Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions relating to apoptosis regulating proteins, known as Casper proteins, and related nucleic acids. The proteins may be produced recombinantly from transformed host cells from the disclosed Casper encoding nucleic acid or purified from human cells. The invention provides specific hybridization probes and primers capable of specifically hybridizing with the disclosed Casper gene, Casper-specific binding agents such as specific antibodies, and methods of making and using the subject compositions in diagnosis, therapy and in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Abstract: Regeneration of a lesioned CNS axon of a mature neuron, determined to be subject to regeneration inhibition by Smad2/3 signaling, is promoted by contacting the neuron with an inhibitor of Smad2/3 signaling sufficient to promote regeneration of the axon.

Abstract: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a clinically useful biochemical marker of cardiovascular risk. Risk assessment includes the step of detecting in the blood of a person MIF concentration as a marker of cardiovascular risk for the person. The method may further comprise the step of assigning to the person a cardiovascular risk metric proportional to the MIF concentration, and/or prescribing for the person a cardiovascular treatment modality in accordance with the MIF concentration. The method is useful as a primary screen, and may be used in conjunction with or as a substitute for additional tests, such as a stress test, CRP assay, LDL assay, etc. The detecting step may be repeated over time intervals and/or treatment to monitor change in cardiovascular risk for the person over time and/or treatment.

Abstract: Anti-obesity compositions include medicaments comprising predetermined amounts of a phytyl substituted chromanol and an obesity-promoting drug, wherein: said medicament is in unit dosage form suitable for pharmaceutical administration; said phytyl substituted chromanol is a gamma-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol, alpha-tocotrienol, gamma-tocotrienol or delta-tocotrienol; said obesity-promoting drug is a corticosteroid or an anti-diabetes drug such as a hypoglycemic drug, starch blocker, glucose production blocker or insulin sensitizer.

Abstract: Delta protein expression in a cell is reduced by introducing miR-1 into the cell, and detecting a resultant reduction of Delta protein expression in the cell.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions of selectively disrupting mitotic function in a target cell demonstrating undesirable mitotic function. Suitable target cells include mammalian, plant and bacterial cells, which cells may be in vitro or in situ. The general methods involve introducing into the target cell an effective amount of a peptide comprising contiguous acidic amino acids, such as Asp or Glu, whereby the undesirable mitotic function of the cell is selectively disrupted. In particular embodiments, the peptide comprises a Gm2S-1 peptide, particularly a lunasin and/or alisin peptide. The peptide may be introduced by transfecting the cell with a nucleic acid encoding the peptide.

Abstract: Tissue preservation media comprising a polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene copolymer are used to preserve tissues and organs for storage and transplantation. In particular embodiments, the polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene copolymer is Pluronic F68 or FLOCOR (CRL-5861; purified poloxamer 188), and the medium is Steinhardt medium, polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene copolymer-supplemented Optisol GS or polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene copolymer-supplemented ViaSpan.

Abstract: The invention relates to a self-adjusting serial connection of thin layers and a method for the production thereof. The invention is characterized in that electrically conducting conductor tracks (20) are applied to a substrate (10), whereupon several main deposit layers (30, 40, 50) of conducting, semi-conducting or insulating materials are applied to the substrate. The application of the layers is carried out at various angles of incidence to the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The invention is a method for treating prostate hyperplasia by contacting a patient with insulin-6 in an amount effective to prevent or reduce prostate hyperplasia. The invention includes transgenic insulin-6 knockout mice that exhibit prostate hyperplasia and that can be used in screening agents for anti-prostate hyperplasia activity.

Abstract: Caspase activity and apoptosis are promoted using active, dimeric Smac peptide mimetics of the general formula M1-L-M2, wherein moieties M1 and M2 are monomeric Smac mimetics and L is a covalent linker. Target cancerous or inflammatory cells are contacted with an effective amount of an active, dimeric Smac mimetic, and a resultant increase in apoptosis of the target cells is detected. The contacting step may be effected by administering to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the dimeric mimetic, wherein the individual may be subject to concurrent or antecedent radiation or chemotherapy for treatment of a neoproliferative pathology.

