Abstract: A process for the preparation of Isosulphan Blue is disclosed. The process comprises the following steps: Sulphonating orthochlorobenzaldehyde, treatment with sodium sulphite, basification, condensation and oxidation to obtain Isosulphan Blue.

Abstract: The invention provides methods, apparatus and chemical systems for making vinyl acetate from ethylene, oxygen, and acetic acid.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing primarily para alkyl aromatic amines by alkylating a primary aromatic amine with an olefin in the presence of an acid activated clay.

Abstract: The invention relates to the identification and selection of sequences which demonstrate particular advantage in identifying individuals having osteoarthritis (OA). The invention also provides a selection of sequences particularly useful in diagnosing the degree of advancement of osteoarthritis of an individual and in the identification of novel therapeutic targets for OA. The invention further provides for the use of these sequences as a tool to diagnose disease progression and to monitor the efficacy of therapeutic regimens.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel naphthol derivative represented by the following general formula (I). The novel naphthol derivative of the present invention is useful as a positively electrifiable charge control agent. The present invention further provides an electrophotographic toner comprising a charge control agent comprising the novel naphthol derivative represented by formula (I).

Abstract: Cells derived from postpartum umbilicus and placenta are disclosed. Pharmaceutical compositions, devices and methods for the regeneration or repair of ocular tissue using the postpartum-derived cells are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods using somatic hypermutation (SHM) for producing polypeptide and nucleic acid variants, and nucleic acids encoding such polypeptide variants are disclosed. Such variants may have desired properties. Also disclosed are novel polypeptides, such as improved fluorescent proteins, produced by the novel methods, and nucleic acids, vectors, and host cells comprising such vectors.

Abstract: The differentiation between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease is made possible by a multi-gene approach where gene expression profiles in biopsy samples obtained from inflamed, and optionally also non-inflamed, areas in the intestines of a patient are studied.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing an antibody-producing cell line capable of directed constitutive hypermutation of a specific nucleic acid region, comprising the steps of: a) screening a clonal cell population for V gene diversity; b) isolating one or more cells which display V gene diversity and comparing the rate of accumulation of mutations in the V genes and other genes of the selected cells; and c) selecting a cell in which the rate of V gene mutation exceeds that of other gene mutation.

Abstract: The present invention provides visible light sensitive and ultraviolet (UV) light sensitive composition for DNA transfer comprising acid sensitive polyacetals developed as DNA/RNA delivery agents, a photoacid generator and optionally a photosensitizer.

Abstract: One aspect of the current invention is an optimized synthetic mammalian expression plasmid (e.g. pAV0201). This new plasmid comprise a therapeutic element, and a replication element. The therapeutic element of the new plasmid comprises a eukaryotic promoter; a 5? untranslated region (“UTR”); a codon-optimized-eukaryotic therapeutic gene sequence; and a poly adenylation signal. The therapeutic elements of this plasmid are operatively linked and located in a first operatively-linked arrangement. Additionally, the optimized synthetic mammalian expression plasmid comprises replication elements, wherein the replication elements are operatively linked and located in a second operatively-linked arrangement. The replication elements comprise a selectable marker gene promoter, a ribosomal binding site, and an origin of replication. The first-operatively-linked arrangement and the second-operatively-linked arrangement comprise a circular structure of the codon optimized synthetic mammalian expression plasmid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for inhibiting the proliferation of malignant and/or hyperplastic cells in a subject by administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a guanosine rich oligonucleotide. The present invention also provides oligonucleotides which are capable of being specifically bound to a specific cellular protein which is nucleolin and/or nucleolin-like in nature, which is implicated in the proliferation of cells, specifically malignant and/or hyperplastic cells, and a method for their selection.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a vector system that allows one to induce expression of therapeutically relevant genes in mammalian cells. Such a vector system may be useful for medicine and in the pharmaceutical industry. A vector comprises base structures suitable for expression in mammalian cells as well as either the whole of or parts of the gene promoter of human Major Vault Protein (MVP), also known as LRP (Lung Resistance Protein) as well as a gene encoding a therapeutic protein or non-translated RNA. As the MVP promoter is inducible by therapy (for example, but not limited to, chemotherapy or hyperthermia), the vector system provides combinations of therapeutic methods with gene therapy in a controlled fashion, resulting in more efficient treatment of tumor diseases.

