The present invention relates to methods and compositions for monitoring, diagnosis, prognosis, and determination of treatment regimens in subjects suffering from or suspected of having a renal injury. In particular, the invention relates to using assays that detect one or more of Follistatin-related protein 3, Basigin, Cathepsin B, and Tenascin as diagnostic and prognostic bio-marker assays in renal injuries.

Compositions and methods are provided for the detection of a urinary tract infection by detecting and quantitating at least eight proteins in the sample. Aptamer based proteomic analysis revealed a urine protein signature that differentiated urinary tract infections from culture negative urine samples, regardless of pyuria status. Inclusion of these candidate biomarkers, either alone or in combination, to traditional urinalysis biomarkers assist clinicians in identifying true urinary tract infections, from culture negative pyuria, at the point of care The identified patients can then be treated with a therapeutic pharmaceutical composition comprising standard antibiotics.

Described herein are methods and compositions for—inter alia—lowering the specific gravity of urine and lowering the calcium oxalate risk index of in felines. In particular, diets and methods utilizing certain amounts and ratios of arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

The disclosure provides compositions and methods for the detection of renal disease and periodontal disease in mammals.

The invention relates to a method for rapidly determining the susceptibility of a microorganism to an antimicrobial agent comprising the steps: a) contacting a first sample containing the microorganism with a first growth medium so as to form a first mixture, wherein the first growth medium is selected to enable the microorganism to proliferate and/or encourage the microorganism cell cycle to commence proliferation; b) contacting a second sample containing the microorganism with a second growth medium so as to form a second mixture, wherein the second growth medium is substantially the same as the first growth medium but further comprises a first antimicrobial agent which may inhibit or slow the proliferation of the microorganism; c) incubating the first and second mixtures, for 30 minutes or less, under conditions suitable to enable or encourage proliferation of the microorganism; d) passing the first and second mixture, or portion thereof, through a flow cytometer in order to assess one or more biochemical and/or biophysical parameters of the microorganisms in both mixtures; and e) comparing the parameters of the microorganisms in the first mixture with that of the second mixture, after incubation, in order to detect whether the first antimicrobial agent inhibits or slows the proliferation of the microorganism so as to determine the susceptibility of a microorganism to said agent. The method is particularly suited for identifying the which antimicrobial agents would be suitable for the treatment of microbial infections, such as Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

Described herein are kits for assessing the calcium oxalate titration test of an animal as well as methods for predicting the risk of calcium oxalate stone formation. Further described herein are methods and compositions for—inter alia—lowering the specific gravity of urine and lowering the calcium oxalate titration test in felines. In particular, diets and methods utilizing certain amounts and ratios of arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are disclosed herein.

Methods and systems for identifying and/or treating urinary disorders are provided. The methods and systems generally operate by obtaining a urine sample from a subject, identifying (such as by using nucleic acid sequencing) an abundance of a first set of one or more microbes (such as one or more bacteria or viruses) in the urine sample, and determining whether the subject suffers from a urinary disorder based on the abundance of the first set of one or more microbes. In some cases, the methods and systems further operate by identifying a second set of microbes to supplement a microbiome in the urinary tract of the subject. In some instances, the methods and systems further operate by treating the urinary disorder using the second set of microbes. In some instances a preservation solution is utilized.

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-1β inhibitors and MMP inhibitors, or proteins selected from ASC or NLRP-3. Diagnostic methods are also described and claimed.

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-1β inhibitors and MMP inhibitors, or proteins selected from ASC or NLRP-3. Diagnostic methods are also described and claimed.

Methods for analyzing a urine sample to determine if it contains a microorganism linked to an infection. The method comprising: providing culture-independent urine sample from patient; and analyzing the sample; where the culture-independent urine sample contains a microorganism linked to a UTI if at least one decarboxylated amino acid metabolite selected from agmatine, putrescine or cadaverine is detected in the culture-independent urine sample. The presence of agmatine is strongly indicative of a urinary tract infection caused by a majority of UTI-causing microorganisms. Another method for sample analysis, for or apart from UTI issues, employs liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy of eluents separated using continuous chromatography of a sample spiked with an amount of isotopically labelled target compound. In another embodiment, the method further employs two-stage, isocratic continuous chromatography and possibly including chromatography through more than one column with elution to a common mass spectrometer.