Abstract: The invention relates to pairs of parent plants for producing hybrid seeds and to methods for producing plants with a desired phenotype. The desired phenotype is an active enzyme, a regulatory protein or a protein which affects the functionality and/or viability and/or structural integrity of a cell. Preferably, the desired phenotype is substantially absent from the parent plants/lines. In particular, the invention relates to parent plants and methods involving plant lines for producing male-sterile plants and seeds.

Abstract: This invention provides isolated nucleic acids encoding mammalian galanin receptors, isolated galanin receptor proteins, vectors comprising isolated nucleic acid encoding a mammalian galanin receptor, cells comprising such vectors, antibodies directed to a mammalian galanin receptor, nucleic acid probes useful for detecting nucleic acid encoding a mammalian galanin receptor, antisense oligonucleotides complementary to unique sequences of nucleic acid encoding a mammalian galanin receptor, nonhuman transgenic animals which express DNA encoding a normal or a mutant mammalian galanin receptor, as well as methods of determining binding of compounds to mammalian galanin receptors.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for treating symptoms of diabetes in a diabetic subject which comprises administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an agent which inhibits binding of advanced glycation endproducts to any receptor for advanced glycation endproducts so as to treat chronic symptoms of diabetes in the subject.

Abstract: This invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a SEL-12. This invention further provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which encodes a mutated SEL-12. This invention also provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which encodes a mutated SEL-12, wherein the mutated SEL-12 contains at least one of the following: position 115 is a leucine, position 132 is an arginine, position 215 is a glutamic acid, position 229 is a valine, position 254 is a valine, position 255 is a valine, position 371 is a valine, position 387 is a tyrosine, position 104 is an isoleucine or position 204 is a valine, This invention further provides different uses of these nucleic acid molecules. This invention also provides different sel-12 mutants and transgenic animals which carry wild-type or mutated sel-12.

Abstract: This invention provides for a chamber and system designed for use in assaying drug effects on heart rate. The chamber consists of a series of wells, each 3 mm by 3 mm in inner diameter. Cardiac myocytes disaggregated from neonatal animals are plated onto the bottom of each well and grown under standard tissue culture conditions. The chamber holds from 24-96 such wells. When drugs are to be assayed, the cells in each well are loaded with a calcium sensitive dye and the beating rate in each is monitored with a photodiode. Drug is added in graded concentrations to each well, and equilibrated and effects on rate are observed. This construct permits use of a cell based bioassay for the study of drugs or agents that may alter cardiac rate. This invention can be used in high throughput screening of drugs to evaluate/predict their effects on cardiac rate and rhythm. Further provided for by this invention is a vector which comprises a compound which encodes an ion channel.

Abstract: This invention provides an isolated vertebrate nucleic acid molecule the bcl-6 locus. This invention also provides an isolated human nucleic acid molecule of bcl-6 locus. This invention further provides a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid molecule of at least 15 nucleotides capable of specifically hybridizing with a sequence included within the sequence of the nucleic acid molecule of bcl-6 locus. This invention provides an isolated vertebrate nucleic acid molecule of bcl-6 operatively linked to a promoter of RNA transcription. This invention provides a vector which comprises the nucleic acid molecule of bcl-6 locus. This invention provides a host vector system for the production of a polypeptide encoded by bcl-6 locus, which comprises the vector of bcl-6 locus in a suitable host. This invention provides a polypeptide encoded by the isolated vertebrate nucleic acid molecule of bcl-6 locus. This invention provides an antibody capable of binding to polypeptide encoded by bcl-6 locus.

Abstract: A pipe coupling comprises a socket including a valve body, socket body having holes, lock balls stored in the holes for pressing the lock balls radially inward at an advanced position and for releasing the lock balls at a retracted position, and a plug having an engaging groove and being adapted to open the fluid passage when the plug is engaged with the socket. The holes in the socket include first and second holes individually extending in the axial direction, the first holes extending closer to the distal end side than the second holes. The valve body is returned to a position in which the fluid passage is closed, when the lock balls are located on the extreme distal end side of the first holes.

Abstract: This invention is directed to novel imidazole and imidazoline derivatives which are selective agonists for cloned human &agr;2 adrenergic receptors. This invention is also related to the use of these compounds for the treatment of any disease where modulation of the &agr;2 receptors may be useful. The invention further provides for a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the above-defined compounds and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: A particle size distribution analysis apparatus comprising a sample measurement zone adapted to define a sample of particles, a light emitting means adapted to provide a source of light incident upon the sample measurement zone, and at least a first detection means adapted to measure light levels in the apparatus at particular scattering angles and output a signal to a computation means enabling the particle size distribution of particles contained within the sample to be determined, wherein the computation means is adapted, in use, to calculate a particle size distribution taking into account reflections by the measurement zone of light scattered off the particles.

