Abstract: Disclosed is dense medium cyclone for separating particles of varying sizes from within a fluid stream. The particles to be separated are entrained within the fluid stream. The fluid stream is then introduced into a cyclone that includes a body and a side wall comprising an upper wall portion and adjacent lower wall portion tapering inwardly in a direction away from the upper wall portion. The cyclone further includes a vortex finder projecting substantially axially into the interior space through the upper end of the body and terminating at an internal end positioned below an inlet, the vortex finder defining an overflow outlet which removes the remaining fluid and entrained particles from the cyclone. The vortex finder and the upper wall portion are configured to define a feed zone of decreasing cross sectional area from the inlet to the internal end of the vortex finder.

Abstract: O-medium alkyl esters of diflunisal and related compounds are disclosed having anti-platelet activity, hydroxy radical scavenging properties, enhanced hepatic clearance and low ulcerogenic potential. These compounds have general formula (I) wherein n equals 3-13.

Abstract: The invention relates to the discovery that alleles of the transforming growth factor (beta) (TGF-(beta)) gene that are associated with high levels of expression or high functional activity of the protein than are other alleles can be correlated with development, progression, or both, of fibrotic conditions other than lung fibrosis. The invention also relates to other alleles associated with development, progression, or both, of fibrotic conditions.

Abstract: The skin friction drag acting on a surface of an article travelling at high speed such as a vehicle at supersonic or particularly hypersonic speed can be reduced by introducing a fuel into the boundary layer under conditions of the fuel introduction to ensure combustion in the boundary layer. The fuel is injected through orifice(s) or a slot provided at the surface so that the fuel enters the passing fluid with a major component of the direction of injection being parallel to the local flow direction. The fuel is injected at supersonic speed, e.g. at a speed of about Mach 1.5 or higher. The invention is applicable to scramjet engines with the fuel being injected around the entire internal circumference of the wall of the scramjet engine, upstream of the commencement of the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining the translational efficiency of an individual codon in a cell. The method comprises introducing into the cell a synthetic construct comprising a reporter polynucleotide fused in frame with a tandem repeat of said individual codon, wherein said reporter polynucleotide encodes a reporter protein, and wherein said synthetic construct is operably linked to a regulatory polynucleotide and measuring expression of said reporter protein in said cell to determine the translational efficiency of said codon.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel surface polypeptide from Neisseria meningitidis as well as nucleic acid and nucleic acid sequence homologues encoding this protein. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the polypeptide and nucleic acids of the invention are also disclosed as well as methods useful in the treatment, prevention and diagnosis of N. meningitidis infection.

Abstract: A synthetic polynucleotide and a method are disclosed for selectively expressing a protein in a target cell or tissue of a mammal. Selective expression is effected by replacing at least one existing codon of a parent polynucleotide encoding a protein of interest with a synonymous codon to produce a synthetic polynucleotide having altered translational kinetics compared to the parent polynucleotide. The synonymous codon is selected such that it has a higher translational efficiency in the target cell or tissue relative to one or more other cells or tissues of the mammal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a neck seal for use in a volume displacement plethysmograph for investigating pulmonary function of infants. The neck seal includes particulate material entrapped in a space between two layers of flexible sheets. The two flexible sheets have aligned openings to allow an infant's neck to be located therein. The sheets are sealed together around the openings and along a closed figure extending around the openings, thereby forcing the space closed. The seal becomes rigid when a vacuum is applied to the space.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of assessing tissue oedema, in particular lymphoedema, by measuring bioelectrical impedance at a single frequency. Comparison of a single frequency bioelectrical impedance measurement taken at an anatomical region affected by tissue oedema to that taken at an anatomical region unaffected by tissue oedema is a reliable indicator of the presence or possible presence of lymphoedema. The present invention further provides an apparatus for determining the presence of tissue oedema.

Abstract: A self-advancing drilling system comprising a drilling apparatus, the drilling apparatus having at least one leading fluid cutting nozzle, means on the drilling apparatus to provide forward movement to the drilling apparatus, the drilling system further comprising a drill string formed from a recoverable flexible hose.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for constructing a synthetic polynucleotide from which a protein is selectively expressible in a target cell of a plant, relative to another cell of the plant. The method comprises selecting a first codon of a parent polynucleotide for replacement with a synonymous codon which has a higher translational efficiency in the target cell than in said other cell, and replacing said first codon with said synonymous codon to form said synthetic polynucleotide.

