Abstract: A stable pharmaceutical composition of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the form of an aqueous solution or lyophilized one being suitable for a long-term storage, which contains a surfactant, especially nonionic surfactant (e.g., Tween 80) of 0.001 to 10%, whereby the polymerization and the denaturation of BDNF are inhibited, and the biological activities of BDNF are maintained for a long time. The lyophilized composition can be made more stable by addition of a sugar alcohol (e.g., mannitol) and/or an amino acid (e.g., glycine).

Abstract: An assay method capable of efficiently trapping an analyte in a certain amount of a reaction liquid in a short reaction time, the method being characterized in that only a part of a solid phase coated with a substance that specifically binds to the substance to be assayed is immersed in a pool of the reaction liquid containing the analyte, and this part of the solid phase is exchanged during the reaction, so that any surface of the solid phase can be immersed in the reaction liquid once in a predetermined time, and an assay kit for the assay based on this principle. In comparison with the conventional assay methods wherein the entire area of a limited solid phase surface is brought into contact with a certain amount of a reaction liquid, or wherein a test solution is diluted to bring the entirety of a certain surface area of the solid phase into contact therewith, the inventive method can increase reaction speed, which in turn results in trapping of the analyte on the solid phase efficiently in a short time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a 2,3-diaminopropionic acid derivative of the formula (1): ##STR1## or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The compounds of the present invention are useful as a platelet aggregation inhibitor, a cancer metastasis inhibitor, a wound healing agent or a bone resorption inhibitor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method for treating acute hepatic failure comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of human growth hormone (hGH) to a patient suffering from the acute hepatic failure as well as a novel therapeutic agent for acute hepatic failure comprising the human growth hormone as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A substituted guanidine derivative represented by the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are independently a hydrogen atom, an unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, a halogen atom or the like; Y.sub.1, Y.sub.2, Y.sub.3, Y.sub.4, Y.sub.5, Y.sub.6 and Y.sub.7, which may be the same or different, are independently a single bond, --CH.sub.2 --, --O--, --CO-- or the like, adjacent members of a group consisting of Y.sub.1 through Y.sub.7 being able to be taken together to represent --CH.dbd.CH--, and at least two of Y.sub.1 through Y.sub.7 being independently a group other than a single bond; Z may be absent, or one or more Zs may be present and are, the same or different, independently a substituent for a hydrogen atom bonded to any of the carbon atoms constituting the ring formed by Y.sub.1 through Y.sub.

Abstract: A novel estrogen derivative represented by the formula: ##STR1## is useful for treating or preventing diseases caused by estrogen deficiency.

Abstract: A compound of formula (1) ##STR1## wherein X.sup.1 is amino or hydroxyl, X.sup.2 is carbonyl and the like R.sup.1 is an alkyl, an aryl and the like, R.sup.2 is hydrogen and the like, and R.sup.3 is an alkyl and the like, or a pharmaceutical acceptable salt thereof is effective for inibiting the production and/or secretion of tumor necrosis factor in a patient in need of such inhibition.

Abstract: Human ciliary neurotrophic factor (human CNTF) mutants, in which at least the amino acid residue corresponding to position 153 of wild type human CNTF has been substituted with another amino acid residue in the amino acid sequence encoding human CNTF, exhibit an activity comparable or superior to that of wild type human CNTF. It is therefore expected that the human CNTF mutants would be effective as drugs with improved side effects such as reduction in appearance of an autoantibody, loss of body weight, anorexia, a dry cough, fatigue, etc.In cytokines having sequence similarity to human CNTF and abundant .alpha. helices (GH, PRL, EPO, G- CSF, LIF, IL-6, IL-2, IL-4, GM-CSF), there are further provided mutants in the D1 cap region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sustained release formulation used for treatment or prevention of the diseases, which contains a therapeutically effective substance as an active ingredient, collagen as a drug carrier, and glycosaminoglycan as an additive. The formulation allows controlled release of the therapeutically effective substance.

Abstract: A crystalline (5Z,7E,23S)-26,26,26,27,27,27-hexafluoro-9,10-secocholesta-5,7,10(19)-trie n-1.alpha.,3.beta.,23,25-tetraol monohydrate has an excellent preservation stability, and is therefore useful as a medicine for treating or preventing bone diseases, tumor or psoriasis.

Abstract: An immunoassay plate for an immune complex transfer immunoassay, comprising a well type solid phase and a dip stick type solid phase which can be inserted into said well type solid phase, wherein the dip stick type solid phase is coated with either substance (A) or (B) to be mentioned below and the well type solid phase is coated with the other, remaining substance, and these solid phases are used as the two solid phases to be used for an immune complex transfer immunoassay:(A): a substance having a reactive group which specifically binds to a functional group previously introduced onto a substance, which specifically forms an immune complex with a test substance(B): a substance having a reactive group capable of specifically binding to the test substance in the immune complex, a substance which specifically forms an immune complex with the test substance, or a functional group conjugated in advance with said substance, provided that the moiety which binds to the reactive group of (A) does not bind to the rea

Abstract: A humanized antibody is provided, which is obtained by transplantation of the complementarity determining region of a mouse monoclonal antibody B-B10 specific to a human IL-2 receptor into a human antibody. The antibody has a very low antigenicity, and therefore, it is useful for treatment of carcinoma expressing IL-2 receptor.

