Abstract: Retroviral vector production systems for producing lentivirus-based vector particles which are capable of infecting and transducing non-dividing target cells, wherein one or more of the auxiliary genes such as vpr, vif, tat, and nef in the case of HIV-1 are absent from the system. The systems and resulting retrovirus vector particles have improved safety over existing systems and vectors.

Abstract: Composition: There is provided a process for the preparation of composition including at least one emulsifier and at least one edible fiber, the process including i) providing an initial composition comprising the emulsifier in a melted form and the edible fiber, ii) spray crystallizing the initial composition such that the emulsifier crystallizes and the emulsifier and the edible fiber are integrated.

Abstract: The avian recombinant live vaccine comprises, as vector, an ILTV virus comprising and expressing at least one heterologous nucleotide sequence, this nucleotide sequence being inserted into the insertion locus formed by the intergenic region situated between the stop codons of the ORF D and ORF E of ILTV and which, in a specific ILTV strain, is defined between nucleotides 3873 and 4260 in SEQ ID No:1. The heterologous nucleotide sequence may be under the control of a strong eukaryotic promoter, such as the CMV-IE promoter, and may be derived from the Newcastle disease virus, Marek's disease virus, the infectious bursal disease virus, the infectious bronchitis virus, the chicken anaemia virus and the chicken pneumovirosis virus. Multivalent vaccine formula comprising at least two live vaccines according to the invention. ILTV virus thus recombined.

Abstract: All Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato isolates characterized to date have one or a combination of several major outer surface proteins (Osp). Mutants of B. burgdorferi lacking Osp proteins were selected with polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies at a frequency of 10−6 to 10−5. One mutant that lacked OspA, B, C and D was further characterized in the present study. It was distinguished from the OspA+B+ cells by its (i) auto-aggregation and slower growth rate, (ii) decreased plating efficiency on solid medium, (iii) serum- and complement-sensitivity, and (iv) diminished capacity to adhere to human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The Osp-less mutant was unable to evoke a detectable immune response after intradermal live cell immunization even though mutant survived in the skin the same duration as wild-type cells.

Abstract: A method of depositing a material onto a substrate, comprising the steps of: feeding a material solution to an outlet to provide a stream of droplets of the material solution; applying a potential difference between the outlet and a substrate to electrostatically attract the droplets from the outlet towards the substrate such that a corona discharge is formed around the outlet; heating the substrate to provide an increase in temperature between the outlet and the substrate; and progressively increasing the temperature of the substrate during material deposition.

Abstract: All Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato isolates characterized to date have one or a combination of several major outer surface proteins (Osp). Mutants of B. burgdorferi lacking Osp proteins were selected with polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies at a frequency of 10−6 to 10−5. One mutant that lacked OspA, B, C and D was further characterized in the present study. It was distinguished from the OspA+B+ cells by its (i) auto-aggregation and slower growth rate, (ii) decreased plating efficiency on solid medium, (iii) serum- and complement-sensitivity, and (iv) diminished capacity to adhere to human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The Osp-less mutant was unable to evoke a detectable immune response after intradermal live cell immunization even though mutant survived in the skin the same duration as wild-type cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vector for expression of a heterologous protein by a Gram negative bacteria, wherein the vector includes a nucleic acid such as DNA encoding the following: an origin of replication region; optionally and preferably a selection marker; a promoter; an initiation region such as translation initiation region and/or a ribosome binding site, at least one restriction site for insertion of heterologous nucleic acid, e.g. DNA, encoding the heterologous protein, and a transcription terminator. The inventive vector may contain DNA encoding the heterologous protein, e.g., pro-insulin such as pro-insulin with a His tag.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acid molecules encoding preproproteins having after maturation the biological activity of the mistletoe lectin dimer, to vectors comprising these nucleic acid molecules, to hosts transformed with said vectors and to polypeptides and/or polypeptide dimers which are encoded by these nucleic acid molecules. The polypeptides and/or polypeptide dimers of the invention are widely therapeutically applicable. Thus, the present invention further relates to immunotoxins as well as to pharmaceutical compositions that contain the polypeptides and/or the polypeptide dimers of the invention. Additionally, the invention relates to diagnostic compositions comprising the nucleic acid molecules of the invention, the polypeptides and/or the polypeptide dimers of the invention and/or primers which hybridize specifically to the nucleic acid molecules of the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for enzyme stabilization. A method for improved reverse transcription at high temperatures is provided, wherein a thermostable heat shock protein (HSPs) stabilizes a reverse transcriptase, as well as reduces the RNase H activity of said reverse transcriptase. The present invention thus relates to a stabilizing agent, that prevents thermal denaturing and enhances thermostability of a reverse transcriptase. The invention further relates to a method of producing a polypeptide complex consisting of a Chaperonin and a Moloney murine leukemia virus (MMVL) reverse transcriptase, characterized by having enhanced thermostability as well as reduced RNase H activity, compared to a (MMVL) reverse transcriptase alone. The invention further relates to a kit for the preparation of cDNA from mRNA, comprising either both stabilizing agent and reverse transcriptase or the polypeptide complex of the invention.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed is a method for preparing a normalized sub-divided library of amplified cDNA fragments from the coding region of mRNAs contained in a sample.

