Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for retrieving information through the use of a multi-stage interaction with a client to identify particular knowledge content associated with a knowledge map. The present invention is an application program running on a server accessed via the world-wide web or other data network using standard Internet protocols, a web browser and web server software. In addition to an automated portion, the present invention allows a human dialog designer to model the way the system elicits information, giving a human feel to the dialog and a better customer experience. In operation, users start a dialog by directing their web browser to a designated web page. This web page asks the user some initial questions that are then passed to a dialog engine. The dialog engine then applies its methods and algorithms to a knowledge map, using dialog control information\ and the user's responses to provide feedback to the user.

Abstract: A bioabsorbable brachytherapy device includes a tubular housing with sealed ends and an enclosed radioactive material. The radioactive material includes a radioisotope, such as palladium-103 or iodine-125. The tubular housing is made from a biocompatible and bioabsorbable polymeric material, and is sealed by means such as heat welding or solvent fixing. The device may further include a radiopaque medium and one or more therapeutic drugs.

Abstract: Combination radiation delivery and chemotherapy devices comprise bioabsorbable structures with radionuclides and chemotherapeutic agents immobilized on said structures. The bioabsorbable structures have a predefined persistence period which is usually substantially greater than the half-life of the radionuclides, thus assuring that the radionuclides remain localized and sequestered at a desired target site while significant radioactivity remains. The radiation delivery and chemotherapy devices are suitable for a wide variety of medical purposes, being particularly suitable for the treatment of solid tumors by injection or open surgical introduction of the devices at a target site. Kits comprising the devices together with instructions for use are also provided.

Abstract: The following are described herein: a composition that consists of a mixture that comprises at least amides, amines, ester-amides, ester-amines, amine salts and monoglycerides, that are all derived from monomeric, dimeric, trimeric and/or tetrameric fatty acids; a process for the production of said composition which comprises the transamidification reaction of a polyunsaturated vegetable oil that is polymerized thermally, with an excess of at least one amino alcohol, which may or may not be in the presence of a catalyst; and the uses of this composition particularly as an emulsifying agent that allow it, depending on the nature of the oil, to form an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion, as a solid-dispersing agent, or as an agent for the stabilization of foams in a liquid or an emulsion.

Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery of methods for purification of an acid active hyaluronidase found in human plasma (hpHAse), including both biochemical and immunoaffinity purification methods. The method of immunoaffinity purification of the invention is based on the discovery of a method for identifying antibodies that specifically bind native hpHAse (anti-native hpHAse antibodies), and anti-native hpHAse antibodies identified by this screening method. The invention also features an assay for sensitive detection of HAse activity using biotinylated hyaluronic acid (bHA). Purification and characterization of hpHAse lead to the inventors' additional discovery that hpHAse is encoded by the LuCa-1 gene, which gene is present in the human chromosome at 3p21.3, a region associated with tumor suppression. The invention additionally features methods of treating tumor-bearing patients by administration of hpHAse and/or transformation of cells with hpHAse-encoding DNA.

Abstract: A cobalt catalytic system that makes it possible to obtain branched compounds from fatty substances by reacting simple olefins on polyunsaturated esters, which may or may not be conjugated, is described.The compounds that are obtained may be hydrogenated and used as lubricant bases.

