Abstract: A heart massager for substernal heart massage is disclosed. The heart massager utilizes a heart-contacting member adapted for insertion into a thoracic cavity for directly contacting the heart and a handle attached thereto for manually manipulating the apparatus. The heart-contacting member includes a cup having one end which is open and which receives the handle, and another end which is closed by an at least partially concave-shaped diaphragm which forms a heart contacting surface and allows the member to conform to the shape of the heart's surface. The ends of the cup are joined by a flexible sidewall which flares outward from the handle in its operative state. The cup's flexible sidewall allows the heart-contacting member to collapse so that it can be inserted into a relatively small incision in the chest cavity. After the heart-contacting member is inserted, fluid pressure is applied to the inside of the cup, thereby causing it to expand into its operative state.

Abstract: Optically active compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein n is 1 or 2 and m is 0, 1, 2 or 3 have antiviral activity. Compounds of the formula wherein at least one of the internecleotide phosphorothioate linkages is of the Sp configuration possess increased antiviral activity and/or metabolic stability.

Abstract: Viral infection is inhibited in mammals by administration of metabolically stable, non-toxic 2', 5'-oligoadenylate (2-5A) derivatives that have a dual therapeutic effect. The compounds activate the intracellular latent 2-5A dependent endoribonuclease RNase L and also inhibit the action of viral DNA polymerases. Conjugates of the 2-5A derivatives for therapeutic delivery are also described.

Abstract: The invention provides a tumor suppressor protein of the retinoblastoma family (pRb2) which binds to the E1A transforming domain and to DNA encoding for the pRb2 protein.

Abstract: A multicomputer system and method for automatic sequential-to-parallel program partition, scheduling and execution. The plurality of computer are connected via a uni-directional slotted ring (backbone). The ring supports, with deterministic delays, point-to-point, broadcast and EXCLUSIVE-READ operations over labeled tuples. The execution of parallel programs uses a connectionless computing method that forms customized coarse grain SIMD, MIMD and pipelined processors automatically using the connected multicomputers. The disclosed multicomputer architecture is also resilient to processor and backbone failures.

Abstract: An artificial blood substitute comprising Lewis acid--Lewis base salt film microcapsule having a perfluorocarbons encapsulated therein. The Lewis base may be a polyoxyalkylene adduct of an amine, having the structure: ##STR1## in which, independently, ##STR2## said Lewis acid may be a polyoxyalkylene derivative of a polymeric acid having the structure ##STR3## in which c- and d- type repeat units are randomly distributed within the polymer, c=70 to 3150, c-type repeat units comprise from 50-90% of the total polymer.

Abstract: The release of bradykinin into the circulatory system is potentiated by administration of a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to domain 3 of the human kininogen heavy chain. The polypeptide competitively inhibits the binding of high and low molecular weight kininogen to platelets and other cells which protect the kininogens from kallikrein cleavage, thereby increasing the level of bradykinin in the cirulation. The resulting in vivo effect is an intravascular elevation of bradykinin and concomitant lowering of blood pressure. The domain 3 polypeptide also inhibits thrombin-induced platelet and endothelial cell activation.

Abstract: The invention provides a tumor suppressor protein of the retinoblastoma family (pRb2) which binds to the E1A transforming domain and to DNA encoding for the pRb2 protein.

Abstract: Four novel cell lines, ATCC #HB-8862 through ATCC #HB-8865 produce monoclonal antibody to human plasma prekallikrein. At least three of the antibodies also recognize plasma kallikrein, specifically the heavy chain thereof, and kallikrein-Cl-inhibitor complex; at least one of these three antibodies recognizes kallikrein-alpha.sub.2 -macroglobulin complex and kallikrein-antithrombin III complex. The antibodies do not cross-react with tissue kallikrein. The hybridomas are formed by fusing spleen cells from immunized BALB/c AnSkh mice with SP2/O-Agl4 myeloma cells. Diagnostic and biochemical uses of the monoclonal antibodies are provided.

Abstract: Fungal infections are treated by administering a combination of(a) amphotericin B, and(b) a glycerol ether selected from the group consisting of(i) HOCH.sub.2 CHOHCH.sub.2 OR,(ii) HOCH.sub.2 CH(OR.sub.1)CH.sub.2 OH, and(iii) combinations thereof,wherein R and R.sub.1 are independently selected from the group consisting of C.sub.8 -C.sub.18 and C.sub.8 -C.sub.18 alkenyl.The glycerol ether acts synergistically to reduce the minimum inhibitory concentration of amphotericin B. The combination is particularly effective against Cryptococcus and Candida species.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of inhibiting coagulation in extracorporeal circulation in a subject, comprising administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a monoclonal antibody which inhibits the ability of tissue factor to bind to factor VII/VIIa. The method prevents complex formation between tissue factor and factor VII/VIIa and thus inhibits coagulation of blood in extracorporeal procedures such as cardiopulmonary bypass and other shunt procedures. Anti-tissue factor monoclonal antibodies produced by hybridoma cell lines TFS-5G9 or TF9-6B4 may be used in the claimed methods.

