Abstract: A climber robot has front and rear legs joined together by a pivoting knee joint and having pivoting ankle joints at their distal ends. Pneumatic muscle pairs attached to each leg allow the robot to move vertically and horizontally and make easy transitions over obstacles and from the horizontal to vertical plane.

Abstract: A cagB gene of H. pylori is provided. This nucleic acid can be the nucleic acid consisting of nucleotides 193 through 1158 in the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:1, which is an example of a native coding sequence for CagB. This nucleic acid can also be in a vector suitable for expressing a polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid. A cagC gene of H. pylori is provided. This nucleic acid can be the isolated nucleic acid consisting of nucleotides 1170 through 3830 in the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:3, which is an example of a native coding sequence for CagC. This nucleic acid can also be in a vector suitable for expressing a polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid. Isolated nucleic acids that specifically hybridize with cagB and cagC are provided. CagB and CagC are associated with peptic ulceration and other clinical syndromes in humans infected with strains of H. pylori that express it.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of and compositions for increasing or maintaining glomerular filtration rate while preserving renal structure in a patient comprising administering an angiotensin II type 1 vascular receptor antagonist to the patient, independent of its effects on systemic blood pressure. The invention provides that, by administering the AII type 1 receptor antagonist, blood flow to the kidney can be improved without sacrificing intraglomerular pressure and therefore glomerular filtration and that even with this enhanced glomerular pressure and filtration, renal structure is preserved.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the processing of DNA sequence image data in real time is implemented using a series of linked neural network processors. As raw image data is received from a sequencing machine, it is buffered and then separately transformed in real time in the processors to enhance the signals indicative of the unknown DNA sequence. A fourth processor receives the transformed data and determines and reports the sequence indicating events.

Abstract: Novel, substituted benzamides in radioiodinated form are useful in radiopharmaceutical compositions in nuclear medicine as imaging agents to detect, visualize, and analyze the distribution and function of the dopamine D2 receptor in the mammalian brain. These compounds have a specific combination of lipophilicity and dopamine D2 receptor affinity required to attain a required image contrast. The iodinated benzamides identified by the above discovery can be made by reacting a trialkyltin substituted benzamide with an acid in the presence of radioactive iodine which, in turn, is generated by in situ oxidation of an appropriate iodide nuclide salt.

Abstract: The present invention includes N-substituted maleimides (1(H)-Pyrrole-2,5-dione (Maleimide) analogs and succinimides which act as potent nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and are capable of dual inactivation or selective inactivation of the cyclooxygenase and the peroxidase activities of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase (PGHS).

Abstract: Microspheres of a substantially uniform diameter are produced having a central portion composed of a solution of a polyanion containing a biological material, and an outer permeable membrane enclosing the central portion which is a complex of the polyanion and a polycation. The biological material has a molecular size greater than 150,000 Daltons, and the membrane has a porosity such that the biological material does not permeate the membrane. The biological material may comprise living cells or living tissue. The microspheres are formed by individually enveloping falling droplets of a polyanion solution with a collapsing annular sheet of a polycation solution while the sheet is traveling downwardly at the same velocity as the droplets.

Abstract: The present invention provides a non-mouse pluripotential embryonic stem cell which can:(a) be maintained on feeder layers for at least 20 passages; and(b) give rise to embryoid bodies and multiple differentiated cell phenotypes in monolayer culture. The invention further provides a method of making a pluripotential embryonic stem cell comprising administering a growth enhancing amount of basic fibroblast growth factor, leukemia inhibitory factor, membrane associated steel factor, and soluble steel factor to primordial germ cells under cell growth conditions, thereby making a pluripotential embryonic stem cell.

Abstract: An isolated nucleic acid encoding the Helicobacter pylori recombinase comprising the nucleotide sequence defined in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO:1 is provided. Also provided is an isolated nucleic acid that selectively hybridizes with the nucleic acid of claim 1 under stringent conditions and has at least 70% complementarity with the segment of the nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO:1 to which it hybridizes. Also provided is a mutant strain of H. pylori that does not express a functional recombinase (recA.sup.- mutant). An immunogenic amount of the recA.sup.- mutant H. pylori in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is provided. A method of immunizing a subject against infection by H. pylori comprises administering to the subject an immunogenic amount of mutant H. pylori in a carrier for the mutant.

