The present invention relates to a composition comprising an ASM inhibitor as an active ingredient for preventing or treating degenerative neurological diseases. According to the present invention, when ASM is partially removed in an Alzheimer's disease model mouse, that is when ASM is inhibited therein, such when as an Alzheimer's disease model mouse with a partial removal of ASM is in a parabionic union with an Alzheimer's disease model mouse, or when an Alzheimer's disease model mouse is injected with the serum of an Alzheimer's disease model mouse from which ASM gene has been removed, the deposition of -amyloid in the brain tissue is inhibited and the ability to learn and remember are improved, and the present invention confirms such superb effects. Accordingly, ASM inhibitor can be effectively used to prevent or treat degenerative neurological diseases.

The present invention relates to a composition comprising an ASM inhibitor as an active ingredient for preventing or treating degenerative neurological diseases. According to the present invention, when ASM is partially removed in an Alzheimer's disease model mouse, that is when ASM is inhibited therein, such when as an Alzheimer's disease model mouse with a partial removal of ASM is in a parabionic union with an Alzheimer's disease model mouse, or when an Alzheimer's disease model mouse is injected with the serum of an Alzheimer's disease model mouse from which ASM gene has been removed, the deposition of -amyloid in the brain tissue is inhibited and the ability to learn and remember are improved, and the present invention confirms such superb effects. Accordingly, ASM inhibitor can be effectively used to prevent or treat degenerative neurological diseases.

Microfluidic devices for determining whether an analyte is present in a sample are provided. The microfluidic devices include a polymeric medium that includes a first analyte detection domain having a first covalently bound capture member that specifically binds to a first analyte, and a second analyte detection domain having a second covalently bound capture member that specifically binds to a second analyte. Also provided are methods of using the subject microfluidic device, systems and kits that use the subject microfluidic devices, as well as methods of producing the same.

Microfluidic devices for determining whether an analyte is present in a sample are provided. The microfluidic devices include a polymeric medium that includes a first analyte detection domain having a first covalently bound capture member that specifically binds to a first analyte, and a second analyte detection domain having a second covalently bound capture member that specifically binds to a second analyte. Also provided are methods of using the subject microfluidic device, systems and kits that use the subject microfluidic devices, as well as methods of producing the same.

A method of determining diffusion coefficient of one or more components in a polydisperse sample is provided. The method comprising the steps of: introducing an auxiliary fluid flow into a fractionation channel; introducing the polydisperse sample comprising one or more components into the fractionation channel; allowing the sample and the auxiliary fluid to create a combined flow; fractionating the combined flow into two or more fractions by diffusive sizing; subsequently separating two or more components from each fraction by creating a distribution of the components within a separation channel; detecting a characteristic of each the two or more components in each fraction; and comparing the characteristic of each component in each fraction in order to determine the diffusion coefficient of each of the one or more components in the polydisperse sample.

A method of determining diffusion coefficient of one or more components in a polydisperse sample is provided. The method comprising the steps of: introducing an auxiliary fluid flow into a fractionation channel; introducing the polydisperse sample comprising one or more components into the fractionation channel; allowing the sample and the auxiliary fluid to create a combined flow; fractionating the combined flow into two or more fractions by diffusive sizing; subsequently separating two or more components from each fraction by creating a distribution of the components within a separation channel; detecting a characteristic of each the two or more components in each fraction; and comparing the characteristic of each component in each fraction in order to determine the diffusion coefficient of each of the one or more components in the polydisperse sample.

The invention relates to a method for detecting a virus in a specimen, including: a step of preparing a test solution containing a specimen, a surfactant, and a fluorescently labeled anti-nucleocapsid protein antibody; a step of bringing the test solution into contact with a microelectrode and applying a voltage to the microelectrode so as to concentrate a fluorescently labeled anti-nucleocapsid protein antibody which is bound to a nucleocapsid protein of the virus in the specimen near the microelectrode; and a step of detecting the presence of the virus in the specimen by fluorescence observation, in which the nucleocapsid protein forms a complex with a nucleic acid.

The invention relates to a method for detecting a virus in a specimen, including: a step of preparing a test solution containing a specimen, a surfactant, and a fluorescently labeled anti-nucleocapsid protein antibody; a step of bringing the test solution into contact with a microelectrode and applying a voltage to the microelectrode so as to concentrate a fluorescently labeled anti-nucleocapsid protein antibody which is bound to a nucleocapsid protein of the virus in the specimen near the microelectrode; and a step of detecting the presence of the virus in the specimen by fluorescence observation, in which the nucleocapsid protein forms a complex with a nucleic acid.

The present invention relates to a method for treating degenerative neurological disorders in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising an acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) activity inhibitor or expression inhibitor as an active ingredient.

The invention relates to bead incubating and washing on a droplet actuator. Methods for incubating magnetically responsive beads that are labeled with primary antibody, a sample (i.e., analyte), and secondary reporter antibodies on a magnet, on and off a magnet, and completely off a magnet are provided. Also provided are methods for washing magnetically responsive beads using shape-assisted merging of droplets. Also provided are methods for shape-mediated splitting, transporting, and dispensing of a sample droplet that contains magnetically responsive beads. The apparatuses and methods of the invention provide for rapid time to result and optimum detection of an analyte in an immunoassay.