Abstract: A recombinant heteromultimeric protein including at least (a) a polypeptide fusion molecule A consisting of a C4BP ?-chain C-terminal fragment and a polypeptide fragment heterologous to said a chain, and (b) a polypeptide fusion molecule B consisting of a C4BP ?-chain C-terminal fragment and a polypeptide fragment heterologous to said ?-chain, wherein (a) and (b) are linked in the C-terminal portion to form said multimeric protein.

Abstract: A recombinant heteromultimeric protein including at least (a) a polypeptide fusion molecule A consisting of a C4BP ?-chain C-terminal fragment and a polypeptide fragment heterologous to said ?-chain, and (a) a polypeptide fusion molecule B consisting of a C4BP ?-chain C-terminal fragment and a polypeptide fragment heterologous to said ?-chain, wherein (a) and (b) are linked in the C-terminal portion to form said multimeric protein.

Abstract: An embryo culturing incubator is provided with a shelf configuration that enhances air circulation inside of the incubator, and enables unimpeded access to the individual embryo culture plates that are disposed on the shelves in the incubator. The incubator has an access door which allows one contact with the embryo culture plates on the incubator shelves. The shelves are configured so as to provide a useful free space between the inner surface of the incubator door and the frontal surface of the shelves in the incubator. The size of the free space allows a technician to reach all of the culture plates in the incubator without interfering with other culture plates in the incubator. The free space also allows for exemplary air circulation inside of the incubator.

Abstract: An embryo culturing method and apparatus enables a plurality of embryos to be grown in communal clusters in a culturing container. The embryos are kept separate from each other in open interconnected compartments that are disposed in the culture container. Each compartment is contained in a structure having a plurality of interconnected compartments, and each compartment is sized to contain a single embryo. The culturing container will contain a plurality of the compartmentalized structures. The method and apparatus of this invention includes a culturing container, such as a Petrie dish, in which the embryos are grown. The Petrie dish preferably contains a plurality of the embryo-culturing compartmentalized structures which can be positioned in the Petrie dish in a predetermined pattern. For example, the compartmentalized structuress can be positioned in the Petrie dish at the 12 O'Clock, 2 O'Clock, 4 O'Clock, 8 O'Clock and 10 O'clock positions, or in any other planned deployment.

Abstract: An HIV-1 type (or subtype) O retrovirus protein, or a natural or synthetic polypeptide or peptide including at least a part of said protein, which is capable of being recognised by antibodies isolated from a serum resulting from infection by an HIV-1 type O VAU strain or an HIV-1 type (or subtype) O DUR strain.

Abstract: A connection device for connecting a filtering system to an incubator. The connection device includes a body member adapted to fit in the wall of an incubator and having at least two bores which provide access into the incubator. The bores are equipped with fittings which provide a port for connection of tubing to direct the flow of filtered air into and out of the incubator.

Abstract: An improved filter system and method for filtering the gaseous environment of an incubator in which volatile organic compounds and particulate material are filtered from the gaseous environment. A filter is provided which includes a first filter medium to filter volatile organic compounds and a second filter medium to filter solid particulate material. A pump may be provided which draws a gas stream from the gaseous environment of the incubator and passes it through the filter. The pump and filter may be contained within a filter unit which may be used either internally or externally of the incubator.

Abstract: An embryo implant catheter assembly includes an outer guide cannula and an inner catheter which is slidably disposed in the guide cannula. The inner catheter is operable to engage an embryo to be implanted in a female's uterus. The embryo is disposed in a distal end of the catheter, which distal end is inserted into the uterus during the implant procedure. The catheter has a varying stiffness from the distal end to an opposite proximal end, the distal end being softer and the proximal end being more rigid. The result is a catheter that is non-abraisive at its distal end, and resistant to wobble at its proximal end. The catheter is produced by extruding mixtures of resins which have different durometers, and varying the percentage of the resins in the mixture along the length of the catheter.

