Abstract: The disclosure provides drug delivery devices and methods of making and using the drug delivery devices. The devices include single and multi-layer polymer films made by a breath figure technique having therapeutic agents associated therewith. For example, the devices may be a dual layer polymer film wherein the first layer includes a therapeutic agent incorporated into it by spin coating the first agent with a polymer solution and the second agent is incorporated into the second layer by loading the agent into pores of the second layer after it is spin coated onto the first layer. In some cases one layer provides a burst release and the second layer provides a slow release drug delivery profile. The devices may take on the form of a surgical mesh with a slow release therapeutic drug.

Abstract: Provided is a combined umbilical cord clamp, cutter, disinfectant, and data collecting system which reduces the risk of cord infections due to unsanitary birth conditions. Also provided is an identification system which aids in the collection of birth statistics.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of enhancing the immunogenicity of pathogenic antigens by removing or disrupting intrachain disulfide bonds responsible for maintaining tertiary protein structure. Removal of one or more disulfide bonds can increase the titer of neutralizing antibodies to a pathogen (e.g., a bacterium, fungus, virus, or parasite). The invention also features vaccines, expression vectors, and methods for the manufacture and use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel growth hormone-releasing peptides and method for increasing the release of growth hormone levels in mammals, as well as method for increasing milk production in dairy cows and increasing growth rates of animals, such as cattle, sheep, swine, and others. The novel peptides of this invention surprisingly are effective for releasing growth hormone levels in animals by replacing the natural amino acids in positions 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 12, 21 and 27, as well as derivatizing the N-terminal amino acid residue in human pancreatic islet tumor origin growth hormone-releasing factor.

Abstract: Human pancreatic GRF (hpGRF), rat hypothalamic GRF (rGRF) and porcine hypothalamic GRF (pGRF) have been earlier characterized and synthesized. The invention provides synthetic peptides which are extremely potent in stimulating the release of pituitary GH in animals, including humans, which have resistance to enzymatic degradation in the body, and which have the sequence: ##STR1## wherein Q.sup.1 is an omega or alpha-omega substituted alkyl,Q.sup.2 is a lower omega-quanidino-alkyl group.R.sub.2 is Ala, D-Ala, or D-N-Methyl-AlaR.sub.3 is Asp, D-Asp, Glu, or D-GluR.sub.8 is Asn, D-Asn, Ser, or D-SerR.sub.10 is Tyr or D-TyrR.sub.12 is Lys, D-Lys Arg or OrnR.sub.13 is Val or IleR.sub.14 is Leu or D-LeuR.sub.15 is Gly, N-Methyl-Gly, or D-AlaR.sub.17 is Leu or D-LeuR.sub.18 is Tyr or SerR.sub.23 is Leu or D-LeuR.sub.24 is Gln or HisR.sub.25 is Asp, D-Asp, Glu, or D-GluR.sub.27 is Met, D-Met, Ala, Nle, Ile, Val, Nva, LeuR.sub.