Disclosed are an anti-idiotype antibody that specifically binds to an idiotope site of an anti-c-Met antibody, the use of the anti-idiotype antibody for detecting the anti-c-Met antibody, and methods, polypeptides, polynucleotides, compositions, and vaccines related thereto.

The apparatus for analyzing a disease sample according to the present invention includes: a member for separating and quantitatively determining an amino acid stereoisomer in a biological material from a subject; a member for obtaining a disease state index value through a calculation by substituting the amount of the amino acid stereoisomer into a discriminant equation; and a member for outputting disease state information on the subject on the basis of the disease state index value. The method for analyzing a disease sample according to the present invention includes: a step of measuring the amount of amino acid stereoisomers in a biological material from a subject; a step of obtaining a disease state index value through a calculation by substituting the amount of the amino acid stereoisomers into a discriminant equation; and the like.

The present invention relates to a method for treating autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or ASD-like symptom, particularly by administering a zinc ion source and/or a serine component e.g. D-serine or its precursor/analogue, optionally in combination with a mixture of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). The present invention also relates to a combination, kit or composition for performing the method for treatment as described herein. Further described is use of a zinc ion source and/or a serine component and optional BCAAs for manufacturing a medicament for treating a symptom or disease characteristics associated with ASD or ASD-associated disorder or as a food supplement for ameliorating relevant symptoms in a subject in need thereof. The present invention further provides an animal model for autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) with deficient CTTNBP2 gene, and a method for identifying an ingredient effective in the treatment of ASD by using such animal model.

Provided is a colorectal cancer inspection method by which the presence of early colorectal cancer at any one of stages from 0 to 2 can be accurately determined. The colorectal cancer inspection method includes: measuring the amounts of at least lactic acid, pyruvic acid, and glycolic acid among a plurality of kinds of in vivo metabolites contained in a biological sample collected from a test subject, based on data obtained by performing a chromatograph-MS/MS analysis on the biological sample; and determining the presence of colorectal cancer at any one of stages from 0 to 2, based on a measurement value of at least one of the lactic acid, the pyruvic acid, and the glycolic acid.

The present invention provides a non-cryopreservation method that enables inexpensive and stable storage of feces. More specifically, the present invention provides: (A) a storage method of feces, the storage method including drying the feces in the presence of a solid desiccant; (B) a hermetic container including: (a) a solid desiccant; and (b) feces under the non-contact state with the solid desiccant; and (C) a feces fixing article including: (a) one or more members containing or fixing a solid desiccant; and (b) feces under the contact state with the solid desiccant. As the solid desiccant, a water absorbing solid desiccant such as silica gel is preferred.

Provided is a method for further improving therapeutic effect and cost efficiency by ascertaining cancer type and treatment responsiveness for individual patients. The invention provides a method which includes providing information regarding cancer type of a subject, comprising assessing the cancer type of the subject using a marker relating to the amount of a D-amino acid in blood of the subject, and providing information relating to the cancer type of the subject, based on the assessment results, as well as a system for providing information pertaining to cancer in a subject, which carries out the method.

The present invention addresses the problem of developing an analytical method which makes it possible to diagnose early or mild renal disorders. The method is based on calculating a disease-state index value for renal disorders on the basis of the quantities of D-form and/or L-form amino acids, from feces or intestinal content. By comparing the disease-state index value with a threshold value determined from the disease-state index values of a renal failure patient group and a healthy subject group, it is possible to diagnose a mild renal disorder patient group.

Provided herein are methods for quantifying the concentration of multiple metabolites in a sample. Also provided are methods for relative quantification of multiple metabolites in a sample, methods for monitoring the course of a cell culture, and methods for optimising a cell culture.

An in vitro method for predicting the onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in a subject, comprises the steps of: (a) measuring the concentration of at least one amino acid, amino acid derivative or amino acid metabolite in a biological sample taken from the subject; (b) determining the subject's HLA genotype; (c) assigning the subject's genetic risk of developing T1D on the basis of the subject's HLA genotype; (d) combining the information obtained in step (a) with the information in step (c); and (e) predicting the likelihood of onset of T1D based upon the combination of step (d). The diagnostic method can be used to select target subjects for T1D prophylactic treatment, and as part of a T1D preventative treatment regime for neonates having a likelihood of developing childhood T1D.

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.