Abstract: Catalytic and reactive polypeptides include a binding site specific for a reactant or reactive intermediate involved in a chemical reaction of interest. The polypeptides further include at least one active functionality proximate the biThis invention was made with Government support under Grant Contract No. AI-24695 awarded by the Department of Health and Human Services, under Grant Contract No. N 00014-87-K-0256, awarded by the Office of Naval Research. The Government has certain rights in this invention, under Grant Contract CHE 8822412 awarded by the National Science Foundation, and under Grant Subcontract C87-101226 awarded by the Department of Energy.

Abstract: Polypeptide compositions are provided having a binding site specific for a particular target ligand and further having an active functionality proximate the binding site. The active functionality may be a reporter molecule, in which case the polypeptide compositions are useful in performing assays for the target ligand. Alternatively, the active functionality may be a chemotherapeutic agent, in which case the polypeptide compositions are useful for therapeutic treatment of various diseased states. A novel method for preparing such polypeptides having active functionalities proximate their binding site comprises combining the polypeptide specific for the target ligand with an affinity label including ligand having a reactive group attached thereto. The reactive group is then covalently attached to an amino acid side chain proximate the binding site and cleaved from the substrate. The substrate is eluted, leaving a moiety of the reactive group covalently attached to the polypeptide.

Abstract: A method for the coded tagging of articles, such as garments, comprises fitting to each of a plurality of articles a tagging element, such as a rigid plaque, bearing coded information in the form of portions of the element which permit the passage therethrough of a form of radiation, such as X-rays, which also passes through the material of the articles but to which the rest of the element is opaque. At least the portions of the articles bearing the tagging elements are conveyed in succession between an X-ray emitter and an X-ray detector, the detector producing output signals corresponding to the coded information on each tagging element, the output signals from the detector being supplied to a computer which processes the signals to store and process the coded information on the tagging element.

Abstract: A gyrocompass including a first gimbal, a gyro motor mounted in the first gimbal and including a gyro rotor mounted to rotate about a horizontally alignable spin axis, a pendulous body in which the first gimbal is mounted to be rotatable about a vertically alignable axis of rotation, a housing in which the body is rotatably suspended, a verticality device associated with the body for allowing the body to assume an orientation in the housing in which the axis of rotation is vertical, and a follow-up device including a pickup mounted for sensing the angular position, about the axis of rotation, of the gimbal relative to the body and a drive connected for rotating the body relative to the housing about the axis of rotation in dependence on the position sensed by the pickup. The drive can be constituted by a stepping motor constructed to rotate in highly uniform steps and simultaneously serving to provide an indication of the angular position of the body relative to the housing about the axis of rotation.

Abstract: If the edge of a filter cloth is coated with one or more layers of a polychloroprene latex mixture which contains zinc oxide and a silicate filler in addition to a polychloroprene with carboxyl groups, sticking is so greatly reduced that the durability of the filter cloths is substantially increased.

Abstract: Defects in the sealings of closures are located and measured by rotating the sealed closure and directing a light beam to the sealed area. The light beam reflected from the sealing mass is compared to a prespecified rated value and any deviation resulting from the comparison results in actuation of an ejecting device for ejecting the defective closure from the testing station.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of 1,5-dihydroxyanthraquinone and 1,8-dihydroxy-anthraquinone and of their mixtures. Alkali metal salts or alkaline earth metal salts of the corresponding anthraquinonedisulphonic acid are treated, in an aqueous medium under pressure and at elevated temperatures, with lime, buffer substances and, if appropriate, oxidizing agents, a surface-active agent is added to the resulting reaction mixture and the mixture is then acidified in a continuous process with mineral acid at temperatures of 50.degree. C to 150.degree. C and a pressure of 1-3 bars, and the dihydroxyanthraquinone which has precipitated is isolated. Compared to the known procedure, the process according to the invention is distinguished by a substantially improved space-time yield with at least equal purity of the reaction products.