Abstract: A recombinant heteromultimeric protein including at least (a) a polypeptide fusion molecule A consisting of a C4BP ?-chain C-terminal fragment and a polypeptide fragment heterologous to said ?-chain, and (a) a polypeptide fusion molecule B consisting of a C4BP ?-chain C-terminal fragment and a polypeptide fragment heterologous to said ?-chain, wherein (a) and (b) are linked in the C-terminal portion to form said multimeric protein.

Abstract: The invention relates to new compounds for cancer therapy or diagnosis and to the use of a non-toxic B subunit of Shiga toxin mutant as a vector for diagnostic products or drugs in over-expressing Gb3 receptor cells, such compounds having the following formula: STxB-Z(n)-Cys-Y(m)-T wherein—STxB is the Shiga Toxin B subunit or a functional equivalent thereof, —Z(n) wherein n is 0 or 1, Z is an amino-acid residue devoid of sulfydryl groups, or is a polypeptide, —T is a molecule linked by a covalent bound to the S part of Cys, selected from: agents for in vivo diagnosis, cytotoxic agents, prodrugs, or enzymes for the conversion of a prodrug to a drug, —Y(m) wherein m is 0 or 1, Y is a linker between T and Cys, which is either cleavable or not cleavable for the release of T after the internalization of the hybrid compound into cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a compound having affinity for a negatively charged phospholipid as well as to a detection molecule, to a conjugate and to a pharmaceutical composition comprising said compound. Generally speaking, the compound of the present invention is useful for specific recognition of lipid vectors. It may be used in engineering and in the generation of compound for recognizing and sequestrating of negatively charged lipids, such as phosphatidyl-serine and phosphatidic acid. The chemical structure of the present invention may have the construction (I).

Abstract: The invention concerns an immunogenic peptide comprising at least six consecutive amino acids of a hydrophilic region of the glycoprotein B (gB) of the human herpesvirus-7 (HIV-7), and reacting specifically with antibodies directed against HHV-7, and diagnosis kit containing it.

Abstract: The invention concerns treatment of infectious and tumoral pathologies comprising a anti-infective and/or anti-tumoral chemotherapeutic treatment phase inducing resistance mutations and a therapeutic vaccination phase directed against said resistance mutations and the agents used in said treatment More particularly, the invention concerns peptides of 8 to 80 amino acids of the HIV reverse transcriptase sequence and comprising at least a mutation with respect to said wild sequence of said enzyme, mutation induced in response to treatments by nucleoside and non-nucleoside analogues of the HIV reverse transcriptase. The invention also concerns a pharmaceutical composition or vaccine based on said peptides, for inducing an immune response specific of said mutated sequences and for enhancing or prolonging the efficiency of treatments with nucleoside or non-nucleoside analogues of the HIV reverse transcriptase.

Abstract: A medium comprises an electrolyte wherein is dissolved at least an assembly of block copolymers characterized in that the block copolymers: are present in the electrolyte at a concentration level to provide the medium with the property of reversibly passing from a state of viscosity V1, obtained at a temperature T1, to a viscosity state V2 greater by at least 100% than V1, obtained at a temperature T2, and comprise in their structure at least: two non-contiguous polymeric segments having in the electrolyte a lower critical solubility temperature (LCST) and having an average number of atoms along their skeleton more than 50; and a polymeric segment soluble in the electrolyte at temperatures T1 and T2. The invention also concerns the use of the medium for separating analytes.

Abstract: Disclosed are porous biocompatible polymers in the form of hydrogels, methods of preparing the hydrogels, and methods of using the hydrogels, e.g., in vitro cell culture and body implants.

Abstract: The invention concerns compounds of formula (I) wherein: A represents R1 or (O)R1 where R1 represents an alkyl group comprising 1 to 30 carbon atoms, linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, capable of being partly or totally substituted by Hal where Hal represents —Cl,—Br, or —F, and of being interrupted by one or several units selected among —O—,—S—,—C(O)—,—NR3C(O)—, —Ph(R4)n— and —CH2—CH2—O)n′—, wherein R3 represents or —CH2)n″—CH where n″=0 to 17; R4 represents, —CH3,—CH2H5,—C3H7 and n=0 to 4 and n′=1, 2, or 3, or R1 represents a cyclanic radical with diterpene or triterpene root; and R2 represents a C1−C11 linear or branched alkyl group.

