Abstract: A device for bending a laser beam is provided. The device includes a beam deflection device that produces the beam having a selected number of addressable points. A soliton forming mechanism is positioned at the output of the beam deflection device so it receives the beam and increases the number of addressable points by a certain magnitude.

Abstract: Methods and associated apparatuses for imaging a target. An echo sequence image of the target is acquired and a log spectrum of at least a portion of the echo sequence image is computed. A point spread function is estimated by one of two methods. According to the first method, a low-resolution wavelet projection of the echo sequence log spectrum is used as an estimate of the log spectrum of the point spread function. According to the second method, an outlier-resistant wavelet transform of the echo sequence log spectrum is effected, followed by soft-thresholding and an inverse wavelet transform. Under both methods, a frequency domain phase of the point spread function also is estimated, the relevant portion of the echo sequence image is deconvolved using the estimated point spread function.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for identifying modulators of B1 G-protein coupled receptors. The present invention also relates to a method for identifying an antagonist or agonist of the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 2 (CRFR2). The present invention also relates to a method for improving antagonists or agonists of CRFR2. The present invention also relates to the three-dimensional structure of CRFR2 as representative of the B1 GPCR subfamily and its use as a basis for rational drug design of antagonist or agonists of B1 GPCRs.

Abstract: The present invention provides bacterial vectors and fusion proteins containing a TTSS polypeptide, compositions of such fusion proteins including polynucleotides, and methods of delivering one or more genes into a target cell that involve contacting the cell with a composition that includes such a fusion protein. Compositions and methods of gene delivery that involve a bacterium and a TAT, Antp, or HSV VP22 polypeptide are also disclosed. The invention also concerns methods of delivering one or more genes into a target cell utilizing a bacterium capable of becoming internalized within the cell, wherein the bacterium includes one or more genes targeted for delivery to the cell, a gene encoding an RNA polymerase, and a gene that causes lysis of the bacterium.

Abstract: The present invention concerns isolated attenuated flaviviruses, such as West Nile viruses, having modifications that provide phenotypic varation, particularly in comparison to a more virulent reference strains. The invention encompasses the isolated viruses and immunogenic compositions thereof, in addition to methods to produce and utilize same.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a safe, cost-effective, environmentally-friendly and ecologically-sound bioengineered pest eradication product and uses thereof. Immunological and genetic engineering techniques are used to generate monoclonal antibodies as well as viruses (phage) that display scFv heavy and/or light chain Ig fragments which exhibit high-avidity specific binding to cells of the microvilli of the midgut of imported fire ant queens. The specific monoclonal antibodies and phage displayed antibody Fab fragments are conjugated to a toxin for targeted delivery and destruction of imported fire ant queens, but not native species.

Abstract: The present invention is of methods of establishing and propagating human embryonic stem cell lines using feeder cells-free, xeno-free culture systems and stem cells which are capable of being maintained in an undifferentiated, pluripotent and proliferative state in culture which is free of xeno contaminants and feeder cells.

Abstract: A method of representing a dataset having a plurality of elements characterized by a plurality of relations, the method comprising the following steps. A first step includes, slicing at least a portion of the dataset into a plurality of slices, each of the slices comprises a portion of the plurality of elements. A second step includes, for each element of the plurality of elements, assigning a set of identifiers, each identifier of the set being characterized by a position within the set, the position representing one of the slices. A third step includes, for each element of the plurality of elements, assigning an interval, the interval representing at least one relation of the element to at least one element of the plurality of elements.

Abstract: A method of generating cells capable of secreting insulin is disclosed. The method comprises subjecting mammalian embryonic stem cells to set of culturing conditions suitable for differentiation of at least a portion thereof into cells displaying at least one characteristic associated with a pancreatic islet cell progenitor phenotype, and subjecting such differentiated cells to a set of culturing conditions suitable for formation of surface bound cell clusters including insulin producing cells.

Abstract: An isolated molecule which comprises an antibody specifically bindable with a binding affinity below 20 nanomolar, preferably below 10 nanomolar, to a human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I being complexed with a HLA-restricted antigen and optionally further comprises an identifiable or therapeutic moiety conjugated to the antibody.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inhibitor of NF-?B, guggulsterone and its analogs. Guggulsterone suppresses NF-?B activation induced by TNF, phorbol ester, okadaic acid, cigarette smoke, H2O2 and IL-1?, as well as constitutive NF-?B activation expressed in most tumor cells. One mechanism by which guggulsterone inhibits activation of NF-?B is through suppression of I?B? phosphorylation and I?B? degradation. NF-?B-dependent gene transcription is modulated by guggulsterone and its analogs. In particular, induction by TNF, TNFR1, TRADD, TRAF2, NIK and IKK, is modulated by guggulsterone and its analogs. In addition, guggulsterone decreased the expression of genes involved in anti-apoptosis (IAP1, XIAP, Bfl-1/A1, bcl-2, cFLIP, survivin), proliferation (cyclin D1, c-myc) and metastasis (MMP-9, COX2 and VEGF).

