Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition, which includes a hepatitis B surface antigen stabilized with a milk protein and/or a milk protein component. This composition can be used in an oral vaccine for treatment of hepatitis B. The present invention further relates to methods of immunizing a subject against hepatitis, methods of administrating the composition of the present invention, and methods of producing a stabilized hepatitis B surface antigen protein.

Abstract: Herein described are various methods for making a vaccine that are made of re-assembled virus like particles (VLP). First, the VLPs are disassembled into encapsidation intermediate populations. Each encapsidation intermediate population undergoes, for instance, chemical conjugation of unique peptide or nucleic moieties to form separate populations. Thereafter, a predetermined amount of each of the several (one or more) different encapsidation intermediates from the different populations is mixed and joined, forming intact VLPs, surrounding a nucleic acid core, that are composed of different encapsidation intermediate such that the reassembled VLP displays more than one peptide or nucleic acid. The nucleic acid can function either as a scaffold alone or can be engineered for the expression of an immunomodulatory protein in a eukaryotic cell.

Abstract: We describe here restriction endonucleases and their uses. Restriction endonucleases are useful in finding single nucleotide polymorphisms. They are also useful in an in vitro method of redistributing sequence variations between non-identical polynucleotide sequences.

Abstract: We describe here an in vitro method of increasing complementarity in a heteroduplex polynucleotide sequence. The method uses annealing of opposite strands to form a polynucleotide duplex with mismatches. The heteroduplex polynucleotide is combined with an effective amount of enzymes having strand cleavage activity, 3′ to 5′ exonuclease activity, and polymerase activity, and allowing sufficient time for the percentage of complementarity to be increased within the heteroduplex. Not all heteroduplex polynucleotides will necessarily have all mismatches resolved to complementarity. The resulting polynucleotide is optionally ligated. Several variant polynucleotides result. At sites where either of the opposite strands has templated recoding in the other strand, the resulting percent complementarity of the heteroduplex polynucleotide sequence is increased. The parent polynucleotides need not be cleaved into fragments prior to annealing heterologous strands. Therefore, no reassembly is required.

Abstract: A plurality of proteins of interest, or peptides of interest, or other genetically expressed materials, are screened and subsequently produced using any of a variety of expression systems. The plurality of proteins are extracted from a plurality of separate, processed green juices, each green juice containing one of the proteins of interest. A multi-channel apparatus processes the various green juices, one green juice per channel. The apparatus is computer controlled such that the various valves in each channel and pump are controlled in an automated manner to extract each protein of interest and deliver each protein of interest into its own storage vessel.

Abstract: A door check for holding a door in an open position is disclosed, which is particularly useful for thin doors. The door check comprises a check body attached to the door and having an opening. The door check pivots with the door about a first axis. A main link is slidable through the door check opening as the door pivots. A second link is pivotably attached to the main link, and pivotably about a second axis with respect to a rigid member. As the check body pivots about the first axis, the second link pivots about the second axis and the main link translates through the opening in the check body. The main link may have an irregular surface so that a large force may be required to move the door back from the open position to a closed position.

Abstract: A push to exit, pull to enter latch assembly is disclosed, particularly suitable as a screen door latch for a recreational vehicle door assembly having a main closure door and a screen door. The latch assembly comprises a latch housing, a latch bolt linearly slidable from a latching position to an unlatching position, a push-to-release lever mounted on one side of the latch housing and a pull-to-release lever mounted on an opposite side of the latch housing. In certain preferred embodiments each release lever has a handle and a latch bolt engagement flange. Rotation of either release lever from its normal position to its releasing position forces the corresponding latch bolt engagement flange against the latch bolt, urging the latch bolt from the latching position to the unlatching position. The latch assembly may cooperate with a screen to close an opening in a pivotable screen door.

Abstract: A system which determines whether one of a plurality of peripheral devices on a SCSI bus is providing termination power to a bus terminator and provides termination power from a power supply associated with a host device only when none of the peripheral devices are providing termination power. The system is further configured to only provide termination power from the host device when information signals are likely to be present on the information bus. Specifically, the system only provides termination power when the host device seeks access to the information bus to thereby limit consumption of the host device's power supply.

Abstract: A circuit for latching data signals emanating from a DRAM memory for an extended period of time. The circuit is implemented on an ASIC chip which is positioned external to an FPM DRAM-type memory device. The circuit is organized to have a system transceiver, a memory transceiver, a data-in bus, a data-out bus, and control logic. The data-in bus is directly connected to a memory processor or controller through the system transceiver and the data-out bus is directly connected to the memory through the memory transceiver. The data-in bus is connected to the memory through a tri-state buffer positioned in the memory transceiver and the tri-state buffer is normally in an on position thereby normally connecting the data-in bus to the memory. The data-out bus is connected to the memory processor through a tri-state buffer which is normally in an off position. Hence, the circuit is normally configured to write data.

Abstract: A vehicle door construction which includes a door frame which defines integral longitudinal screw grooves for seating fasteners used to mount cross braces to which the window regulator assembly is mounted. The frame may also include a lower recess to collect debris and an outer channel to allow fasteners mounting a window guide brace to be countersunk for easier mounting of the door frame in the vehicle. The frame may also include a removable insert which defines the window slide channel to allow rapid replacement of a broken window.

