Abstract: A mat having a highly uniform porosity distribution is produced by consolidating 15 or more layers of melt blown webs (or the like) having different orientations. Control over the porosity is provided by using webs that exhibit a narrow, unimodal distribution of fiber diameters over the bulk of its distribution, such as in the top 80%. A compliance of the mats can be chosen by selecting a number and orientation of the webs. It is thus possible to produce mats that are good candidates for vascular grafts, for example. The uniformity of the porosity within the range of 6 ?m to 30 ?m permits seeding of the vascular graft with endothelial and smooth muscle cells. The mats have the demonstrated ability to retain, and support growth of, smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells.

Abstract: An expression system for transforming E coll with a nucleic acid molecule of interest has an operator sequence of a cmt operon operatively linked to a promoter for the operator, and, a repressor sequence from a cym operon operatively linked to a promoter for the repressor. The expression system may have a nucleic acid molecule of interest, for example, a nucleic acid molecule that encodes a protein. Any type of E coll host cells may be transformed with the expression system. A method of producing a protein involves transforming an E coll host cell with the expression system having a nucleic acid molecule that codes for a protein, and, culturing the host cell in a culture medium under conditions in which the nucleic acid molecule will express the protein.

Abstract: The invention provides multivalent ligand binding agents (traps) for members of the TGF-? superfamily and polypeptide linkers and methods for making and using such constructs. The traps may be used as therapeutic or diagnostic (imaging or non-imaging) agents for diseases/disorders caused by over-production/activity of the target ligand.

Abstract: A compound of formula (I): wherein: R1 is —SR10, —O—C(O)—R11, —NR12R13, where R10 is a C1-8-alkyl group or a phenyl group unsubstituted or substituted by a C1-4-alkyl group, R11 is a thiophenenyl, furanyl or pyrrolyl group, R12 is H or a C1-4-alkyl group and R13 is a C1-8-alkyl group or a phenyl group unsubstituted or substituted by a C1-4-alkyl group; R2 is H or a C1-4-alkyl group; R3 and R4 are independently H or C1-4-alkyl groups; R5 and R6 are independently H, OH or OR14, or taken together are ?O, where R14 is a protecting group; R7 is H or a C1-4-alkyl group; and, R8 is H, R9 is OH and R15 is H, or R15 is H and R8 and R9 taken together are —O—, or R9 is OH and R8 and R15 taken together form a bond; and, R18 and R19 are both H, or R18 and R19 taken together form a bond, or a plant physiologically acceptable salt thereof is useful for inhibiting 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED) in a plant or seed and is therefore useful for regulating ABA biosynthesis in the plant or seed.

Abstract: This invention relates to nucleic acid sequences coding for a Lunaria annua, Cardamine graeca or Teesdalia nudicaulis fatty acid elongase, yeast cells expressing the genes/enzymes, plants themselves and cells of such plants and seeds which contain a heterologous gene coding for a L. annua, C. graeca or T. nudicaulis fatty acid elongase gene, the plant or seed being capable of producing increased proportion of a very long chain monounsaturated fatty acid, especially nervonic acid and eicosenoic acid, beyond that of a control plant or seed lacking the heterologous FAE gene or genes.

Abstract: There is provided herein a multivalent binding molecule and uses thereof. The molecule is useful in binding a target under certain conditions and releasing it under other conditions. The molecule has the general formula (1) of BM1-L-(BM2)n (1) wherein, BM1 is a binding moiety 1 having an affinity for site 1 on the target, BM2 is a binding moiety 2 having an affinity for a site other than site 1 on the target, n is 1 or greater, and L is a linker joining BM1 and BM2, said linker being adapted to respond to a change in its environment with a change in conformation and/or flexibility, wherein BM1 and BM2 may be the same or different and are selected such that in use each of the BM1 and BM2 existing separately has a lower binding affinity then the complex of BM1 and BM2 does when they are linked to form the molecule. BM2 may have a single binding region or multiple binding regions with affinity for the target.

Abstract: Using site-directed mutagenesis to mutate the Xanthomonas campestris pectate lyase gene, variants of Xanthomonas campestris pectate lyase with improved thermostability and/or enzymatic activity have been expressed in Escherichia coli, and then isolated and purified. The mutant Xanthomonas campestris pectate lyases are more effective than the wild-type enzyme, also expressed in E. coli, in removing pectic compounds from natural hemp fiber.

Abstract: A method for effecting physicochemical transformations and detonation properties in a material using super-compressed detonation includes: providing an insensitive energetic material to be compressed; super-compressing the material by exposure to at least one of a normally or obliquely oriented cylindrical imploding shock wave, generated from a first detonation; effecting transformations from the super-compression in the material including increasing at least material density, structural transformations and electronic energy gap transitions relative to a material unexposed to the super-compression; exposing the super-compressed material to a second detonation; and effecting transformations from the second detonation in the material including increasing at least detonation pressure, velocity and energy density relative to a material unexposed to the super-compression and second detonation.

Abstract: A sulfonated poly(aryl ether) (SPAE) having a poly(aryl ether) (PAE) main chain and a sulfonated phenyl group pendent from the main chain are useful in proton exchange membranes (PEMs), particularly for fuel cells. The pendent phenyl group can provide an easily sulfonable site that may be sulfonated under mild conditions, providing the ability to precisely control the sulfonic acid content of the SPAE.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking a plurality of pieces of material has an assembly region, one or more platens on a first longitudinal side of the assembly region, and, a plurality of press rams on a second longitudinal side of the assembly region opposite the first longitudinal side. The press rams are movable transversely across the assembly region to immobilize or partially immobilize pieces of material in the assembly region permitting accurate and precise alignment of the pieces relative to each other in the assembly region.

