Abstract: An interventional catheter assembly comprises an operating head for removing obstructive material from a target site in a body lumen or cavity and at least one aspiration port located proximal to the operating head and penetrating the catheter assembly, the aspiration port being in communication with a sealed lumen that communicates with a vacuum system for withdrawing aspirate fluid and obstructive material from the target site. A rotatable member is positioned inside the catheter assembly at the site of the aspiration port and rotates during operation of the vacuum system. The rotatable member is provided with at least one upstanding bar that is sized to cooperate with the walls of the aspiration port and the inner surface of the catheter assembly to macerate debris that is drawn into the aspiration port.

Abstract: This invention relates to nucleic acid molecules which comprise nucleic acid sequences which encode enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of n-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexanoic acid (DHA), or variants thereof; polypeptides encoded by said nucleic acids; cells transfected with said nucleic acid sequences and products comprising said nucleic acid sequences, polypeptides and/or cells.

Abstract: Isolated polynucleotides encoding polypeptides active in the fructan, cellulose, starch and/or tannin biosynthetic pathways are provided, together with expression vectors and host cells comprising such isolated polynucleotides. Methods for the use of such polynucleotides and polypeptides are also provided.

Abstract: Compositions comprising fusion polypeptides of T. cruzi epitopes are provided, together with methods for the use of such compositions in the diagnosis of T. cruzi infection and in screening blood supplies. Diagnostic kits comprising such compositions are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing Diesel grade fuel of plant origin by transesterifying a refined vegetable oil in a homogenous phase with a C1-C4 alkanol in the presence of an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent with a boiling point of 40-200° C. and a catalyst to form a first polar phase comprising glycerol by-product and a first apolar phase comprising transesterified fuel, non-transesterified vegetable oil, and aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent, separating the first polar phase and the first apolar phase, and refining the fuel from the first apolar phase, wherein the C1-C4 alcohol is used in an amount selected from the group consisting of: a stoichiometric amount; and an excess not exceeding 30% of an stoichiometric amount, and the aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent is used in an amount of at least 0.2 parts by volume relative to the unit volume of the refined vegetable oil.

Abstract: A bearing system useful in an intracorporeal device connects an operating head, a rotatable drive shaft and a catheter. The bearing system includes a static member in fixed communication with the distal end of the catheter, an interior shaft that is in rotatable communication with the drive shaft and the operating head, and at least one connecting structure. The static member has at least one opening through which the connecting structure moveably rests against a seat of the interior shaft. The position of the connecting structure within the seat enables the bearing to accept a rotational load of the rotating drive shaft and/or thrust load in the direction of the longitudinal length of the catheter. The connecting structure further retains the internal shaft and static member of the bearing system.

Abstract: A door threshold water return system, comprising: a lower sill; an upper sill; a rear wall; and a front wall forming a chamber, wherein at least one baffle is provided projecting into the chamber from the rear wall, a first gap is provided in proximity to the rear wall and between the upper sill and the rear wall, and a second gap is provided in proximity to the lower sill and between the lower sill and the front wall, whereby water introduced into the system through the first gap exits the system through the second gap.

Abstract: We describe glycosyltransferase nucleic acids and proteins isolatable from Arabidopsis thaliana, transgenic cells expressing said glycosyltransferases, and bioreactors comprising said transgenic cells together with nutrient medium for supporting the growth of said cell that includes at least one exogenous substrate which is a substrate for said glycosyltransferase, and wherein said nutrient medium does not include an exogenous supply of UDP-glucose.

Abstract: An integrated process for the production of ethanol from woody plant material is provided, the process comprising: contacting a continuous flow of the plant material with a counter-current continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure to provide plant material depleted of lignin; removing ethanol from the lignin-depleted plant material; contacting a continuous flow of the lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure to solubilize xylose within the plant material; and hydrolyzing cellulose present in the plant material to form glucose, which in turn is fermented to produce ethanol.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the generation of compost are provided. In one embodiment, the system for generating compost comprises a positively aerated floor, a semi gas and liquid impermeable compost cover sized to cover a compost biomass pile placed on the positively aerated floor, and a suction system positioned under or substantially close to the compost cover and generally near a top of the compost biomass pile, wherein the floor comprises a plurality of channels connected to at least one gas flow pipe installed below or above grade, wherein gas drawn by suction system at the top of the biomass compost pile maintains a negative pressure across the compost cover, thereby generating suction between the compost cover and the top of the compost biomass pile, and wherein the compost cover directs substantially all of the gas flow towards the suction system.

Abstract: Methods for detecting and quantifying phosphoinositide lipids in a sample are provided, together with novel SidC- and SdcA-derived polypeptide fragments, or fusion proteins comprising such fragments that may be effectively employed as PI(4)P probes in biochemical and cell biological assays. Applications of the disclosed probes include: (i) detection and quantification of PI(4)P in vitro; and (ii) staining of intracellular compartments in live or fixed eukaryotic cells.

Abstract: There is described a method of magnetically manipulating a cell in vivo which comprises the association of a magnetizable particle with a cell. More particularly, there is described a method of magnetically manipulating a cell which comprises the association of a magnetizable particle with a cell characterized in that the method comprises agonizing or antagonizing ion channels within a cell by the association of a magnetizable particle with a cell. There is also described the use of a magnetizable particle in a method of magnetically manipulating a cell in vivo and/or activating ion channels in vivo.

Abstract: Frequency-steered acoustic arrays transmitting and/or receiving multiple, angularly dispersed acoustic beams are used to generate 2D and 3D images. Input pulses to the arrays are generally non-linear, frequency-modulated pulses. Frequency-steered acoustic arrays may be provided in one-dimensional linear and two dimensional planar and curvilinear configurations, may be operated as single order or multiple order arrays, may employ periodic or non-periodic transducer element spacing, and may be mechanically scanned to generate 2D and 3D volumetric data. Multiple imaging fields of view may generated in different directions by switching the polarity of phase-shifted array transducer elements. Multiple frequency-steered arrays arranged in an X-configuration provide a wide, contiguous field of view and multiple frequency steered arrays arranged in a T-configuration provide orthogonally oriented fields of view.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing advertising, comprising the following steps: in a first step, individual image information that is stored on a storage medium is prepared for image processing; during a subsequent image processing step, the individual information is at least partially replaced by advertising information that is not part of the image; in the next step, the remaining individually recorded image information and the advertising information that is not part of the image is transferred to a positive material. The invention also relates to the advertising produced according to this method, which comprises individually recorded image information and advertising information that is not part of the image. The advertising information partially or wholly overlaps the individually recorded image information in determinable areas.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-pole plug unit comprising a plug and a socket. The plug has a polygonal cross section, a longitudinal groove running in the region of a longitudinal edge, which longitudinal groove is crossed by a large number of transverse grooves with a predetermined grid pattern. A printed circuit board is inserted in the longitudinal groove, which printed circuit board has contact pads at certain points of the transverse grooves. The socket has contact wires or pins, which run transversely with respect to the longitudinal directions, to come to lie in the transverse grooves owing to the rotation of the plug and therefore come into touching contact with the contact faces and, at the same time, bring about translatory locking of the plug in the socket.