Abstract: The invention provides non-human, genetically-modified mammals and genetically modified animals cells having a functionally disrupted P2×7 receptor gene. Also provided are methods for producing genetically modified mice in which one or both P2×7R alleles have been functionally inactivated.

Abstract: A method for reconfiguring a ring of nodes connected by a working fiber and a protection fiber upon disruption of the signal in either the working fiber or the protection fiber includes signaling the other nodes. Each node determines whether it is a node adjacent to the disruption. Those nodes that are not adjacent to the disruption undergo no change in their operation. A receiving node adjacent to the disruption forms a bridge isolating the disruption and sends an acknowledgement signal back to a signaling node. Upon receipt of the acknowledgement signal, the signaling node also forms a bridge. This results in the isolation of that portion of the ring having a disruption and the formation of a new ring.

Abstract: The invention features a method and apparatus for remotely characterizing a vehicle's emissions performance. The method features the steps of: i) generating data representative of the vehicle's emissions performance with at least one microcontroller disposed within the vehicle; ii) transferring the data through an OBD, OBD-II or equivalent electrical connector to a data collector/router that includes a microprocessor and an electrically connected wireless transmitter; iii) transmitting a data packet representing the data with the wireless transmitter over an airlink to a wireless communications system and then to a host computer; and iv) analyzing the data packet with the host computer to characterize the vehicle's emissions performance.

Abstract: Antifungal compositions having enhanced antifungal activity comprising an antifungal agent and a food additive are described. Also described are a method for inhibiting fungal growth using the compositions with enhanced activity and the use of a food additive to enhance the antifungal properties of an antifungal agent.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and medium is provided for increasing the efficiency with which wafers are transferred among different processing chambers in a wafer processing facility. A multi-slot cooling chamber allows multiple wafers to be cooled while other wafers are subjected to processing steps in other chambers. Each wafer in the processing sequence is assigned a priority level depending on its processing stage, and this priority level is used to sequence the movement of wafers between chambers. A look-ahead feature prevents low-priority wafer transfers from occurring if such transfers would occur just prior to the scheduling of a high-priority wafer transfer.

Abstract: A system that provides video signal communication between a source of the video signal and a plurality of units that include destinations of the video signal includes an interface coupled to the source and to telephone lines, each of which serves at least one of the units and carries voice signals to and from one or more telephones coupled to the telephone line at said unit. The interface receives the video signal from the source, and transmits the received video signal onto at least one of the telephone lines in a selected frequency range that is different from frequencies at which the voice signals are carried on that telephone line. This causes the video signal to be coupled to a receiver which is connected to the telephone line at the unit served by that line and is adapted to recover the video signal from the telephone line and apply it to one or more of the destinations at the unit. The source is a cable (e.g.

Abstract: A lower limb prosthesis for an above-knee amputee has an adaptive control system which includes a knee flexion control device arranged to resist flexion at the knee joint both hydraulically and pneumatically by means of a dual piston and cylinder assembly. Sensors arranged to sense knee bending moments and knee flexion angle provide electrical signals which are fed to a processing circuit for automatically adjusting the hydraulic and pneumatic resistance to flexion according to the activity mode of the amputee and, when walking, according to the speed of the cylinder containing hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic resistance to flexion predominates during the stance phase and pneumatic resistance predominates during the swing phase. Provision is made for programmable resistance during level walking, walking on an incline, descending stairs and during a stumble.

Abstract: A calorimeter that includes a sample cell, a reference cell, a pressure system that applies a variable pressure to the sample cell, and a pressure controller that controls the pressure applied by the pressure system to the sample sell. By applying identical pressure perturbations to both the sample and reference cells over a range of temperature, the calorimeter can be used to accurately calculate both the thermal coefficient of expansion of various substances, and the volume change of molecules undergoing a structural transition.

