Abstract: A simple, economic wet chemical procedure is described for making sol-gel fibers. The sol-gel fibers made from this process are transparent to ultraviolet, visible and near infrared light. Light can be guided in these fibers by using an organic polymer as a fiber cladding. Alternatively, air can be used as a low refractive index medium. The sol-gel fibers have a micro pore structure which allows molecules to diffuse into the fiber core from the surrounding environment. Chemical and biochemical reagents can be doped into the fiber core. The sol-gel fiber can be used as a transducer for constructing an optical fiber sensor. The optical fiber sensor having an active sol-gel fiber core is more sensitive than conventional evanescent wave absorption based optical fiber sensors.

Abstract: The invention provides melanoma cell specific adenovirus vectors, which preferentially replicate in melanoma cells.

Abstract: A system and method for coding technique which achieves a high coding gain with simple, low-price implementation. The system comprises a transmitter for transmitting encoded code words, and a receiver for receiving and decoding the code words, via a network. In one embodiment, a low complexity modified R-S coding process is used to R-S encode smaller-bit words (e.g., 7-bit words, instead of 8-bit words). In a second embodiment, a feed-back block concatenated coding process improves coding gain by utilizing concatenation and an erasure algorithm. In a third embodiment, a feed-back block concatenated coding process is designed for an Ethernet. The decoding processes utilize error-correcting capabilities built in during the three encoding processes described herein.

Abstract: An adjustable bed base (1) for supporting a person (22) on a mattress (17) loosely lying on the bed base, comprising a leg part (2) and a back part (3), connected to each other by an adjusting mechanism (4) which comprises a first part (5) connected to the back part (3) and a second part (6) connected to the leg part (2), the first and second parts engaging each other and being movable with respect to each other along a predetermined curve which is determined such that the back part (3) upon movement tilts with respect to the leg part (2) and is simultaneously moved in longitudinal and height directions of the bed base (1).