1. A method for inducing proliferation of CD4+ T cells, comprising contacting isolated CD4+ T cells with an effective amount of a thymic stromal derived lymphopoietin (TSLP) polypeptide or a therapeutically effective amount of nucleic acid encoding the TSLP polypeptide, thereby inducing proliferation of the T cells.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises contacting isolated mammalian CD4+ T cells with an effective amount of the TSLP polypeptide.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the TSLP polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence set forth as one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-5, amino acids 29 to 159 of SEQ ID NO: 1, or amino acids 35 to 159 of SEQ ID NO: 1.
4. A method of inducing or enhancing an immune response in a subject, comprising
contacting isolated CD4+ T cells with a therapeutically effective amount of a TSLP polypeptide;
and administering the CD4+ T cells contacted with the TSLP polypeptide to the subject
thereby treating the subject.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the subject has an immunodeficiency.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the TSLP polypeptide comprises a polypeptide set forth as one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-5, amino acids 29 to 159 of SEQ ID NO: 1, or amino acids 35 to 159 of SEQ ID NO: 1.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the immunodeficiency is the result of an infection with an immunodeficiency virus.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the subject is human, and wherein the immunodeficiency virus is a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
9. The method of claim 5, the subject has an immunodeficiency as a result of a genetic disorder.
10. The method of claim 5, wherein the immunodeficiency is a result of treatment with radiation, a chemotherapeutic agent, or a combination thereof.
11. The method of claim 4, comprising contacting the CD4+ cells with at least one composition comprising an antigen.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the antigen comprises a viral antigen, a bacterial antigen, or an antigen from a parasite.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A document transfer buffer device for holding temporarily a document between an upstream document feeding device and a downstream document receiving device, comprising:
a) means for transporting the document from the upstream document feeding device to the downstream document receiving device;
b) means associated with said transporting means for temporarily holding the document in a holding location between the upstream document feeding device and the downstream document receiving device; and
c) control means that selectively activates said transporting means and said temporary holding means and is responsive to the upstream feeding device and the downstream receiving device conditions that initiate document holding and releasing situations.
2. A document transfer buffer device according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises a programmed set of instructions that direct operations for said transporting means and said temporary holding means.
3. A document transfer buffer device according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor associated with said transport means for locating the document within said transport means and interfaced with said operations directing programmed set of instructions.
4. A document transfer buffer device according to claim 1, wherein said transporting means comprises:
a) a supporting frame and
b) paired upper and lower transport assemblies attached to and within said supporting frame for transporting the document.
5. A document transfer buffer device according to claim 1, wherein said temporary holding means comprises:
a) gate means for temporarily blocking transport of the document to the downstream document receiving device and
b) control means for selectively activating and deactivating said gate means.
6. A document transfer buffer device according to claim 5, wherein said gate means comprises a pivoting member that rotates into a pathway the document travels within said transporting means when said control means indicates activation for said gate and rotates away from said document pathway when said control means indicates deactivation for said gate.
7. A document transfer buffer device for holding temporarily a document between an upstream document feeding device and a downstream document receiving device, comprising:
a) means for transporting the document from the upstream document feeding device to the downstream document receiving device;
b) pivoting gate means associated with said transporting means for temporarily holding the document in a holding location between the upstream document feeding device and the downstream document receiving device; and
c) control means that selectively activates said transporting means and said temporary holding means.
8. A document transfer buffer device according to claim 7, wherein said control means comprises a programmed set of instructions that direct operations for said transporting means and said temporary holding means.
9. A document transfer buffer device according to claim 7, further comprising a sensor associated with said transport means for locating the document within said transport means and interfaced with said operations directing programmed set of instructions.
10. A document transfer buffer device according to claim 7, wherein said transporting means comprises:
a) a supporting frame and
b) paired upper and lower transport assemblies attached to and within said supporting frame for transporting the document.
11. A document transfer buffer device according to claim 7, wherein said gate means comprises a pivoting member that rotates into a pathway the document travels within said transporting means when said control means indicates activation for said gate and rotates away from said document pathway when said control means indicates deactivation for said gate.
12. A document transfer buffer device for holding temporarily a document between an upstream document feeding device and a downstream document receiving device, comprising:
a) means for transporting the document from the upstream document feeding device to the downstream document receiving device, wherein said transporting means comprises:
i) a supporting frame and
ii) paired upper and lower transport assemblies attached to and within said supporting frame for transporting the document;
b) a plurality of pivoting gate members, wherein each of said pivoting gate members rotates into a pathway the document travels within said transporting means when a control means indicates activation for each said gate and rotates away from said document pathway when said control means indicates deactivation for each said gate;
c) said control means that selectively activates said transporting means and each of said pivoting gate members; and
d) a sensor associated with each of said plurality of pivoting gate members for locating the document within said transport means and interfaced with said control means.
13. A document transfer buffer device according to claim 12, wherein said control means comprises a programmed set of instructions that direct operations for said transporting means and each of said pivoting gate members.
14. A document transfer buffer system for use with one or more documents being transferred from an upstream document feeding device to a downstream envelope inserter, comprising:
a) means for transporting each of the documents from the upstream document feeding device to the downstream envelope inserter, wherein said transporting means comprises:
i) a supporting frame and
ii) paired upper and lower transport assemblies attached to and within said supporting frame for transporting each of the documents;
b) a document buffer positioned within said transporting means, comprising:
a plurality of pivoting gate members, wherein each of said pivoting gate members rotates into a pathway that each of the documents travels within said transporting means when a control means indicates activation for each said gate and rotates away from said document pathway when said control means indicates deactivation for each said gate;
c) said control means that selectively activates said transporting means and each of said pivoting gate members; and
d) a sensor affixed proximate each of said plurality of pivoting gate members for locating each of the documents within said transport means and interfaced with said control means.
15. A document transfer buffer system for use with one or more documents being transferred from an upstream document feeding device to a downstream envelope inserter, comprising:
a) means for transporting each of the documents from the upstream document feeding device to the downstream envelope inserter, wherein said transporting means comprises:
i) a supporting frame and
ii) paired upper and lower transport assemblies attached to and within said supporting frame for transporting each of the documents;
b) a document buffer positioned within said transporting means, comprising:
a plurality of pivoting gate members, wherein each of said pivoting gate members rotates into a pathway that each of the documents travels within said transporting means when a controlling program indicates activation for each said gate and rotates away from said document pathway when said control means indicates deactivation for each said gate;
c) said controlling program that selectively activates said transporting means and each of said pivoting gate members, wherein if said controlling program detects an error in the processing of any of the incoming documents, one or more of the incoming documents may be temporarily halted, within said transporting means and behind one of said pivoting gate members, before entry into the envelope inserter and buffered or cued in known order until said controlling program processes the detected error and the error situation is remedied and then directs any cued documents to once again enter the envelope inserter; and
d) a sensor affixed proximate each of said plurality of pivoting gate members for locating each of the documents within said transport means and interfaced with said controlling program.