Abstract: A method of treatment or prevention of damage due to ionizing radiation exposure involves administering to a subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of a composition containing 1) a compound including a radiation damage-inhibiting polypeptide containing amino acid sequence LKKTET (such as Thymosin ?4), a conservative variant of LKKTET, an actin-sequestering agent, an anti-inflammatory agent; 2) an agent which stimulates production of the compound in the subject; 3) an agent which regulates the compound in the subject; or 4) an antagonist of the compound, so as to inhibit radiation damage in the subject.

Abstract: A pharmaceutically acceptable composition and method for entering a cell nucleus utilizes a cell nucleus-entering polypeptide including at least one of amino acid sequence LKKTET, amino acid sequence LKKTNT or amino acid sequence KSKLKK, or a conservative variant thereof, linked to a physiologically active agent having at least one of therapeutic or diagnostic application in the cell nucleus.

Abstract: Microbial infections including anthrax infection, and gastrointestinal disorders, are treated or prevented by administration of an actin-sequestering peptide including amino acid sequence LKKTET, such as Thymosin ?4, an isoform of Thymosin ?4, oxidized Thymosin ?4, or T?4 sulfoxide.

Abstract: A curtain rod has a C-shaped cross section for receiving tongues on main wall mountable main brackets. Slotted supplementary brackets are mountable over the main brackets for permitting one or more supplementary curtain rods to be hung without drilling holes in the wall additional to those provided for the main brackets. Intermediate main and supplemental brackets support long curtain rods between their ends to prevent sagging. The supplemental curtain rod brackets are adapted for hanging the supplemental curtain rods at heights varying from that of the main curtain and the main and supplemental curtain rod brackets are further adapted for independently varying the distance of each set of curtains from the wall. Decorative hangers have rollers for movements along the main curtain rod have bumpers to prevent overlapping of the wheels and resultant binding.

Abstract: An end of a curtain rod is provided with a hook for grasping a mounting tube extending transversely from a wall-mounted flange. The hook may be offset from the longitudinal axis of the curtain rod to permit two rods with similar offset hooks to the mounted end to end, in axial alignment, on a common mounting tube. Alternatively, one rod may be provided with a centrally mounted hook and the other rod with a claw having spaced hooks for receiving the single centrally mounted hook of an axially aligned rod therebetween. Each hook an claw may be mounted on a connector which can be fitted over the end of a segment of a tubular curtain rod, with or without an adapter, depending upon whether the segment is an inner segment or outer segment of a telescoping curtain rod.

Abstract: A curtain rod has a C-shaped cross section for receiving tongues on main wall mountable main brackets. Slotted supplementary brackets are mountable over the main brackets for permitting one or more supplementary curtain rods to be hung without drilling holes in the wall additional to those provided for the main brackets. Intermediate main and supplemental brackets support long curtain rods between their ends to prevent sagging. The supplemental curtain rod brackets are adapted for hanging the supplemental curtain rods at heights varying from that of the main curtain and the main and supplemental curtain rod brackets are further adapted for independently varying the distance of each set of curtains from the wall. Decorative hangers have rollers for movements along the main curtain rod have bumpers to prevent overlapping of the wheels and resultant binding.

Abstract: A support rod for enabling a hung curtain to be smoothly drawn has two telescopically connected curtain rod segments and a trolley with at least one roller. In one set of embodiments, an outward facing channel is formed in the wall of the rod for receiving a roller while another rod engaging device can slidably contact the wall of the rod. In another embodiment, a trolley has a roller with wheels which ride on the in-turned edges of the rod which border a downward facing slot though which a curtain hanger projects. Snagging of the trolley is prevented by having the edges of the rod segments horizontally coplanar in one embodiment, and through the use of dual diameter wheels in another embodiment.

Abstract: A mount for supporting the ends of parallel hung curtain rods has telescoping male and female members pivotally mounted on a base with a tensioning screw. Connectors for receiving the ends of the curtain rods are mounted on remote ends of the telescoping male and female members. The distance between the connectors and the angle of an axis intersecting the connectors can be adjusted by loosening the tensioning screw and then tightening it to fix the connectors and, hence, the curtain rods in a desired disposition.

Abstract: In a telecommunications system, data having a higher sensitivity and data having a lower sensitivity are identified within a data set. The data having a higher sensitivity is encrypted to produce encrypted sensitive data. Thereafter, the data having a lower sensitivity and the encrypted sensitive data are encrypted to produce an encrypted data set. The encrypted data set is then transferred from a sending unit to a receiving unit. Decryption information may be appended to the encrypted sensitive data before the data having a lower sensitivity and the encrypted sensitive data are encrypted to produce an encrypted data set. The decryption information may include an algorithm identifier, a key identifier, and receiver response instructions. At the receiving unit, the data set is decrypted to recover the data having lower sensitivity. A second decryption of the encrypted sensitive information recovers the data having a higher sensitivity.

Abstract: A wall-mountable curtain rod bracket has two holders for supporting the ends of two respective curtain rods over two adjacent panels of a bay window. Each holder is pivotally mounted on the end of sleeve which is telescopically and rotatably mounted on a segment of an L-shaped rod, which is pivotally mounted on a wall anchor. Set screws are provided for locking all parts after they are pivoted and telescoped to their desired positions.

Abstract: Vaccines effective in the inhibition of infection caused by the family of retroviruses, HTLV-III, Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus, LAV, Lymphadenopathy-associated virus, ARV-2, AIDS-Related Virus, (AIDS and AIDS-Related Complex) have been developed from an antisera prepared against thymosin .alpha..sub.1 (T.alpha..sub.1), a thymic hormone, as well as from antisera to synthetic peptide fragments of T.alpha..sub.1 and antisera to synthetic peptide inclusive of amino acid positions 92-109 of the p17 gag core protein of HTLV-III, LAV and ARV-2. In this 18 amino acid primary sequence that is a 44 to 50% homology between the gag protein and T.alpha..sub.1. Immunoglobulin (IgG)- enriched preparations of the T.alpha..sub.1 antisera have enhanced activity in blocking viral replication. A diagnostic test capable of directly detecting the presence of HTLV-III, LAV, ARV-2 and related retroviruses associated with AIDS and ARC is also described.