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 novel class of cationic peptides having antimicrobial activity is provided. Exemplary peptides of the invention include KWKSFIKKLTSAAKKVVTTAKPLALIS (SEQ ID NO: 3) and KGWGSFFKKAAHVGKHVGKAALTHYL (SEQ ID NO: 15). Also provided are methods for inhibiting the growth of bacteria utilizing the peptides of the invention. Such methods are useful for the treatment of respiratory infections, such as in cystic fibrosis patients. Such methods are further useful for accelerating wound healing.

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 transimpedance amplifier according to the present invention is designed for high-speed fiber optic communications. The transimpedance amplifier preferably includes an input stage, a second stage and a bias generator. The input stage is operably coupled to the second stage and has an input impedance. The second stage has an output impedance. The bias generator is operably coupled to the input stage and the second stage, and operates to bias the input stage and second stage such that the input impedance substantially matches the output impedance. In this manner, the input and output impedances of a transimpedance amplifier of a fiber optics communication receiver are controllable to a desired impedance for interfacing with a transmission line.

Abstract: The voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) of the present invention generally includes a energy storage circuit portion, an oscillator operably connected to the energy storage circuit portion, a varactor connected to the oscillator and energy storage circuit portion, and an amplitude controller that is operably connected to the energy storage circuit portion, oscillator, and varactor. The energy storage circuit portion includes an inductance and a capacitance. The oscillator provides an oscillating output signal having a frequency and an amplitude. The varactor has a capacitance and receives an input signal having a varying level. The capacitance of the varactor varies according to the level of the input signal. The amplitude controller sets the amplitude of the oscillating output signal. Meanwhile, the inductance of the energy storage circuit portion, the capacitance of the energy storage circuit portion, and the varying capacitance of the varactor are used to set the frequency of the oscillating output signal.

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.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for electrochemical detection and localization of genetic point mutations and other base-stacking perturbations within oligonucleotide duplexes adsorbed onto electrodes and their use in biosensing technologies are described. An intercalative, redox-active moiety (such as an intercalator or nucleic acid-binding protein) is adhered and/or crosslinked to immobilized DNA duplexes at different separations from an electrode and probed electrochemically in the presence or absence of a non-intercalative, redox-active moiety. Interruptions in DNA-mediated electron-transfer caused by base-stacking perturbations, such as mutations or binding of a protein to its recognition site are reflected in a difference in electrical current, charge and/or potential.

Abstract: A process for image analysis which includes selecting a number M of images, forming a model graph from each of the number of images, such that each model has a number N of nodes, assembling the model graphs into a gallery, and mapping the gallery of model graphs into an associated bunch graph by using average distance vectors &Dgr;ij for the model graphs as edge vectors in the associated bunch graph. A number M of jets is associated with each node of the associated bunch graph, and at least one jet is labeled with an attribute characteristic of one of the number of images. An elastic graph matching procedure is performed wherein the graph similarity function is replaced by a bunch-similarity function.

Abstract: A magnetron sputtering system is provided that uses cooling channels in the magnetron assembly to cool the target. The magnetron sputtering system also generates low pressure region in the magnetron assembly such that the backing plate sees a pressure differential much lower than atmospheric pressure. In one embodiment, the backing plate includes a center post to support the backing plate during operation. The backing plate is reduced in thickness and provides less of a barrier to the generated magnetic field.

Abstract: A moving object identification method (10) for identifying and tracing an object (20) within a video image (14) such that the object (20) can act as a hot spot (30) as for an interactive computer/user interface (70). A plurality of tags (28) define the edges (26) of the object (20) and a plurality of hot spot borders (32) define the hot spot (30) such that the hot spot (30) and the object (20) generally coincide. A physical tag (28b) is optionally used to position the tags (28). Sensitivity to disappearance of the edges (26) is adjustable according to the relative size of a subtag (68) to the corresponding tag (28).

Abstract: A gene, mcl-1, of the bcl-2 family is disclosed along with its nucleotide and amino acid sequence. Also disclosed are diagnostic and therapeutic methods of utilizing the mcl-1 nucleotide and polypeptide sequences.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device having emitter follower outputs with adjustable output currents includes a variable bias generator that produces a bias voltage. The bias voltage is connected to the bases of current source transistors in order to program the output currents. The variable bias generator is connected to an electrical connection area of the integrated circuit device. An external programming circuit can be connected to the electrical connection area in order to set the bias voltage, to thereby program the desired amount of current in the output current sources. The external programming circuit typically can be a resistance or an external voltage source. The variable bias generator can be any of a number of circuits that produce a bias voltage that is dependent upon the external programming circuit connected to the electrical connection area.

Abstract: A system and method for preventing time-walking in a digital switching network when switching from a first clock to a second clock. The first and second clock can be identical in frequency and independent in phase, where the highest resolution frequency available is that of said first and second clock. The system can include a clock divider selection circuit, an enhanced digital phase aligner, and a clock select control circuit. The clock divider selection circuit can output an on-line divided clock and an off-line clock to the enhanced digital phase aligner. The enhanced digital phase aligner can sample the on-line divided clock with four phases of the off-line clock and output an off-line divided clock which is time shifted such that the off-line divided clock is in phase with the on-line divided clock within plus or minus one-half the clock period of the off-line clock.

Abstract: A system and method for output power controlled stabilizing system comprises a wavelength limiter which minimizes the wavelength variation of a laser signal light. The wavelength limiter comprises a first and second clamping circuit. The first clamping circuit receives an offset voltage, compares the offset voltage to a first predetermined reference voltage, and outputs the voltage difference between the offset voltage and the first predetermined reference voltage. If the offset voltage rises higher than the first predetermined reference voltage, the first clamping circuit then clamps and keeps the power of the output power controlled wavelength stabilizing system from increasing. The second clamping circuit receives the offset voltage, compares the offset voltage to a second predetermined reference voltage, and outputs the voltage difference between the offset voltage and the second predetermined reference voltage.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rapid and facilitated method of producing from a parental template polynucleotide, a set of mutagenized progeny polynucleotides whereby at each original codon position there is produced at least one substitute codon encoding each of the 20 naturally encoded amino acids. Accordingly, there is also provided a method of producing from a parental template polypeptide, a set of mutagenized progeny polypeptides wherein each of the 20 naturally encoded amino acids is represented at each original amino acid position. The method provided is termed site-saturation mutagenesis, or simply saturation mutagenesis, and can be used in combination with other mutagenization processes, such as, for example, a process wherein two or more related polynucleotides are introduced into a suitable host cell such that a hybrid polynucleotide is generated by recombination and reductive reassortment.