Abstract: The invention relates to an overvoltage protection circuit comprising an MOV (Metal Oxide Varistor) voltage limiting device (3) which is disposed in series with a GDT (Gas Discharge Tube) voltage limiting device (4). The invention is characterized in that a resistor (5) is disposed in parallel with the aforementioned GDT device (4), the value of said resistor being such that the voltage supported by the GDT device (4) is less than the holdover voltage thereof. In another embodiment of the invention, a second resistor (6) is disposed in parallel with the MOV device (3) and, together with the above-mentioned resistor (5), forms a resistive divider such that the voltage applied the GDT device (4) under steady-state conditions is less than the holdover voltage of the GDT.

Abstract: A method for assembling and integrating microstructures (pills) onto a substrate. A plurality of patterned recesses are formed on the substrates, the recesses having transverse cross-sections and openings of specific shapes. A hard magnetic layer is deposited at the bottom of each said recess. A guide is positioned over the substrate, the guide having patterned hole shapes matching the shapes of the openings to the patterned recesses with which the holes mate. A collection of the pills is placed atop the guide. The said collection includes members with cross-sections matching the shapes of the openings to the recesses, and each pill is coated at one end with a soft magnetic layer. A moving magnetic field is applied to the collection of pills to agitate the pills, and effect a magnetic attraction between the layers at the ends of the pills and the soft magnetic layer at the bottom of the recesses.

Abstract: Disclosed is the characterization and purification of DNA encoding polypeptides useful for the stimulation of glial cell mitogenesis. Methods for the synthesis, purification and testing of both known and novel polypeptides for their use as both therapeutic and diagnostic aids in the treatment of diseases involving glial cells are also provided. Methods are also provided for the use of these polypeptides in the prevention or treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for qualifying and quantifying the quality of navigational data emanating from any GPS receiver using its NMEA 0183 output messages for use in a dead reckoning system. It does this by deriving a first distance measurement travelled for a predetermined time period from a dead reckoning system or a GPS system. It then also calculates a second distance being the distance between two global positioning system (GPS) position measurements in the predetermined time. Finally, it calculates the difference between the first and second distances to derive a distance error. The statistical variance of the distance errors derived by repeating the above steps a predetermined number of times is representative of a figure of merit of a prior GPS position of the vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and agents for treatment, amelioration and prevention of cardiac disease, including cardiac myopathy, chronic heart failure and for management and reduction of cardiac myocyte death which may occur in response to ischemia/reperfusion or following myocardial infarction or other injury to the heart. The invention relates to methods for screening cardiotherapeutic compounds, including compounds which modulate cardiac myocyte apoptosis, particularly targeting Mst1 and the Mst1 pathway. The present invention further encompasses compounds identified by such screening methods and compositions comprising these compounds. The invention also provides methods for treatment, amelioration and prevention of cardiac disease comprising administering compounds or agents which modulate, particularly inhibit, Mst1 or the Mst1 kinase pathway, including administering a nucleic acid encoding an altered form of Mst1, particularly a dominant negative Mst1, which acts as an antagonist of Mst1.

Abstract: Disclosed is the characterization and purification of DNA encoding a numerous polypeptides useful for the stimulation of glial cell (particularly, Schwann cell) mitogenesis and treating glial cell tumors. Also disclosed are DNA sequences encoding novel polypeptides which may have use in stimulating glial cell mitogenesis and treating glial cell tumors. Methods for the synthesis, purification and testing of both known and novel polypeptides for their use as both therapeutic and diagnostic aids in the treatment of diseases involving glial cells are also provided. Methods are also provided for the use of these polypeptides for the preparation of antibody probes useful for both diagnostic and therapeutic use in diseases involving glial cells. The present invention is specifically directed to methods of using said polypeptides to induce myelination and to treat multiple sclerosis.

Abstract: The present invention describes methods of producing milligram quantities of three forms of purified Stat1 protein from recombinant DNA constructs. In addition, the Stat proteins may be isolated in their phosphorylated or nonphosphorylated forms (Tyr 701). The proteins can be produced in baculovirus infected insect cells, or E. coli. A compact domain in the amino terminus of Stat1? was isolated and found to enhance DNA binding due to its ability to interact with a neighboring Stat protein. A relatively protease-resistant recombinant truncated form of the Stat protein was isolated in 40–50 mg quantities. Purification of the Stat proteins were performed after modifying specific cysteine residues of the Stat proteins to prevent aggregation. Activated EGF-receptor partially purified from membranes by immunoprecipitation was shown to be capable of in vitro catalysis of the phosphorylation of the tyrosine residue of Stat1 known to be phosphorylated in vivo.

Abstract: Methods for amplification and sequencing of at least one nucleic acid comprising the following steps: (1) forming at least one nucleic acid template comprising the nucleic acid(s) to be amplified or sequenced, wherein said nucleic acid(s) to be amplified or sequenced, wherein said nucleic acid(s) contains at the 5? end an oligonucleotide sequence Y and at the 3? end an oligonucleotide sequence Z and, in addition, the nucleic acid(s) carry at the 5? end a means for attaching the nucleic acid(s) to a solid support; (2) mixing said nucleic acid template(s) with one or more colony primers X, which can hybridize to the oligonucleotide sequence Z and carries at the 5? end a means for attaching the colony primers to a solid support, in the presence of a solid support so that the 5? ends of both the nucleic acid template and the colony primers bind to the solid support; (3) performing one or more nucleic acid amplification reactions on the bound template(s), so that nucleic acid colonies are generated and optionally,

Abstract: It comprises a first prism (10, 10a, 10b), with triangular base, on which is arranged at least one second transparent prism (2, 11) the combination defining a prismatic body which is arranged on the stereoscopic pair so that, when the user's eyes (13, 14) are positioned in front of the upper face of the prismatic body, each eye visualises the corresponding stereogram (3, 4) via the upper face of the prismatic body, reproducing the three-dimensional vision effect. In an embodiment of the invention the second prism (2, 11) is triangular and provision has been made for a third prism (12, 15) of identical configuration to the above, in which case the stereoscopic photographs/images (3, 4) are divided into halves A, B, C, D which are duly arranged for achieving three-dimensional visualisation. It comprises illumination equipment (5), some lenses (8, 8a) and a directional filter (9).

Abstract: A novel receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatase (RPTP) protein or glycoprotein and the DNA coding therefor is expressed in a wide variety of mammalian tissues. Included in this family of proteins are human RPTP?, human RPTP? and human RPTP?. The RPTP protein or glycoprotein may be produced by recombinant means. Antibodies to the proteins, methods for measuring the quantity of the proteins, methods for screening compounds, such as drugs, which can bind to the proteins and inhibit or stimulate their activity, are provided.