Abstract: A method of screening for a plant defense activator, which enhances an immune response of a plant, from at least one candidate substance includes: contacting a plant cell in which a jasmonic acid-dependent defense pathway and a salicylic acid-dependent defense pathway of a plant defense system are capable of working independently from each other, with a candidate substance; contacting the plant cell with a trigger material that induces an immune response; and assaying the plant cell after contacting with the trigger material based on an index representing an immune response, to select a target substance that enhances an immune response of the plant. A method of enhancing an immune response of a plant includes use of a specific compound, and a plant immune response enhancer includes the specific compound.

Abstract: Polymer particles having a multi-block vinylic polymer attached to their surface are disclosed. The particles can be used in a variety of purification and detection methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for testing different selected materials and/or surface structures for the culture of cells and/or microorganisms.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for identifying a nucleic acid (e.g., RNA, DNA, etc.) motif which interacts with a ligand. The method includes providing a plurality of ligands immobilized on a support, wherein each particular ligand is immobilized at a discrete location on the support; contacting the plurality of immobilized ligands with a nucleic acid motif library under conditions effective for one or more members of the nucleic acid motif library to bind with the immobilized ligands; and identifying members of the nucleic acid motif library that are bound to a particular immobilized ligand. Also disclosed are methods for selecting, from a plurality of candidate ligands, one or more ligands that have increased likelihood of binding to a nucleic acid molecule comprising a particular nucleic acid motif, as well as methods for identifying a nucleic acid which interacts with a ligand.

Abstract: The present invention relates to quality control methods using inorganic binding peptides, wherein inorganic entities are identified using inorganic-binding peptides specifically binding to the inorganic entity of interest. In particular, the invention includes a method for the identification of defects or inhomogeneities on a surface by detecting an inorganic entity of interest. It further includes a method for the isolation of powder particles comprising an inorganic entity of interest from a mixture of powder particles. In addition, the present invention relates to inorganic-binding peptides comprising the amino acid sequence MTWDPSLASPRS (SEQ ID NO: 31) and the amino acid sequence LNAAVPFTMAGS (SEQ ID NO: 32), respectively.

Abstract: The present invention concerns molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) having an affinity for natriuretic peptides, such as atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). In some embodiments, the MIP is a nanoparticle (a molecularly imprinted polymeric nanoparticle (MIPNP)). Other aspects of the invention include methods of preparing an MIP having affinity for a natriuretic peptide, methods for binding a natriuretic peptide in vitro or in vivo using an MIP of the invention, methods for interfering with the binding of a natriuretic peptide with its receptor in vivo, methods for reducing inflammation, cell growth, cell differentiation, or a cell proliferation disorder, methods for detecting natriuretic peptides, and devices and kits for sequestering and/or detecting natriuretic peptides.

Abstract: The invention is directed towards novel amino acid based compounds, which may be isotopically enriched, and methods of use of such compounds for characterizing one or more molecules of a sample by mass spectrometry, the method comprising: (a) reacting the one or more molecules with the compound; and (b) characterizing the one or more molecules by mass spectrometry.

Abstract: The invention provides a surface, wherein said surface comprises (i) a polymer substrate and (ii) sugar groups and peptide groups coupled to said substrate suitable for culturing hepatocytes.

Abstract: The present invention provides isolated, non-viable bacterial cells comprising a plurality of nucleic acid crosslinks, methods for making said cells, and methods for using said cells to isolate DNA-protein complexes. In particular, the nucleic acids of the cells are crosslinked by contacting the cells with a furocoumarin compound and ultraviolet light.

Abstract: The present invention provides sets of VOCs for breath analysis. Methods of use thereof in diagnosing, monitoring or prognosing breast cancer, head and neck cancer, prostate cancer or colon cancer are disclosed.

Abstract: A DNA library, and a preparing method thereof, a method of determining DNA sequence information, an apparatus and a kit for detecting SNPs, and a method for genotyping may be provided. The method for preparing the DNA library may comprise the steps of: digesting a genomic DNA sample using a restriction endonuclease to obtain a digested product, wherein the restriction endonuclease comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of Mbo II and Tsp 45I; separating the digested product to obtain DNA fragments having a length of 100 bp to 1,000 bp; end-repairing the DNA fragments to obtain an end-repaired DNA fragments; adding a base A to the end of the end-repaired DNA fragments to obtain DNA fragments having a terminal base A; and ligating the DNA fragments having the terminal base A with sequencing adaptors to obtain the DNA library.

