Abstract: Methods are provided for producing a PEGylated interleukin 11 (IL-11) by treating a recombinant IL-11 PEGylated with an equimolar to low molar excess of PEG carrying an amine-reactive group to achieve a highly pure monoconjugate preparation, which provides improved half-life in serum while having desirable therapeutic activity and presenting fewer side-effects. Most preferably, the IL-11 is an N-terminally truncated human or humanized IL-11 and has a 20 Kd or 40 Kd branched PEG moiety, Y- or comb-shaped in particular, coupled to the N-terminal amino group. Such compounds are characterized by substantially increased stability in serum and sustained biological activity while exhibiting significantly reduced plasma expansion.

Abstract: Enteroviruses, such as EV-A71, have been found to utilize hWARS as a cell surface receptor, with expression ofhWARS rendering cells susceptible to enteroviral infection. Reduction in hWARS cell surface activity reduces susceptibility to enteroviral infection and provides a mode for treatment or prevention of enteroviral infection and its sequelae. Similarly, expression of hWARS in cultured cells and animal models provides models for understanding enteroviral disease mechanisms and the development of vaccines and/or pharmaceuticals for preventing or treating enteroviral disease.

Abstract: Recombinant interleukin-11 (rhIL-11) is expressed in yeast, then isolated from aerobic fermentation media by precipitation, solubilization of the precipitate in the presence of a denaturant, and renaturation of the solubilized protein. Renatured rhIL-11 is further purified by cation exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography to provide a highly purified rhIL-11 with high biological activity and low rhIL-11 dimer and oxidized rhIL-11 content.

Abstract: Recombinant IL-11 is expressed in yeast, then isolated from aerobic fermentation media by precipitation, solubilization of the precipitate in the presence of a denaturant, and renaturation of the solubilized protein. Renatured rhIL-11 is further purified by cation exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography to provide a highly purified rhIL-11 with high biological activity and low rhIL-11 dimer and oxidized rhIL-11 content.

Abstract: Methods are provided for producing a PEGylated interleukin 11 (IL-11) tby treating a recombinant IL-11 PEGylated with an equimolar to low molar excess of PEG carrying an amine-reactive group to achieve a highly pure monoconjugate preparation, which provides improved half-life in serum while having desirable therapeutic activity and presenting fewer side-effects. Most preferably, the IL-11 is an N-terminally truncated human or humanized IL-11 and has a 20 Kd or 40 Kd branched PEG moiety, Y- or comb-shaped in particular, coupled to the N-terminal amino group. Such compounds are characterized by substantially increased stability in serum and sustained biological activity while exhibiting significantly reduced plasma expansion.

Abstract: Methods are provided for treating an individual with a pharmaceutical preparation that includes a recombinant IL-11 PEGylated at equimolar to low molar excess of PEG to achieve a highly pure monoconjugate preparation, which provides improved half-life in serum while having desirable therapeutic activity and presenting fewer side-effects. Most preferably, the IL-11 is an N-terminally truncated human or humanized IL-11 and has a 20 Kd or 40 Kd branched PEG moiety, Y- or comb-shaped in particular, coupled to the N-terminal amino group. Such compounds are characterized by substantially increased stability in serum and sustained biological activity while exhibiting significantly reduced plasma expansion.

Abstract: Compositions are presented that include a recombinant IL-11 PEGylated at equimolar to low molar excess of PEG to achieve a highly pure monoconjugate preparation, which provides improved half-life in serum while having desirable therapeutic activity and presenting fewer side-effects. Most preferably, the IL-11 is an N-terminally truncated human or humanized IL-11 and has a 20 Kd or 40 Kd branched PEG moiety, Y- or comb-shaped in particular, coupled to the N-terminal amino group. Such compounds are characterized by substantially increased stability in serum and sustained biological activity while exhibiting significantly reduced plasma expansion.

