Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for gene therapy utilizing hematopoietic stem cells, lymphoid progenitor cells, and/or myeloid progenitor cells. The cells are genetically modified to provide a gene that is expressed in these cells and their progeny after differentiation. In one embodiment the cells contain a gene or gene fragment that confers to the cells resistance to HIV infection and/or replication. The cells are administered to a patient in conjunction with treatment to reactivate the patient's thymus. The cells may be autologous, syngeneic, allogeneic or xenogeneic, as tolerance to foreign cells is created in the patient during reactivation of the thymus. In an embodiment the hematopoictic stem cells are CD34+. The patient's thymus is reactivated by disruption of sex steroid mediated signaling to the thymus. In another embodiment, this disruption is created by administration of LHRH agonists, LHRH antagonists, anti-LHRH receptor antibodies, anti-LHRH vaccines or combinations thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transdermal drug delivery system which comprises: a therapeutically effective amount of an antianxiety agent; at least one dermal penetration enhancer, which is a safe skin-tolerant ester sunscreen ester; and at least one volatile liquid. The invention also provides a method for administering at least one systemic acting antianxiety agent to an animal which comprises applying an effective amount of the antianxiety agent in the form of the drug delivery system of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing powder with a high tannin content, the method including pulverizing a tannin-containing plant such as bark of radiata pine (Pinus radiata) and classifying the pulverized material into fine particles having a desired particle size, for example, fine particles having a particle diameter of 100 to 1,000 &mgr;m or less, and powder with a high tannin content produced by such a method.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to neural stem cells, preferably foetal neural stem cells and their progeny thereof. The present invention provides methods of isolating, culturing and propagating neural stem cells preferably foetal neural stem cells and the development of neural stem cell lines and lineages. The present invention also relates to the use of neural stem cells and somatic cells (eg rat fetal fibroblasts) and cells expressing the telomerase catalytic component (TERT) for gene targeting and gene knockout experiments and for producing genetically modified animals.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of a stable, liquid formulation of growth hormone, comprising growth hormone, a buffer and a stabilizing effective amount of at least one stabilizing agent selected from the group consisting of: (i) polyethylene-polypropylene glycol non-ionic surfactants, (ii) taurocholic acid or salts or derivatives thereof, and (iii) methyl cellulose derivatives, wherein the method comprises admixing the growth hormone with the buffer and the stabilizing agent(s) under conditions such that the growth hormone is not exposed to concentrations of the buffer or stabilizing agent(s) which are greater than 2× the final concentrations of the buffer or stabilizing agent(s) in the formulation.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for diagnosing early stage of a disease in which an intact protein found in urine is an indicator of the disease. The method includes assaying urine sample to detect the presence of modified protein using either immunological or non-immunological technique. Methods for preventing and treating the disease are also disclosed.

Abstract: Composition for impregnating porous materials, in which the composition contains at lease one component having preservative properties or which release a component having preservative properties on heating, the composition comprising an emulsion of water and oil containing a primary surfactant and an amphoteric additive, the pH of the emulsion being equal or approximately equal to the iso-electric point of the amphoteric additive. The compositions of the invention are particularly useful in the preservation of timber.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for diagnosing early stage of a disease in which an intact protein found in urine is an indicator of the disease. The method includes assaying urine sample to detect the presence of modified protein using either immunological or non-immunological technique. Methods for preventing and treating the disease are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system for performing digital message encryption and signature encoding for use in, for example, communications and digital information storage systems, For secure communication of digital messages it is necessary to both encrypt the message and sign the message with a digital signature scheme to allow for authentication by the receiver. In order to the computational efficiency and reduce communications overhead in secure communications, a method and system, referred to as “signcryption”, are provided in which the processes of encryption and authentication are combined. The principles of public key cryptography are utilised, although any suitable keyed encryption algorithm can be employed for the message encoding. Examples of signature schemes which can be easily implemented by signcryption include the ElGamal, Schnorr and Digital Signature Standard.

