The present disclosure provides an improved field effect transistor and device that can be used to sense and characterize a variety of materials. The field effect transistor and/or device including the transistor may be used for a variety of applications, including genome sequencing, protein sequencing, biomolecular sequencing, and detection of ions, molecules, chemicals, biomolecules, metal atoms, polymers, nanoparticles and the like.

A process for capturing or concentrating microorganisms for detection or assay comprises (a) providing a concentration agent that comprises an amorphous metal silicate and that has a surface composition having a metal atom to silicon atom ratio of less than or equal to about 0.5, as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS); (b) providing a sample comprising at least one microorganism strain; and (c) contacting the concentration agent with the sample such that at least a portion of the at least one microorganism strain is bound to or captured by the concentration agent.

A process for capturing or concentrating microorganisms for detection or assay comprises (a) providing a concentration agent that comprises an amorphous metal silicate and that has a surface composition having a metal atom to silicon atom ratio of less than or equal to about 0.5, as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS); (b) providing a sample comprising at least one microorganism strain; and (c) contacting the concentration agent with the sample such that at least a portion of the at least one microorganism strain is bound to or captured by the concentration agent.

A method of preparing a cantilever sensor for measuring biochemical interactions and their associated stress wherein a cantilever having two sides is coated on one side with at least a gold layer and both sides of the cantilever are functionalized with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of a probe molecule by incubating the cantilever in a solution having a concentration of the probe molecule of between 1 to 1000 μM. The unpassivated cantilever sensor comprising a layer coated on one side with a coating comprising gold and being unpassivated on the opposite side, wherein both surfaces comprises a self-assembled monolayer of a probe molecule in which the surface area occupied per probe molecule varies in the range 0.4-1.5 nm.sup.2, enabling the stress at the gold top surface that is not cancelled out by a counter stress from the bottom surface so that accurate quantitation of a target molecule is achieved.

A method of preparing a cantilever sensor for measuring biochemical interactions and their associated stress wherein a cantilever having two sides is coated on one side with at least a gold layer and both sides of the cantilever are functionalized with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of a probe molecule by incubating the cantilever in a solution having a concentration of the probe molecule of between 1 to 1000 μM. The unpassivated cantilever sensor comprising a layer coated on one side with a coating comprising gold and being unpassivated on the opposite side, wherein both surfaces comprises a self-assembled monolayer of a probe molecule in which the surface area occupied per probe molecule varies in the range 0.4-1.5 nm.sup.2, enabling the stress at the gold top surface that is not cancelled out by a counter stress from the bottom surface so that accurate quantitation of a target molecule is achieved.

The invention provides enrichment platform devices for size-based capture of particles in solution. The enrichment platform device is useful for label-free capture of any particle. The invention relates to enrichment platform devices using nanowires and vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. The invention provides methods for making the enrichment platform devices. The invention provides methods for using the enrichment platform devices for filtering particles, capturing particles, concentrating particles, and releasing viable particles.

The invention provides enrichment platform devices for size-based capture of particles in solution. The enrichment platform device is useful for label-free capture of any particle. The invention relates to enrichment platform devices using nanowires and vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. The invention provides methods for making the enrichment platform devices. The invention provides methods for using the enrichment platform devices for filtering particles, capturing particles, concentrating particles, and releasing viable particles.

Devices, kits, and methods related to embodiments of an improved liquid test sample injection device comprising a sample mixture that comprises at least one sample flag compound for detecting the presence or non-presence of a patient's liquid test sample upon being interrogated by a pre-determined wavelength of light.

The invention provides for the detection of a perturbed gene network, which includes highly expressed genes during fetal brain development, which is dysregulated in neuron models of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). High-confidence ASD risk genes are upstream regulators of the network modulating RAS/ERK, PI3K/AKT, and WNT//β-catenin signaling pathways. The invention demonstrates how the heterogeneous genetics of ASD can dysregulate a core network to influence brain development at prenatal and very early postnatal ages and, thereby, the severity of later ASD symptoms. The invention provides a model for diagnosis, prognosis determination, and optionally treatment and monitoring, for any disease by comparing molecular marker patterns in non-affected tissues in a subject with healthy controls to determine a dysregulated network in the subject based on a co-expression pattern of interacting genes.

Biodegradable fluorescent silica nanoparticle (FSN) are provided for in vivo imaging, particularly of cancerous and precancerous lesions in the gastrointestinal tract. The FSN are comprised of (a) a dye that fluoresces in the near infrared spectrum which is (i) covalently joined to a silane, and (ii) distributed throughout the nanoparticle; and (b) silica distributed throughout the nanoparticle. The surface may be coated with hydroxyl-terminated PEG, which is shown to reduce uptake of the nanoparticles by the liver. The dyes provide for sensitive detection of clinically relevant lesions, and are biodegradable.