Abstract: A device and system designed for use in a pre-hospital setting to cool the brain after injury is described. The device incorporates a cold insert into an arch that fits around the neck of a subject, without obstructing the airway of the subject. A cold insert, such as a frozen fluid or endothermic packet, is disposed within one or both of the terminal ends of the arch, adjacent to one or both of the subject's carotid arteries. The cooling effect is specifically directed to cool the blood flowing through the carotid artery to the brain. A system incorporating the device with a temperature monitor is also disclosed. The system allows a health care professional to monitor and regulate cooling as required in the pre-hospital setting.

Abstract: A process for coating an object formed of magnesium or a magnesium alloy comprising the steps of: immersion coating the object in a sonicated bath to form an undercoat and topcoating the object to form a topcoat. When desirable to protect against topcoat failure, the undercoat may be equally noble or more noble than the topcoat. If topcoat failure is not a concern, the nobility of the topcoat relative to the undercoat need not be considered. The process promotes uniform coating of a magnesium and its alloys.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically positioning specimen containers and culture medium containers and transferring specimen samples from the containers to the culture medium. The samples are positioned at predetermined locations, and a sample is automatically streaked in a pattern on the culture medium after deposition of the sample. A means is also provided for establishing the predetermined locations by recording a position of a deposit location in a memory as deposit location data. Biological specimens such as a sample of bacteria are used in the method and system.

Abstract: The invention relates to overcoming anti-cancer therapy resistance in melanoma by regulation of the expression of tyrosinase related protein 2 (TYRP2). Treatment of melanoma with anti-cancer therapy may be negatively impacted by anti-cancer resistance of melanoma cells. Altering expression of TYRP2 in melanoma cells can enhance efficacy of anti-cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Methods for treatment of melanoma are disclosed, as well as methods for diagnosis of anti-cancer therapy resistance, and methods for evaluating candidate anti-cancer therapies for melanoma. Down-regulation of TYRP2 expression or activity can be accomplished using a genetic therapy such as antisense therapy, or by using small molecules which regulate TYRP2.

Abstract: A new class of initiators for inducing the cationic polymerization of olefins was discovered. These initiators, in conjunction with Lewis acids as coinitiators, effectively initiate the carbocationic polymerization of olefins. The new initiators are epoxides with the general formula where R1, R2 and R3 are hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or aralkyl groups, and can be the same or different, and i is a positive whole number. The Lewis acid has the general formula of MtXn where M is titanium, aluminum, boron or tin, X is a halogen, an alkyl or an alcoxy or a mixture thereof. The process is a carbocationic process, which can be living or non-living, at a temperature of from about 0 to −80 C. The polymer produced can be a homo- or copolymer (random or block) carrying hydroxy functional groups.

Abstract: This invention presents rapid methods for evaluating the effects of antimicrobial compounds on microorganisms based upon the microorganism's ability to transport electrons to an external chemical oxidant (a mediator) that is added to the microorganism sample. The mediator interacts with the terminal components of the respiratory pathway and the extent of its consumption is related to the ability of the microorganism to respire. However, under the assay conditions described herein the extent of mediator consumption is different from the microorganisms' ability to consume oxygen, due to the addition of metabolizable compounds to the assay mixtures. The consumed mediator is subsequently measured electrochemically (amperometrically or coulometrically) at the working electrode of a standard two-electrode or three-electrode electrochemical cell.