Abstract: Delivery apparatus and methods for delivering a medical device into a patient's vasculature are disclosed. In some examples, a method includes inserting, into a patient, a distal end portion of a delivery apparatus including a radially compressed prosthetic valve mounted around a balloon, advancing the distal end through the patient's vasculature, and inflating the balloon to radially expand the prosthetic valve at a native heart valve. The delivery apparatus includes a handle, a first shaft and a second shaft extending from the handle, and a locking mechanism to prevent axial movement of the second shaft relative to first shaft. The second shaft extends coaxially through the first shaft and includes the balloon, the radially compressed prosthetic valve, and one or more radiopaque markers at a distal end portion. The first shaft includes an end piece covering a proximal portion of the balloon during the advancing of the delivery apparatus.

Abstract: A chimeric, carboxy-terminal truncated hepatitis B virus nucleocapsid protein (HBc) is disclosed that contains an immunogen for inducing the production of antibodies to malarial proteins. An immunogenic malarial epitope is expressed between residues 78 and 79 of the HBc immunogenic loop sequence. The chimer preferably contains a malaria-specific T cell epitope and is preferably engineered for both enhanced stability of self-assembled particles and enhanced yield of those chimeric particles. Methods of making and using the chimers are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to hepatitis virus core proteins and nucleic acids. In particular, the present invention provides compositions and methods comprising recombinant hepatitis virus core proteins or nucleic acids for use in vaccine formulations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to hepatitis virus core proteins and nucleic acids. In particular, the present invention provides compositions and methods comprising recombinant hepatitis virus core proteins or nucleic acids for use in vaccine formulations.

Abstract: A single polypeptide antigen that includes the amino acid residue sequence and epitope of a conformation-independent antigenic determinant and the amino acid residue sequence but lacks the epitope of a conformation-dependent antigenic determinant is disclosed as are methods of its manufacture and use and articles of manufacture using the same. The uses of the pre-S(2) region polypeptide encoded by the hepatitis B virus genome as a T cell proliferating agent and as a potentiator for enhancing the humoral immune response of animals that exhibit a low humoral response to an S region-containing immunogen are also disclosed.