Abstract: The present invention relates to peptide-like compounds, eg aminocarboxylic acid amide derivatives, and to methods of using same in the field of general health care, for example, to improve resistance to stress, improve production of desired characteristics or useful products in animals, to increase weight gain, and to decrease feed efficiency. The invention has applications in the field of animal husbandry. It also relates to administering beta-alethine to improve feed efficiency in an animal, comprising administering to animal an amount of .beta.-alethine sufficient to reduce the amount of food required to increase a unit of weight in the animal.

Abstract: Compounds termed "vitaletheine modulators" which include beta-alanyl-taurine and carbobenzoxy beta-alanyl-taurine are synthesized and added to culture media for in vitro culture of cells such as mammalian or plant cells. The compounds support cell vitality, and provide increased cellular life span, increased cellular bioproductivity, improved cellular function, and adaption of resistant cells to culturing. Carbobenzoxy beta-alanyl-taurine is produced by coupling .beta.-alanine, which has it's terminal amine protected with a carbobenzoxy (CBZ) group, to N-hydroxysuccinimide to produce an active ester of .beta.-alanine, coupling two of the active esters to cystamine to produce a CBZ-protected .beta.-alethine having an internal disulfide bond, isolating and purifying the CBZ-protected .beta.-alethine, and reacting the CBZ-protected .beta.-alethine with iodine to oxidize the disulfide bond to obtain carbobenzoxy beta-alanyl-taurine.

Abstract: .beta.-alethine is identified as an anti-tumor agent.

Abstract: Biomodulators, optionally linked to imaging-active moieties, can be administered to a host to enhance images thereof, e.g., NMR-, X-ray- or radio-images, preferably by increasing aberrant tissue signal intensity. Biomodulators can also condition tissue to enhance uptake of otherwise non-specific imaging agents. When linked to drugs, biomodulators can target the same to particular sites in the body.