Abstract: The invention is directed toward a sterile cartilage defect implant material comprising milled lyophilized allograft cartilage pieces ranging from 0.01 mm to 1.0 mm in size in a bioabsorbable carrier taken from a group consisting of sodium hyaluronate, hyaluronic acid and its derivatives, gelatin, collagen, chitosan, alginate, buffered PBS, Dextran or polymers with allogenic chondrocytes or bone marrow cells in an amount exceeding the natural occurrence of same in hyaline cartilage and adding a cell growth additive.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an effective method for the refolding of denatured proteins in solution so that properly folded, biologically active protein in solution is recovered in high yield. The refolding takes place at pressures between about 0.25 kbar to about 3.5 kbar, advantageously at about 1.5 kbar to about 3 kbar. Typically a chaotropic agent is present at a concentration which is not effective for denaturing protein at atmospheric pressure, and optionally, oxidation-reduction reagents can be incorporated in the refolding solution so that native intramolecular disulfide bonds can be formed where that is desired. The method is applicable to substantially all proteins, especially after solubilization and/or denaturation of insoluble protein aggregates, inclusion bodies, or abnormal oligomeric (soluble) aggregates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the in vitro determination of the ability of a compound or a mixture of compounds to permeate the blood-brain barrier and a membrane composition useful therefor.

Abstract: A bear derived isolate found in denning black bears or black bears from which food has been withheld for at least two weeks when injected into another mammal produces reduced heart rate, reduced respiratory rate, reduced temperature, and a wakeful tranquility not unlike the phenomena of the denning black bear. The isolate is taken from either the serum or urine of such denning bear. The method of the invention involves the steps of fractionating the serum or urine of a denning black bear to produce fractions of varying potency.

Abstract: A composite supported vascular graft comprising Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and/or Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF) for enhanced site-specific angiogenesis and methods thereof are disclosed. At least one VEGF, PDGF or angiogenesis factor is incorporated into the composite vascular graft to facilitate enhanced angiogenesis so as the cells are stimulated to migrate to environments having higher concentration of growth factors and start mitosis.

Abstract: The invention is aimed at discovering a new type of anti-cancer compound which can exert an excellent inhibitory activity against the heparanase. A fungal strain Acremonium sp. MT70646 (KCTC 8973P) was isolated from the soil. From the culture of the isolated fungal strain, novel compounds that can inhibit both heparinase and heparanase was purified. Therefore, the present invention regards to provide a newly isolated fungal strain Acremonium sp. MT70646 (KCTC 8973P), its new products, and pharmaceutical agents such as a heparinase inhibitor, a heparanase inhibitor, a metastasis inhibitor and an angeiogenesis inhibitor all of which contain the above new compounds produced by the fungal strain as an active ingredient.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided methods to modulate processes mediated by retinoid receptors, employing high affinity, high specificity ligands for such receptors. In one aspect of the present invention, there are provided ligands which are more selective for the retinoid X receptor than is retinoic acid (i.e., rexoids). In another aspect of the present invention, alternative ligands (other than retinoic acid) have been discovered which are capable of inducing retinoic acid receptor mediated processes. In yet another aspect, methods have been developed for the preparation of such retinoid receptor ligands from readily available compounds.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of immobilizing an affinity reagent or affinity reagents on a hydrophobic solid phase which can be used in biological assays for analyte detection. The invention relates more particularly to a method of immobilizing an affinity reagent on a hydrophobic solid phase functionalized by a carboxyl group, said method comprising a step for activation of said solid phase and a step for coupling of the affinity reagent to said solid phase, characterized in that the step for activation of said solid phase uses a combination of a carbodiimide and a phosphate buffer in the presence of a co-activator and in an acid medium, and in that the coupling step is performed in a basic medium. The invention further relates to the reactive complexes obtained by this method and to their use in immunoassay kits, hybridization kits or enzymatic assay kits.

Abstract: A mixture or substance having a spheroid-forming activity is obtained by heat treating fetal calf serum at a temperature and for a period sufficient to impart spheroid-forming activity. Introduced into cell culture, the substance or mixture so obtained causes cells to grow in three-dimensional cultures as opposed to mono-layer. Also disclosed are kits for the production of said mixture or substance and further uses of said mixture or substance.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for recovery of compounds by adsorption fish scales. The method can be used for natural and synthetic compounds such as various natural pigments including astaxanthin in an esterified or not and synthetic astaxanthin in free form, or other carotenoid compounds. Fish scales with an adsorbed compound may be used as a source of the compound both for human and animal consumption. In particular, fish scales with adsorbed astaxanthin provide a calcium-rich nutritional supplement with beneficial anti-oxidant properties.

