A method for detecting a test substance using a composition that contains gold nanoplates suitable for detecting the test substance. The composition includes gold nanoplates, and is characterized in that an average aspect ratio of the gold nanoplates (a value obtained by dividing a maximum length of the gold nanoplates by a thickness) is greater than 1 and 10 or less, a concentration of quaternary ammonium cations in the composition is 1 mM or less, and the quaternary ammonium cations are represented by N.sup.+(R).sub.4 (each R is independently selected from linear or branched alkyl groups having 1 to 20 carbon atoms).

The present invention relates to a prefabricated microparticle for performing detection, preferably a digital detection and/or quantitation of an analyte. Furthermore, it also relates to a detection and/or quantitation of multiple analytes by prefabricated microparticles. It also relates to a collection of such prefabricated microparticles and to the use of such microparticle(s) and/or of such collection. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a method of performing a detection and/or quantitation of an analyte in a sample wherein a microparticle or collection of microparticles are used. In one embodiment, in the collection of microparticles, individual microparticles are tailored for the detection of specific analytes and can be distinguished from each other by a specific label indicating the respective analyte for which the individual microparticle is specific.

The disclosure concerns a method and kits for measurement of an analyte in a microparticle-based analyte-specific binding assay. In the assay, the microparticles are coated with the first partner of a binding pair, mixing the coated microparticles and at least two analyte-specific binding agents, each conjugated to the second partner of the binding pair, and a sample suspected of containing the analyte. The second partner of the binding pair is bound to each of the analyte-specific binding agents via a linker comprising from 12 to 30 ethylene glycol units (PEG 12 to 30), thereby binding the analyte via the conjugated analyte-specific binding agents to the coated microparticles. The method also entails separating the microparticles having the analyte bound via the binding pair and the analyte-specific binding agent from the mixture and measuring the analyte bound to the microparticles.

The present invention relates to a sensor body for binding and/or enriching and analyte. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of binding an analyte to a sensor body. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a method of enriching and/or washing an analyte bound to a sensor body and to a method of detecting an analyte in a sample. Moreover, the present invention relates to a device for binding and/or enriching and/or detecting an analyte in a sample.

Aspects of the present disclosure include methods that include co-culturing a cell and a microparticle that includes a capture ligand, in a culture medium under conditions in which a biomarker produced by the cell is bound by the capture ligand. Such methods may further include detecting (e.g., by flow or mass cytometry) complexes that include the microparticle, the capture ligand, the biomarker, and a detection reagent. The methods may further include determining the proportion or number of cells among a heterogeneous cell population that produced the biomarker and/or the level of biomarker secreted by such cells. Compositions, systems and kits are also provided.

A method for detecting and quantifying anti-neutrophil-cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) in a sample of bodily fluid from a patient suspected of suffering from an autoimmune disease, including the steps of contacting human polymorphonuclear neutrophils able to release extracellular traps (NETs) with microspheres to produce NET-coated microspheres, contacting the NET-coated microspheres with the sample of bodily fluid, and labeling and subsequent analyzing of anti-neutrophil-cytoplasmic antibodies by flow cytometric methods.

Disclosed are methods of treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by administering a therapeutically effective amount of an isoprenoid antibiotic to subjects identified with a splicing defect in an ASD associated gene. The method of treating a subject with a neurological disease is carried out by identifying the subject comprising a splicing defect in an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-associated gene, the target gene being characterized as having an hnRNP L binding site. The subject is treated by administering a spliceopathy rescue agent to repair the splicing defect. Also disclosed are methods of upregulating hnRNP L and hnRNP L targets by administering a therapeutically effective amount of an isoprenoid antibiotic. Methods of screening compounds for use in treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are also described.

Disclosed are devices and methods for performing biological and chemical assays, such as immunoassays and nucleic acid assays, more particularly a homogeneous assay that does not use a wash step by using the aggregation and de-aggregation processes of microparticles or nanoparticles.

A fluorescent immunoassay cup for use in analysis of an immune system using an antigen-antibody reaction, in which beads are used as fluorescent markers, is provided. The fluorescent immunoassay cup includes: a bottom; and a side wall connected to the bottom, wherein the bottom is provided with a plurality of pores each configured to accommodate a corresponding one of the beads, and a region between the pores on an upper side of the bottom is formed in a planar shape.

Among other things, two or more different antibodies are caused to bind to one or more units of a chemical component in a sample. Each of the antibodies is attached to one or more beads (e.g., microbeads). The sample is situated on a surface of an image sensor. At the image sensor, light is received originating at a light source that is other than the beads. The received light includes light reflected by, refracted by, or transmitted through the beads. At least one image of the sample is processed to separately enumerate individual beads and complexes of two or more of the beads attached to the two or more antibodies that are bound to a unit of the chemical component. The results of the processing are used to identify a presence or a level of the chemical component in the sample.