Abstract: A method of improving metabolic health in a mammalian subject in need of improvement in metabolic health includes reducing the mammalian subject's consumption of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) by the mammalian subject consuming a reduced BCAA daily diet. Also included is a method of reducing a mammalian subject's consumption of BCAAs by the mammalian subject consuming a reduced BCAA meal replacement at least once per day. Also included is a method of feeding a mammalian subject in need of weight reduction by the mammalian subject consuming a low protein daily diet supplemented with leucine. Also included is a method of improving metabolic health in a mammalian subject in need of improvement in metabolic health by reducing the mammalian subject's consumption either histidine alone or of both phenylalanine and tyrosine by the mammalian subject consuming a reduced amino acid daily diet.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) for protecting the out-drive (13) of a watercraft (11) comprises a locating member (21) adapted for attachment to the underside of the marlin board (17) of the watercraft (10) and a shroud (23) engageable with the locating member (21) to provide an enclosure about the out-drive (13). The shroud (23) is buoyant and is adapted to be floated into sliding engagement with the locating member (21). The shroud (23) has an opening (40) which is closed upon engagement of the shroud (23) with the transom (15) of the watercraft (11) to prevent ingress of water into the interior of the shroud (23). A connection means (180) and the locking means (80) are provided for releasably connecting the shroud (23) to the locating member (21).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of determining the proximity, or changes in the proximity of two or more molecular features labeled with fluorophores able to undergo DARET. In preferred embodiments the change in proximity of molecular features in a sample is correlated with changes in the fluorescence polarization of the sample, and may be monitored in real time.

Abstract: Clostridial toxin substrates comprising a lanthanide donor complex, an acceptor, and a Clostridial toxin recognition sequence including a cleavage site; methods for determining the activity of a Clostridial toxin from a test sample using such Clostridial toxin substrates; cell compositions comprising such Clostridial toxin substrates and a Clostridial toxin receptor; and methods for determining the activity of a Clostridial toxin from a test sample using such cell compositions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a clostridial toxin substrate that contains (a) a lanthanide donor complex; (b) an acceptor having an absorbance spectrum overlapping the emission spectrum of the lanthanide donor complex; and (c) a clostridial toxin recognition sequence containing a cleavage site that intervenes between the lanthanide donor complex and the acceptor, where, under the appropriate conditions, resonance energy transfer is exhibited between the lanthanide donor complex and the acceptor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of determining the presence or activity of a clostridial toxin by (a) treating with a sample, under conditions suitable for clostridial toxin protease activity, a clostridial toxin substrate which includes a fluorophore; a bulking group; and a clostridial toxin recognition sequence containing a cleavage site that intervenes between the fluorophore and the bulking group; (b) exciting the fluorophore with plane polarized light; and (c) determining fluorescence polarization of the treated substrate relative to a control substrate, where a change in fluorescence polarization of the treated substrate as compared to fluorescence polarization of the control substrate is indicative of the presence or activity of the clostridial toxin.

Abstract: An improved mass spectrometry method comprises the analysis of ferrocenyl boronate derivatives of compounds of interest. Chemical derivatization with ferrocenyl boronate overcomes problems resolving small structural differences in a variety of biologically important compounds, including carbohydrates, ultimately increasing the propensity of an analyte to ionize and provide quality fragmentation during successive rounds of electrospray MS. The resultant full scan spectra reflect large amounts of structural information.

Abstract: An improved mass spectrometry method comprises the analysis of ferrocenyl boronate derivatives of compounds of interest. Chemical derivatization with ferrocenyl boronate overcomes problems resolving small structural differences in a variety of biologically important compounds, including carbohydrates, ultimately increasing the propensity of an analyte to ionize and provide quality fragmentation during successive rounds of electrospray MS. The resultant full scan spectra reflect large amounts of structural information.