Abstract: Compounds containing .alpha.-discarbonyl groups are rendered capable of fluorescent emission by conjugation with carboxylic acid-terminated ortho-diaminoaryl reagents. The carboxylic acid groups serve as ionizable moieties which facilitate the conjugation reaction, and are retained in the conjugation product to enable, or enhance the ability of, the conjugated compounds to be separated in chromatographic and electromigration separation processes, notably electrophoresis. Ortho-dinitro derivatives of the reagents are also disclosed, these derivatives offering the advantage of stability as well as the ability to be used directly in the reaction in the presence of a reducing agent.

Abstract: A drug delivery catheter assembly, including an expandable, porous outer membrane that is insertable into a blood vessel and positioned adjacent a stenotic atherosclerotic lesion on the interior wall of the blood vessel. The membrane is expanded into contact with the lesion, either mechanically or hydraulically. After the membrane is expanded, a drug-containing liquid is caused to flow into the membrane and through the pores in the membrane into contact with the lesion.

Abstract: The invention provides a device having two components: a needle advancing apparatus slidable longitudinally along a catheter to advance needles into a tissue membrane, such as a blood vessel wall, around an opening in the membrane; and, a suture retrieval assembly insertable through the catheter beyond a distal side of the tissue membrane. The needle advancing apparatus advances suture through the tissue wall. The suture retrieval assembly grabs the suture on the distal side of the tissue membrane for extraction thereof through the opening in the tissue membrane. A method for suturing a membrane beneath the patient's skin is also disclosed.

Abstract: The novel agents for preventing dental calculus in domestic animals of the present invention are sequestering agents that are applied as coatings to commercially-prepared diets for domestic animals and that are significantly superior in terms of their anticalculus efficacy to the soluble pyrophosphate crystal growth inhibitors of the prior art. The sequestering agents of the present invention form soluble calcium complexes in saliva and dental plaque fluids thereby preventing the calcification of dental plaque. Sodium hexametaphosphate has been utilized as the preferred sequestering agents of the invention to date.

Abstract: Polysaccharides are separated in a capillary using pulsed-field electrophoresis.

Abstract: Silanes and Siloxanes incorporating the 4-dialkylaminopyridine functionality are described. Preferred silanes are catalytically active and also serve as precursors to the siloxanes. Preferred polysiloxanes incorporating DAAP functionality exhibit excellent physical and dynamic-mechanical properties while maintaining a substantial percentage of the DAAP catalytic behavior.

Abstract: A method and composition for delivering a drug to an affected intramural site for sustained release in conjunction with or following balloon catheter procedures, such as angioplasty. The drug, carried by microparticles of a physiologically-compatible, biodegradable polymer is injected under directed pressure into the wall of a body vessel in the region of the affected site.

Abstract: Surfaces of silica-containing materials, such as the inner walls of silica capillaries, used in chromatographic, particularly electrophoretic, separations are coated with an organic polymer layer to reduce or eliminate surface charges. The layer is applied by first converting the silanol groups on the surface to silicon halide groups, then reacting these groups with an organometallic reagent having a terminal ethenyl moiety, preferably vinyl or allyl lithium or a vinyl or allyl magnesium halide, to convert the silicon halide groups to Si--R groups where the R retains the terminal ethenyl moiety, and finally reacting these ethenyl groups newly attached to the surface with a neutral organic monomer in an addition polymerization reaction to form a monomolecular noncrosslinked polymer layer over the surface. The resulting polymer layer is linked to the silica directly through a Si--C bond which is stable over a wide range of pH conditions.

Abstract: The multiple linear regression approach typically used in near-infrared spectrometry yields equations in which any amount of reflectance at the analytical wavelengths leads to a corresponding composition value. As a result, when the sample contains a component not present in the training set, erroneous composition values can arise without any indication of error. There is described a method of detecting "false" samples by constructing a multi-dimensional form in space using reflectance values of samples in a training set at a number of wavelengths. A new sample is projected into this space and a confidence test is executed to determine whether the new sample is part of the population from which the training set was drawn. The method relies on few assumptions about the structure of the data; therefore, deviations from assumptions do not affect the results of the confidence test.