Abstract: A logic circuit consists of a first transistor network and a complementary second transistor network connected at a central node. The central node serves as a first logic output. Each of the transistor networks is also connected to a respective root. A third transistor network is connected between an intermediate node of one of the transistor networks and the network's respective root. For a nonhomogeneous graft, the third transistor network has a complementary structure to the transistors between the intermediate node and the central node, is of the opposite transistor type as the given transistor network, and has equivalent inputs relative to the transistors between the intermediate node and the central node.

Abstract: An isolated molecule which comprises an antibody specifically bindable with a binding affinity below 20 nanomolar, preferably below 10 nanomolar, to a human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I being complexed with a HLA-restricted antigen and optionally further comprises an identifiable or therapeutic moiety conjugated to the antibody.

Abstract: An optical device includes a plurality of metallic stripes, arranged in a substantially planar, subwavelength grating having a laterally varying, continuous grating vector, deposited on a substrate such as GaAs or ZnSe. When used as a polarizer, the device passes a laterally uniform polarized beam of electromagnetic radiation incident thereon with a predetermined, laterally varying transmissivity. When used to effect polarization state transformation, the device transforms a beam of electromagnetic radiation incident thereon into a transmitted beam having a predetermined, laterally varying polarization state. The device can be used to provide radially polarized electromagnetic radiation for accelerating subatomic particles or for cutting a workpiece. The device also can be used, in conjunction with a mechanism for measuring the lateral variation of the intensity of the transmitted beam, for measuring the polarization state of the incident beam.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of curcumin or analogues thereof as modulators of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. More specifically, compositions of curcumin or analogues thereof can be used to inhibit acetyl-CoA carboxylase 2 (ACC2) thereby promoting fatty acid oxidation. Yet further, the invention relates to the use of curcumin and analogues thereof to increase mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation thereby promoting weight loss and/or reducing fat accumulation.

Abstract: The invention provides novel saponin mixtures and compounds which are isolated from the species Acacia victoriae and methods for their use. These compounds may contain a triterpene moiety, such as acacic or oleanolic acid, to which oligosaccharides and monoterpenoid moieties are attached. The mixtures and compounds have properties related to the regulation of apoptosis and cytotoxicity of cells and exhibit potent anti-tumor effects against a variety of tumor cells.

Abstract: The subject invention provides R(+)-N-propargyl-1-aminoindan and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing same. The subject invention also provides methods of treating a subject afflicted with Parkinson's disease, a memory disorder, dementia, depression, hyperactive syndrome, an effective illness, a neurodegenerative disease, a neurotoxic injury, stroke, brain ischemia, a head trauma injury, a spinal trauma injury, neurotrauma, schizophrenia, an attention deficit disorder, multiple sclerosis, or withdrawal symptoms, using R(+)-N-propargyl-1-aminoindan or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the subject invention. The subject invention further provides a method of preventing nerve damage in a subject. Finally, the subject invention provides methods of preparing R(+)-N-propargyl-1-aminoindan, a salt thereof, and racemic N-propargyl-1-aminoindan.

Abstract: A search of the public human genome database identified a human EST, GenBank accession number AW293249, which has high homology to known pufferfish urocortin sequences. The full length sequence was amplified from human genomic DNA and sequenced. Sequence homology comparisons of the novel sequence with human urocortin I and urocortin II revealed that the sequence encoded a novel human urocortin, which was designated urocortin III (UcnIII). While urocortin III does not have high affinity for either CRF-R1 or CRF-R2, the affinity for CRF-R2 is greater than the affinity for CRF-R1. Urocortin III is capable stimulating cyclic AMP production in cells expressing CRF-R2? or ?. Thus, the affinity is high enough that urocortin III could act as a native agonist of CRF-R2. However, it is also likely that urocortin III is a stronger agonist of a yet to be identified receptor.

Abstract: Data filtering apparatus comprising: an input for receiving a stream of data, each data item taking a range of at least two values ranging between a low value to a high value, a segmentation device for dividing the stream into segments, a segment midpoint definer for defining a midpoint of each segment, a segment orderer for ordering the segment in a first direction from low to high on a first side of the midpoint and in a second direction from low to high on a second side of the midpoint, an extremity filter unit for comparing the ordered data on either side of the midpoint to create a temporary output per segment, for each segment, each data item on either side of the midpoint being given an extremity filter value, the filter unit being operable to utilize the ordering to find the extremity value via a minimal number of comparisons, the extremity filter for initially comparing a single end of each segment, and being operable to alternate between ends per segment, the extremity filter being further operable

Abstract: The present invention provides cell culture media and methods useful for determining levels of intracellular function of glutathione or cysteine and for providing biochemical analysis of antioxidant function in human lymphocytes.