A diagnostic test apparatus comprises: an elongate housing defining a test strip holder containing a lateral flow test strip; a fluid sampling chamber provided with an opening connecting the fluid sampling chamber with the test strip holder; a viewing window in the elongate housing allowing reading of one or more portions of the lateral flow test strip; and a connector configured to couple the diagnostic test apparatus to a bulk source of fluid.

The apparatus may be included in a kit of parts. The apparatus is useful for detecting peritonitis. The bulk source of fluid may be peritoneal dialysate. Various markers may be determined in the bulk source of fluid such as MMP8, IL-6, HNE, MMP2, MMP9, TIMP1, TIMP2, NGAL, A1AT, desmosine, fibrinogen, IL-8, calprotectin, fMLP, IL1b, cystatin C, HSA, RBP4, SPD, MPO, sICAM and TNFa. Detection of the markers to indicate peritonitis may also inform treatment choices.

Biomarkers tests which can be used to predict a positive or negative risk of preeclampsia are described. More specifically, a panel of biomarkers including MMP-7 and gpIIbIIIa, described. The test is useful to predict preeclampsia when a biological sample is obtained between the 16th and 22nd week of pregnancy. Prediction later in pregnancy can be achieved by a combination of Siglec-6, Activin A, ALCAM, and/or FCN2.

The methods described herein allow for the classification of patients into groups for receiving optimized radiation treatment based on patient specific biomarker signature. The biomarker signature includes markers that have been shown to correlate with TGF-B expression and to be associated with tumor aggressiveness, radioresistance and poor prognosis. The markers play a key role in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The methods described herein provide the dual benefits of anti-tumor efficacy plus normal tissue protection when combining TGF-B inhibitors with ionizing radiation to treat cancer patients.

Disclosed is a system, a kit, a use and an in vitro method for assessing whether a human patient suffering from periodontitis has mild periodontitis or advanced periodontitis. The system and method are based on the insight to apply a clustering technique to a reference set of patient data, and then further discriminating the sets of bio markers to be applied. The clusters are determined on the basis of the biomarkers Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), Matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP8), and Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9). The actual classification of the patient is done on the basis of the measurement of the concentrations of either of two sets of biomarkers. For one cluster these are Interleukin-1? (IL1?), Interleukin-6 (IL6), and Collagen Telopeptide. For the other cluster, these are HGF and metallopeptidase inhibitor 1 (TIMP1).

The invention relates to the field of diagnosis of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), such as mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (MMT), in particular EMT of the peritoneum, which often occurs upon peritoneal dialysis. The invention provides a method and kit based on markers comprising at least one extracellular matrix protein, e.g., collagen 13, collagen 6, and/or keratin 34, at least one protein involved in building and/or restructuring of extracellular matrix, e.g., matrix metalloproteinase 1, at least one protein involved in cell-cell and/or cell-matrix contacts, e.g., cadherin 13 or thrombospondin 1, at least one growth factor, e.g., VEGF, and, optionally, at least one BMP antagonist, e.g., Gremlin 1.

The present invention is directed to a method for identifying an individual who is at risk for developing metastatic liver disease that involves measuring, in a sample isolated from the individual, exosomal levels of one or more markers of metastatic liver disease. Kits for carrying out this method are also disclosed. The present invention also relates to a method of preventing metastatic liver disease in an individual who are at risk for developing the disease that involves administering one or more inhibitors of liver pre-metastatic niche formation.

Provided herein are biomarkers and therapies for the treatment of pathological conditions, such as cancer, and method of using FGFR3 antagonists. In particular, provided is FGFR3 as a biomarker for patient selection and prognosis in cancer, as well as methods of therapeutic treatment, articles of manufacture and methods for making them, diagnostic kits, methods of detection and methods of advertising related thereto.

The present disclosure relates to the biological markers SAP, SHBG, Myoglobin, MMP-9, and SCF that are predictive for patient response to treatment with a vascular disrupting agent. In particular, the present disclosure relates to biological markers predictive for cancer patient response to treatment with a vascular disrupting agent, as well as methods of treating a cancer patient with a vascular disrupting agent.

Identification of urokinase-type plasminogen, matrix metalloproteinase 9, and -2-microglobulin as novel biomarkers associated with liver fibrosis and uses thereof in diagnosing and staging liver fibrosis.

A method for treating cystitis, in particular acute cystitis, comprising administering to a patient in need thereof, an effective amount of a reagent selected from the group consisting of IL-1 inhibitors and MMP inhibitors, or proteins selected from ASC or NLRP-3. Diagnostic methods are also described and claimed.