Abstract: The binding specificity of at least one plasma protein suspended or dissolved in a liquid medium is altered by exposing the protein to an oxidizing agent or an electric current sufficient to alter its binding specificity. A masked protein such as an autoantibody can be recovered from blood or blood products or extracts by oxidizing the protein to change its binding specificity.

Abstract: A rotary pump device includes a stator chamber with a cylindrical inner wall having intake and exhaust ports and an abutment mounted therein, and a rotor eccentrically mounted on an axial driven shaft for rotation within the chamber. The rotor keeps continuous wiping contact with the chamber wall while repelling magnets exert pressure on an abutment which maintains contact with the rotor to partition the intake and outlet ports. The repelling magnets act as a spring to assure contact of the abutment on the rotor while the pump is running or on standby. The repelling is caused by locating magnets positioned with similar facing poles in a pocket positioned against an abutment. A full intake/exhaust cycle takes place every 360° of rotor travel.

Abstract: New insecticidal proteins, nucleotides, peptides, their expression in plants, methods of producing the peptides, new processes, production techniques, new peptides, new formulations, and new organisms, a process which increases the insecticidal peptide production yield from yeast expression systems. The present invention is also related and discloses selected endotoxins we call cysteine rich insecticidal peptides (CRIPS) which are peptides derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and their genes and endotoxins in combination with toxic peptides known as Inhibitor Cystine Knot (ICK) genes and peptides as well as with other types of insecticidal peptides such as trypsin modulating oostatic factor (TMOF) peptide sequences used in various formulations and combinations; of both genes and peptides, useful for the control of insects.

Abstract: A rotary pump device includes a stator chamber with a cylindrical inner wall having intake and exhaust ports and a swinging abutment mounted therein, and a rotor eccentrically mounted on an axial drive shaft for rotation within the chamber. The rotor keeps continuous wiping contact with the chamber wall while the swinging abutment maintains contact with the rotor to partition the intake and outlet ports. In a single abutment configuration, a full intake/exhaust cycle occurs every 360° of rotor travel.

Abstract: A novel brake assembly is provided for a bicycle. The assembly is comprised of an arrangement of a pair of pulleys attached to braking arms with affixed brake pads leveraged against the bicycle rim. The braking power is accentuated by employing the two pulleys on the braking arms. A return spring causes the arms to return to non-braking position in response to the release of the braking cable.

Abstract: Procedures are described which use solvents to increase the topical insecticidal activity of toxic insect peptides. These procedures comprise drying the peptides, if needed, followed by the addition of either: 1) a polar organic solvent, with or without water, to a dried peptide, or 2) the addition of polar aprotic solvent or other adjuvant to the dried peptide, followed by the addition of either: 1) a polar organic solvent, with or without water, (where a polar aprotic solvent is added first) or 2) a polar aprotic solvent or other adjuvant to the peptide polar organic solvent (where the polar organic solvent is added first), to the peptide formulation.

Abstract: The present concept a wet abrasive blasting system includes a splitter manifold receiving compressed air from a source of compressed air. The splitter manifold includes at least two passageways and also a manifold pre-nozzle associated with each passageway respectively. The splitter manifold communicates air through the passageways to corresponding air conduits which feed compressed air to at least two wet blasters respectively wherein the blasters each include an exit nozzle which are substantially the same or smaller in size than the pre-nozzles.

Abstract: Procedures are described which use solvents to increase the topical insecticidal activity of toxic insect peptides. These procedures comprise drying the peptides, if needed, followed by the addition of either: 1) a polar organic solvent, with or without water, to a dried peptide, or 2) the addition of polar aprotic solvent or other adjuvant to the dried peptide, followed by the addition of either: 1) a polar organic solvent, with or without water, (where a polar aprotic solvent is added first) or 2) a polar aprotic solvent or other adjuvant to the peptide polar organic solvent (where the polar organic solvent is added first), to the peptide formulation.

Abstract: This internal combustion engine utilizes a rotary piston motion simultaneously having an upward and downward stroke to facilitate a power output. In comparison to existing engines, this engine possesses fewer parts, has enhanced fuel economy and performance, and is capable of using alternative fuels. The drive shaft is connected directly to the piston and a fixed arm is attached to the driveshaft. The fixed arm has a rotating bushing traversing upon an inclined bearing surface to allow rotary and reciprocating motion of the piston.

Abstract: Procedures are described which use solvents to increase the topical insecticidal activity of toxic insect peptides. These procedures comprise drying the peptides, if needed, followed by the addition of either: 1) a polar organic solvent, with or without water, to a dried peptide, or 2) the addition of polar aprotic solvent or other adjuvant to the dried peptide, followed by the addition of either: 1) a polar organic solvent, with or without water, (where a polar aprotic solvent is added first) or 2) a polar aprotic solvent or other adjuvant to the peptide polar organic solvent (where the polar organic solvent is added first), to the peptide formulation.

