Abstract: The present invention provides a fetal movement monitoring system and a fetal movement information collecting device which are simply usable at home to collect and analyze correctly detail information about fetal movements over a long time.

Abstract: The present inventors focused on siE sequences that have been thought to show RNAi activity against HCV viral RNAs, and mainly selected the D5-50 and D5-197 regions present within the IRES region, and carried on the analysis. As a result, the present inventors successfully identified siRNA sequences that exhibit a more effective RNAi activity against hepatitis C virus RNAs. Furthermore, the siRNAs were demonstrated to have a significant inhibitory effect on HCV propagation in an in vivo system.

Abstract: A novel recombinant chimera of DNA construct having esat-6 region of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and kinesin region of Leishmania donovani cloned together on two sides of self cleaving peptide in a DNA vaccine vector pVAX-1 wherein the chimeric construct is operatively linked to a transcriptional promoter thus capable of self replication and expression within the mammalian cell, and the process of preparation thereof comprising: analysis of the predicted protein sequence of kinesin motor domain and esat-6 domain using Promiscuous MHC Class-1 Binding Peptide Prediction Servers; amplification of gene coding for kinesin motor domain and esat-6 domain; cloning of kinesin esat-6 gene region in pGEM-T™ vector for sequence analysis; generation of chimeric construct by directional cloning in pVAX-1 vector.

Abstract: This invention relates to a high affinity recombinant humanized antibody fragment (scFv) specific for hepatitis B surface antigen having unique inter/intra chain bonding interaction because of 28 altered amino acid residues from the original mouse (5S) antibody and its chimeric Fab form, wherein fine tuning of the vernier zone residue makes it closer to the human sequence without any structural constraints.

Abstract: The present invention provides compounds and methods for the detection of anti-leishmanial antibodies in individuals suspected of infection with the protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania, where the infectious agent is an Indian strain and similar or closely related to Indian Leishmania strains. The compounds provided include polypeptides as shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 6 which are useful for the detection of anti-leishmanial antibodies in individuals where the immune responses are elicited against Leishmania species of Indian strains and similar or closely related to Indian Leishmania strains, the compounds are also useful as a vaccine and therapeutic agent to prevent and treat leishmaniasis. The present invention further provides a diagnostic kit consisting of antibody raised against polypeptides as shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 6 for detecting leishmanial antigens.

Abstract: The invention relates to a recombinant chimeric Fab antibody comprising a recombinant Fd and a recombinant chimeric light chain which binds to hepatitis B surface antigen with high affinity, generated by fusing variable region genes (VH and VL) of an anti-HBsAg mouse antibody 5S and constant region genes of human, CH1 region of human IgGI and the CL region of human kappa chain, wherein mouse VL and human CL are linked by overlap PCR to generate chimeric light chain and mouse VH and CH1 are linked by overlap PCR to generate chimeric Fd.

Abstract: The invention relates to aqueous suspension of dried latex (DL) of Calotropis procera and to a method of preparation for the prevention/treatment of cancer. The DL suspension when administered orally in the X-myc mice—a transgenic mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), was effective in protecting the animals from the atypical mitosis and displastic/neoplastic changes occurring in vivo. Further, the DL suspension did not show any observable side effects when administered orally to the animals for 16 weeks. Further, the purified fractions of the latex were found to exhibit potent cytotoxic activity in in vitro cell culture system using two different cancer cell lines.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for identifying a novel target for use for the development of therapeutic modalities and drugs effective against tuberculosis comprising testing M. tuberculosis devR mutant strain for virulence in guinea pigs.

