Abstract: The present invention is directed to isolated membrane-associated acyl-CoA desaturases expressed in the pheromone gland of an insect and, in particular, the .DELTA.11 desaturase of Trichoplusia ni. The present invention further relates to an isolated DNA molecule encoding the T. ni .DELTA.11 desaturase, expression vectors comprising the DNA molecule, and host cells comprising the expression vectors. Methods for isolating DNA sequences of homologous acyl-CoA desaturases expressed in the pheromone glands of insects are provided. The use of these acyl-CoA desaturases, DNA molecules, expression vectors, and host cells to produce an unsaturated fatty acyl-CoA product from a saturated or unsaturated fatty acyl-CoA reactant is also disclosed. The unsaturated fatty acyl-CoA products are useful as pheromones or as pheromone precursors as well as in the preparation of organic molecules, such as drugs.

Abstract: Genomic and cDNA clones corresponding to the tipE gen of Drosophila melanogaster are described. The tipE protein functions in concert with the para gene product, a polypeptide which exhibits similarity to mammalian voltage-dependent sodium channel .alpha. subunits but is not by itself functional. Coexpression of the tipE and para genes in a host cell affords functional cation channels. The invention accordingly provides screening assays for modulators of Drosophila cation channels employing cells expressing both tipE and para polypeptides, useful inter alia to evaluate candidate pesticidal agents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to silica materials and particles having surfaces which define an interior. The interior includes interior silicon atoms at least a portion of which is bonded to a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl moiety. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the silica material also has surface silicon atoms to which are bonded substituted or unsubstituted alkyl moieties. A capillary tube coated on its inner surface with the silica material of the present invention is also disclosed. The silica materials of the present invention are resistant to degradation at high or low pH and are particularly useful as chromatographic stationary phases, especially for use in open tubular liquid chromatography and open tubular electrochromatography.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of imparting pathogen resistance to plants. This involves applying a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein in a non-infectious form to a plant under conditions where the polypeptide or protein contacts cells of the plant. The present invention is also directed to a pathogen resistant plant and a composition for imparting pathogen resistance to plants.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding a voltage-sensitive sodium channel (VSSC) of an insect having a mutation therein which renders the sodium channel permeable to calcium, as well as to the isolated calcium permeable voltage-sensitive sodium channels encoded thereby. Nucleic acid molecules encoding calcium permeable VSSCs of Musca domestica, Drosophila melanogaster, and Heliothis virescens are specifically provided. These calcium permeable channels can be used to monitor the function of the channel by monitoring calcium transport through the sodium channel, and for screening chemical agents for the ability of the chemical agent to modify sodium channel function, again by monitoring calcium transport through the channel.

Abstract: The nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for proteinaceous elicitors of the plant defense reaction known as the hypersensitive response against Pseudomonas syringae are described along with method for preparation.

Abstract: The nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for proteinaceous elicitors of the plant defense reaction known as the hypersensitive response are described along with methods for preparation and processes for inactivation.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inducible nitric oxide synthase ("iNOS")-deficient transgenic mouse, novel replacement vectors designed for the disruption of the iNOS gene, embryonic stem (ES) cells which are singly allelic relative to the deficient iNOS locus, a host cell line or cell clone carrying a congenitally altered iNOS gene, and a method of producing such a transgenic mouse.The iNOS-deficient transgenic mice can be used to evaluate and/or test their susceptibility to infectious or tumorigenic challenge, autoimmunity, septic shock and inflammatory and allergic diseases.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods which employ inhibition of the post-translational hypusine formation in the intracelluar protein eIF-5A, for the purpose of suppressing infections by viruses that parasitize eIF-5A so as to promote their own replication. Intentional inhibition of the post-translational formation of hypusine in infected host cells with compounds generically termed `hypusine inhibitors` not only selectively suppresses the production of viral proteins and of infectious viral particles, but also causes, particularly after hypusine inhibitor withdrawal, apoptosis in such virally-infected cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of transferrin in controlling insulin levels. Transferrin can disrupt insulin:receptor interactions in mammalian cells, may be used in mammals to treat hypoglycemia, may also be used to inhibit production of insulin by mammalian cells, and can decrease the serum insulin levels in a mammal. The invention further provides methods for identifying compounds which modulate the effect of transferrin on insulin signal transduction. Pharmaceutical compositions containing transferrin are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an isolated protein or polypeptide corresponding to a protein or polypeptide in Erwinia chrysanthemi which elicits a hypersensitive response in plants. The encoding DNA molecule alone in isolated form or either in an expression system, a host cell, or a transgenic plant are also disclosed. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of imparting pathogen resistance to plants by transforming a plant with the DNA molecule of the present invention.

