Abstract: Biodegradable and/or bioabsorable fibrous articles and methods for using the articles in medical applications are disclosed. The biodegradable and/or bioabsorable fibrous articles, which are formed by elctrospinning fibers of biodegradable and/or bioabsorbable fiberizable material, comprise a composite (or asymmetric composite) of different biodegradable and/or bioabsorbable fibers. Articles having specific medical uses include an adhesion-reducing barrier and a controlled delivery system. The methods include methods for reducing surgical adhesions, controlled delivery of a medicinal agent and providing controlled tissue healing.

Abstract: Methods for detecting gold and quantitating gold in ore samples utilizing a gold-specific protein are provided, including methods for multiple sample handling. Also provided are methods for extracting gold from mineral suspensions utilizing a magnetic mineral binding reagent and gold-specific protein, or hydrophobic reagent and gold-specific protein in conjunction with a flotation reagent.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical gastroretentive drug delivery systems for the controlled release of an active agent in the gastrointestinal tract are disclosed, which comprise: (a) a single- or multi-layered matrix comprising a polymer that does not retain in the stomach more than a conventional dosage form selected from (1) degradable polymers that may be hydrophilic polymers not instantly soluble in gastric fluids, enteric polymers substantially insoluble at pH less than 5.5 and/or hydrophobic polymers and mixtures thereof; (2) non-degradable polymers; and any mixtures of (1) and (2); (b) a continuous or non-continuous membrane comprising at least one polymer having a substantial mechanical strength; and (c) a drug; wherein the matrix when affixed or attached to the membrane prevents evacuation from the stomach of the delivery system for a period of time of from about 3 to about 24 hours.

Abstract: A method of removing water from a composition of matter comprises contacting a first composition of matter comprising water with a second composition of matter comprising: (1) at least one surfactant comprising at least one phosphate group and (2) a solvent comprising carbon dioxide, wherein at least a portion of the surfactant is soluble in the solvent, such that the at least one surfactant removes at least a portion of the water from the first composition

Abstract: The present invention provides a fluidized bed for dispensing small quantities of powders. The fluidized bed is made using a porous housing to permit injection and removal of fluid through the surrounding walls to improve the operation of the bed particularly for small particles of the group C size, including significantly reducing powder adhesion to the walls. In one aspect of the invention the fluidized bed housing is rotated about its longitudinal axis, which may be oriented at any suitable angle. A system for changing the volume of the bed is described as is a system for incorporating injection nozzles within the bed for constant agitation and prevention of powder adhering to the walls of the housing.

Abstract: A reinforcing concrete pier comprising a concrete member 1a, and structural main reinforcing bars 1b embedded in the concrete member so as to extend along an axial direction of the concrete member. A high-strength core member 2, which is higher in strength than the structural main reinforcing bars, is embedded in the concrete member inside the structural main reinforcing bars so as to extend along the axial direction. One end portion 2b with a gap of the core member is fixed to the concrete member at a base portion of the pier, and the other end portion 2a of the core member is fixed to the concrete member at an intermediate portion 1d of the pier. Further, the core member has an unbounded region D in which the core member is not bonded to the concrete member between the one end portion and the other end portion.

Abstract: A non-crystalline oxide is represented by the formula: ABO4 wherein A is an element selected from Group IIIA of the periodic table; and B is an element selected from Group VB of the periodic table.

Abstract: A device for utilizing a non-gel self-assembled nano-feature array molecular sieve for analyzing molecules is provided. The molecular sieve device comprises an ordered array of self-assembled nano-features which function as a molecular sieve to separate molecules based on a suitable characteristic. A system for integrating the non-gel ordered self-assembled nano-feature array molecular sieve of this invention into a device for separating molecules based on a characteristic and a method for separating a wide range of molecules using the non-gel ordered self-assembled nano-feature array molecular sieve of the invention are also provided.

Abstract: The instability of the mean wavelength of a superfluorescent fiber source (SFS) is reduced by randomizing the polarization of light from a pump source or by using polarization maintaining components. In one embodiment, the polarization of a pump source is made more random, leading to greater stability of the mean wavelength of the SFS, with an output mean wavelength that is stable to better than 3 ppm for full rotation of the pump polarization state. In another embodiment, the polarization of optical radiation throughout the device is kept substantially constant by using polarization maintaining fiber and components, thereby leading to enhanced mean wavelength stability of the SFS.

Abstract: It is known to polymerize olefins using transition metal complexes and/or compounds. There is an ongoing search for catalysts for olefin polymerization which do not rely on transition metals as the active center. The present invention provides novel aluminum phosphinimine complexes, containing additional heteroatoms which are useful in the polymerization of olefins.

Abstract: The present invention provides experimentally-generated cold-adapted equine influenza viruses, and reassortant influenza A viruses comprising at least one genome segment of such an equine influenza virus, wherein the equine influenza virus genome segment confers at least one identifying phenotype of the cold-adapted equine influenza virus, such as cold-adaptation, temperature sensitivity, dominant interference, or attenuation. Such viruses are formulated into therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by influenza A viruses, and in particular, to protect horses from disease caused by equine influenza virus. The present invention also includes methods to protect animals from diseases caused by influenza A virus utilizing the claimed therapeutic compositions.