Abstract: Porous zirconia or zirconium-containing particles, methods of making such particles and methods of using such particles including modifications to the surface of the particles are described. The method comprises heating zirconia particles to provide a substantially homogeneously liquid melt, quenching the particles of melt to effect spinodal decomposition to provide quench particles of a silica rich phase and a zirconia rich phase, annealing the quenched particles to provide non porous solid particles of zirconia and silica and, leaching the silica from these particles to produce porous solid zirconia particles comprising a three dimensionally substantially continuous interpenetrating network of interconnected pores.

Abstract: A transdermal drug delivery system which comprises at least one physiologically active agent or prodrug thereof and at least one dermal penetration enhancer; characterized in that the dermal penetration enhancer is a safe skin-tolerant ester sunscreen.

Abstract: Peptides immunologically related to proteins expressed by a viral agent, having a sequence of amino acids ordered by means of the protein informational analysis techniques using the Fourier transform method with reference to the amino acid sequence of a target antigen against which antibodies are desired to be formed, or lymphocytes desired to be directed. The sequence has in the Fourier spectrum, one or more frequencies of practically the same value as the frequency of frequencies characteristic of the target antigen.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of diagnosing a mammal having abnormal prostatic cell growth or a predisposition to developing abnormal prostatic cell growth, said method comprising screening for the modulation of the expression of follistatin protein or derivative, homolog, analog, mutant, variant or fragment thereof in said mammal. More particularly, the present invention contemplates a method of diagnosing prostate cancer or a predisposition to developing prostate cancer, said method comprising screening for the co-expression of different forms of follistatin protein.

Abstract: Arylalkylpiperazine compounds (1) wherein B is aryl or optionally substituted aryl; R1 is hydroxy; R2 and R3 are the same or different and are independently selected from hydrogen or C1-3 alkyl; m is 0, 1 or 2; D is a linking chain of atoms which may be optionally substituted and which contains from 1 to 8 atoms in the chain; E is a phenolic antioxidant group or a corresponding amino derivative thereof wherein the phenolic hydroxyl is replaced by amino, are disclosed. The compounds have both free radical scavenging activity and block excitatory amino acid activity. Some compounds of the present invention also display an affinity for voltage-sensitive sodium channels.

Abstract: An ion exchange resin comprising an ion exchange material dispersed or distributed throughout a polyurethane matrix. The ion exchange material is typically a second polymer which has been chemically modified after dispersion or distribution throughout the polyurethane matrix.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fusion protein which comprises the E2 subunits of PDC, BCOADC, and OGDC and uses thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel insulin-potentiating hypoglycaemic compounds.

Abstract: The present invention provides:the new use of compositions of morphine and compounds of Formula II wherein ##STR1## R.sup.1 is H or Me, preferably H; R.sup.2 is OH, preferably in alpha conformation;R.sup.3 is H;or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, taken together, are O;R.sup.4 is H or Me, preferably Me and preferably in alpha conformation;R.sup.5 is H;R.sup.6 is H;or R.sup.5 and R.sup.6, taken together, are O;R.sup.7 is H or Me, preferably H;R.sup.8 =H,OH,OAc,SH,SAc,Cl,Br,Fincluding solvates thereof, pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives thereof, prodrugs thereof, tautomers thereof, isomers thereof, and metabolites thereof.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of obesity in an animal such as a human, comprises administering to the animal an effective amount of a peptide which comprises the carboxyl-terminal sequence of a growth hormone, particularly the carboxyl-terminal sequence of human growth hormone containing amine acid residues 177-191. A pharmaceutical composition for use in the treatment of obesity is also disclosed.

Abstract: A graphic display system includes a set of rendering engines and a plurality of data storage units. Each data storage unit in the set of data storage units is coupled to at least one rendering engine in the set of rendering engines. A selection means is included in the graphic display system for selecting a data storage unit in the plurality of data storage units. The selected data storage unit is to be used for storing data representing an object to be displayed by the graphic display system and is selected based on a validity period of the object. The selection means includes means for determining a size validity period of the object and means for determining a translational validity period of the object. The translational validity period is a time required for the object to change by a predetermined translational threshold, wherein the predetermined translational threshold is a first angle extending from a line that passes through both a reference point and the object.