Abstract: A method for preventing adverse effects associated with the use of a medical device in a patient by introducing into the patient a device of which at least a portion includes a prophylactic or therapeutic amount of a nitric oxide adduct. The nitric oxide adduct can be present in a matrix coating on a surface of the medical device; can be coated per se on a surface of the medical device; can be directly or indirectly bound to reactive sites on a surface of the medical device; or at least a portion of the medical device can be formed of a material, such as a polymer, which includes the nitric oxide adduct. Also disclosed is a method for preventing adverse effects associated with the use of a medical device in a patient by introducing the device during a medical procedure and before or during said procedure locally administering a nitric oxide adduct to the site of contact of said device with any internal tissue.

Abstract: The disclosed spotting instrument includes one or more sensors that are mechanically fixed to the instrument's printhead. The sensors enable the instrument to detect whether a substrate is mounted in a particular holder of the instrument's substrate station prior to attempting to print spots onto that substrate. Similarly, the sensors enable the instrument to detect whether a reservoir is mounted in a particular holder of the instrument's well station prior to attempting to collect a sample of target material from that reservoir. The sensors also enable the instrument to read bar code labels affixed to substrates or reservoirs mounted in the instrument.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of resensitizing an anti-drug-resistant infectious agent to a drug. Also disclosed are synthetic oligonucleotides having a nucleotide sequence complementary to a region of pfmdr1 nucleic acid, and methods of down-regulating the expression of pfmdr nucleic acid using such oligonucleotides.

Abstract: A method for preparing a BSCCO-2223 oxide superconducting article includes annealing an oxide superconductor article comprised of BSCCO-2223 oxide superconductor at a temperature selected from the range of about 500° C.≦T≦787° C. and an annealing atmosphere having an oxygen pressure selected from within the region having a lower bound defined by the equation, PO2(lower)≧3.5×1010 exp(−32,000/T+273) and an upper bound defined by the equation, PO2(upper)≦1.1×1012 exp(−32,000/T+273). The article is annealed for a time sufficient to provide at least a 10% increase in critical current density as compared to the critical current density of the pre-anneal oxide superconductor article. An oxide superconductor having the formula Bi2−yPbySr2Ca2Cu3O10+x, where 0≦x≦1.5 and where 0≦y≦0.6 is obtained, the oxide superconductor characterized by a critical transition temperature of greater than 111.0 K, as determined by four point probe method.

Abstract: A compound of formula (I): wherein R1 represents a group of formula (A) where each of W, X, Y and Z and Z represents either a group CR or the nitrogen atom, provided that not more than two of W, X, Y and Z represent the nitrogen atom and where each R present is independently selected from hydrogen and halogen atoms and cyano, amino, hydrazino, acylamino, hydroxy, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, alkenyl, alkenyloxy, alkoxyalkenyl, alkynyl, carboxylic acyl, alkoxycarbonyl, aryl and heterocyclyl groups, said groups comprising up to 6 carbon atoms, and wherein R2 represents hydrogen or cyano or a group selected from alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, heteroarylalkyl, alkenyl, aralkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkanesulfonyl, arenesulfonyl, alkanyloxycarbonyl, aralkyloxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, heterocyclylalkyl, carbamyl or dithiocarboxyl groups, said groups comprising from 1 to 15 carbon atoms, said groups being optionally substituted with one or more substituents selecte

Abstract: When a satellite is orbiting the earth in an elliptic orbit, it has a certain inclination with respect to the earth's equator. The usual way to change the inclination is perform a maneuver by firing the rocket engines at the periapsis of the ellipse. This then forces the satellite into the desired inclination. There is a substantially more fuel efficient way to change the inclination. This is done by an indirect route by first doing a maneuver to bring the satellite to the moon on a BCT (Ballistic Capture Transfer). At the moon, the satellite is in the so called fuzzy boundary or weak stability boundary. A negligibly small maneuver can then bring it back to the earth on a reverse BCT to the desired earth inclination. Another maneuver puts it into the new ellipse at the earth. In the case of satellites launched from Vandenberg AFB into LEO in a circular orbit of an altitude of 700 km with an inclination of 34°, approximately 6 km/s is required to change the inclination to 90°.

