Abstract: A method of bioassay for the quantification of peptide fragments relevant to neurodegenerative conditions comprising a neo-epitope formed by cleavage of a Tau protein by a secretase such as ADAM10 comprises contacting a blood derived sample with an antibody specific for the neo-epitope and determining the level of binding of said immunological binding partner to peptide fragments in said sample. Neo-epitope containing peptide levels are found to be inversely correlated to cognitive function.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel use of calcitonin in rheumatoid arthritis, and to methods of treating and/or preventing rheumatoid arthritis and conditions associated therewith in mammals, particularly humans. In particular, a method is provided of preventing or/and treating rheumatoid arthritis in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of calcitonin, e.g. salmon calcitonin in free form or salt form, in a pharmaceutically acceptable oral delivery form, wherein the therapeutically effective amount of a calcitonin is delivered orally in a composition comprising the calcitonin and a delivery agent for calcitonin.

Abstract: An assay for Type II collagen fragments in serum, plasma, or synovial fluid obtains a quantitative measure of the concentration of all protein fragments in a serum, plasma, or synovial fluid sample that are reactive with an antibody, or immunoreactive antibody fragment, having specific reactivity with a C-terminal epitope present in the amino acid sequence GPPGRDGAAG and lacking specific reactivity with an amino acid sequence comprising the amino acid sequence GPPGRDGAAGV, which may be Mab NB44-3C1 as produced by the cell line deposited in HPA Culture Collection Logistics Office with Accession Number 10091402.

Abstract: Excessive articular cartilage degradation is treated or prevented by administration to a mammal such as a human Pueraria lobata (Kudzu) root or an extract thereof.

Abstract: Enterally administered calcitonin family members other than amylin, particularly calcitonin itself, are effective to treat Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes or metabolic syndrome, for mitigating insulin resistance, and for reducing serum glucose levels.

Abstract: Methods of diagnosis or of quantitation of pathological conditions comprise conducting an immunoassay to measure neo-epitope containing protein fragments naturally present in a biofluid sample, and associating an elevation of said measure in said patient above a normal level with the presence or extent of pathology. The immunoassay is conducted by a method comprising: contacting protein fragments naturally present in said sample with an immunological binding partner reactive with a neo-epitope formed by cleavage of a protein by a proteinase and measuring the extent of binding of peptide fragments to said immunological binding partner to measure therein protein fragments comprising said neo-epitope. Neo-epitopes from, collagen type I, collagen type III, collagen type IV, collagen type V, collagen type VI, elastin, biglycan, decorin, lumican, versican, C-reactive protein, ApoE and laminins are described.

Abstract: A method of immunoassay for fragments of a protein such as type II collagen in a biological sample detects fragments having a first epitope containing an isomerised amino acid residue and a second epitope generated by cleavage of the protein by the use of respective antibodies binding each of the two epitopes.

Abstract: A method of bioassay for the quantification of peptide fragments comprising a neo-epitope formed by cleavage of a protein of an atherosclerotic plaque such as lumican, versican, perlecan, decorin, biglycan, collagen type III, CRP, ApoE, or elastin, by a proteinase, said comprises contacting a sample such as urine or serum with an antibody reactive with the neo-epitope and determining the level of binding of said immunological binding partner to peptide fragments in said sample. The assay is predictive of risk of cardiovascular disease events.

Abstract: A method of diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) an immunoassay to measure aggrecan fragments in said sample, and association of an elevation above a normal level with the presence of CVD, is conducted by contacting aggrecan fragments in said sample with an first antibody reactive with an N-terminal first epitope formed by cleavage of aggrecan by a proteinase and with a second antibody reactive with a second aggrecan epitope which is present in aggrecan at a location in the C-terminal direction from the location of said N-terminal epitope, and measuring the extent of simultaneous binding of both antibodies.

Abstract: Methods of diagnosis or of quantitation of fibrosis comprise conducting an immunoassay to measure neo-epitope containing protein fragments naturally present in a biofluid sample, and associating an elevation of said measure in said patient above a normal level with the presence or extent of fibrosis. The immunoassay is conducted by a method comprising: contacting protein fragments naturally present in said sample with an immunological binding partner reactive with a neo-epitope formed by cleavage of a protein by a proteinase and measuring the extent of binding of peptide fragments to said immunological binding partner to measure therein protein fragments comprising said neo-epitope, and wherein said protein is collagen type III, collagen type I, collagen type IV, collagen type V, or collagen type VI, elastin, biglycan, decorin, lumican, versican, perlecan, neurocan, brevican, fibromodulin, serglycin, syndecan, betaglycan, vimentin, or C-reactive protein.

Abstract: A method of deriving a quantitative measure of a degree of calcification of a blood vessel such as an aorta by processing an image such as an X-ray image of at least a part of the blood vessel containing said calcification comprises: taking a starting set of digital data representative of an image of at least part of a blood vessel containing a calcification set against a background; estimating the boundary of the calcification; using inpainting to replace digital data in said starting set representing the calcification with data extrapolating the boundary of the background to extend over the area of calcification, and so generating an inpainted set of digital data; and computing the difference between the starting set of digital data and the inpainted set of digital data to obtain a quantitative measure of the degree of calcification of the blood vessel.

Abstract: A method for the analysis of three dimensional scan data representing an articular cartilage is provided to extract a quantitative parameter indicative of joint pathology. A measure of local curvature of the cartilage is determined within a region of interest. The value of the quantitative parameter of this joint derived from this measure is compared with the value of a similar quantitative parameter previously established in respect of healthy joints and/or joints characterised by a pathology.