As a result of dedicated studies, the present inventors succeeded in discovering, for the first time, that fibrogenesis could be suppressed at the physiological tissue level by inhibiting sulfation at position 4 or 6 of GalNAc, which is a sugar that constitutes sugar chains. Furthermore, the present inventors conducted studies using various disease model animals, and as a result, successfully demonstrated that inhibitors of sulfation at position 4 or 6 of GalNAc had therapeutic effects on diseases caused by tissue fibrogenesis (tissue fibrogenic disorders).

Constricted nanochannel devices suitable for use in analysis of macromolecular structure, including DNA sequencing, are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for fabricating such devices and for analyzing macromolecules using such devices.

Devices and methods for measuring the quantity of multiple analytes in a sample can include a device designed such that each of the analyte sensing elements is configured to measure the quantity of a predetermined analyte and machine executable instructions configured to select the proper analyte sensing element corresponding to the analyte to be measured.

This invention is in the field of medical devices. Specifically, the present invention provides fluidic systems having a plurality of reaction sites surrounded by optical barriers to reduce the amount of optical cross-talk between signals detected from various reaction sites. The invention also provides a method of manufacturing fluidic systems and methods of using the systems.

A fluidic chip includes at least one nanochannel array, the nanochannel array including a surface having a nanofluidic area formed in the material of the surface; a microfluidic area on said surface; a gradient interface area having a gradual elevation of height linking the microfluidic area and the nanofluidic area; and a sample reservoir capable of receiving a fluid in fluid communication with the microfluidic area. In another embodiment, a fluidic chip includes at least one nanochannel array, the nanochannel array includes a surface having a nanofluidic area formed in the material of the surface; a microfluidic area on said surface; and a gradient interface area linking the microfluidic area and the nanofluidic area, where the gradient interface area comprises a plurality of gradient structures, and the lateral spacing distance between said gradient structures decreases towards said nanofluidic area; and a sample reservoir capable of receiving a fluid in fluid communication with the microfluidic area.

The invention relates to floating drug delivery systems (FDDS) that provide solutions to the particular problems often encountered with floating drug delivery systems described in the art. On such generally recognized problem is the vulnerability of the systems, especially damage to the gas-filled compartment making it accessible to water so as to impair its buoyancy, ultimately resulting in insufficient gastric residence time. The invention, in an aspect, provides a self-repairing FDDS that maintains its floating capacity after damaging. The floating drug delivery systems of the invention, furthermore, allow for incorporation of high loads of active ingredients. The floating drug delivery systems can be designed in such a way that release of active ingredient from the system occurs entirely independent from the pH of the fluid surrounding the system. Furthermore, the procedure of manufacturing the floating drug delivery system of the invention is simple and straightforward, and therefore economically attractive.

A method for detecting nucleic acids by (a) providing a sample having target nucleic acids, each nucleic acid having contiguous first, second, and third domains; (b) contacting the sample with probe sets to form hybridization complexes, wherein each probe set includes (i) a first probe having a sequence that is complementary to the first domain; and (ii) a second probe having a sequence substantially complementary to the third domain; (c) extending the first probes along the second domains of the complexes while the complexes are immobilized on a solid support; (d) ligating the extended first probes to the second probes to form templates; (e) amplifying the templates with primers that are complementary to the first and second priming sequences to produce amplicons; and (f) detecting the amplicons on the surface of a nucleic acid array.

Nobel Stevia Sweetening components are provided. Through the analysis of the components of the nobel Steviol Glycoside included in the stevia extract and/or crystals, not only the quality control of sweeteners, but judgment on the correctness of indication of origin or infringement of right are facilitated since the raw material of the sweetener can be identified.

This invention relates to improved methods for sequencing and genotyping nucleic acid in a single molecule configuration. The method involves single molecule detection of fluorescent labeled PPi moieties released from NTPs as a polymerase extension product is created.

Constricted nanochannel devices suitable for use in analysis of macromolecular structure, including DNA sequencing, are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for fabricating such devices and for analyzing macromolecules using such devices.