Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of detecting the presence of detergent- or urea-insoluble amyloid-like fibrils or protein aggregates on filters. Preferably, said fibrils or aggregates are indicative of a disease, preferably of a neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease or Huntington's disease. In addition, the present invention relates to inhibitors identified by the method of the invention, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said inhibitors and to diagnostic compositions useful for the investigation of said amyloid-like fibrils or aggregates.

Abstract: There is described a method for forming an emulsion (1) containing at least one dispersed phase (3) and a continuous phase (2) in a fluidic microsystem (100), said method comprising the steps: forming flows (4, 5) of different liquids which flow towards a dispersion region (10), and forming the emulsion (1) from the liquids in the dispersion region (10), wherein the flows (4, 5) run through a common channel (20) to the dispersion region (10) and the flows (4, 5) are arranged next to one another relative to a first reference direction, and wherein the emulsion (1) is produced as the liquids flow through a cross-sectional widening (11) provided in the dispersion region (10), at which the cross section of the channel (20) widens in a second reference direction different from the first reference direction. A fluidic microsystem for forming an emulsion (1) containing a continuous phase (2) and at least one dispersed phase (3) is also described. A fusion of droplets in electric fields is also described.