Disclosed herein are compositions, systems, and methods for diagnosing and treatment of subjects suffering from anxiety, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or a pathological condition with one or more of the symptoms of ASD.

Disclosed is a method for selectively eliminating triglycerides in lipoproteins other than low density lipoprotein, which method allows one to provide a method for directly and differentially quantifying LDL-TG in a sample with excellent simplicity, specificity and accuracy using an automated analyzer or the like without performing a laborious operation of pretreatment such as centrifugation or electrophoresis. The method for eliminating triglycerides in lipoproteins other than low density lipoproteins includes allowing lipoprotein lipase, cholesterol esterase, glycerol kinase and glycerol-3-phosphate oxidase to act on a sample in the presence of a surfactant that acts on lipoproteins other than low density lipoprotein and/or a surfactant having LDL-protecting action, and eliminating hydrogen peroxide produced thereby.

The present invention relates to the 14-3-3 protein which is a non-alcoholic fatty liver regulating factor. According to the present invention, two isoform proteins of 14-3-3, i.e., 14-3-3 and 14-3-3, are different regulating factors for regulating the transcriptional activity of PPAR.sub.2. 14-3-3 increases the transcriptional activity of PPAR.sub.2 by binding to PPAR.sub.2, on the other hand, 14-3-3 plays a role in decreasing the transcriptional activity of PPAR.sub.2. Thus, 14-3-3 and 14-3-3, which are PPAR.sub.2 regulating factors, are proteins that play a vital role in lipid metabolism, and may be used as a target for the prevention or treatment of fatty liver.

The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing pancreatic cancer in a subject comprising the steps of: (a) determining in at least one sample of said subject the amounts of a group of diagnostic biomarkers comprising (i) at least one diagnostic amino acid, said diagnostic amino acid being proline, histidine or tryptophan, preferably, being proline; (ii) at least one diagnostic ceramide, said diagnostic ceramide being ceramide (d18:1,C24:0) or ceramide (d18:2,C24:0), preferably being ceramide (d18:1,C24:0); (iii) at least one diagnostic sphingomyelin, said diagnostic sphingomyelin being sphingomyelin (35:1), sphingomyelin (d17:1,C16:0), sphingomyelin (41:2) or sphingomyelin (d18:2,C17:0), preferably being sphingomyelin (35:1); and (iv) CA19-9; and (b) comparing said amounts of the diagnostic biomarkers with a reference, whereby pancreatic cancer is diagnosed. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for determining the probability for a subject to suffer from pancreatic cancer, and to devices and uses related to said methods.

A method for determining colorectal cancer risk includes obtaining a blood sample of the subject, isolating serum or EDTA plasma from the blood sample, analyzing the serum or EDTA plasma to determine plasma levels of very long chain dicarboxylic acid (VLCDCA 28:4), comparing the determined plasmas level of VLCDCA 28:4 of the subject with a predetermined range of plasma levels of VLCDCA 28:4 of diagnosed subjects having colorectal cancer, and determining a colorectal cancer risk exists when the determined plasma level of VLCDCA 28:4 is within the predetermined range of plasma levels of VLCDCA.

The disclosure provides methods for differentiating between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The method includes measuring eicosanoids and fatty acid levels in a biological sample.

Provided herein are methods for diagnosing a pulmonary disease, for example chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, in a subject and for diagnosing a neurological disorder, for example, autism in a subject. Also provided is a method for increasing short chain fatty acid production in an older subject. Generally, the methods utilize stable isotope labeled, for example, .sup.13C-labeled, short chain fatty acid from which metabolic rates and concentrations are calculated to confirm a diagnosis or increase in the short chain fatty acid production.