Provided is a reagent for assaying a thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) in a blood sample from a subject by latex agglutination assay. The reagent includes a polycation. As a result, TAT complexes can be precisely assayed while circumventing the effect of heparin. The polycation is, for example, hexadimethrine bromide, chitosans, modified dextran, aminodextran, hydroxymethyl cellulose trimethylamine, lysozyme, spermine, spermidine, polylysine, polyarginine, polyornithine, protamine sulfate, hydroxyethyl cellulose trimethylamine, heparin-binding protein, polyallylamine, polyallylamine hydrochloride, poly(diallyl dialkyl amine), polyamideamine, polyamine, polyvinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride, polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride, polyethyleneimine, polypropyleneimine, polypropylethyleneimine, polyimidazoline, polyvinylamine, polyvinyl pyridine, poly(acrylamide/methacryloxypropyltrimethylammonium bromide), poly(diaryldimethylammonium chloride/N-isopropylacrylamide), poly(dimethylaminoethyl acrylate/acrylamide), poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate), polydimethylaminoepichlorohydrin, polyethyleneiminoepichlorohydrin, polymethacryloxyethyl-trimethylammonium bromide, hydroxypropylmethacryloyloxyethyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, poly(methyldiethylaminoethylmethacrylate/acrylamide), poly(methyl/guanidine), polymethylvinylpyridinium bromide, poly(vinylpyrrolidone-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate), or polyvinylmethylpyridinium bromide.

Provided is a reagent for assaying a thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) in a blood sample from a subject by latex agglutination assay. The reagent includes a polycation. As a result, TAT complexes can be precisely assayed while circumventing the effect of heparin. The polycation is, for example, hexadimethrine bromide, chitosans, modified dextran, aminodextran, hydroxymethyl cellulose trimethylamine, lysozyme, spermine, spermidine, polylysine, polyarginine, polyornithine, protamine sulfate, hydroxyethyl cellulose trimethylamine, heparin-binding protein, polyallylamine, polyallylamine hydrochloride, poly(diallyl dialkyl amine), polyamideamine, polyamine, polyvinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride, polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride, polyethyleneimine, polypropyleneimine, polypropylethyleneimine, polyimidazoline, polyvinylamine, polyvinyl pyridine, poly(acrylamide/methacryloxypropyltrimethylammonium bromide), poly(diaryldimethylammonium chloride/N-isopropylacrylamide), poly(dimethylaminoethyl acrylate/acrylamide), poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate), polydimethylaminoepichlorohydrin, polyethyleneiminoepichlorohydrin, polymethacryloxyethyl-trimethylammonium bromide, hydroxypropylmethacryloyloxyethyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, poly(methyldiethylaminoethylmethacrylate/acrylamide), poly(methyl/guanidine), polymethylvinylpyridinium bromide, poly(vinylpyrrolidone-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate), or polyvinylmethylpyridinium bromide.

The present invention is directed to a method for making a solid substrate for conducting biological and chemical assays and to the solid substrate made by the method.

A sensor device includes an inner hydrogel layer, a first planar metallic structure adjacent to a first surface of the inner hydrogel layer, and a second planar metallic structure adjacent to a second surface of the inner hydrogel layer opposite to the first surface. A sensor device further includes an encasing layer at least partially enclosing at least one of the inner hydrogel layer, the first planar metallic structure, and the second planar metallic structure. A method for use of the sensor device includes receiving at least one environmental stimulus, modifying a capacitance of a hydrogel in response to the received environmental stimulus, and generating an electrical stimulus response based on the modified capacitance. The method further includes modifying the capacitance of the hydrogel by modifying a resonant frequency of the hydrogel.

A specific and sensitive in vitro ELISA assay and diagnostic test kit is disclosed for determining levels of NT-proBNP protein in a variety of bodily fluids, non-limiting examples of which are blood, serum, plasma, urine and the like. The NT-proBNP ELISA assay test employs the sandwich ELISA technique to measure circulating NT-proBNP in human plasma. In order to obtain antibodies with specific binding properties for targeted amino acid sequences within human proBNP, recombinant human proBNP (or rhproBNP) was expressed and purified for use as an immunogen. Polyclonal antibodies (PAb) to specific amino acid sequences were subsequently purified from goat serum by sequential affinity purification. Monoclonal antibodies were raised against specific polypeptides. Recombinant human NT-proBNP (or rhNT-proBNP) was expressed and purified in order to obtain material for use in calibration of a quantitative method for measurement of human NT-proBNP.

Embodiments herein described provide devices for identifying and collecting rare cells or cells which occur at low frequency in the body of a subject, such as, antigen-specific cells or disease-specific cells. More specifically, the devices are useful for trapping immune cells and the devices contain a physiologically-compatible porous polymer scaffold, a plurality of antigens, and an immune cell-recruiting agent, wherein the plurality of antigens and the immune cell recruiting agent attract and trap the immune cell in the device. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, kits, and packages containing such devices. Additional embodiments relate to methods for making the devices, compositions, and kits/packages. Further embodiments relate to methods for using the devices, compositions, and/or kits in the diagnosis or therapy of diseases such as autoimmune diseases or cancers.

Embodiments herein described provide devices for identifying and collecting rare cells or cells which occur at low frequency in the body of a subject, such as, antigen-specific cells or disease-specific cells. More specifically, the devices are useful for trapping immune cells and the devices contain a physiologically-compatible porous polymer scaffold, a plurality of antigens, and an immune cell-recruiting agent, wherein the plurality of antigens and the immune cell recruiting agent attract and trap the immune cell in the device. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, kits, and packages containing such devices. Additional embodiments relate to methods for making the devices, compositions, and kits/packages. Further embodiments relate to methods for using the devices, compositions, and/or kits in the diagnosis or therapy of diseases such as autoimmune diseases or cancers.

Disclosed is a sensor chip for detecting a target molecule in a sample. The sensor chip includes a substrate having a surface and a layer of hydrogel particles immobilized on the substrate surface at two or more locations on the surface, wherein the hydrogel particles at a first location comprise a plurality of first probe molecules bound to the particles and the hydrogel particles at a second location comprise a plurality of second probe molecules bound to the particles. Systems that include the sensor chip, as well as methods of preparing and using the sensor chip, are also disclosed.

Disclosed is a sensor chip for detecting a target molecule in a sample. The sensor chip includes a substrate having a surface and a layer of hydrogel particles immobilized on the substrate surface at two or more locations on the surface, wherein the hydrogel particles at a first location comprise a plurality of first probe molecules bound to the particles and the hydrogel particles at a second location comprise a plurality of second probe molecules bound to the particles. Systems that include the sensor chip, as well as methods of preparing and using the sensor chip, are also disclosed.

Devices for ligand capture and methods of using the device are disclosed. The ligand may be captured from a sample, such as a plasma sample. Methods of identifying, quantifying, and/or characterizing captured ligands also are disclosed. Computer systems and methods for analyzing thermograms and determining the characteristics of ligands present in a sample are disclosed.