Abstract: Isolated DNA molecules encoding at least one epitope of the Mi-2 antigen and at least one epitope of the PM-Scl antigen are provided. The DNA may be used as probes to obtain related DNA. Proteins expressed from the DNA may be used in assays for the diagnosis of dermatomyositis and polymyositis, particularly polymyositis-scleroderma overlap disorders. The expressed proteins may also be used for purification of the associated autoantigens.

Abstract: Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex, shipping fever, or pneumomic pasteurellosis, is a multifactorial disease whereby a combination of viral infection, adverse environment and poor immune status may combine to predispose animals to bacterial infections. The exotoxin, or leukotoxin (Lkt), may contribute to pathogenesis by impairing the primary lung defenses and subsequent immune responses or by causing inflammations as a result of leukocyte lysis. The present invention provides a modified microorganism which produces an Lkt toxin, wherein said Lkt toxin is partially or fully inactivated. In a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a modified microorganism wherein an Lkt toxin operon including an Lkt structural gene and/or a post transational activator of the organism is partially or fully inactivated. The present applicants have found that a precursor of Lkt toxin has reduced toxic activity.

Abstract: The invention provides cell lines which are useful for the rapid detection and production of influenza and parainfluenza viruses. In particular, the invention relates to transgenic mink lung cells which show increased sensitivity to infection by influenza A, influenza B, or parainfluenza 3 viruses, or which are capable of enhanced productivity of infectious virions. The invention is suitable for use in culturing clinical influenza and parainfluenza virus isolates and for the production of influenza and parainfluenza virus for vaccine formulations, as antigen preparations for diagnostic applications, and for screening antiviral drugs.

Abstract: The present invention provides basic ionic contrast agents that have anticoagulant activity. The contrast media incorporate a lysine or arginine group or derivative, and have a free amino or guanidino group. Methods of using the contrast media are also disclosed.

Abstract: Noise is removed from the digitized output of a sensor, subject to undesired resonance, even when the resonant frequency is unknown or drifts, with sufficiently low phase delay for the sensor to be used in closed-loop control. A very narrow notch filter which removes the resonance-induced noise is recursive (IIR) and therefore has a low phase delay. However, the apparatus which determines the center frequency of the notch filter is non-recursive, and therefore stable. It includes a tunable FIR filter which tracks the same resonance that we wish the IIR filter to remove. Tuning the FIR filter to minimize the output of the FIR filter therefore tunes the notch frequency to align with the resonant frequency. The tuning parameter which adaptively produces this result is suitably scaled and biased, and is applied to the IIR filter.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for generating inversely related forward and reverse image transformations in any image registration technique with ambiguous correspondence based upon the joint estimation of the transformation. Accordingly, two image data sets are received, a source and a target. Current sets of forward and reverse displacement fields are initialized. From the current set of forward and reverse displacement fields, the consistent forward transformation and the consistent reverse transformation are jointly estimated. These transformations are outputted.

Abstract: Improvements in a biosensor are disclosed. A biosensor includes a waveguide, at least a portion of which is substantially planar. One or more reservoirs may be formed adjacent to a chemistry-bearing surface of the waveguide. The biosensor may include a gasket to form a seal between the waveguide and side walls of the reservoir. A sample solution may be introduced into the reservoir or otherwise onto the surface of a waveguide through an input port. Waveguides of varying composition (e.g., plastic, quartz, glass, or other suitable waveguide materials) may be used in the biosensor. Also disclosed is a sled-shaped waveguide, which includes a planar portion and a lens at an end thereof and angled relative thereto for coupling light into the waveguide.

Abstract: A method of interrogating an optical coupler interconnected to a two beam interferometer, so as to determine an idealized output value, said optical coupler having at least three bidirectional external input/output ports, said method comprising the steps of: for each of said external input/output ports: inserting an optical signal into the port; measuring a corresponding output at each of said ports; forming summations of those corresponding outputs which, in an ideal coupler, would have equal intensities; and determining said idealized output value of said coupler from said summations.

Abstract: A luggage piece having a sector-like expandable section is disclosed. The expandable section is seamed between a body and a cover for adjusting the receiving space of a trunk. Furthermore, the body has a bottom and a top, and a longitudinal depth of a bottom is large than that of the top. By a first zipper, the cover can be opened or closed. By the action of the second zipper, the expandable section is expanded outwards and closed inwards like a sector so as to increase the receiving volume for the truck. As the legs of the luggage piece are moved outwards as much as possible so as to have a large distance with the corner wheels, thereby, a preferred stability being acquired.