Abstract: Antibodies raised against recombinant or synthetic cpn10 are disclosed. The cpn10 has the sequence GSAGQAFRKFLPLFDRVLVERSAAETVTKGGIMLPEKSQGKVLQATVEAVGSGSKGKGGEIQPVSVKEGDKVLLPEYGGTKVVLDDKDYFLFRDGDILGKYVD. Antibodies are raised against either the entire sequence of cpn10, or a shorter peptide sequence derived from cpn10, such as Ac-AGQAFRKLPI.,AGQAFRKFI.PI., or EKSQGKVLQAT, 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 of substantially reducing or inhibiting the development of leaf scald disease in a plant or stalk thereof, said method comprising the step of administering an albicidin detoxification enzyme to the plant or stalk thereof. There is also provided a method of generating a transgenic plant substantially resistant to albicidin and leaf scald disease including the steps of introducing and expressing a nucleotide sequence encoding albicidin detoxification enzyme into a plant, plant part or plant cell, and growing the plant, plant part or plant cell to generate the transgenic plant. There is further provided a method of substantially reducing or inhibiting the development of leaf scald disease in a plant or stalk thereof, said method comprising the step of administering to the plant or stalk thereof a bacterium which extracellularly produces albicidin detoxification enzyme.

Abstract: Peptides, antibodies and recombinant expression systems or cells that contain and express a DNA insert of HPV encoding a region of a papilloma induced or a papilloma protein, such as E6 or E7, are produced. Compositions containing these peptides, antibodies and/or recombinant cells are utilized as immunogenic compositions and in methods for inhibiting and treating HPV infection and tumor initiation and progression. Specific peptides and recombinant cells, such as vaccinia virus and tumor cells, that express epitopic regions of the HPV16 E6 or E7 nucleoprotein are particularly described.

Abstract: An isolated DNA molecule encoding a Sox-9 gene which codes for the Sox-9 polypeptide. The human Sox-9 gene has been mapped to chromosome 17 in the same region as CMPD-1, the locus for Campomelic Dysplasia (CD). Sox-9 appears to have a role in mammalian skeletal development, and is used in the treatment of diseases involving bone or cartilage deficiency.

Abstract: An analgesic composition is disclosed comprising a sub-analgesic dosage of a &mgr;-opioid agonist, optionally in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, and a sub-analgesic dosage of a &kgr;2-opioid agonist, optionally in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt. There is also disclosed a method for producing analgesia in humans and lower animals which comprises administering concurrently to a human or lower animal in need of such treatment an analgesic composition of the invention.

Abstract: Variants of human papilloma virus (HPV) E6 and E7 proteins able to elicit a humoral and/or cellular immune response against HPV in a host animal but not being cell-transforming in the host animal are disclosed, and are useful in treatment or prevention of diseases or conditions involving HPV.

Abstract: Numerical integration of a function over a unit sphere is performed using a new partition scheme. At least one octant of the sphere is partitioned into triangular convexes, and functional values are calculated at the vertexes of the triangular convexes. Typically, an octant is partitioned into N bands, respectively containing 1, 3, 5 . . . 2N'triangular convexes. Each triangular convex may be subpartitioned into smaller triangular convexes. An interpolation method may be used to calculate functional values at points within the convexes. Typically, cubic spline interpolation is used for points along the edges of the triangular convexes, and linear interpolation is used for points within the triangular convexes. The partition method is particularly useful in computer simulation of magnetic resonance spectra as it significantly reduces computational time.

Abstract: Defects in window glass, particularly nickel sulfide stones, are detected by photographing portions of the window glass onto photographic film in controlled lighting conditions, and then optically magnifying the photographic film images. The magnified images are visually examined to detect inclusions and/or other defects. Although the window glass is photographed on site, the magnified images can be examined later in more comfortable surroundings with the advantage of magnification. The photography is performed by a camera (12) mounted on a frame (13) which is releasably fixed to the building containing the window glass. A light source (11) is also mounted on the frame (13) to illuminate the window glass which is photographed at an oblique angle by the camera (12). Tie rods (31) extend into the mullion tracks of the building and can be retracted pneumatically to fix the frame (13) in position relative to the building.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an amorphous alumino-silicate derivative which involves reacting a solid corresponding starting material with MOH where M is alkali metal or ammonium cation. The solid corresponding starting material may be selected from montmorillonite, kaolin, natural zeolite (e.g., clinoliptolite/heulandite) as well as illite, palygorskite and saponite and additional reactant MX wherein X is halide may be utilized in conjunction with MOH. The invention also includes alumino-silicate derivatives of the general formula MpAlqSi2Or(OH)sXt.uH2O as well as alumino-silicate derivatives of the general formula MpAlqSi2Or(OH)s.uH2O.