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The invention relates to a dengue virus tetravalent vaccine containing a common 30-nucleotide deletion (delta30) in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of the genome of dengue virus serotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4. The previously identified delta30 attenuating mutation, created in dengue virus type 4 (DEN4) by the removal of 30 nucleotides from the 3'-UTR, is also capable of attenuating a wild-type strain of dengue virus type 1 (DEN1).

Cardiovascular disease is a major health risk throughout the industrialized world. Atherosclerosis, the most prevalent of cardiovascular diseases, is the principal cause of heart attack, stroke, and gangrene of the extremities. It is also the principal cause of death in the United States.

Purines such as adenosine and ATP have been shown to play a wide array of roles in biological systems such as inter alia, modulator of vasodilation and hypotension, muscle relaxant, central depressant, inhibitor of platelet aggregation, regulator of energy supply/demand, responder to oxygen availability, neurotransmitter and neuromodulator. All P1 and P2 receptor nucleoside ligands suffer from chemical instability that is caused by the labile glycosidic linkage in the sugar moiety of the nucleoside.

Many individuals with ongoing and severe dental problems are faced with the prospect of permanent tooth loss. Examples of such dental problems include: dentinal degradation due to chronic dental disease (caries or periodontal); mouth injury; or through surgical removal, such as with tumors associated with the jaw. For many, a technology that offers a possible alternative to artificial dentures by designing and transplanting a set of living teeth fashioned from an individual's own pulp cells would greatly improve their quality of life.

To date there have been no adequate methods to determine the frequency of mutations in humans. This invention discloses a method of measuring the mutational frequency of a mitochondrial DNA sequence by sequencing mitochondrial DNA from clonally expanded single cells such as CD34+ human stem cells. Sequencing for mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms and mutations may also be useful as a general method to detect minimal residual disease in leukemia. The mitochondrial genome is particularly susceptible to mutations and these may be used to measure genomic mutagenesis by virtue of comparison.

NF-kB has been found to be important in immune responses, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and in organ development. Several years ago it was discovered that an IKKgamma/NEMO protein was essential as an adaptor molecule to mediate TNF-alpha, IL-1, and oncoprotein induced activation of NF-kB. Mutation in IKKgamma/NEMO also results in two human genetic diseases, Familial incontinentia pigmenti and hypohidrotic/anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia. The NIH announces mouse monoclonal antibodies to IKKgamma/NEMO that are far superior to other immunological reagents.

Congenital hydrocephalus is a significant public health problem, affecting approximately one in 500 live births in the United States. Congenital hydrocephalus has an adverse effect on developing brain and may persist as neurological defects in children and adults. Some of these defects may manifest as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and visual disabilities. Improved diagnostics are needed for assessing the risks of developing this debilitating disease.

This invention portrays a simple method for treatment of antigen-deficiency diseases by orally administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of the deficient antigen, wherein the antigen is not present in a liposome. This method increases hemostasis in a subject having hemophilia A or B, by orally administering to the hemophiliac a therapeutically effective amount of the appropriate clotting factor, sufficient to induce oral tolerance and supply exogenous clotting factor to the subject.

The National Institutes of Health announces three specific monoclonal antibodies that strongly inhibit and/or immunoblot the human cytochrome P450 2J2 (CYP2J2).

Cytochrome P450s catalyze the NADPH-dependent oxidation of arachidonic acid to various eicosanoids found in several species. The eicosanoids are biosynthesized in numerous tissues including pancreas, intestine, kidney, heart and lung where they are involved in many different biological activities.

This invention relates to the use of several peptides from the salivary glands of various sand fly species for the control of leishmania infection. Many of these peptides were shown to be effective in eliciting potent immune responses in animal models and are excellent candidates for the development of vaccines against the disease. A vaccine comprising one of the peptides was used to protect mice challenged with parasites and salivary gland homogenates.