The present disclosure provides a measurement method of telomerase activity with no occurrence of false-negative and high quantitative capability. In the measurement method of telomerase activity of the present disclosure, a solution containing telomerase as a sample solution is mixed with a solution containing primer DNA as a substrate for telomerase even as or after a solution containing non-primer DNA not as a substrate for telomerase is mixed therewith. Non-primer DNA can remove an effect of DNase in the sample solution and prevent occurrence of false-negative. Subsequently, the primer DNA is extended with the telomerase and the extended primer DNA is detected, through which telomerase activity is measured.

Methods of determining polymerase fidelity are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises filling a gapped plasmid with a polymerase to form a gap-filled plasmid, wherein the gap-filled plasmid comprises a gene encoding an protein that is functional or non-functional depending on the polymerase fidelity; forming a plurality of partitions from a solution comprising the gap-filled plasmid and a label for detecting the presence of the plasmid; detecting the presence of the gap-filled plasmid in one or more of the partitions; and determining the fidelity of the polymerase by determining a ratio of partitions containing the gene encoding a functional protein to partitions containing a gene encoding a non-functional protein.

The present invention provides a method for diagnosing cancer, predicting a disease outcome or response to therapy in a patient sample. The method involves isolating a circulating tumor cell (CTC), for example, a viable CTC, from a sample using a parylene microfilter device comprising a membrane filter having or consisting of a parylene substrate, which has an array of holes with a predetermined shape and size; and detecting and quantifying telomerase activity in blood circulating tumor cells. The invention further provides methods of using cells live-captured in various applications.

An isothermal gene amplification method that allows an RNA virus to be detected easily and inexpensively in a short time is presented. The isothermal gene amplification method involves a target sequence in an RNA genome, and includes: (A) producing an amplification reaction template; (B) DNA amplifying for increasing the amplification reaction template; and (C) RNA amplifying.

This invention provides compositions and methods to treat a condition or disease without the use of exogenous targeting sequences or chemical compositions. The present invention relates to single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), proteins and polypeptides comprising the sdAbs that are directed against targets that cause a condition or disease. The invention also includes nucleic acids encoding the sdAbs, proteins and polypeptides, and compositions comprising the sdAbs. The invention includes the use of the compositions, sdAbs, and nucleic acids encoding the sdAbs for prophylactic, therapeutic or diagnostic purposes.

Methods for rapidly and accurately detecting genetic material from hop latent viroid RNA (HLVd) that combines reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) technology with specific oligonucleotide primers, fluorophore-labeled oligonucleotide primers, quencher-conjugated oligonucleotide primers, pH buffers, and enzymes, are described. The methods include at least one internal positive control targeting sequence, for minimizing false positive and false negative results, thereby allowing more certain interpretation of the results. The reaction can be performed at a single elevated temperature, can be completed in 1-1.5 hours, and the results can readily be interpreted by visually observing the fluorescence color of the reaction using ultraviolet light, or by using an electronic image acquisition system for viewing fluorescence results from one or more reactions.

The invention relates to a peptide of 15 to 20 amino acids deriving from TERT protein, which peptide is capable of (i) binding to HLA class II and (ii) stimulating a CD4 Th response. These universal cancer peptides are especially useful in anti-tumor immunotherapy and immunomonitoring.

The invention provides TERT gene fusions, TERT fusion proteins, and fragments of those genes and polypeptides. The invention further provides methods of diagnosing diseases or disorders associated with TERT fusions, such as conditions mediated by aberrant TERT expression or activity, or overexpression of TERT.

The disclosure provides methods for resolving an inconclusive cytological assessment of clinically relevant cells in a sample obtained from a patient based on the cytological detection of antibody binding to telomerase in clinically relevant cells in the sample, wherein binding of the antibody to clinically relevant cells indicates the presence of malignant or cancerous cells.

The invention relates to a peptide of 15 to 20 amino acids deriving from TERT protein, which peptide is capable of (i) binding to HLA class II and (ii) stimulating a CD4 Th response. These universal cancer peptides are especially useful in anti-tumor immunotherapy and immunomonitoring.