Abstract: A product for coupling a biologically active principle with an immunovector, characterized in that the immunovector is capable of enabling the biologically active principle to be internalized into eukaryotic cells, and in that said immunovector has an affinity for the cell DNA to such an extent that it can transfer the biologically active principle into or to the immediate vicinity of the cell nuclei.

Abstract: To manage band allocation as a function of occupancy loading on a local network with high quality of service, the invention proposes a decentralized management protocol distributing allocation at all times by adapting the load of application streams to be transmitted to the bandwidths available on the network.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vaccine consisting of defective viral particles as are obtained in vivo or ex vivo, in individuals infected or capable of being infected with a virus, after expression of the genes carried by a vector or a combination of vectors and comprising at least the structural genes necessary for the constitution of the viral particle.

Abstract: A nucleotide sequence encoding a katG/lacZ fusion protein is useful for assaying the enzymatic activity of the katG gene product. A process of selecting a compound that is toxic against an isoniazid-resistant mycobaterial strain comprises incubating a catalase peroxidase enzyme with an isoniazid to produce a compound that restores isoniazid susceptability to the isoniazid-resistant mycobaterial strain.

Abstract: A recombinant vector comprising a gene encoding a Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-TK) comprising a deletion in the 5' sequence upstream of the second ATG initiation codon of the complete HSV1-TK sufficient to inhibit transcription initiation from a cryptic promoter site contained within the 5' sequence, wherein the gene is under the control of a promoter is disclosed for use as a suicide gene both in vitro and in vivo. The HSV1-TK produced by the strong expression of the modified gene is toxic to cells in the presence of nucleoside analogs, whereas weak expression of the gene is not toxic to cells. The deletion can comprise all or part of the first initiation codon and the vector can be a retrovirus. As also disclosed are cells transduced with the vector.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for expressing a transgene in a target cell or a human or animal cell, characterized in that it consists of a eukaryotic cell established as a line, into which there have been transfected:a) a recombinant viral sequence in which a gene has been deleted totally or partially and substituted by the transgene at the level of this gene;b) a nucleic acid sequence including a sequence encoding the deleted protein, which sequence is in dependence on a promoter and is combined, where appropriate, with the transgene, and flanked at its 3' end a polyadenylation site;the recombinant viral genome and the sequence, carried by one or two plasmid supports, being capable of trans-complementing each other and allowing the host cell to produce defective infectious viruses.

Abstract: A cultured eukaryotic cell dissociation method using at least one polysaccharide polymer derivative. In particular, the method of dissociating cultured, adherent fibroblast or epithelial cells using a chelating agent such as EDTA and a sulfated polysaccharide such as heparin is disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to recombinant retroviral vectors, derived from Moloney MuLV, carrying a suicide gene susceptible of transforming an inactive substance into a toxic substance for cells going through a division process, said vectors being characterized by the presence in their structure of LTR sequences from variants of MuLV, and having the properties: (a) of not being inactivated during passage through the carcino-embryonic or line germinal cells of mice; (b) the expression of the suicide gene kills only the cells in the course of division.

Abstract: Compositions comprise one or more B epitopes of the envelope glycoprotein of a retrovirus and one or more T epitopes of the envelope glycoprotein from a distinct retrovirus, or a T epitope from a different protein of the same retrovirus as the B epitope. In particular, the retrovirus is a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLVI), or human T-cell lymphotropic virus type II (HTLVII).

Abstract: A disk prosthesis for replacing a damaged spinal disk has two metal half-envelopes which confine between them a compression cushion having a controlled differential compression. The structure employs a membrane or diaphragm surrounding the compression cushion in order to insure a seal between the cushion and the environment and also has an anti-expulsion system for shaping the compression cushion in order to limit the expansion of the cushion out of the volume defined by the two metal cups and the membrane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing a compound of formula I ##STR1## from a compound of formula II ##STR2## via a compound of formula IV ##STR3## and to a compound of formula IV by way of an intermediate in the preparation of a compound of formula I.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing a compound of formula (I) ##STR1## in which R.sub.1 is H, an alkyl radical or an alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl or halogen radical, and R.sub.3 is N.sub.3 or a CN radical, characterized in that a compound of formula (II): ##STR2## is reacted with a phosphine derivative and an azodicarboxylic acid diester and a carboxylic acid R.sub.2 --COOH in a solvent compatible with the reaction conditions, to form the compound of formula (III): ##STR3## which, after separation if required, is opened in the presence of an azide or a cyanide in a solvent compatible with the reaction conditions, and the compound of formula (I) is then isolated from the reaction medium after deprotection of the 5'-position.