Abstract: New corneal implants and methods for producing such implants are disclosed. The present corneal implants comprise a lens body which is optically clear and is structured to be surgically attached in or on the cornea of a mammalian eye, the lens body including a core having an outer surface and made of a hydrogel composition containing water and a hydrophilic polymeric material, and a coating comprising a synthetic polymeric component located on the outer surface, covalently bonded to the hydrogel composition and having enhanced ability to support epithelial cell growth and/or adhesion relative to the hydrogel composition.

Abstract: New intraocular lenses (IOLs) and methods for producing IOLs are disclosed. The present methods include a combination of steps which increase the pull strength between the fixation member of the IOL and the optic of the IOL without requiring sophisticated high frequency corona discharge activation or plasma activation of the fixation member. The fixation members are doubly coated with primer components and silicone polymeric material precursor compositions before being secured to the optics. In addition, the optic members employed in the present invention can be formed, for example, molded, without recesses to accommodate the fixation members. Thus, such recesses can be formed and provided with a quantity of the above-noted precursor composition after the optic members are produced. The doubly coated fixation members are then placed in the recesses and secured to the optic members. The present methods are straight forward, easy to practice and are cost effective in producing high quality IOLs.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical compositions for enhancing absorption of a topically administered formulation through dermal or mucosal membrane, for local or systemic application, comprising one or more agents of formula I: ##STR1## where: R is a saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched, cyclic or acyclic hydrocarbon group with from 1 to 19 carbon atoms or an alkoxyalkyl group; n is 2-20; X is selected from H, OR.sub.2 or NR.sub.2 R.sub.3 ; wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are independently selected from H, alkyl, haloalkyl, acyl, carbalkoxy, carbalkoxyalkyl, hydroyalkyl, acyloxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, aminoalkyl- and acylaminoalkyl; i) with the proviso that when n is 2, X is OR.sub.2 and R.sub.2 is H, then R.sub.1 is not hydroxyalkyl, specifically, 2-hydroxyethyl; and ii) with the proviso that when n is 2 and X is NR.sub.2 R.sub.3, then R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 may combine to form a heterocyclic ring and R.sub.3 is not acyl; and iii) with the proviso that when X is NR.sub.2 R.sub.3, then R.sub.2 and R.sub.

Abstract: A recombinant bacteriophage, a method for producing and selecting the recombinant bacteriophage and a method for heterologous cloning of DNA are disclosed. The recombinant bacteriophage is produced by ligating genetic fragments encoding a desired genetic trait with DNA from a bacteriophage, incubating with DNA from a second Bacillus microorganism prototrophic for a growth requirement, incubating with a host Bacillus auxotrophic for the growth requirement. Transformed host Bacillus are selected by growing the mixture on a growth medium which does not contain the growth requirement and determining the presence of the genetic trait. The recombinant bacteriophage containing the desired genetic trait is recovered from the host Bacillus by induction. Heterologous cloning can be accomplished by incubating a host Bacillus with the recombinant bacteriophage.