Abstract: This invention relates to novel cyclic compounds containing carbocyclic ring systems useful as antagonists of the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complex, to pharmaceutical compositions containing such cyclic compounds, with or without other therapeutic agents, and to methods of using these compounds, with or without other therapeutic agents, for the inhibition of platelet aggregation, as thrombolytics, and/or for the treatment of other thromboembolic disorders. This invention also relates to methods of using the cyclic compounds of the invention in combination with anti-coagulants such as warfarin or heparin, or additional anti-platelet agents such as aspirin, piroxicam or ticlopidine, or thrombin inhibitors such as boropeptides, hirudin or argatroban, or thrombolytic agents such as tissue plasminogen activator, anistreplase, urokinase or streptokinase, or combinations thereof, for the treatment of thromboembolic disorders. A representative compound of the invention is cyclo(D-Val-(.sup..alpha.

Abstract: Described are new glycoprotein hormones capable of competing with natural hormones for the normal receptor binding sites but substantially incapable of effecting post receptor activities. The glycoprotein hormones of the present invention have had specific (rather than all) oligosaccharide chains removed so as to effectively diminish biologic activity while not significantly reducing plasma half-life, thus improving the molecules effectiveness as an antagonist compared with conventionally-produced molecules. The preferred glycoprotein hormones are ideally obtained by site-directed mutagenesis to selectively deglycosylate the protein. Also described are therapeutic treatments comprising the administration of the recombinant glycoprotein hormones of the present invention as hormone antagonists.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and apparatus for sterilizing articles. According to one exemplary method, at least one article is placed into a chamber and a vacuum is applied to the chamber. After the pressure within the chamber is sufficiently reduced, water vapor is introduced into the chamber and electromagnetic radiation energy is applied to produce a plasma. In one particularly preferable aspect, the chamber is allowed to reach a static condition before the water vapor is introduced. In this way, the water vapor is able to equally distribute itself throughout the volume of the chamber so that an equally distributed plasma can be produced upon application of the electromagnetic radiation energy.

Abstract: Administration of a corticotropin-releasing factor (or a salt or analog thereof) decreases the leakage of blood components into tissues produced by various adverse medical conditions. Thus, treatments with corticotropin-releasing factor are useful in systemic inflammatory conditions.

Abstract: Compositions, methods, and apparatus for performing ultrafast binding assays by capillary electrophoresis or other electroseparation techniques are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first binding partner carries a detectable label and a second binding partner is modified to be highly charged. When used in combination with a sample containing an analyte with which both binding partners can interact and bind thereto, a three-membered complex is formed. The electrophoretic mobility difference between the unbound and complex-bound forms of labeled first binding partner is such that electroseparation and subsequent detection of an analyte can be accomplished. The compositions, methods, and apparatus disclosed herein also permit quantitative determination of the concentration of an analyte in a sample.

Abstract: The present invention provides analogs of somatotropins wherein the asparagine residue corresponding to position 99 of a bovine somatotropin is replaced with a compound selected from the group consisting of proline, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, glycine, serine-serine or serine-aspartic acid. Particularly preferred analogs are bovine somatotropin and their use to increase milk production.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of improving the sensitivity and accuracy of a lead assay. The method enhances the recovery of lead during isolation of the lead from interfering compounds by maintaining the lead in a sample solution and making the recovered lead available for detection by the assay. An enhancing reagent complexes with the lead isolated in the sample solution. The enhancer includes a chelator having a lead equilibrium binding constant in the range of about 4 log K to about 13 log K. A kit for performing such a lead assay is also provided.

Abstract: Provided are pharmaceutical formulations, and methods of inhibiting fungal and parasitic activity using a compound of formula I ##STR1## where: R', R", R'", R.sup.x1, R.sup.x2, R.sup.y1, R.sup.y2, R.sup.y3, R.sup.y4, and R.sup.0 are as defined hereinabove; andR.sup.2 is ##STR2## R.sup.3 is ##STR3## R.sup.3a is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkoxy; R.sup.3b and R.sup.3c are independently phenyl or naphthyl;R.sup.3d is C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkoxy or --O --(CH.sub.2).sub.m -[O--(CH.sub.2).sub.n ].sub.p --O--(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl);m is 2, 3 or 4;n is 2, 3 or 4;p is 0 or 1;or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

Abstract: Gradient gels are formed in a slab gel enclosure by introducing gel solution through a channel in one of the two or more spacers which set the thickness of the gel. The channel opens into the gel space through an aperture in the inner longitudinal edge of the spacer at approximately mid-length along the edge, and filling of the gel space with the solution is performed with the enclosure rotated onto its side. In certain embodiments of the invention, the opposing spacer contains an aperture as well, plus a channel leading from the aperture to the exterior of the enclosure, for venting of air from the gel space as the space is being filled with the gel-forming liquid.

