Abstract: An apparatus for depositing thin films on a plurality of substrates has a vacuum chamber, a source of the material or materials to be deposited as the thin film, a source of energy for causing the material to be vaporized, and mechanical apparatus for imparting super-planetary and planetary motion to each substrate while the substrate is exposed to the vapors of the material. When a predetermined thickness of the film on any given substrate is reached the super-planetary motion is halted and only planetary motion and spinning are continued for the given substrate. During this process the thickness of the film being deposited is monitored accurately by an optical instrument having a linear axis of measurement which coincides with the center of the orbiting planetary motion of the substrate and is on the substrate itself.

Abstract: A composition comprising (a) soy protein, (b) a phytoestrogen compound, and (c) dietary fibers. The soy protein (a) is present in an amount of at least 45 weight percent of the total protein content of the composition, said total protein content providing at least 15 percent of the total energy content of the composition. The phytoestrogen compound (b) is preferably a naturally occuring isoflavone and is present in an amount of more than 0.10 weight percent of the soy protein, and the dietary fibers (c) are preferably soybean fibers and are present in an amount of more than 4 weight percent of the total weight of the nutritional composition on a dry basis. The composition is useful in lowering serum cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol and serum triglyceride levels and for increasing the HDL/LDL-cholesterol ratio in serum of a subject suffering from arteriosclerosis and related cardiovascular diseases.

Abstract: A process for preparing pliable soft tissue specimen which are resistant to cracking and devoid of viable cells includes the steps of treating native soft tissue obtained from a donor by a gradually increasing gradient of aliphatic alcohol or other suitable water miscible polar organic solvent until the last alcohol (or other solvent) solution has at least 25% by volume of the organic liquid. Thereafter, the tissue specimen is treated with a solution containing glycerol or low molecular weight (<1000 D) polyethylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol of a molecular weight between approximately 6,000 to 15,000 D and heparin. Thereafter, the tissue specimen is briefly immersed in aqueous heparin solution, frozen and lyophilized. The tissue specimen is suitable for implantation as a homograft or xenograft, with or without rehydration.

Abstract: Plant phenolics are extracted from macerated fruits and vegetables, particularly from apple peels and apple cores, by agitating the macerated fruit material with hot water of sufficiently high temperature to deactivate naturally present polyphenol oxidase enzyme. The aqueous extract of plant phenolics is separated from the bulk of solid fruit material by physical means, such as filtration. The aqueous extract is treated with pectinase enzyme to remove substantially all pectin, where after the pectinase enzyme is deactivated by heat. The plant phenolics are adsorbed from the depectinized aqueous extract by treatment with solid polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) adsorbent, and the plant phenolics are eluted from the adsorbent by treatment with a nutritionally acceptable base, such as sodium hydroxide.

Abstract: A boat has one or more jet pumps with appropriate water intakes and jet nozzles to drive the boat and one or more outboard motors to drive the boat. The boat may also have one or more hydroplane fins allowing the hull of the boat to be lifted out of the water for fast hydroplaning motion. The hydroplane fins are extendable and retractable and the one or more jet pumps and/or outboard motors are movably mounted and can be lowered so as to be disposed below the water level in efficient operating position even when the hydroplane fins are extended and the hull of the boat is lifted out of the water for fast hydroplaning motion.

Abstract: Compounds of the formula where the variables have the meaning defined in the specification, which bind specifically or selectively to to RAR&agr; retinoid receptors.

Abstract: Compounds of the formula where the symbols are as defined in the specification, have retinoid agonist, antagonist or negative hormone-like biological activity.

Abstract: Compounds having Formula 4 wherein the symbols have the meaning defined in the specification are inhibitors of the cytochrome P450RAI (retinoic acid inducible) enzyme, and are used for treating diseases responsive to treatment by retinoids

Abstract: An isolator bar of acoustic instruments used in downhole applications is made of a substantially cylindrical tube of metal of the type from which downhole instrument housing is usually made. A plurality of slots are placed in the tube at angles which are between 10 to 80° angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube. The isolator bar is equipped with traditional mechanical means with which it is incorporated in the acoustic instrument, placed between an acoustic transducer and an acoustic sensor or sensors utilized in the instrument. The angled slots cause sound waves traveling through the isolator bar to travel through multiple and extended path to the acoustic sensor, without significantly weakening the structural strength of the isolator bar.

Abstract: Prodrugs of the pyridyl methyl sulfinyl benzimidazole type proton pump inhibitor drugs have a hydrolyzable arylsulfonyl or heteroarylsulfonyl group attached to the benzimidazole nitrogen. The prodrugs of the invention hydrolyze under physiological conditions to provide the proton pump inhibitors with a half life measurable in hours, and are capable of providing sustained plasma concentrations of the proton pump inhibitor drugs for longer time than presently used drugs. The generation of the proton pump inhibitor drugs from the prodrugs of the invention under physiological conditions allows for more effective treatment of several diseases and conditions caused by gastric acid secretion.

Abstract: Compounds of the formula where the symbols have the meaning described in the application, have retinoid-like or retinoid antagonist-like biological activity.

