Abstract: An intravascular implant delivery system carries an implant by retaining an engagement member engaging the implant in a position proximal of an aperture at a distal end of the delivery system. The engagement member is retained proximal to the aperture by a cord that obstructs the movement of the engagement member through the aperture. The engagement member is free to rotate and move within an area defined by the delivery system, allowing the implant to react to forces imparted to the implant by the movement of the delivery system and implant through a delivery catheter. Once the implant is in a desired implant position, the cord is moved away from an aperture and the engagement member is allowed to move away from the delivery system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for detecting a sample in a longitudinal sample container (10), comprising a sample container holder (30) for holding the sample container in a housing. Said sample container holder comprises a side viewing window in the region of at least one longitudinal side of the sample container, and a front viewing window (35) in the region at least one front side of the sample container. Said device also comprises a first illumination arrangement for illuminating the sample container through the front viewing window, a second illumination arrangement for illuminating the sample container through the side viewing window, and an imaging photodetector for detecting a first image of the sample illuminated by means of the first illumination arrangement, and a second image of the sample illuminated by means of the second illumination arrangement. Said detection takes place through the side viewing window.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the viability of cells in cell cultures, said method comprising the steps of: coloring the sample with a dye which can penetrate into individual cells depending on the viability of the latter, determining the proportions of cells which are colored to differing extents. The invention is distinguished by virtue of the fact that a cell suspension of the colored cells is centrifuged as a sample in a sample vessel (10) until the solid content present in the sample has settled as a compressed cell cake (13), and, in order to determine the proportions, the volumes of differently colored sections (131, 132, 133) of the compressed cell cake (13) are determined as a measure of the proportions of cells of different viability.

Abstract: An intravascular implant delivery system carries an implant by retaining an engagement member engaging the implant in a position proximal of an aperture at a distal end of the delivery system. The engagement member is retained proximal to the aperture by a cord that obstructs the movement of the engagement member through the aperture. The engagement member is free to rotate and move within an area defined by the delivery system, allowing the implant to react to forces imparted to the implant by the movement of the delivery system and implant through a delivery catheter. Once the implant is in a desired implant position, the cord is moved away from an aperture and the engagement member is allowed to move away from the delivery system.

Abstract: A catheter used for treatment of complex vasculature, such as a bifurcated aneurysm, is provided with an inflatable balloon at a distal portion thereof. The shape, location and material of the inflatable balloon are selected such that when inflated, the balloon conforms to the shape of the complex vasculature, or at least a portion thereof, without appreciably deforming the vessel walls. In this manner, the balloon can be used to control flow in the vasculature, for example occluding a selected branch of the vasculature during introduction of material in order concentrate the material and minimize its disbursement by blood flow.

Abstract: A catheter used for treatment of complex vasculature, such as a bifurcated aneurysm, is provided with an inflatable balloon at a distal portion thereof. The shape, location and material of the inflatable balloon are selected such that when inflated, the balloon conforms to the shape of the complex vasculature, or at least a portion thereof, without appreciably deforming the vessel walls. In this manner, the balloon can be used to control flow in the vasculature, for example occluding a selected branch of the vasculature during introduction of material in order concentrate the material and minimize its disbursement by blood flow.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method for the fast generation of high expression stable cell lines for the production of recombinant proteins with high efficacy of stable integration while using low selective pressure for only a short period of time. The method uses transiently expressed piggybac transposase to mediate stable integration of a transgene of interest flanked by the PB transposon termini.

Abstract: An intravascular implant delivery system carries an implant by retaining an engagement member engaging the implant in a position proximal of an aperture at a distal end of the delivery system. The engagement member is retained proximal to the aperture by a cord that obstructs the movement of the engagement member through the aperture. The engagement member is free to rotate and move within an area defined by the delivery system, allowing the implant to react to forces imparted to the implant by the movement of the delivery system and implant through a delivery catheter. Once the implant is in a desired implant position, the cord is moved away from an aperture and the engagement member is allowed to move away from the delivery system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the viability of cells in cell cultures, said method comprising the steps of: colouring the sample with a dye which can penetrate into individual cells depending on the viability of the latter, determining the proportions of cells which are coloured to differing extents. The invention is distinguished by virtue of the fact that a cell suspension of the coloured cells is centrifuged as a sample in a sample vessel (10) until the solid content present in the sample has settled as a compressed cell cake (13), and, in order to determine the proportions, the volumes of differently coloured sections (131, 132, 133) of the compressed cell cake (13) are determined as a measure of the proportions of cells of different viability.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for detecting a sample in a longitudinal sample container (10), comprising a sample container holder (30) for holding the sample container in a housing. Said sample container holder comprises a side viewing window in the region of at least one longitudinal side of the sample container, and a front viewing window (35) in the region at least one front side of the sample container. Said device also comprises a first illumination arrangement for illuminating the sample container through the front viewing window, a second illumination arrangement for illuminating the sample container through the side viewing window, and an imaging photodetector for detecting a first image of the sample illuminated by means of the first illumination arrangement, and a second image of the sample illuminated by means of the second illumination arrangement. Said detection takes place through the side viewing window.

