Abstract: The present invention discloses: (i) a non-pathogenic probiotic microorganism and its probiotic/therapeutic uses; (ii) a formulation comprising an aqueous solution of a volatile fraction (VF) prepared from the extract of at least one plant derived material and its therapeutic uses; (iii) a process of manufacturing the formulation from the plant derived material; (iv) a probiotic composition comprising the non-pathogenic probiotic microorganism of the invention and/or other probiotic microorganism(s) and the formulation of the invention, and its probiotic/therapeutic uses; (v) a composition for industrial applications comprising the formulation of the invention and microorganism(s) of industrial applicability; and (vi) industrial processes and apparatuses in which the latter composition is used.

Abstract: A novel ErbB-4 ligand, referred to herein as Neuregulin-4 (NRG-4) is disclosed as well as polynucleotide sequences encoding NRG-4, oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide analogs derived from polynucleotide sequences, a display library displaying short peptides derived from NRG-4, antibodies recognizing NRG-4, peptides or peptide analogs derived from NRG-4, and pharmaceutical compositions and methods of employing peptides or peptide analogs, oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide analogs, and/or polynucleotide sequences to up-regulate or down-regulate ErbB-4 receptor activity (signaling).

Abstract: A positive acting, composition that can be heat-sensitive is presented, either coated on a lithographic base, or on a printing circuit board base, and comprises a water soluble heat-sensitive resin, a novel adhesion promoter and a radiation absorbing agent—a dye or a pigment. An excellent film forming polymer that comprises acetal units directly pendant from the polymer polyvinyl alcohol backbone may be the only binder resin, when other resins being optional. The solubility of the coated material in the areas exposed to near -IR laser radiation in mild alkaline developers becomes considerably higher, allowing to obtain high resolved patterns of the etch-resistant material on printing circuit boards or lithographic printing plates. The composition can be applied on the substrate from a liquid of laminated as a dry film. Sensitizers may be added to render the composition sensitive to radiation in a non-thermal sense.

Abstract: The present invention discloses: (i) a non-pathogenic probiotic microorganism and its probiotic/therapeutic uses; (ii) a formulation comprising an aqueous solution of a volatile fraction (VF) prepared from the extract of at least one plant derived material and its therapeutic uses; (iii) a process of manufacturing the formulation from the plant derived material; (iv) a probiotic composition comprising the non-pathogenic probiotic microorganism of the invention and/or other probiotic microorganism(s) and the formulation of the invention, and its probiotic/therapeutic uses; (v) a composition for industrial applications comprising the formulation of the invention and microorganism(s) of industrial applicability; and (vi) industrial processes and apparatuses in which the latter composition is used.

Abstract: The present invention discloses: (i) a non-pathogenic probiotic microorganism and its probiotic/therapeutic uses; (ii) a formulation comprising an aqueous solution of a volatile fraction (VF) prepared from the extract of at least one plant derived material and its therapeutic uses; (iii) a process of manufacturing the formulation from the plant derived material; (iv) a probiotic composition comprising the non-pathogenic probiotic microorganism of the invention and/or other probiotic microorganism(s) and the formulation of the invention, and its probiotic/therapeutic uses; (v) a composition for industrial applications comprising the formulation of the invention and microorganism(s) of industrial applicability; and (vi) industrial processes and apparatuses in which the latter composition is used.

Abstract: The present invention discloses: (i) a non-pathogenic probiotic microorganism and its probiotic/therapeutic uses; (ii) a formulation comprising an aqueous solution of a volatile fraction (VF) prepared from the extract of at least one plant derived material and its therapeutic uses; (iii) a process of manufacturing the formulation from the plant derived material; (iv) a probiotic composition comprising the non-pathogenic probiotic microorganism of the invention and/or other probiotic microorganism(s) and the formulation of the invention, and its probiotic/therapeutic uses; (v) a composition for industrial applications comprising the formulation of the invention and microorganism(s) of industrial applicability; and (vi) industrial processes and apparatuses in which the latter composition is used.

Abstract: A wide angle directed reflector is disclosed. The directed reflector includes a lenticular layer including at least one array of lenslets, each of which having a focal length, The directed reflector further includes a reflective layer which is disposed relative to the lenticular layer. The lenticular layer and the reflective layer are constructed, designed and relatively disposed such that light incident at an angle of incidence on the lenticular layer is reflected by the reflective layer and redirected through the lenticular layer at a substantially constant angle relative to the angle of incidence.

Abstract: The present invention discloses: (i) a non-pathogenic probiotic microorganism and its probiotic/therapeutic uses; (ii) a formulation comprising an. aqueous solution of a volatile fraction (VF) prepared from the extract of at least one plant derived material and its therapeutic uses; (iii) a process of manufacturing the formulation from the plant derived material; (iv) a probiotic composition comprising the non-pathogenic probiotic microorganism of the invention and/or other probiotic microorganism(s) and the formulation of the invention, and its probiotic/therapeutic uses; (v) a composition for industrial applications comprising the formulation of the invention and microorganism(s) of industrial applicability; and (vi) industrial processes and apparatuses in which the latter composition is used.