Abstract: Retinoid compounds which act specifically or selectively on RAR&agr; receptor subtypes in preference over RAR&bgr; and RAR&Ggr; receptor subtypes, possess desirable pharmaceutical properties associated with retinoids, and are particularly suitable for treatment of tumors, such as acute monocytic leukemia, cervical carcinoma, myeloma, ovarian carcinomas and head and neck carcinomas, without having one or more undesirable side effects of retinoids, such as inducement of weight loss, mucocutaneous toxicity, skin irritation and teratogenecity.

Abstract: Compounds of formula (i) and of formula (ii) wherein the symbols have the meaning disclosed in the specification, specifically or selectively modulate &agr;2B and/or &agr;2C adrenergic receptors in preference over &agr;2A adrenergic receptors, and as such are useful for alleviating chronic pain and allodynia and have no or only minimal cardivascular and/or sedatory activity.

Abstract: Compounds having Formula 1 wherein the symbols have the meaning defined in the specification are inhibitors of the cytochrome P450RAI (retinoic acid inducible) enzyme, and are used for treating diseases responsive to treatment by retinoids.

Abstract: Aryl-substituted and aryl and (3-oxo-1-propenly)-substituted benzopyran, benzothiopyran, 1,2-dihydroquinoline, and 5,6-dihydronaphthalene derivatives have retinoid negative hormone and/or antagonist-like biological activities. The invented RAR antagonists can be administered to mammals, including humans, for the purpose of preventing or diminishing action of RAR agonists on the bound receptor sites. Specifically, the RAR agonists are administered or coadministered with retinoid drugs to prevent or ameliorate toxicity or side effects caused by retinoids or vitamin A or vitamin A precursors. The retinoid negative hormones can be used to potentiate the activities of other retinoids and nuclear receptor agonists. For example, the retinoid negative hormone called AGN 193109 effectively increased the effectiveness of other retinoids and steroid hormones in in vitro transactivation assays. Additionally, transactivation assays can be used to identify compounds having negative hormone activity.

Abstract: Plant phenolics are extracted from macerated fruits and vegetables, particularly from apple peels and apple cores, by agitating the macerated fruit material with an organic solvent that is acceptable in the food processing industry. After extraction and removal of the bulk of the solid fruit material the solvent is concentrated by distillation to provide a crude concentrate. Undissolved solids are separated from the crude concentrate the liquid portion of which is mixed with a carrier and spray dried to provide a solid concentrate of plant phenolics. Solids which had been removed from the crude concentrate are agitated with water to provide, after filtration, a clear aqueous concentrate of plant phenolics.

Abstract: A composition comprising (a) soy protein, (b) a phytoestrogen compound, and (c) dietary fibers. The soy protein (a) is present in an amount of at least 45 weight percent of the total protein content of the composition, said total protein content providing at least 15% of the total energy content of the composition. The phytoestrogen compound (b) is preferably a naturally occurring isoflavone and is present in an amount of more than 0.10 weight percent of the soy protein, and the dietary fibers (c) are preferably soybean fibers and are present in an amount of more than 4 weight percent of the total weight of the nutritional composition on a dry basis. The composition is useful for treating pulmonary diseases.

Abstract: Novel compounds having the Formulas 1 through 8, wherein the symbols have the meaning defined in the specification, and certain previously known compounds have been discovered to act as inhibitors of the cytochrome P450RAI (retinoic acid inducible) enzyme, and are used for treating diseases responsive to treatment by retinoids. The compound can also be used in co-treatment with retinoids.

Abstract: A pair of templates form a mold for substantially flat biological membranes to shape the membrane into a configuration that, after trimming of excess tissue, is adapted for forming a replacement aortic, pulmonary, tricuspid or mitral heart valve. Each template has three members joined to another laterally, with each member configured to form, together with its mating member, the mold for one leaflet or cusp of the replacement heart valve. The negative template has concave surfaces for each member and the positive template has convex surfaces which mate with the concave surfaces of the first template. Each of the templates is made of thin, shell like material and has beveled edges. The biological membrane is placed between the mating convex and concave surfaces of the two templates assembled to one another to form the membrane into the configuration of the three leaflets of the replacement heart valve.

Abstract: Aryl-substituted and aryl and (3-oxo-1-propenly)-substituted benzopyran, benzothiopyran, 1,2-dihydroquinoline, and 5,6-dihydronaphthalene derivatives have retinoid negative hormone and/or antagonist-like biological activities. The invented RAR antagonists can be administered to mammals, including humans, for the purpose of preventing or diminishing action of RAR agonists on the bound receptor sites. Specifically, the RAR agonists are administered or coadministered with retinoid drugs to prevent or ameliorate toxicity or side effects caused by retinoids or vitamin A or vitamin A precursors. The retinoid negative hormones can be used to potentiate the activities of other retinoids and nuclear receptor agonists. For example, the retinoid negative hormone called AGN 193109 effectively increased the effectiveness of other retinoids and steroid hormones in in vitro transactivation assays. Additionally, transactivation assays can be used to identify compounds having negative hormone activity.