Abstract: A method for using spectral analysis to detect subpopulations is disclosed. According to this method, a training set of spectra of a first plurality of samples is obtained and a bootstrap distribution is formed. A test set of spectra of a second plurality of samples is then obtained and a second bootstrap distribution is formed. First and second univariate distributions are then formed from the bootstrap distributions. A quantile-quantile relationship of the training and test sets is then developed and a determination of whether the test set and training set are substantially identical is made. The plurality of test samples are thus used to calculate probability density contours inside a training-set spectral cluster and detect perturbations of those contours using a bootstrap procedure. False samples are detected as subclusters well inside the training set, and trace analyses using a very small number of wavelengths are facilitated.

Abstract: Restenosis following vascular recanalization is prevented by administering a photoactivatable psoralen and, in conjunction with recanalization, delivering ultraviolet radiation to the region of said recanalization.

Abstract: Gels are formed in capillary tubes by electrophoretically drawing a charged polymerization initiator into a capillary tube pre-filled with monomer, crosslinking agent and catalyst. The rate of travel of the initiator is slow enough to maintain a sharp leading edge or front, thereby causing polymerization to occur in a progressive manner from one end of the capillary to the other. The shrinkage inherent in the polymerization reaction is thus compensated by fluid movement ahead of the traveling initiator front, and discontinuities in the gel which would otherwise be formed are avoided.

Abstract: Surfaces of silica-containing materials, such as the inner walls of silica capillaries, used in chromatographic, particularly electrophoretic, separations are coated with an organic polymer layer to reduce or eliminate surface charges. The layer is applied by first converting the silanol groups on the surface to silicon halide groups, then reacting these groups with an organometallic reagent having a terminal ethenyl moiety, preferably vinyl or allyl lithium or a vinyl or allyl magnesium halide, to convert the silicon halide groups to Si--R groups where the R retains the terminal ethenyl moiety, and finally reacting these ethenyl groups newly attached to the surface with a neutral organic monomer in an addition polymerization reaction to form a monomolecular noncrosslinked polymer layer over the surface. The resulting polymer layer is linked to the silica directly through a Si--C bond which is stable over a wide range of pH conditions.

Abstract: An isotope-ratio-monitoring gas chromatography-mass spectrometry apparatus and method are disclosed which provide for on-line analysis of isotope compositions with high precision. With the apparatus and method, samples are introduced in a hydrogen carrier gas into a gas chromatograph and resolved into discrete compounds. The discrete compounds are thereafter introduced to a selectively permeable membrane separator, empolying palladium, palladium alloy or other suitable material, to separate out the hydrogen carrier. A replacement carrier gas is simultaneously introduced to carry the chromatographic sample to a combustion reactor, water separator and isotope-ratio-monitoring mass spectrometer. The replacement carrier gas is introduced at a lower flowrate than the hydrogen carrier gas, thus permitting lower flowrates to be introduced to the mass spectrometer to improve its precision. Flowrates to the mass spectrometer are thus reduced without any loss or fractionation of the sample.

Abstract: Silanes and siloxanes incorporating the 4-dialkylaminopyridine functionality are described. Preferred silanes are catalytically active and also serve as precursors to the siloxanes. Preferred siloxanes incorporating DAAP functionality exhibit excellent physical and dynamic-mechanical properties while maintaining a substantial percentage of the DAAP catalytic behavior.

Abstract: The BEAST method, when used in conjunction with NIRS data at as few as one or two wavelengths, is able to quickly detect a wide variety of adulterants in capsules, obviating the need to open them for analysis. The ability of this technique to detect the absence of components that should be present as well as the presence of components that should be absent enables it even to signal the presence of adulterants that have no near-infrared absorption.

Abstract: The present invention relates to unique holders or reflectors for NIRS samples, in particular for tablets, capsules and liquids. These holders comprise a main body with a substantially 90.degree. right-circular cone-shaped receptacle therein.

Abstract: Solid-phase copolymers of 4-vinylpyridine or 4-vinylpyridine 1-oxide may be employed as catalysts in the formation of acid anhydrides. A water soluble polymer of 4-vinylpyridine 1-oxide may also be employed as a catalyst in the formation of acid anhydrides.

Abstract: Novel silylpyridine monomers and dimers and their N-oxide derivatives and poly(methylpyridinylsiloxane) polymers and copolymers and their N-oxide derivatives have utility as inverse phase transfer catalysts.

Abstract: Antagonist analogs of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) having N-alkylated basic amino acid residues at the 8 position, 8 and 6 positions, 8 and 5 positions, and 8, 6 and 5 positions, having high antiovulatory activity and low histamine release activity, and their use in regulating the release of gonadatropic hormones from the pituitary gland of mannals.