Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for the diagnosis and evaluation of stroke and transient ischemic attacks. In a particular aspect, patient samples are analyzed for the presence or amount of a panel of markers comprising one or more specific markers for cerebral injury and one or more non-specific markers for cerebral injury. In an alternative aspect, samples are analyzed for B-type natriuretic peptide. A variety of markers are disclosed for assembling a panel for such diagnosis and evaluation. In various aspects, the invention provides methods for early detection and differentiation of stroke types and transient ischemic attacks, for determining the prognosis of a patient presenting with stroke symptoms, and identifying a patient at risk for cerebral vasospasm. Invention methods provide rapid, sensitive and specific assays to greatly increase the number of patients that can receive beneficial stroke treatment and therapy, and reduce the costs associated with incorrect stroke diagnosis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for measuring a “complex of oxidized LDL and CRP” which comprises using an “anti-CRP antibody”. An “anti-apoB antibody and/or anti-?2-GPI antibody” is preferably used in the method of the present invention, which preferably comprises at least a step for forming a sandwich complex represented by “the anti-apoB antibody and/or anti-?2-GPI antibody”-“the complex of oxidized LDL and CRP”-“the anti-CRP antibody”. Either the “anti-apoB antibody and/or anti-?2-GPI antibody” or the “anti-CRP antibody” is preferably immobilized on a solid phase. According to the measuring method of the present invention, the “complex of oxidized LDL and CRP” may be simply, promptly and easily measured with high sensitivity, high accuracy at a lower cost.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to assays and methods involving Cytochrome c (Cyt c) and leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein-1 (LRG), and related antibodies. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method of detecting LRG in a sample, the method including disposing Cyt c on a substrate; contacting the sample with the Cyt c; contacting bound components of the sample with an antibody or antibody fragment specific for LRG; and quantitating the amount of the antibody or antibody fragment bound to LRG. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method of purifying or enhancing the purity of LRG from a sample, the method including contacting the sample with Cyt c; forming a complex between LRG in the sample and Cyt c; removing uncomplexed components of the sample; releasing LRG from the complex with Cyt c; and collecting the released LRG.

Abstract: A method of testing an animal for pregnancy or sex identification comprising the steps of first, providing a first vessel containing a liquid and having a removable surface wherein said removable surface is at least partially coated with an antibody and then introducing a bodily fluid from the female animal into said first vessel so that said bodily fluid contacts the liquid and then manipulating the first vessel so that the liquid contacts the antibody. Then, a second vessel containing a reporter hormone solution is provided and the removable surface from the first vessel is displaced to the second vessel and manipulating the second vessel so that the reporter hormone solution contacts the removable surface. Then, a third vessel containing an indicating solution which has an appearance which is related to the amount of the reporter hormone contacted is provided, and the removable surface is displaced from the second vessel to the third vessel.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and kits for diagnosing a disease condition characterized by non-physiological levels of hepcidin, comprising obtaining a tissue or fluid sample from a subject; contacting the sample with an antibody or fragment thereof that specifically binds to a polypeptide corresponding to the mid-portion or C terminus of a hepcidin protein, and quantifying the hepcidin level using an assay based on binding of the antibody and the polypeptide; wherein the non-physiological level of hepcidin is indicative of the disease condition. The present invention also concerns diagnostic methods and kits for applications in genetic technological approaches, such as for overexpressing or downregulating hepcidin. The present invention further concerns therapeutic treatment of certain diseases by treatment of subjects with hepcidin and agonists or antagonists of hepcidin.

Abstract: Devices are provided for the controlled exposure of a sensor or sensor component. The device may include a substrate; at least one reservoir provided in the substrate; at least one sensor or sensor component located in the at least one reservoir; at least one reservoir cap closing an opening in the at least one reservoir to isolate the sensor or sensor component from a selected environmental component outside of the at least one reservoir; at least one intermediate barrier layer disposed in the at least one reservoir between the reservoir cap and the sensor or sensor component; and means for disintegrating the reservoir cap to expose the sensor or sensor component to the selected environmental component.

Abstract: A method for use in a flow matrix, which utilizes biospecific affinity reactions to detect an analyte in the sample, and which comprises allowing the sample comprising the analyte and an analytically detectable reactant (Reactant*) to migrate through flow channels in a flow matrix to a detection zone located in the matrix, in which there is a firmly anchored biospecific affinity reactant (Capturer), and capturing the Reactant* in the detection zone in an amount related to the amount of analyte in the sample. The Reactant* has labeled particles of an analytically detectable group, and the Capturer is anchored to the matrix by immobilized particles which exhibit hydrophilic groups on their surface. A test kit comprises a flow matrix having a detection zone in which there is a firmly anchored biospecific affinity reactant (Capturer), and an analytically detectable reactant (Reactant*).

Abstract: Rapid mass spectrometric immunoassay methods for detecting and/or quantifying antibody and antigen analytes utilizing affinity capture to isolate the analytes and internal reference species (for quantification) followed by mass spectrometric analysis of the isolated analyte/internal reference species. Quantification is obtained by normalizing and calibrating obtained mass spectrum against the mass spectrum obtained for an antibody/antigen of known concentration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a non-invasive diagnosis method of endometriosis by detecting biochemical marker in serum or peritoneal fluid, in particular alpha 1-antitrypsin, fragments of alpha 1-antitrypsin, or a combination of both. The diagnosis of endometriosis is performed with observing in serum specimens of a patient the concentration and change of the biochemical marker, in particular molecules related to alpha 1-antitrypsin, and comparing with a predetermined baseline level of the biochemical marker contained in serum. Statistical analysis can be performed to evaluate the baseline level indicating the occurrence of endometriosis. Therefore, the present invention can provide an auxiliary guideline for the diagnosis of endometriosis. The present invention also relates to usage of the biochemical marker.

