Abstract: A wireless time-of-flight distance measurement device and/or a motion detector is used at each of a plurality of stations in a wireless network in an enclosed facility to accurately locate a badge-wearing person near the station. The location, badge number and time of detection are transmitted through the network and stored in a computer memory. In a health care facility, hand-washing detectors are located at some of the stations and caused to energize a hand-wash status indicator light on the badge when the wearer has washed his or her hands. The light remains “on” for only a certain length of time, but will be extinguished sooner by a monitor device near each patient when the health care worker leaves the vicinity of the patient. These events also are transmitted and stored so that a timed record of each worker's hand-washing and visits to patients is created.

Abstract: The cosmetic topical formulation of this invention is directed toward diminishing skin wrinkling, fine line, improving skin tone, and combinations thereof. Preferably, the topical formulation contains a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, MMPI, and advantageously includes a natural estrogen, e.g., a true estrogen compound, such as 17-beta estradiol, or an estrogen-like steroid, (such as various phytoestrogens found in herbal preparations), as opposed to a synthetic estrogen. Other forms of the cosmetic topical formulation of this invention include combinations of synthetic estrogen and MMP inhibitor. Exemplary synthetic estrogens include, but are not limited to, ethinyl estradiol and clomiphine citrate. The cosmetic topical formulation is safe and effective diminishing wrinkling, and improving skin tone.

Abstract: This invention relates to implants useful as stents for opening or strengthening biological conduits, or as grafts or conduits for replacing or connecting portions of biological tissues having a lumen. Accordingly, the implants of this invention may be applied in portions of the peripheral and coronary vascular system, biliary, urinary, esophageal, digestive, ocular, tracheal, bronchial, reproductive, and neural systems. The implant comprises a segment of bone having a lumen through at least a part thereof, and wherein at least a portion of the implant is demineralized so as to be pliable.

Abstract: The invention claims a class of adenovirus vectors for delivering recombinases to a large number of cells of different origins, and methods for regulating the expression of a gene in transfected mammalian cells in culture and in cells of transgenic animals, comprising infecting said cells with an Ad vector encoding a recombinase whose target site is present at or adjacent to the gene, wherein the action of the recombinase regulates the expression of said gene.

Abstract: An interference screw is provided by machining a fragment of autograft or allograft cortical bone from a donor or from a recipient's amputated bone. The interference screw has a cortical surface into which a self-tapping thread is machined. The interference screw has a machined pointed, rounded or flush end and an opposite machined end which mates with a drive means, and has advantages over conventional interference screws known in the art in that subsequent to implantation, no residual hardware that must later be removed remains at the implant site.

Abstract: The bone grinder of this invention is capable of consistently producing ground bone particles of varying particle sizes, depending on the grinder head employed. The device provides the ability to easily interchange grinder heads according to the needs of a surgeon and the novel grinder head design optimizes the use of available bone stock by cutting the bone rather than crushing the bone.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for making adenovirus cloning vectors which contain a recombinase target site that is useful for the insertion of selected foreign proteins.

Abstract: This method for non-invasively, rapidly and simply distinguishing between allergies, viral infections and sinusitis involves testing nasal secretions, preferably with commercially available (Ames Division, Miles Laboratories, Inc., Elkhart, Ind. 46515; or from Boehringer Mannheim Corporation, Advanced Diagnostics, 9115 Hague Road, P.O. Box 50457, Indianapolis, Ind. 46250-0457) or novel, modified reagent test strips. The commercially available strips, also referred to as dipsticks, test for pH, protein, nitrite, glucose, ketone, white blood cell esterase, bilirubin and blood. In the method of this invention, a sample of a patient's nasal secretions is tested and, based on the pH, amount of protein, nitrite, esterase and a measure of eosinophil infiltration, it can quickly be determined if the patient is suffering from an allergy, from a viral infection or a bacterial infection. The method has the potential to supplant much more expensive and invasive clinical procedures.

Abstract: DNA fragments from Porphyromonas gingivalis which express proteins that elicit anti-P. gingivalis immunologic responses are described. Microorganisms, genetically modified to express P. gingivalis antigens, are provided. Also disclosed are probes, vaccines, and monoclonal antibodies for the detection and prevention of periodontal disease.

Abstract: DNA fragments from Porphyromonas gingivalis which express proteins that elicit anti-P. gingivalis immunologic responses are described. Microorganisms, genetically modified to express P. gingivalis antigens, are provided. Also disclosed are probes, vaccines, and monoclonal antibodies for the detection and prevention of periodontal disease.