Abstract: Non-immunogenic biocompatible macromolecular sheet composition are formed from a cellulosic membrane, a binding moiety having a plurality of functional groups, and a glycosaminoglycan (GAG). The binding moiety has the formula of R1—X—R2 wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different. The binding moiety, through functional groups binds the cellulosic membrane with the glycosaminoglycan. R1 is covalently bound to a carbon or an oxygen of the cellulosic membrane. R2 is covalently bound to a carbon, an oxygen, or a nitrogen of the glycosaminoglycan. The binding moiety can be bis-oxyrane, butanediol-diglycidyl ether (BDE), or divinyl sulfone. The cellulosic membrane can be a cellulosic membrane, partially acetylated cellulose and a copolymer of hydroxyethyl-methacrylate with methyl methacrylate, abbreviated as HEMA-MMA. The non-immunogenic biocompatible macromolecular sheet composition can be formed into a pouch to encapsulate cells, tissues, pharmaceuticals, or biological metabolic products.

Abstract: What is described is a recombinant poxvirus, such as vaccinia virus, fowlpox virus and canarypox virus, containing foreign DNA from herpesvirus. In one embodiment, the foreign DNA is expressed in a host by the production of a herpesvirus glycoprotein. In another embodiment, the foreign DNA is expressed in a host by the production of at least two, particularly two or three, herpesvirus glycoproteins. What is also described is a vaccine containing the recombinant poxvirus for inducing an immunological response in a host animal inoculated with the vaccine. By the present invention, the barrier of maternal immunity in a newborn offspring can be overcome or avoided.

Abstract: A method of preparing a recombinant influenza vaccine using DNA technology is provided. The resulting vaccine is a multivalent, preferably trivalent, influenza vaccine based on a mixture of recombinant hemagglutinin antigens cloned from influenza viruses having epidemic potential. The recombinant hemagglutinin antigens are full length, uncleaved (HA0), glycoproteins produced from baculovirus expression vectors in cultured insect cells and purified under non-denaturing conditions. The recombinant vaccine can be developed from primary sources of influenza, for example, nasal secretions from infected individuals, rather than from virus adapted to and cultured in chicken eggs. The process for cloning influenza hemagglutinin genes from influenza A and B viruses uses specially designed oligonucleotide probes and PCR. In the preferred embodiment, the cloned HA genes are then modified by deletion of the natural hydrophobic signal peptide sequences and replacing them with a new baculovirus signal peptide.

Abstract: Water miscible pharmaceutical compositions containing up about 40% of a marcrolide such as an azalide antibiotic are prepared by reaction of the macrolide with acid in a non-aqueous water miscible organic solvent system.

Abstract: A non-steroidal compound suitable for use as an inhibitor of oestrone sulphatase. The compound has a polycyclic ring structure comprising two or more rings wherein at least two of the rings mimic the A and B rings of oestrone. The compound can have the general formula A wherein R1-R6 are independently selected from H, halo, hydroxy, sulphamate, alkyl and substituted variants or salts thereof; but wherein at least one of R1-R6 is a sulphamate group; and wherein X is any one of O, S, NH, a substituted N, CH2 or a substituted C.

Abstract: Oral or peroral administration, including intragastrically, of killed whole pneumococci, lysate of pneumococci and isolated and purified PspA, as well as immunogenic fragments thereof, particularly when administered with an adjuvant such as cholera toxin provides protection in a host, animal or human, against pneumococcal infection, including colonization, and systemic infection, such as sepsis. The ability to elicit protection against pneumococcal colonization in a host prevents carriage among immunized individuals, which can lead to elimination of disease from the population as a whole.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting gene expression in is described. The method, which affects enzymatic activity in a plant, involves expressing in a plant, or a cell, cell line, tissue, or an organ thereof, a nucleotide sequence wherein the nucleotide sequence codes for an intron, or an intron fragment, of an SBE gene in a sense orientation; and wherein the nucleotide sequence does not contain a sequence that is sense to an exon sequence normally associated with the intron.

Abstract: Oral or peroral administration, including intragastrically, of killed whole pneumococci, lysate of pneumococci and isolated and purified PspA, as well as immunogenic fragments thereof, particularly when administered with an adjuvant such as cholera toxin provides protection in a host, animal or human, against pneumococcal infection, including colonization, and systemic infection, such as sepsis. The ability to elicit protection against pneumococcal colonization in a host prevents carriage among immunized individuals, which can lead to elimination of disease from the population as a whole.

Abstract: Disclosed is an immunological composition that includes at least two plasmids; each plasmid contains and expresses in vivo in host canine cells a nucleic acid molecule that encodes an antigen of a canine pathogen. The plasmids can include more than one nucleic acid molecule such that the plasmids can express more than one antigen. The composition can include a first plasmid that contains and expresses a nucleic acid molecule encoding canine parvovirus VP2 and a second plasmid that contain(s) and express(es) nucleic acid molecule(s) encoding canine distemper HA and/or F.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed is an adjuvant for immunogenic, immunological, antigenic or vaccine compositions. The adjuvant is composed of insect cells or fractions thereof. Disclosed and claimed are also methods for preparing and using the adjuvant and compositions containing the adjuvant. Advantageously, a recombinant baculovirus containing DNA encoding and expressing an epitope of interest or antigen can be infected into insect cells such as insect cells derived from a Lepidopteran species such as S. frugiperda for expression, and the infected insect cells or a fraction thereof can be used with the expressed epitope of interest or antigen as an inventive antigen or in an inventive immunological, antigen or vaccine composition.