Abstract: The invention provides cell lines which are useful for the rapid detection of enteroviruses. In particular, the invention provides transgenic African green monkey kidney cell lines and buffalo green monkey kidney cell lines. The invention provides cell lines which have increased sensitivity to infection by enteroviruses in single-cell type and mixed-cell type cultures compared to other cell types which are currently used for enterovirus detection. The cells of the invention also are permissive to infection by a larger number of enteroviruses as compared to the cell type from which they were derived.

Abstract: Modified insulinotropic peptides are disclosed. The modified insulinotropic peptides are capable of forming a peptidase stabilized insulinotropic peptide. The modified insulinotropic peptides are capable of forming covalent bonds with one or more blood components to form a conjugate. The conjugates may be formed in vivo or ex vivo. The modified peptides are administered to treat humans with diabetes and other related diseases.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses novel antibodies and fragments thereof which immunospecifically bind to one or more RSV antigens and compositions comprising said antibodies and antibody fragments. The present invention encompasses methods preventing respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in a human, comprising administering to said human a prophylactically effective amount of one or more antibodies or fragments thereof that immunospecifically bind to one or more RSV antigens, wherein a certain serum titer of said antibodies or antibody fragments is achieved in said human subject. The present invention also encompasses methods for treating or ameliorating symptoms associated with a RSV infection in a human, comprising administering to said human a therapeutically effective amount of one or more antibodies or fragments thereof that immunospecifically bind to one or more RSV antigens, wherein a certain serum titer of said antibodies or antibody fragments is achieved in said human subject.

Abstract: The invention described herein relates to the discovery of methods and compositions for the inhibition of growth and/or migration of cells that have a receptor that interacts with a parvovirus B19 capsid or fragment thereof (e.g., a P antigen containing cell), including but not limited to, cells of hematopoietic origin and endothelial cells. More specifically, parvovirus capsid particles or fragments of parvovirus capsid proteins are used to manufacture medicaments that can be administered to a subject to inhibit hematopoietic progenitor cell growth (e.g., prior to stem cell transplantation), endothelial cell growth, (e.g., as an anti-tumorigenesis treatment or to prevent restenosis or fibrotic build up following prosthetic implantation), or to prevent disorders that involve the abnormal proliferation of cells that have the P antigen (e.g., Polycythemia Vera).

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are compositions for inducing in a bovine host an immunological response against bovine respiratory syncytial virus or bovine viral diarrhea virus containing at least one plasmid that contains and expresses in vivo in a bovine host cell nucleic acid molecule(s) having sequence(s) encoding bovine respiratory syncytial virus F protein, or G protein, or F and G proteins; or, at least one plasmid that contains and expresses in vivo in a bovine host cell nucleic acid molecule(s) having sequence(s) encoding bovine viral diarrhea virus E2 protein, or C, E1 and E2 proteins, or E1 and E2 proteins. Methods and kits employing such compositions are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacture of an anti-paratopic antibody comprising the steps of: (1) selecting from a pool of antibodies occurring in one species a prototypic set the members of which are effective in binding a specific antigen (or antigen epitope), and (2) utilizing one or more members of said prototypic set, or paratopic fragments thereof, as an immunogen in a host of a different species, or in an in vitro incubation system comprising cells derived from the same or a different species, to produce antibodies having a characteristic which is anti-paratopic with respect to said immunogen to produce a synthetic replicate of the specific antigen or epitope. Antigen (or antigen epitope), and monoclonal antibodies, vaccines and processes of immunization employing the product of the method of manufacture are also described.

Abstract: A composition and method for the diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis. The composition, which contains SLA antigens detects soluble liver antigen (SLA) auto-antibodies, which occur in sera of patients suffering from chronic hepatitis.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of extracting virus, particularly reovirus, from a culture of cells. Infectious virus can be extracted from the culture with a detergent at a convenient temperature such as 25° C. or 37° C. to produce high virus titers. Both ionic and non-ionic detergents can be used in the present invention.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for treatment of pain, the method comprising administering to the intrinsic spinal muscles of a mammal an amount of an agent sufficient to paralyze said muscles.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus, or Crohn's disease, which involves detecting the presence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in a human subject having at least one symptom associated with a suspected diagnosis of any of those diagnostic categories. Also disclosed is a method of treating these disorders, and other disorders caused by SIBO, that involves at least partially eradicating a SIBO condition in the human subject. The method includes administration of anti-microbial or probiotic agents, or normalizing intestinal motility by employing a prokinetic agent. The method improves symptoms, including hyperalgesia related to SIBO and disorders caused by SIBO.

