Abstract: Antibodies that bind with high affinity to swine H1N1 virus are described. In vivo experiments showed that one such antibody is able to fully protect mice challenged with a lethal dose of swine H1N1 virus. The antibody is also able to cure mice in a therapeutic setting when treated as late as up to 60 hours (2.5 days) after infection with swine H1N1 virus. Also described are recombinant forms of this antibody.

Abstract: PD-1 antagonists are disclosed that can be used to reduce the expression or activity of PD-1 in a subject. An immune response specific to an infectious agent or to tumor cells can be enhanced using these PD-1 antagonists in conjunction with an antigen from the infectious agent or tumor. Thus, subjects with infections, such as persistent infections can be treated using PD-1 antagonists. In addition, subjects with tumors can be treated using the PD-1 antagonists. In several examples, subjects can be treated by transplanting a therapeutically effective amount of activated T cells that recognize an antigen of interest and by administering a therapeutically effective amount of a PD-1 antagonist.

Abstract: Techniques for optimizing queries are provided. In one technique, a query optimizer determines that two tables involved in equi-joins with one other table return unique rows. The query optimizer further determines that the rows returned by one of the tables is a subset of the rows returned by the other table. The query optimizer then determines that one of the two tables involved in the equi-joins can be eliminated. In another technique, a query optimizer determines that group-by placement may be used on a query that specifies a table. The query optimizer further determines that a view that (1) replaces the table and (2) results from the group-by placement is a subset of an existing view. The query optimizer further determines that each view is unique. The query optimizer selects an execution plan that does not join any tables or views with the resulting view or with the specified table.

Abstract: Methods for transforming queries that contain EXISTS and NOT EXISTS subqueries are provided. The methods provided transform original queries that contain EXISTS and/or NOT EXISTS subqueries in conjunctive or disjunctive combinations into transformed queries that coalesce the original EXISTS and/or NOT EXISTS subqueries into a reduced number of EXISTS and/or NOT EXISTS subqueries, thereby eliminating duplicative table accesses and join operations.

Abstract: The present invention is based, in part, on the identification of novel human anti-PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 antibodies. Accordingly, the invention relates to compositions and methods for diagnosing, prognosing, and treating conditions that would benefit from modulating PD-1, PD-L1, and/or PD-L2 activity (e.g., persistent infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, asthma, transplant rejection, inflammatory disorders and tumors) using the novel human anti-PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 antibodies described herein.

Abstract: It is disclosed herein that treatment of a subject with an mTOR inhibitor enhances antigen-specific T cell immune responses. Thus, provided herein is a method of enhancing an antigen-specific T cell response in a subject by administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an mTOR inhibitor. The antigen can be any antigen, such as an antigen from a pathogen or a vaccine, or a tumor antigen. In some embodiments, the method further comprises administering to the subject a vaccine, such as a virus vaccine or a cancer vaccine. The mTOR inhibitor can be administered either before or after vaccination to enhance the quantity and quality of the T cell immune response and immunological memory. In some examples, the mTOR inhibitor is rapamycin or a rapamycin analog.

Abstract: Methods for transforming a query to remove redundant subqueries in HAVING clauses are provided. The methods provided transform queries that contain subqueries in HAVING clauses with tables and join conditions and filter conditions equal to tables, join conditions and filter conditions in outer query to queries that eliminate the original subquery and retain the original outer query with a single inline view using window functions. Whether this transformation can be performed depends on which tables and join and filter conditions are in the outer query and the subquery. The transformation eliminates duplicative table accesses and join operations from queries.

Abstract: Join predicate push down transformations push down a join predicate of an outer query into a view. Among the types of views for which join predicate push down is performed are a view with a GROUP BY or DISTINCT operator, an anti-joined or semi-joined view, and a view that contains one or more nested views. During optimization, join predicate push down may be used to generate many transformed queries for comparison. The number of query transformations performed for comparison is managed.

Abstract: A major challenge in vaccinology is to prospectively determine vaccine efficacy. Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for identifying early expression “signatures” that predicted immune responses in humans vaccinated with a vaccine.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for delaying evaluation of expensive expressions in a query. Expensive expressions in the query are established by cost information or by looking up a list of known expensive expressions for a match. After an execution plan is determined by using the early evaluation technique, one or more equivalent execution plans is established. The one or more equivalent execution plans may include both a type of execution plans that delay evaluation of expensive expressions and a type of execution plans that do not. In addition, the one or more equivalent execution plans may include both parallelized and non-parallelized alternatives to the execution plan identified by the early evaluation technique. Finally, based on a set of criteria, which may include comparing cost information among all the equivalent execution plans generated thus far, the best execution plan is chosen for the query.

