Abstract: A process for the production of hydrogen, comprising the steps of: (i) providing a photosynthetic microorganism having electron transfer capability through a photosynthetic light reaction pathway and through a respiratory electron transfer chain involving an oxidative phosphorylation pathway, and which expresses a hydrogenase, wherein regulation of the oxidative phosphorylation pathway is disrupted with the result that electron flow along the respiratory electron transfer chain toward cytochrome oxidase (complex IV) is reduced; ii) culturing the microorganism under microoxic and illuminated conditions; and (iii) collecting evolved hydrogen.

Abstract: A method for measuring the movement of boundaries between different portions of a heterogeneous rock body is disclosed. The method comprises placing a plurality of blast movement monitors 109 in a rock body prior to blasting and noting the position of each blast movement monitor. The rock body is then blasted to break it up into a plurality of pieces. Thereafter the position of the blast movement monitors 109 is located and based on this the boundaries of rock portions can be adjusted to account for the blast. This leads to a more accurate reporting of different ore bodies to the appropriate processor in a heterogeneous rock body. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed. The apparatus comprises broadly a said monitor 109 and a receiver. The monitor 1 comprises a transmitter 109 received within a casing 111 that in turn is received within a housing 126. Further the casing 111 can move within the housing 126 and self right so that it always transmits its signal in an upright direction.

Abstract: Antibodies raised against recombinant or synthetic cpn10 are disclosed. The cpn10 has the sequence GSMAGQAFRKFLPLFDRVLVERSAAETVTKGGIMLPEKSQGKVLQ ATVEAVGSGSKGKGGEIQPVSVKEGDKVLLPEYGGTKVVLDDKDYFLFRDGDIL GKYVD (SEQ ID NO:21). Antibodies are raised against either the entire sequence of cpn 10, or a shorter peptide sequence derived from cpn10, such as Ac-AGQAFRKFLPL (SEQ ID NO:2), ACQAFRKFLPL (SEQ ID NO 1), or EKSQGKVLQAT (SEQ ID NO:3), in which the peptides may have a single amino acid deletion, addition or substitution. The antibodies can be used to terminate pregnancy, suppress tumor cell growth or enhance the immune system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for diagnosing schizophrenia, schizophrenia disorder subgroup, or predisposition thereto in a test subject is disclosed. The method includes the steps of determining an interhemispheric switch rate of the test subject. In one embodiment, the interhemispheric switch rate of the test subject is under conditions of increasing rate of dichoptic reversal, and comparing the switch rate with a corresponding reference switch rate to diagnose presence or absence of schizophrenia, a schizophrenic disorder subgroup, or predisposition thereto. In a preferred embodiment, the interhemispheric switch rate is determined by measuring the rate of binocular rivalry in the test subject. Also disclosed is use of a diagnostic method in genetic linkage studies for the identification of the molecular defect(s) underlying schizophrenia, and for the identification of compounds which may alleviate the disorder.

Abstract: A three-dimensional grid (10) is used as a phantom for mapping geometric distortion in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus. This phantom provides an array of densely distributed control points in three-dimensional space. These points are each defined by three orthogonal planes. In the phantom image, the planes are determined by detecting boundary surfaces between portions of the phantom and its surrounding medium, enabling the positions of the control points to be measured to sub-voxel accuracy. The mapped distortion can then be used to automatically correct images produced by the MRI apparatus.

Abstract: This invention relates to cyclised conotoxin peptides, processes for their preparation and their pharmaceutical use.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for increasing the yield of a compound produced by an organism. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for increasing the total or soluble carbohydrate content or sweetness or increasing the content of an endogenous carbohydrate of a plant tissue by producing a sugar-metabolizing enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of an endogenous sugar (one that is normally produced in the plant) to an alien sugar (one that is not normally produced in the plant at the same developmental stage). The invention also relates to plants and plant parts that produce a sugar-metabolizing enzyme to yield an alien sugar, with the consequence of higher total fermentable carbohydrate content, and to fermentable carbohydrates and other products derived therefrom.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to methods for generating plants having altered phenotypes, and to plants so generated and parts of these plants. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for modifying a plant so as to produce a plant exhibiting an altered phenotype. Particularly useful altered phenotypes contemplated by the present invention include plants having altered tissue architecture. The present invention further contemplates genetic sequences capable of facilitating the modification of a phenotype of a plant and to sequences complementary thereto and to derivatives of the sequences. Plants and parts of plants, such as flowering and reproductive parts including seeds, also form part of the present invention. The ability to modify the phenotype of a plant may be useful for, inter alia, producing plants with more highly desired characteristics, such as delayed flowering, increased lateral branching, delayed senescence and the like.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to amino acid derivatives and to methods of making the same. In particular, the invention relates to compounds bearing a stereochemical identity, that is, the same stereochemistry, with the chiral ?-carbon of D-?-amino acids and their use in methods of therapy, including the treatment of inflammatory diseases, and to compositions and enantiomeric mixtures containing them.

