Abstract:
The invention relates to the discovery, identification and use of laminin, laminin-derived protein fragments, and laminin-derived polypeptides, as well as related peptides and antibodies, for the therapeutic intervention and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other amyloidoses. In addition, the discovery and identification of an Alzheimer's beta-amyloid protein specific binding within the globular domain repeats of the laminin A chain, had led to new diagnostic and therapeutic applications for Alzheimer's disease and other amyloidoses which are disclosed.
Abstract:
A full color process image that can be printed with cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks is produced as a duotone image using only two colors of ink. Color data defining the colors used in the full color image serve as input to a process that maps the colors into a duotone gamut defined by the two colors of ink that will be used to produce the duotone image. A user is able to select 0, 1, or 2 colors of ink for the duotone image, and the software program automatically chooses the remaining ink or inks so as to reproduce the image as accurately as possible; the software also produces the appropriate color separations automatically. In addition, the paper color can be specified by the user or optimally determined by the optimizing process of the software to optimize the duotone image reproducing a full color image that has little white. The paper color provides a free third color. A black separation can also optionally be included when printing the duotone image to expand the range of luminance available. When black ink is used, some amount of black is subtracted from the each color of the original image before the optimization and mapping process is applied, and the black separation is determined to add back the appropriate amount of black when printing the duotone image. The duotone images produced by the method are relatively high-quality, economical alternatives to full-color printing.
Abstract:
A channel-cell system is provided for detecting the presence and/or measuring the presence of analyte particles in a sample stream comprising a laminar flow channel (100), two inlet means (30, 20) in fluid connection with said laminar flow channel (100) for respectively conducting into the laminar flow channel (100) an indicator stream (70) which may comprise an indicator substance which indicates the presence of said analyte particles by a detectable change in property when contacted with said analyte particles, and the sample stream (80), wherein the laminar flow channel (100) has a depth sufficiently small to allow laminar flow of the streams and a length sufficient to allow particles of the analyte to diffuse into said indicator stream (70) to the substantial exclusion of said larger particles in the sample stream (80) to form a detection area; and outlet means (60) for conducting the streams out of the laminar flow channel (100) to form a single mixed stream.
Abstract:
A system for testing the auditory response of the human ear by measuring the linear and nonlinear power-based responses thereof uses a small probe assembly (50) containing a sound source (24, 52, 54) and microphone (30, 52, 56) inserted into the ear. The linear responses, or transfer functions, include reflectance, admittance and impedance. A calibration procedure is based upon measured pressure responses in one or more calibration waveguides (60), and upon a model of the transfer function of each of the calibration waveguides. The nonlinear responses are established by measuring the above transfer functions at different levels of the acoustic stimulus. By delivering changes in static pressure applied to the ear via an additional probe tube (68, 70) in the probe assembly (50), the system is able to measure the dependence on static pressure of any of these linear and nonlinear power-based functions.
Abstract:
Therapeutic agents comprising plural therapeutic compounds self-assembled into high axial ration microstructures are described. The therapeutic compounds satisfy the formula HARFM-Th, wherein HARFM is a high axial ratio forming material and Th is a therapeutic associated with the HARFM. The therapeutic agent also can satisfy the formula HARFM-S-Th, wherein S is a spacer. Release of the therapeutic by the agent generally follows either 0-order kinetics or pseudo-first order kinetics. A method for delivering drugs to animals or persons also is described. The method comprises administering an effective amount of a therapeutic self-assembled into an HAR microstructure to the animal or person.
Abstract:
This disclosure describes new methods and devices for sensing redox-active analytes in solution. The invention combines a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor and a chemical electrode sensor. A conducting layer which supports SPR is attached to a voltage source. The voltage source is also connected to a reference electrode, which is in the aqueous solution with the SPR sensor. As the voltage is varied, the analytes undergo oxidation and reduction at the surface of the conducting film. The current is measured, just as it would be in a standard chemical electrode, with current peaks appearing at different potentials indicating different ions in the solution. Unlike a standard chemical electrode, the surface of the conducting film is also used to excite a surface plasmon wave (SPW). The SPW provides new information which is not available from any standard chemical electrode, such as the effective index of refraction at the surface of the conducting film as the analytes are being oxidized and/or reduced. This additional source of information can be used to minimize the effects of overlapping stripping peaks and interspecies compound formation as well as determine the thickness of surface layers during measurements. Additionally, the simultaneous determination of reaction properties and optical properties of reaction products can provide additional information about the aqueous support solution such as the quantity and types of natural oxidants in solution, such as oxygen or hydroxides. The formation of oxides and hydroxides will lead to measurably different optical properties.
Abstract:
This invention provides isolated polynucleotides encoding DNA polymerases of three members of a subfamily of gamma herpes viruses. Two were obtained from macaque monkeys affected with retroperitoneal fibromatosis, the other from human AIDS patients affected with Kaposi's sarcoma. A 454-base pair fragment encoding a region near the active site of the DNA polymerase is 69-83 % identical amongst the three viruses, but only 54-68 % identical with other known gamma herpes sequences and
Abstract:
Heated iron oxide particles or heated aluminum oxide particles are combined with membrane filtration to remove contaminants from water. The use of the heated particles reduces fouling of the membrane typically encountered when membranes alone are used to remove contaminants from water. The heated particles of iron oxide or aluminum oxide are regenerable and can be reconditioned to revive their adsorption capacity.
Abstract:
The present invention provides peptides that bind to MHC class I molecules. The peptide has a core of 7 to 14 amino acids linked at either its N- or C- terminus to at least two amino acids. The terminal-most additional amino acid contains a reporter group. Thepeptides may be used in a variety of methods, including for tissue typing, vaccine development, or to isolate MHC class I molecules.