Chemical compounds and the therapeutic use thereof, in particular for improving muscular quality in mammals. More particularly, a method of improving muscular quality in sarcopenic mammals and treating and/or preventing sarcopenia using the chemical compounds and, in particular, sarcopenic obesity and the associated complications and/or pathologies thereof, such as loss of strength, muscle mass, performance and of physical and movement capacity. Also, a method of improving muscle quality in obese mammals and treating and/or preventing of obesity and associated complications and/or pathologies, advantageously type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, using the chemical compounds.

Methods of detecting Cortisol in samples suspected of containing Cortisol are disclosed that utilize conjugates of 11-a-cortisol linked at the 3-position to an assay molecule. In addition, compounds are disclosed that have the formula: (structure) wherein L is a linking group and X is as further defined herein. ##STR00001##

Methods of preventing or retarding or reversing or abolishing the onset of Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases are discussed.

Disclosed herein are novel compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and related methods of their use. The compounds described herein are useful, e.g., as liposomal delivery vehicles to facilitate the delivery of encapsulated polynucleotides to target cells and subsequent iransfection of said target cells, and in certain embodiments are characterized as having one or more properties that afford such compounds advantages relative to other similarly classified lipids.

Disclosed herein are novel compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and related methods of their use. The compounds described herein are useful, e.g., as liposomal delivery vehicles to facilitate the delivery of encapsulated polynucleotides to target cells and subsequent transfection of said target cells, and in certain embodiments are characterized as having one or more properties that afford such compounds advantages relative to other similarly classified lipids.

Provided are a scroll preparing method using a two-dimensional material and a scroll prepared thereby. The scroll preparing method comprises preparing a two-dimensional material. The two-dimensional material is scrolled by providing an amphiphilic substance having a hydrophilic portion and a hydrophobic portion on the two-dimensional material. As a result, a scroll composite including the amphiphilic substance disposed inside a scroll structure is formed.

The invention provides novel manganese catalysts such as [Mn(.sup.tBuPc)], which are general for the amination of all types of C(sp.sup.3)-H bonds (aliphatic, allylic, propargylic, benzylic, ethereal), including strong 1.sup.o aliphatic C—H bonds, while achieving excellent chemoselectivity, stereospecificity, and high functional group tolerance. We demonstrate the late-stage diversification of bioactive complex molecules that encompass the range of C(sp.sup.3)-H bond types, such as selective 1.sup.o C—H aminations of betulinic acid and pleuromutilin derivatives. The catalysts' unprecedented balance of reactivity and selectivity is in part attributed to its mechanism of C—H amination that lies between stepwise and concerted.

The invention relates to compounds, compositions and polymers comprising a first component adapted to promote germination of Clostridium difficile (C.diff) and a second component which acts as an antimicrobial agent. Said compounds, compositions and polymers are useful for destroying C.diff where conventional antimicrobial agents are unsuccessful. The compositions can be formulated as coating or materials which actively destroy C.diff which come into contact with it. The germination promotion is induced by bile salts. The invention also relates to the use of such materials as a treatment for C.diff associated diseases and toxic megacolon.

Described herein are neuroactive steroids of the Formula (I):

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or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; wherein , A, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are as defined herein. Such compounds are envisioned, in certain embodiments, to behave as GABA modulators. The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of the present invention and methods of use, e.g., for treating a subject suffering from a disease or disorder described herein.

The invention relates to compounds of formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof

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wherein R1 to R4 are as defined in the claims. The invention further relates to their use as inhibitors of 17β-HSD1 and in treatment or prevention of steroid hormone dependent diseases or disorders, such as steroid hormone dependent diseases or disorders requiring the inhibition of the 17β-HSD1 enzyme and/or requiring the lowering of the endogenous estradiol concentration. The present invention also relates to the preparation of the aforementioned compounds and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising as an active ingredient(s) one or more of the aforementioned compounds or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.