Abstract: Apparatus and methods for quick acute and chronic pain suppression, particularly useful and effective towards high-grade pains and/or pains resistant to other analgesic drugs such as opiates. One apparatus and method generate synthetic “non-pain” information strings of great clinical effectiveness, allowing high reproducibility of the clinical result. Synthesis of the strings occurs by combining novel geometries of complex waveforms in a sequence, perceived as “self” and “non-pain” by the CNS.

Abstract: A device and system for indicating rapid deceleration to warn the operator and/or others of an urgent deceleration condition is provided. The device includes one or more sensors that are responsive to acceleration in the primary direction of vehicle motion. The controller communicates with the one or more sensors, corrects for gravitational effects, and initiates at least one warning indicator when the sensed acceleration exceeds a threshold value and thereby indicates an urgent deceleration condition.

Abstract: A method of forming a porous silica film includes the following steps: a) providing a substrate; b) coating, on a surface of the substrate, a layer of charged polyelectrolyte; and c) applying an aged silica-bearing non-colloidal solution to the coated surface of the substrate to adsorb porous silica thereon. The adsorption cycle of steps (b) and (c) is repeated a number of times to control film thickness. The age and concentration of the silica-bearing solution are selected to control the porosity and the index of refraction of the porous silica film.

Abstract: RNA enzymes or ribozymes can act as endoribonucleases, catalyzing the cleavage of RNA molecules with a sequence specificity of cleavage greater than that of known ribonucleases and approaching that of the DNA restriction endonucleases, thus serving as RNA sequence specific endoribonucleases. An example is a shortened form of the self-splicing ribosomal RNA intervening sequence of Tetrahymena (L-19 IVS RNA). Site-specific mutagenesis of the enzyme active site of the L-19 IVS RNA alters the substrate sequence specificity in a predictable manner, allowing a set of sequence-specific endoribonucleases to be synthesized. Varying conditions allow the ribozyme to act as a polymerase (nucleotidyltransferase), a dephosphorylase (acid phosphatase or phosphotransferase) or a sequence-specific endoribonuclease.

Abstract: RNA enzymes or ribozymes can act as endoribonucleases, catalyzing the cleavage of RNA molecules with a sequence specificity of cleavage greater than that of known ribonucleases and approaching that of the DNA restriction endonucleases, thus serving as RNA sequence specific endoribonucleases. An example is a shortened form of the self-splicing ribosomal RNA intervening sequence of Tetrahymena (L-19 IVS RNA). Site-specific mutagenesis of the enzyme active site of the L-19 IVS RNA alters the substrate sequence specificity in a predictable manner, allowing a set of sequence-specific endoribonucleases to be synthesized. Varying conditions allow the ribozyme to act as a polymerase (nucleotidyltransferase), a dephosphorylase (acid phosphatase or phosphotransferase) or a sequence-specific endoribonuclease.

Abstract: RNA enzymes or ribozymes can act as endoribonucleases, catalyzing the cleavage of RNA molecules with a sequence specificity of cleavage greater than that of known ribonucleases and approaching that of the DNA restriction endonucleases, thus serving as RNA sequence specific endoribonucleases. An example is a shortened form of the self-splicing ribosomal RNA intervening sequence of Tetrahymena (L-19 IVS RNA). Site-specific mutagenesis of the enzyme active site of the L-19 IVS RNA alters the substrate sequence specificity in a predictable manner, allowing a set of sequence-specific endoribonucleases to be synthesized. Varying conditions allow the ribozyme to act as a polymerase (nucleotidyltransferase), a dephosphorylase (acid phosphatase or phosphotransferase) or a sequence-specific endoribonuclease.

Abstract: A two-step adsorption process for producing ordered organic/inorganic multilayer structures is provided. Multilayered films are formed on metallic and nonmetallic substrates by alternate adsorption of a cationic polyelectrolyte and anionic sheets of a silicate clay. The two-step adsorption process is not only fast but allows also for preparation of multilayer elements of thicknesses greater than about 2200 Angstroms on silicon, and greater than about 1500 Angstroms on gold, silver, and copper.