Abstract: A method for making natural oil-based polyols directly from vegetable or animal oil using a consecutive two-step process involving epoxidation and hydroxylation is provided. Specifically, this process comprises adding a peroxyacid to a natural oil wherein said natural oil and said peroxyacid react to form an epoxidized natural oil and adding said epoxidized natural oil to a mixture of an alcohol, water, and a fluoboric acid catalyst. The catalytic amount of fluoboric acid is less than about 0.5% by weight of the entire reaction mixture, and the amount of water is about 10 to 30% by weight of the entire mixture. The epoxidized natural oil undergoes hydroxylation and forms a natural oil-based polyol. The present invention further includes a method for making natural oil-based polyols from epoxidized oil by hydroylating the epoxidized oil in the presence of fluoboric acid, alcohol and water in the amounts discussed above.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for the generation of polypeptides having varied material properties are disclosed herein. Methods include means for initiating the polymerization of aminoacid-N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) monomer by combining the monomer with an amido-containing metallacycle, for making self assembling amphiphilic block copolypeptides and related protocols for adding oligo(ethyleneglycol) functionalized aminoacid-N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) to polyaminoacid chains. Additional methods include means of adding an end group to the carboxy terminus of a polyaminoacid chain by reacting an alloc-protected amino acid amide with a transition metal-donor ligand complex to forming an amido-amidate metallacycle for use in further polymerization reactions. Novel compositions for use in peptide synthesis and design including five and six membered amido-containing metallacycles and block copolypeptides are also disclosed.

Abstract: The compounds of the invention which encompasses a class of compounds having the property of anti-carcinogenic activity against human myeloma r comprising 4-oxo-2-butenoic acid compounds and 3-hydrazino-2,4-dioxobutanoic acid compounds and more specifically those novel derivatives: 4-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-2-(N′-fluoren-9-ylidene-hydrazino)-4-oxo-but-2-enoic acid methyl ester (OF-07); 2-{N′-[(2-Bromo-phenyl)-phenyl-methylene]-hydrazino}-4-oxo-4-phenyl-but-2-enoic acid methyl ester (OF-09); 2-{N′-[(4-Dimethylamino-phenyl)-phenyl-methylene]-hydrazino}-4-oxo-4-phenyl-but-2-enoic acid methyl ester (OF-10) and 2-{N′-[1-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-ethylidene]-hydrazino}-4-oxo-4-phenyl-but-2-enoic acid methyl ester (OF-20) and the use of 2-(N′-Fluoren-9-ylidene-hydrazino)-5,5-dimethyl-4-oxo-hex-2-enoic acid methyl ester (OF-06); 4-(4-Ethoxy-phenyl)-2-(N′-fluoren-9-ylidene-hydrazino)-2-hydroxy-4-oxo-butyric acid methyl ester (OF-13); 4-b

Abstract: The role of the &egr; isozyme of protein kinase C (“PKC&egr;”) in pain perception, particularly hyperalgesia, methods of lessening pain through administration of inhibitors of PKC&egr;, methods of identifying compounds that modulate pain, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising an inhibitor of PKC&egr; and PKC&egr;-independent analgesic agent are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides T helper cells epitopes and compositions for use in inducing an immune response comprising at least one of these epitopes.

Abstract: Methods of promoting healing through enhanced regeneration of tissue (e.g. hard tissue or soft tissue) by contacting the tissue or the surrounding tissue with an anti-inflammatory agent. These methods are useful in a variety of dental and orthopedic applications.

Abstract: A composition of matter, denominated herein as 12a-r, having the structural formula set forth below: wherein R is selected from the group consisting of: a) R=NHPh; b) R=NHCH2Ph; c) R=NH(CH2)2Ph; d) R=NH(CH2)2‘-4-F-Ph; e) R=NH(CH2)2-4-Cl-Ph; f) R=NH(CH2)2-3-Cl-Ph; g) R=NH(CH2)2-2-Cl-Ph; h) R=NH(CH2)2-4-Br-Ph; i) R=NH(CH2)2-4-NO2-Ph; j) R=NH(CH2)2-3,4-(CH3O)2Ph; k) R=NH(CH2)2-2-pyridine; l) R=NH(CH2)3Ph; m) R=L-Phe-OCH3; n) R=L-Met-OCH3; o) R=L-Pro-OCH3; p) R=NH-2-thiazolyl; q) R=NH-2-benzothiazolyl; r) R=NH-3-quinolyl; and methods of making these compounds 12a-r.

Abstract: An active non-metallocene pre-catalyst featuring a diamine diphenolate complex and a corresponding method for catalytic polymerization, in general, and, tactic catalytic polymerization, in particular, of alpha-olefin monomers using the disclosed pre-catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a control system for an electrostatically-driven microelectromechanical device, which uses multiple electrodes to control the microelectromechanical device, i.e. the lower driven electrode of a capacitor with known two parallel driven electrodes is cut into a number of small electrodes. By selecting an electrode pattern for a desired electrostatic force, it is capable of altering the non-linearity of the device based on various applications and achieving a characteristic such as a linear driven, digital driven, or ultimately optimal driven manners, which is able to reach high operation accuracy for the existing circuit that only possesses a limited accuracy.