Abstract: Disclosed is a process for identifying compounds having a specified activity of interest, which process comprises (i) introducing interacting molecules into a host cell under conditions to generate or repress a detectable signal; and (ii) introducing a third compound or gene or genes encoding a third compound into the host cell from (i); and (iii) screening said host cell utilizing a method for detecting the inhibition or enhancement of interaction of proteins or other molecules in an in vivo or in vitro system. Another aspect of the present invention provides a process for identifying compounds of interest, which process comprises (i) generating one or more expression libraries derived from nucleic acid directly isolated from the environment; and (ii) screening said libraries utilizing a method for detecting the inhibition or enhancement of interaction of proteins or other molecules in an in vivo or in vitro system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for reserving data channels in an optical burst-switched network. A data channel (or a multiple of data channels) along an optical path in an optical burst-switched network is reserved by first transmitting a data channel reservation request from an electronic ingress edge router to a reservation termination node. Next, the data channel reservation request is processed at all nodes along the optical path, including the reservation termination node. A data channel reservation acknowledgement is then transmitted from the reservation termination node to the electronic ingress edge router. Finally, the data channel path is reserved once an initial burst(s) which contains a reserve data channel bit reaches the reservation termination node.

Abstract: A high speed phase detector utilizes an integrated XOR/MUX circuit having a higher bandwidth and lower power than conventional designs. The XOR/MUX circuit combines the functionality of an XOR device in series with a multiplexer in a manner that increases the bandwidth of the function. In a practical implementation, the XOR/MUX circuit includes an XOR arrangement having a plurality of transistors implemented at a first transistor level and a plurality of transistors implemented at a second transistor level. The XOR/MUX circuit also includes transistors implemented at a third transistor level; these transistors are utilized by the multiplexer feature of the circuit.

Abstract: A tag is attached to an unlicensed object indicating that a user does not have an appropriate license for using the object. The tag partially obscures the object while allowing the object to function as a licensed object. The tag may be indicia that indicates the unlicensed status of the object. Drawings created with unlicensed objects may also be partially obscured with a tag.

Abstract: A linear array of light emitting diodes with a lens stripe for evenly illuminating signs, which includes a linear array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for producing a light output, and an elongated lens stripe. The linear array of LEDs includes an elongated mounting member and a plurality of LEDs mounted along the length of the mounting member. The elongated lens stripe is attached to the linear array of LEDs, and includes a reflector portion and a lens portion. The reflector portion has two elongated and opposing side walls that form an elongated channel. The side walls are light reflective. The LEDs are disposed inside the channel. The channel side walls reflect the light output from the LEDs toward the elongated open end of the channel. The lens portion has an elongated lens disposed along the open end of the channel for focusing the light output from the LEDs.

Abstract: The present invention is a three-dimensional tapered waveguide coupler capable of interconnecting electro-optical devices with differing optical mode profiles. The ends of the waveguide are configured to match the optical mode profiles of the electro-optical devices that the waveguide interconnects. The waveguide adiabatically transmits the fundamental mode of the photo-optic signal from the electro-optical device at the waveguide's input end to a different electro-optical device at the waveguide's output end. A single coupler can be configured with one or more waveguides, each waveguide having different optical mode profiles at either end and different optical transmission characteristics.

Abstract: A purified thermostable enzyme is derived from the archael bacterium Thermococcus GU5L5. The enzyme has a molecular weight of about 68.5 kilodaltons and has cellulase activity. The enzyme can be produced from native or recombinant host cells and can be used for the removal of arginine, phenylalanine, or methionine amino acids from the N-terminal end of peptides in peptide or peptidomimetic synthesis. The enzyme is selective for the L, or ‘natural’ enantiomer of the amino acid derivatives and is therefore useful for the production of optically active compounds. These reactions can be performed in the presence of the chemically more reactive ester functionally, a step which is very difficult to achieve with nonenzymatic methods.

Abstract: Growth differentiation factor Lefty-1 polypeptide and polynucleotides are provided herein. Also disclosed are diagnostic and therapeutic methods of using the Lefty-1 polypeptide and polynucleotide sequences.

Abstract: An antenna for use at UHF and upwards has a cylindrical ceramic core with a relative dielectric constant of at least 5. A three-dimensional radiating element structure, including helical antenna elements on the cylindrical surface of the core and connecting radial elements on a distal end face of the core, is formed by conductor tracks plated directly on the core surfaces. At the distal end face, the elements are connected to an axially located feed structure in a plated axial passage of the core. The antenna elements are grounded on a plated sleeve covering a proximal part of the core which, in conjunction with the feeder structure, forms an integral balun for matching to an unbalanced feeder. Since the ceramic core fills the major part of the interior volume defined by the radiating element structure, the antenna is very much smaller than an air-cored antenna.

Abstract: A differential signal current-mode logic (CML) circuit is provided which provides an equal delay output. Convention differential logic CML circuits have upper stage and lower stage transistors pairs. Input signals that are provided to the lower stage are necessarily delayed with respect to inputs provided to the upper stage. The present invention provides parallel upper stage sections so that each input signal is translated to the output through the same number of transistors. Thus, the delay associated with each input signal is made equal. Specific examples of exclusive OR, OR, and AND circuits are provided.

