The present invention provides a method for determining carbonyl ratio and/or concentration of oxidized nanofibrillar cellulose in a sample. In accordance with the invention oxidized nanofibrillar cellulose comprised in the sample is enzymatically hydrolyzed into oxidized cellobioses which are specific markers to oxidized nanofibrillar cellulose. The cellobioses may be then analyzed and quantified to reveal the amount of oxidized nanofibrillar cellulose in the sample. A method for determining the concentration of oxidized nanofibrillar cellulose in a sample comprises steps of providing an analytical sample of material comprising oxidized nanofibrillar cellulose; hydrolyzing the analytical sample to breakdown products of oxidized nanofibrillar cellulose in presence of one or more enzymes; subjecting the breakdown products to a separation analysis to reveal the relative amounts of the breakdown products; and determining the concentration of oxidized nanofibrillar cellu-lose.

A method of extracting viable bacterial cells from a soil sample by mixing a dispersant-surfactant solution with a soil sample to form a soil slurry, adding the soil slurry to a centrifuge tube containing a density gradient medium, centrifuging the centrifuge tube to form a solvent layer above the density gradient medium, wherein the solvent layer comprises viable bacterial cells, extracting the solvent layer containing the viable bacterial cells, combining the extracted solvent layer with a PBS solution to form a PBS-cell mixture, filtering the PBS-cell mixture to form a cell filtrate, depositing the cell filtrate into a second centrifuge tube containing a quantity of the density gradient medium, centrifuging the second centrifuge tube to form a second solvent layer comprising the viable bacterial cells, and extracting the second solvent layer from the second centrifuge medium to form a second cell filtrate comprising the viable bacterial cells.

Disclosed herein are methods for quantifying total endotoxin load in a biofilm sample. Also provided are methods for identifying a gram-negative biofilm derived bacterial infection. The disclosed methods more accurately define actual total endotoxin levels and can detect the presence of endotoxin in a given biofilm volume at a higher resolution than current extraction techniques.

Methods that may be used for the electrochemical detection of multiple parameters, including chemical compounds. Further provided are cells that may be used in the electrochemical detection of multiple parameters, including chemical compounds, as well as a kit for the electrochemical detection of multiple parameters, including chemical compounds.

Aluminum coated glass slides provide a novel glycan array platform. Specifically, aluminum coated glass slides increase sensitivity of fluorescent based assay methods. Additionally, aluminum coated glass slides allows for mass spectroscopic analysis of carbohydrates and provide a platform for examining activity of cellulases. The unique properties of ACG slides include: the metal oxide layer on the surface can be activated for grafting organic compounds such as modified oligosaccharides; the surface remains electrically conductive, and the grafted oligosaccharides can be simultaneously characterized by mass spectrometry and carbohydrate-binding assay; and the slides are more sensitive than transparent glass slides in binding analysis.

Methods and solutions are disclosed for the quantification of mixed-linkage beta-glucan in plant biomass samples. Improved alkaline pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and glucose measurement parameters are provided that increase the accuracy, precision, and sensitivity of mixed-linkage beta-glucan assays.

Aluminum coated glass slides provide a novel glycan array platform. Specifically, aluminum coated glass slides increase sensitivity of fluorescent based assay methods. Additionally, aluminum coated glass slides allows for mass spectroscopic analysis of carbohydrates and provide a platform for examining activity of cellulases. The unique properties of ACG slides include: 1) the metal oxide layer on the surface can be activated for grafting organic compounds such as modified oligosaccharides; 2) the surface remains electrically conductive, and the grafted oligosaccharides can be simultaneously characterized by mass spectrometry and carbohydrate-binding assay; and 3) the slides are more sensitive than transparent glass slides in binding analysis.

Methods and compositions for detecting Coccidioidomycosis featuring amino acids 105-310 of the Cts1 protein or amino acids 111-310 of the Cts1 protein; or peptide sequences that are similar to amino acids 105-310 of the Cts1 protein or similar to amino acids 111-310 of the Cts1 protein. Compared to standard immunodiffusion testing of undiluted sera for these antibodies, the present invention shows specific detection above non-immune sera at 1:100 dilution. The methods and compositions of the present invention help reduce the non-specific antibody binding unrelated to acquiring a coccidioidal infection, thereby providing a more sensitive test for early coccidioidal infection because signal could be distinguished at lower intensity, avoiding confusion with nonspecific antibody binding.

Methods are disclosed for detecting and measuring polysaccharide-hydrolyzing enzyme activity or concentration by partial hydrolysis using a pre-determined, yet short, incubation time and a pre-determined temperature. The resulting reaction mixture has unique chemical (i.e., reaction products) and physical (i.e., viscosity) properties that can be used to detect or measure the polysaccharide-hydrolyzing enzyme activity or concentration.

A method is provided for determining, the presence and concentration of an analyte by contacting said sample with a solution comprising: magnetic beads, a capture probe capable of binding said analyte, a reporter probe and cellulose, whereby, if the analyte is present, an MB-analyte-reporter-cellulase sandwich is formed; and then contacting said solution comprising said sandwich with an electrode covered with an electrically insulating layer comprising or consisting of cellulose and/or a cellulose derivative, wherein the MB-analyte-reporter-cellulase sandwich leads to degradation of the insulating layer thereby causing a measurable change in electrical properties at the electrode surface, wherein said change in electrical properties is a function of the amount of analyte in said sample. Devices and biosensor applying the method are also provided.