Abstract: The present invention makes use of unique tags of a specific biopolymer that can be exploited for determining the concentration the biopolymer in crude solutions. In preferred embodiments the biopolymer is either a protein or a polynucleotide. Particularly, the invention provides a method for the determination and quantitation of biomolecules in crude mixtures by way of a separation technique in combination with mass spectroscopy. In one general embodiment, a target biomolecule is selected for analysis and an analog thereof is generated. Peak area integration of the peptide pairs provides a direct measure for the amount of target protein in the crude solution.

Abstract: The invention features a method of adjusting the concentration of at least one but not all of a plurality of analytes in a fluid sample to match a known working range of detection of an analyte assay system, where each of the plurality of analytes may or may not be present within an expected initial concentration range having a high end and a low end, and at least one analyte has a high end expected concentration range that exceeds the high end of the working range of the assay system. The expected concentration of the high concentration analyte is adjusted by a proportional scaling constant, ?, so that the high end of the adjusted expected concentration range is less than or equal to the high end of the working range, without adjusting the expected concentration range of at least one other of the plurality of analytes.

Abstract: Presented herein is the construction of pipettor tips (termed MSIA-Tips) containing porous solid supports that are constructed, covalently derivatized with affinity ligand, and used to extract specific proteins and their variants from various biological fluids by repeatedly flowing the fluids through the MSIA-Tips. A second protein species (a mass-shifted variant of the targeted protein doped into the samples at a constant concentration) is co-extracted with the endogenous protein and variants and is used as a quantitative internal reference standard (IRS). Nonspecifcally bound compounds are rinsed from the MSIA-Tip using a series of buffer and water rinses, after which the wild type protein, protein variants and the IRS are eluted from the MSIA-Tips directly onto a target in preparation for analysis such as MALDI-TOF. Mass spectrometry of the eluted sample then follows with the retained proteins identified via accurate molecular mass determination.

Abstract: A method for preventing or inhibiting non-specific binding reactions between a detection reagent and an antigen in an immunological assay is described. The method involves using tetrameric antibody complexes that can bind to the antigen and are comprised of two monoclonal antibodies of a first animal species linked to two monoclonal antibodies of a second animal species that can bind the antibodies of the first animal species. Preferably, the antigen is an Fc Receptor and the method reduces the binding of a detection antibody with Fc receptors present on the surface of many cells.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed wherein labeled antibodies can be provided in vivo to tissue having antigens that specifically bind the labeled antibody. A first optical radiation is emitted into the tissue in vivo to excite the labeled antibody bound to the antigen in vivo. A second optical radiation that is emitted by the excited labeled antibody, in response to the excitation thereof, can be detected in vivo. Related telemetric circuits and compositions of matter are also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to the diagnosis and/or monitoring of patients with inflammatory diseases or conditions, including systemic lupus erythematosus, particularly for diagnosis of the acute stage of the disease, including methods and kits for carrying out this activity. This disclosure presents the surprising discovery that levels of complement pathway components on reticulocytes can be used to diagnose, monitor, or predict the occurrence of acute episodes of chronic inflammatory diseases or conditions.

Abstract: The immobilization of proteins at solid surfaces facilitated by incorporation of a polypeptide segment which is capable of adopting a folded structure is described. Materials comprising proteins so immobilized and uses thereof are also described.

Abstract: A sensor for a selected analyte in a test sample has (a) a semipermeable membrane with pores for retaining the analyte, where the membrane has been chemically modified by attachment of membrane modifiers; (b) immunoassay labels which have label binding ligands where these label binding ligands will have a binding affinity for the membrane modifiers in the presence of the analyte, and a measurably different binding affinity for the membrane modifiers in the absence of the analyte; and (c) a label detecting system, for detecting the presence of the labels on the membrane.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and kits for diagnosing a disease condition characterized by non-physiological levels of hepcidin, comprising obtaining a tissue or fluid sample from a subject; contacting the sample with an antibody or fragment thereof that specifically binds to a polypeptide corresponding to the mid-portion or C terminus of a hepcidin protein, and quantifying the hepcidin level using an assay based on binding of the antibody and the polypeptide; wherein the non-physiological level of hepcidin is indicative of the disease condition. The present invention also concerns diagnostic methods and kits for applications in genetic technological approaches, such as for overexpressing or downregulating hepcidin. The present invention further concerns therapeutic treatment of certain diseases by treatment of subjects with hepcidin and agonists or antagonists of hepcidin.

Abstract: Rapid mass spectrometric immunoassay methods for detecting and/or quantifying antibody and antigen analytes utilizing affinity capture to isolate the analytes and internal reference species (for quantification) followed by mass spectrometric analysis of the isolated analyte/internal reference species. Quantification is obtained by normalizing and calibrating obtained mass spectrum against the mass spectrum obtained for an antibody/antigen of known concentration.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for indirectly determining the blood-clotting status.