Abstract: A reagent for assaying .gamma.-glutamyltranspeptidase (.gamma.-GTP) which contains an amino acid dehydrogenase and a substrate specific to .gamma.-glutamyltranspeptidase activity. The reagent can be used to assay the .gamma.-GTP activity directly from the continuous course of reaction without using a standard substance with known activity. The procedure required is simple and easy, and the reagent is capable of determining .gamma.-GTP activity with good accuracy and without being affected by interfering substances, making it satisfactory for routine use in clinical laboratories.

Abstract: A monoclonal antibody which recognizes the N-terminal of gamma-atrial natriuretic polypeptide (.gamma.-ANP). A hybridoma producing said monoclonal antibody and a process for immunoassay of .gamma.-ANP are also provided.

Abstract: Non-virulent bacteria are disclosed into which have been cloned heterologous nucleotide sequences encoded for the expression of Streptococcal M protein antigens, which are effective to elicit opsonic antibodies against Streptococcal infections. These bacteria are useful for vaccination against Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria.

Abstract: A fast-acting and portable diagnostic kit for detecting diamines in biological fluids is in the form of a diamine oxidase and a chromogenic system to detect the presence of hydrogen peroxide resulting from oxidation of such diamines. The kit may especially be used to detect cadaverine or putrescine or a mixture thereof, for example in a vaginal secretion, in order to detect Gardnerella-related bacterial vaginosis.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the quantitative determination of 1,4-dihydronicotinamide adenisne dinucleotide (NADH) in solution. The method comprises contacting the NADH-containing solution with an activated carbon electrode, maintaining the carbon electrode at a controlled, fixed potential effective to cause oxidation of NADH at the electrode surface, and measuring the current output from the carbon electrode, wherein there is used a noble metal containing preferably a platinized or palladized activated carbon electrode comprising a porous, heterogeneous, resin-bonded layer of activated carbon or graphite particles comprising the finely divided noble metal preadsorbed thereon and bonded together with a natural or synthetic resin binder, preferably a hydrophobic resin such as polytetrafluoroethylene.

Abstract: The invention relates to anthracycline conjugates comprising at least one anthracycline molecule linked to a molecule that is reactive with a cell population to be eliminated such as antibody, bombesin, EGF and transferrin. Each anthracycline molecule, having a keto group at the C-13 position, is conjugated to the antibody via a linker arm and is bound to that linker arm via an acid-sensitive acylhydrazone bond at the 13-keto position of the anthracycline. The linker additionally contains a disulfide or thioether linkage as part of the antibody or ligand attachment to the immunoconjugate. The novel anthracycline acylhydrazone derivatives are useful in the preparation of the conjugates of this invention. The acid-sensitive hydrazone bond of the conjugates of this invention allows the release of free anthracycline from the conjugates in the acidic external or internal environment of the target cell.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of screening mammals for antibodies to viral agents by collecting a urine sample from a mammal to be tested and assaying the sample for antibodies directed against the specific viral agent.

Abstract: Methods for diagnosis and prognosis of immunosuppressive conditions are disclosed, involving the detection of a particular isoform of ferritin, placental ferritin (PLF), in patient samples such as sera or on peripheral blood lymphocytes. PLF is elevated in immunosuppressed patients at early stages of disease; by contrast, adult insoferritins are elevated at late stages of immunodeficiency. Depending upon the nature of the disease associated with the immunodeficiency, the elevated levels of PLF detected at early stages may remain elevated or diminish as disease progresses. Examples are described in which elevated levels of PLF were detected at very early stages of of HIV-infection. The elevated levels diminished as disease progressed from ARC to AIDS. By contrast, adult isoforms of ferritin became elevated at late stages of disease.

Abstract: An immunoassay which is capable of simultaneously detecting any desired number of antigens of one infectious agent, or combinations of antigens of several infectious agents, or any desired number of immunoglobulins of one infectious agent, or combinations of immunoglobulins of several infectious agents on a single solid support. A test sample is contacted with a solid support on which one or more antigens are immobilized as discrete test sites. Antigen-antibody complexes are formed and detected on the solid support.

Abstract: A microbial shuttle vector is disclosed which is independently replicative in bacterial cells and mammalian cells and includes in its DNA sequence bacterial plasmid sequences allowing selection and replication in bacterial cells, an SV40 viral origin of replication, and either an SV40 functional "early gene" promoter and functional "early gene" terminator or an SV40 functional "late gene" promoter and functional "late gene" terminator, the vector having a unique restriction endonuclease enzyme recognition site between the promoter and terminator for insertion of an exogenous gene. The presence of restriction endonuclease enzyme recognition sites facilitative of insertion of a viral functional "late gene" into the "early gene" promoter/terminator vector in a single step allows for conversion of the shuttle vector into a lytic vector of an exogenous gene.

