Positive allosteric modulators of melanocortin receptors, especially allosteric potentiators of the receptors MC3R and MC4R are described herein. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions containing the positive allosteric modulators and methods of treating obesity or an obesity-related disorder such as type 2 diabetes, comprising administering an effective amount of the positive allosteric modulator.

The present invention relates to the use of BMMF Rep-protein as biomarker for breast cancer.

The invention provides an infrared assay which allows the secondary structure analysis of alpha-synuclein from complex fluids like serum, blood plasma or cerebrospinal fluid without prior isolation, concentration or pretreatment. The secondary structure profile provides an indication of the proportion of alpha-synuclein in aggregated form and/or extent of aggregation of alpha-synuclein in aggregated form.

The present invention includes a method of inhibiting or reducing mTOR signaling or inhibition of indoleamine dioxygenase-1 (IDO1) in a subject with a proliferative disease, which comprises administering to the subject having or suspected to have the proliferative disease, a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of the compound of Formula I:

##STR00001##

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof.

A method for metastasis diagnosis, including adhering a plurality of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) on an array of electrodes patterned on a substrate to cover the array of electrodes by HUVECs, measuring an initial electrical signal from each electrode of the array of electrodes, introducing a metastatic-suspicious sample onto the substrate and measuring a set of time-lapse electrical signals from the array of electrodes. Each electrode has an On/Off two-state, including an On state for an entirely-covered electrode by a HUVEC and an Off state for a partially-covered electrode by a HUVEC. Diagnosing metastasis responsive to detecting a state change from On to Off for at least one electrode of the array of electrodes.

Diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment methods, compositions, and kits for enhancing insulin secretion and beta cell numbers and functions, and controlling glycemia associated with diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis, stroke, myocardial infarction, and other cardiovascular diseases, by modulating FKN/CX3CR1 expression levels or activities, and its downstream signaling pathways in a subject in need or at risk.

The present disclosure provides compounds and methods useful in the treatment of neurological disorders. The compounds of the invention, alone or in combination with other pharmaceutically active agents, can be used for treating or preventing neurological disorders.

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.

The present invention provides methods for identifying biomarker proteins that exhibit differential expression in subjects with a first lung condition versus healthy subjects or subjects with a second lung condition. The present invention also provides compositions comprising these biomarker proteins and methods of using these biomarker proteins or panels thereof to diagnose, classify, and monitor various lung conditions. The methods and compositions provided herein may be used to diagnose or classify a subject as having lung cancer or a non-cancerous condition, and to distinguish between different types of cancer (e.g., malignant versus benign, SCLC versus NSCLC).

Materials and non-invasive methods are provided for determining a subject's present drug metabolic capacity by assessing a biofluid sample taken from the subject following administration of a compound and identifying phenotypic variations in activity of one or more drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) enzymes extracted from extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the biofluid sample. Additional materials and methods are provided for determining compound (e.g., drug) efficacy and dose ranging, either in a subject or in a treatment cohort, by quantifying level of expression of such ADME enzymes EVs selectively isolated from biofluid.