Abstract:
There is disclosed the use of a collagen inhibiting composition including in polymeric form select analogs of proline and processes for the manufacture and use of such a collagen-inhibiting composition to reduce scar tissue formation.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to methods of inducing differentiation of mammalian bone marrow stromal cells into neuronal cells by contacting marrow stromal cells with a neuronal differentiation-inducing compounds. Neuronal differentiation-inducing compounds of the invention include anti-oxidants such as, but not limited to, beta-mercaptoethanol, dimethylsulfoxide, butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene, ascorbic acid, dimethylfumarate, and n-acetylcysteine. Once induced to differentiate into neuronal cells, the cells can be used for cell therapy, gene therapy, or both, for treatment of diseases, disorders, or conditions of the central nervous system.
Abstract:
An inflatable circulation assist device is disclosed consisting of an inflatable stator housing an impeller with inflatable blades of varying shapes and sizes. The invention is introduced into the patient percutaneously. The circulation assist device is a small pump packaged into a compact form that is attached to a long flexible driveshaft. The pump is inserted along a guidewire to a target location, and then the pump is inflated. The circulation assist device's exterior is designed to expand only so much as to closely fit whatever cardiovascular system element in which it is placed for operation. The vascular assist device can be expanded either by inflation with a fluid. The driveshaft, which connects to the circulation assist device's impeller and extends outside the patient's body, is rotated by an external motor. After the circulation assist device is no longer needed, it is collapsed into a compact form and removed from the patient percutaneously.
Abstract:
The present invention pertains to the use of BMP-2 and/or BMP-4 as 1) targets for cancer treatment therapies and 2) means to diagnose cancer. The therapeutic component of this invention involves administering to a patient a composition that inhibits bone morphogenetic protein-2 activity and/or bone morphogenetic protein-4 activity. Such inhibition may be accomplished by ligands or antibodies that bind to BMP-2 and/or BMP-4 or receptors for BMP-2 and BMP-4. It may also be achieved by preventing the processing of pro-BMP-2 and/or pro-BMP-4, or blocking transcription or replication of BMP-2 DNA and/or BMP-4 DNA or translation of BMP-2 mRNA and/or BMP-4 mRNA. The diagnostic component of the invention involves measuring the BMP-2 and/or BMP-4 level(s) in biological samples from both a patient and a non-cancerous subject and comparing those levels. Elevated levels of BMP-2 and/or BMP-4 in the patient compared to the subject indicate cancer.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a gene, dep, which confers resistance to the antibacterial activity of 4,5-dihydroxy-2-cyclopenten-1-one (DHCP). The invention further relates to the putative protein encoded by dep, which is a hydrophobic, transmembrane efflux protein specific for DHCP. The invention further relates to plasmids containing the dep gene, and to bacterial cells expressing dep. Furthermore, the invention provides applications for use in conferring resistance to antibacterial activity in organisms. The dep gene can be used to identify compounds which inhibit the efflux activity responsible for the resistance to DHCP or to compounds which are functionally equivalent to DHCP.
Abstract:
Nitric oxide biosynthesis-inhibiting anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial compounds of Formula (3) and Formula (4) wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from optionally substituted thienyl, optionally substituted furyl, optionally substituted —CH═CH-thienyl and optionally substituted —CH═CH-furyl, provided that R2 is substituted with as nitro group Treatment methods utilizing the compounds, and methods of synthesis of the compounds are also disclosed.