Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease characterized by granulomatous inflammation in affected organs. The present invention discloses kits and a system for a blood test using mycobacterial catalase-peroxidase that has a high positive predictive value for confirming a diagnosis of sarcoidosis.

The invention provides novel methods of determining or comparing potency of a test interferon relative to rSIFN-co (an interferon having therapeutic effects on solid tumors); methods of establishing substantial equivalence between a test interferon and rSIFN-co; as well as methods for determining potency of a test interferon, kits for determination of such methods, and an interferon or an interferon substitute having said activities.

Disclosed herein are methods of diagnosing Rheumatoid arthritis in a subject comprising determining whether the subject is immunologically reactive with N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfatase and/or filamin-A, wherein immunological reactivity of the subject to one or more of N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfatase or filamin-A, as compared to an appropriate control, indicates the subject has rheumatoid arthritis. Examples of specific assays and kits for use with the methods are also disclosed.

The methods and apparatus of the present invention allow the evaluation of inflammation of the esophagus. Measurements may be utilized, for example, to diagnose a disease of the esophagus, to monitor inflammation of the esophagus, or to access the treatment of a disease of the esophagus. In one embodiment, the invention comprises a method for measuring esophageal inflammation comprising deploying a device into the esophagus of a subject, removing the device after a predetermined period of time, analyzing the device for a diagnostic indicator of esophageal inflammation and evaluating the diagnostic indicator to diagnose esophageal inflammation.

The present invention related to methods and compositions for maintaining IL-2 homeostasis, including low levels CN of IL-2, in a subject, for treating autoimmune disorders. In a preferred embodiment, the composition comprises 2-amino-dodecanoic acid (2Adod)-conjugated peptides selected from RSKAKNPLYR-(2Adod).sub.2-NH.sub.2, RSKAKNPLYR-(2ADod).sub.4-NH.sub.2, or peptides with the same sequence where all residues are substituted with D-amino acids, conjugated to two or four 2Adod.

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease characterized by granulomatous inflammation in affected organs. The present invention discloses kits and a system for a blood test using mycobacterial catalase-peroxidase that has a high positive predictive value for confirming a diagnosis of sarcoidosis.

Methods for monitoring whether a subject will be sensitive or resistant to treatment with an anti-SMAD7 therapy are disclosed. The methods are based on the determining of the amount of CCR9+ FOXP3+ T cells, CCR9+ IFN-gamma+ T cells, CCR9+IL17A+ T cells, FOXP3+ T cells, IFN-gamma+ T cells, and/or IL17A+ T cells in a sample from the subject. Measurement of T cell populations may be determined by flow cytometry, immunohistochemsistry, and/or ELISA.

The present disclosure refers to an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) plate comprising at least one row of reaction chambers, wherein the reaction chambers in the same row are in fluid communication with each other. Also enclosed is a system for detecting one or more target analytes comprising an ELISA plate as described herein, a plurality of magnetic beads and a magnet configured to cooperate with the magnetic beads. Also encompassed is a method of performing an ELISA assay which comprises of moving magnetic beads through subsequent reaction chambers, wherein the reaction chambers are alternatingly filled with a non-aqueous liquid, such as silicone oil, and aqueous ELISA reagents.

Information on cytokines and cytology obtained from a biological specimen are combined as a method of predicting the risk that dysplasia will progress to cancer.

A method for a pre-symptomatic diagnosis of a viral illness includes obtaining a biological sample with a peripheral blood mononuclear cell from a subject. The method further includes stimulating the biological sample, where the stimulation of the biological sample includes adding to the biological sample a predetermined amount of antigen configured to trigger a T-cell IFN- response in the biological sample and a predetermined amount of reagent configured to capture the T-cell IFN- response. The method may even further include comparing the level of the T-cell IFN- response detected in the biological sample to a control sample level, the control sample level including a control sample T-cell IFN- response level detected in a control sample of the subject, where if the level of the T-cell IFN- response in the biological sample is at a predetermined amount greater than the control sample level, the subject is diagnosed with the viral illness.