Abstract: Encapsulated liquid crystal material is made by mixing liquid crystals, a containment medium, and a carrier medium made of a water-miscible monohydric alcohol and water in the proportion between 5:95 and 60:40 weight/weight to form an emulsion; applying the emulsion onto a substrate and drying the emulsion to remove the carrier medium.

Abstract: A polypeptide thin film produced by polymerizing a monomolecular film or a built-up film comprising an amphipatic phospholipid compound, wherein the amphipatic phospholipid compound has a hydrophobic portion and a hydrophilic portion having an amino acid ester structure in the molecule, the amino acid ester structure containing a splitting-off group with a pKa value of the conjugated acid thereof being 16 or below.

Abstract: There are provided chelating agents particularly useful for the preparations of diagnostic and therapeutic agents for magnetic resonance imaging, scintigraphy, ultrasound imaging, radiotherapy and heavy metal detoxification, said agents being compounds of formula X--CHR.sub.1 --NZ--(CHR.sub.1).sub.n --A--(CHR.sub.1).sub.m --NZ--CHR.sub.1 --X wherein (each of the groups Z is a group --CHR.sub.1 X or the groups Z together are a group --(CHR.sub.1).sub.q --A'--(CHR.sub.1).sub.r --, where A' is an oxygen or sulphur atom or a group --N--Y; A is a group --N--Y or A--(CHR.sub.1).sub.m -- represents a carbon-nitrogen bond or, when the groups Z together are a group --(CHR.sub.1).sub.q --A'--(CHR.sub.1).sub.r --, A may also represent an oxygen or sulphur atom; each Y, which may be the same or different, is a group --(CHR.sub.1).sub.p --N(CHR.sub.1 X).sub.2 or a group --CHR.sub.1 X; each X, which may be the same or different, is a carboxyl group or a derivative thereof or a group R.sub.1 ; each R.sub.

Abstract: 4-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2-anthracenyl) benzoic acid marked with tritium is used as a radioactive marker in the titration of nuclear receptors and CRABP, in the measurement of the affinity of retinoids for nuclear receptors and CRABP, in the titration of known retinoids, the characterization of antibodies directed against 4-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2-anthracenyl) benzoic acid, and in the study of the distribution and metabolism of said benzoic acid derivative.

Abstract: Highly fluorescent latex microspheres have a diameter of less than five hundred angstroms and have more than five thousand fluorescent markers per sphere. The microspheres are prepared by reacting an acrylic latex bead with a diamine and a fluorescent amine at elevated pH. A protein such as avidin or an immunoglobulin may then be conjugated to the diamine. A single fluorescent microsphere is visible using standard fluorescent microscopy. Therefore the microspheres may be utilized not only to visualize cell surface anitgens but also DNA encoding for single genes, by means of a biotinylated DNA probe.

Abstract: The method consists of obtaining a preparation liquid by mixing at least one amphiphilic compound and one aqueous medium with an active substance which is soluble or dispersible in the amphiphilic compound or the aqueous medium, setting in motion the preparation liquid and alternately pressurizing and depressurizing the moving preparation liquid. Applications in the preparation of liposomes.

Abstract: The synthesis of tamoxifen derivatives, most particularly halo, haloalkyl and hydroxy tamoxifen derivatives, wherein the native tamoxifen molecule includes a substituted chemical group positioned on the aliphatic chain of the tamoxifen molecule, is provided. Methods for imaging estrogen receptors using the tamoxifen derivatives of the invention are also described. The aliphatic chain substituted tamoxifen derivatives of the invention possess greater estrogen receptor binding affinities and more potent tumor cell inhibiting activity than native tamoxifen or tamoxifen derivatives substituted at other locations on the molecule (i.e., non-aliphatic chain substituted tamoxifen, phenolic-ring substituted tamoxifen). Examples of the halogenated tamoxifen derivatives of the invention include chloro-, bromo-, iodo- and fluoro-tamoxifen derivatives, and their corresponding lower alkyl halogenated forms.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting carcinogenesis following radiation therapy includes the steps of irradiating a tissue with x-ray or gamma radiation, administering Captopril after irradiation, reducing the severity of radiation induced normal tissue injury, and decreasing the risk of a secondary malignancy in the irradiated tissue.

Abstract: The invention relates to the preparation of microcapsules ensuring direct tablet compression of a drug and rapid release of the drug as active ingredient from the tablets, which comprises microencapsulating the crystal granules of cyclohexane-insoluble active ingredients with a particle size of at most 1000 .mu.m, preferably smaller than 60 .mu.m and particularly preferably smaller than 30 .mu.m, in cyclohexane medium with ethylcellulose taken in an amount of 1:30 to 1:5, preferably 1:20 to 1:10, in relation to the core material, if desired, in the presence of 0.001 to 1.0% by weight/volume, preferably 0.01 to 0.05% by weight/volume, of an anionic surface-active agent; or post-treating the drug granules microencapsulated with ethylcellulose by a cyclohexane-dissolved surface-active agent taken in an amount of 0.001 to 1.0% by weight/volume, preferably 0.1 to 0.5% by weight/volume, in relation to cyclohexane.