Abstract: Novel specific protein binding assays are provided employing a solvent system comprising a solvent characterized as hydrophobic, essentially anhydrous and water immiscible. Particularly, lipophilic analytes are shown to be sensitively determined using antibodies in hydrocarbon media, optionally substantially saturated with aqueous buffer and/or comprising an anionic surfactant.

Abstract: The claimed invention concerns concentrates of coagulation factors II, VII, IX and X and the method of their preparation by selective adsorption on an equilibrated carrier of hydroxyethylmethacrylate or hydroxyethylacrylate with bound diethylaminoethyl groups, followed by selective elution.The concentrates of coagulation factors II and X can be used to detect coagulation factor VII and in a laboratory method for the detection or determination of the extent of mammalian inflammatory diseases.

Abstract: Pharmaceuticals which contain a substance releasing tumor necrosis factor (TNF) are better tolerated and can be given in higher doses when they contain a TNF inhibitor, especially a xanthine derivative.

Abstract: Methods for increasing extracellular concentrations of adenosine for the prophylactic or affirmative treatment of diseases of the immune, nervous, cardiac, and vascular systems involving administering to a patient purine nucleoside and purine nucleoside-related analogs which increase extracellular adenosine concentration, and methods for stabilizing mast cells by the suppression of mast cell activation using such compounds.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of assaying a target substance. In the method of the present invention, a complex of the target substance and a substance labelled with peroxidase is fixed to a hydrophobic membrane. Then hydrogen peroxide, an aromatic primary amine and a phenolic compound are contacted with the peroxidase on the membrane to generate and deposit color on the hydrophobic membrane. The deposited color is then measured so as to assay the target substance.

Abstract: Compounds of the formula DNB-TZ(P2) (P3) X, wherein TZ is a tetrazolium ring, DNB is 5-(2,4-dinitrophenyl), X is halide and P2 and P3 are each independently halophenyl, nitrophenyl or phenyl. The compound INDT 2-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2,4-dinitrophenyl) tetrazolium bromide exhibits facile reduction to insoluble chromophoric formazan compared to the chromagen INT. INDT differs structurally from INT 2-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyltetrazolium chloride by having 2,4-dinitrophenyl instead of phenyl at the 5-position on the tetrazolium ring. The compounds, including INDT, are useful as chromagens for histological staining, as well as in enzyme-amplified staining as a part of immunological or hybridization assays.

Abstract: Synthetic peptides constituted by at least two repeating, consecutive units of asparaginyl-proline (Asn-Pro).sub.n sequence, are described.The peptides are powerful immunogens, capable of inducing in laboratory animals the formation of a high concentration of antibodies capable of reacting both with the (Asn-Pro).sub.n peptides, and with the immunodominant epitope of the circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium falciparum.The peptides, which can be obtained in a pure form by chemical synthesis, are particularly useful for preparing antimalarial vaccines and diagnostic kits for the determination of malaria in man.

Abstract: A stabilizer for maintaining a constant level of CO.sub.2 in coenzyme containing enzymatic CO.sub.2 diagnostic reagents is disclosed, comprising rate-limiting amounts of (a) the diagnostic reagents and (b) coenzyme-regenerating reagents, e.g., wherein (a) is malate dehydrogenase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and NADH, and (b) is glucose dehydrogenase and glucose, as are methods of use and kits containing a diagnostic reagent and stabilizer.

Abstract: Protein having inflammatory phospholipase A.sub.2 inhibitory activity wherein said protein has a nature to be induced from cells by administration of glucocorticoid, for example, having a molecular weight of 40 K and the amino acid sequence from the N-terminal consisting of a N-terminal amino acid-Asp-Val-Pro-Ala-Ala-Asp-Leu-Ser-Asp-.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a composition of matter and a process for detecting the presence of an oxidative catalyst in a biological sample. The composition comprises a precipitate formed by oxidation of a chromogenic substrate in the presence of the catalyst, together with two or more co-precipitated metals. A strong signal is formed with which to detect an oxidation catalyst which is localized to a target molecule. Target molecules may be nucleic acids, antibodies or cell surface antigens.