Abstract:
A biocompatible material comprising a substrate and a phospholipid moiety covalently attached thereto in an amount and orientation effective to provide an improved nonthrombogenic surface relative to the substrate without the phospholipid moiety covalently attached thereto is provided. In particularly preferred embodiments, the bicompatible material has structure (1) wherein R is a (C1-C30)alkyl group; R is a (C1-C30)alkylene group; m is 1-4; n is 1-4; and L is a divalent linking group covalently bonded to the substrate and to the phospholipid moiety.
Abstract:
A method is provided which utilizes highly potent and cell-type specific immunotoxins (IT) to systemically treat therapy refractory high risk ALL patients. The method of the present invention decreases the post BMT relapse rate by eliminating the radiation resistant and/or drug resistant residual leukemia burden. With slight modifications the method of the present invention should be generally applicable to preparation of other PAP-MoAb conjugates for treatment of other types of cancer or AIDS.
Abstract:
The invention provides a method to prevent or ameliorate a hyperacute rejection reaction which would normally occur after transplant of a pig organ to a primate recipient, including a human recipient. Normally, anti-pig antibodies in the blood of the recipient will bind to pig antigens on the endothelial cells of the grafted pig organ, and activate the complement cascade causing necrosis of the pig organ within minutes to hours. The invention method involves passing at least 2-3 plasma volumes of the primate recipient's plasma over a sterile and pyrogen-free column coupled to protein which binds to and thereby removes immunoglobulin from the recipient's plasma, and then transplanting a pig organ to the primate recipient. The column treatment is preferably repeated on several days before and after transplant, and thereby prevents or ameliorates the hyperacute rejection reaction by removing anti-pig antibodies from the recipient's plasma. The method can remove greater than 99 % of the primate recipient's total IgG and greater than 99 % of the recipient's total IgM. The method also effects a 50-500 fold reduction in anti-pig immunoglobulin, and a 15-60 % reduction in potential complement activity. This invention also provides immunoglobulin-depleted human plasma suitable for infusion to a human recipient of a pig organ transplant.
Abstract:
A stent (1) comprising a self-expandable cylindrical body constructed of a single integral piece of material (8), including a plurality of wavy closed windings (10), and strips (16) interconnecting the windings such that the stent is prevented from stretching longitudinally, is provided. A method of manufacture of the stent by winding a continuous wire (10) upon spikes (44) on an elongated mandrel (40) to form a self-expanding shape memory coil is disclosed. A method of implanting the stent by releasably securing the stent in a sheath for insertion into a body cavity to maintain patency, is also disclosed.
Abstract:
Dental hand tools (140) including disposable water and air treatment cartridges (50). In various construction, cartridges (50) containing selected arrangements of disinfectant media mount to a detachable, hand tool adaptor manifold (2) or to an integral hand tool manifold (142). The cartridges (50) purify water and air discharged from the hand tool (140) and direct liquid and airflow over external surfaces of the cartridge (50) to an interior cavity (156) containing a halogen disinfectant media (e.g. a multivalent iodine resin) and/or halogen scavenger media and porous spacers. A retainer may interlock the cartridge to the manifold (142) and means may be included to prevent leaching of the disinfectant by the scavenger media. Various constructions of handpieces, syringes and scalers compatible with alternative detachable, adaptor manifold or having integral cartridge manifolds are disclosed. Spray tips with integral manifolds and detachable cartridge manifolds which align to water and air discharge ports are also disclosed.
Abstract:
The present invention provides an isolated DNA molecule of the autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 gene, which is located within the short arm of chromosome 6. This isolated DNA molecule is preferably located within a 3.36 kb EcoRI fragment, i.e., an EcoRI fragment containing about 3360 base pairs, of the SCA1 gene. The isolated sequences contain a CAG repeat region. The number of CAG trinucleotide repeats (n) is 36, preferably n >/= 43.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to methods and compositions for biological control of plant diseases using suppressive avirulent strains of Streptomyces spp. to control disease on a vegetable or other susceptible crop. The method includes applying one or more naturally occurring, suppressive avirulent strains of Streptomyces spp. to the crop to inhibit the growth of Streptomyces scabies or other plant pathogenic organisms that cause scab, wilt, or seedling blight disease. Preferably, at least two suppressive avirulent strains of Streptomyces spp. are applied to reduce the change of resistance from occurring. The suppressive avirulent strains are compatible and will grow in the presence of one another and, when combined with the pathogenic organism, at least one of the suppressive avirulent strains preferably substantially outgrows the pathogen.
Abstract:
The invention relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules coding for toxins associated with Kawasaki Syndrome. Also described are various applications of the nucleic acid molecules. The figure depicts a Southern blot of isolates from patients with Kawasaki Syndrome.
Abstract:
The present invention described provides a start microbial replication factor, as well as methods for assaying and using the start microbial replication factor. A start microbial replication factor can be used to stimulate the growth of bacteria in suspension or bound to a surface. Agents that inhibit or enhance a start microbial replication factor can also be identified. The present invention also describes processes to treat or control the growth of bacteria which are bound to surfaces. Both proliferation and metabolism of bacteria which are adhered to surfaces are independent of both time and nutrient supply. Growth of adherent bacteria is density dependent. The present invention also provides a process to predict when bacterial growth will exhibit rapid growth on a surface. The invention also provides novel strains of transformed bacteria and methods of using the bacteria strains to measure microbial growth in the presence or absence of a start microbial replication factor. The transformed bacteria have a bacterial reporter gene under the control of a promoter whose expression is coordinately regulated with cell growth.