Abstract: The present invention provides a therapeutic agent for failure-to-thrive or short stature which contains C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) or a CNP derivative as an active ingredient, reduces adverse reactions, and exhibits excellent efficacy, and a method for treating failure-to-thrive or short stature.

Abstract: Provided are a medicinal agent which is highly safe for use as the treatment of a malignant tumor and is capable of efficiently treating a malignant tumor, that is, a medicinal agent for treating a malignant tumor or for suppressing or preventing the exacerbation thereof, comprising at least one kind of natriuretic peptide receptor GC-A agonist and at least one kind of natriuretic peptide receptor GC-B agonist to be administered in combination; a therapeutic method comprising administering the agent; etc.

Abstract: The present invention provides a therapeutic agent for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis comprising a growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) agonist or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient. An object of the present invention is to provide a pharmaceutical product for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis for which no effective drug exists. The therapeutic agent for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis of the present invention comprises a GHS-R agonist typified by ghrelin as an active ingredient and is administered to a recipient individual having amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with non-serious dysphagia. The individual may also be unresponsive or insufficiently responsive to an existing therapeutic agent for ALS.

Abstract: Provided are a medicinal agent which is highly safe for use as the treatment of a malignant tumor and is capable of efficiently treating a malignant tumor, that is, a medicinal agent for treating a malignant tumor or for suppressing or preventing the exacerbation thereof, comprising at least one kind of natriuretic peptide receptor GC-A agonist and at least one kind of natriuretic peptide receptor GC-B agonist to be administered in combination; a therapeutic method comprising administering the agent; etc.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for screening drugs inhibiting the expression of OSF-2 gene or the production or function of the protein encoded thereby and therapeutic agents for heart failure having such effects. Useful methods for diagnosing heart failure can be provided by monitoring the expression or variation of said gene or the production of the protein encoded thereby. The present invention also provides transgenic animals with forced expression of OSF-2 gene and methods for studying changes in gene expression or protein production or the functions of various genes or proteins with the progress of the pathology of heart failure using them and novel therapeutic agents for heart failure.

Abstract: A prophylactic or therapeutic method for a disease associated with decreased expression of AOP-1 gene or AOP-1, comprising (1) transfecting a nucleic acid encoding AOP-1 or a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide having an addition, deletion or substitution of one or more amino acids as compared with the amino acid sequence of AOP-1 while retaining the function of AOP-1, or (2) administering a material enhancing the expression of AOP-1 gene, a material enhancing the production of AOP-1 or a material enhancing the function of AOP-1.

Abstract: A prophylactic or therapeutic method for a disease associated with decreased expression of AOP-1 gene or AOP-1, comprising (1) transfecting a nucleic acid encoding AOP-1 or a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide having an addition, deletion or substitution of one or more amino acids as compared with the amino acid sequence of AOP-1 while retaining the function of AOP-1, or (2) administering a material enhancing the expression of AOP-1 gene, a material enhancing the production of AOP-1 or a material enhancing the function of AOP-1.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for screening drugs inhibiting the expression of OSF-2 gene or the production or function of the protein encoded thereby and therapeutic agents for heart failure having such effects. Useful methods for diagnosing heart failure can be provided by monitoring the expression or variation of said gene or the production of the protein encoded thereby. The present invention also provides transgenic animals with forced expression of OSF-2 gene and methods for studying changes in gene expression or protein production or the functions of various genes or proteins with the progress of the pathology of heart failure using them and novel therapeutic agents for heart failure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystalline compound having a difluoropropyleneoxy group as a bonding group, which is represented by Formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 each independently represent hydrogen, halogen, a cyano group or an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; rings A1 to A5 each independently represent a 1,4-cyclohexylene group, a 1,4-cyclohexenylene group or a 1,4-phenylene group; Z1 to Z4 each independently represent a single bond, —CH2CH2—, —CH2O—, —OCH2—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CH═CH—, —C≡C—, —CF2O— or —OCF2—; Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y4 each independently represent hydrogen or fluorine; and k, l, m and n each independently represent 0 or 1. This liquid crystalline compound has a large absolute value (|&Dgr;&egr;|) of a dielectric anisotropy and shows a relatively small refractive anisotropy.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystalline compound having a difluoropropyleneoxy group as a bonding group, which is represented by Formula (1): 1

Abstract: Novel peptides represented by the general formula: ##STR1## and physiologically acceptable acid addition salts thereof; where (A) represents H-, H-Gly, H-Lys-Gly, H-Ser-Lys-Gly, H-Leu-Ser-Lys-Gly, H-Gly-Leu-Ser-Lys-Gly, H-ser, H-Ser-Ser, H-Arg-Ser-Ser, H-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser, H-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser, H-Ser-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ser-Ser;(B) represents H-Cys or Pmp;(C) represents Phe-, pCl-Phe, pF-Phe, pNO.sub.2 -Phe or Cha;(D) represents Ile, Val, Aib, tLeu, Gly or Leu;(E) represents Lys or Arg;(F) represents Ile, Leu or Met;(G) represents Ser or Ala;(H) represents Met or Gln;(I) represents --OH, -Asn-OH, -Asn-Ser-OH, -Asn-Ser-Phe-OH, -Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-OH or -Asn-Ser-Phe-Arg-Tyr-OH; and the symbol " . . . " represents a disulfide bond;provided that 1) .alpha.-hANP, 2) .alpha.-hANP (7-28) and 3) CNP-22 are excluded from the scope of that general formula.Also disclosed are agents for suppressing the growth of vascular smooth muscle cells that contains those peptides as effective ingredients.