Abstract: Methods for delivering nucleic acid molecules into cells and methods for measuring nucleic acid delivery into cells and the expression of the nucleic acids are provided. The methods are designed for introduction of large nucleic acid molecules, including artificial chromosomes, into cells, and are practiced in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for identification of methylated, and/or potentially methylatable CpG dinucleotides in genomic DNA sequences, and methods for isolating genomic DNA sequences comprising methylated CpG dinucleotide sequences. The present invention further provides methods for comparison of the methylation status of specific CpG dinucleotides, and patterns thereof between normal and diseased genomic DNA sequences, along with methods for determining all potentially methylatable CpG dinucleotides in a genomic DNA sample. Specifically, the present invention discloses a novel use of 5-methylcytosine DNA glycosylase (5-MCDG) in combination with art-recognized DNA base excision repair (BER) enzymes, and in particular embodiments, in combination with DNA methyltransferase to specifically label methylated CpG dinucleotide sequences in genomic DNA sequences.

Abstract: Recombinant negative-strand viral RNA templates are described which may be used with purified RNA-directed RNA polymerase complex to express heterologous gene products in appropriate host cells and/or to rescue the heterologous gene in virus particles. The RNA templates are prepared by transcription of appropriate DNA sequences with a DNA-directed RNA polymerase. The resulting RNA templates are of the negative-polarity and contain appropriate terminal sequences which enable the viral RNA-synthesizing apparatus to recognize the template. Bicistronic mRNAs can be constructed to permit internal initiation of translation of viral sequences and allow for the expression of foreign protein coding sequences from the regular terminal initiation site, or vice versa.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a model mammal for diabetes onset, being useful for elucidating the onset mechanism of diabetes caused by a blockage of signal transduction from insulin, and for the development of a remedy for said diabetes, and to provide a screening method of a remedy for said diabetes. A diabetic-prone transgenic mouse is prepared in a process comprising the steps of: a transgene that contains a Meg1/Grb10 gene, an imprinted gene exhibiting maternal expression, or a human GRB10 gene in the downstream of a chicken ?-actin promoter and in the upstream of a rabbit ?-globin poly A is constructed, and subsequently the transgene is microinjected into a male proneucleus of a mouse fertilized egg; thus obtained egg cell is cultured and then transplanted into an oviduct of a pseudopregnant female mouse; after rearing up the recipient animal, baby mice that have the above-mentioned cDNA are selected from the mice born from the recipient animal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to mammalian expression vectors including nuclear matrix attachment region of human interferon ?, and more particularly to pPGM-1, pPGM-2 and pPGM-3 including nuclear matrix attachment region of interferon ? gene. Those expression vectors confer position independent expression of the introduced foreign gene, thus increasing the frequency of colonies which efficiently express the recombinant protein.

Abstract: Plasmids encoding anti-HIV and anti-anthrax therapeutic agents are disclosed. Plasmid pWKK-500 encodes a fusion protein containing DP178 as a targeting moiety, the ricin A chain, an HIV protease cleavable linker, and a truncated ricin B chain. N-terminal extensions of the fusion protein include the maltose binding protein and a Factor Xa protease site. C-terminal extensions include a hydrophobic linker, an L domain motif peptide, a KDEL ER retention signal, another Factor Xa protease site, an out-of-frame buforin II coding sequence, the lacZ? peptide, and a polyhistidine tag. More than twenty derivatives of plasmid pWKK-500 are described. Plasmids pWKK-700 and pWKK-800 are similar to pWKK-500 wherein the DP178-encoding sequence is substituted by RANTES- and SDF-1-encoding sequences, respectively. Plasmid pWKK-900 is similar to pWKK-500 wherein the HIV protease cleavable linker is substituted by a lethal factor (LF) peptide-cleavable linker.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel animal model for amyloidopathies, especially Alzheimer' disease overexpressing human BACE and human APP London. This novel animal model exhibits several aspects of amyloidopathy. The present invention also relates to a method for producing the double transgenic animals, to cells and cell lines derived from these animals and to a kit comprising these cells. Moreover, a method for the evaluation of the in vivo effects of beta-secretase activity on A-beta peptide generation, amyloidosis, neurodegeneration and AD pathology in these animals is provided.