Abstract: Endogenous Sp35 is a negative regulator for neuronal survival, axon regeneration, oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination. Molecules that block endogenous Sp35 function, such anti-Sp35 antibodies can be used as therapeutics for the treatment of neuron and oligodendrocyte dysfunction. The present invention provides antibodies specific for Sp35, and methods of using such antibodies as antagonists of endogenous Sp35 function. The invention further provides specific hybridoma and phage library-derived monoclonal antibodies, nucleic acids encoding these antibodies, and vectors and host cells comprising these antibodies. The invention further provides methods of promoting oligodendrocyte survival and myelination in a vertebrate, comprising administering to a vertebrate in need of such treatment an effective amount of an anti-Sp35 antibody.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to improved methods of using dye-ligand affinity chromatography for the isolation of antibodies or proteins comprising an antibody fragment (such as Fc fusion proteins) from a mixture of undesirable contaminants. In particular, the use of an organic polymer such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) in the elution phase of an antibody/dye-ligand chromatography isolation procedure results in improved separation of target antibodies from undesirable contaminants. The methods described herein are particularly useful in separating or removing antibody aggregates, misfolded antibodies, and virus contaminants from target antibodies.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and products for the identification of a clinically significant immune response in subjects treated with a therapeutic protein. A first aspect of the invention relates to methods and compositions for identifying a clinically significant immune response in patients treated with therapeutic amounts of a VLA4 binding antibody (e.g., natalizumab). A second aspect of the invention concerns the chronological details of sample collection for determining the titre of antibodies against the therapeutic protein, e.g. the collection of at least two samples at two different time points. A third aspect of the invention relates to the selection of the critical threshold level, which corresponds to the antibody titre of untreated patients increased by the double of the standard deviation of this control antibody titre.

Abstract: Dental implant and piece to be connected to a dental implant are provided. Both the implant and the piece are capable of being connected to each other by an internal connection to the dental implant. The internal connection principally comprises an anti-rotational part and a cylindrical part, with the anti-rotational part being formed by the repetition of a series of anti-rotational components, each of them formed by a series of arcs tangent to each other. This design of the anti-rotational part enables better performance to be obtained than with known anti-rotational designs.

Abstract: A dimer comprising a mutated neublastin polypeptide coupled to a polymer is disclosed. Such dimers exhibit prolonged bioavailability and, in preferred embodiments, prolonged biological activity relative to wild-type forms of neublastin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of asthma treatment and prevention using ?v?6 antagonists, such as ?v?6-binding antibodies. In particular, the invention relates to the discovery of a correlation between reduced expression of ?v?6 and the protection from the increase in airway sensitivity seen in chronic allergen-challenged mice. This protection is associated with protection from the usual allergen-induced increase in airway epithelial mast cells.

Abstract: Methods of treating patients and evaluating patients for disease stage and/or severity are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods of purifying Fc-containing molecules using a soluble neonatal Fc receptor (sFcRn). Native FcRn binds Fc-containing proteins at or below about pH 6.5 and releases them at or above about pH 7 and provides a much milder approach for capturing and purifying Fc-containing proteins, in particular, therapeutic Fc-containing proteins. Other embodiments of the invention provide modifications to alter the pH for binding and elution to the sFcRn, to modulate Fc-containing protein binding affinity, to affect sFcRn linkage to a support surface, or to improve the stability of sFcRn to conditions utilized in the methods of the invention.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of expanding populations of pancreatic cells or inducing the generation of pancreatic progenitor cells in a subject or in culture using a therapeutically effective amount of a TWEAK receptor agonist.

Abstract: The present invention disclosed recombinant anti-VLA-4 antibody molecules, including humanized recombinant anti-VLA-4 antibody molecules. These antibodies are useful in the treatment of specific and non-specific inflammation, including asthma and inflammatory bowel disease. In addition, the humanized recombinant anti-VLA-4 antibodies disclosed can be useful in methods of diagnosing and localizing sites of inflammation.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to methods of using arginine to inactivate or reduce the infectious titer of enveloped viruses potentially present in biological compositions produced by eukaryotic cells (such as a antibodies or other therapeutic proteins). In some embodiments, inactivation or reduction of viral titers by exposure to arginine is achieved in a neutral (pH ˜7) or near neutral (˜pH 6 to ˜pH 8) environment.

Abstract: Methods of treating inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, by modulating TWEAK and TNF-? are disclosed, as are other methods.

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: The compositions and methods of the present invention are based, in part, on our discovery that an effector function mediated by an Fc-containing polypeptide can be altered by modifying one or more amino acid residues within the polypeptide (by, for example, electrostatic optimization). The polypeptides that can be generated according to the methods of the invention are highly variable, and they can include antibodies and fusion proteins that contain an Fc region or a biologically active portion thereof.

Abstract: The instant invention is based, at least in part on the identification of a new class of antibodies that result, e.g., in improved LT blocking capabilities. Methods of making the subject binding molecules and methods of using the binding molecules of the invention to antagonize LT?R signaling are also provided.

Abstract: A method for operating a lighting system comprising at least one central control unit and a plurality of lighting devices, including in the lighting devices a positioning sensor system, by which the locations of the lighting devices is determined and wherein location data for describing the locations is transmitted to the central control device from each lighting device comprising a data interface and wherein a stage set database, which describes a stage set model and in which the locations of the various lighting devices in a stage set is stored, is stored in the central control device, the method comprising, a) determining the current locations of the lighting devices by the positioning sensor system in the lighting devices; b) transferring the current location data from the lighting devices to the central control device; c) storing the location data in the stage set database.

Abstract: Antibodies that specifically bind to VLA-1 integrin and methods of using these antibodies to treat immunological disorders in a subject. Also included are crystal structures of complexes formed by VLA-1 antibodies and their ligands, and VLA-1 antagonists and agonists identified by using the structure coordinates of these structures.

Abstract: Therapeutic regimens for administration of BAFF antagonists for treatment of immunologic and related disorders are described. Regimens involve a short-term BAFF antagonist administration course followed by an extended no-treatment period prior the round of administration.

Abstract: The instant invention describes novel multispecific binding molecules comprising synthetic connecting peptides. The synthetic connecting peptides result in the preferential synthesis of multispecific binding molecules comprising polypeptide chains that are linked via at least one interchain disulfide linkage. In addition, the invention pertains to compositions in which a majority of the multispecific binding molecules comprising polypeptide chain that are linked via at least one interchain disulfide linkage or are not linked via at least one intrachain disulfide linkage.

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.