Abstract: Compositions and methods comprising “lymphotoxin-? receptor blocking agents” which block lymphotoxin-? receptor signalling and are useful for altering immunological diseases, and particularly antibody mediated immune responses.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions and methods relating to the evaluation of BAFF in a biological sample from a subject.

Abstract: A method of payment for mufti-vendor gift cards, that performs actions including maintaining a merchandise database comprising records for merchandise and services for a plurality of merchants, enabling a gift card giver to interactively purchase a gift card for a gift card recipient, entitling the gift card recipient to redeem the gift card for items up to a specified spending limit, electronically transferring the money used to purchase the gift card into a card funding account that is used to pay for purchases by the gift card recipient, enabling the gift card recipient to interactively select one or more items from the merchandise database, thereby generating an aggregated selection of items for each merchant, issuing orders to each merchant in accordance with the aggregated selected items corresponding to each merchant and paying each merchant the amount of their respective order from the card funding account.

Abstract: Formulations of VLA-4 binding antibody are described.

Abstract: This invention relates to hepatitis B virus (“HBV”) core antigen particles that are characterized by multiple immunogen specificities. More particularly, the invention relates to HBV core antigen particles comprising immunogens, epitopes, or other related structures, crosslinked thereto by ligands which are HBV capsid-binding peptides that selectively bind to HBV core protein. Such particles may be used as delivery systems for a diverse range of immunogenic epitopes, including the HBV capsid-binding peptides, which advantageously also inhibit and interfere with HBV viral assembly by blocking the interaction between HBV core protein and HBV surface proteins. Mixtures of different immunogens and/or capsid-binding peptide ligands may be crosslinked to the same HBV core particle. Such resulting multicomponent or multivalent HBV core particles may be advantageously used in therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines and compositions, as well as in diagnostic compositions and methods using them.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of producing aglycosylated Fc-containing polypeptides, such as antibodies, having desired effector function. The invention also provides aglycosylated antibodies produced according to the method as well as methods of using such antibodies as therapeutics.

Abstract: A method of producing Fc-containing polypeptides, such as antibodies, having stabilized Fc regions is provided, together with stabilized Fc polypeptides produced according to these methods as well as methods of using such antibodies as therapeutics.

Abstract: The following class of molecule is disclosed: a dimer containing a first neublastin polypeptide and a second neublastin polypeptide, wherein: (a) at least one of the polypeptides is glycosylated; (b) at least one of the polypeptides is conjugated at its N-terminus to a water-soluble synthetic polymer; and (c) neither of the polypeptides is conjugated to a water-soluble synthetic polymer at a position other than the N-terminus. Such dimers possess the biological activity of wild-type neublastin while displaying enhanced serum half-life and enhanced potency relative to wild-type neublastin.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermostable DNA polymerase preparation which can illimitably reduce the risk of false positivity in the detection of a subject microorganism utilizing a gene amplification reaction and therefore enables the selective amplification of DNA for detecting the subject microorganism even when the amount of the subject microorganism is small and therefore the amount of DNA collected therefrom is extremely small, and can be produced at a reduced cost. Also disclosed is a method for quantifying or quantifying/identifying a subject organism to be detected rapidly, conveniently and with high sensitivity using the preparation of the present invention.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of inflammatory disorders is disclosed, particularly the treatment of arthritis. The method comprises the administration of a function blocking antibody which is capable of binding an epitope of VLA-1.

Abstract: The invention provides Sp35 polypeptides and fusion proteins thereof, Sp35 antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof and nucleic acids encoding the same. The invention also provides compositions comprising, and methods for making and using, such Sp35 antibodies, antigen-binding fragments thereof, Sp35 polypeptides and fusion proteins thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to treatments of neuropathic pain, including tactile allodynia, and to treatments for reducing loss of pain sensitivity associated with neuropathy. The present treatments involve the use of neublastin (NBN) polypeptides.

Abstract: The invention relates to antibodies which bind to insulin like growth factor receptor-1 (IGF-1R) and uses thereof, in particular in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Specific human and murine monoclonal antibodies which inhibit IGF-1R-mediated pro-survival and tumor proliferation pathways, and variants, fragments, and derivatives thereof are provided. Also provided are specific human and murine monoclonal antibodies which block the ability of the ligands, insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and insulin like growth factor 2 (IGF-2) to bind to IGF-1R, as well as fragments, variants and derivatives of such antibodies. The invention also includes polynucleotides encoding the above antibodies or fragments, variants or derivatives thereof, as well as vectors and host cells comprising such polynucleotides. The invention further includes methods of diagnosing and treating cancer using antibodies of the invention.

Abstract: Set of motor-driven instruments to aid the fixing of dental implants that combines drills (1, 2) and motor-driven osteotomes (4A, 4B, 4C, 4D) of progressive diameters. These have a threaded conical section (9), followed by a threaded cylindrical section (8) and another area (7) to fit the connectors (14, 17) to the surgical motor or a manual extractor.

Abstract: Therapeutic uses of inhibitors of the lymphotoxin pathway to treat tumors, specifically to treat follicular lymphomas.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a lighting control console for controlling a lighting system, wherein digital control commands are generated in the lighting control console and can be transmitted via data links to the lighting devices of the lighting system, and wherein the lighting control console includes at least one housing, in which the hardware components are arranged with protection against external influences, and wherein the lighting control console includes a plurality of operating elements, particularly keys, slide controls and/or rotary controls, which are arranged on the upper side of the housing and may be used for entering operating commands, and wherein the lighting control console includes at least one display device on which a user interface can be displayed.

Abstract: A remote initiator for the remote initiation of explosive charges. The remote initiator having: (i) a transmitter with means for generating and transmitting a coded signal and input means for inputting operational commands into the transmitter for generating the coded signal, (ii) at least one receiver adapted to be connected with the explosive charges, the receiver having means for receiving the coded signal from the transmitter and input means for inputting operational commands into the receiver for generating an output signal for the remote initiation of explosive charges upon receipt of a valid transmitted coded signal, (iii) a power source for each of the transmitter and receiver, and dual processing means that are independent of each other are adapted to provide independent control of a firing circuit and adapted to synchronise with each processing means before initiation can occur so as to enhance safety and reliability of the transmitter and receiver and the initiation of the remote initiator.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for the treatment, and pharmaceuticals for the use in the treatment, of mammalian subjects having, or at risk of developing, chronic demyelinating neuropathies, e.g., CIDP. The methods involve the administration of IFN-? therapeutics.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods of treating diseases involving accumulation of A? plaques, including Alzheimer's Disease by the peripheral administration of soluble Nogo receptor polypeptides. The invention also provides methods of increasing the plasma to brain ratio of A? peptide and enhancing A? peptide clearance via peripheral administration of soluble Nogo receptor polypeptides. This invention also provides methods of improving memory function or inhibiting memory loss via the peripheral administration of soluble Nogo receptor polypeptides. The invention also provides methods of decreasing the size and number of A? plaques in a mammal via peripheral administration of soluble Nogo receptor polypeptides.