Abstract: In a fault diagnostic system, an operator interface simultaneously displays an operations hierarchy and a components hierarchy in two separate windows. The display system is used with a model-based diagnostic system that monitors operational parameters of an industrial process. The diagnostic system identifies possible failure source components in the industrial process and the display system uses these diagnostics to display the most interesting portions of the operations hierarchy and the components hierarchy. The most interesting node, to be displayed with its subtree, is defined as the node at the lowest level of the hierarchy that is both a fault source and that has more children than than other fault sources at that level.

Abstract: The surface or internal structure of diamagnetic and paramagnetic materials is imaged by measuring, preferably with a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer, perturbations to an applied magnetic field resulting from variations in magnetic susceptibility at an array of locations across the object. The array of perturbation measurements is processed to generate a map of local susceptiblities. For implementation of susceptibility tomography, multiple arrays of perturbation signals for a plurality of relative orientations between the object, the field, and the measurement locations are processed to generate values for local susceptibility at selected sites within the object, such as along a selected sectional plane.

Abstract: A crash impact attenuator including one or more cylinders, each bolted or otherwise connected to the adjacent cylinder and such cylinders being connected to the platform of a service vehicle or to an abutment adjacent a highway wherein the cylinders are constructed from a high molecular weight/high density polyethylene material.

Abstract: A laser surgery method is disclosed for use in efficient ablation of tissue with little or no thermal damage to adjacent tissues. The wavelength of the surgical laser is tuned to an absorption peak of a proteinaceous material or functional groups contained therein, the amides for example. A suitable power level is chosen to either vaporize or liquify the targeted tissue.

Abstract: The present invention provides an isolated nucleic acid encoding an approximately 120-128 kilodalton antigen of Helicobacter pylori, or an antigenic fragment thereof, wherein the antigen is associated with peptic ulceration. The present invention also provides methods of detecting the presence of a Helicobacter pylori strain possessing the 120-128 kilodalton antigen in a subject, comprising the steps of contacting an antibody-containing sample from the subject with a detectable amount of the tagA antigen or antigenic fragment of the present invention and detecting the reaction of the antigen or fragment and the antibody. A mutant H. pylori not expressing a functional tagA antigen is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a purified monocyte-derived insulin receptor regulatory factor, which has the biological activity of reducing insulin receptor binding on T-lymphocytes. Additionally, the invention relates to a nucleic acid that codes for the monocyte-derived insulin receptor regulatory factor, a recombinant protein produced therefrom, and an antibody to the factor. The present invention also relates to a method of reducing insulin receptor binding on activated T-lymphocytes, including administration of the protein to a subject.

Abstract: A method and system for automated nucleic acid sequence determination of a polynucleotide, wherein a nucleic acid sequencing ladder comprises signals corresponding to oligonucleotides formed from the polynucleotide, comprising the step of correlating, particularly in a trained neural network or a scatter plot, an intensity variable for each signal in the nucleic acid sequencing ladder with an informative variable for that signal, wherein the informative variable comprises information from at least two adjacent signals in the nucleic acid sequencing ladder, such that each signal in the nucleic acid sequencing ladder identified so as to determine the nucleic acid sequence corresponding to the polynucleotide.

Abstract: A microchannel plate detector device is intended for use in the detection of low energy electrons and negative ions in particle time-of-flight measurement systems. A vacuum isolator isolates the microchannel plate signal output from ground as well as from the vacuum chamber of the meaurement system. A coupling unit includes a pulse isolator for separating pulse signals from the microchannel plate DC bias voltage. Electronic circuitry matches the output impedance of the coupling unit to the input impedance of the measurement system signal processor, thereby minimizing reflection and distortion of high frequency pulse signals.

Abstract: Nitrogen retention in human subjects is promoted by administering .beta.-hydroxy-.beta.-methylbutyric acid (HMB). The amount of HMB administered is effective to conserve protein as determined by reduction in urinary nitrogen. The method can be used with patients having a negative nitrogen balance due to disease conditions, and also with normal elderly persons who are subject to protein loss. The HMB may be administered orally or by intravenous infusion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the accurate non-contact detection and measurement of static electric charge on an object using a reciprocating sensing probe that moves relative to the object. A monitor measures the signal generated as a result of this cyclical movement so as to detect the electrostatic charge on the object.

Abstract: A T4 endonuclease V DNA repair enzyme contains an amino acid sequence within its carboxyl terminal region which is involved in dimer specific binding. The region includes polar nonaromatic basic amino acids and aromatic amino acids between amino acid 128 to 137 positions. The specific activity of the enzyme is greatly increased at low salt concentrations when substitutions are made in aromatic amino acids in the carboxy terminal region.