Abstract: A contour mapping system useful as a spine analyzer includes a probe for application to a user's hand with the outer tip of at least one finger of the hand movable along the outer surface of the object (e.g., a person's spine) whose contour is to be mapped. A position sensor is carried by the probe and is movable therewith, and with the user's hand, as the user's finger moves along the outer surface of the object. The system further includes a position tracking system for tracking the movement of the position sensor as the probe is moved with the user's hand along the outer surface of the object.

Abstract: The present invention discloses: (i) a non-pathogenic probiotic microorganism and its probiotic/therapeutic uses; (ii) a formulation comprising an aqueous solution of a volatile fraction (VF) prepared from the extract of at least one plant derived material and its therapeutic uses; (iii) a process of manufacturing the formulation from the plant derived material; (iv) a probiotic composition comprising the non-pathogenic probiotic microorganism of the invention and/or other probiotic microorganism(s) and the formulation of the invention, and its probiotic/therapeutic uses; (v) a composition for industrial applications comprising the formulation of the invention and microorganism(s) of industrial applicability; and (vi) industrial processes and apparatuses in which the latter composition is used.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating waste, particularly all types of medical waste, to facilitate its disposition includes a treatment vessel having an open top pivotal within a housing to a waste-loading position with its open top aligned with the housing inlet for receiving the waste, a waste-treating position for shredding the waste by a shredder unit disposed within the treatment vessel, and a waste-removing position with its open top aligned with the housing outlet for removing the shredded waste. The apparatus further include a compactor head for compacting the waste within the treatment vessel, a water feed line, and a disinfectant feed line, for feeding water and a disinfectant into the treatment vessel, for mixing with the waste while it is being compacted and shredded.

Abstract: Optical apparatus includes a source light a reflector having a reflecting face on one side facing the source of light to receive light therefrom, a small interruption in the reflecting face, and a sampling device located on the opposite side of the reflector aligned with the small interruption for extracting a sample of the light received by the reflecting face.

Abstract: A method for highly accurate, high speed, multi-slice density and moisture content measurements and calculations of homogeneous or non-homogeneous fibrous material, using a microwave resonator device and computer algorithms. The device is comprised of a cylindrical microwave resonator, including two cutoff waveguides, internal corrective pieces, a teflon tube, signal input and output ports, alternative microwave sources, alternative signal receivers, temperature sensor and optional moisture sensor, and computerized processing and display units. The method comprises passing fibrous material, located in-line of a production process, through the resonator, wherein the fibrous material is scanned with a sweeping range of microwave frequencies, in a continuous, real time, and multi-slice mode. The presence of the fibrous material causes resonance frequency shifts and changes in resonator quality, which are proportional to, and used in calculations of, material density and moisture content, respectively.

Abstract: A finger-guided suture device is disclosed. The device includes a thimble-like element to surround a portion of a finger and an ejectable substantially semi-circular surgical needle for collecting retaining and guiding a surgical suture via a distal portion of the needle upon contact. Also included is a mechanism for ejecting the needle from, and withdrawing the needle into, the thimble-like element, so as to place a suture. Also disclosed are surgical methods employing the device.

Abstract: A device for performing a biological modification of a fluid, the device includes (a) a chamber having an inlet for intake of the fluid and an outlet for outflow of the fluid; and (b) a collection of micro-organ cultures of at least one organ for performing the biological modification of the fluid, each individual micro-organ culture of the collection including cells and having dimensions, such that cells positioned deepest within the individual micro-organ culture are at least about 100 micrometers and not more than about 225 micrometers away from a nearest surface of the individual micro-organ culture, thereby in vivo organ architecture (organ structure) of organ units (e.g., acinus of liver) is maintained within each individual micro-organ culture, the collection of micro-organ cultures being located within the chamber and the collection of micro-organ cultures being in contact with at least a portion of the fluid flowing through the chamber.

Abstract: A pipe coupling includes a housing and a conical split ring which is compressed to firmly clamp a pipe received within the housing. The opposite ends of the split ring defining the split are laterally offset from each other such as to permit the split ring to be compressed to substantially decrease its internal diameter, by the offset ends moving in overlapping relation to each other, thereby enabling the split ring to clamp pipes having a wide range of outer diameters.

Abstract: A method for in-situ focus-fusion multi-layer spectral imaging and analysis of depth dependent particulate samples. A unique method of focus-fusion is applied to focused and defocused images acquired from multi-layer spectral imaging of a depth dependent particulate sample, in order to construct fused focused cube spectral image representations of the imaged particles, thereby generating a focused image of essentially each particle in the sample.

Abstract: A preparation containing an enzymatically inactive form of heparanase, said enzymatically inactive form of heparanase being cleavable into an enzimatically active form of heparanase.

Abstract: A method of rendering a surface protected bacteria more susceptible to an anti-bacterial agent effected by subjecting the bacteria to a glycosaminoglycans degrading enzyme.

Abstract: A cooking appliance particularly useful as a multi-function toaster oven includes an impaling member in its cooking compartment for impaling a food article to be grilled, and horizontally-extending electrical heaters above and below the impaling member, which electrical heaters are sequentially energized and de-energized according to a predetermined sequence to produce a rotating heat front for heating the food article on the impaling member. The appliance may also include shelf supports for removably supporting one or more wire-screen shelves to enable the appliance also to be used as a toaster oven, a broiler oven, and/or a microwave heater to enable the appliance also to be used as a microwave oven.