The present disclosure relates generally to the field of immunological-based assays and describes methods for measuring cell-mediated immuno responsiveness. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods, compositions, and kits for measuring cell-mediated immune response activity with enhanced sensitivity and improved storage stability.

De novo designed polypeptides that bind to IL-2 receptor β.sub.c heterodimer (IL-2Rβ.sub.c), IL-4 receptor α.sub.cheterodimer (IL-4Rα.sub.c), or IL-13 receptor α subunit (IL-13Rα) are disclosed, as are methods for using and designing the polypeptides.

Compositions and methods for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection in a patient suspected of being infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and for distinguishing between active and latent tuberculosis infection are provided. The methods may also be used to monitor progression of MTB infection or to monitor treatment of MTB infected patients. Changes in the expression level of genes are used to aid in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of tuberculosis.

Provided herein are methods and devices related to inducing a population of self-renewing or senescent stem cells, to produce one or more beneficial factors for the treatment of a disease or disorder in an individual. Also provided are compositions and methods for inducing senescence, useful for inducing senescence in a population of stem cells, in order to produce one or more beneficial factors for the treatment of a disease or disorder in an individual. Methods and devices to control and customize the production of the beneficial factors for the requirements of a disease or disorder being treated are described. Also provided are factor production units for the production of the beneficial factors, and devices for the delivery of the beneficial factors to an individual in need.

The subject invention pertains to systems and methods diagnosing, monitoring and treating women for successful embryo implantation and establishment of pregnancy using peripheral blood cytokine profiling and administration of immune-modulators to establish an implantation-promoting microenvironment in the uterus.

Antibodies which block binding of hPD-1 to hPD-L1 or hPD-L2 and their variable region sequences are disclosed. A method of increasing the activity (or reducing downmodulation) of an immune cell through the PD-1 pathway is also disclosed.

Provided herein are methods and compositions related to the selection T cells and/or subjects for adoptive immunotherapy based on the expression of one or more biomarkers.

The present disclosure relates to methods and compositions for treating traumatic brain injury (TBI) and TBI-associated impairments and improving outcome in subjects that have sustained traumatic brain injury comprising administering to the subject a sgp130 or an agent that promotes the binding of sgp130 and sIL-6R and/or reduces sIL-6R mediated trans-signaling. The present disclosure also relates to methods and kits for identifying a subject that is at risk of developing a TBI-associated impairment (e.g., headache, depression, cognitive deficits, and seizure) or monitoring the responsiveness to a treatment regimen for a TBI-associated impairment in the subject, using biomarkers (e.g., white blood cells indices (e.g., Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), absolute lymphocyte counts), sIL-6R, sgp130, IL-6, sgp130:sIL-6R ratio, sIL-2Ra, IL-2, sIL-2Ra:IL-2 ratio, TNFα, TNFRI, and TNFRI:TNFα ratio).

Methods, systems, and kits for detection, diagnosis, monitoring, and/or treatment of viral infections such as represented by the COVID-19 disease are described. The methods, systems, and kits are capable of detection of salivary biomarkers which correlate with, and are indicative of, COVID-19 in a subject. Detection of the biomarkers in a saliva sample provides opportunities for a COVID-19 or other viral detection assay which is non-invasive, produces rapid results, and can be implemented in the field on a wide geographic basis for individualized screening or mass screenings for COVID-19 or other viral infections.

De novo designed polypeptides that bind to IL-2 receptor βγ.sub.c heterodimer (IL-2Rβγ.sub.c), IL-4 receptor αγ.sub.c heterodimer (IL-4Rαγ.sub.c), or IL-13 receptor α subunit (IL-13Rα) are disclosed, as are methods for using and designing the polypeptides.