Abstract: A method for performing multiplexed bead-based immunoassays using a microfluidic cassette capable of detecting a particle passing in substantially single file through an interrogation zone and generating a Coulter effect signal responsive to a characteristic of the particle. A fluid sample may be prepared by associating antibody-coated beads of different sizes to particles of interest. A first multiplexing option may be based on bead size, in which case the intensity of the Coulter signal is used to sort or characterize the particles. A second multiplexing option may be based on detection of Stokes' shift phenomena, or even simply emission intensity, in which case particles may be characterized responsive to intensity of the signal resulting from detection of radiation. The first and second multiplexing options may be employed together to populate an array of particle characteristics.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for the identification of compounds which bind to a target component of a biochemical system or modulate the activity of the target, comprising the steps of: a.) compartmentalizing the compounds into microcapsules together with the target, such that only a subset of the repertoire is represented in multiple copies in any one microcapsules; and b.) identifying the compound which binds to or modulates the activity of the target. The invention enables the screening of large repertoires of molecules which can serve as leads for drug development.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for identifying novel drug candidates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rapid, sensitive method for forensic drug testing in a post-mortem subject using oral fluid collected from the post-mortem subject. The method comprises collecting a sample of oral fluid from a post-mortem subject, analyzing the oral fluid sample qualitatively to detect the presence of one or more drugs, and analyzing the oral fluid sample quantitatively to determine the concentration of the one or more drugs in the post-mortem subject. The method is about three times more effective with respect to detection of one or more drugs compared to the conventional use of blood, urine, bile, and liver tissue collected from the same post-mortem subject. Further, the amount of time needed to obtain the qualitative and quantitative results from the method of the present invention is at least twice as fast compared to conventional methods using blood, urine, bile, and liver tissue.

Abstract: A reactive mass label for labelling a biological molecule for detection by mass spectrometry, which label comprises a reactive functionality for labelling thiol groups or carbonyl groups. Also provided is a reactive mass label for labelling a biological molecule for detection by mass spectrometry, wherein the mass label comprises the following structure: X-L-M-S—Re wherein X is a mass marker moiety, L is a cleavable linker, M is a mass normalization moiety, S is a mass series modifying group comprising the following group: wherein J is C?O, K is NH, and n is 2 or J and K are both CH2 and n is 1, and wherein m is at least 1; and Re is a reactive functionality for attaching the mass label to a biological molecule.

Abstract: This invention provides a technique enabling to detect target molecules of low concentration with high sensitivity. This invention includes (i) a step of introducing a hydrophilic solvent (42) containing beads (40),(41?) into a space (30) between (a) a lower layer section (10) including a plurality of receptacles (13) each of which is capable of storing only one of the beads (41),(41?) and which are separated from each other by a side wall (12) having a hydrophobic upper surface and (b) an upper layer section (20) facing a surface of the lower layer section (10) on which surface the plurality of receptacles (13) are provided; and (ii) a step of introducing a hydrophobic solvent (43) into the space (30), the step (ii) being carried out after the step (i).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying in a sample molecules with the capacity to bind to the different members of a molecule library, wherein the molecules which are in the sample are fractionated based on a physicochemical property of the sample and subsequently transferred from the support in which said molecules have been separated to a second support in which the different members of the molecule library are grouped into microarrays such that they uniformly coat the surface of the support. This technique is especially interesting for the identification in a sample of glycoproteins with affinity for a lectin library as well as for the identification of compounds capable of modulating the glycosylation of proteins and for the rapid characterization of alterations in the glycosylation pattern of a sample of proteins, which can be useful in the diagnosis of diseases in which there are alterations in cell glycosylation.

Abstract: The present system provides novel methods and compositions for selecting a particular strand of RNA and/or producing a cDNA library that results in an unbiased representation of RNA in a sample.

Abstract: The present invention relates to solution microarrays. In particular, the present invention relates to an aqueous 2-phase system for solution microarrays and uses thereof. Additional embodiments are described herein.