Abstract: A hydraulic lift actuator for adjusting the height of a vehicle includes: a top mount plate configured for attachment to a chassis element; a hydraulic cylinder having a tubular wall and an end cap, together defining an interior chamber; a piston rod extending axially into the interior chamber; a piston assembly connected to the piston rod and disposed within the interior chamber, wherein the piston assembly divides the interior chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the lower chamber extending between the piston assembly and the end cap; and a spring seat rigidly connected to the hydraulic cylinder and configured to engage an upper end of a coil spring, wherein the spring seat and the hydraulic cylinder are linearly translatable relative to the piston rod between a retracted position adjacent to the top mount plate and an extended position spaced apart from the top mount plate.

Abstract: A method of preventing or treating diabetic retinopathy is disclosed including administering to a mammal a therapeutically effective amount of an inhibitor of retinal pericyte apoptosis. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition which treats and/or prevents diabetic retinopathy comprising as an active agent a therapeutically effective amount of at least one inhibitor of retinal pericyte apoptosis and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of an inhibitor of the expression or activity of the GM3 synthase gene for the treatment of microvascular complications of diabetes, and to a method of screening compounds useful in the treatment and/or prevention of these complications.

Abstract: A method of preventing or treating diabetic retinopathy is disclosed including administering to a mammal a therapeutically effective amount of an inhibitor of retinal pericyte apoptosis. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition which treats and/or prevents diabetic retinopathy comprising as an active agent a therapeutically effective amount of at least one inhibitor of retinal pericyte apoptosis and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: Drug compositions comprised of therapeutically effective amounts of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:DHA esterified in the form of lysophosphatidyl-choline (lyso-PCDHA) in position sn-2;DHA-phosphatidylcholines (PCDHAs) in which DHA is esterified in position sn-2 and which have an acyl group of [very short length] 2 to 6 carbon atoms in position sn-1;and triglycerides in which DHA is esterified in position sn-2 and which have acyl groups of [very short length] 2 to 6 carbon atoms in positions sn-1 and sn-3.

Abstract: Substantially pure stearidonic acid is isolated from a mixture of polyunsaturated fatty acids by fractionating at 25% to 35% by weight solution of fatty acids by high-performance reverse-phase liquid chromatography using a mobile phase of 75% to 95% by weight methanol and 25% to 5% by weight water. The isolated stearidonic acid is used to prepare pharmaceutical compositions which are administered to treat cardiovascular and thrombo-embolic diseases associated with platelet aggregation.