Abstract: The present invention relates to protein components of spherons that are useful for identifying compounds capable of preventing and/or ameliorating symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease and/or dementia associated with cerebral amyloidosis. The invention also relates to the compounds identified by the methods, and methods of treating and/or ameliorating symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease and/or dementia associated with cerebral amyloidosis. The invention also relates to methods of making an Alzheimer's Disease or dementia associated with cerebral amyloidosis animal model or test animal, the animal model produced therefrom, and to a method of using the animal model to screen for effective therapies.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods of treating conditions requiring removal or destruction of harmful or unwanted cells in a patient, such as benign and malignant tumors, using compounds containing or based on peptides comprising a part of the amino acid sequence of a neural thread protein.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of detecting amyloid-containing deposits in a mammal without administering exogenous chemicals such as fluorophores or chromophores. The method includes subjecting tissue of a mammal, preferably tissue of a mammal suspected of having at least one form of amyloidosis to autofluorescence-initiation, preferably by subjecting the tissue to at least excitation incident radiation from a light source having a wavelength of light within the range of from about 360 to about 370 nm, and more preferably to illumination incident radiation from a light source having wavelengths in the visible spectrum, to produce an emitted light signal beam and a reflected light signal beam. The method also preferably includes detecting the presence of emitted light having a wavelength of from about 400 nm to about 460 nm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to peptides, compositions, and methods of treating conditions requiring removal or destruction of harmful or unwanted cells in a patient, such as benign and malignant tumors, using proteins (and peptides derived from the amino acid sequences of such proteins), the amino acid sequence of which includes at least one amino acid sequence derived from neural thread proteins and other related molecules.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of treating conditions requiring removal or destruction of harmful or unwanted cells in a patient, such as benign and malignant tumors, using compounds containing or based on peptides comprising a part of the amino acid sequence of a neural thread protein.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of treating conditions requiring removal or destruction of harmful or unwanted cells in a patient, such as benign and malignant tumors, using peptides derived from the amino acid sequences of neural thread proteins and related molecules.

Abstract: Methods of treating and/or prophylaxis Alzheimer's disease by preventing the formation of cerebral amyloid due to the growth and disruption of dense microspheres (DMS) are disclosed utilizing medicaments that are effective in preventing or inhibiting the growth and disruption of DMS.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of treating conditions requiring removal or destruction of harmful or unwanted cells in a patient, such as benign and malignant tumors, using neural thread proteins and related molecules.

Abstract: Compositions comprising a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound that impedes disruption of intact dense microspheres (DMS) by acting on DMS either to prevent disruption, or if disrupted, act on pre-disrupted DMS in such a way that, when the composition is administered to a test animal that has received an injection of DMS, it reduces the mean volume of tissue occupied by disrupted DMS, reduces the ratio of the number of inflammatory cells per DMS, or increases the ratio of the number of macrophages containing disrupted DMS per DMS, are useful for treating cerebral amyloidosis.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of preventing, inhibiting, and/or ameliorating cell death and/or tissue necrosis in live tissue by contacting live tissue with at least a segment of NTP, or homologue, variant, derivative or mimetic thereof, where the segment of NTP, or homologue, variant, derivative or mimetic thereof is present in an amount effective to prevent, inhibit, and/or ameliorate cell death and/or tissue necrosis. The method is capable of treating conditions requiring prevention, inhibition, and/or amelioration of cell death and/or tissue necrosis.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of preventing, inhibiting, and/or ameliorating cell death and/or tissue necrosis in live tissue containing neural thread proteins (NTP) by contacting the live tissue with at least an antibody, antibody fragment or antibody derivative that recognizes or binds to NTP, where the antibody, antibody fragment or antibody derivative is present in an amount effective to prevent, inhibit, reduce, control and/or ameliorate cell death and/or tissue necrosis. The method is capable of treating conditions requiring prevention, inhibition, reduction, control and/or amelioration of cell death and/or tissue necrosis caused by the presence of NTP.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of detecting amyloid-containing deposits in a mammal without administering exogenous chemicals such as fluorophores or chromophores. The method includes subjecting tissue of a mammal, preferably tissue of a mammal suspected of having at least one form of amyloidosis to autofluorescence-initiation, preferably by subjecting the tissue to at least excitation incident radiation from a light source having a wavelength of light within the range of from about 360 to about 370 nm, and more preferably to illumination incident radiation from a light source having wavelengths in the visible spectrum, to produce an emitted light signal beam and a reflected light signal beam. The method also preferably includes detecting the presence of emitted light having a wavelength of from about 400 nm to about 460 nm.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel bacteriophage compositions useful in treating food products to prevent bacterial contamination.