Abstract: The invention is directed to novel enzymes that convert sucrose to isomaltulose. More particularly, the present invention discloses novel sucrose isomerases, polynucleotides encoding these sucrose isomerases, methods for isolating such polynucleotides and nucleic acid constructs that express these polynucleotides. Also disclosed are cells, including transformed bacterial or plant cells, and differentiated plants comprising cells, which contain these sucrose isomerase-encoding polynucleotides, as well as extracts thereof. Methods of producing isomaltulose are also disclosed which use the polypeptides, polynucleotides, cells, cell extracts and plants of the invention.

Abstract: A method of producing a silica coating by forming a silica precursor formulation that is coated on a substrate as a continuous liquid phase. The silica precursor formulation is then cured in an ammoniacal atmosphere to produce a continuous, interconnected, nano-porous silica network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for resolving individual signals in detector output data, the method comprising determining a signal form of signals present in the data, making parameter estimates of one or more parameters of the signals, wherein the one or more parameters comprise at least signal temporal position, and determining the energy of the signals from at least the form and the parameter estimates.

Abstract: A die coating for use on the surface of a metal mold or die component contacted by molten metal in low pressure or gravity die casting, and a method for its production. The die coating includes a porous layer of ceramic material produced by co-deposition, using a thermal spraying procedure, of a powder of said ceramic material and a powder of an organic polymer material. After the co-deposition, the co-deposited layer is heated to remove the polymer material, and provide the porous layer of ceramic material.

Abstract: A method of constructing a synthetic polynucleotide, the method including selecting a first codon of a parent polynucleotide that encodes a polypeptide for replacement with a synonymous codon, wherein the synonymous codon is selected on the basis that it exhibits a higher translational efficiency in an epithelial cell of a mammal than the first codon in a comparison of translational efficiencies of codons in test cells of the same type as the epithelial cell; and replacing the first codon with the synonymous codon to construct the synthetic polynucleotide.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for producing commercial quantities of Baculovirus using a combination of methods involving producing occlusion bodies with infectious baculovirus in caterpillar larvae and large numbers of viral particles with serial passages in cell culture. A two step method was developed by initially producing infectious virus in caterpillar larvae and then using the resultant infectious virus as an inoculum for a limited number of serial passages in cell culture so to produce large amounts of infectious baculovirus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for increasing the yield of a compound produced by an organism. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for increasing the total or soluble carbohydrate content or sweetness or increasing the content of an endogenous carbohydrate of a plant tissue by producing a sugar-metabolizing enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of an endogenous sugar (one that is normally produced in the plant) to an alien sugar (one that is not normally produced in the plant at the same developmental stage). The invention also relates to plants and plant parts that produce a sugar-metabolizing enzyme to yield an alien sugar, with the consequence of higher total fermentable carbohydrate content, and to fermentable carbohydrates and other products derived therefrom.

Abstract: The invention is directed to novel enzymes that convert sucrose to isomaltulose. More particularly, the present invention discloses novel sucrose isomerases, polynucleotides encoding these sucrose isomerases, methods for isolating such polynucleotides and nucleic acid constructs that express these polynucleotides. Also disclosed are cells, including transformed bacterial or plant cells, and differentiated plants comprising cells, which contain these sucrose isomerase-encoding polynucleotides, as well as extracts thereof. Methods of producing isomaltulose are also disclosed which use the polypeptides, polynucleotides, cells, cell extracts and plants of the invention.

Abstract: Bi-planar coil assemblies are disclosed which have DSV's whose centers are offset by distances D from the origins of x,y,z-coordinate systems, where said origins of x,y,z-coordinate systems are coincident with the geometric centers of the coils. The distances D can be of the order of 10-20 centimeters or more. The bi-planar coil assemblies can be used in MRI applications to reduce the feeling of claustrophobia experienced by some subjects. The assemblies also can facilitate the imaging of various joints, including the wrist, elbow, ankle, or knee.

Abstract: The invention relates to the prevention or treatment of a systemic injury which is secondary to a burn, such as dysfunction or failure of an organ secondary to a burn, with an antagonist of a C5a receptor. In one embodiment the invention relates to the prevention or treatment of dysfunction or failure of the lung, kidney, bowel and/or liver which is secondary to a burn.

Abstract: A vaccine composition and method of administering same is provided that utilizes an isolated nucleic acid corresponding to substantially an entire Kunjin virus which upon administration to an animal is capable of eliciting a protective immune response to another, more pathogenic flavivirus such as West Nile virus NY 99 strain. The isolated nucleic acid may further encode at least one attenuating mutation in a Kunjin virus structural and/or non-structural protein. The isolated nucleic acid may be in the form of DNA linked to a promoter in a plasmid construct for expression in vivo or may be in the form of naked RNA or RNA packaged into VLPs. The composition and method may provide protective immunization of animals such as humans, equines and avians.