Abstract: The instant invention provides two-chain IGF-1 superagonists which are derivatives of the naturally occurring single-chain IGF-1 having an abbreviated C domain. The invention also provides synthetic and semi-synthetic DNA sequences, recombinant DNA vectors and transformed host cells useful in the recombinant production of these analogs. The invention also provides pharmaceutical formulations comprising these IGF-1 analogs. The invention also provides methods of using these analogs in a variety of therapeutic applications. The instant invention provides IGF-1 analogs of the formula:BC.sup.n,A (1)wherein:B is the B domain of IGF-1 or a functional analog thereof,C is the C domain of IGF-1 or a functional analog thereof,n is the number of amino acids in the C domain and is from about 6 to about 12, andA is the A domain of IGF-1 or a functional analog thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to pharmaceutical composition comprising SCF protein, IL-3 protein, GM-CSF protein and IL-6 protein. More specifically, the present invention relates to a protecting agent from radiation hazards, comprising SCF protein, IL-3 protein, GM-CSF protein and IL-6 protein.The present invention also relates to a method for the treatment of patients with radiation hazards, which comprises administering the pharmaceutical composition according in a therapeutically effective amount to the patients.The present invention has an excellent effect of enabling 100% survival of animals exposed to a lethal dose of radiations, which could not be attained by prior art pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: Lipophilic and amphiphilic therapeutic or diagnostic agents having water solubilizing groups attached thereto by bonds that can be cleaved readily by one or more of the various proteases that are active in the extracellular fluid or on the surfaces of cells in many types of malignant tissue may accumulate selectively in such malignant tissues. Protease mediated removal of the water solubilizing groups converts such drugs into lipophilic or amphiphilic forms which are more soluble in plasma membrane lipids and which therefore enter cells more readily. Since the extracellular fluid in most non-malignant tissues under normal circumstances has little such protease activity, removal of the water solubilizing groups takes place primarily within malignant tissues, with consequent preferential accumulation of the lipophilic or amphiphilic forms of the drug within malignant tissues.

Abstract: Provided are pharmaceutical formulations, and methods of inhibiting fungal and parasitic activity using a compound of formula I ##STR1## wherein: R', R", R'", R.sup.x1, R.sup.x2, R.sup.y1, R.sup.y2, R.sup.y3, R.sup.y4 and R.sup.0 are as defined hereinabove; andR.sup.2 is ##STR2## R.sup.3 is ##STR3## R.sup.3a, R.sup.3b, R.sup.3c and R.sup.3d are independently hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.12 alkynyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkylthio, halo, or --O--(CH.sub.2).sub.m --[O--(CH.sub.2).sub.n ].sub.p --O--(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl) or --O--(CH.sub.2).sub.q --X--R.sup.4 ;m is 2, 3 or 4;n is 2, 3 or 4;p is 0 or 1;q is 2, 3 or 4;X is pyrrolidino, piperidino or piperazino; andR.sup.4 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 cycloalkyl, benzyl or C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 cycloalkylmethyl;or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

Abstract: Agents for stimulating insulin secretion and for treating diabetes which comprise glicentin as an active ingredient.

Abstract: By contacting a peptide derivative or a protein having a property of binding to endotoxin (ET) to inhibit the activity of ET, and at least one surfactant with a sample containing ET, the activity of ET can be inhibited, and even when an ET analogous substance having ET activity is present in the thus treated sample, it can be measured without influence of ET.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for purifying alpha-1-PI. The process comprises providing an impure protein fraction which comprises alpha-1-PI. The impure protein fraction is suspended in an aqueous solution at pH 6. Insoluble proteins are recovered and resuspended in aqueous solution at pH 8.5. PEG is added to precipitate .alpha.-2 proteins. To the PEG supernatant precipitation, which comprises alpha-1-PI, is added ZnCl.sub.2 to precipitate crude alpha-1-PI. The crude alpha-1-PI is resolubilized and applied to an anion-exchange medium. A fraction comprising alpha-1-PI is recovered from the anion-exchange medium. Alpha-1-PI purified by the process has a specific activity about 1.0 units/OD.sub.280.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to cyclosporin-containing liquid preparations for oral or parenteral administration, as well as to a process for preparing same. Besides the active ingredient cyclosporin, the preparations contain a polyoxyethylene glycerol fatty acid monoester and a monohydric and/or polyhydric alcohol(s). The preparations are stable and well tolerated, and they have higher bioavailability than the preparations known currently.

Abstract: A buffered intravesicular pharmaceutical dosage system for delivery of TGF.alpha.PE.sub.40 ab to a human bladder for bladder cancer chemotherapy, in which a buffer system of 100 mM phosphate at an initial pH of 7.8 maintains a pH range in the bladder of 6.5 to 7.8 that is sufficient to maximize interaction of TGF.alpha.PE.sub.40 ab with the EGF receptor expressed on the surface of bladder cancer cells and to prevent aggregation of the TGF.alpha.PE.sub.40 ab while in the bladder.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of treating benign prostatic hypertrophy comprising the step of administering to a subject suffering from benign prostatic hypertrophy a chorionic gonadotropin or a pharmaceutically active fragment or derivative thereof in an amount effective to alleviate one or more symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy.

Abstract: A combination of gonadotrophins and growth hormone is useful for treating infertility in higher mammals and humans since the probability of pregnancy is enhanced. In the treatment, gonadotrophins and growth hormone are injected separately, or a combined preparation containing both of these active substances may be used.