Abstract: The present invention provides variant HSV-1 glycoprotein D and HSV-2 glycoprotein D molecules capable of preventing infection of cells by herpes simplex virus types 1 and/or 2. Also provided are novel purified and isolated polynucleotides encoding the variant gD molecules. HSV gD-1 and gD-2 region IV variants or fragments thereof are specifically contemplated by the invention. The presently preferred variant molecule gD-1(.DELTA.290-299t) is the product of recombinant expression in Sf9 cells of a fusion protein including the signal peptide of honeybee melittin and Patton strain HSV-1 gD wherein (1) the Patton strain amino acid residues 290 through 299 of the mature gD-1 protein have been replaced with the amino acid residues arginine, lysine, isoleucine and phenylalanine, and (2) Patton strain amino acid residues 308 through 369 have been replaced with five histidine residues.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for monitoring strain on a structure, such as a bridge. A plurality of battery powered wireless monitoring units are adapted for attachment to the structure, each or the units including: a sensing transducer for producing signals representative of strain, processing circuitry for processing strain-representative signals, the processing circuitry including a rain flow counter, storage for storing, as processed signals, accumulated rain flow counts of predetermined magnitudes, and a transmitter for wireless transmission of the processed signals to a receiver.

Abstract: A two-step adsorption process for producing ordered organic/inorganic multilayer structures is provided. Multilayered films are formed on metallic and nonmetallic substrates by alternate adsorption of a cationic polyelectrolyte and anionic sheets of a silicate clay. The two-step adsorption process is not only fast but allows also for preparation of multilayer elements of thicknesses greater than about 2200 Angstroms on silicon, and greater than about 1500 Angstroms on gold, silver, and copper.

Abstract: Linear and Cyclic Alpha-MSH fragment analogues of Ac-Nle.sup.4 -Glu.sup.5 -His.sup.6 -D-Phe.sup.7 -Arg.sup.8 -Try.sup.9 -Gly.sup.10 -NH.sub.2. The method of stimulating melanocytes by the transdermal application of these biologically-active analogues and compositions comprising these analogues for use in the method are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method for the inhibition of reverse transcriptase by contacting said reverse transcriptase with oligonucleotides having have at least one phosphorodithioate internucleotide linkage of the formula ##STR1## within the phosphorus backbone of the oligonucleotide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to new and useful nucleoside thiophosphoroamidites and polynucleotide phosphorodithioate compounds as well as the processes whereby these compounds may be used for synthesizing new mononucleotides and polynucleotides having phosphorothioate and phosphorodithioate internucleotide linkages.

Abstract: A novel class of cyclic bridged analogs of .alpha.-MSH are described herein. With the described analogs, when administered in pharmaceutical compositions, it is now possible to achieve normalization of hypopigmentation dysfunctions and to achieve darkening of the skin in the total absence of sun or UV light irradiation.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for decomposing methylene iodide, including the following steps: providing a hydrophobic sorbent zeolite, exposing the zeolite to methylene iodide in the presence of water or water vapor, so that the methylene iodide is adsorbed on the water, heating the zeolite to a first temperature of at least 100.degree. to decompose the methylene iodide, and heating the zeolite to a second temperature of at least 400.degree. to regenerate its sorbent characteristics.

Abstract: Cyclic Alpha-MSH fragment analogues of Ac-Nle.sup.4 -Glu.sup.5 -His.sup.6 -D-Phe.sup.7 -Arg.sup.8 -Try.sup.9 -Gly.sup.10 -NH.sub.2. The method of stimulating melanocytes by the transdermal application of these biologically-active analogues and compositions comprising these analogues for use in the method are disclosed.

Abstract: An illuminating apparatus for a wall switch or outlet that has a pair of terminals across which an electric potential is available, including an electroluminescent lamp plate having first and second electrode deposits on a surface thereof, and a contact plate disposed between the wall switch or outlet and the electroluminescent lamp plate and having a front surface facing the electroluminescent lamp plate and a back surface facing the switch or outlet, the contact plate having first and second conductors, each of which pass through the contact plate, the first conductor contacting the first electrode deposit and one of the terminals, and the second conductor contacting the second electrode deposit and the other of the terminals.

Abstract: The present invention provides variant HSV-1 glycoprotein D and HSV-2 glycoprotein D molecules capable of preventing infection of cells by herpes simplex virus types 1 and/or 2. Also provided are novel purified and isolated polynucleotides encoding the variant gD molecules. HSV gD-1 and gD-2 region IV variants or fragments thereof are specifically contemplated by the invention. The presently preferred variant molecule gD-1(.DELTA.290-299t) is the product of recombinant expression in Sf9 cells of a fusion protein including the signal peptide of honeybee melittin and Patton strain HSV-1 gD wherein (1) the Patton strain amino acid residues 290 through 299 of the mature gD-1 protein have been replaced with the amino acid residues arginine, lysine, isoleucine and phenylalanine, and (2) Patton strain amino acid residues 308 through 369 have been replaced with five histidine residues.

Abstract: Described herein is a method, and the resulting compound, for the synthesis of improved amphiphilic antibiotic agents achieved by altering the chemical structure of amphiphilic polyene macrolide compounds with an oligo(ethylene glycol) conjugate in order to raise the critical micelle concentration of the compound.