Abstract: The present invention is directed a splash guard for containing the contents of a toilet during plunging, comprising: a substantially ovular pliable shield having a top side, a bottom side, a peripheral edge and a blunted posterior end, the pliable shield having a size from 5-20% greater than the size of said toilet seat; a drape member having an upper edge, a bottom edge, and a distance between the upper edge and said bottom edge of 3 to 8 inches; and a resilient element; the top edge of the drape member circumferentially affixed to the peripheral edge of the pliable shield at a seam, the resilient element being tensioned and operatively affixed along the length of the seam but optionally the elastic element not being affixed to the seam at the blunted end; the pliable shield further having a minor opening sized and positioned for slideably receiving a plunger handle, whereby when the splash guard is positioned on the underside of the toilet seat and the resilient element is stretched outwardly, and then upw

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of misoprostol and an effective amount of an antibiotic. A suitable antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of doxycycline, gentamicin, tobramicin, ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin and metronidazole. Preferred antibiotics are doxycycline and ciprofloxacin. More preferably, the antibiotic is doxycycline. In its second aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for treating periodontal disease in a mammalian patient comprising administering to a mammalian patient in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of misoprostol and an effective amount of an antibiotic. Typically, the mammalian patient is a human.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an ? thio-containing compound that is capable of inhibiting the enzyme, membrane aminopeptidase P (mAPP or APP), whose natural substrate is bradykinin. The compound is useful as a pharmaceutical agent because by inhibiting bradykinin degradation, the compound allows bradykinin to exert its beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, to improve renal function, and to improve glucose tolerance and insulin-sensitivity. The present invention is also directed to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the mAPP inhibitor of the present invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of inhibiting bradykinin degradation in a mammalian patient, preferably human, in need of treatment comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of an ? thio-containing compound of the present invention.

Abstract: Polynucleotide constructs encoding growth factor independent catalytically active membrane targeted PI 3-kinase mutants useful for therapeutic and research purposes are described. In addition, a method for using the polynucleotide constructs to screen for inhibitors of PI 3-kinase, a method for making 3′ phosphorylated inositol phospholipids, methods of reducing cell death after trauma, and methods of overcoming insulin resistance are described.

Abstract: The present invention provides recombinant viral vectors carrying a vector construct which directs the expression of a gene product (eg. HSVTK) that activates a compound with little or no cytotoxicity into a toxic product. Also provided are methods of destroying or inhibiting pathogenic agents in a warm blooded animal, comprising the step of administering to the animal a viral vector such as that described above, in order to inhibit or destroy the pathogenic agent.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a recombinant adenovirus vector comprising two inverted terminal repeats (ITRs) each of which comprises a D-sequence having (i) from 5 to 15 native nucleotides and (ii) one or more deletions or substitutions therein.

Abstract: Recombinant retroviruses carrying a vector construct capable of preventing, inhibiting, stabilizing or reversing infectious, cancerous or auto-immune diseases are disclosed. More specifically, the recombinant retroviruses of the present invention are useful for (a) stimulating a specific immune response to an antigen or a pathogenic antigen; (b) inhibiting a function of a pathogenic agent, such as a virus; and (c) inhibiting the interaction of an agent with a host cell receptor. In addition, eucaryotic cells infected with, and pharmaceutical compositions containing such a recombinant retrovirus are disclosed. Various methods for producing recombinant retroviruses having unique characteristics, and methods for producing transgenic packaging animals or insects are also disclosed.

Abstract: Recombinant retroviruses carrying a vector construct capable of preventing, inhibiting, stabilizing or reversing infectious, cancerous or auto-immune diseases are disclosed. More specifically, the recombinant retroviruses of the present invention are useful for (a) stimulating a specific immune response to an antigen or a pathogenic antigen; (b) inhibiting a function of a pathogenic agent, such as a virus; and (c) inhibiting the interaction of an agent with a host cell receptor. In addition, eucaryotic cells infected with, and pharmaceutical compositions containing such a recombinant retrovirus are disclosed. Various methods for producing recombinant retroviruses having unique characteristics, and methods for producing transgenic packaging animals or insects are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides recombinant viral vectors carrying a vector construct which directs the expression of a gene product (e.g., HSVTK) that activates a compound with little or no cytotoxicity into a toxic product. Also provided are methods of destroying or inhibiting pathogenic agents in a warm blooded animal, comprising the step of administering to the animal a viral vector such as that described above, in order to inhibit or destroy the pathogenic agent.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing purified replication-defective recombinant AAV virions. The method comprises introducing into a suitable host cell an AAV vector, an AAV helper construct and an adenoplasmid accessory construct into the host cell. The adenoplasmid accessory plasmid is composed adenovirus plasmid DNA unable to be packaged into adenoviral particles because it lacks packaging signal sequence(s) or it contains additional sequences making it too large to package. The host cell is cultured to produce crude rAAV virions and then lysed. The resulting cell lysate is applied to a chromatographic column containing sulfonated cellulose or subjected to cesium chloride equilibrium gradient centrifugation and the purified rAAV virions are recovered.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for crystallizing macrophage colony stimulating factor. The present invention is also directed to methods for designing and producing M-CSF agonists and antagonists using information derived from the crystallographic structure of M-CSF. The invention is also directed to methods for screening M-CSF agonists and antagonists. In addition, the present invention is directed to an isolated, purified, soluble and functional M-CSF receptor.