Abstract: A dowel is provided by obtaining a plug from the shaft (diaphysis) of various long bones. The dowel has an intra-medullary canal which can be packed with any of a variety of osteogenic materials. The dowel has a cortical surface into which an instrument attachment hole may be machined and onto which an alignment mark may be inscribed for proper orientation of the intra-medullary canal. The dowel has a chamfered insertion end and has improved biomechanical and vertebral fusion induction properties as compared to standard dowels known in the art.

Abstract: A method and device processes multi-channel audio signals, each channel corresponding to a loudspeaker placed in a particular location in a room, in such a way as to create, over headphones, the sensation of multiple "phantom" loudspeakers placed throughout the room. Head Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs) are chosen according to the elevation and azimuth of each intended loudspeaker relative to the listener, each channel being filtered with an HRTF such that when combined into left and right channels and played over headphones, the listener senses that the sound is actually produced by phantom loudspeakers placed throughout the "virtual" room. A database collection of sets of HRTF coefficients from numerous individuals and subsequent matching of the best HRTF set to the individual listener provides the listener with listening sensations similar to that which the listener, as an individual, would experience when listening to multiple loudspeakers placed throughout the room.

Abstract: A conjugate immunogen, having polysaccharide moieties derived from bacterial sources, provides a multivalent vaccine with a low protein to polysaccharide ratio. The vaccine reduces complications associated with injection of protein immunogens due to pyrogenic responses, such as swelling and pain, and is particularly suitable for administration to infants.

Abstract: A live, attenuated varicella zoster virus vaccine is produced with enhanced yield of VZV. The new process makes mass production of a live VZV vaccine more practical.

Abstract: A culture medium containing no complex animal components is useful for production of bacteria and inoculum development from which pharmaceutically important products are to be isolated.

Abstract: A process for converting lipid-containing bacterial capsular polysaccharide, such as lipo-polyribosyl ribitol phosphate, lipo-PRP, into lipid-free, endotoxin-free polysaccharide, such as polyribosyl ribitol phosphate, PRP, by solubilizing polysaccharide-containing powder derived from culture media of bacteria, such as Haemophilus influenzae type b, cleaving covalently bound fatty acids from the polysaccharide, and removing the lipids, and endotoxin.

Abstract: A vaccine strain of varicella-zoster virus (VZV), tested in clinical trials, is capable of preventing chickenpox in children. This virus has been modified by the introduction into its genome of heterologous DNA which encodes an immunogenic polypeptide of another human pathogen. This heterologous polypeptide is expressed in cells infected by the recombinant virus. Such recombinant VZV is useful as a vaccine for chickenpox as well as for heterologous pathogens.

Abstract: A gene of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) which encodes immunogenic outer surface viral proteins has been identified by DNA sequence analysis. Antibodies directed against peptides imputed from the DNA sequence can react with the glycoprotein, which itself is reactive with neutralizing antibodies. The amino-terminal sequence of the purified glycoprotein is identical to a portion of the amino acid sequence imputed from the DNA sequence. This glycoprotein is useful for the preparation of a vaccine against VZV.

Abstract: Homocysteine thiolactone derivatives in which the nitrogen is acylated with groups containing acidic functionalities have been synthesized. These include the succinyl, the carboxymethylglutaryl, the 3-phosphonopropionyl and the 3-sulfopropionyl derivatives. These thiolactones can be used to introduce a thiol functionality into proteins such as the outer membrane protein complex of Neisseria meninioitidis (OMPC) allowing conjugation with electrophilic ligands. This chemistry is similar to known N-acetyl-homocysteine thiolactone chemistry, but the pK.sub.a values are such that at pH 7, concomitant negative charge is introduced into the conjugate. Such negative charge neutralizes excess positive charge introduced when arginine- and lysine-rich peptides are bonded as ligands. In the case of OMPC, introduction of positive charge commonly effects irreversible precipitation of the conjugate. Conjugates prepared with the anionic thiolactones have improved solubility.

Abstract: A novel single-pot trialkylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (R.sub.3 Si-OTf) mediated process produces derivatives of 4-aza 3-keto steroids at the .alpha.-methylenic carbon through electrophilic substitution. These derivatives are useful in the preparation, through elimination of the substituent on the .alpha.-methylene carbon, of .DELTA.-1 olefin 4-aza 3-keto steroids which are potent inhibitors of 5-.alpha. reductase.