Abstract: A method for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a peptide compound selected from the group consisting of:(i) vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP);(ii) analogues of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in which one or more amino acids has been replaced, added or deleted without substantially altering the biological properties of the parent peptide;(iii) a conjugate being a peptide compound according to either of (i) and (ii) coupled to a lipophilic moiety;(iv) a physiologically active fragment of (i), (ii) and (iii); and(v) a functional derivative of any of (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv);optionally in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: A method for multiplexing the buffer space used to store messages of backlogged flows at the output port of a switch. The buffer space is partitioned among queues of variable length, with the first queue long enough to accommodate the largest expected backlog, the second queue long enough to accommodate the second-largest expected backlog, etc. Messages are dequeued from the queues for transmission in Round-Robin order. Incoming messages are enqueued in a manner that guarantees that messages of heavily backlogged flows tend to be enqueued in the longer queues, while preserving FIFO message order. If the messages are all of the same length, then the queues are partitioned into locations, of the same length as the messages, each location having an ordinal index in its queue, and the messages are enqueued so that each message of a particular flow is enqueued in a location with a different ordinal index.

Abstract: Binding of two members of a binding couple reveals epitopes which are revealed only after binding and the monoclonal antibody secreted from the hybridoma cell line CG-10 directed against these epitopes bind to the bound couple at a significantly higher affinity than their binding affinity to either of the two members themselves when not bound to one another.

Abstract: A phase-only filter for approximating a given optical transfer function for monochromatic incoherent light. The filter is designed by solving an integral equation for a phase function, and imposing, on a transparent plate, an optical path length for the incoherent radiation equal, in radians, to the phase function modulo 2.pi. plus an overall constant.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition and method for treating injury to or diseases which result in neuronal degeneration resulting from stroke, brain, retina or spinal cord injuries and other brain disorders and possible trauma associated with neurosurgical procedures is disclosed. The composition consists of glutamine synthetase (GS), analogues and derivatives thereof and a pharmaceutical carrier which when administered to a patient prevents or reduces neuronal degeneration.

Abstract: Retinal dystrophies are treated by melanotropin peptides or analogs.

Abstract: A method for examining a visual field of a subject includes the steps of stimulating the subject eye movement reflex to an off field visual stimulus and mapping the subject visual field based on a positive reflex to the stimulus. An apparatus (20) for evaluating the visual field of a subject (22) includes a subject affixation mechanism (24) for affixing a portion of the apparatus (20) to the subject (22), an eye tracking mechanism (26) operatively connected to the subject affixation means (24) for tracking eye movement of the subject (22), and visual field stimulus generater (28) operatively connected to the affixation mechanism (24) for generating a visual stimulus.

Abstract: Eye diseases or disorders are treated by an active agent being a melanotropin peptide or an analogue thereof, the analogue being an agent having a biological effect resembling that of the melanotropin peptide. The active agent may be administered topically onto the eye, by injection into the eye or systemically.

Abstract: A positioning device (500) for positioning workpieces along translations and through angular rotations about two or more axes of rotation. In particular, the positioning devices (500) can be employed in method for aligning an optical fiber (510) with an optical beam such that the axis of the optical fiber (510) is aligned coincident to the axis of the optical beam and the endface (508) of the optical fiber (510) is deployed at the global maximum along the axis of the optical beam. The positioning devices are for use laser-to-fiber set-ups, laser-to-spatial filter set-ups, fiber-to-fiber set-ups and the like.

Abstract: A method for bounded distance decoding of symbols received in transmission when the original symbols belonged to a Block code featuring series of symbols forming legitimate codewords whose metric distance from the received transmission is measured in Square Euclidean Distance (SED), when the maximum number of errors per word is upward bound by d-1; in which the Block code can be divided into subsets which will each define the entire codeword; and in which the maximum number of errors in at least one subset is one. The method includes dividing the received symbols into a number of blocks per codeword and decoding each block separately and simultaneously with regard to a maximum of one error present in each block. The solution of the decoder is the legitimate codeword with the lowest overall metric distance (SED) from the received transmission.

Abstract: An apparatus for time dependent power spectrum analysis of a physiological signal modulated by the autonomic nervous system. The apparatus includes a sensor for picking up a physiological signal modulated by the autonomic nervous system and a frequency selection apparatus for selecting at least one frequency inherent to the signal. The apparatus further includes a selective windowed time-frequency analysis processor for determining the power spectrum of the physiological signal within a window along the signal for the at least one frequency and an output apparatus for providing information associated with the functioning of the autonoinic nervous system as provided by the power spectrum of the physiological signal.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method of controlling the microstructure and service properties of electrically conductive transparent and other materials by passing an electrical current through the materials while simultaneously employing an additional process. Examples of the additional process include heating, sintering, deposition, casting, electrical arcing, and immersion in liquids. In one embodiment of the present invention, the additional process is deposition of a transparent conductive coating material while passing a current through the deposited coating along the surface of the coated material.

Abstract: A purified and isolated gene, designated ATM, mutations of which cause ataxia-telangiectasia.

Abstract: A method for automatic partial correction of color images for non-white illumination. The images are processed in a manner similar to that by which the visual system processes signals related to color vision to achieve "color constancy".

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided an instrument for measuring the tightness between a first and a second contiguous bodies, the first body being movable with relation to the second body, comprising: (a) a substantially incompressible insertion element of predetermined thickness for insertion between the first and second bodies; (b) a holder for holding the insertion element to enable the insertion element to be forcibly inserted between the first and second bodies, thereby displacing the first body with relation to the second body, thereby providing a predetermined forced distance between the first and second bodies; and (c) a sensor for sensing the insertion force applied when inserting the insertion element between the first and second bodies along a predetermined path of insertion.

Abstract: A spacecraft having an array of antenna elements mounted on its outer surface. Signals are transmitted and received by scanning the array electronically. Solar cells are mounted on the array elements in a manner that interferes minimally with the transmission and reception of the signals. Because the direction of transmission and reception is determined by electronic scanning, the antenna array and the solar cells are decoupled directionally without being decoupled mechanically.

Abstract: A method for prophylactic therapy for post-cataract extraction posterior capsular opacification of an eye having a lens posterior capsule, the method including the step of irradiating the lens capsule with laser radiation so as to destroy cells which remain in the lens capsule after extraction of the cataract, the laser radiation being substantially absorbable in water and of a level less than that required to rupture the lens capsule.

Abstract: A method of simultaneously forming a gallium arsenide p-i-n structure having p, i, and n regions, which includes heating to dissolve gallium arsenide in a solvent such as bismuth or gallium to form a saturated solution of gallium arsenide in the solvent, contacting the solution with a gaseous mixture, which mixture includes hydrogen, water vapor and products of reactions between the hydrogen and the water vapor with the solvent and with silicon dioxide, to form a contacted solution, coating a suitably selected substrate, such as a group III-V compound such as gallium arsenide, with the contacted solution, cooling the coated substrate to precipitate gallium arsenide from the contacted solution onto the substrate, and removing the substrate coated with a layer of gallium arsenide having a p-i-n structure which constitutes the product having an i region dopant concentration of less than about 10.sup.12 cm.sup.-3.

Abstract: An inhibitor of cholesterol synthesis is used for the treatment, alleviation or prevention of skin disorders.

Abstract: A purified and isolated gene, designated ATM, mutations of which cause ataxia-telangiectasia.