Abstract: Described are reversibly N-acylated phosphotidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine derivatives which are useful as caged aminophospholipids. Also described are pharmaceutical preparations containing pH-sensitive liposomes formed with the caged aminophospholipids, and related methods.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of evaluating an anti-proliferative compound by contacting the compound with a Raf and determining its ability to bind to Ras, and methods of inhibiting cell proliferation in an animal by administering a compound which reduces the interaction of Ras with Raf.

Abstract: Disclosed are Ras-binding peptides and peptide mimetics thereof which inhibit the direct binding of Ras with Raf and contain an amino acid sequence with 80-100% identity to the sequence of specific Raf fragments.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of evaluating an anti-proliferative compound by contacting the compound with a Raf and determining its ability to bind to Ras, and methods of inhibiting cell proliferation in an animal by administering a compound which reduces the interaction of Ras with Raf.

Abstract: Described are preferred myocardial grafts of skeletal myoblasts or cardiomyocytes, and cellular compositions and methods useful in obtaining the grafts. The myocardial grafts are stable and can be used, for example, to deliver recombinant proteins directly to the heart.

Abstract: A renal perfusion clamp which is capable of opening to 180 degrees. The perfusion damp of the present invention additionally allows for interchange of variously sized clamp heads in order to accommodate aortic cuffs of various sizes. The perfusion clamp provides for adjustable clamping force which is controllable by the perfusionist.

Abstract: The present invention discloses the correct processing of IP-10, a myelosuppressive protein produced by certain cells such as keratinocytes, monocytes and human endothelial cells upon stimulation by .gamma.-interferon. Also disclosed is a method of treating human cancer patients by applying IP-10 in a pharmaceutical composition in conjunction with certain antineoplastic agents.

Abstract: The invention provides a device having two components: a needle advancing apparatus slidable longitudinally along a catheter to advance needles into a tissue membrane, such as a blood vessel wall, around an opening in the membrane; and, a suture retrieval assembly insertable through the catheter beyond a distal side of the tissue membrane. The needle advancing apparatus advances suture through the tissue wall. The suture retrieval assembly grabs the suture on the distal side of the tissue membrane for extraction thereof through the opening in the tissue membrane. A method for suturing a membrane beneath the patient's skin is also disclosed.

Abstract: Described are preferred suicide inhibitors of phosphatase or phosphodiesterase enzymes, and methods for preparing halo enol phosphates which can serve as such suicide inhibitors.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for minimizing ion peak width measurements in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to thereby minimize the effects of initial ion position distributions and initial ion velocity distributions on the mass resolution of the spectrometer are provided. Where the ion source and ion generation geometries indicate a functional relationship between the initial ion position and initial ion velocity, this relationship is substituted into the time-of-flight equation and the instrument parameters are thereafter optimized to achieve minimization of ion peak width broadening. Experimental results using MALDI indicate reductions in ion peak widths of up to 96% over those observed with traditional MALDI techniques.

Abstract: Described are novel fluoride ion-releasing acrylic or methacrylic acid-based monomers, fluoride ion-releasing dental resin materials prepared from the monomers, and processes for preparing the monomers and dental resin materials. The monomers of the invention are prepared in good yield from readily available starting materials. Dental resin materials of the invention exhibit excellent sustained fluoride ion release.

Abstract: A method to increase the efficiency of transduction of hematopoietic cells by retroviruses includes infecting the cells in the presence of fibronectin or fibronectin fragments. The fibronectin and fibronectin fragments significantly enhance retroviral-mediated gene transfer into the hematopoietic cells, particularly including committed progenitors and primitive hematopoietic stem cells. The invention also provides improved methods for somatic gene therapy capitalizing on the enhanced gene transfer, and hematopoietic cellular populations.

Abstract: Novel O.sub.10eq -derivatives of ryanodine and dehydroryanodine characterized as binding strongly to ryanodine receptor, useful in affecting Ca.sup.++ efflux in tissue and also in isolating ryanodine receptor from sarcoplasmic reticulum. Also described are novel radio-iodinated alanine derivatives useful to radio label ryanodine and dehydroryanodine derivatives.