Abstract: A virion expression system for a desired protein packaged in an envelope derived from a retrovirus useful in administering proteins which cross cell membranes in order to serve their function. Preferred virions are those that carry an RNA sequence that encodes cytokines or lymphokines, and includes IL-2, multiple drug resistance protein, and TNF.

Abstract: A virion expression system for a desired protein packaged in an envelope derived from a retrovirus useful in administering proteins which cross cell membranes in order to serve their function. Preferred virions are those that carry an RNA sequence that encodes cytokines or lymphokines, and includes IL-2, multiple drug resistance protein, and TNF.

Abstract: Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) cells transformed with exogenous DNA encoding tumor necrosis factor (TNF) prohormone variants are disclosed. Among such variants are the TNF .gamma. sig construct, which facilitates expression of the mature TNF polypeptide, and the noncleavable cytotoxic prohormone variants TNF.DELTA.(1.fwdarw.12) and TNF(1+12). The transformed TIL cells are useful in antitumor therapy.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for crystallizing macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and to a crystalline M-CSF produced thereby. The present invention is also directed to methods for designing and producing M-CSF agonists and antagonists using information derived from the crystallographic structure of M-CSF. The invention is also directed to methods for screening M-CSF agonists and antagonists. In addition, the present invention is directed to an isolated, purified, soluble and functional M-CSF receptor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a biologically active CSF-1 dimer comprising a first CSF-1 monomer and a second CSF-1 monomer, wherein at least one of the monomers is truncated at the C-terminus after residue position 223. The dimers also include point mutations in one or both of the CSF-1 monomer. The invention also includes pharmaceutical compositions that comprise the CSF-1 dimer in a pharmaceutical excipient.

Abstract: Recombinant retroviruses carrying a vector construct capable of preventing, inhibiting, stabilizing or reversing infectious, cancerous or auto-immune diseases are disclosed. More specifically, the recombinant retroviruses of the present invention are useful for (a) stimulating a specific immune response to an antigen or a pathogenic antigen; (b) inhibiting a function of a pathogenic agent, such as a virus; and (c) inhibiting the interaction of an agent with a host cell receptor. In addition, eucaryotic cells infected with, and pharmaceutical compositions containing such a recombinant retrovirus are disclosed. Various methods for producing recombinant retroviruses having unique characteristics, and methods for producing transgenic packaging animals or insects are also disclosed.

Abstract: A virion expression system for a desired protein packaged in an envelope derived from a retrovirus useful in administering proteins which cross cell membranes in order to serve their function. Preferred virions are those that carry an RNA sequence that encodes cytokines or lymphokines, and includes IL-2, multiple drug resistance protein, and TNF.

Abstract: Coiled-coil molecular recognition is a primary mode of subunit assembly in a large variety of naturally occurring macromolecular complexes. Here we report the use of coiled-coil mediated solution assembly to form a stable, heteromeric complex of Interleukin-2 receptor ectodomains that binds IL-2 cooperatively and with an affinity approaching the comparable cell surface complex. Cross-linking of homomeric or heteromeric receptor subunits is the common signal transmission mechanism employed by hematopoietin receptors. Individual receptor ectodomains, however, often do not bind ligand with measurable affinity. The claimed invention is useful for coiled-coil mediated assembly of receptor complexes for solution analysis. It also shows that hetero-oligomeric complexes can be formed using a leucine zipper domain.

Abstract: The present application relates to a method for enhancing the therapeutic index of a compound that is useful to treat tumors. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for administering IL-2 to a tumor patient to maximize the therapeutic efficacy and minimize the toxicity.