Abstract: A procedure for cryopreservation and efficient post-thaw recovery of a single or few cells, preferably human spermatozoa, their precursor cells or blastomeres, which is achieved by injecting cells into cell-free mammalian zonae pellucidae. The cells may also be of any other type where there are provided a relatively small number of valuable cells which must be retrieved. The zona pellucida may be cryopreserved with the cells contained therein. The method involves a combination of physical micromanipulation procedures and cryoprotectant mediated cryopropreservation. The zonae may be tracked by positioning them into straws between two small air bubbles prior to preservation. There is a high recovery of zonae and sperm within the zonae, and a high fertilization rate of the sperm using ICSI after recovery.

Abstract: An improved filter system and method for filtering the gaseous environment of an incubator in which volatile organic compounds and particulate material are filtered from the gaseous environment. A filter is provided which includes a first filter medium to filter volatile organic compounds and a second filter medium to filter solid particulate material. A pump may be provided which draws a gas stream from the gaseous environment of the incubator and passes it through the filter. The pump and filter may be contained within a filter unit which may be used either internally or externally of the incubator.

Abstract: This modular element has several conduits disposed side by side, each pair of adjacent conduits being interconnected to form a rigid or flexible unit, each conduit has a male end and an opposite female end, the latter for joining with the male end of an aligned conduit of an adjacent modular element. The several conduits of a first modular element can therefore be simultaneously extended by the several conduits of a second modular element by simultaneously joining the female and male ends of the elements. These elements can be in the form of panels to be joined together to form, for instance, a solar panel or a floor covering with a circulating heat transfer fluid through the conduits. The conduits may also serve as protected passages for underground electrical wires. The conduits may be provided with sprinkler holes to water plants.

Abstract: A power distributor device is disclosed for electric installations, comprising, for housing a set of power bars, an insulating case formed preferably of several interlockable modules. A member, for example an end-piece in the form of a lyre is associated with a zone for fixing the case on a support allowing expansion between the case and the support. An upstream connection box may be assembled to the case and comprise a zone for fixing to the support.

Abstract: A protective switching apparatus with remote controlled opening and closing is provided including a tripping mechanism connected to an assembly comprising at least two fixed contacts and two mobile contacts and to a magnetic and/or thermal trip; a resetting member and an electromagnet having a movable element and to a member for driving a least one pseudo-fixed or mobile contact. The mobile contacts are carried by a bridge having a plane of symmetry X--X and the tripping mechanism extends in the vicinity of the plane of symmetry X--X. The electromagnet and the trip are housed in the case on each side of the tripping mechanism in a direction perpendicular to the plane of symmetry.

Abstract: An electric switch apparatus for protecting an electric circuit, said apparatus comprising a case, a pivoting drawer connected to the case and adapted to be manually pivoted from a closed position to an open position and reversely, a switch having a fixed and a movable contact, the movable contact being mechanically linked to the drawer for simultaneous opening therewith and a breaking member for automatically breaking an electric circuit connected across two terminals of the case, the said breaking member operating in case of an overflow of current in the said circuit, the movable contact being able to be separated from the fixed contact under the action of an actuation member comprising a spring and a magnetizable member, said actuating member cooperating with a coil placed in the circuit and being reset during a manual opening and closing movement of the drawer.

Abstract: In a manual switch with thermal and magnetic release, the fixed pivots of a control member, of a latch, and of a transmission member coupled to the contacts, are disposed at the apices of a right-angled triangle, one side bounding the right angle being parallel to the direction of actuation of the control member and to the movement of the contacts, the other side bounding the right angle being placed in the vicinity of the control member.

Abstract: A shoe sole assembly of a resilient material body portion provided with absorbers energy formed as part of the body portion. The energy absorbers are defined by vertically disposed, spaced apart cell members extending from an upper surface to beyond a lower surface of the body portion to provide a bounded space. Each cell member is formed of an hollow compartment extending in part for the thickness of the body portion with its length depending upon the sole profile, the first end of the respective compartments at the upper surface of the sole body portion is initially open ended; whereas a hollow protuberance structure is at the lower surface of the body portion to enclose each cylindrical compartment at a second end. The protuberances extend beyond the lower surface to form contact areas with the ground surface when the sole assembly is used as part of a shoe.