Abstract: High efficient methods for producing an antibody molecule that binds an antigen are described. The methods include obtaining a population of PBMC enriched for CD19highCD3negCD20low to negCD38highCD27high cells from a mammal exposed to an antigen from sample of cells enriched for PBMC. The cells are isolated from a sample obtained at a time that the fraction of PBMC expressing antibody reactive to the antigen is at a high level. Sequences encoding heavy and light chain variable domains are prepared in a manner that allow production of molecules with natural heavy and light chain pairing.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, multiple candidate selection techniques are made available to a query-processing unit for processing a query. A candidate selection technique is chosen from among the available candidate selection techniques for an incoming query. The candidate selection technique may be chosen based on a configuration file or user input or based on some aspect of the query, the user, or the database on which the query will run. A set of semantically equivalent queries (also called a set of candidate queries) is determined for an the incoming query based on the chosen candidate selection technique. A choice is then made among the candidate queries, usually based on a cost measure, as to which query to execute or store for later execution.

Abstract: Various techniques are described for processing database commands that include MINUS and/or INTERSECT operators. The queries containing the MINUS and/or INTERSECT operators are transformed to create a plurality of transformed queries. Each of the transformed queries produces the same result as the original query, but does not include the MINUS and/or INTERSECT operator. To achieve the same result set as the original query, the transformed queries employ equijoins, antijoins, and/or semijoins, and duplicate elimination operations. Costs are estimated for each of the various transformed queries. Based on the cost estimates, one of the transformed queries is selected as the query that is to be executed to perform the operations specified in the original query.

Abstract: Under a type of query transformation referred to herein as join factorization, the branches of an UNION/UNION ALL query that join a common table are combined to reduce accesses to the common table. The transformation can be expressed as (T1 join T2) union all (T1 join T3)=T1 join (T2 union all T3), where T1, T2 and T3 are three tables. A given query may be rewritten in many alternate ways using join factorization. Evaluating each alternative can be expensive. Therefore, the alternatives are generated and evaluated in a way that minimizes the cost of evaluating the alternatives.

Abstract: PD-1 antagonists are disclosed that can be used to reduce the expression or activity of PD-1 in a subject. An immune response specific to an infectious agent or to tumor cells can be enhanced using these PD-1 antagonists in conjunction with an antigen from the infectious agent or tumor. Thus, subjects with infections, such as persistent infections can be treated using PD-1 antagonists. In addition, subjects with tumors can be treated using the PD-1 antagonists. In several examples, subjects can be treated by transplanting a therapeutically effective amount of activated T cells that recognize an antigen of interest and by administering a therapeutically effective amount of a PD-1 antagonist. Methods are also disclosed for determining the efficacy of a PD-1 antagonist in a subject administered the PD-1 antagonist. In some embodiments, these methods include measuring proliferation of memory B cells in a sample from a subject administered the PD-1 antagonist.

Abstract: During query optimization, when a particular type of transformation is considered, the effect of performing one or more subsequent kinds of transformations is also considered in conjunction with the first. When applying a transformation, which forecloses applying another, both are considered independently.

Abstract: Techniques for performing a “null-aware” anti-join operation are described. Unnesting using anti-join of NOT IN/ALL subquery uses null-aware anti-join operation, resulting in a rewritten query that, when computed, produces results consistent with the NULL semantics of NOT IN/ALL subquery. The semantics of the “null-aware” anti-join operation allow the query having the NOT IN/ALL subquery to be rewritten even though a no-NULL restriction requirement, for the operands of the anti-join condition in the query, may not be met.

Abstract: PD-1 antagonists are disclosed that can be used to reduce the expression or activity of PD-1 in a subject. An immune response specific to an infectious agent or to tumor cells can be enhanced using these PD-1 antagonists in conjunction with an antigen from the infectious agent or tumor. Thus, subjects with infections, such as persistent infections can be treated using PD-1 antagonists. In addition, subjects with tumors can be treated using the PD-1 antagonists. In several examples, subjects can be treated by transplanting a therapeutically effective amount of activated T cells that recognize an antigen of interest and by administering a therapeutically effective amount of a PD-1 antagonist.

Abstract: Methods for transforming queries that contain EXISTS and NOT EXISTS subqueries are provided. The methods provided transform original queries that contain EXISTS and/or NOT EXISTS subqueries in conjunctive or disjunctive combinations into transformed queries that coalesce the original EXISTS and/or NOT EXISTS subqueries into a reduced number of EXISTS and/or NOT EXISTS subqueries, thereby eliminating duplicative table accesses and join operations.

Abstract: Under a type of query transformation referred to herein as join factorization, the branches of an UNION/UNION ALL query that join a common table are combined to reduce accesses to the common table. The transformation can be expressed as (T1 join T2) union all (T1 join T3)=T1 join (T2 union all T3), where T1, T2 and T3 are three tables. A given query may be rewritten in many alternate ways using join factorization. Evaluating each alternative can be expensive. Therefore, the alternatives are generated and evaluated in a way that minimizes the cost of evaluating the alternatives.