Abstract: A ribozyme library which comprises a collection of ribozyme genes encoding a hammerhead structure and flanking sequences of random nucleotides cloned at least once into an expression cassette for ribozyme expression.

Abstract: The invention refers to a new human liver cell line which may be used for toxicological, physiological and, in particular, gene therapeutic examinations. Fields of application are molecular biology, medicine and pharmaceutical industry. The new human liver cell line is marked positive owing to the parameters albumin and alpha-1-antitrypsin (ATT) and negative owing to alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). It has been deposited in the Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen (DSM ACC2302).

Abstract: The invention concerns an adenovirus vector for liver specific gene thera fields of application in medicine are the treatment of gene defects and tumour diseases of the liver and molecular biology. The vector according to the invention is marked by the fact that a therapeutic gene is coupled with a liver-specific promoter consisting of enhancer elements of the hepatitis B virus and an enhancerless minimum promoter and is optionally surrounded by SAR elements wherein the promoter is inserted into the adenovirus genome.

Abstract: A tissue-specific, suitably liver specific vector for gene therapy of a diseased host, wherein a therapeutic gene is coupled to a promoter chemically, enzymatically, or over an antibody, packaged in a polypeptide coat, and coupled to a component of a preselected virus of the tissue to be treated, and when the tissue is liver tissue, then the virus is hepatitis B virus.

Abstract: Agents for stimulating the dividing activity of mammalian cells are presented, which have as an active substance a nucleotide sequence with a complimentary sequence (anti-sense) to a domain of the mRNA of tumor suppressor retinoblastoma or p16 genes acting on cell dividing activity. For Rb, the agents are nucleotide sequences5'-GGTTTTGGGCGGCATGAC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 1) and5'-CTCAGTAAAAGTGAACGA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 2); a nucleotide sequence comprising 49 base pairs, wherein the domain of the mRNA comprises nucleotides 124 to 152; and a 360 base pair nucleotide wherein the domain of the mRNA comprises an Hpa I restriction endonuclease site, an ASP718 endonuclease site, a portion of the 5' untranslated domain of the Rb gene, and a first exon of the Rb gene. For p16, the agent comprises GATCCATGCT GCTCC (SEQ ID NO: 3).

Abstract: The invention is an expression cassette for the antisense expression of ribozyme, having a strong promotor, suitably a T7 promotor, an adenoviral va-RNA gene, a stable loop region, and an insertion site for the antisense/ribozyme sequence in the loop region.

Abstract: The object of the invention is a device for ultrasonic inspection of cylindrical objects. A transmitting ultrasonic transducer generates ultrasonic waves that are acoustically irradiated into the respective object via a coupling medium. At least three ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a row next to one another along a line. The outer ultrasonic transducers are receiving ultrasonic transducers. The other ultrasonic transducers are transmitting or transmitting/receiving ultrasonic transducers. The line is inclined against the longitudinal axis of the object by an angle which is between 0.degree.and 45.degree..