The invention provides gastroenterological cancer determination methods that involve contacting a specimen, an antibody 1 that recognizes an α chain of human haptoglobin, and an antibody 2 that recognizes a β chain of human haptoglobin and does not recognize human haptoglobin in which an S—S bond is cleaved to form a complex 1, or contacting the specimen and two antibodies selected from the antibodies 2 that recognize a β chain of human haptoglobin and do not recognize human haptoglobin in which an S—S bond is cleaved to form a complex 2. A determination is made based on the measurement of complex 1 or 2. Alternatively, the specimen and two antibodies selected from the antibodies 1 that recognize an α chain of human haptoglobin are contacted to form a complex 3, and a determination is made by comparing the measurement results of complex 1 or 2 with complex 3.

Provided are a composition for diagnosing breast cancer and a method of diagnosing breast cancer using the same. Breast cancer may be diagnosed using blood in a simple manner.

A milking arrangement comprising a milking machine for milking an animal, wherein the milking arrangement comprises a control unit that is configured to obtain identity of the animal in connection with milking of the animal, obtain a reference point in time of a lactation cycle of the identified animal, determine to take at least one milk sample of the animal, when a predetermined time period has passed from the reference point in time; obtain a Haptoglobin level from the milk sample, compare the obtained Haptoglobin level with a Haptoglobin reference limit, and indicate health condition of the animal, based on the made comparison.

According to the present disclosure, a method for detecting an analyte using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is provided. The method comprises (a) contacting one or more analyte-binding molecules with the analyte under conditions that allow binding of the analyte to the one or more analyte-binding molecules to form a first mixture, wherein the analyte is preferably haptogloblin and the analyte-binding molecule may comprise haemoglobin or is a haptogloblin antibody, (b) contacting a liquid reagent comprising a peroxidase substrate and a peroxide source with the first mixture to form a second mixture, while maintaining pH of the second mixture at 10 or less, (c) quenching the second mixture to form a third mixture, (d) optionally contacting the third mixture with a SERS-active substrate, and (e) detecting a surface enhanced Raman signal from the third mixture and/or a surface of the SERS-active substrate.

The present invention provides a nucleic acid aptamer specifically recognizing 3-lactoglobulin and use thereof. The nucleic acid aptamer has a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:1, a sequence having 60% or higher homology to the sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:1 and specifically recognizing β-lactoglobulin, or a sequence derived from the sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:1 and specifically recognizing β-lactoglobulin. The nucleic acid aptamer specifically binds to the allergen β-lactoglobulin in cow milk and dairy products, thereby providing a new tool for the high-sensitivity and low-cost detection of the allergen β-lactoglobulin.

A method for implementing an adapted patient care for an individual suffering from liver fibrosis after assessing liver fibrosis progression in the individual, and thus determining whether the individual is a slow, medium or fast fibroser. Also, a method for treating an individual suffering from liver fibrosis and identified as a fast fibroser, which includes the steps of identifying the individual as a fast fibroser by assessing fibrosis progression and treating the individual by administering without delay at least one therapeutic agent for treating liver fibrosis, or for treating the underlying cause responsible for liver fibrosis, or both.

The present invention is directed to methods and compositions of treating cardiovascular disease or disorder in a subject in need thereof, comprising steps of determining and identifying the haptoglobin phenotype of the subject and thereby selecting the course of treatment with an agent capable of raising HDL.

Methods and assays for determining the activation level of the plasma kallikrein (pKal) system and the uses thereof for assessing the activity of pKal modulators on the pKal system.

Provided herein are methods for assessing a disease score of a subject suffering from or suspected to be suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or associated disease mechanisms, wherein the disease score represents COPD activity or a risk of a severe acute COPD event or mortality. The disease score can be used to stratify the subject into a specific risk category and can further inform patient management decisions. The methods can involve determining a biomarker signature including two or more biomarkers associated with COPD or COPD mechanisms. In some cases, the methods include timing of collection of patient samples with respect to acute event or treatment course. Further provided herein are methods for identifying and/or treating subjects having a greater risk of developing COPD exacerbations.

An assay method for detecting the presence or amounts of VCAM-1 and A2M in a sample using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET).