Abstract: Methods and compositions are disclosed that are useful for the prevention and/or treatment of cardiovascular and cardiac diseases and disorders, or damage resulting from surgical or medical procedures that may cause ischemic or ischemic/reperfusion damage in humans; and cardiovascular trauma. The beneficial effects of the compositions and methods are achieved through the use of pharmaceutical compositions that include agents that interfere with the production and/or biological activities of sphingolipids and their metabolites, particularly sphingosine (SPH) and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S-1-P). Also disclosed are methods for identifying and isolating therapeutic agents.

Abstract: This invention relates to positively charged non-natural amino acids, methods of making thereof, and utilization thereof in peptides.

Abstract: Light-generating fusion proteins having a ligand binding site and a light-generating polypeptide moiety and their use as diagnostics, in drug screening and discovery, and as therapeutics, are disclosed. The light-generating fusion protein has a feature where the bioluminescence of the polypeptide moiety changes upon binding of a ligand at the ligand binding site. Tie ligand may be, for example, an enzyme present in an environment only under certain conditions, e.g., ubiquitin ligase in a hypoxic state, such that the light-generating fusion protein is “turned on” only under such conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for purifying metabolites of interest and conducting metabolic analyses. The methods generally involve determining metabolic flux values for a plurality of target analytes by monitoring the relative isotope abundance of a stable isotope in a substrate labeled with the stable isotope and/or one or more target metabolites formed through metabolism of the labeled substrate. Certain methods utilize multiple electrophoretic methods to separate the target analytes from other components within the sample being analyzed. The methods can be used in a variety of applications including screens to identify metabolites that are correlated with certain diseases and diagnostic screens for identifying individuals having, or susceptible to, a disease.

Abstract: A mutiplexed enzyme assay method and substrate set for performing the method are disclosed. The method includes performing a plurality of enzyme reactions in the presence of a plurality of enzymes substrates, under conditions effective to convert an enzyme substrate to a corresponding product, where the product of each substrate and the substrate have different separation characteristics from each other and from the other substrates and their corresponding products. After performing the reactions, which may be carried out in separate or combined reactions, the substrates and products in said reactions are separated in a single separation medium. For each separated product and substrate, a separation characteristic effective to identify that product and substrate and a signal related to the amount of the product and substrate is detected. From this, one can determine the amount of substrate converted to the corresponding product in each of the reactions.

Abstract: Assays employing fibronectin-depleted substrates are described to identify invasion inducing agents. Such agents are useful for in vivo wound healing, including but not limited to deep wounds and chronic wounds.

Abstract: A method of titering adeno-associated virus particles in a sample, said method comprising the steps of contacting target cells with a DNA synthesis inhibitor and an agent that increases the activity of the CMV immediate early promoter; contacting target cells treated as in step (a) with a sample containing adeno-associated virus particles; and determining the number of target cells infected by said adeno-associated virus particles in said sample, wherein said number of target cells infected is directly proportional to the titer of said particles in said sample, thereby determining the titer if said adeno-associated virus particles.

Abstract: This invention provides a high throughput method for identifying drug candidates which produce reactive metabolites that contribute to toxicity of the drug product.

Abstract: Disclosed is a non-fluorescent cyanine dye that may be used as an acceptor in fluorescence energy transfer assays involving the detection of binding and/or cleavage events in reactions involving biological molecules, and assay methods utilising such dyes.

Abstract: Hydrolyzed jojoba protein is provided which can be used in a variety of cosmetic formulations to enhance the desirable properties thereof. The preferred hydrolyzed jojoba is in the form of an aqueous dispersion containing a mixture of amino acids, peptides and/or protein fractions derived from the hydrolysis of naturally occurring jojoba protein. Cosmetic formulations such as shampoos, shampoo conditioners, hair styling gels, hair conditioners, hair reparatives, bath and shower gels, skin lotions and creams, shaving creams, and sunscreens can be improved by incorporation of hydrolyzed jojoba protein therein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a set of methods and compositions for homogeneous coupled luminescent assays of cytotoxicity and/or proliferation of cells, as well as for enzymatic activity. In both cases the activities of the enzymes of interest are coupled to production of a high-energy molecule, which serves as a substrate for the production of light by a luciferase, typically in a single reagent mixture, with a useful readout available in 1—5 minutes. Individual cytotoxicity and proliferation signals can be measured from a single sample in 6 minutes or less. The invention also provides a 3-minute, one-step phosphatase assay. The ability to couple the activity of interest to light production in a one-step procedure gives rise to extremely rapid and flexible methods for measurement of cytotoxic effects and enzymatic activities. The assay methods are highly suitable for use in high-throughput screening procedures.

