Abstract: The present invention provides for a new polypeptide and a method for producing the same. The polypeptide has a molecular weight of approximately 30,000 daltons as a dimer and a monomer molecular weight of about 15,000 daltons, an isoelectric pH of about 4.47 and an activity of at least 21,000 units per milligram of protein in the monomer or dimer state. The preferred method comprises chromatographing a crude polypeptide-containing medium on a dextran derived chromatography column; precipitating the eluate in a water-ethanol solution; electrophoresing the precipitate in a polyacrylamide gel; and chromatographing the extract on a reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography column.

Abstract: A method and medicament for the treatment of bovine retained placenta membrane. The medicament comprises at least one proteolytic enzyme and in the preferred method, the medicament is administered via at least one of the blood vessels serving the umbilical cord of the host.

Abstract: A method for the enrichment of the natural water in the components of heavy water such as D.sub.2 O and/or HDO being the source of deuterium. The method utilizes the passing of water through semipermeable hydrophobic membranes on which phase transition occurs. The latter is caused by vacuum or neutral carrier gas on the vapor side of the membrane. Lighter isotopes preferentially pass through the membrane leaving the original water enriched in heavy water components.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for high speed gel electrophoresis employing elevated voltage values and relatively short time periods. There is disclosed a gel block having special geometry and including sample wells of triangular cross-section. Visual indication of the adherence of the procedure to temperature parameters is also provided for.

Abstract: A protein fragment for inducing sleep in mammals comprising a fragment of interleukin-1 .beta. from about amino acid 208 to about amino acid 240 and its physiologically active derivatives. The fragment comprises the amino acids sequence: ##STR1## The protein fragment may be derived by synthetic methods and a cysteine residue may be attached to the last threonine residue.

Abstract: The specification discloses a desulfurization process for use in a fossel fuel combustion process involving the generation of a flue gas product containing sulfur oxides and halogen compounds wherein an alkali metal compound is contacted with the gas resulting in the removal of sulfur oxides from the gas and formation of a water-soluble residue comprising alkali metal sulfates and alkali metal halides, which residue is collected from the gas before the gas is released to the environment. The process is adapted to recover the alkali metal ions from the collected residue for use in supplying the alkali metal ions that are contacted with the gas and for limiting the presence co-collected halogen ions within the recovered alkali metal ions. The process comprises dissolving the collected residue in water to form an aqueous solution thereof having a pH of less than about 8 so that sulfate ions, halogen ions and alkali metal ions are present in the solution.

Abstract: A method for the enrichment of natural water in oxygen-18. Permeation followed by phase transition of lighter isotopes of water across a hydrophobic semipermeable membrane are employed to enrich the natural water in O-18 isotopes. Unexpectedly large fractionation factors have been found.

Abstract: The specification discloses a spent seed recovery and regeneration process for an MHM power plant employing an alkali metal salt seed material such as potassium salt wherein the spent potassium seed in the form of potassium sulfate is collected from the flue gas and reacted with calcium hydroxide and carbon monoxide in an aqueous solution to cause the formation of calcium sulfate and potassium formate. The pH of the solution is adjusted to supress formation of formic acid and to promote precipitation of any dissolved calcium salts. The solution containing potassium formate is then employed to provide the potassium salt in the form of potassium formate or, optionally, by heating the potassium formate under oxidizing conditions to convert the potassium formate to potassium carbonate.

Abstract: Small unilamellar liposomes (d<600 nm) comprising an unsaturated phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) such as dioleoyl PE (DOPE) and a fatty acid such as oleic acid (OA) are stabilized by adding to a freshly prepared liposome suspension, an amphipile which has a high tendency to form micelles. Examples are shown for the following micelle-forming amphiphiles: lysophospholipide, gangliosides (GM.sub.1 and GTlb), sulfatide, synthetic glycopholipids such as sialo-lactosyl phosphatidylethanolamine, liopohilic drugs such as cytosine arabinoside diphosphate diacyglycerol, and proteins such as cytochrome b.sub.5, human high density lipoprotein (HDL), and human glycophorin A. The stabilized liposomes are resistant to the lytic action of albumin, the major blood component which causes the lysis of this type of liposome. Prior to the present invention, liposomes comprising PE and OA were typically stabilized by the incorporation of cholesterol.

