Abstract: Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic bladder disease for which the exact etiology is unknown and for which there is no reliably effective treatment. However, it is known that the bladder epithelium is often abnormal in IC. We discovered that normal, adult, human bladder epithelial cells are inhibited from proliferating by an anti-proliferative factor (APF) present in IC urine specimens. Inhibited proliferation may cause epithelial abnormalities characteristic of IC such as ulcerations and multiple tears in the bladder epithelium. We further discovered that levels of heparin binding—epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF), a factor known be important for epithelial cell proliferation and wound healing in other tissues, are abnormally low in the urine of patients suffering from IC as compared to asymptomatic controls or patients with acute bacterial cystitis. The invention herein is directed to the use of urine levels of HB-EGF as a diagnostic marker for IC.

Abstract: An illuminated display that is susceptible to interruption or termination of active lighting capability and provides passive lighting capability in such circumstances. The illuminated display features an active illumination source providing active lighting capability and a display member (i) arranged in light-receiving relationship to the active illumination source and (ii) containing photoluminescent pigment incorporated therein in sufficient amount and distribution to illuminate the display during the interruption or termination of active lighting capability, to provide passive lighting capability. The illuminated display may further include a fluorescent pigment arranged in photoluminescent light-receiving relationship to the display member containing the photoluminescent pigment, whereby the fluorescent pigment down-converts photoluminescent light from the display member during the interruption or termination of active lighting capability.

Abstract: A ceramic composition having a high adsorptive capacity for oxygen at elevated temperature, including at least one of: Bi2−yEryO3−d; Bi2−yYyO3−d; La1−yBayCo1−xNixO3−d; La1−ySryCo1−xNixO3−d; La1−yCayCo1−xNixO3−d; La1−yBayCo1−xFexO3−d; La1−ySryCo1−xFexO3−d; and La1−yCayCo1−xFexO3−d; wherein x is from 0.2 to 0.8, y is from 0 to 1.0 and d=0.1 to 0.9. Such ceramic composition may be made using a modified Pechini synthetic procedure. The resulting ceramic composition is usefully employed as an adsorbent for separation of oxygen from an oxygen-containing feed gas mixture, e.g., in a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a low dielectric constant polymeric film on a substrate, by liquid delivery of a parylene precursor reagent, in the form of an organic solution or a neat liquid, subsequent flash vaporization of the neat liquid or organic solution, pyrolytic “cracking” of the precursor to form the reactive monomer and/or reactive radical species, and condensation and polymerization of the monomer and/or reactive radical species to form a low dielectric constant polymeric film on the substrate. The low dielectric constant polymeric film may comprise a parylene film, formed from a precursor such as [2.2]paracyclophane, an alkyl- and/or halo-substituted derivative thereof, or an analogous compound of a p-xylene derivative.

Abstract: A hydrogen sensor including a piezoelectric device with a hydrogen-interactive metal film that reversibly interacts with hydrogen to provide a correspondingly altered frequency response characteristic, relative to the frequency response in the absence of hydrogen. The piezoelectric device may be for example a quartz microbalance or a surface acoustic wave device, having a thin film (e.g., 10-100,000 Angstroms thickness) coating thereon of a hydrogen-interactive metal such as palladium, platinum, nickel or the like.