Abstract: This invention provides a method of improving the humoral immune response or increasing the concentration levels of glutathione in mammals, which comprises administering orally to a mammal a therapeutically or a prophylactically effective amount of undenatured whey protein concentrate which has a biological activity based on the overall amino acid and associated small peptides pattern resulting from the contribution of all its protein components. A method for improving the humoral immune response in mammals also is disclosed which comprises administering orally to a mammal the combination of a vitamin supplement containing vitamin B.sub.2 in an amount in excess of minimum daily requirements and an effective amount of undenatured whey protein concentrate. This invention further provides a dietary supplement for a mammal which comprises an effective amount of vitamin B.sub.1, and B.sub.2 and a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of whey protein supplement.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of quantitatively determining the amount of bacterial endotoxin present in a periodontal pocket of a subject. The method comprises:a) obtaining a sample from the periodontal pocket of the subject;b) contacting the sample with an amebocyte lysate under conditions so as to activate an enzyme capable of cleaving a bond between an arginyl group and a nitrogen-containing group;c) contacting the activated enzyme with a substrate comprising an arginyl group and a suitable nitrogen-containing group bound to the arginyl group so as to form an amine;d) treating the resulting amine to produce a detectable product; ande) quantitatively determining the amount of product formed and thereby the amount of bacterial endotoxins present in the periodontal pocket.

Abstract: The invention provides compounds, several of which belong to a class having two or more nonpolar components connected by a polar group and having polar groups on the termini of the compound.The invention also concerns a method of selectively inducing termini differentiation of neoplastic cells and thereby inhibiting proliferation of such cells which comprises contacting the cells under suitable condition with an amount of the compound effect to selectively induce terminal differentiation.Moreover, the invention provides a method of treating a patient having a tumor characterized by proliferation of neoplastic cells which comprises administering to the patient an amount of the compound effective to selectively induce terminal differentiation of such neoplastic cells, thereby inhibiting their proliferation and suppressing oncogenicity.

Abstract: This invention concerns a coordination complex or salt thereof which is spectroscopically or photoactively determinable when bound to DNA having the formula ##STR1## wherein M is a suitable transition metal and each of R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is ethylenediamine, bipyridine, phenanthroline, diazafluorene-9-one or a substituted derivative thereof, or phenanthrenequinonediimine or a substituted derivative thereof, dypyridophenazine or a substituted derivative thereof; wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are bound to M by coordination bonds; provided that at least one of R1, R2 or R3 is dypyridophenazine or a substituted derivative thereof. The invention also concerns a labeled DNA probe which comprises the complex covalently bound to the DNA probe.

Abstract: This invention provides an auto-anti-idiotypic method for producing a monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody. The method involves contacting lymphoid cells of an animal under suitable conditions with an effective antibody-raising amount of an antigen, collecting the lymphoid cells from the animal at a suitable time after the contacting and fusing the collected lymphoid cells with appropriate myeloma cells to produce a series of hybridoma cells each of which produces a monoclonal antibody. The method further involves screening, under suitable conditions, the series of hybridoma cells so produced to identify those which secrete a monoclonal antibody capable of binding to an antibody directed to the antigen, or to a receptor where the antigen is a ligand to the receptor, separately culturing a hybridoma cell so identified in an appropriate medium, and separately recovering under suitable conditions the monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody produced by the hybridoma cell.

Abstract: Poly(ethylene glycol)-N-succinimide carbonate and its preparation are disclosed. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is converted into its N-succinimide carbonate derivative. This form of the polymer reacts readily with amino groups of proteins in aqueous buffers. The modified proteins have PEG-chains grafted onto the polypeptide backbone by means of stable, hydrolysis-resistant urethane (carbamate) linkages.