Abstract: A microbial adherence inhibitor in the form of fowl egg antibodies is disclosed, along with the method of making it and methods of using it. The inhibitor functions by substantially preventing the attachment or adherence of colony-forming immunogens in the rumen and intestinal tract of host food animals. The inhibitor is made by inoculating female birds with the immunogen, harvesting the eggs which contain antibodies to the immunogen, drying the egg contents and adding to the feed or water for the host animals. Dependent upon the particular immunogen with which the female bird is inoculated, the egg antibody is used to promote the growth of food animals by improving feed conversion rates by decreasing the waste of dietary protein caused by the presence of certain colony-forming organisms in the animals, and to substantially reduce or eliminate the incidence of illnesses caused by the presence of certain illness-causing colony-forming immunogens, such as E.

Abstract: The present provides compounds capable of modulating IL-4 receptor-mediated IgE production, as well as IL-4 induced processes associated therewith, methods and kits for identifying such compounds that utilize a c-Myc protein as a surrogate analyte and methods of using the compounds in a variety of in vitro, in vitro and ex vivo contexts.

Abstract: The method of producing a microbial adherence inhibitor for administration to food animals to control the incidents of acidosis in food animals by preventing the adherence of colony-forming lactic acid producing bacteria in the rumen or intestinal tracts of the food animals. The method includes inoculating female birds in or about their egg laying age with a lactic acid producing bacteria that colonizes in the intestinal tract of the food animal to be treated. Allowing a period of time sufficient to permit the production in the birds of antibody to the lactic acid producing bacteria and harvesting the eggs laid by such birds. The antibody-containing contents of the eggs are then separated by the shells.

Abstract: Endothelial cells have the natural property of releasing soluble factors into the fluid surrounding them, said factors altering the behavior of immune cells. In cell systems containing at least endothelial cells, the release of this type of factor, which promotes the proliferation of resting and weakly activated lymphocytes and at the same time inhibits the proliferation of highly activated lymphocytes and transformed lymphoblasts without impairing their other vital functions, is induced by administration of pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids but inhibited by the concurrent administration of tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids.

Abstract: Rh antibody hybrids for use in testing red blood cells for the presence of one or more Rh factors. The Rh hybrid antibody may also be used in therapeutic procedures which require the use of Rh antisera. The hybrid antibody includes an IgG anti-Rh antibody which has a polymeric tailpiece attached to the carboxy terminal end of each of the IgG antibody heavy chains. A hemagglutinin method is provided for Rh phenotyping in which agglutination of Rh-positive red blood cells is achieved in a one-step process involving addition of the hybrid Rh antisera to the red blood cells being tested.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for manufacturing radiohalogen-labeled steroids, nucleosides, nucleotides and proteins, for example, pyrimidines and proteins. Methods according to the example embodiments specific to pyrimidines includes dissolving a halogenated pyrimidine to obtain an initial solution, adding bis(tributyltin) and triphenylphosphine palladium to produce a catalyzed solution, heating the catalyzed solution under conditions sufficient to induce a reaction that produces an intermediate solution including a stannylated pyrimidine compound, removing substantially all of the first solvent from the intermediate solution to obtain an intermediate composition, purifying the resulting solution to obtain a purified composition including a stannylated pyrimidine, reacting the stannylated pyrimidine compound with a radiohalogen in a buffered reaction mixture to produce the radiohalogenated pyrimidine, adding an antioxidant and extracting the radiohalogenated pyrimidine from the reaction mixture.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel NAIP nucleic and sequences. Also provided are anti-NAIP antibodies and methods for modulating apoptosis and detecting compounds which modulate apoptosis.

Abstract: This invention provides for a protein of the TGF-? superfamily in which the cysteine involved in the normal formation of homodimers is changed to another amino acid. These mutant proteins, as monomers, display higher bone morphogenetic activity than the wild-type protein dimers. Also provided is a method for producing and isolating these monomers by plasmid driven expression in various host systems including E. coli. In addition, the invention discloses the use of an agent containing purified monomers in preventing and treating diseases and problems affecting bone and/or cartilage.

Abstract: The present invention discloses bispecific antibodies comprising two antibody variable domains on a single polypeptide chain, wherein a first portion of the bispecific antibody is capable of recruiting the activity of a human immune effector cell by specifically binding to an effector antigen on the human immune effector cell, the first portion consisting of one antibody variable domain, and a second portion of the bispecific antibody specifically binding to a target antigen other than the effector antigen, the target antigen on a target cell other than the human immune effector cell, the second portion comprising one antibody variable domain.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is directed to methods of identifying a polypeptide suitable for epitope liberation including, for example, the steps of identifying an epitope of interest; providing a substrate polypeptide sequence including the epitope, wherein the substrate polypeptide permits processing by a proteasome; contacting the substrate polypeptide with a composition including the proteasome, under conditions that support processing of the substrate polypeptide by the proteasome; and assaying for liberation of the epitope. The invention further relates to vectors including a housekeeping epitope expression cassette and also vectors including epitope cluster regions. The housekeeping epitope(s) can be derived from a target-associated antigen. The housekeeping epitope can be liberatable, that is capable of liberation, from a translation product of the cassette by immunoproteasome processing.

