Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of enzymatically repairing RNAs that are nicked or at least partially cleaved. The method comprises providing a biological sample containing RNAs that are nicked or at least partially cleaved; purifying the nicked or at least partially cleaved RNAs contained in the biological sample, under a non-denaturing condition, to remove non-RNA components; and treating the purified RNAs with at least one of the following: (i) one or more enzymes that exhibit the activity of an RNA 3? phosphatase or cyclic phosphatase and the activity of an RNA 5? kinase, and an RNA ligase, or (ii) a 3?-5? RNA ligase, thereby forming repaired RNAs from the nicked or at least partially cleaved RNA. The present disclosure also relates to a method of detecting RNAs by enzymatically repairing RNAs that are nicked or at least partially cleaved, and detecting the repaired RNAs.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for identifying an individual who is at risk for developing metastatic liver disease that involves measuring, in a sample isolated from the individual, exosomal levels of one or more markers of metastatic liver disease. Kits for carrying out this method are also disclosed. The present invention also relates to a method of preventing metastatic liver disease in an individual who are at risk for developing the disease that involves administering one or more inhibitors of liver premetastatic niche formation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for identifying an individual who is at risk for developing metastatic liver disease that involves measuring, in a sample isolated from the individual, exosomal levels of one or more markers of metastatic liver disease. Kits for carrying out this method are also disclosed. The present invention also relates to a method of preventing metastatic liver disease in an individual who are at risk for developing the disease that involves administering one or more inhibitors of liver pre-metastatic niche formation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for identifying an individual who is at risk for developing metastatic liver disease that involves measuring, in a sample isolated from the individual, exosomal levels of one or more markers of metastatic liver disease. Kits for carrying out this method are also disclosed. The present invention also relates to a method of preventing metastatic liver disease in an individual who are at risk for developing the disease that involves administering one or more inhibitors of liver pre-metastatic niche formation.

Abstract: An amplification system, connected to a modem delivering a signal to be amplified, includes at least one amplification device, at least one first determination device for determination of a first difference and at least one second determination device for determination of a variable gain. Moreover, the system is characterized in that the second determination device is capable of the determination of said variable gain on the basis of said signal to be amplified, said amplified signal and said first difference.

Abstract: An amplification system, connected to a modem delivering a signal to be amplified, includes at least one amplification device, at least one first determination device for determination of a first difference and at least one second determination device for determination of a variable gain. Moreover, the system is characterized in that the second determination device is capable of the determination of said variable gain on the basis of said signal to be amplified, said amplified signal and said first difference.

Abstract: A system and method for production of customized compact discs (CD) includes compiling a collection of digital data files from source CDS, receiving customer orders and processing those customer orders by writing customer-selected digital data files onto a CD. Data files are read from the source CDs by an acquisition station and stored in a storage subsystem distributed over a number of data servers. A order input client receives and logs orders from customers. The customer orders are then processed by data servers transferring the cuistomer-selected data files to a writing station. The writing station records the data onto a destination CD. A printing station then prints content description information on the CD and jacket and also prints invoices and shipping labels.

Abstract: A system and method for production of customized compact discs on demand includes acquisition means for acquiring audio data from a plurality of commercial-quality CDs and converting the audio data to digital format; mass storage means, coupled to the acquisition means, for storing the audio data in digital format; indexing means for associating identification data uniquely attributable to the plurality of commercial-quality CDs with their respective audio data in digital format; order processing means for compiling customer data including particularized selection data and shipping data; writing means for recording the customer data to a blank CD; packaging means for labeling the blank CD recorded by the writing means and inserting same in a box for shipment; and production management means, coupled to the mass storage means, indexing means, order processing means, writing means, and packaging means, for controlling production of the customized CDs.

Abstract: A system and method for production of customized compact discs on demand includes acquisition means for acquiring audio data from a plurality of commercial-quality CDs and converting the audio data to digital format; mass storage means, coupled to the acquisition means, for storing the audio data in digital format; indexing means for associating identification data uniquely attributable to the plurality of commercial-quality CDs with their respective audio data in digital format; order processing means for compiling customer data including particularized selection data and shipping data; writing means for recording the customer data to a blank CD; packaging means for labeling the blank CD recorded by the writing means and inserting same in a box for shipment; and production management means, coupled to the mass storage means, indexing means, order processing means, writing means, and packaging means, for controlling production of the customized CDs.

