Abstract: Causative microorganisms of infectious diseases are detected and/or identified rapidly and with high sensitivity by taking phagocytes from clinical specimens containing active phagocytes, immobilizing the phagocytes so taken, treating the phagocytes to improve cell membrane permeabilities thereof, further treating the phagocytes to bare DNA in the causative microorganisms which might exist in the phagocytes, and detecting the causative microorganisms with DNA probes which can hybridize with such DNA under stringent conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells and for the treatment of tumors with antagonists of the binding of ligands to the extracellular domain of MUC1, such binding being related to an oncogenic function of MUC1.

Abstract: Disclosed is a human cell/tissue culturing system including a plurality of incubators, each incubator capable of aseptically storing/culturing cell(s) or tissue(s) derived from a (human) individual and identifying the cell(s) or the tissue(s) during incubation, wherein each incubator comprises a detector corresponding to an individual key, the response of the detector permitting opening/closing of a door of each incubator, the response of the detector of one incubator triggering the interception of the function of the detector(s) of other incubator(s) to consequently inhibit opening/closing of the door(s) of the other incubator(s).

Abstract: A digested phagocyte prepared by contacting in vitro a phagocyte with a foreign microorganism and isolating the phagocyte so contacted; a process for producing the same; and a process and a kit in which these are utilized are disclosed. An experimental model, which enables in vitro evaluation of a phagocytotic function of phagocytes, is provided.

Abstract: Causative microorganisms of infectious diseases are detected and/or identified rapidly and high-sensitively by taking phagocytes from the clinical specimens containing active phagocytes, immobilizing the phagocytes so taken, treating the phagocytes to improve cell membrane permeabilities thereof, further treating the phagocytes to bare DNA in the causative microorganisms which might be existed in the phagocytes, and detecting the causative microorganisms with DNA probes which can hybridize with such DNA under stringent conditions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for treating and preventing cancer and for treating precancerous lesions by administering a therapeutically effective dose of a vaccine comprising fusion cells formed by fusion of antigen presenting cells and non-dendritic cells that contain genomic DNA or cDNA derived from a tumor cell or a pre-cancerous cell to a cancer patient or patient with a precancerous lesion. In certain embodiments, such vaccines are administered in combination with a cytokine or other molecule that stimulates a cytotoxic T cell (CTL) response and/or a humoral immune response. The present invention also relates to methods for treating and preventing an infectious disease by administering a therapeutically effective dose of a vaccine comprising fusion cells formed by fusion of antigen presenting cells and non-dendritic cells that contain genomic DNA or cDNA derived from the infectious agent that causes the infectious disease to be treated or prevented to a subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and treatment protocols for the immunotherapy of cancer by administering a therapeutically effective dose of fusion cells formed by fusion of autologous dendritic cells and autologous non-dendritic cells in combination with interleukin-12.

Abstract: The present invention is meant to provide a novel use of benzyl alcohol for an antitumor agent guaranteed to have sufficient safety. The present inventors have made a study on the possible action of benzyl alcohol on a tumor cell to develop the use and a treatment method thereby. As a result, it has been found out that the local administration to a cancer cell site can promote the cancer cell to be separated off very efficiently and specifically. Thus, the usefulness for an antitumor agent is confirmed. Moreover, the combination with an antioxidant has been found out to increase the effect.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells and for the treatment of tumors with antagonists of the binding of ligands to the extracellular domain of MUC1, such binding being related to an oncogenic function of MUC1.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for increasing the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents by antagonists of MUC1 expression and/or activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for efficiently constructing a specific antibody having a neutralizing activity for AIDS or the like, by imparting an ability to induce a strong immunoresponse to peptidic epitope such as the gp120 loop 3 of HIV or the like, from which sufficient immunoresponsive induction activity cannot be obtained by the conventional methods. An artificial protein having epitope with potentiated immunogenicity, comprised of an amino acid sequence containing whole or part of an amino acid sequence of a peptidic epitope and having a property imparted thereto of assisting the formation of the high-order structure of protein, and an amino acid sequence having a property imparted thereto of assisting the antigen presentation treatment caused by immunocompetent cell, is prepared. Subsequently, an antibody against the above-mentioned peptidic epitope is efficiently constructed by a conventional method with the use of said artificial protein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for preventing cancer and for treating and preventing development and progression of pre-cancerous lesions by administering a therapeutically effective dose of fusion cells formed by fusion of dendritic cells and precancerous non-dendritic cells, either alone or in combination with a cytokine or other molecule which stimulates or induces a cytotoxic T cell response and/or a humoral immune response.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for treating and preventing cancer by administering a therapeutically effective dose of fusion cells formed by fusion of autologous dendritic cells and autologous non-dendritic cells, in combination with a cytokine or other molecule which stimulates or induces a cytotoxic T cell response and/or a humoral immune response.

Abstract: Disclosed is a human cell/tissue culturing system including a plurality of incubators, each incubator capable of aseptically storing/culturing cell(s) or tissue(s) derived from a (human) individual and identifying the cell(s) or the tissue(s) during incubation, wherein each incubator comprises a detector corresponding to an individual key, the response of the detector permitting opening/closing of a door of each incubator, the response of the detector of one incubator triggering the interception of the function of the detector(s) of other incubator(s) to consequently inhibit opening/closing of the door(s) of the other incubator(s).

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for treating and preventing cancer and infectious disease by administering a therapeutically effective dose of fusion cells formed by fusion of autologous dendritic cells and autologous non-dendritic cells, in combination with a cytokine or other molecule which stimulates or induces a cytotoxic T cell response and/or a humoral immune response.

Abstract: DNA extracted from a blood sample by a DNA extractor is provided to a reactor. The reactor makes a hybridization reaction between a DNA microarray on which a plurality of different types of DNA probes are arranged in a predetermined order, and the extracted DNA. A hybridization pattern is formed on the reacted DNA microarray. An authentication certificate is issued by directly attaching the reacted DNA microarray obtained in this way. Alternatively, an authentication certificate is issued by reading the hybridization pattern by a reader, and recording the read pattern as magnetic/digital information.

Abstract: DNA probes for diagnosing infectious diseases involving Enterococcus faecalis and methods of using such probes are provided.

Abstract: DNA probes for diagnosing infectious diseases involving Staphylococcus aureus and methods of using such probes are provided.

Abstract: DNA probes for diagnosing infectious diseases involving Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methods of using such probes are provided.

Abstract: DNA probes for diagnosing infectious diseases involving Staphylococcus epidermidis and methods of using such probes are provided.