Abstract: Disclosed are nitrosated and/or nitrosylated phosphodiesterase inhibitors having the formula NOn-PDE inhibitor where n is 1 or 2. The invention also provides compositions comprising such compounds in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The invention also provides a composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an phosphodiesterase inhibitor (PDE inhibitor), which can optionally be substituted with at least one NO or NO2 moiety, and one to ten fold molar excess of a compound that donates, transfers or releases nitrogen monoxide as a charged species, i. e., nitrosonium (NO+) or nitroxyl (NO−), or as the neutral species, nitric oxide (NO·) or which stimulates endogenous EDRF production. The invention also provides compositions comprising such compounds in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The invention also provides methods for treating sexual dysfunctions in males and females.

Abstract: In general, the invention features, a method of inducing tolerance in a recipient mammal, e.g., a human, of a first species to a tissue obtained from a mammal, e.g., a swine, e.g., a miniature swine, of a second species, which tissue expresses an MHC antigen, including inserting DNA encoding an MHC antigen of the second species into a bone marrow hematopoietic stem cell from the recipient mammal, and allowing the MHC antigen encoding DNA to be expressed in the recipient.

Abstract: The present invention describes novel compositions and kits comprising alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists and compounds that donate, transfer or release nitric oxide, elevate endogenous levels of endothelium-derived relaxing factor, or stimulate nitric oxide synthesis. In preferred embodiments, the alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonist is an alkaloid selected from the group consisting of rauwolscine, corynanthine, yohimbine, apoyohimbine, beta-yohimbine, yohimbol, pseudoyohimbine and epi-3&agr;-yohimbine, and the compound that donates, transfers or releases nitric oxide, elevates endogenous levels of endothelium-derived relaxing factor, or stimulates nitric oxide synthesis is selected from the group consisting of L-arginine, S-nitroso-N-acetylcysteine, S-nitroso-captopril, S-nitroso-homocysteine, S-nitroso-cysteine and S-nitroso-glutathione. In other embodiments, the present invention describes novel compositions comprising yohimbine and L-arginine.

Abstract: Nitrosylation of proteins and amino acid groups enables selective regulation of protein function, and also endows the proteins and amino acids with additional smooth muscle relaxant and platelet inhibitory capabilities. Thus, the invention relates to novel compounds achieved by nitrosylation of protein thiols. Such compounds include: S-nitroso-t-PA, S-nitroso-cathepsin; S-nitroso-lipoprotein; and S-nitroso-immunoglobulin. The invention also relates to therapeutic use if S-nitroso-protein compounds for regulating protein function, cellular metabolism and effecting vasodilation, platelet inhibition, relaxation of non-vascular smooth muscle, and increasing blood oxygen transport by hemoglobin and myoglobin. The compounds are also used to deliver nitric oxide in its most bioactive form in order to achieve the effects described above, or for in vitro nitrosylation of molecules present in the body.

Abstract: A logic isolation circuit has a transmitter circuit for receiving a logic input signal and providing a periodic signal to an isolation barrier, and a receiving circuit for receiving the periodic signal from the isolation barrier and for providing an output signal that indicates the transitions in the logical input signal.

Abstract: An optical switching assembly selectively connects an optical source and a detector to at least one fiber optic device. The assembly includes first and second groups of optical paths, and first and second optical switches. The first optical switch selectively connects the optical source to one end of the first group of optical paths, and the second optical switch selectively connects the detector to the one end of the second group of optical paths. The assembly laos includes a plurality of junctions, each having a lead associated therewith, and one or more of the leads are connected to the fiber optic device. The junctions connect the other end of the first group of optical paths and the other end of the second group of optical paths to the lead to facilitate the testing of the fiber optic device.