Abstract: Disclosed is a trehalose-releasing enzyme which specifically hydrolyzes the linkage between a trehalose moiety and the remaining glycosyl moiety in a non-reducing saccharide having a trehalose structure as an end unit and having a degree of glucose polymerization of 3 or higher. The molecular weight of the enzyme is about 57,000 to 68,000 daltons on SDS-PAGE, and the isoelectric point is about 3.3 to 4.6 on isoelectrophoresis. The enzyme is useful in an industrial-scale preparation of trehalose, and the trehalose prepared therewith can be readily incorporated into food products, as well as cosmetic- and pharmaceutical-compositions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a trehalose-releasing enzyme which specifically hydrolyzes the linkage between a trehalose moiety and the remaining glycosyl moiety in a non-reducing saccharide having a trehalose structure as an end unit and having a degree of glucose polymerization of 3 or higher. The molecular weight of the enzyme is about 57,000 to 68,000 daltons on SDS-PAGE, and the isoelectric point is about 3.3 to 4.6 on isoelectrophoresis. The enzyme is useful in an industrial-scale preparation of trehalose, and the trehalose prepared therewith can be readily incorporated into food products, as well as cosmetic- and pharmaceutical-compositions.

Abstract: A Bacillus licheniformis producing an antifungal principle active against a wide variety of plant pathogenic fungi has been isolated. The microorganism was obtained from the rhizosphere of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). The type isolate, strain PR1-36a, is particularly antagonistic to filamentous fungi, including Rhizoctonia and Magnaporthe. The microorganism was shown to be effective as a biocontrol agent for control of Fusarium seedling blight in corn. The antifungal principle produced by the microorganism is diffusible and may be purified by acid precipitation of the culture fluid, followed by ethanol extraction. The antifungal principle is fungistatic against several diverse species of fungi, and shows particularly strong activity against filamentous fungi, many of which are serious plant pathogens.

Abstract: Dupuytren's disease is treated by applying collagenase to the affected palmar fascia.

Abstract: A new group of Os(II) and Os(III) compounds useful as redox mediators in electrochemical biosensors. These compounds have 1) low oxidation potential, 2) fast reaction kinetics between the electroactive center of an enzyme and the compound, 3) slow oxidation of osmium by oxygen, and 4) excellent solubility in aqueous medium. These mediators are particularly useful as a component of a reagent used in an electrochemical biosensor, wherein the biosensor is useful for measuring analytes from a biological fluid, such as blood.

Abstract: A method of inducing the proliferation and/or differentiation of human fetal pancreatic cells entails contacting such cells in primary culture with Hepatocyte Growth Factor/Scatter Factor, thereby inducing a proliferation of .beta.-epithelial cells, an increase in the number of .beta.-epithelial cells which form islet-like cell clusters, and an increase in insulin production per cell. The method provides increased numbers of functional islet-like cell clusters for transplantation, for example, into Type 1 diabetic patients. The method can be scaled up so as to provide clinically useful numbers of cells for transplantation.

Abstract: A process for isolation of a strain of Lactobacillus having the ability of being established on human intestinal mucosa in vivo and being able to remain therein after oral administration for at least 10 days after the completion of the administration. By the process the new strains L. plantarum 299 (DSM 6595) and L. casei ssp. rhamnosus 271 (DSM 6594) have been isolated, which are useful for the prophylaxis or treatment of bacterial infections, especially in the form of a fermented nutrient composition.

Abstract: Somatic embryo suspension cultures and pro-embryogenic mass suspension cultures (PEMs) comprising somatic embryos and PEMs having substantially similar ploidy levels, plants derived therefrom, and methods for obtaining said somatic embryos.

Abstract: The invention is a non-invasive diagnostic test which is performed on the surface of the skin. This test indicates skin cholesterol levels which can provide information about the extent of aortic atherosclerosis. The invention also relates to reagents in the form of affino-enzymatic test compounds for use in the diagnostic test.

Abstract: Osteoplasty material substantially devoid of antigenic proteins, wherein the material contains a natural bone structure in which non-denatured type I collagen is integrated, is prepared by selective extraction of bone tissue of human or animal origin. The selective extractant is an aqueous solution of 2-10 molar urea, and the extraction step is conducted at preferably 10.degree.-30.degree. C.

