Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of a device comprising a synthetic polymeric substrate having a high quality finish upper surface, the upper surface having at least a bilayer coating comprising a first, reflective layer and a second, transparent layer. Also disclosed are kits containing embodiments of the disclosed device and detectable particles. Also disclosed are various embodiments of a method of using the disclosed device and various embodiments of a method of using the disclosed kit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods use in designing immunoassay controls. In various aspects, the invention provides synthetic peptides comprising the sequence CPRRPYIL (SEQ ID NO: 1) or an analog thereof; ELAGLGFAELQC (SEQ ID NO: 4) or an analog thereof; and CDWRKNIDAL (SEQ ID NO: 8) or an analog thereof; specific binding reagents that bind to a CPRRPYIL (SEQ ID NO: 1), ELAGLGFAELQC (SEQ ID NO: 4) or CDWRKNIDAL (SEQ ID NO: 8) peptide; methods of producing such reagents; and assays utilizing such reagents to provide assay controls signals that are unrelated to the measurement of the analyte or analytes of interest in that no reagents used in the analyte assay(s) contribute to the control signal.

Abstract: A method to assess a subject diagnosis is provided. The method includes receiving an image from an image-capturing device, the image comprising an area of interest in a test cartridge, and finding a border of the area of interest of the test cartridge and applying a geometrical transformation on an area delimited by the border of the test cartridge to bring the image of the area of interest in the test cartridge to a selected size and a selected shape. The method also includes identifying a target region within the area of interest of the test cartridge, evaluating a quality of the image based on a characteristic feature of the target region, and providing commands to adjust an optical coupling in the image-capturing device when the quality of the image is lower than a selected threshold.

Abstract: A method to assess a subject diagnosis is provided. The method includes receiving an image from an image-capturing device, the image comprising an area of interest in a test cartridge, and finding a border of the area of interest of the test cartridge and applying a geometrical transformation on an area delimited by the border of the test cartridge to bring the image of the area of interest in the test cartridge to a selected size and a selected shape. The method also includes identifying a target region within the area of interest of the test cartridge, evaluating a quality of the image based on a characteristic feature of the target region, and providing commands to adjust an optical coupling in the image-capturing device when the quality of the image is lower than a selected threshold.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods use in designing immunoassay controls. In various aspects, the invention provides synthetic peptides comprising the sequence CPRRPYIL (SEQ ID NO: 1) or an analog thereof; ELAGLGFAELQC (SEQ ID NO: 4) or an analog thereof; and CDWRKNIDAL (SEQ ID NO: 8) or an analog thereof; specific binding reagents that bind to a CPRRPYIL (SEQ ID NO: 1), ELAGLGFAELQC (SEQ ID NO: 4) or CDWRKNIDAL (SEQ ID NO: 8) peptide; methods of producing such reagents; and assays utilizing such reagents to provide assay controls signals that are unrelated to the measurement of the analyte or analytes of interest in that no reagents used in the analyte assay(s) contribute to the control signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods use in designing immunoassay controls. In various aspects, the invention provides synthetic peptides comprising the sequence CPRRPYIL (SEQ ID NO: 1) or an analog thereof; ELAGLGFAELQC (SEQ ID NO: 4) or an analog thereof; and CDWRKNIDAL (SEQ ID NO: 8) or an analog thereof; specific binding reagents that bind to a CPRRPYIL (SEQ ID NO: 1), ELAGLGFAELQC (SEQ ID NO: 4) or CDWRKNIDAL (SEQ ID NO: 8) peptide; methods of producing such reagents; and assays utilizing such reagents to provide assay controls signals that are unrelated to the measurement of the analyte or analytes of interest in that no reagents used in the analyte assay(s) contribute to the control signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods use in designing immunoassay controls. In various aspects, the invention provides synthetic peptides comprising the sequence CPRRPYIL or an analog thereof; ELAGLGFAELQC or an analog thereof; and CDWRKNIDAL or an analog thereof; specific binding reagents that bind to a CPRRPYIL, ELAGLGFAELQC or CDWRKNIDAL peptide; methods of producing such reagents; and assays utilizing such reagents to provide assay controls signals that are unrelated to the measurement of the analyte or analytes of interest in that no reagents used in the analyte assay(s) contribute to the control signal.

Abstract: A method to assess a subject diagnosis is provided. The method includes receiving an image from an image-capturing device, the image comprising an area of interest in a test cartridge, and finding a border of the area of interest of the test cartridge and applying a geometrical transformation on an area delimited by the border of the test cartridge to bring the image of the area of interest in the test cartridge to a selected size and a selected shape. The method also includes identifying a target region within the area of interest of the test cartridge, evaluating a quality of the image based on a characteristic feature of the target region, and providing commands to adjust an optical coupling in the image-capturing device when the quality of the image is lower than a selected threshold.

Abstract: A circuit in an image-capturing device is provided. The circuit includes a light source controller configured to provide a signal to a light source when a cartridge mount has received, inside a dark chamber, a test cartridge. The circuit also includes a sensor array controller configured to activate at least one pixel in a sensor array when the light source is activated, and to receive a signal from the at least one pixel, the signal indicative of an optical intensity of a light emitted from the test cartridge. The circuit also includes a processor, configured to form a transmittable file with the signal from the at least one pixel, and a radio-frequency antenna configured to transmit the transmittable file to an external processor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods use in designing immunoassay controls. In various aspects, the invention provides synthetic peptides comprising the sequence CPRRPYIL or an analog thereof; ELAGLGFAELQC or an analog thereof; and CDWRKNIDAL or an analog thereof; specific binding reagents that bind to a CPRRPYIL, ELAGLGFAELQC or CDWRKNIDAL peptide; methods of producing such reagents; and assays utilizing such reagents to provide assay controls signals that are unrelated to the measurement of the analyte or analytes of interest in that no reagents used in the analyte assay(s) contribute to the control signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of screening for ligands of target molecules. The methods of the present invention include assays in which a target molecule is subjected to denaturing conditions, and compounds are screened for the ability to alter the susceptibility of the target to unfolding. The methods of the present invention use fluorescence detection to determine that degree of unfolding of a target molecule. In some aspects of the present invention, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is detected. In other aspects of the invention, fluorescence polarization (FP) is detected. In preferred embodiments, a target molecule such as a target protein is heated to a temperature, called TATLAS, at which at least a portion of the target molecule unfolds, in the presence of a test compound.