Abstract: Methods of treating and/or prophylaxis Alzheimer's disease by preventing the formation of cerebral amyloid due to the growth and disruption of dense microspheres (DMS) are disclosed utilizing medicaments that are effective in preventing or inhibiting the growth and disruption of DMS.

Abstract: DMS present in the brain of individuals susceptible to cerebral amyloidosis disintegrate into DMS components to form cerebral amyloid plaques and other DMS components that are removed from the brain via circulating bodily fluids. Detecting the presence of these removed DMS components and/or antibodies thereto in circulating bodily fluids provides a diagnostic mechanism to determine the onset of cerebral amyloid plaque formation. Detecting the presence of these removed DMS components and/or antibodies thereto in circulating bodily fluids also provides a diagnostic mechanism to determine the efficacy of treatment regimes for preventing cerebral amyloid plaque formation. Antibodies also can be raised against isolated DMS components and subsequently utilized in a diagnostic method capable of detecting the onset of cerebral amyloid plaque formation.

Abstract: DMS present in the brain of individuals susceptible to cerebral amyloidosis disintegrate into DMS components to form cerebral amyloid plaques and other DMS components that are removed from the brain via circulating bodily fluids. Detecting the presence of these removed DMS components and/or antibodies thereto in circulating bodily fluids provides a diagnostic mechanism to determine the onset of cerebral amyloid plaque formation. Detecting the presence of these removed DMS components and/or antibodies thereto in circulating bodily fluids also provides a diagnostic mechanism to determine the efficacy of treatment regimes for preventing cerebral amyloid plaque formation. Antibodies also can be raised against isolated DMS components and subsequently utilized in a diagnostic method capable of detecting the onset of cerebral amyloid plaque formation.

Abstract: Compositions comprising a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound that impedes disruption of intact dense microspheres (DMS) by acting on DMS either to prevent disruption, or if disrupted, act on pre-disrupted DMS in such a way that, when the composition is administered to a test animal that has received an injection of DMS, it reduces the mean volume of tissue occupied by disrupted DMS, reduces the ratio of the number of inflammatory cells per DMS, or increases the ratio of the number of macrophages containing disrupted DMS per DMS, are useful for treating cerebral amyloidosis.

Abstract: Purified, host-specific, non-toxic, wide host range and virulent bacteriophage preparations that are effective in killing bacterial organisms in vivo are disclosed. Also disclosed are compositions containing these bacteriophages, methods of making the bacteriophage preparations and methods of treating bacterial infections using the compositions. Methods of treating bacterial infections using the compositions containing the bacteriophages in combination with conventional antibiotics also are disclosed.

Abstract: Dense microspheres can be extracted and purified to substantial homogeneity from mammalian brain tissue, and used in the screening of therapies for potential effectiveness in impeding the formation of amyloid fibrils associated with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of cerebral amyloidosis. Compounds that, at in-tissue concentrations of 10.sup.-5 M or less, inhibit amyloid formation in a test animal injected intracerebrally with dense microspheres are particularly useful in inhibiting treating cerebral amyloidosis.

Abstract: Dense microspheres can be extracted and purified to substantial homogeneity from mammalian brain tissue, and used in the screening of therapies for potential effectiveness in impeding the formation of amyloid fibrils associated with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of cerebral amyloidosis. Compounds that, at in-tissue concentrations of 10.sup.-5 M or less, inhibit amyloid formation in a test animal injected intracerebrally with dense microspheres are particularly useful in inhibiting treating cerebral amyloidosis.