Abstract: The present inventors have discovered that Threonine synthase is essential for fungal pathogenicity. Specifically, the inhibition of Threonine synthase gene expression in fungi results in no signs of successful infection or lesions. Thus, Threonine synthase can be used as a target for the identification of antibiotics, preferably antifungals. Accordingly, the present invention provides methods for the identification of compounds that inhibit Threonine synthase expression or activity. The methods of the invention are useful for the identification of antibiotics, preferably antifungals.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for measuring a holoceruloplasmin concentration, and more particularly, to a method for measuring a holoceruloplasmin in a blood spot based on a standard concentration curve obtained through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or a dissociation-enhanced time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay using a holoceruloplasmin-specific polyclonal antibody and a holoceruloplasmin-specific monoclonal antibody.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for measuring an acyl coenzyme A (acyl CoA) ester or esters in a sample, comprising the steps of: a) forming a reaction mixture comprising the sample to be tested and a derivatizing agent; b) allowing the sample and said derivatizing agent to react, so as to form a fluorescent derivative(s) of any acyl CoA ester(s) present in the sample; and c) determining a level of said fluorescent derivative(s).

Abstract: Devices and methods for performing assays on materials, particularly biological materials, are provided. The devices and methods make use of self-sealing members, which can be applied to a flat surface to form wells to facilitate immobilization of materials on the flat surface, then removed to yield a flat surface that facilitates the performance of processes on and/or detection of the immobilized material.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel isolated and purified nucleic acid (RNA or DNA) encoding, or complementary to, a canine PepT1 (cPepT1). The present invention also provide a method for determining canine PepT1-transportability of a peptide, or method for determining a peptide with beneficial nutritional property in an animal. The present invention further provides a dietary composition for an animal comprising a peptide identified by the method described above.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for purifying dimeric to pentameric proanthocyanidin oligomers which comprises extracting the proanthocyanidin oligomers from raw materials containing the proanthocyanidin oligomers or crude purification products therefrom by solid-liquid extraction using methyl acetate as a liquid phase; a process for purifying dimeric to pentameric proanthocyanidin oligomers which comprises pretreating with an enzyme for hydrolysis raw materials containing the proanthocyanidin oligomers, crude purification products therefrom, or a solution containing one of these; and a process for purifying dimeric to pentameric proanthocyanidin oligomers with a uniform polymerization degree which comprises separating and purifying the proanthocyanidin oligomers by polymerization degree from raw materials containing the proanthocyanidin oligomers or crude purification products there from by normal phase silica gel liquid chromatography using as a mobile phase a single solvent or a mixed solvent of

Abstract: This invention is directed to a fluorescence polarization assay useful in the detection and evaluation of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitors. This invention also relates to novel fluorescent probes used in the fluorescence polarization assay, and methods of manufacturing such fluorescent probes. This fluorescent probe of the invention is a compound having the following formula (I): X-spacer-R1-Y  (I) wherein X is the radical of compound that binds to the active site of soluble epoxide hydrolase, Y is a fluorescent label, and “spacer” and R1 are as defined herein.

Abstract: A copolymer comprising an N-acylated derivative, and a composition comprising said copolymer and a polypeptide, said polypeptide comprising at least one effective ionogenic amine, wherein at least 50 percent, by weight, of said polypeptide present in said composition is ionically bound to said polymer.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for laser microdissection of specimen regions (23) of interest of a specimen (4) are described. In a first step, an incomplete cut line (25) enclosing the specimen region (23) of interest is generated by means of a laser beam (7). At the incomplete point of the cut line (25), there remains a web (26) which joins the specimen region (23) of interest to the surrounding specimen (4). In a second step, the web (26) is severed with a single laser pulse directed onto it, thereby completing the cut line. The specimen region (23) of interest is in that context detached from the specimen (4) and falls by the action of gravity into a collection vessel (19).