Abstract: Naphthyridine derivative of the formula: ##STR1## wherein Ring A is substituted or unsubstituted pyridine, X is --N(R.sup.2)--CO--(R.sup.2 is H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, etc.), Z is a direct bond, --NH--, C.sub.1 -C.sub.2 alkylene, or --CH.dbd.CH--, Y is alkyl, substituted alkyl, aromatic group or substituted aromatic group, etc., B is alkyl, substituted alkyl, aromatic group or substituted aromatic group, or an acid addition salt thereof, these compounds having acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyl transferase inhibitory activity, and being useful as an agent for prophylaxis or treatment of hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, and related diseases thereof.

Abstract: A substituted guanidine derivative represented by the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are independently a hydrogen atom, an unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, a halogen atom or the like; Y.sub.1, Y.sub.2, Y.sub.3, Y.sub.4, Y.sub.5, Y .sub.6 and Y.sub.7, which may be the same or different, are independently a single bond, --CH.sub.2 --, --O--, --CO--or the like, adjacent members of a group consisting of Y.sub.1 through Y.sub.7 being able to be taken together to represent --CH.dbd.CH--, and at least two of Y.sub.1 through Y.sub.7 being independently a group other than a single bond; Z may be absent, or one or more Zs may be present and are, the same or different, independently a substituent for a hydrogen atom bonded to any of the carbon atoms constituting the ring formed by Y.sub.1 through Y.sub.

Abstract: An animal cell is co-transfected with both a recombinant DNA viral vector which bears a promoter, a recombinase gene and a poly(A) sequence and a recombinant DNA viral vector which bears two recombinase-recognizing sequences and which further bears an origin of replication, a promoter, a foreign gene and a poly(A) sequence, each of which is located between the two recombinase-recognizing sequences. Thereafter, in the co-transfected animal cell, a DNA fragment containing the origin of replication, promoter, foreign gene and poly(A) sequence is excised from the vector by the action of a recombinase expressed in the another vector. The DNA fragment forms a circular DNA molecule which autonomously replicates in the co-transfected animal cell due to the origin of replication, whereby the foreign gene is continuously expressed.

Abstract: A substituted guanidine derivative represented by the general formula: ##STR1## is useful as a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for diseases caused by the acceleration of the sodium/proton (Na.sup.+ /H.sup.+) exchange transport system, for example, hypertension, arrhythmia, angina pectoris, cardiac hypertrophy, diabetes mellitus, organ disorders associated with ischemia or ischemic reperfusion, cerebroischemic disorders, diseases caused by excessive cell proliferation, or diseases caused by endothelial cell injury.

Abstract: Equipment for intracerebral administration of preparations is composed of a preparation-administering device (1) holding a preparation (2), and a plunger (4) removably arranged in the preparation-administering device adapted to push the preparation held therein toward one end of the preparation-administering device. The intracerebral preparation-administration equipment is inserted into a preparation-introducing guide (5) previously implanted in the head of a patient to introduce the preparation into its guide hole (26). The preparation is then guided to a site of administration through a flexible guide tube (23) communicated with the guide hole of the preparation-introducing guide. The equipment for intracerebral administration of preparations may be composed of a tubular preparation-retaining member (30) having a preparation contained therein, and a holder (32) for holding the tubular preparation-retaining member along with a push rod (31) inserted thereinto as an integral part thereof.

Abstract: An imide compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein Z is a group of the formula: ##STR2## in which B is a carbonyl group or a sulfonyl group, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 or R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 may be combined together to make a non-aromatic hydrocarbon ring or R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 may be combined together to make an aromatic ring, said non-aromatic hydrocarbon ring being optionally bridged with a lower alkylene group or an oxygen atom therein and said aromatic ring, said non-aromatic hydrocarbon ring and said lower alkylene group being each optionally substituted with at least one lower alkyl, and n is an integer of 0 or 1;D is a group of the formula:--(CH.sub.2).sub.p --A--(CH.sub.2).sub.

Abstract: A method of measuring the activity of interferon-.alpha., .beta. or .omega., which comprises bringing a sample containing interferon into contact with a cell and determining an induced protein is provided.

Abstract: The invention provides human- or rat-derived neurotrophic peptides and derivatives thereof, precursor peptides thereof, genes encoding the same, transformants containing recombinant expression vectors bearing the genes, and compositions comprising as an effective ingredient these neurotrophic peptides or derivatives thereof. The neurotrophic peptide or its derivatives of the present invention have a neurotrophic activity and are useful for the treatment of neuro-degenerative disorders and dementia.