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Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colorectum and affects approximately 400,000 people in the United States. The cause of UC is not known, although an abnormal immunological response to bacterial antigens in the gut microflora is thought to be involved. Present treatments for UC include anti-inflammatory therapy using aminosalicylates or corticosteroids, as well as immunomodulators and diet.

HLA molecules are indispensable and invaluable tools for efficient vaccine research and development. Infectious diseases are the second leading cause of death among adults and the most prominent cause of death in infants and children worldwide. Thus, rapid availability of prophylactic vaccines for cancers and infectious diseases such as HIV, HPV, influenza and diarrheal and respiratory diseases is a world-wide health concern.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the cause of Hepatitis E, a liver disease that occurs primarily in developing countries due to fecal contaminated drinking water. Outbreaks of HEV infection have caused epidemics in Africa, Central and Southeast Asia and Mexico and cases of the disease have also been reported sporadically in more developed countries. Hepatitis E is most often overcome by a host’s natural defenses; however the disease is more severe in pregnant women, who exhibit a 20% mortality rate due to HEV infection.

Two chimpanzee mAbs specifically reacted with light chain of the botulinum neurotoxin A and neutralize the toxin in the mouse model. They can be used for emergency prophylaxis and treatment of either naturally acquired or terrorist associated botulism. Since the sequence of chimpanzee immune globulin is virtually identical to that of humans, the MAbs are not expected to have problems in repeated administration as equine antibodies. They can also be used for rapid diagnosis of botulinum neurotoxin A.

Parallel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques employ RF coil arrays for faster data acquisition, and have been shown to reduce the overall length of MRI procedures, improve signal-to–noise ratio (SNR) and image quality, thus making MRI more attractive and less costly. Elimination of inductive coupling is an essential step in designing RF coil arrays for parallel MRI.

Immuno-therapy has taken a lead among the new cancer therapeutic approaches. It is one of the most promising new therapeutic approaches that exploit the innate immune mechanism of an individual to fight against a certain disease.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common genetic disease that affects the entire body, producing thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. It is the most common fatal genetic disease in the United States, and is caused by a mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR).

Serotonin is an important modulator of many developmental, behavioral, and physiological processes, and it has been implicated in depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorders, and substance abuse. Serotonin’s pharmacology is extremely complex and it is mediated by seven of serotonin receptor subtypes and it is present in several tissues. Although it has been a subject of a number of studies, its role has been difficult to ascertain. To investigate the role of serotonin in these disorders, the murine gene was disrupted by homologous recombination.

Calcium is a key element in the regulation of many cellular processes, including muscle contraction, hormone excretion from gland cells, neurotransmitter release from nerve synapses, and the regulation of cellular metabolism. Elevated calcium levels are found in a number of diseases.

Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT) gene encodes 560 amino acids. In the virus, however, HIV-1 RT occurs as a dimer of two related polypeptides, p66 and p51 subunits at a molar ratio of 1:1. The p51 subunit is derived from a C-terminal proteolytic cleavage of the p66 subunit. This invention describes a simplified protocol to purify large quantities of histidine-tagged and untagged heterodimeric forms of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT) from Escherichia coli.