Abstract: Electrical energy is generated by feeding oxygen through a solid electrolyte wall in contact with a bath of molten metal, the positive electrode being provided on the surface of this wall defining the gas space while the negative electrode is provided in the melt. Carbon monoxide released when the oxygen reacts with dissolved carbon in the melt is collected for further use and the carbon in the melt is replenished in the form of solid carbon particles which can be entrained into the melt in carbon monoxide gas.

Abstract: A light source of rectangular outline, such as a semiconductor laser, is coupled to a light receiver of circular outline to be illuminated thereby, such as an end of an optical fiber, by an anamorphotic system including a pair of spherical lenses and an afocal pair of cylindrical lenses interposed in a telecentric field therebetween. When the system is used for measuring the attenuation of a fiber by the back-scattering technique, a semireflecting prism inserted between the cylindrical lenses and the fiber-side spherical lens directs part of the returning beam toward a photodetector; the effect of spurious reflections at the fiber end may be minimized by the use of a polarization-sensitive Glan prism and/or by the positioning of a flat transparent plate in front of the fiber end.

Abstract: The above invention concerns the use of sodium carbonate and various mixtures thereof in furnaces for converting iron while blowing with oxygen.This compound, suitably prepared and added to the converter with sufficient operator skill, permits one to take care of well known limitations of rapid conversion processes, notably increasing reactions removing elements which are not wanted in steel, in particular phosphorus and sulphur.After careful examination of all the aspects of the use of said materials in converters, those conditions have been identified which permit one to use with success this new method with sodium slags in all types of processing involving oxygen blowing.

Abstract: Light from a laser, converted into pulses by a chopper, is trained upon an end of an optical fiber--whose refractive-index profile is to be determined--through a first polarizer, a beam splitter, a focusing objective and a 90.degree. phase shifter, the space between the objective and the fiber end being occupied by a fluid whose refractive index is close to that of the fiber. Light reflected from the fiber end, having passed twice through the phase shifter, has a plane of polarization orthogonal to that of the incident light and is passed by a second polarizer, to which it is directed by the beam splitter, onto a photodiode feeding a calculator that also receives a reference signal from another photodiode to which part of the polarized laser pulses are directly reflected by the beam splitter. Spurious reflections from the objective surface, which do not pass through the phase shifter, retain the original polarization and are rejected by the second polarizer.

Abstract: To intercept and measure radiant energy back-scattered from the entrance end of an optical fiber irradiated by a pulsed laser beam, a semitransparent mirror is interposed between the irradiated fiber and a first lens assembly focusing the laser beam upon its entrance end while a second lens assembly directs reflected light rays toward a photodetector feeding an electronic processor. An extremity of the fiber including its entrance end is received in a chamber with light-absorbing walls filled with a liquid of substantially the same refractive index as the fiber; the mirror may be disposed either in front of the chamber entrance or in its interior.

Abstract: The invention provides variation in the delivery of oxygen to converters for refining metal. Thus, oxygen blowing into such converters in unstationary manners, i.e., varying degrees of pressure and/or flow rate, is performed by means of partialization of the nozzles of the lance heads, or by means of decreases in the penetration capacities of the oxygen jets throughout the blowing process or during a part only of the same resulting in greatly improved reaction rates.

Abstract: The object of the present invention consists of improved nozzles for the lance heads for blowing oxygen from above, in the refining processes.

Abstract: In a process for measuring the flow rate of a gas formed in an oxygen conversion process in which conversion process oxygen is introduced into an oxygen converter containing a material to be oxidized and gaseous effluent, including a gas formed in the oxygen converter, is withdrawn, the process is improved by including in the oxygen feed to the converter from 0.15 to 1% by volume argon, as a tracer, and determining the concentration of the argon in the gaseous effluent at the mouth of the converter or at a point before which the effluent gases are mixed with air or pollutant or before which the effluent gases are subjected to a combustion reaction.