Abstract: Disclosed is the sequence of the human ABC1 promoter, a method for expressing foreign DNA in host cells using the human ABC1 promoter, including a method of determining whether a chemical not previously known to be a modulator of the human ABC1 gene transcriptionally modulates the expression of the human ABC1 gene. Also disclosed is a sterol-responsive region of the human ABC1 promoter, along with a showing that it is activated by hydroxysterols and 9-cis-retinoic acid, implicating a mechanism of activation involving LXR/RXR heterodimers.

Abstract: The present invention provides antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotides that specifically inhibit the translation of heparanase. The invention also provides various methods of reducing angiogenesis and metastasis of tumors in a subject using said antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotides. Finally the invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the said antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotides as active ingredients.

Abstract: This invention provides an isolated nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide, a purified polypeptide, vectors comprising isolated nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide, cells comprising such vectors, antibodies directed to a polypeptide, nucleic acid probes useful for detecting nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide, antisense oligonucleotides complementary to unique sequences of nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide, nonhuman transgenic animals which express DNA encoding a normal or a mutant polypeptide, methods of isolating a polypeptide, methods of treatment eating disorders as well as methods of determining binding of compounds to polypeptides.

Abstract: A method for treating rheumatoid arthritis using a TNF&agr; antagonist in combination with cyclosporin or analog thereof is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel primers useful for identifying and screening non-sense mutation with codon TGG coding for amino acid tryptophan substituted with TAG a non-sense codon at nucleotide No. 825 in exon 2 of synaptogyrin 1 gene of chromosome 22q11-13, thereby detecting pre-disposition to schizophrenia in a subset of patients and a method thereof.

Abstract: Novel DNA probe sequences for detection, by polymerase chain reaction, of human hepatitis B virus surface antigen mutant 145 (Glycine to Arginine) from serum samples. As a direct application, these specific DNA probes are immobilized on solid glass supports (gene chip) for detection of human hepatitis B virus surface antigen mutant 145 (Glycine to Arginine) by fluorescence.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of generating antigen specific allospecific human suppressor CD8+CD28− T cells. This invention also provides a method of generating xenospecific human suppressor CD8+CD28− T cells. This invention further provides a method of generating allopeptide antigen specific human suppressor CD8+CD28− T cells. Methods of treatment for reduction of risk of rejection of allografts and xenografts and autoimmune diseases using the human suppressor CD8+CD28− T cells so produced are also provides, as are methods of preventing rejection and autoimmune diseases, and vaccines comprising the produced suppressor T cells. Methods of diagnosis to determine whether a level of immuno-suppressant therapy requires a reduction are provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to compounds of the general formula (I), as defined, and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them. The compounds of formula (I) are inhibitors of various lipid-related enzymes. They can be used in reducing accumulation of sphingolipids and thus in the treatment of lipid storage diseases. The compounds of formula (I) can also be used for the treatment of cancerous diseases and for killing of wild type and drug-resistant cancer cells.

Abstract: This invention provides isolated nucleic acids encoding mammalian membrane-bound and soluble LOX-1 receptors. The invention also provides methods of identifying agents that inhibit the activity of a mammalian LOX-1 receptor. This invention further provides methods of preventing or treating atherosclerosis, heart disease or stroke in a subject which comprise reducing the activity of membrane-bound LOX-1 receptor.

Abstract: A method of treating a subject infected with a virus or a method of preventing viral infection of a subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound having the structure: wherein L=L′=2-methylimidazole.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for determining whether a compound is capable of inhibiting the interaction of a peptide with receptor for advanced glycation end product (RAGE), which comprises: (a) admixing: (i) the peptide, wherein amino groups of the peptide are inactivated by derivitization, (ii) RAGE or a fragment thereof, and (iii) the compound; (b) determining the amount of the peptide bound to RAGE or the fragment thereof, and (c) comparing the amount of bound peptide determined in step (b) with the amount determined when the peptide is admixed with RAGE or a fragment thereof in the absence of the compound, thereby determining whether the compound is capable of inhibiting the interaction of the peptide with RAGE or a fragment thereof, wherein a reduction in the amount of binding in the presence of the compound indicates that the compound is capable of inhibiting the interaction.