Abstract: An immune response is modulated by selectively inhibiting ERAAP (an acronym for ER aminopeptidase associated with antigen processing) and confirming a resultant immune response modulation. More particularly, the method comprises contacting a patient determined to be in need of immune response modulation with a physiologically acceptable dosage composition comprising an effective amount of an inhibitor of ERAAP activity; confirming a resultant inhibition of said ERAAP activity and confirming a resultant immune response modulation in the patient. A variety of selective inhibitors are shown to be effective, including amino thiols, such as leucine thiol, ERAAP-specific antibody complementarity-determining region, and an ERAAP-specific siRNA.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an antibody or antibody fragment that binds to 1,4,7,10-tetrazacyclododecane-N,N?,N?,N??-tetraacetic acid (DOTA),which is bound to an alkyl-amino group through one of its pendant carb.oxyl groups.

Abstract: Peptide antigens corresponding to amino acid residues 2-12, 1-12, 2-15 and 1-15 of parathyroid hormone (PTH), antibodies having an affinity to such peptide antigens and methods of producing the same. Such antigens, antibodies and methods producing the same according to the present invention are useful in determining bioactive intact PTH levels in serum, plasma, and/or cell culture media. Such antibodies further possess a high degree of species cross-reactivity, but substantially mitigated cross-reactivity to non-whole PTH peptide fragments and little to no recognition of the first amino acid residue of PTH.

Abstract: An improved method for treating or preventing a pathological condition in a mammalian subject in which modified mammalian blood is administered to the subject. The method comprises administering to the subject from two to four aliquots of modified mammalian blood, with the administration of any pair of consecutive treatments either being on consecutive days or being separated by a rest period of 1 to 21 days. The treatment is useful for treating or preventing a wide range of pathological conditions in which modified mammalian blood is effective, including preconditioning a mammalian subject to better withstand the adverse effects of ischemic stress, atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract: Monoclonal antibodies which specifically bind human CD23, the low affinity receptor for IgE (FceRII/CD23), and contain either a human gamma-1 or human gamma-3 constant domain, are disclosed. The antibodies are useful for modulating or inhibiting induced IgE expression. Accordingly, they have practical utility in the treatment or prophylaxis of disease conditions wherein inhibition of induced IgE production is therapeutically desirable, including allergic conditions, autoimmune diseases and inflammatory diseases.

Abstract: The invention provides classes of immunomodulatory compositions which comprise an average of one or more immunostimulatory sequence (ISS) containing polynucleotide conjugated, or attached, to antigen. The extent of conjugation affects immunomodulatory properties, such as extent of antigen-specific antibody formation, including Th1-associated antibody formation, and thus these various conjugate classes are useful for modulating the type and extent of immune response. The invention also includes methods of modulating an immune response using these compositions.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to anti-AR antibodies, preferably humanized monoclonal antibodies having the amino acid sequences disclosed herein. The present invention includes a pharmaceutical composition comprising such antibodies. The present invention includes a method of inhibiting cancer cell growth comprising administering such antibodies into a subject. The present invention also provides a method of treating cancer or psoriasis in a subject in need of such a treatment by administering such antibodies to said subject in a pharmaceutically effective amount.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are novel nucleic acid and protein sequences that are essential to fertility. In particular, human Mater cDNA and protein sequences are provided. Functional MATER is required for female fertility; zygotes that arise from Mater null oocytes do not progress beyond the two-cell stage. Methods are described for using Mater molecules in diagnoses, prognosis, and treatment of infertility and reduced fertility. Also provided are methods for using MATER as a contraceptive agent. The disclosure also describes compounds involved in such methods, and the identification of such compounds.

Abstract: A novel, N-oligosaccharide-substituted-specific protein of approximately 91.5 kDa was purified from extracts of human articular cartilage and designated Cartilage Intermediate Layer Protein (CILP). The protein is a chondrocyte product which is deposited in the interterritorial matrix. The gene encoding CILP, as well as its mRNA, were isolated and characterized. A single 4.2 kb mRNA detected in human articular cartilage encodes a polypeptide of 1184 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 132.5 kDa. The protein has a putative signal peptide of 21 amino acids, and is a proform of two polypeptides. The amino-terminal half corresponds to CILP (molecular weight of 78.5 kDa, not including post-translational modifications) and the carboxy-terminal half corresponds to a protein homologous to a porcine nucleotide pyrophosphohydrolase, NTPPHase (molecular weight of 51.8 kDa, not including post-translational modifications).

Abstract: The invention provides methods for modulating an immune response in a subject including, for example, administering to the subject a composition comprising an effective amount of a lymphocyte differentiation factor sufficient to modulate the immune response. In one aspect, the lymphocyte differentiation factor comprises protein A (PA).