Abstract: The invention features retina-derived (retinal endothelial or retinal epithelial pigment) cell lines with extended life-span and capable of being implanted in the retina and of carrying a therapeutic substance to the eye and to the central nervous system. Such lines can also be used as a model for studying blood central nervous system interfaces. These lines are derived from primary retinal cultures selected from the group consisting of primary retinal endothelial cells and primary retinal epithelial cells, comprise a polynucleotide containing an oncogene, which polynucleotide is optionally associated with at least one selection gene, and have the morphological characteristics and at least the expression characteristics of the surface antigens of corresponding primary cultures.

Abstract: The invention features immortalized retina-derived (retinal endothelial or retinal epithelial pigmentary) cell lines capable of being implanted in the retina and of carrying a therapeutic substance to the eye and to the central nervous system. Such lines can also be used as a model for studying blood central nervous system interfaces. These lines are derived from primary retinal cultures selected from the group consisting of primary retinal endothelial cells and primary retinal epithelial cells, comprise a nucleic acid fragment containing at least one immortalizing fragment of a heat-sensitive viral oncogene, which nucleic fragment is optionally associated with at least one selection gene, and have the morphological characteristics and at least the expression characteristics of the surface antigens of corresponding primary cultures.

Abstract: Immortalized cell lines of retinal origin (retinal endothelial and retinal pigmentary epithelial origin) which are capable of being implanted in the retina and of conveying a substance of therapeutic interest into the eye and the central nervous system. Such lines can also serve as a model for studying the blood/central nervous system interfaces.These lines are derived from primary cultures of retinal cells selected from the group comprising the primary retinal endothelial cells and the primary retinal epithelial cells, comprise a nucleic acid fragment containing at least one immortalizing fragment of a heat-sensitive viral oncogene, which nucleic acid fragment may be associated with at least one selection gene, and exhibit the morphological characteristics and at least the surface antigen expression characteristics of the corresponding primary culture cells.

Abstract: A computer system is programmed with a general purpose electronic conference (GPEC) application having a conference manager including a plurality of functions for setting up and exchanging "business cards" electronically, thereby modeling the business card exchange behavior of conference participants of face-to-face conferences. In particular, the functions for setting up and exchanging "business card" electronically include the ability to set up a special international name displayable in most languages, and automatically substitute the name of a conference participant with the international name in the event a received electronic "business card" was originated from a conferencing system configured with an incompatible language. As a result, usability of an international electronic conference is improved.

Abstract: The conference manager of a conferencing application is provided with an enhanced connect function for connecting the PC conferencing system to other PC conferencing systems. The connect function includes a common connect dialog box and associated logic for assisting the user in formulating the connect address to be used in attempting the connection. The common dialog box and its associated logic facilitate formulation of the connect address in at least an enter and a select mode. Under either the enter or the select mode, the user is provided with a list of validated transport types supported by the PC conferencing system. Under the enter mode, the user enters a connection number and selects a transport type from the validated transport types.

Abstract: Each PC conferencing application of a plurality PC conferencing systems is equipped with an enhanced profile function including the ability to allow a user to designate a personal address book, and a corporate address book. Each PC conferencing application is further equipped with functions for modeling exchange of business cards, including functions for creating, editing, sending, receiving, saving, and browsing electronic business cards. As an integral part of the bizcard create and edit process, each create and edit function causes an address record including a user's PC conference connection addresses to be populated in the designated corporate address book when a bizcard is created, and the address record to be updated whenever the bizcard is updated. The various designated corporate address files are automatically synchronized.