Abstract: A light-curing composite material is described which is characterized by a content of anaerobic stabilizer and/or stable organic radicals and which has a reduced light sensitivity and an improved vacuum stability and is therefore suitable in particular as a dental filling material.

Abstract: A method for conferring resistance to a parasite to a host of the parasite, which comprises isolating a gene fragment from the parasite and inserting the gene fragment or a DNA or RNA segment substantially homologous to the gene fragment or to a DNA or RNA sequence functionally equivalent to the gene fragment into the host, wherein (1) transcription of the gene fragment or the DNA or RNA segment in the host occurs in an anti-sense direction, (2) the gene fragment or the DNA or RNA segment is expressed as a gene product in the host, wherein the gene product is capable of disrupting an essential activity of the parasite, or (3) the gene fragment or the DNA or RNA segment is a binding site capable of competing with a native binding site in the parasite, is disclosed along with hosts produced by this process. Particularly preferred is conferring resistance using a gene fragment from a replicase gene of an RNA virus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating groundwater in situ in rock or soil. An elongate permeable upgradient zone and an elongate permeable downgradient zone, each in hydraulic communication with a permeable subsurface treatment zone and having a major axis parallel to a non-zero component of the general flow direction, are provided in the subsurface by any of a number of construction methods. The upgradient zone, downgradient zone, and treatment zone are situated within the subsurface medium and have permeabilities substantially greater than the adjacent subsurface medium's permeability. Groundwater is allowed to move from the subsurface medium adjacent to the upgradient zone into the upgradient zone, where the groundwater refracts and moves to a treatment zone.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process of forming ceramic tiles having the appearance of tiles produced from clays. The process includes melting a material to form a glass melt, treating the glass melt to produce a solid glass product, grinding the solid glass product to produce glass particles having a particle size of less than 200 microns, mixing the glass particles with a first additive to form a glass powder mixture having a composition of 55 to 99 wt. % glass particles and 45-1 wt. % first additive, forming the glass powder mixture into tiles by dry pressing, where the tiles have a primary crystalline phase selected from the group consisting of nepheline, diopside, anorthite, wollastonite, melilite, merwinite, spinel, akermanite, gehlenite, crystalline phases based on iron substitutions in the crystalline phase, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A carpentry tool for pushing flooring boards into contact on a joist can be operated with one hand, leaving the carpenter's other hand free for hammering. The tool includes a body member having offset clamping lugs for engaging each side of a joist. A cam lever pivotally mounted at one end of the body member is adapted to force a cam thereon into pushing contact with a flooring board supported by the joist.

Abstract: A valve apparatus for a turbomachine comprises a manifold casing, a valve lift assembly, and a plurality of valve assemblies. The manifold casing defines a valve inlet chamber and has a top wall and a bottom wall with a plurality of vertically disposed openings through the top wall and a plurality of openings to vertically disposed passages in the bottom wall. The passages each extend away from the bottom wall to a passage exit. The valve lift assembly comprises a plurality of lift bars and a plurality of lift pins. The lift pins extend vertically through the vertically disposed openings at the top wall of the manifold casing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of conferring resistance against fire blight to pomaceous fruit scion or rootstock cultivars by transforming such cultivars with a gene which encodes for lytic proteins. Such transformation can be effected by bacterial infection or propulsion of particles into cell interiors. Once transformation has taken place, the cultivar is regenerated to a transgenic pomaceous fruit tree. This technique is particularly useful in treating apple and pear cultivars.

Abstract: A composite material useful for removing heavy metal ions from solutions such as aqueous waste streams comprises a ceramic inorganic support such as silica gel which is covalently bonded, through a silane coupling agent, to a hydroxyquinoline ligand or such a support which has been reacted with a silylating agent and then on which is deposited a hydroxyquinoline ligand.

Abstract: Composite materials useful for removing metal ions from solutions such as aqueous waste streams comprise an inorganic ceramic support such as silica gel that has active hydroxyl groups. The support is reacted with a silane linking compound or with a titanizing agent. A chelating compound, which can be a thiol or an amine, is attached to the silane or to titanium atoms of the titanized surface of the support.