Abstract: Growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9) is disclosed along with its polynucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence. Also disclosed are diagnostic and therapeutic methods of using the GDF-9 polypeptide and polynucleotide sequences.

Abstract: A universal track interface stores a plurality of pre-defined track types for automatically configuring the interface according to the required timing, electrical and hardware configuration for a plurality of different tracks used in semiconductor processing operations. To interface a pump to a track, a predefined track type, comprising interface parameters stored in a track table, is accessed by a microprocessor and used to generate control signals for configuring the interface. An operator input device allows custom interfaces to be defined and stored in the table for use as needed to interface either to non-standard tracks or to vary this track interface according to processing requirements.

Abstract: The present invention provides rat connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), means for producing CTGF and therapeutic methods for using CTGF or derivatives therof. The invention further provides methods for modulating the activity of CTGF and methods for ameliorating a cell proliferative disorder associated with CTGF.

Abstract: A class of cationic, polyphemusin-like peptides having antimicrobial activity is provided. Examples of such peptides include FRWCFRVCYKGRCRYKCR (SEQ ID NO:3), RRWCFRVCYKGFCRYKCR (SEQ ID NO:4), and RRWCFRVCYRGRFCYRKCR (SEQ ID NO:11). Also provided are methods for inhibiting the growth of microbes such as bacteria, yeast and viruses utilizing the peptides of the invention. The peptides are particularly useful for inhibiting endotoxemia in a subject.

Abstract: A novel class of cationic peptides having antimicrobial activity is provided. Examples of such peptides include NH2-KWKSFIKKLTTAVKKVLTTGLPALIS-COOH (SEQ ID NO:1) and NH2-KWKSFIKKLTSAAKKVVTTAKPLISS-COOH (SEQ ID NO:2). Also provided are methods for inhibiting the growth of bacteria utilizing the peptides of the invention. The peptides are particularly useful for inhibiting endotoxemia in a subject.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for bypassing defective cache memory locations on-board a microprocessor integrated circuit chip, which includes a processor, a cache memory, a store buffer, a tag RAM, and a comparator. The cache memory has a plurality of valid cache memory locations and at least one defective cache memory location. The store buffer has buffer entries and redundancy entries for storing data sent by the processor for storage in the cache memory. The tag RAM has buffer tag entries for storing addresses of data stored in the buffer entries and redundancy tag entries that store addresses of defective cache memory locations in the cache memory. The comparator compares addresses of data sent by the processor for cache memory storage with addresses stored in the redundancy tag entries.

Abstract: A material is provided for the first shield and/or second shield/first pole piece layer of a merged MR head. The material employed is nickel cobalt (Ni70Co30) (wt. %) or a nickel iron cobalt alloy. In a second shield/first pole piece layer a further preferred embodiment is first and second layers wherein the first layer is nickel cobalt or a nickel iron cobalt alloy and the second layer is a laminate of a high magnetic material, such as iron nitride (FeN) laminated with aluminum oxide (Al2O3). The nickel cobalt or nickel iron cobalt alloy layers have a higher intrinsic anisotropic (HK) and can better withstand the processing fields employed during the various annealing steps in the construction of the head. Accordingly, the magnetic domains of the first and second shield layers do not change position from a desired parallel position to the ABS.

Abstract: A dense data-set mining system and method is provided that directly exploits all user-specified constraints including minimum support, minimum confidence, and a new constraint, known as minimum gap, which prunes any rule having conditions that do not contribute to its predictive accuracy. The method maintains efficiency even at low supports on data that is dense in the sense that many items appear with high frequency (e.g. relational data).

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture employing lexicon reduction using key characters and a neural network, for recognizing a line of cursive text. Unambiguous parts of a cursive image, referred to as “key characters,” are identified. If the level of confidence that a segment of a line of cursive text is a particular character is higher than a threshold, and is also sufficiently higher than the level of confidence of neighboring segments, then the character is designated as a key character candidate. Key character candidates are then screened using geometric information. The key character candidates that pass the screening are designated key characters. Two-stages of lexicon reduction are employed. The first stage of lexicon reduction uses a neural network to estimate a lower bound and an upper bound of the number of characters in a line of cursive text. Lexicon entries having a total number of characters outside of the bounds are eliminated.

Abstract: A high magnetization, high resistivity, low corrosion and near zero magnetostriction soft adjacent layer (SAL) is provided for a magnetoresistive (MR) sensor of a read head. The MR sensor may either be an anisotropic MR (AMR) sensor or a spin valve sensor. In both sensors the SAL is CoHfNb or CoHfNbFe. The Hf is added to reduce corrosion and the Hf and Nb are balanced to provide near zero magnetostriction. The addition of Fe is an enhancer for reducing negative magnetostriction without diluting the magnetism of the alloy. Since CoHfNb has significantly higher magnetization than NiFeCr the SAL layer of CoHfNb can be thinner than the SAL of NiFeCr which results in a significantly higher resistance SAL. The higher resistance SAL equates to less shunting of the sense current through the SAL and better signal performance of the MR read head.