Provided herein is a particle made of a protein or a peptide covalently bound to a prebiotic carbohydrate, thereby forming a conjugate. The particle may be used for selectively promoting probiotic bacteria growth in the intestine, particularly the colon and may be used to selectively deliver additional probiotic growth factors, or other bioactives and drugs to probiotic bacteria in the intestine, particularly to the colon. Furthermore, provided herein are methods for preparing the particle, and for delivering a substance bound to, or entrapped within the particle, into the gastrointestinal tract of a subject in need thereof.

1,3-Dipole-functional compounds (e.g., azide functional compounds) can be reacted with certain alkynes in a cyclization reaction to form heterocyclic compounds. Useful alkynes (e.g., strained, cyclic alkynes) and methods of making such alkynes are also disclosed. The reaction of 1,3-dipole-functional compounds with alkynes can be used for a wide variety of applications including the immobilization of biomolecules on a substrate.

Disclosed are synthetic nanocarrier compositions with coupled adjuvant compositions as well as related methods.

The present invention provides compositions and methods useful for delivering agents to target cells or tissues, for example nerve cells and other cells in the central nervous system. The compositions and methods are useful for delivering agents across the blood-brain barrier. The present invention also provides methods of using the compositions provided by the present invention to deliver agents, for example therapeutic agents for the treatment of neurologically related disorders.

The present invention contemplates induction of immunological tolerance thereby providing permanent allograft acceptance. This method obviates the need for a lifelong regimen of immunosuppressive agents which can increase the risk of infection, autoimmunity, and cancer. Immunological tolerance is thought to be mediated by regulatory T lymphocytes (T.sub.reg cells) with immunosuppressive capabilities. A therapeutically relevant platform comprising artificial constructs are contemplated comprising numerous soluble and surface bound T.sub.reg cell stimulating factors that may induce tolerance following allograft transplantation. Such artificial constructs, being the size of a cell, have surface bound monoclonal antibodies specific to regulatory T-cell surface moieties and encapsulated soluble regulatory T-cell modulating factors.

Disclosed are biodegradable nanocarriers that have a net positive surface charge and zeta potential between about +2 to about +20 mV. The positive surface charge of the nanocarriers is provided by peptides that are covalently attached to the surface of the nanocarriers. The nanocarriers may comprise a drug and may be administered for localized and sustained delivery of the drug.

A delivery vehicle, for delivering a pharmaceutically active agent or a marker to a cell, comprising a ligand binding portion specific for a Fas Ligand, and a carrier for the pharmaceutically active agent or marker.

Compounds are provided having the following structure: Formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, tautomer or stereoisomer thereof, wherein R, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, G.sup.1, G.sup.2 and n are as defined herein. Use of the compounds as a component of lipid nanoparticle formulations for delivery of a therapeutic agent, compositions comprising the compounds and methods for their use and preparation are also provided. ##STR00001##

A particulate, modified release barrier coated drug-cation exchange resin complex comprising a core composed of a drug complexed with a pharmaceutically acceptable ion-exchange resin is provided. Methods of making and products containing this coated complex are described.

A method of treating a mammal, including a human, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a poly-oxygenated aluminum hydroxide composition to the mammal to improve mitochondrial function and efficiency. The poly-oxygenated aluminum hydroxide composition causes increased production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the mammal. The poly-oxygenated aluminum hydroxide composition comprises a clathrate containing bioavailable pure (100%) oxygen gas (O.sub.2) molecules that are freely released to the mammal depending on the oxygen demand, i.e., more O.sub.2 molecules released in hypoxic regions. The administration can be oral and the bioavailable O.sub.2 molecules are time released into the mammal. The O.sub.2 bioavailability of poly-oxygenated aluminum hydroxide composition can be slow if the mammal, organ or tissue is well perfused and oxygenated, but rapid if hypoxic.