Abstract: The present invention relates to a therapeutic preventive agent that includes an angiogenic factor gene (such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth f actor (FGF), and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)) as its active ingredient, and the administration of such an agent into the targeted skin diseases-affected area.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a pharmaceutical composition for delivering a chemotherapeutic, preferably an anticancer drug, into cells or into a living organism, using a viral envelope vector, and provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a chemotherapeutic encapsulated in, or used in combination with, a viral envelope vector having an adjuvanticity as an active ingredient. Thereby it is possible to introduce an anticancer drug encapsulated in a viral envelope vector directly into a tumor, with coadministration of another anticancer drug so as to induce tumor cell-specific antitumor immunity also thanks to the adjuvant action of HVJ-E, and hence to regress the tumor. The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a viral envelope vector and a chemotherapeutic as active ingredients.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of remote control which can enable real time operation of a device in home from a terminal device at remote location through a network are provided. A first server communicates with a terminal device through the Internet and generates device control data for controlling the device. A second server communicates with the device in a predetermined manner to acquire and store a specific address of the device, generates transmission data for transmission of the received device control data from the first server to the device based on the specific address, and transmits the transmission data to the device. This allows real time control of the device from the terminal device through the network to be realized.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a pharmaceutical composition for delivering a chemotherapeutic, preferably an anticancer drug, into cells or into a living organism, using a viral envelope vector, and provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a chemotherapeutic encapsulated in, or used in combination with, a viral envelope vector having an adjuvanticity as an active ingredient. Thereby it is possible to introduce an anticancer drug encapsulated in a viral envelope vector directly into a tumor, with coadministration of another anticancer drug so as to induce tumor cell-specific antitumor immunity also thanks to the adjuvant action of HVJ-E, and hence to regress the tumor. The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a viral envelope vector and a chemotherapeutic as active ingredients.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a therapeutic preventive agent that includes an angiogenic factor gene (such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth f actor (FGF), and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)) as its active ingredient, and the administration of such an agent into the targeted skin diseases-affected area.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a therapeutic preventive agent that includes an angiogenic factor gene (such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)) as its active ingredient, and the administration of such an agent into the targeted skin diseases-affected area.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of remote control which can enable real time operation of a device in home from a terminal device at remote location through a network are provided. A first server communicates with a terminal device through the Internet and generates device control data for controlling the device. A second server communicates with the device in a predetermined manner to acquire and store a specific address of the device, generates transmission data for transmission of the received device control data from the first server to the device based on the specific address, and transmits the transmission data to the device. This allows real time control of the device from the terminal device through the network to be realized.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a therapeutic preventive agent that includes an angiogenic factor gene (such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)) as its active ingredient, and the administration of such an agent into the targeted skin diseases-affected area.

Abstract: A method of purifying retroviral vector particles which comprises culturing retroviral vector producer cells which are capable of generating retroviral vector particles, and obtaining a supernatant containing retroviral vector particles from the culture of retroviral vector producer cells. The supernatant is clarified, and then concentrated. The supernatant then is contacted with a precipitation agent, and the supernatant and precipitation agent are centrifuged. A precipitate is recovered, resuspended, and subjected to a high-speed centrifugation. Retroviral particles then are recovered. The above method provides for increased recovery of retroviral vector particles which may be employed in gene therapy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an efficient method, termed spin transduction, of transducing cells with retroviral vectors. Retroviral particles, suspended in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, are contacted with the cells to be transduced, and the mixture is centrifuged for a sufficient period of time to permit transduction. This method leads to a 3- to 15-fold increase in transduction efficiency, depending on the type of cells transduced.

Abstract: A stainless steel column housing is capped with an O-ring sealed cover to form a sealed autoclavable sterile chamber. A pair of stainless steel mesh circular cylindrical concentric inner and outer columns are within the chamber. A bed of porous glass spherical beads are packed in the region between the inner and outer mesh columns. The pH and DO are monitored and controlled while culture medium is continuously supplied to and from the sterile chamber. The outer mesh column forms an outer bulk medium chamber with the housing and the inner mesh column forms an inner bulk medium chamber. A ring sparger bubbles air and CO.sub.2 mixture into the outer bulk medium chamber, the bubbles creating pressure differentials in the bulk medium chambers. These differentials cause radially bulk medium flow through the packed bead bed without pressure gradients in the bed and axial bulk medium recirculation flow in and between the inner and outer bulk medium chambers at their axial ends.

Abstract: A clinical diagnostic method capable of rapidly detecting the presence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in infected humans is taught. The method allows a proper course of therapy to be chosen within one day of presentation of the patient.