Abstract: A controlled release formulation for a cement-based composition can be produced by intercalating an admixture (e.g. an accelerator, a set retarder, a superplasticizer) for the cement-based composition into a layered inorganic material (e.g. a layered double hydroxide (LDH)). A cement-based composition containing a cement-based material (e.g. cement, mortar or concrete) and such a controlled release formulation has better workability, especially in respect of slump-loss characteristics. With such a formulation release of an admixture in a cement-based composition may be controlled.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for detonation of a super-compressed insensitive energetic material by cylindrical implosion followed by an axial detonation to a detonation velocity several times that of TNT and a detonation pressure in excess of ten times that of TNT. The device provides a conical metal flyer shell within which is disposed a cylindrical anvil surrounded by explosive. The anvil retains an insensitive energetic material to be compressed and detonated. A first detonation of explosive by impact of the flyer shell generates a reverberating oblique shock wave system for sample compression. Axial detonation of the compressed sample through any length of a sample is achieved following the principal of matching the axial velocity and compression time of the oblique shock wave system to the detonation velocity and induction delay time of the compressed sample. The method and apparatus are also applicable to enhancing the effect of anti-armor and anti-hard-target munitions.

Abstract: A neurological probe has a plurality of stacked electrode elements, each electrode element having stimulation/lesioning and recording electrodes incorporated with a strip of electrically non-conductive substrate. Such a probe is more compact while having a large number of stimulation/lesioning and recording channels.

Abstract: A method of obtaining pure component mass spectra or pure peak elution profiles from mass spectra of a mixture of components involves estimating number of components in the mixture, filtering noise, and extracting individual component mass spectra or pure peak elution profiles using blind entropy minimization with direct optimization (e.g. downhill simplex minimization). The method may be applied to deconvolution of pure GC/MS spectra of overlapping or partially overlapping isotopologues or other compounds, separation of overlapping or partially overlapping compounds in proteomics or metabolomics mass spectrometry applications, peptide sequencing using high voltage fragmentation followed by deconvolution of the obtained mixture mass spectra, deconvolution of MALDI mass spectra in the separation of multiple components present in a single solution, and specific compound monitoring in security and/or environmentally sensitive areas.

Abstract: Fusion proteins and coiled-coil induced dimers prepared from both the ectodomains and the kinase domains are disclosed. The receptor domains when presented in the form of a homodimer or heterodimer by virtue of the coiled-coil tag have enhanced ligand binding activity or enhanced kinase activity. The kinetics of binding and the antagonistic potencies of the ectodomain dimers, and their use to alter or inhibit signaling is described. Application of the ectodomain and kinase domain dimers in assays for selecting compounds capable of inhibiting ligand binding and kinase activity, respectively, is described.

Abstract: A process for coating a surface of a metal-containing substrate with a bioceramic material includes activating the surface of the metal-containing substrate by applying a voltage to the substrate in a liquid containing an electrolyte; and, immersing the substrate in a deposition solution containing the bioceramic material or precursors for the bioceramic material. The coated substrate may be heat treated to enhance coating bond strength. The bioceramic material may be hydroxyapatite. Coated substrates are useful for the fabrication of prostheses.

Abstract: Late embryogenesis abundant (Lea) proteins accumulate in maturing seeds after many of the storage compounds have been synthesized, and they are considered relevant to maturation. We report here the molecular organization and expression of BnLea3-1, a novel Group 3 Lea gene from Brassica napus. BnLea3-1 contains a coding region of 798 bp, sharing 84.4% homology at the amino acid level with Lea76 of B. napus. Two tandem 11-mer repeats are truncated from the coding region of BnLea3-1, compared to the 13 conserved 11-mer repeats of Lea76. Substitutions of consensus residues are found at various positions within the 11-mer repeats. A 1561 bp 5? flanking promoter fragment of BnLea3-1 fused to E. coli?-glucuronidase (GUS) coding region conferred seed-specific GUS expression in stable transgenics of B. napus, tobacco and in transiently-transformed pea.

Abstract: The present invention provides a primer for a thermoplastic and/or elastomeric substrate, the primer comprising a film of an epoxy-modified polymer selected from the group consisting of an epoxy-modified-thermoplastic polymer, an epoxy-modified-thermoplastic polymeric composite, an epoxy-modified-elastomeric polymer, an epoxy-modified-elastomeric polymeric composite, a blend thereof, and any mixture thereof. Also provided are methods of repairing, inserting, assembling and coating a thermoplastic or elastomeric substrate using the primer of the present invention.

Abstract: The invention disclosure is a method of bioremediation of wastewater, particularly groundwater, by utilizing coupled anaerobic and aerobic biological treatment, more specifically, methanogenic (strictly anaerobic) and methanotrophic (strictly aerobic) microbial populations, in combination with a supply of in-situ generated water-dissolved oxygen and hydrogen. Water electrolysis is used to produce water-dissolved oxygen and hydrogen. The immediate advantage of using H2 from the electrolysis is to provide electron donors to methanogens to reductively dechlorinate the chloroaliphatics, and to reduce the water carbonates and generate methane which is used as energy and carbon source for the methanotrophic bacteria. Oxygen is used as electron acceptor by the aerobic bacteria, including the methanotrophs. The addition of an organic carbon source can be minimized or even eliminated, so as to diminish the competition between methanotrophic bacteria and heterotrophic bacteria for oxygen.

Abstract: A process for producing poly-?-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) involves contacting maple sap with bacteria (e.g Alcaligenes latus) that convert sugars into poly-?-hydroxybutyrate. The use of maple sap is comparable to or better than the use of pure sucrose, and the use of maple sap results in PHB having higher weight average molecular weight than PHB produced from pure sucrose, making maple sap-derived PHB more suitable for commercial utilization.