Abstract: The present invention comprises compositions and methods comprising a spumavirus isolated from a human. More specifically, the spumavirus of the present invention was isolated from a human who had exposure to nonhuman primates. Importantly, the methods and compositions of the present invention comprising the spumavirus and including antibodies to the spumavirus, can be used to detect the presence of spumavirus or antibodies in body fluids, for pathogenicity studies of related viruses, and as a vector for gene therapies. The present invention can also be used for treatment of conditions in humans due to the presence of rapidly dividing cells and for recombinant live virus vaccination.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a Lys-Pro-Val dimer, formulations containing the dimer and dimer applicators. The Lys-Pro-Val dimer is an effective anti-pyretic, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. The Lys-Pro-Val dimer is effective in treating fungal, bacterial and viral infections.

Abstract: HCV immunoassays comprising an NS3/4a conformational epitope and a multiple epitope fusion antigen are provided, as well as immunoassay solid supports for use with the immunoassays.

Abstract: The instant invention provides methods and materials for expressing a polypeptide with factor VIII activity comprising administering an rAAV vector encoding a truncated version of human factor VIII, containing, for example, a 90 kD heavy chain of factor VIII fused to a light chain of factor VIII.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for culturing circovirus and in particular, porcine circovirus. The present invention provides compositions and methods for culturing porcine circovirus in mammalian cells expressing mammalian adenovirus E1 functional protein.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for improving encapsidation of transgene RNA using retroviral packaging and transfer vectors. An HIV-2 transfer vector, which includes the transgene, is introduced into a packaging cell that is also transfected with (or stably expresses) an HIV-2 derived packaging vector or a combination of packaging vectors. The packaging vector has mutations in packaging signal sequences that are both upstream and downstream of the 5′ splice donor site. It can also be composed of a combination of two or more partial vectors. A transfer vector, which is introduced into the packaging cell line, has a mutation that renders its splice donor site non-functional. Transgene RNA expression and encapsidation from these cells is markedly increased, but with little or no levels of infectious viral RNA encapsidation.

Abstract: Gram negative bacterial virulence genes are identified, thereby allowing the identification of novel anti-bacterial agents that target these virulence genes and their products, and the provision of novel gram negative bacterial mutants useful in vaccines.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel compositions comprising Epstein-Barr virus-specific oligonucleotides that are useful as primers to amplify particular regions of the genome during enzymatic nucleic acid amplification. The invention also provides a rapid, sensitive and specific method for the detection and quantitation of the virus which may be present in a clinical specimen, using the virus-specific primers and enzymatic nucleic acid amplification; hybridization of amplified target sequences, if present, with one or more Epstein-Barr virus-specific oligonucleotide probes which are labeled with a detectable moiety; and detection of the detectable moiety of labeled oligonucleotide probe hybridized to amplified target sequences of Epstein-Barr virus DNA.

Abstract: The invention relates to an extraordinarily efficient method of inactivating lipid-enveloped viruses, such as herpes or retroviruses, in biological or biotechnological—particularly pharmaceutical—products, as well as in cell cultures by adding a cyclic lipopeptide or a mixture of lipopeptides or salts or esters thereof at specific concentrations. Lipopeptides were found to have a surprisingly high inactivation potential for lipid-enveloped viruses and in addition, they offer the advantage of an exceedingly low in vivo toxicity, so that the step of removing the inactivating agent from pharmaceutical products or cell cultures can be omitted. The invention is also directed to new antiviral lipopeptides which belong to the surfactins.

Abstract: A strain of hepatitis E virus from Pakistan (SAR-55) implicated in an epidemic of enterically transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis, now called hepatitis E, is disclosed. The invention relates to the expression of the whole structural region of SAR-55, designated open reading frame 2 (ORF-2), in a eukaryotic expression system. The expressed protein is capable of forming HEV virus-like particles which can serve as an antigen in diagnostic immunoassays and as an immunogen or vaccine to protect against infection by hepatitis E.