Abstract: Polyazo compounds, which include low molecular weight drugs having a carboxylic acid group and an amine, thiol, alcohol or phenol group within their structure, formed into polymeric drug delivery systems are provided. Also provided are methods of producing polymeric drug delivery systems having these polyazo compounds as well as methods of administering low molecular weight drugs to a host via the polymeric drug delivery system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for decreasing the infectivity, morbidity, and rate of mortality associated with a variety of pathogenic organisms and viruses. The present invention also relates to methods and compositions for decontaminating areas colonized or otherwise infected by pathogenic organisms and viruses. Moreover, the present invention relates to methods and compositions for decreasing the infectivity of pathogenic organisms in foodstuffs. In particular, decreased pathogenic organism infectivity, morbidity, and mortality is accomplished by contacting the pathogenic organism with an oil-in-water nanoemulsion comprising an oil, an organic solvent, and a surfactant dispersed in an aqueous phase.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are disclosed which facilitate purification of oligomers and other compounds. The disclosed compositions are silyl compositions that can be directly coupled, or coupled through a linking group, to a compound of interest, preferably to an oligomer at the end of oligomer synthesis. The silicon atom includes between one and three sidechains that function as capture tags. In one embodiment, the capture tags are lipophilic, which allows a derivatized oligomer to be separated from failure sequences by reverse phase chromatography. In another embodiment, the capture tags are compounds with a known affinity for other compounds, which other compounds are preferably associated with a solid support to allow chromatographic separation. Examples include haptens, antibodies, and ligands. Biotin, which can bind to or interact with a streptavidin-bound solid support, is a preferred capture tag of this type.

Abstract: Dimethyl ether is converted to formaldehyde using a supported catalyst comprising molybdenum and/or vanadium oxides. The surface density of the oxide(s) ranges from greater than that for the isolated monomeric oxides upwards, so long as there is a substantial absence of bulk crystalline molybdenum and/or vanadium oxide(s). Conversion and selectivity to formaldehyde are improved as compared to data reported for known catalysts. Also disclosed is a supported catalyst comprising molybdenum and/or vanadium oxides wherein the support comprises one or more reducible metal oxides, preferably a layer or layers of one or more reducible metal oxides disposed on the surface of a particulate alumina or zirconia support.

Abstract: The present invention relates to synthetic immunogenic but non-amyloidogenic peptides homologous to amyloid &bgr; which can be used alone or conjugated to an immunostimulatory molecule in an immunizing composition for inducing an immune response to amyloid &bgr; peptides and amyloid deposits.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, kits, combinations, and compositions for treating gastric acid disorders employing pharmaceutical compositions comprising a proton pump inhibiting agent (PPI) and a buffering agent in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: An expandable space frame is manufactured by linking a plurality of flexible joints through spacing arms to form a closed structure. The spacing arms are sterically offset, linking the bottom of one joint to the top of the next joint in an stepwise fashion. The offset allows the frame to be collapsed with minimal steric hindrance between the centered joints. This lack of steric hindrance permits a very high ratio of the expansion to compression diameters for the frame. The space frame forms the basis for different types of stents. A spiral frame, or a series of individual frames are linked to each other to form a luminal stent, or are linked to longitudinal struts to form the support structure for a stent. The stents formed from the expandable space frame can be designed to have a number of additional features as set forth herein.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for spread spectrum multiuser communication receivers is disclosed that includes, an adaptive filter adapted to minimize a block error function, wherein the filter tap weights are updated according to a non-linear optimization algorithm adapted for block processing of time-varying data.

Abstract: An unidirectional gyrotropic photonic crystal allows electromagnetic wave propagation in a certain direction at a certain frequency and, at the same time, impedes electromagnetic wave propagation in the opposite direction. The electromagnetic wave with impeded propagation, called the “frozen mode”, ideally has zero group velocity and does not transfer the electromagnetic energy. A unidirectional gyrotropic photonic crystal is a periodic composite, incorporating a component displaying Faraday rotation. The property of unidirectionality can be achieved in gyrotropic photonic crystals by proper choices of constituents and their space arrangement. The invention can be used to enhance the capability and performance of microwave, millimeter wave, and submillimeter wave antennas, delay lines, nonlinear and nonreciprocal elements. It can also be used in integrated microwave circuitry.

Abstract: The present invention relates to inhibitors of Staphylococcus SarA protein function involved in the expression of staphylococcal virulence factors and the use of these inhibitors to treat and prevent staphylococcal infections in subjects. Particularly, the inhibitors act to interfere with the binding of the SarA protein to its binding site(s). The selection of specific inhibitors of the SarA protein is made possible as a result of the identification of the binding sites of SarA protein on at least a portion of the agr (accessory gene regulator) gene, a gene that like the sar (staphylococcal accessory regulator) gene, plays a role in the virulence of Staphylococcus. The present invention also is directed to a method of designing, synthesizing and identifying inhibitors of Sar A function and its role in the expression of staphylococcal virulence factors.