Abstract: Disclosed are human pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell (PHSC) enriched compositions and methods for obtaining and using the compositions. A substantially homogeneous population of human hematopoietic cells characterized as CD34.sup.+, HLA-DR.sup.-, and c-kit receptor positive (KR.sup.+) and capable of in vitro self-renewal and differentiation to members of at least the erythroid, myeloid, and megakaryocytic lineages, is obtained by separating the population from a cellular mixture, for example by cytometric cell sorting techniques. Also disclosed is a method of obtaining persistent maintenance of grafted human hematopoietic cells in a mammal, which includes grafting a mammal in utero with a cellular composition enriched in human hematopoietic cells characterized as CD34.sup.+, HLA-DR.sup.- and capable of in vitro self-renewal and differentiation to members of the lymphoid, myeloid, erythroid and megakaryocytic lineages.

Abstract: Polymer-bound mixed carboxylic anhydrides can be prepared under mild conditions by the condensation of carboxylic acids (including N-protected amino acids) with polymer-bound acid chlorides. These mixed anhydrides function as polymeric reagents in the sense that they will react readily with monomeric nucleophiles such as amines to form amide or peptide products, depending on the identities of the mixed anhydride and amine reactants. However, in spite of their reactivity, these polymeric mixed anhydrides exhibit a significant degree of stability under conditions of prolonged storage, which suggests that such compounds have commercial utility as a relatively stable form of highly activated carboxylic acids. The polymeric support can be reactivated and recycled for repeated use in the derivatization process.

Abstract: A catheter assembly comprising a needle received within a catheter. The needle has a solid tip and a hole in the cylindrical wall of the needle that communicates with the internal passageway of the needle. The needle is received within the lumen of the catheter, the catheter having a hole in its side wall that aligns with the side hole of the needle. Alignment of the side holes is provided by complementary alignment features on the proximal ends of the needle and catheter. The needle may be connected to a flash chamber for observation of fluid from the cavity. Fluid does not flow into the needle without first entering the side hole of the catheter. Observation of fluid in the flash chamber will not occur until the side hole of the catheter contacts the fluid. This side entrance provides positive indication that the distal end of the catheter has entered the cavity.

Abstract: Described are novel fluoride ion-releasing acrylic or methacrylic acid-based monomers, fluoride ion-releasing dental resin materials prepared from the monomers, and processes for preparing the monomers and dental resin materials. The monomers of the invention are prepared in good yield from readily available starting materials. Dental resin materials of the invention exhibit excellent sustained fluoride ion release.

Abstract: Quassinoid compounds, compositions, and methods of using them for treating cells and solid tumors, and inhibiting plant growth.

Abstract: A chew product useful against the build-up of dental calculus on the teeth of animals contains an amount of sodium hexametaphosphate effective to reduce the development of dental calculus. The chew product in one embodiment is prepared by soaking the product in an aqueous solution containing from about 0.5% to about 3.0% by weight sodium hexametaphosphate. Also disclosed are methods for preparing the novel chew product and for using the chew product containing sodium hexametaphosphate to reduce and/or prevent the build-up of dental calculus on the teeth of animals.

Abstract: A novel, time-of-flight mass spectrometer for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of elemental, molecular, and isotopic chemical samples is provided which offers increased sensitivity, speed of analysis, resolving power, and signal-to-noise ratios than prior mass spectrometers by properly sampling and collimating an ion beam from a continuous ion source, decelerating said ion, forming ion packets from the continuous ion beam, storing said ion packets, extracting and accelerating the ion packets along a stable flight path, transversely compressing said packets, focusing ions of similar mass, and detecting the focused ion masses. The mass spectrometer includes an ion optics assembly and an analyzer disposed along a common axis coincident with a continuous beam of sampled ions.