Abstract: Aureobacterium barkerei strain KDO-37-2 (ATCC 49977) and KDO aldolase (EC 4.1.2.23) isolated therefrom are disclosed. The KDO aldolase is further disclosed to have a broad substrate specificity with respect to its reverse reaction, i.e. the condensation of aldoses with pyruvate to form a wide range of 2-keto-3-deoxy-onic acids, including 2-keto-3-deoxy-nonulosonic acid, 2-keto-3-deoxy-octulosonic acid, 2-keto-3-deoxy-heptulosonic acid, and 2-keto-3-deoxy-hexulosonic acid. In particular, 3-deoxy-D-manno-2-octulosonic acid (D-KDO), a vital component of lipopolysaccharides found in the bacterial outer membrane may be synthesized from D-arabinose and pyruvate in 67% yield.

Abstract: A trans-epithelial appliance having a hemidesmosome formation-inducing protein composition derived from rat bladder carcinoma cells deposited thereon. This composition stimulates cell attachment and may be either the cell matrix or a soluble factor isolated from the conditioned medium. The appliance will be useful for diminishing inflammation and/or infection at the site of entry of the appliance. The appliance may also be used to stimulate gum junctional epithelium adhesion in the treatment of gingivitis and periodontitis. The composition may be used to maintain tissues ex vivo.

Abstract: The process of the invention provides for the reconstitution of the polymerase III* subassembly, Pol III*, of E. coli DNA polymerase III holoenzyme from substantially pure peptide subunits. In the first of two general schemes in which the subunits are added in a specified order, .gamma. and .tau. are premixed before addition of .delta. and .delta.'. In the second general scheme, .delta.' is first assembled onto .gamma. (or .tau.); then the excess .delta.' is removed before adding .tau. (or .gamma.), following which .delta. is added. Reconstituted Pol III* had the same subunit composition as purified natural Pol III*, as well as similar activity. Other smaller subassemblies of the polymerase III holoenzyme may also be reconstituted by the process of the invention.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a therapeutic medicine for cystic fibrosis. The therapeutic medicine for cystic fibrosis according to this invention contains an alginate lyase capable of lysing the alginate produced by strains of microorganisms of the genus Pseudomonas as the active ingredient.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for enrichment of enantiomers of .alpha.-tertiary carboxylic acid esters from mixtures of corresponding esters using a biocatalyst comprising microbial cells, or partially or highly purified enzyme preparations. The enantiomeric ester products are useful as intermediates for the preparation of pharmaceutically and agriculturally active compounds.

Abstract: A biological process for predominantly producing an optically active .alpha.-hydroxycarboxylic acid having a phenyl group directly from a racemic .alpha.-hydroxynitrile or a mixture of an aldehyde corresponding to the nitrile and prussic acid as a substrate is disclosed, comprising reacting a microorganism belonging to the genus Gordona with the substrate in a neutral to basic aqueous medium. A desired optically active .alpha.-hydroxycarboxylic acid having a phenyl group can be obtained quantitatively at a high optical purity.

Abstract: A thrombolytic, parenterally administrable drug containing activated protein C is provided for. The drug is free of serum amyloid P, thrombin activity, infectious agents and antibodies against protein C and activated protein C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for inducing myocardial cell proliferation. It is based, at least in part, on the discovery that adult human myocardial cells may be induced to proliferate in culture by exposure to a platelet freeze/thaw extract. The present invention provides for a method for inducing myocardial cell proliferation in vitro, as well as for myocardial cell cultures produced by this method. In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides for human myocardial cell cultures. The myocardial cell cultures of the invention may be used to study the physiology of cardiac muscle. In addition, they may be used to identify pharmaceutical agents that may be useful in the treatment of heart disease or, alternatively, agents that are cardiotoxic. Furthermore, the cultures of the invention may be used to provide myocardial cells that may be transplanted or implanted in a patient that suffers from a cardiac disorder.

Abstract: A method for isolating tissue repair promoting substances from human or animal blood, which method comprises collecting the human or animal blood from a single human or animal individual in a first container of a container system comprising at least first and second interconnected containers; centrifuging the container system containing the blood so as to separate the blood in various fractions including a plasma fraction; transferring at least part of the plasma fraction to the second container of the container system; subjecting the plasma fraction in the second container to a low temperature so as to obtain a precipitate comprising tissue repair promoting substances; concentrating the precipitate in the second container so as to obtain a first fraction comprising a major part of the non-precipitated material, and a second fraction comprising at least the major part of the precipitate and a minor part of the non-precipitated material; and separating the second fraction comprising the tissue repair promoting

Abstract: Stomach ulcers are treated by administering orally to a human in need thereof an anti-Helicobacter pylori effective amount of a composition containing, in combination with an ingestible support, a culture of Lactobacillus johnsonii strain CNCM I-1225 or a supernatant phase isolated from a culture of Lactobacillus johnsonii strain CNCM I-1225.