Abstract: A system for the removal of sulfur compounds from the flue gas from a high-sulfur coal combustion unit. The flue gas is contacted with a combination of a calcium hydroxide slurry and gaseous ammonia in a combined stoichiometric ratio which provides for near 100% utilization of the calcium hydroxide and ammonia with a sulfur dioxide removal efficiency approaching 100%. The system is useful in treating flue gas from high-sulfur coal combustion to remove the sulfur dioxide therefrom so that the flue gas can be exhausted to the atmosphere.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for compressing a mass utilizing a plurality of interfitting anvils mounted for movement relative to one another along co-planar paths and include faces which, when the anvils are operatively moved relative to one another, exert compression on a mass positioned between the faces in at least two directions in a plane simultaneously. The faces of the apparatus can be so shaped that the cross section of the mass being compressed is urged toward a shape other than that of a regular polygon. Methods of the invention include the consolidation of a mass of compactable material enclosed within a hollow tube having deformable walls, the extraction of juice or oil from fruit or seeds and the internal fracturing of solids so as to swell materials such as solid rocket propellants.

Abstract: A dental mouth prop for maintaining the jaws of a dental patient in an opened condition includes a body for isolating a posterior tooth to be worked upon and for facilitating the evacuation of saliva and other fluids from the region of the mouth around the isolated tooth. The body includes a sidewalls positionable on opposite sides of the tooth to be worked upon and which are joined together so as to form a workspace-defining cavity between the sidewalls. The body also includes hollow portions positionable adjacent the gum tissue of the mandibular arch for collecting and extracting fluids which migrate to the region adjacent the isolated tooth. The prop also includes a bite flap member engageable by the teeth of the mandibular or maxillary arch opposite the tooth to be worked upon and which is pivotally attached to the prop body to accommodate pivotal movement of the flap member to a position corresponding to the occlusal bite plane of the engaging teeth.

Abstract: A take-off performance monitor uses a sensor to produce a movement signal proportional to the movement of an aircraft during a take-off roll and, for each take-off, historical data is generated and stored based on the movement signal. An analyzing unit of the monitor uses the historical data and current conditions to calculate a reference take-off distance, reference acceleration data and reference velocity data. This information is output to the pilor to facilitate his judgment as to the adequacy to take-off performance. In the preferred embodiment, the analyzing unit utilizes five samples of acceleration and velocity during a take-off roll to solve an equation for five constants that are indicative of take-off performance. The five constants relate to static thrust, a linear relationship between thrust and velocity, a non-linear relationship between thrust and velocity, air drag and rolling drag, and these five constants constitute at least part of the historical data.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for in vitro mutagenesis of a target DNA sequence which generates mutants containing a single randomly-located region in the target sequence with random substitution mutations. The method includes the production of a supply of a template for the target sequence and random primers having differing 3'--OH termini. At least two nucleotides are added randomly to the primers to produce modified random primers, some of which contain at least one mismatch with respect to the template. The modified random primers are employed with the supply of the sequence to polymerize from the 3'--OH terminus of the modified random primer along the template to biologically fix mutations resulting from mismatched bases and produce molecules having a double-stranded region containing a mutant strand. The molecules are transferred into the host organisms to cause at least some of the mutant strands to be replicated in the host organism to produce mutant DNA sequences.

Abstract: Novel target-sensitive immunoliposomes were prepared and characterized. In this invention, target specific binding of antibody-coated liposomes was sufficient to induce bilayer destabilization, resulting in a site-specific release of liposome contents.Unilamellar liposomes were prepared by using a small quantity of palmitoyl IgG (pIgG) to stabilize the bilayer phase of the unsaturated phosphatidylethanol amine (PE) which by itself does not form stable liposomes. A mouse monoclonal IgG antibody to the glycoprotein D (gD) of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) and dioleoyl PE were used in one preferred embodiment.In another preferred embodiment, potentially cytotoxic antiviral drugs were entrapped in target sensitive (TS) immunoliposomes and delivered to HSV infected cells. Potency was as much as 1000 times superior to the free drug and cytotoxicity was decreased by as much as 3000 fold.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Forsythia named `Fairy-Land` characterized by its relatively small shrub size, its small lanceolate foliage, and the varying number, between four and eight, of petals on its flowers.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Forsythia named `Minikin` characterized by its small ultimate size, small narrow foliage, small flowers, slow and compact growth habit, excellent propagation from stem cuttings, hardiness, and its fine-textured overall appearance.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Forsythia intermedia named `Lemon-Screen` characterized by its vigor, upright fan-shaped habit, lemon yellow flowers, high degree of sterility, its yellow shoots, and light green foliage.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Forsythia intermedia named `Tinkle Bells` characterized by its floriferousness, its semi-dwarf, upright character, its downwardly directed flowers, and its leaves which are serrated only at their upper ends.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Forsythia named `Pygmy-Red` characterized by its small shrub size, its narrow foliage, and the distinct red color of its currently matured shoots.