Abstract: The present invention relates to the diagnosis of HIV infections. It especially teaches the production of a soluble retroviral surface glycoprotein-(or transmembrane glycoprotein)-chaperone complex and the advantageous use of a chaperone-antigen complex especially in the detection of antibodies to HIV in immunoassays, preferably according to the double antigen bridge concept, or as an immunogen. The invention also discloses soluble complexes comprising a variant of HIV-1 gp41 or a variant of HIV-2 gp36, respectively, and a chaperone selected from the peptidyl-prolyl-isomerase class of chaperones. Variants comprising specific amino-acid substitutions in the N-helical domain of HIV-1 gp41 or of HIV-2 gp36, respectively, are also described.

Abstract: The invention disclosed relates to a soluble rubella E1 antigen and variants of this peptide characterized by lacking at the C-terminal end at least the transmembrane region and the anchor segment as well as at least the amino acids 143 to 164 and containing at least the region spanning the disulfide bridges Cys 349-Cys 352 and Cys 368-401 whereas the N-terminus (Cys 349) of this region contains additionally at least 15 amino acids and/or the C-terminus (Cys 401) of this region contains additionally at least 8 amino acids of the adjacent rubella E1 antigen sequence. Also described are a recombinant DNA molecule encoding the rubella E1 antigen and variants which are recombinantly expressed as a chaperone fusion protein, refolded into a soluble and immunoreactive conformation, and further used for the serological detection of anti-rubella antibodies.

Abstract: The present invention refers to conjugates of erythropoietin with poly(ethylene glycol) comprising an erythropoietin glycoprotein having an N-terminal ?-amino group and having the in vivo biological activity of causing bone marrow cells to increase production of reticulocytes and red blood cells and selected from the group consisting of human erythropoietin and analogs thereof which have the sequence of human erythropoietin modified by the addition of from 1 to 6 glycosylation sites or a rearrangement of at least one glycosylation site; said glycoprotein being covalently linked to one poly(ethylene glycol) group of the formula —CO—(CH2)x—(OCH2CH2)m—OR wherein the —CO of the poly(ethylene glycol) group forms an amide bond with said N-terminal ?-amino group; and wherein R is lower alkyl; x is 2 or 3; and m is from about 450 to about 1350.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the diagnosis of HIV infections. It especially teaches the production of a soluble retroviral surface glycoprotein- (or transmembrane glycoprotein)-chaperone complex and the advantageous use of a chaperone-antigen complex especially in the detection of antibodies to HIV in immunoassays, preferably according to the double antigen bridge concept, or as an immunogen. The invention also discloses soluble complexes comprising a variant of HIV-1 gp41 or a variant of HIV-2 gp36, respectively, and a chaperone selected from the peptidyl-prolyl-isomerase class of chaperones. Variants comprising specific amino-acid substitutions in the N-helical domain of HIV-1 gp41 or of HIV-2 gp36, respectively, are also described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the diagnosis of HIV infections. It especially teaches the production of a soluble retroviral surface glycoprotein-(or transmembrane glycoprotein)-chaperone complex and the advantageous use of a chaperone-antigen complex especially in the detection of antibodies to HIV in immunoassays, preferably according to the double antigen bridge concept, or as an immunogen. The invention also discloses soluble complexes comprising a variant of HIV-1 gp41 or a variant of HIV-2 gp36, respectively, and a chaperone selected from the peptidyl-prolyl-isomerase class of chaperones. Variants comprising specific amino-acid substitutions in the N-helical domain of HIV-1 gp41 or of HIV-2 gp36, respectively, are also described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the diagnosis of HIV infections. It especially teaches the production of a soluble retroviral surface glycoprotein- (or transmembrane glycoprotein)-chaperone complex and the advantageous use of a chaperone-antigen complex especially in the detection of antibodies to HIV in immunoassays, preferably according to the double antigen bridge concept, or as an immunogen. The invention also discloses soluble complexes comprising a variant of HIV-1 gp41 or a variant of HIV-2 gp36, respectively, and a chaperone selected from the peptidyl-prolyl-isomerase class of chaperones. Variants comprising specific amino-acid substitutions in the N-helical domain of HIV-1 gp41 or of HIV-2 gp36, respectively, are also described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the cloning and expression of foreign protein or polypeptides in bacteria, such as Escherichia coli. In particular, this invention relates to expression tools comprising a FKBP-type peptidyl prolyl isomerase selected from the group consisting of FkpA, SlyD, and trigger factor; methods of recombinant protein expression, the recombinant polypeptides thus obtained, as well as to the use of such polypeptides.

Abstract: The present invention refers to conjugates of erythropoietin with poly(ethylene glycol) comprising an erythropoietin glycoprotein having an N-terminal &agr;-amino group and having the in vivo biological activity of causing bone marrow cells to increase production of reticulocytes and red blood cells and selected from the group consisting of human erythropoietin and analogs thereof which have the sequence of human erythropoietin modified by the addition of from 1 to 6 glycosylation sites or a rearrangement of at least one glycosylation site; said glycoprotein being covalently linked to one poly(ethylene glycol) group of the formula

Abstract: DNA molecule comprising a structural gene which codes for a bacterial protein with the enzymatic activity of 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (3-HBDH), a recombinant DNA containing the DNA molecule, microorganisms transformed accordingly, a process for obtaining 3-HBDH by culturing a suitable transformed microorganism as well as a method for the determination of ketone bodies in the presence of the enzyme. A structural gene from Rhodobacter sphaeroides is preferred.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an antibody against a hepatitis G virus antigen as well as a fragment of this antibody. The invention additionally concerns hybridoma cell lines as well as a conjugate that contains this antibody or the antibody fragment coupled to a biological molecule. Finally the present invention concerns the use of the antibody for the diagnostic detection of hepatitis G virus.

Abstract: A farm machine includes a frame, at least one rotor mounted on the frame, and a tapered flexible skirt for moving products that are on the ground mounted on the rotor. The tapered flexible skirt has close to its outer edge a zone the thickness of which is greater than the thickness of the remaining part of the tapered flexible skirt. The zone is an integral part of the tapered flexible skirt and extends without interruption over the entire periphery of the tapered flexible skirt.

Abstract: The decoder is a real time electronic device for processing, decoding and classifying data whose optimally achievable format of encoding is not known a prioristically but is desired to become known for either future optimal encoding, transmission, decoding for classificational discrimination or for storage. The decoder operates on rawdata inputs.The decoder may be manifested in either of two forms, namely a complete decoder for use as a laboratory research tool or an incomplete decoder which consists of all and only that subset of a complete decoder which is relevant for decoding a particular class of inputs whose application limits are well defined in the information theoretic sense. In general, the input to be processed is a non-stationary signal in analog form. The output of the decoder is usually sampled at most twice the cut-off frequency of the highest frequency component contained within the signal being analyzed. In the complete decoder form, the 2.sup.