Chronic inflammation is an increasing medical problem area of high socioeconomic significance. The invention relates to a method and a kit for diagnosing a molecular phenotype of a patient suffering from an illness accompanied by chronic inflammation, and to a medicament for treating such a patient. To that end, the gene expression of GATA-3 and/or Tbet in a biological isolate of the patient is measured and used for association with a molecular phenotype of the illness.

A novel substrate-bound DNAzyme complex is provided comprising a DNAzyme bound to a nucleic acid-based substrate. The DNAzyme comprises a pair of binding arms which hybridize to binding regions on the substrate, and a catalytic domain between the binding arms. The nucleic acid-based substrate comprises a phosphorothioate-modified ribonucleotide cleavage site between the binding regions of the substrate. The catalytic domain of the DNAzyme catalyzes heavy metal-dependent cleavage of the substrate cleavage site. The DNAzyme complex is useful in a method of heavy metal sensing. A novel cadmium-selective DNAzyme is also described for cadmium sensing.

It is disclosed a method for determining the biological activity of defibrotide, which comprises the steps of: a) bringing into contact defibrotide, mammalian euglobulin and a substrate specific for the plasmin which, by reaction with the plasmin, provides a measurable product; and b) measuring the amount of product formed at successive times, to thereby determine the biological activity of the defibrotide. Liquid defibrotide formulations are also disclosed, preferably water solutions, having a defined biological activity and, in particular, having an activity of 25 to 35 IU/mg of defibrotide, preferably from 27 to 32 IU/mg and, more preferably, from 28 to 32 IU/mg.

Certain aspects of the present invention relate to methods and reagents for the treatment of prostate cancer. Also included in the present invention is an enzymatic nucleic acid molecule (“DNAzyme”) comprising a catalytic core and two specific binding arms complementary to a nucleic acid sequence comprised in an Androgen Receptor mRNA molecule. Also included are compositions comprising the enzymatic nucleic acid molecules and methods of treating disorders such as prostate cancer comprising use of such nucleic acid molecules.

Methods and compositions using dnayzme-based GATA3 inhibitors for the treatment of insulin resistance and Type II diabetes, for the stimulation of adipogenesis in vivo, and for the promotion of fat redistribution are disclosed.

It is disclosed a method for determining the biological activity of defibrotide, which comprises the steps of: a) bringing into contact defibrotide, mammalian euglobulin and a substrate specific for the plasmin which, by reaction with the plasmin, provides a measurable product; and b) measuring the amount of product formed at successive times, to thereby determine the biological activity of the defibrotide. Liquid defibrotide formulations are also disclosed, preferably water solutions, having a defined biological activity and, in particular, having an activity of 25 to 35 IU/mg of defibrotide, preferably from 27 to 32 IU/mg and, more preferably, from 28 to 32 IU/mg.

Provided herein are DNAzymes conjugated to an organic moiety and methods of facilitating entry of DNAzymes into bacteria, utilizing same. Also provided are methods of targeting bacterial target genes, methods of treating or inhibiting the progression of bacterial infections, and methods of increasing susceptibility of bacteria to an antibiotic, using the described DNAzymes, which are optionally capable of silencing at least one target gene of bacteria and/or rendering bacteria susceptible to antibiotic treatment.

Provided herein are methods and compositions related to treating a hemoglobinopathy. Also provided herein a gene therapeutics for the treatment of hemoglobinopathies and the induction of fetal hemoglobin (HbF).

In the present specification, on the basis of the correlation between prospero homeobox protein 1 (PROX1) and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), a composition for regulating expression of TERT, a method for screening a TERT expression regulator, a composition for diagnosing a TERT expression status, a diagnostic kit, a method for providing information for diagnosis, or a method for providing information for cancer diagnosis are disclosed. Specifically, in one aspect, the PROX1 of the present disclosure may bind to a TERT promoter, in particular a mutant TERT promoter in which base substitution occurs at the -124 or -146 bp position to regulate the expression of TERT, and the expression of TERT in non-hepatitis B virus-associated liver cancer can be inhibited specifically among liver cancers.

This disclosure relates to recognition moieties, biosensors, biosensor systems and kits thereof, and the methods for their use in detecting a target nucleic acid molecule in a test sample, including viral RNA and methods for determining whether a subject has a viral infection. The methods disclosed herein include detecting a viral infection in a subject comprising testing a sample from the subject for the presence of a target nucleic acid using a biosensor system, wherein presence of a target nucleic acid indicates that the subject has a viral infection.