Abstract: A device adapted for use with a furniture seating apparatus having a pillow and a cape attached thereto is provided. The device enables the user of a furniture seating apparatus to maintain a pillow in its desired position against the back of a furniture seating apparatus without having to readjust or reposition it any time the user shifts his position or leaves the furniture seating apparatus. The cape, acting as a counterbalance to the pillow, is attached to the pillow in a manner which allows the cape to be fitted or draped over the top of the back of the furniture seating apparatus.

Abstract: Recombinant proteins are of great commercial interest. Yet, most current production methods in mammalian cells involve the time- and labor-consuming step of creating stable cell lines. Production methods based on transient gene expression are advantageous in terms of speed and versatility, yet, thus far, those methods have not shown the specific productivity, batch yield and volumetric yield to be an economic alternative to stable cell lines. The inventors improved on the methodology of transient transfection and achieved commercially relevant yields in terms of specific productivity (exceeding 35 pg per cell per day), batch yield (exceeding 700 mg/l) and volumetric yield.

Abstract: The present invention related to biotechnology and genetic engineering, particularly the expression of proteins of viral origin in microorganisms through their fusion by applying recombinant DNA technology to bacterial peptides. The present invention provides an effcient process for the expression in Escherichia coli of heterlogous proteins as fusion peptides with a view to obtaining them with a high degree of purity, in commercially useful amounts, and in an appropriate form for their inclusion in vaccine preparations. What is essentially used is a stabilizing sequence derived from the first 47 amino acids of the antigen P64k of Neisseria meningitides B:4:P1.15. In particular, use is made of a recombinant plasmid containing said sequence, under the control of the tryptophane promoter of E. coli and of the terminator of the transcription of the phage T4, including restrictions sites which provide for the cloning in phase of DNA fragments coding for polypeptides of interest.

Abstract: A catheter used for treatment of complex vasculature, such as a bifurcated aneurysm, is provided with an inflatable balloon at a distal portion thereof. The shape, location and material of the inflatable balloon are selected such that when inflated, the balloon conforms to the shape of the complex vasculature, or at least a portion thereof, without appreciably deforming the vessel walls. In this manner, the balloon can be used to control flow in the vasculature, for example occluding a selected branch of the vasculature during introduction of material in order concentrate the material and minimize its disbursement by blood flow.

Abstract: Cellular sensitivity to DNA damaging agents and progression through cell cycle is modulated through manipulation of T cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TC-PTP) activity. Phenotypic characterization of cells lacking TC-PTP demonstrates a defective progression through the cell cycle, and sensitivity to DNA damaging agents. Screening assays are provided for selecting agents that affect the activity of TC-PTP, including assays relating to the interaction of TC-PTP with its substrate, p62dok.

Abstract: The present invention is for a formulation comprising a nucleic acid vaccine and an immunoenhancing amount of acemannan, whereby the acemannan enhances immune response, in a host, to the vaccine. The present invention is also for a method of enhancing the immune response of a host to a nucleic acid vaccine by administering a formulation comprising a nucleic acid vaccine and acemannan.

Abstract: The present invention is related to the field of medicine, particularly to the use of new adjuvant formulations with vaccine antigens. The technical objective pursued with this invention is, precisely, the development of formulations that are able to increase and/or modulate the immune response of the organism to vaccine antigens in the serum and the mucous lining. With this aim, a formulation was developed that contained as the main components the surface antigen of the hepatitis B virus and the acemannan in adequate proportions. As an extension of this result, formulations were developed in which a) HBsAg was used as the homologous or heterologous antigen carrier b) delivery systems of particulated antigens and c) soluble antigens, combined with the acemannan in specific proportions. The formulations of this invention are applicable in the pharmaceutical industry as vaccine formulations for human and veterinary use.

Abstract: The present invention relates to biotechnology and genetic engineering, particularly the expression of proteins of viral origin in microorganisms through their fusion, by applying the recombinant DNA technology, to bacterial peptides. The present invention provides an efficient process for the expression in Escherichia coli of heterologous proteins as fusion polypeptides with a view to obtaining them with a high degree of purity, in commercially useful amounts, and in an appropriate form for their inclusion in vaccine preparations intended to human use. To this effect, what is essentially used is a stabilizing sequence derived from the first 47 amino acids of the antigen P64k of Neisseria meningitidis B:4:P1.15. In particular, use is made of a recombinant plasmid containing said sequence, under the control of the tryptophane promotor of E.

Abstract: A process for the hydrolysis of a dinitrile (e.g., adiponitrile) utilizing from 0.1 to 500 mmoles of catalyst (e.g., a mixture of phosphorous acid and calcium hypophosphite) per mole of the dinitrile and in the presence of from 0.01 to 0.5 moles of a dicarboxylic acid cocatalyst (e.g., adipic acid) followed by addition of a diamine (e.g., hexamethylenediamine) and heating to produce polymerization. Such a process is particularly useful in the production of nylon 6,6 having a low BHMT content and improved melt stability.