Abstract: Procedures are described which use solvents to increase the topical insecticidal activity of toxic insect peptides. These procedures comprise drying the peptides, if needed, followed by the addition of either: 1) a polar organic solvent, with or without water, to a dried peptide, or 2) the addition of polar aprotic solvent or other adjuvant to the dried peptide, followed by the addition of either: 1) a polar organic solvent, with or without water, (where a polar aprotic solvent is added first) or 2) a polar aprotic solvent or other adjuvant to the peptide polar organic solvent (where the polar organic solvent is added first), to the peptide formulation.

Abstract: The binding specificity of at least one plasma protein suspended or dissolved in a liquid medium is altered by exposing the protein to an oxidizing agent or an electric current sufficient to alter its binding specificity. A masked protein such as an autoantibody can be recovered from blood or blood products or extracts by oxidizing the protein to change its binding specificity.

Abstract: Procedures are described which use solvents to increase the topical insecticidal activity of toxic insect peptides. These procedures comprise drying the peptides, if needed, followed by the addition of either: 1) a polar organic solvent, with or without water, to a dried peptide, or 2) the addition of polar aprotic solvent or other adjuvant to the dried peptide, followed by the addition of either: 1) a polar organic solvent, with or without water, (where a polar aprotic solvent is added first) or 2) a polar aprotic solvent or other adjuvant to the peptide polar organic solvent (where the polar organic solvent is added first), to the peptide formulation.

Abstract: A laboratory method for screening, diagnosing, monitoring and/or staging early onset Alzheimer's disease which consists of mild cognitive impairment entails conducting a blood test after an oxidative exposure of serum to assay for the presence of an elevated level of redox-reactive autoantibodies.

Abstract: A rotary pump device includes a stator chamber with a cylindrical inner wall having intake and exhaust ports therein, and a two-part, expanding rotor eccentrically mounted for rotation within the chamber. The rotor comprises two crescentoid bodies with end surfaces in sliding, mating contact. A spring rod is placed between the inner rotor body surfaces to maintain rotor contact points in continuous wiping contact with the chamber wall. A full intake/exhaust cycle occurs every 180° of rotor travel.

Abstract: A surgical device is provided for both ablating a channel in a patient's tissue and also delivering a therapeutic agent. The device includes an elongated multi-lumen tube, an elongated tissue ablating assembly, and a therapeutic agent delivery assembly. The therapeutic agent is capable of being delivered into the channel and/or to the surrounding tissue. The device may further include a second multi-lumen tube also capable of delivering therapeutic agents. A method is also provided for using such a surgical device to ablate a channel in a patient's tissue and also deliver a therapeutic agent to the tissue, for example, for transmyocardial revascularization or other procedures.

Abstract: A tape-reinforced tubular vascular graft formed of sintered fluoropolymer(s), such as expanded, sintered PTFE. The graft includes a base graft and a reinforcing tape applied thereto. The tape may be spirally wrapped about the graft or spirally wrapped into a tube about a cylindrical mandrel and then applied to the exterior of the graft. Radial shrinkage of the combined base graft and tape, or of the reinforcing tape tube, renders the vascular graft subsequently radially enlargeable by more than 5%, without tearing or breaking of the reinforcement tape layer of the graft. Radially enlargeable grafts of the present invention may be combined with various types of stents or anchoring systems, to form endovascular graft devices which are transluminally insertable and implantable within the lumen of a host blood vessel.

Abstract: The present invention contemplates a surgical device for both ablating a channel in a patient's tissue and also delivering a therapeutic agent. The device includes an elongated multi-lumen tube, an elongated tissue ablating assembly, and a therapeutic agent delivery assembly. The therapeutic agent is capable of being delivered into the channel and/or to the surrounding tissue. The device may further include a second multi-lumen tube also capable of delivering therapeutic agents. Although suitable for many operations, the device is particularly well suited for transmyocardial revascularization operations. The present invention also contemplates a procedure for using such a surgical device to ablate a channel in a patient's tissue and also deliver a therapeutic agent.

Abstract: The binding specificity of a monoclonal antibody is altered by exposing the monoclonal antibody to an oxidizing agent or an electric potential.

Abstract: A neurodegenerative disease or condition is diagnosed in a subject by obtaining a sample of cerebral spinal fluid from the subject and assaying the sample by an assay method that detects the presence of at least one antiphospholipid autoantibody in the sample, wherein an elevated level of at least one antiphospholipid autoantibody in the sample of cerebral spinal fluid correlates with a neurodegenerative disease or condition in the subject. The neurodegenerative disease or condition may also be diagnosed by assaying a sample of cerebral spinal fluid to detect nitrosylated antibodies, wherein an elevated level of nitrosylated antibodies correlates with a neurodegenerative disease or condition in said subject.