Abstract: The subject invention pertains to a method of halogenating phenols, yielding a range of halogenated phenols with enantiomeric ratio of up to 99.5:0.5. In certain embodiments, the subject invention pertains to a method of asymmetric halogenation of bisphenol, yielding a range of chiral bisphenol ligands. The novel chiral bisphenols are potent privileged catalyst cores that can be applied to the preparation of ligands for various catalytic asymmetric reactions. The catalyst library can easily be accessed because late-stage modification of the scaffold can readily be executed through cross-coupling of the halogen handles on the bisphenols.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and devices for pathogen or antibody detection using unmodified signaling substances with or without unlabeled detection reagents. Unmodified signaling substance include, but are not limited to, a molecule, a material or a part of a material that is not modified with an antibody, an antigen, a pathogen, a DNA probe or an aptamer molecule. Unlabeled detection reagent refers to an antibody, an antigen, a pathogen, a DNA probe, or an aptamer that is not labeled with a signaling molecule such as enzyme, biotin, streptavidin, fluorescence or chemiluminescence probe, etc.

Abstract: The subject invention pertains to a method of halogenating phenols, yielding a range of halogenated phenols with enantiomeric ratio of up to 99.5:0.5. In certain embodiments, the subject invention pertains to a method of asymmetric halogenation of bisphenol, yielding a range of chiral bisphenol ligands. The novel chiral bisphenols are potent privileged catalyst cores that can be applied to the preparation of ligands for various catalytic asymmetric reactions. The catalyst library can easily be accessed because late-stage modification of the scaffold can readily be executed through cross-coupling of the halogen handles on the bisphenols.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are unique assay methods and devices that provide simple and quick evaluation of function, status and/or activity of an immune system of a subject. Specifically exemplified is a method that involves mixing an assay substance with a blood or blood component from the subject to form an assay product that comprises at least one unit of the assay substance and at least one molecular component of the blood or blood component; analyzing the assay product under conditions to determine an assay product property (the assay product property including a physical, chemical, optical, electrical, magnetic, and/or mechanical property); and comparing the assay product property with a correlative property of an unexposed assay substance to generate a comparative data value, wherein the comparative data value indicates the function, status and/or activity of an immune system of the subject.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a device for separation of serum or plasma from blood cells without application of an external force, such as centrifugation or pressure. The device comprises a hollow body having a top open end and a bottom end comprising a porous membrane. Particularly, the pore size of the porous membrane is between 10 nm and 20 ?m. The invention also pertains to methods of separating serum or plasma from blood cells, the methods comprising introducing into the device a mixture of serum or plasma and blood cells and incubating the device in a substantially vertical position for between about one minute and thirty minutes to allow the separation of serum or plasma from blood cells under gravity.