Abstract: Methods are provided for treating an individual with a pharmaceutical preparation that includes a recombinant IL-11 PEGylated at equimolar to low molar excess of PEG to achieve a highly pure monoconjugate preparation, which provides improved half-life in serum while having desirable therapeutic activity and presenting fewer side-effects. Most preferably, the IL-11 is an N-terminally truncated human or humanized IL-11 and has a 20 Kd or 40 Kd branched PEG moiety, Y- or comb-shaped in particular, coupled to the N-terminal amino group. Such compounds are characterized by substantially increased stability in serum and sustained biological activity while exhibiting significantly reduced plasma expansion.

Abstract: Compositions are presented that include a recombinant IL-11 PEGylated at equimolar to low molar excess of PEG to achieve a highly pure monoconjugate preparation, which provides improved half-life in serum while having desirable therapeutic activity and presenting fewer side-effects. Most preferably, the IL-11 is an N-terminally truncated human or humanized IL-11 and has a 20 Kd or 40 Kd branched PEG moiety, Y- or comb-shaped in particular, coupled to the N-terminal amino group. Such compounds are characterized by substantially increased stability in serum and sustained biological activity while exhibiting significantly reduced plasma expansion.

Abstract: Enteroviruses, such as EV-A71, have been found to utilize hWARS as a cell surface receptor, with expression ofhWARS rendering cells susceptible to enteroviral infection. Reduction in hWARS cell surface activity reduces susceptibility to enteroviral infection and provides a mode for treatment or prevention of enteroviral infection and its sequelae. Similarly, expression of hWARS in cultured cells and animal models provides models for understanding enteroviral disease mechanisms and the development of vaccines and/or pharmaceuticals for preventing or treating enteroviral disease.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are presented in which recombinant IL-11 is PEGylated to achieve improved half-life in serum while having desirable therapeutic activity and presenting less side-effects. Most preferably, the IL-11 is an N-terminally truncated human or humanized IL-11 and has a 20 Kd or 40 Kd branched PEG moiety, Y- or comb-shaped in particular, coupled to the N-terminal amino group. Such compounds are characterized by substantially increased stability in serum and sustained biological activity while exhibiting significantly reduced plasma expansion.

Abstract: Therapy for influenza using a combination of a neuraminidase inhibitor, a macrolide antibiotic, and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug has been found to provide improved clinical outcomes and reduced incidence of viral quasispecies compared to conventional treatment with neuraminidase inhibitors alone. Effective treatment schedules are also provided. The drug combination can be used in concert with a proton-pump inhibitor and/or an additional antibacterial antibiotic.

Abstract: Highly conserved, short untranslated leader sequences have been identified in MERS-CoV and other human pathogenic Coronaviruses that provide the basis for highly sensitive and accurate assays for these viruses. Use of locked nucleic acids is shown to be useful in amplification reactions for these short sequences. RT-PCR using locked nucleic acids is shown to provide accurate detection of a variety of human pathogen Coronaviruses present at 10 copies per reaction or less.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are presented in which recombinant IL-11 is PEGylated to achieve improved half-life in serum while having desirable therapeutic activity and presenting less side-effects. Most preferably, the IL-11 is an N-terminally truncated human or humanized IL-11 and has a 20 Kd or 40 Kd branched PEG moiety, Y- or comb-shaped in particular, coupled to the N-terminal amino group. Such compounds are characterized by substantially increased stability in serum and sustained biological activity while exhibiting significantly reduced plasma expansion.

Abstract: Disclosed are hydrogel composition, method for preparing the same and use thereof. The hydrogel composition comprises a guar gum derivative which is crosslinked, a mint-based component, water, and optionally, an amphiphilic core-shell nanoparticle having a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic shell, wherein the amount of the mint-based component is in the range of 1-6 wt % and the amount of the water is in the range of 65-95 wt %, based on the total weight of the hydrogel composition. The hydrogel composition is safe and can provide symptomatic relief for patients with symptoms such as severe and intractable pruritus associated with hypertrophic scars. The symptomatic relief effect of the hydrogel composition is reproducible, and is independent of the etiology of the burn trauma, extent of the scarring and duration of the scar formation, while tachyphylaxis is not observed. Also disclosed is a medical device comprising the hydrogel composition.