Abstract: A method of anti-metastatic and/or anti-inflammatory treatment of an animal or human patient comprises administration to the patient of an effective amount of at least one sulphated polysaccharide which blocks or inhibits endoglycosidase, particularly heparanase, activity. Suitable sulphated polysaccharides include heparin and modified heparin, fucoidan, pentosan sulphate, dextran sulphate and carrageenan lambda.

Abstract: A diagnostic test for glaucoma, which can detect the early stages of this disease, uses a pattern electroretinogram of a subject to assess any reduction of the density of M.sub.y ganglion cells in a part of the subject's retina. The visual field of the eye of the subject is divided into a number of zones, and a respective visual stimulus signal is applied to each zone. The visual stimulus signals are generated in accordance with data obtained from determinations of the critical spatial frequency (Nyquist frequency) of persons with normal vision, obtained from observations of the "aliasing" phenomenon. Typical visual stimulus signals are grating patterns, with the contrast of the signal applied to each zone modulated with a different temporal frequency in the range of from 10 Hz to 45 Hz. Any differences between the electroretinogram response component for an individual zone and the expected response component for that zone indicates a change in the M.sub.

Abstract: An asymmetric or double-sided porous material, which comprises at least one porous layer of a polymer on a porous support or carrier, where the polymer is formed from a self-assembled microstructured liquid. A method of producing the same comprising positioning the support or carrier against or adjacent an inert surface, providing an excess of polymerisable liquid to completely wet the carrier and form a film through capillary action between the carrier and the inert surface and penetrating the carrier, then polymerising the liquid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of anti-inflammatory and/or immunosuppressive treatment of an animal or human patient comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of at least one phosphosugar or derivative thereof, or a phosphosugar-containing oligosaccharide or polysaccharide or derivative thereof.

Abstract: An immunoactive composition comprising particles containing inulin or an inulin derivative in the gamma polymorphic form, an antigen-binding carrier material and optionally an immune modulator such as an antigenic materials or a cytokine. The compositions provide methods for enhancing immune responses. A process for preparation of the compositions is also considered.

Abstract: Optical switching devices for use in photonics applications are created in a body of an optically transparent defocusing material having a third order non-linear susceptibility which is negative. The switching devices use optical waveguides which are created by the propagation through the material of dark spatial solitons, which are induced when an intense quasi-planar light wave, having an amplitude or phase perturbation to at least one point or region of its wavefront, is projected onto at least one location on the surface of the body, to cause a change in its refractive index at the (or each) location. If the change in refractive index is rapid and transitory, an active photonic device is created. The devices created include steerable optical switches, cross-couplers, and multi-port optical switchyards.

Abstract: A nitride of a metal or solid metalloid is produced by ball milling a powder of a metal or metalloid in a nitrogen, or nitrogen-containing atmosphere (such as ammonia). The pressure in the ball mill is normally from 100 to 5,000 kPa, typically about 300 kPa. The ball mill temperature may be from room temperature to 500.degree. C., preferably from 200.degree. C. to 400.degree. C. The product powder is normally pressure moulded and annealed at 800.degree. C. for about 1 hour to produce a strong, hard body. Controlling the degree of nitration, or mixing the product nitride powder with a metal powder before pressure moulding, enables a composite comprising a metal matrix with a dispersed nitride phase to be produced. An alternative technique, involves ball milling the metal or metalloid powder with an organic nitrogen-containing chemical which dissociates in the ball mill. This yields a mixture of the nitride and carbide of a metal or solid metalloid.

Abstract: A novel human protein, minactivin, can be produced by recombinant DNA technology, Biologically active native minactivin, peptides derived from minactivin, and their amino acid sequences can also be purified.

Abstract: Minactivin (also known as Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-2 [PAI-2]), a protein inactivator of urokinase-type plasminogen activator, has been shown to be a natural inactivator of this plasminogen activator which is associated with invasive tumors, and is therefore indicated as a crucial element in the body's normal defense against tumor invasion and metastasis. It may be produced by the cultivation of minactivin-producing cells in vitro, and recovery of the cell culture supernatant. By controlling the culture conditions, the protein minactivin may be produced in a partially purified form which may be used for diagnosis and treatment of tumors. The specification discloses purification of biologically active native minactivin, as well as peptides derived from minactivin and their amino acid sequences.

Abstract: A nucleic acid isolate capable of hybridizing only to y-chromosome specific DNA sequences of cattle, sheep goats and other ruminants. A method for determining the sex chromosome constitution of a tissue or cell sample using the nucleic acid isolate is also disclosed.

Abstract: A ball mill for use in mechanical alloying and grinding comprising a plurality of ferromagnetic balls within a spherical or cylindrical chamber or cell of a paramagnetic material. The chamber has a substantially horizontal axis of rotation. At least one magnet is mounted outside the chamber to produce a magnetic field within the chamber. The magnet is physically moveable, relative to the chamber, between a plurality of locations on an arc centered on the axis of rotation of the chamber.