Abstract: Oligodendrocyte-myelin glycoprotein (OMgp)-specific binding agents are used to reduce OMgp-mediated axon growth inhibition. Mixtures of axons and OMgp and mixtures of Nogo receptor (NgR) and OMgp are used in pharmaceutical screens to characterize agents as inhibiting binding of NgR to OMgp and promoting axon regeneration.

Abstract: A HECT-domain containing E3 ubiquitin ligase that mediates the polyubiquitination of Mcl-1, named Mule for Mcl-1 ubiquitin ligase E3, is described. Methods and compositions for modulating functional interaction between Mcl-1 and Mule protein and Mcl-1 mediated apoptosis are described. Diagnostic and prognostic methods based on Mule expression in patient cells are also described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the targeted application of deposition material onto a substrate, especially for focusing the sputter flux onto a narrow angular range in a PVD-system. The invention is characterized in that the deposition material is directed through a filter structure (90) having several channel-shaped individual structures (60) onto said substrate (30), whereby the streams of material are limited to a narrow angle range.

Abstract: A post-translational modification of a predetermined protein expressed by a cell is detected by specifically detecting an O-acetylation of a serine, threonine or tyrosine residue of the protein as an indication of the post-translational modification. The detection may employ antibodies that specifically bind an O-acetylated protein expressed by the cell, wherein the specific binding is dependent on the presence of an O-acetylated serine, threonine or tyrosine residue in the protein.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of automatically adjusting serial connections of thick and/or thin layers. The method comprises the following process steps: applying electrically conductive strip conductors (20) to a substrate (10); applying a first main layer (30) at an angle a relative to the surface of the substrate; applying a second main layer which is made of granular-shaped particles (40) to the substrate (10); applying several layers in conjunction with material and process-dependent processing steps; applying a third main layer (70) at an angle ? relative to the surface of the substrate; and applying a fourth main layer (80) at an angle y relative to the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A?-heme peroxidase activity is selectively measured and inhibited, packaged as a pharmaceutical composition with heme biosynthetic cofactors or as an industrial enzyme, and used to oxidize target substrates.

Abstract: Recombination in mammalian somatic cell chromosomes is promoted and marked by a method called mosaic analysis with double marker (MADM). Mouse “knock-in” techniques are used to create pairs of chromosomes in which recombinase target sites are placed at homologous chromosomal locations. The knock-in constructs are engineered so that cellular markers, such as green or red fluorescent protein (GFP or RFP), are only expressed after recombinase-induced recombination. This system provides high-sensitivity detection of recombinase-induced mitotic recombination, even down to the single cell level. When this recombination is induced in a mouse heterozygous for a mutation in a gene distal to the “knock-in” locus on the same chromosome, it results in homozygosity of this mutation in the labeled cells. This allows the analysis in singly-labeled neurons of genes whose pleiotropic effects might otherwise result in early lethality.

Abstract: Reduced degeneration of an axon predetermined to be subject to degenerative neuropathy in a term patient is effected by contacting the axon in situ with an effective amount of a ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) inhibitor sufficient to reduce degeneration of the axon; and detecting a resultant reduction in the degeneration of the axon in situ.

Abstract: An immune response is modulated by selectively inhibiting ERAAP (an acronym for ER aminopeptidase associated with antigen processing) and confirming a resultant immune response modulation. More particularly, the method comprises contacting a patient determined to be in need of immune response modulation with a physiologically acceptable dosage composition comprising an effective amount of an inhibitor of ERAAP activity; confirming a resultant inhibition of said ERAAP activity and confirming a resultant immune response modulation in the patient. A variety of selective inhibitors are shown to be effective, including amino thiols, such as leucine thiol, ERAAP-specific antibody complementarity-determining region, and an ERAAP-specific siRNA.

Abstract: Permissiveness of human cells to replication of susceptible pathogenic human viruses is reduced by treating the cells with a selective inhibitor of prenylation of a host cell protein. Target viruses, especially Flaviviridae, are predetermined to lack a CXXX box and prenylated viral protein, and to be replication-dependent on host protein prenylation. The general method comprises (a) contacting human cells subject to infection by the virus with an effective amount of a selective inhibitor of a prenylation enzyme of the cells; and (b) confirming a resultant reduction in permissiveness of the cells to replication of the virus. Targeted enzymes include prenyl biosynthetic enzyme like HMG CoA reductase farnesyl and/or geranylgeranyl transferase enzymes.