Abstract: Peptides and other molecules which inhibit the assembly of the hepatitis B virus, methods of treatment, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them.

Abstract: A method for producing a compound represented by the general formula (I-A) or the general formula (I-B), comprising the following step: wherein R1 is an optionally substituted lower alkyl, and the like; R2 is a lower alkyl or an optionally substituted aralkyl, and the like: R3 is a lower alkyl, characterized in that a compound represented by the general formula (II-A) or the general formula (II-B) is treated with thionyl chloride.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for the stabilization, storage and delivery of biologically active macromolecules, such as proteins, peptides and nucleic acids. In particular, this invention relates to protein or nucleic acid crystals, formulations and compositions comprising them. Methods are provided for the crystallization of proteins and nucleic acids and for the preparation of stabilized protein or nucleic acid crystals for use in dry or slurry formulations. The present invention is further directed to encapsulating proteins, glycoproteins, enzymes, antibodies, hormones and peptide crystals or crystal formulations into compositions for biological delivery to humans and animals. According to this invention, protein crystals or crystal formulations are encapsulated within a matrix comprising a polymeric carrier to form a composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions comprising a very low dose of cyclobenzaprine or metabolite thereof for preventing and treating sleep disturbances and illnesses manifested with sleep dysfunction including fibromyalgia syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disorders, psychogenic pain disorders or chronic pain syndromes or symptoms thereof. The present invention further relates to methods and compositions for treating sleep disturbances, chronic pain or fatigue in humans suffering from fibromyalgia syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disorders, psychogenic pain disorders, chronic pain syndromes using a very low dose of cyclobenzaprine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel class of compounds which inhibit IMPDH. This invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds. The compounds and pharmaceutical compositions of this invention are particularly well suited for inhibiting IMPDH enzyme activity and consequently, may be advantageously used as therapeutic agents for IMPDH mediated processes. This invention also relates to methods for inhibiting the activity of IMPDH using the compounds of this invention and related compounds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to inhibitors of p38, a mammalian protein kinase involved in cell proliferation, cell death and response to extracellular stimuli. The invention relates to compounds having the formula: or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein R, R1, Q1, Q2, X, Y, Z, A, and n are as described in the specification. The invention also relates to methods for producing these inhibitors. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the inhibitors of the invention and methods of utilizing those compositions in the treatment and prevention of various disorders.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel fusion proteins, DNA molecules encoding the same, vectors comprising the DNA molecules, and host cells containing the vectors for use in measuring protease activity using a novel transcriptional assay. This invention also relates to a method for determining the inhibitory activity of a compound against a protease and to a method for comparing the activity of two proteases which recognize the same cleavage site. Kits for assaying protease activity comprising DNA molecules encoding the fusion protein substrates of this invention are also contemplated.

Abstract: Nucleic acid molecules are described encoding a starch granule-bound protein from rice as well as methods and recombinant DNA molecules for the production of transgenic plant cells and plants synthesizing a modified starch. Moreover, the plant cells and plants resulting from those methods as well as the starch obtainable therefrom are described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel class of compounds which are IMPDH inhibitors. This invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds. The compounds and pharmaceutical compositions of this invention are particularly well suited for inhibiting IMPDH enzyme activity and consequently, may be advantageously used as therapeutic agents for IMPDH mediated processes. This invention also relates to methods for inhibiting the activity of IMPDH using the compounds of this invention and related compounds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for sequencing a polymeric biomolecule and methods for structurally characterizing the same comprising using aptamers. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, these methods relate to using the single polymeric biomolecule. The invention also relates to a method for selecting aptamers useful for sequencing nucleic acids and aptamers generated by the method. The invention also provides aptamers that recognize and bind to AMP, dAMP, GMP, dGMP, CMP and dCMP.

