University of Illinois

Other

Receptor Laboratories, Inc.

Guy C Le Breton

Duane L Venton

Anton J Hopfinger

Jin-Sheng Huang

Fadi T Khasawneh

Subhashini Srinivasan

Steven E Enke

Permeable Switch Region I and II peptides in the range of 9 to 25 amino acid residues in length are provided for specifically inhibiting signaling through G&#x3b1; subunits. In addition, compositions and methods for inhibiting platelet aggregation and &#x3b1;&#x3b2;integrin activation using the Switch Region I and II peptides are provided.

Peptides and methods for inhibiting G alpha protein signaling

Housing and tracking wheel for a precision measuring pen

A self-contained, electronic, hand-held scaler for a map or other illustration uses a rotary element and an optical sensor at its tip to generate digital pulses when the tip is moved over a map surface. The pulses are counted by a microprocessor that also operates on different pulse counts to automatically scale distances on the map. The microprocessor is supplied with the number of, eg., miles on the scale line of the map and the tip is then run over the length of the scale line; the processor uses the ratio of the number and the pulse count to scale an arbitrary distance on the map. A digital readout shows the scaled distance in, eg., miles corresponding to the line run over the map. The rotary element can be a wheel in an axle or a sphere held in a retainer, like a ball-point pen ball. The sensor has a lamp and photocell to generate pulses by a pattern of reflective and non-reflective areas on the rotary element. The housing has switches for resetting, calibrating, and initializing, a map-illuminating light. Battery power is cut off after long non-use.

Opto-mechanical instrument to accurately measure linear distances on

The invention allows the generation and screening of a large population of peptides for the presence of peptides which bind a particular macromolecule or macromolecular complex with high affinity, and further allows the favored net synthesis of analyzable quantities of such peptides, by using as the 'trap' a macromolecule or macromolecular complex for which binding of the peptide is desired. The starting mixture is preferably spiked with a peptide having some affinity for the target macromolecule so that mutation of the spike or 'lead' peptide is favored. The development of improved binding peptides through scrambling may be dynamically monitored by initially binding the target with an insolubilized ligand, and then looking for an increase in the concentration of the target in the soluble phase as a result of the displacement of the reference ligand by scrambled peptides.

Method for generating and screening useful peptides

Novel azaprostanoic acid analogs of the formula ##STR1## wherein: R is C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl or benzyl; and a has a value of from 0 to 6 inclusive, and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters. Preferred 13-aza and 15-aza compounds are active in the inhibition of arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation and, more specifically, are direct and specific antagonists of the activity of prostaglandin H.sub.2 and thromboxane A.sub.2.

Growing community of inventors

Oak Park, IL, United States of America

Guy C Le Breton