The present invention provides a method comprising a step of estimating the kidney function of an arbitrary subject by a regression analysis which employs the amount of a D, L-amino acid in a biological sample from the arbitrary subject as an explanatory variable and employs the amount of filtrated glomeruli in the arbitrary subject as an object variable, by employing a previously determined formula (I): Y=a.sub.1.Math.X.sub.1+a.sub.2.Math.X.sub.2+ . . . +a.sub.n.Math.X.sub.n+b (I) [wherein a.sub.1 to a.sub.n independently represent a constant obtained by the regression analysis; X.sub.1 to X.sub.n independently represent a variable of the amount of the D,L-amino acid which is selected by the regression analysis; and b represents a constant obtained by the regression analysis] on the basis of the Y value calculated from the amount of the D, L-amino acid in the biological sample from the object to be evaluated. Also provided is a system for carrying out the method.

The present disclosure provides new approaches in developing templated polymer-based chemical receptors. At least some embodiments of the invention use a stimuli-responsive polymer [e.g., poly-Nisopropylacrylamide (pNIPAM)] as a polymer backbone with the incorporation of functional monomers (for analyte recognition). In at least some embodiments of the invention, vinylferrocene may be used as a redox-active label for electrochemical transduction.

The invention relates to a method comprising a) providing a blood sample from a subject b) determining the level of CPS-.sub.1 expression in said sample c) comparing the level of CPS-.sub.1 expression of (b) to the level of CPS-.sub.1 expression determined from a blood sample from a subject with mild to moderate fibrosis of the liver d) determining the level of glutamate in said sample e) comparing the level of glutamate of (d) to level of glutamate determined from a blood sample from a subject with mild to moderate fibrosis of the liver f) wherein if the level of glutamate of (d) and CPS-.sub.1 expression of (b) is higher than the level of glutamate and CPS-.sub.1 expression from a blood sample from a subject with mild to moderate fibrosis of the liver, it is inferred the subject has increased likelihood of having advanced or severe (F3/F4) fibrosis of the liver.

The present invention relates to use of PAK4 and CRTC1 or the treatment or diagnosis of a degenerative brain disease. Specifically, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of a degenerative brain disease comprising PAK4 (p21-activated kinase 4) or a PAK4 activator as an effective ingredient. In addition, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of a degenerative brain disease comprising a CRTC1 expression enhancer or activator as an effective ingredient, a diagnostic kit for a degenerative brain disease comprising an agent for detecting CRTC1, and a method for screening a substance for the prevention or treatment of a degenerative brain disease, comprising (a) applying a candidate drug to brain tissue or brain cells containing CRTC1 gene or CRTC1 protein; (b) measuring the degree of phosphorylation in CRTC1; and (c) determining the candidate drug as a substance for the prevention or treatment of a degenerative brain disease when the measurement in step (b) indicates that the phosphorylation in CRTC1 is increased.

The present invention relates to isolated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and/or antigen-binding fragments thereof that specifically recognize indoxyl sulfate, a protein-bound uremic toxin, and uses of such isolated anti-IS mAbs and/or antigen-binding fragments thereof to create immunoassay methods applied in theragnosis of IS-related diseases.

The present invention relates to the field of biochemistry, more particularly to proteomics, more particularly to protein sequencing, even more particularly to single molecule peptide sequencing. The invention discloses means and methods for single molecule protein sequencing and/or amino acid identification using cleavage inducing agent. Said cleavage inducing agents which are not specific for one particular amino acid, cleave polypeptides step by step from the N-terminus onwards and provide information on the identity of the cleaved amino acids based on the kinetics of said reaction.

The present disclosure provides, inter alia, genetically encoded recombinant peptide biosensors comprising analyte-binding framework portions and signaling portions, wherein the signaling portions are present within the framework portions at sites or amino acid positions that undergo a conformational change upon interaction of the framework portion with an analyte.

[Problem to be solved] To provide a method for analyzing amino acids capable of easily analyzing D/L-amino acids in a sample with high reproducibility, particularly a simultaneous analytical method for L-amino acids and D-amino acids constituting a protein.

[Solution] A method for analyzing amino acids by liquid chromatography, in which a sample containing a plurality of kinds of amino acids is derivatized with a derivatization reagent, and the obtained derivatized sample is circulated on a column together with a mobile phase, wherein the mobile phase is composed of a plurality of mobile phases, and at least one mobile phase is a mixed solvent system, wherein two or more kinds of derivatized samples are prepared using two or more kinds of derivatization reagents, wherein different analytical conditions in which mixing ratio of the plurality of the mobile phases is changed with a passage of time are set for each kind of the derivatization reagent, and a solvent mixing ratio in the mobile phase being the mixed solvent system is set for the each kind of the derivatization reagent, and wherein the two or more kinds of derivatized samples are analyzed by automatically switching between the different analytical conditions and the solvent mixing ratio to separate and quantify derivatized L-amino acids and derivatized D-amino acids.

A handheld Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) device for detecting phenylalanine (Phe) in a sample collected from a subject, the device comprising a laser generator configured to produce a laser beam; a nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (NAAO) substrate configured to receive the sample collected from the subject; and a light sensor configured to receive a light.

The present invention relates to the detection or diagnosis of infection or inflammation in a patient. In particular, the invention provides methods that allow the detection of markers in a sample from a patient or subject, such as a blood sample, which will indicate whether the patient or subject has an infection or has an inflammatory response.