Abstract: A redundant repeater connected between two transmission mediums that can operate in a repeat state where packets are repeated between the mediums, and a standby state where no packets are repeated and where the repeater determines whether packets are being properly repeated between the transmission mediums by another device. If the repeater determines that packets are being independently repeated it remains in the standby state, and will attempt to leave the standby state and return to the repeat state only if it determines that packets on one medium are not being repeated to the second medium. Two repeaters can be redundantly connected across the same transmission mediums with one operating in repeat state and the other in standby. If one repeater fails, the other will begin repeating all received packets. The repeater determines whether packets are being properly repeated by detecting overlapping or non-overlapping packets between its two transmission mediums.

Abstract: An automotive door assembly comprising a rigid frame structure defining the main body of the door assembly, an outer skin fixed to an outer side of the rigid frame structure defining the exterior appearance of the door assembly, and a panel assembly disposed on the opposite side of the rigid frame structure defining the interior appearance of the door assembly. A plurality of electrically operated components are carried by the rigid frame structure having first current connectors mounted in generally stationary relation on the rigid frame structure in oppositely facing and oppositely accessible relation with respect to the outer skin. An electrical harness assembly forming a part of the panel assembly includes second current connectors mounted in generally stationary relation on the panel assembly in oppositely facing and oppositely accessible relation with respect to the appearance defining surface thereof.

Abstract: A portable self-contained remote access terminal comprises a matrix display device and a touch screen device having a touch surface which overlies the display device so that the display device can be seen through the touch surface. The touch screen device comprises an array of infrared emitter elements for emitting respective beams over a sensing space, a corresponding array of detector elements for receiving the beams respectively, driver circuits for intermittently and sequentially energizing the emitter elements at a power level at least 10 times the rated constant power level of the emitter elements at a frequency of at least about 20 Hz and at a duty cycle substantially less than about two percent, a multiplexer operative when the emitter element is energized to select the corresponding detector element, and a voltage detector for determining whether the selected detector element is illuminated.

Abstract: A selective plating apparatus (20) for zone plating is comprised of a contained supply (22) of plating solution having an elongated avenue of escape or nozzle (32) and anode means (42) mounted along the length of the avenue of escape (32) at a spaced location therefrom such that the plating solution leaving the supply (22) is charged by the anode means (42). The apparatus (20) further includes means (80, 94) for guiding a workpiece (120) having a zone (128) to be selectively plated through the apparatus (20) such that the zone (128) is proximate the avenue of escape (32), the workpiece (120) comprising a cathode means. The apparatus (20) includes means for maintaining a desired rate of plating solution through the avenue of escape (32) whereby the solution wets the selected zone (128) of the workpiece (120) and deposits a layer of plating in the desired zone (128) on the surface of the workpiece as it passes through the apparatus (20).

Abstract: An apparatus for plating interior surfaces of electrical terminals that are attached to a carrier strip comprises a mandrel having first and second portions, the first portion being comprised of dielectric members which are mounted for rotation on a shaft as strip fed terminals are continuously fed to the first portion; wrapped against it and exited therefrom; and a second conductive portion mounted in a stationary portion on the same shaft. First dielectric portion includes a plurality of nozzles distributed about its axis of rotation. A plurality of anode members are mounted within the nozzles, the anode members being movable into and out of interiors of terminals that are wrapped against the dielectric portion. A conduit supplies plating solution under pressure through the nozzles and upon anode members.

Abstract: An anode assembly for plating contact areas within socket terminals is comprised of a conductive body member having an anode means extending forwardly from a body section, and a dielectric shroud having a profiled passageway extending axially therethrough, the dielectric shroud being removable mounted to said body section that said shroud extends coaxially around said anode means. The profiled passageway of the shroud includes a terminal receiving section which is disposed around the anode means, extends forwardly thereof, and has an inner diameter selected to be just greater than the outside diameter of a terminal to be plated. The terminal receiving section further includes lead-in means whereby a terminal members is relatively received into the terminal receiving section and locatable concentrically about the anode member.

Abstract: An apparatus for plating interior surfaces of essentially flat electrical terminals that are spaced apart and attached to a carrier strip is disclosed. The apparatus is comprised of strip feeding means which feeds the strip (120) of terminals (122) to a rotating mandrel (10) which guides the terminals (122) through a plating zone while they are plated, a source of electrolytic plating solution, and a source of electrical potential for applying electrical current flow from the anode (42) through the solution to a cathode. The mandrel (10) has a plurality of nozzles (62) located about its axis of rotation, and a plurality of anode extensions (64), each anode extension (64) being mounted in an associated nozzle (62), such that one end of the anode extension (64) protrudes outwardly from the end of the nozzle (62).

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously plating interior surfaces of loose piece electrical terminals is characterized in that loose piece terminals are continuously fed to a continuously rotating mandrel, are held against the mandrel during the plating process by retaining means and are released from the mandrel, the mandrel having a plurality of anode containing nozzles therein, the anodes being mounted for reciprocation into and out of the interior of the terminals that are against the mandrel. A conduit supplies plating solution under pressure through the nozzles and upon the anodes and into the interiors of the terminals in which the anodes are received.

Abstract: A piano action keyboard for an electronic musical instrument or the like wipes a switch actuator (or other mechanical component of electric signal translation means) across switch contacts on a printed circuit board to generate signals indicative of the position and motionof a key when played. The keyboard provides a highly realistic piano "feel" through an array of paired depressable playing keys and arms. Each such arm supports a switch actuator or the like, with varying force transmission at different stages of depression of its corresponding key, the overall electrical-mechanical combination affording a response in terms of both actual results and kinesthetic feedback simulating a manual piano action.