Abstract: A device or kit having inlet means for introducing within the kit a first reagent, includes a substrate and at least a second reagent in the form of microcapsules adapted to release, according to a predetermined release profile, the second reagent after the first reagent has been introduced into the kit. The device allows to carry out at least two and optionally more transformations of the physical and/or chemical properties of the substrate by means of a single step procedure by the operator consisting of the introduction of the first reagent.The invention particularly relates to the preparation of stable injectable preparations of radiopharmaceuticals.

Abstract: Novel CNS dopamine D-2 receptors, such as the compound 5-iodo-7-N-[(1-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)methyl]carboxamide-2,3-dihydrobenzofur an, are disclosed. These compounds are useful as imaging agents for D-2 receptors in the human brain and exhibit good brain retention and in vivo stability.

Abstract: A composition comprises an antigen-specific antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof labeled with Iodine-124 at a site other than, and which does not significantly interfere with, the antibody-antigen binding site. An in vivo method of radiotherapy directed to an antigenic site comprises administering to a subject in need of the therapy an amount of the antigen-specific composition described above effective to attain a reduction of the size of a tumor associated with the antigen. An in vivo method for detecting and localizing an antigenic site in a subject in need of such detection comprises administering to the subject an amount of the antigen-specific composition of the invention effective to localize the antigen-antibody binding site and scanning the subject's body with a positron-emitter detector to attain the localization of the site.

Abstract: Biologically active agents to be encapsulated are continuously blended with a starchy material and water, subjected to high-shear mechanical action at a temperature above the gelatinization temperature of starch, and continuously recovered as an insolubilized matrix of starch that entraps discontinuous domains of the agent. Alternatively, the core material to be encapsulated is added and blended with the aqueous dispersion of starch after the starch and water have been subjected to an elevated temperature sufficient to gelatinize the starch. Rate of release of agents to the environment can be controlled by preselecting a set of conditions related to various processing parameters. Encapsulation of biologically active compositons provides protection against degradative environmental conditions, improves safety in handling, and slows the release of such compounds to the surrounding medium.

Abstract: Boronic acid adducts of metal dioxime complexes are useful as reagents for labeling proteins and other amine-containing compounds.

Abstract: The invention relates to double-walled microcapsules each having a core of a hydrophobic substance, and a primary wall and a secondary wall formed therearound, the microcapsules being characterized in that the primary wall is composed of an amino resin prepared by polycondensation reaction of at least one member selected from the group consisting of:(1) urea and formaldehyde,(2) a methylolurea monomer or a low molecular weight polymer thereof, and(3) a methylated methylolurea monomer or a low molecular weight polymer thereof,and that the secondary wall is formed from a polyion complex of a cationic polyamide-epihalohydrin resin having a urea bond in the structural unit with a polystyrenesulfonic acid and/or a salt thereof; and a process for preparing the double-walled microcapsules.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a color-former having microcapsules which comprise an electron-donating colorless dye dispersed in a hydrophobic liquid. The present invention provides a color-former using both an electron-donating colorless dye and a hydrophobic liquid which previously were unable to be used because of the lack of solubility. A uniform and stable dispersion of electron-donating colorless dye in a hydrophobic core liquid is prepared by using oil-soluble non-ionic surfactant.

Abstract: Dispersible colloidal systems of amphiphilic lipids in the form of oligolamellar liposomes of submicron dimensions are prepared by combining a first liquid phase consisting essentially of a solution of the lipids with a greater amount of a second liquid phase consisting essentially of water. The solvent for the first liquid phase is miscible in all proportions with water. If desired, the first liquid phase may also contain a substance A in solution therewith, such as cholesterol. An additional substance B, which is a biologically active substance, may be present in the first phase if it is lipophilic, and in the second phase if it is hydrophilic.

Abstract: A process for reducing the non-target organ accumulation of immunoconjugates administered in vivo during therapeutic or diagnostic procedures involves the use of immunoconjugates comprising linkers that are cleavable at the non-target organs. The linkers are cleavable under conditions present, or induced, at one or more non-target organs, which include the kidneys or the liver.

Abstract: Novel metallo-organic complexes of the formula (M.sub.x X.sub.z. nL)y where M is an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal(at. Nos. 21-30, 39-48 and 72-80 inclusive) or a rare earth metal (at. Nos. 57-71 inclusive), X is an anion e.g. Cl.sup.-, Br.sup.-, NO.sub.3 -, NCS.sup.- etc. and L is a Lewis base, are prepared by reacting a source of the metal M under anhydrous conditions with an anhydrous ammonium salt of the anion X in the presence of the Lewis base, and cooling the reaction mixture to precipitate the complex.

Abstract: The formation of spontaneous, thermodynamically stable vesicles from surfactant solutions is described. The vesicles comprise at least one single-chain, anionic surfactant and at least one single-chain cationic surfactant. Use of the vesicles in ultrafiltration treatment of water is disclosed.