Abstract: An isolated polypeptide (JNK characterized by having a molecular weight of 46 kD as determined by reducing SDS-PAGE, having serine and threonine kinase activity, phosphorylating the c-Jun N-terminal activation domain and polynucleotide sequences and method of detection of JNK are provided herein. JNK phosphorylates c-Jun N-terminal activation domain which affects gene expression from AP-1 sites.

Abstract: Invertebrate and vertebrate patched genes are provided, including the mouse and human patched genes, as well as methods for isolation of related genes, where the genes may be of different species or in the same family. Having the ability to regulate the expression of the patched gene, allows for the elucidation of embryonic development, cellular regulation associated with signal transduction by the patched gene, the identification of agonist and antagonist to signal transduction, identification of ligands for binding to patched,isolation of the ligands, and assaying for levels of transcription and expression of the patched gene.

Abstract: The taxadiene synthase gene of Pacific yew has been cloned and its nucleic acid and polypeptide sequence is presented. Truncation or removal of the transit peptide increases expression of the cloned taxadiene synthase gene expression in E. coli cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates, in general, to myocardial hypertrophy and, in particular, to agents that inhibit cardiac Gq-coupled receptor signaling and to methods of inhibiting myocardial hypertrophy using same.

Abstract: Multi-layer assemblies of polysilicon thin films having predetermined stress characteristics and techniques for forming such assemblies are disclosed. In particular, a multi-layer assembly of polysilicon thin films may be produced that has a stress level of zero, or substantially so. The multi-layer assemblies comprise at least one constituent thin film having a tensile stress and at least one constituent thin film having a compressive stress. The thin films forming the multi-layer assemblies may be disposed immediately adjacent to one another without the use of intermediate layers between the thin films. Multi-layer assemblies exhibiting selectively determinable overall bending moments are also disclosed. Selective production of overall bending moments in microstructures enables manufacture of such structures with a wide array of geometrical configurations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for classifying population states based on shape characterizations of sub-manifolds of points, curves, surfaces, or sub-volumes. A structure is examined using, for example, clinical imaging techniques such as CT, MRI, or Ultrasound. The image is then subjected to a transform function to generate a map of the new image. The new image map which contains information regarding the shape of the structure is compared to average shapes characterizing population groups. If the shape of the new image falls within a best match probability with an average shape, the new image is classified as a member of the population characterized by the average shape. Each population represents a specific classification state. Thus, if the shape of the new structure resembles the average shape of a population group, the new shape is classified as the same population state as the other structures displaying the same shape characteristics.

Abstract: Immunostimulatory polynucleotide-immunomodulatory molecule conjugate compositions are disclosed. These compositions include a polynucleotide that is linked to an immunomodulatory molecule, which molecule comprises an antigen and may further comprise immunomodulators such as cytokines and adjuvants. The polynucleotide portion of the conjugate includes at least one immunostimulatory oligonucleotide nucleotide sequence (ISS). Methods of modulating an immune response upon administration of the polynucleotide-immunomodulatory conjugate preparation to a vertebrate host are also disclosed.

Abstract: A novel method is disclosed for the treatment of a patient affected with Gaucher's disease or other such glycolipid storage diseases. The method comprises administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of a long-chain N-alkyl derivative of deoxynojirimycin to alleviate or inhibit the glycolipid storage disease. The long-chain alkyl group has from nine to about 20 carbon atoms and preferably is nonyl or decyl.

Abstract: The present invention provides new site-specific HSV-thymidine kinase mutants with improved nucleoside analog metabolizing activity due to low or no thymidine phosphorylation ability. Also provided is a method of killing target cells using such mutants combined with a prodrug.

Abstract: This invention includes emulsion formulations comprising an aqueous carrier and the following components: triglyceride, cholesterol, phospholipid, at least one charged lipid, at least one hydrophilic biologically active molecule and, optionally, cholesteryl ester, and/or apoprotein; methods of preparing these emulsions; and the use of these emulsions for the delivery of hydrophilic biologically active molecules to cells.

Abstract: UV detectors comprising undoped Zn1-xMgxS as the UV responsive active material. Where x exceeds 0.3 the thickness of the active material must be below a critical value, for example if 0.30<x<1.00, and the active material is formed as a layer of a thickness t wherein 5000 Å≧t≧100 Å. A particularly preferred combination of x and thickness is x=0.57 and t≦1400 Å because at around these values the UV response of the active material is similar to the UV response of human skin.