleotide is capable of inhibiting thrombin activity whereby the inhibition can be reversed with an antisense oligonucleotide.

The disclosure provides biomarker proteins, a change in the concentration or activity level of which are associated with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) or clinically meaningful treatment of aHUS with a complement inhibitor. Also provided are compositions and methods for interrogating the concentration and/or activity of one or more of the biomarker proteins in a biological fluid. The compositions and methods are useful for, among other things, evaluating risk for developing aHUS, diagnosing aHUS, determining whether a subject is experiencing the first acute presentation of aHUS, monitoring progression or abatement of aHUS, and/or monitoring response to treatment with a complement inhibitor or optimizing such treatment.

An array of membranes comprising amphipathic molecules is formed using an apparatus comprising a support defining an array of compartments. Volumes comprising polar medium are provided within respective compartments and a layer comprising apolar medium is provided extending across the openings with the volumes. Polar medium is flowed across the support to displace apolar medium and form a layer in contact with the volumes, forming membranes comprising amphipathic molecules at the interfaces. In one construction of the apparatus, the support that comprises partitions which comprise inner portions and outer portions. The inner portions define inner recesses without gaps therebetween that are capable of constraining the volumes comprising polar medium contained in neighbouring inner recesses from contacting each other. The outer portions extend outwardly from the inner portions and have gaps allowing the flow of an apolar medium across the substrate.

A method for preparing a nanohybrid used for ratiometric fluorescence and ratiometric electrochemical sensing simultaneously is provided. Surface-aminated (—NH.sub.2) SiO.sub.2 nanospheres encapsulating an electroactive material A or B are prepared and conjugated with surface-carboxylated (—COOH) carbon dots (CDs) or gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) to prepare a conjugate, and the conjugate is conjugated with a DNA aptamer terminated with —NH.sub.2. Ions or biomolecules are added to two types of DNA-conjugate dispersions, and ratiometric florescence sensing is realized by fitting the linear relationship between ratiometric fluorescent peak intensity IcDs/IAuNcs and a specific ion concentration or a specific biomolecule concentration. A-SiO.sub.2@CDs-DNA is attached to the surface of a gold electrode based on a DNA terminal —SH and Au-S bonding; B-SiP.sub.2@AuNCs-DNA and ions or biomolecules are added, and ratiometric electrochemical sensing is realized by fitting the linear relationship between the specific ion concentration or the specific biomolecule concentration and the ratiometric current peak intensity IB/IA

A method for preparing a nanohybrid used for ratiometric fluorescence and ratiometric electrochemical sensing simultaneously is provided. Surface-aminated (—NH.sub.2) SiO.sub.2 nanospheres encapsulating an electroactive material A or B are prepared and conjugated with surface-carboxylated (—COOH) carbon dots (CDs) or gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) to prepare a conjugate, and the conjugate is conjugated with a DNA aptamer terminated with —NH.sub.2. Ions or biomolecules are added to two types of DNA-conjugate dispersions, and ratiometric florescence sensing is realized by fitting the linear relationship between ratiometric fluorescent peak intensity I.sub.CDs/I.sub.AuNCs and a specific ion concentration or a specific biomolecule concentration. A-SiO.sub.2@CDs-DNA is attached to the surface of a gold electrode based on a DNA terminal —SH and Au—S bonding; B—SiO.sub.2@AuNCs-DNA and ions or biomolecules are added, and ratiometric electrochemical sensing is realized by fitting the linear relationship between the specific ion concentration or the specific biomolecule concentration and the ratiometric current peak intensity I.sub.B/I.sub.A.

The present disclosure relates to a method of selecting stem cells having the ability to produce extracellular vesicles with high efficiency, the method including the step of measuring the activity of protease-activated receptor (PAR)-mediated signaling pathways, stem cells selected by the method, and a method of screening an inducer for the production of extracellular vesicles. According to the present disclosure, upon treatment of stem cells with thrombin, the production of extracellular vesicles in the stem cells and the levels of proteins in the extracellular vesicles are significantly increased via PAR-mediated signaling pathways, and thus stem cells having the ability to produce extracellular vesicles with high efficiency can be efficiently selected by treating stem cells with thrombin and measuring an activation level of a PAR-mediated signaling pathway, and stem cells selected by this method can be effectively used in related research and clinical fields.

A metasurface device includes a dielectric layer, an aluminum nanodisk and an aluminum layer. The dielectric layer includes top and bottom surfaces that are opposite each other. The dielectric layer also includes at least one ring-like cavity that extends between the top and bottom surfaces of the dielectric layer. The aluminum nanodisk is formed in the at least one ring-like cavity in the dielectric layer. The aluminum layer is formed on the dielectric layer and includes at least one ring-like cavity that extends between top and bottom surfaces of the aluminum layer. Each ring-like cavity in the aluminum layer corresponds to a ring-like cavity in the dielectric layer. Two or more analytes may emit fluorescence in response to light of a predetermined wavelength being incident on the metasurface device and in which the two or more analytes are present at the dielectric layer.

Provided herein are methods for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of thrombosis in subject having or suspected of having systemic lupus erythematosus including determination of a level of platelet-bound complement C4d, C3 level, and one or both of a level of antiphosphatidyl serine/prothrombin complex and/or lupus anticoagulant.

The disclosure concerns a method for determining the interaction between a test compound and a receptor. The receptor may be immobilized. The disclosure also concerns a sample holder assembly including a functionalized test well wall, which may be used in combination with a Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence source.