Abstract: Metal carbides may be formed by mixing metal powder with a stoichiometric amount of graphite, compressing the same in a mould/die and then sintering. High temperatures (and maybe a bonding agent) are required to effect the final step and finished product. These disadvantages are overcome by exploiting dry high energy milling to bring the starting materials into a very finely divided and reactive state, with regions of metal, carbon and metal based solid solution ranging from 3 to 100 nanometers in diameter. As an alternative source of carbon, cationic organic surfactants may be used instead of graphite in the appropriate proportion. Compacting the milled mixture, followed by sintering at lower temperatures by a margin of at least 400.degree. C., will produce very strong dense carbides at low cost. The method may be extended to include metal based composites, which also includes cermets, by incorporating an appropriate excess of metal powder(s) in the starting materials.

Abstract: Polymerisable materials produced by the reaction of a pyrrole and an unsaturated or polymerisable aldehyde, preferably a beta-unsaturated aldehyde.Polymers made from the above-described polymerisable material and copolymers formed from the said material and at least one other polymerisable monomer of a known type.Such polymers and copolymers may be used for the production of films, coatings and other structures.

Abstract: Dibenzo[b,d]pyrans are prepared by heating a dihydroxybenzoic acid derivative in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst and an inert non-polar solvent in which the dihydroxybenzoic acid is soluble but in which the Lewis acid catalyst is insoluble or very slightly soluble. A typical embodiment involves the preparation of intermediates useful in the synthesis of dronabinol and related dibenzo[b,d]pyrans.

Abstract: Optokinetic nystagmus is the rhythmical scanning of the eyes when primates attempt to stabilize constantly moving visual scenes. If a pattern having distinct vertical features is projected onto a screen and is drifted to the left or to the right, variations of certain parameters associated with optokinetic nystagmus of a subject observing the drifting pattern from the values of those parameters for persons having normal, healthy vision provide an indication of damage to M-type ganglion cells due to the presence of glaucoma in the subject. Such variations occur at an early stage of glaucoma, before other positive indications of the disease are present. Preferably the projected pattern is a coarse sinusoidal grating with vertical striations, which is temporally modulated by a rapid movement or flicker.

Abstract: An abrasive compact comprising 40 to 90 volume percent of cubic boron nitride (CBN) crystals bonded by 60 to 10 volume percent of a bonding matrix comprised mainly of an intimate mixture of silicon nitride and metallic diboride MB.sub.2 where M represents metal atoms chosen from the group of titanium, zirconium and hafnium atoms. The compact may be produced by a method which comprises intimately mixing particulate CBN crystals with a bonding agent in the proportion 95 to 60 volume percent of CBN and 5 to 40 volume percent of bonding agent, the bonding agent containing the metal atoms in the atomic proportions Si.sub.30 M.sub.70 to Si.sub.85 M.sub.15, subjecting the mixture of CBN crystals and bonding agent to temperatures in the range 900.degree. to 1800.degree. C. and pressures in the range 5 to 70 Kilobars, and maintaining the temperature and pressure conditions for a period of at least about 30 seconds, sufficient to cause most of bonding agent to form the bonding matrix.

Abstract: A diamond compact comprised of more than 60 volume percent and less than 90 volume percent of diamond crystals connected by a silicon carbide bond. The bond contains more than 500 parts per million of nitrogen and/or phosphorus and the compact possesses a low electrical resistivity of less than 0.2 ohm cm. The compact may be produced by a process in which the diamond crystals are intimately mixed with a bonding agent comprising silicon and the mixture is subjected within a confining space to a high temperature and pressure within the graphite stability field to cause silicon in the bonding agent to react extensively with carbon in the diamond crystals to form the silicon carbide bond. To produce the low electrical resistivity, a material containing nitrogen and/or phosphorus is introduced into the confining space prior to application of the high temperature and pressure conditions.

Abstract: A genetically marked strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is characterized in that the mitochondrial (mt)DNA of the yeast has been rearranged by recombination. A method of producing such a strain is also disclosed.

Abstract: Existing techniques for diagnosis of glaucoma, namely observation of a scotoma, measurement of intraocular tension and assessment of color vision defects have drawbacks. The present invention overcomes those drawbacks by a psychophysical test in which a sinusoidal grating pattern is presented to a subject with the contrast of the pattern modulated at a frequency in the range from about 10 Hz to about 50 Hz, so that the subject can observe a frequency-doubled pattern of the grating. The contrast of the pattern is then reduced until a threshold value is reached, at which value the frequency-doubled pattern is no longer observed. The threshold value is then compared with the threshold value for persons of normal vision. A higher than normal threshold value indicates that the subject may be suffering from glaucoma. Persons with well-developed glaucoma have threshold values that are approximately twice the threshold value of a person with healthy vision.

Abstract: A process for preparing gamma inulin comprising the steps of (a) recrystallizing crude inulin from water at a temperature below 37.degree. C. to obtain a suspension, (b) heating the suspension at a temperature of from about 25.degree. to 45.degree. C. for about 1-3 days, (c) further heating the suspension at a temperature of about 40.degree. to 55.degree. C. for about 0.5 to 1.5 hours, and (d) isolating insoluble gamma inulin from the suspension. A composition comprising particles of inulin or an inulin derivative in the gamma polymorphic form is characterized in that the particles have a low rate of solution in aqueous media above 30.degree. C., particularly above 37.degree. C. The composition is effective as the active component of an immunotherapeutic preparation for activation of the alternative pathway of complement, or for antitumor treatment.