A method of isolating at least one sphingolipid portion selected from a sphingoid base portion, a ceramide portion, a glycosphingolipid portion or a phosphosphingolipid portion from Cordyceps, in particular from wild-type Cordyceps, allows for obtaining sphingolipid portions having an increased amount of one of sphingoid bases, ceramides, glycosphingolipids or phosphosphingolipids. The sphingolipid portions isolated contained significant amounts of sphingolipids not reported so far, and possess exceptional immunosuppressive activities. A method of treating a subject suffering from an inflammatory disease like an autoimmune disease or an allergic disease includes administering sphingolipids isolated from Cordyceps, in particular from wild-type Cordyceps. A method of treating a subject suffering from an inflammatory disease includes administering certain sphingolipids to the subject. Still further in accordance with the present invention is a composition, in particular a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one sphingolipid portion.

Described herein are methods for stratifying Alzheimer's disease among male and female subjects by analyzing biomarker metabolites. In one aspect, the biomarker metabolite comprises one or more of PC ae C44:4, PC ac C44:5, or PA ae C44:6; or PC ac C44:4, PC ac C44:5, PC aa C32:1, PC aa C32:0, or PC ae C42:4.

Disclosed herein are methods for identifying one or more diseased cells in a subject. Some embodiments include providing a biological sample derived from a subject, analyzing the biological sample by mass spectrometry, and determining the abundance of one or more lipids in the biological sample, wherein an altered abundance of the one or more lipids in the biological sample, as compared to a reference level, indicates a presence of one or more diseased cells in the subject from which the biological sample is derived.

The present invention inter alia provides a method, and use thereof, of predicting CV complications such as AMI, ACS, stroke, and CV death by determining the concentrations of at least one ceramide of Group A and at least one ceramide of Group B in a biological sample and comparing those concentrations to a control. Finding a decreased concentration of at least one Group A ceramide and an increased concentration of at least one Group B ceramide indicates that the subject has an increased risk of developing one or more CV complications. Also provided are a newly identified subset of ceramide molecules, labelled versions thereof, and kits and compositions comprising the same for use in predicting and/or diagnosing CV complications.

A method of analysis using mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising: using a first device to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of a first target of biological material; and el mass and/or ion mobility analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said aerosol, smoke, or vapour, or ions derived therefrom so as to obtain first spectrometric data. The method may use an ambient ionisation method.

An apparatus for performing ambient ionization mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a substantially cylindrical, tubular, rod-shaped, coil-shaped, helical or spiral-shaped collision assembly; and a first device arranged and adapted to direct analyte, smoke, fumes, liquid, gas, surgical smoke, aerosol or vapor onto said collision assembly.

An apparatus is disclosed comprising a first device for generating aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of a target, an inlet conduit to an ion analyser or mass spectrometer, the inlet conduit having an inlet through which the aerosol, smoke or vapour passes, and a Venturi pump arrangement arranged and adapted to direct the aerosol, smoke or vapour towards the inlet.

Provided herein are biomarkers for cancer screening and monitoring. In particular, provided herein are lipid biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, risk, and response to treatment.

A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The method comprises: using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target comprising or consisting of a microbial population; mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and analysing said spectrometric data in order to analyse said microbial population.

Provided are methods and compositions which are useful for separating, isolating, detecting, and quantifying compounds of interest which have been modified chemically, enzymatically or catalytically from other compounds which have not been so modified. The modifications may take the form of functional groups which are gained, lost or retained by the compounds of interest.