Abstract: The present invention provides compounds and methods for the detection of anti-leishmanial antibodies in individuals suspected of infection with the protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania, where the infectious agent is an Indian strain and similar or closely related to Indian Leishmania strains. The compounds provided include polypeptides as shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 6 which are useful for the detection of anti-leishmanial antibodies in individuals where the immune responses are elicited against Leishmania species of Indian strains and similar or closely related to Indian Leishmania strains, the compounds are also useful as a vaccine and therapeutic agent to prevent and treat leishmaniasis. The present invention further provides a diagnostic kit consisting of antibody raised against polypeptides as shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 6 for detecting leishmanial antigens.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel oligonucleotide primers having SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID No: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3 and SEQ ID NO: 4 for amplification of the kinesin-related gene of Leishmania species. The invention also provides a method for detecting and differentiating visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and post kala-azar-dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) causing strains of Leishmania donovani in a sample, comprising isolating DNA from a sample; amplifying the target region from the DNA using novel oligonucleotide primers and heat stable DNA polymerase to obtain amplified fragments; separating the amplified fragments and analyzing the fragments to detect and differentiate VL and PKDL causing strains of Leishmania donovani based on the banding pattern of the amplified fragments. In addition, the invention provides a diagnostic kit for detection and differentiation of VL and PKDL causing strains of the Leishmania donovani.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of processing clinical samples for diagnosing bacterial infections by smear microscopy, culture or PCR as well as a kit for performing the said method. This invention also pertains to two sets of primers specific for the DevR gene of M. tuberculosis as well as to a method of using said primers for screening patients for tuberculosis by PCR.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel carrier protein for use as a vaccine comprising the outer membrane protein C (OmpC) of Salmonella typhi Ty2 for conjugation with VI polysaccharide.

Abstract: The present invention provides an oligonucleotide primer pair having SEQ ID NO: 3 and SEQ ID NO: 4 for amplification of Early Secretory Antigenic Target (esat)-6-gene of Mycobacterium species. The invention also provides a method for detecting M .tuberculosis in a sample based on the amplification of esat-6 gene, comprising isolating DNA template from the sample, amplifying with the above oligonucleotide primer pair and subjecting the amplified DNA product to separation and staining to detect the presence of amplified DNA product for identifying Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the sample. The invention further provides a diagnostic kit for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Abstract: Oligonucleotide primers for specific amplification of the hupB gene of Mycobacterium species selected from the group consisting of Seq ID No. 1, Seq ID No. 2, Seq ID No. 3, Seq ID No. 4, Seq ID No. 5 and a method for differentiating Mycobacterium species based on target gene encoding for histone like proteins such as hupB comprising of (a) obtaining DNA from culture or from clinical samples, b) amplifying a part of the target gene encoding for histone like proteins such as hupB of Mycobacterium species using DNA as a template in a polymerise chain reaction with a pair of oligonucleotide primers, c) detecting said amplified fragment of the hupB gene to detect the presence of Mycobacterial species or not and differentiating Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Mycobacterium bovis based on the size of the amplified fragment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing an in vivo model of hepatocellular carcinoma without lung metastasis in an animal by injecting diethylnitrosamine and administering nitrosomorpholine in the drinking water of the animal, as well as, methods of identifying an antimetstatic agent using the in vivo model.

Abstract: The present invention relates to analysis of the alterations in p21waf1/cip1 gene and its expression in relation to p53 status in esophageal cancer, a method for screening of subjects having or at risk of having esophageal cancer by detection of the polymorphism in p21waf1/cip1 gene, and use thereof as a diagnostic marker.

Abstract: The invention relates to an anti-diabetic agent obtained from the plant Humboldtia decurrens, an anti-diabetic formulation comprising an effect amount of the extract obtained from the plant Humboldtia decurrens optionally together with additives, a process for obtaining the anti-diabetic agent, and a method for treatment of diabetes.

Abstract: A hepatitis type C animal model into which cDNA derived from hepatitis C virus has been introduced. This animal model is useful for clarification of an onset mechanism of hepatitis C and as well as for development of means for treating the disease.

Abstract: Transgenic mice are described which serve as a model for Hepatitis C infection. The transgenic mice contain, in their germline and somatic cells, the Hepatitis C viral fragment CN2, N24 or CR under the control of a Cre-loxP switch-expression system. Administration of Cre to the mice results in a phenotype of increased serum GTP levels, emergence of acidophilic bodies in the liver, exfoliation of hepatic cells, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of Kupffer's cells, and conglomeration of lymphocytes.

Abstract: Transgenic mice which constitutively express an antibody-type molecule encoded by the transgene and which has an IgE heavy chain constant region and is specific for a pre-defined antigen, provide an allergic reaction to that antigen without prior sensitization and are useful as allergy models.