Abstract: A process is provided for controlling a ventilation procedure wherein a heliox ventilation system passes a breathing medium through at least a portion of a patient's pulmonary pathways. In this process, desired ranges for certain process parameters associated with the heliox ventilation system are established. These desired ranges are input into a signal processor. Initial settings for the heliox ventilation system are then made such that the actual conditions which will initially occur during the heliox ventilation procedure fall within their respective desired ranges. Thereafter, the heliox ventilation procedure is commenced. During the heliox ventilation procedure, conditions which relate to the established ranges are continually monitored by appropriate sensors. The monitored information is also input into the signal processor. The signal processor is designed to compare the actually-occurring monitored conditions to their respective desired ranges and determine if there is a difference therebetween.

Abstract: The effectiveness of selected antineoplastic agents may be determined in individual patients by comparing the level of expression of one or more selected growth-regulated genes in neoplastic cells taken from the patient before and shortly after the initiation of therapy. A decrement in expression is prognostic of eventual remission, while a lack of decrement indicates that remission is unlikely. The test may also be accomplished by comparing the level of expression of growth-regulated genes in neoplastic cells in culture before and after incubation of the cells with the selected antineoplastic agents.

Abstract: An apparatus and method determines the dissolution of a drug from a dosage form, most particularly a swellable dosage form. An inert, transparent cylindrical vessel having a hemispherical bottom contains a fluid medium. The dosage form is placed into the vessel. A disk carried in the vessel has a pair of annular rings for engaging the vessel walls spaced above the bottom of the vessel. The disk has a screen mesh circumferentially sandwiched by the rings for passage of the fluid medium through the disk. A dosage form retaining space defined between the disk and bottom of the vessel retains the dosage form. The disk restrains the dosage form from floating to the top of the fluid medium. A stirring mechanism having a vertical shaft and a blade at a lower end of the shaft is inserted into the vessel. The stirring mechanism rotates the fluid medium. The drug concentration in the fluid medium is sampled at selected time intervals.

Abstract: Optically active compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein n is 1 or 2 and m is 0, 1, 2 or 3 have antiviral activity. Compounds of the formula wherein at least one of the internucleotide phosphorothioate linkages is of the Sp configuration possess increased antiviral activity and/or metabolic stability.

Abstract: Radiolabelled polypeptides derived from the Viperidae disintegrins are provided as well as a method for the detection of venous and arterial thrombi, pulmonary emboli and tumors or abscesses that have a thrombus component. Compositions suitable for parenteral administration comprising the radiolabelled polypeptides and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier are also provided.

Abstract: A high level virtual computer in a heterogeneous hardware and software environment. A user specifies the hardware and software configuration of a virtual computer employing multiple coarse grain single instruction, multiple data (SIMD); multiple instruction, multiple data (MIMD); and pipelined parallel computing elements into a configurator, which activates a distributed process controller and supporting components in the desired virtual computer. Each processor in the virtual computer is equipped with a language injection library and runtime servers, i.e. daemons. The language injection library facilitates transference of data among the processors in the system during the execution of an application program, and isolates the details of coordinating the heterogeneous hardware and software in the virtual computer.

Abstract: This invention pertains to the use of a degassed perfluorocarbon ("PFC") liquid as a method of removing gas emboli from parts of a patient's internal anatomy. Moreover, the invention can be used as a method of imaging parts of a patient's internal anatomy. Furthermore, the invention can also be used as a way of delivering biological agents to parts of a patient's internal anatomy which contain or are surrounded by gas emboli and/or which are to be imaged. In this invention, a degassed PFC liquid is delivered to a region within the patient's internal anatomy which contains gas emboli and/or which is to be imaged. If gas emboli are present, the degassed liquid is permitted to absorb at least a portion of the emboli. Thereafter, the emboli-containing liquid is removed from the patient or is used as an imaging agent. If gas emboli are not present, the cite is imaged before the degassed liquid reaches atmospheric equilibrium. Thereafter, the liquid is removed from the patient.

Abstract: A composition curable to a thermally reversible rubber comprises(i) a strong acid catalyst having a pK.sub.a of less than about -9,(ii) at least one polycyclosiloxane containing at least one polyfunctional siloxane unit, and(iii) at least one polysiloxane selected from the group consisting of a linear polydimethylsiloxane; a polydimethylcyclosiloxane containing from about 6 to about 50 silicon-oxygen bonds; a linear or cyclic block copolymer of polydimethylsiloxane and a non-siloxane organic polymer; and a linear or cyclic random copolymer of a siloxane of the formula Si(R)(R.sup.1)O wherein R and R.sup.1 are different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.18 hydrocarbon and C.sub.2 -C.sub.18 hydroxyalkyl,wherein the catalyst comprises from about 0.05 to about 0.5 wt % of the composition, and the concentration of polyfunctional siloxane units is at least about two times the catalyst concentration in the composition, but no more than about 0.27 molar.

Abstract: A process is provided for controlling a ventilation procedure wherein a liquid ventilation system passes a breathing liquid through at least a portion of a patient's pulmonary pathways. In this process, desired ranges for certain process parameters associated with the liquid ventilation system are established. These desired ranges are input into a central processing unit. Initial settings for the liquid ventilation system are then made such that the actual conditions which will initially occur during the liquid ventilation procedure fall within their respective desired ranges. Thereafter, the liquid ventilation procedure is commenced. During the liquid ventilation procedure, conditions which relate to the established ranges are continually monitored by appropriate sensors. The monitored information is also input into the central processing unit.