Abstract: The present invention provides antisera that specifically recognize peptides containing methylated arginines. The present invention also provides peptides for producing the antisera. Also provided is a method for the detection of methylation status of proteins and peptides, and compositions that affect the methylation status.

Abstract: Aberrations in ultrasound imaging are modeled as a linear filter bank. The response of each linear filter is determined through blind system identification and is used to correct the aberration by applying a predistortion to the transmit signals and a compensation to the receive signals. To reduce computation, the blind system identification can be done through multiple levels. In a two-level implementation, the transducers in the array are grouped into subapertures. The blind system identification is applied in each of the subapertures to obtain the first-level response to each element. Using these responses, a common input is found for each subaperture, and blind system identification is applied to find the second-level responses. From the first-level and second-level responses, the response at each filter in the bank is determined.

Abstract: The invention includes a computer-implemented method, system (100), and computer-readable medium having computer-executable modules for judging changes in components of an eye. The inventive computer-implemented method includes the steps of acquiring (103), displaying (107), and superimposing at least two digital images of the components of the eye. The method further includes the step of processing at least one of the digital images such that the superimposed images may be compared, and the step of flickering among the superimposed digital images. The step of acquiring the images may include the step of converting a photographic representation of the components of the eye to the digital image. The step of processing may include registering, warping, and/or aligning the digital images.

Abstract: A method that utilizes a dispersion-shifted fiber having compound compositions with different temperature coefficients in core to simultaneously measure the distributed strain and temperature based on Brillouin frequency shift is disclosed. The present method includes the steps of obtaining mean two peak frequencies in a multi-peak Brillouin spectrum of the dispersion-shifted fiber, determining a temperature change according to the formula of a Brillouin frequency shift of the peak relating to strain and temperature conditions of the fiber, and determining a strain change through the formula. In a 3682-m sensing length of Large-Effective-Area NZ-DS fiber, a temperature resolution of 5° C., a strain resolution of 60 &mgr;&egr; and a spatial resolution of 2 m are achieve simultaneously.

Abstract: A flow-controlling device is provided for controlling the flow of a fluid. The device comprises a housing, a flow-control element disposed within the housing, at least one seat operably engaging the flow-control element, a biasing device operably engaging each seat for urging the seat into sealing engagement with the flow-control element, and an actuating device operably engaging the flow-control element. The seat operably engages the flow-control element and the biasing device operably engages the seat to urge the seat into a sealing engagement with the flow-control element. The flow-control element, the seat, and the biasing device are comprised of a refractory and/or toughened ceramic material that is fully annealed so that porosity in the material is substantially eliminated and such that the material is substantially homogenous. Components fabricated from such a ceramic are generally heat, corrosion, and wear resistant and are capable of substantial elongation without failure.

Abstract: Polynucleotides that comprise regulatory regions of the yeast alcohol oxidase 1 promoter are provided. Isolated polynucleotides, recombinant polynucleotides, vectors, expression cassettes and transformed cells containing the regulatory regions are disclosed. Proteins produced by the transformed cells are also provided.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of an electrode formed from at least one electrically conductive polymer having a lower, polymerization potential than p-doping peak. The method of manufacture of the electrode including a conditioning step which results in remarkably high charge capacities and excellent cycling efficiency. The provision of these polymeric electrodes further permits the manufacture of an electrochemical storage cell which is substantially free of metal components, thereby improving handling of the storage cell and obviating safety and environmental concerns associated with alternative secondary battery technology.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved, reliable and efficient way of measuring the oxygen concentration gradient in a sample by a novel apparatus and accompanying method of calculating linear oxygen concentrations within the sample, permitting diagnostic testing, for example, of the effects of a developmental or metabolic change in a cell or tissue, in vitro or in vivo, in response to disease, injury radiation, or mechanical or chemical intervention, or simply to changed circumstances, or to measure the oxygen permeability of a membrane or plastic. The apparatus in a preferred embodiment comprises a core digital signal processor (DSP), having sufficient memory (RAM and ROM) to perform the necessary calculations, to control output of excitation light from a light source, and to collect phosphorescent lifetime data; and signal processors (A/D and D/A).

Abstract: A wood sheathing panel, suitable for use in building construction, includes reinforcement strips of fiber reinforced polymer material incorporated into the panel. The reinforcement strips cover an area that is within the range of from about 5 to about 50 percent of the surface area of the panel. The reinforcement strips of fiber reinforced plastic material can be incorporated in the perimeter of the panel, or can be incorporated into the corners of the panel. The spacing of the intermittently incorporated reinforcement strips can generally coincide with a standard spacing of framing members so that when the wood sheathing panel is applied to a building frame, the reinforcement strips are generally aligned with framing members of the building. Preferably, the reinforcement strips are sufficient to provide an increased ductility over an equivalent unreinforced wood sheathing panel in an amount within the range of from about 75 percent to about 500 percent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a transition metal-ligand complex that shows changes in its luminescence lifetime characteristic and/or luminescence intensity as a function of the polarity and/or hydrogen bonding properties of its environment, and a sensor, probe, system and method based on the complex for detecting the presence, amount or concentration of a polar solvent in a medium.