Abstract: The invention encompasses isolation, culture and characterization of goblet cells in vitro form mammalian conjuctiva. Goblet cells can be cultured from conjunctiva of such mammals as, e.g., humans, rats, mice, rabbits and the like. In another aspect of the invention, the culture of goblet cells has a concentration of pure goblet cells of 10% or greater.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for using human placental alkaline phosphatase or an active derivative to reduce blood glucose level in a mammal. Treatment regimens provided by the invention may be used to control Type I and Type II forms of diabetes in humans. The methods and treatment regimens may be effective to maintain the human's blood glucose level below about 10 mM, and preferably within the normal range of 4 mM to 7 mM. The methods and treatment regimens may be used in combination with administration of known anti-diabetic medicaments. The invention also provides a preparation for administration to a human, the preparation comprising homogeneous purified human placental alkaline phosphatase in a physiologically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: A fluid bed granulation process for manufacturing non-hygroscopic, stable granulates containing a water-soluble salt of S-adenosylmethionine is described. Said process comprises: a) the simultaneous, sequential or alternate dispersion of at least a solution of a water-soluble salt of SAMe (A) and of a solution of a coating agent (B), on a fluid bed granulation carrier (C) and b) the fluid bed granulation of the mixture. Granulates obtainable by said process and solid oral pharmaceutical forms obtainable by said granulates are disclosed.

Abstract: New therapeutic uses for BPI protein products that involve treatment of chronic cardiac disease.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method of inhibiting hair growth, which comprises administering an inhibitor of elastase-like enzymes or a neutral endopeptidase inhibitor, and use of an inhibitor of elastase-like enzymes or a neutral endopeptidase inhibitor for the preparation of a hair-growth inhibitor.

Abstract: The present invention provides peptide-based phosphorylation catalysts (PBPC's) for the asymmetric monophosphorylation of cyclitols, particularly myo-inositols. The PBPC's of the invention effect a regio and enantioselective phosphorylation of a myo-inositol in a manner analogous to enzymatic kinases, thereby functioning as effective “kinase mimics.” Although orders of magnitude less complex in terms of structure than macromolecular proteins, the PBPC's of the invention control product formation with high enantioselectivity (>98% ee). The synthetic (+)-myo-inositol-1-phosphate is optically and spectroscopically equivalent to naturally occuring compound. The ability of the low molecular weight PBPC's of the present invention to mimic stereoselective enzymes represents a powerful approach toward catalytic asymmetric synthesis of biologically important molecules, and for mechanistic modeling of biochemical transformations to enable their use in drug applications.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel purified isozyme of an autoclavable superoxide dismutase extracted from the plant Potentilla atrosanguinea Lodd. Var. areyrophylla, said isozyme having the following characteristics, O2? scavenging activity remains same before and after autoclaving; scavenges O2? from sub-zero temperature of ?20° C. to high temperature of +80° C.; O2? scavenging activity at 25° C. for 30 days without adding any stabilizing agent such as polyols or sugars; O2? scavenging activity in the presence of saline (0.9% sodium chloride) to 61.8% of the control (without 0.9% sodium chloride), stable at 4° C. for at least 8 months; contamination free and infection free from any living micro- and/or macro-organism after autoclaving; possesses temperature optima at 0° C.; possesses a molecular weight of 33 kD under non-denaturating conditions; possesses a molecular weight of 36 kD under denaturating conditions; has clear peaks in UV range at 268 and 275 nm; has an enzyme turnover number of 19.

Abstract: Several synthetic peptides modeled after Ser31 in tyrosine hydroxylase (“Ser31 peptides”) have been developed and evaluated as in vitro substrates for assaying the activity of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1 and 2 (“ERK1/2”). The phosphorylation of the Ser31 peptides by activated, recombinant ERK2 was found to exhibit catalytic efficiencies (Vmax/Km) up to 4-fold higher than that of a synthetic myelin basic protein (MBP)-based peptide. Several synthetic peptides were tested using cellular extracts from PC12 rat pheochromocytoma cells, both untreated cells and cells treated with nerve growth factor. Although the phosphorylation of the MBP peptide by extracts of PC12 cells was higher than that of the Ser31 peptide, the relative treatment-dependent increase was much greater for the Ser31 peptide and the pattern of ERK1/2 activation more closely mimicked the pattern seen with more complicated assays that initially isolated ERK1/2 from other kinases in the cellular extracts.

Abstract: This invention relates to a hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent comprising IGF-I, a hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent comprising IGF-I and at least one protein selected from among SCF, M-CSF, and G-CSF, and a method of growing hematopoietic stem cells which comprises culturing hematopoietic stem cells in a medium containing IGF-I and at least one protein selected from the group consisting of SCF and M-CSF. The hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent of the invention causes hematopoietic stem cells to proliferate in the undifferentiated state whether in vivo or in vitro and can, therefore, be used for amelioration of the cytopenia induced by radiotherapy or chemotherapy using anticancer drugs, prevention of infectious diseases associated with lymphopenia, or in vitro culture for multiplication of hematopoietic stem cells and extrasomatic culture of recombinant stem cells in gene therapy.

Abstract: The invention relates to pharmaceutical or veterinary compositions for the treatment of surface wounds; pharmaceutical or veterinary compositions for the treatment of gastrointestinal injuries, diseases or ulcers; methods of treating surface wounds in animals, including humans; and methods for the treatment of gastrointestinal injuries, diseases or ulcers which compositions and methods include compositions of milk product extracts including growth factors with basic to approximately neutral isoelectric points.