Abstract: Described are nucleic acid molecules encoding enzymes having fructosyl polymerase activity. These enzymes are sucrose dependent sucrose fructosyltransferases (SST) enzymes. Furthermore, vectors and host cells are described containing the nucleic acid molecules, in particular transformed plant cells and plants that can be regenerated from them and that express the described SSTs. Furthermore, methods for the production of short-chain fructosyl polymers using the described hosts and/or the SSTs produced by them are described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to inhibitors of p38, a mammalian protein kinase involved cell proliferation, cell death and response to extracellular stimuli. The invention also relates to methods for producing these inhibitors. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the inhibitors of the invention and methods of utilizing those compositions in the treatment and prevention of various disorders.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of carbohydrate crosslinked glycoprotein crystals. Advantageously, such crosslinked glycoprotein crystals display stability to harsh environmental conditions, while maintaining the structural and functional integrity of the glycoprotein backbone. According to one embodiment, this invention relates to methods for concentrating proteins that have been modified by carbohydrates and for releasing their activity at controlled rates. This invention also provides methods for producing carbohydrate crosslinked glycoprotein crystals and methods for using them in pharmaceutical formulations, vaccines, immunotherapeutics, personal care compositions, including cosmetics, veterinary pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines, foods, feeds, diagnostics, cleaning agents, including detergents and decontamination formulations.

Abstract: Described is the use of the promoter region of the DefH9 gene of Anthirrhinum majus or of a promoter of a homologous gene displaying the same expression pattern and characteristics for the establishment of parthenocarpy or female sterility in plants, for increasing gynogenesis or for enhancing fruit setting and development. Also described are recombinant DNA molecules comprising a DefH9 promoter in combination with a DNA sequence which upon expression in plants leads to the above mentioned effects. Furthermore, described are plant cells and plants transformed with such recombinant DNA molecules.

Abstract: The present invention relates to DNA molecules encoding enzymes which are involved in the starch synthesis of plants. These enzymes represent two different isotypes of the soluble starch synthase as well as a starch granule-bound starch synthase. This invention furthermore relates to vectors, bacteria, as well as to plant cells transformed with the DNA molecules described and to plants regenerated from them. Furthermore, the invention relates to starch that can be isolated from plants having an increased or reduced activity of the proteins described.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for administering a therapeutically effective amount of daptomycin while minimizing skeletal muscle toxicity. The methods provide daptomycin administration at a dosing interval of 24 hours or greater. This long dosing interval minimizes skeletal muscle toxicity and allows for higher peak concentrations of daptomycin, which is related to daptomycin's efficacy. The invention also provides methods of administering lipopeptide antibiotics other than daptomycin while minimizing skeletal muscle toxicity by administering a therapeutically effective amount of the lipopeptide antibiotic at a dosage interval that does not result in muscle toxicity. The invention also provides methods of administering quinupristin/dalfopristin while minimizing skeletal muscle toxicity by administering a therapeutically effective amount of quinupristin/dalfopristin at a dosage interval that does not result in muscle toxicity.

Abstract: Lichen-derived organic acids such as vulpinic acid and usnic acid have been found to be effective inhibitors of eukaryotic protein kinase activity. Thus, eukaryotic protein kinase activity present in a sample or organism can be inhibited by adding to the sample or organism an effective inhibitory amount of a lichen-derived organic acid.

Abstract: Human lymphocyte-associated cell surface protein LAM-1, which includes domains homologous with binding domains of animal lectins, growth factors, and C3/C4 binding proteins, and the cDNA encoding LAM-1, are described. Antagonists to LAM-1 are used in a method of treating a human patient suffering from a lymphocyte-mobilizing condition which involves administering a therapeutic amount of the antagonist in a non-toxic pharmaceutical carrier substance. Additionally, antibodies that bind human LAM-1 and inhibit cellular adhesion, migration or infiltration into tissues are described.

Abstract: Compositions comprising a plurality of yeast cells, wherein said plurality of yeast cells have been cultured in the presence of an alternating electric field having a specific frequency and a specific field strength for a period of time sufficient to substantially increase the capability of said plurality of yeast cells to suppress the growth of pathogenic microbes. Also included are methods of making such compositions.

Abstract: Xylanase DNA is recovered from soil by PCR amplification using degenerate primers. Because of the complexity of the soil samples, it is likely that the recovered product will include more than one species of polynucleotide. These recovered copies may be cloned into a host organism to produce additional copies of each individual species prior to characterization by sequencing. Recovered DNA which is found to vary from known xylanases can be used in several ways to facilitate production of novel xylanases for industrial application. First, the recovered DNA, or probes corresponding to portions thereof, can be used as a probe to screen DNA libraries and recover intact xylanase genes including the unique regions of the recovered DNA. Second, the recovered DNA or polynucleotides corresponding to portions thereof, can be inserted into a known xylanase gene to produce a recombinant xylanase gene with the sequence variations of the recovered DNA.