Abstract: In order to produce a composition of esters of linear monocarboxylic acids containing 6 to 26 carbon atoms and glycerine simultaneously with high degrees of purity, the following is carried out:a step a) in which a plant or animal oil, which may or may not be acidic, is reacted with an excess of at least one aliphatic mono-alcohol containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst, eliminating the excess mono-alcohol and separating out glycerine, this step producing a crude ester containing residual mono-glycerides;a step b) in which the crude ester obtained undergoes transesterification or esterification of the residual mono-glycerides to di- and tri-glycerides, in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst; anda step c) in which the ester composition is evaporated under reduced pressure, recycling the evaporation residue to the starting oil of step a). The ester compositions obtained, which are of high purity, are of particular use as gas oil substitutes.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the purification and sequencing of isozymes of plasma hyaluronidase (pHAse) found in urine. Specifically, urine contains two hyaluronidases (HAses): 1) a 57 kDa HAse that is apparently the same as the 57 kDa HAse found in plasma; and 2) a 45 kDa HAse, which is found in urine but not plasma. The smaller urine isozyme is composed of two disulfide-linked polypeptides produced by endoproteolytic cleavage of the 57 kDa isoform. The present invention thus features a urinary hyaluronidase (uHAse) polypeptide and nucleotide sequences encoding a Chain A polypeptide and a Chain B polypeptide, the two polypeptides of which uHAse is composed. In a particular aspect, the uHAse is a human uHAse (huHAse), preferably a huHAse composed of the Chain A and B polypeptides having SEQ ID NOS: 2 and 4, respectively. In related aspects the invention features polynucleotide sequence encoding Chain A and Chain B polypeptides, preferably having the sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 3, respectively.

Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery of methods for purification of an acid active hyaluronidase found in human plasma (hpHAse), including both biochemical and immunoaffinity purification methods. The method of immunoaffinity purification of the invention is based on the discovery of a method for identifying antibodies that specifically bind native hpHAse (anti-native hpHAse antibodies), and anti-native hpHAse antibodies identified by this screening method. The invention also features an assay for sensitive detection of HAse activity using biotinylated hyaluronic acid (bHA). Purification and characterization of hpHAse lead to the inventors' additional discovery that hpHAse is encoded by the LuCa-1 gene, which gene is present in the human chromosome at 3p21.3, a region associated with tumor suppression.

Abstract: For the production of ethyl esters of fatty acids from fatty acid glycerides such as vegetable or animal oil or fat or other mixtures of glycerides, the process comprises the following stages: (a) transesterifying fatty acid glycerides with hydrated ethyl alcohol using an alkaline catalyst to form a medium comprising ethyl esters and excess ethyl alcohol; (b) adding a glycerine phase to said medium, and evaporating the excess ethyl alcohol to produce two immiscible phases, an ester phase and a glycerine phase A, and recycling said excess ethyl alcohol to stage (a); (c) separating said glycerine phase A and said ester phase to obtain the desired ethyl esters; (d) neutralizing said glycerine phase A with acid, and separating resultant "fatty acids+esters" phase and a glycerine phase B, and drying the latter phase; (e) subjecting the "fatty acids+esters" phase to glycerolysis with at least a fraction of the dried glycerine phase B in the presence of an alkaline catalyst to form a mixture of glycerides and esters

Abstract: For the production of linear monocarboxylic acid esters with 6 to 26 carbon atoms vegetable oils or animal oils, which may or may not be neutral, are reacted with monoalcohols having a low molecular weight, for example 1 to 5 carbon atoms, in the presence of a catalyst that is selected from among zinc oxide, mixtures of zinc oxide and aluminum oxide, and the zinc aluminates that correspond to the formula:ZnAl.sub.2 O.sub.4, x ZnO, y Al.sub.2 O.sub.3(with x and y each being in the range of 0-2) and having more particularly a spinel type structure, thereby enabling the direct production in one or more stages, of an ester that can be used as a fuel or combustible and a pure glycerine.

Abstract: For the oligomerization of a fatty ester or fatty acid containing conjugated double bonds, the reaction uses a catalyst consisting of an activated earth, e.g., montmorillonite, at a temperature of from 100.degree.-180.degree. C., preferably from 130.degree.-160.degree. C. The process can be carried out continuously or in a batch process on a fixed bed and is particularly applicable to conjugated methyl esters obtained by conjugating and transesterifying sunflower seed oil. The oligomerized products obtained are particularly useful as lubricants or polycondensation reactants.

Abstract: The invention features a purified hyaluronidase BH55 polypeptide isolated from a mammalian species, preferably bovine or human. The invention also features DNA encoding BH55, vectors and transformed host cells containing DNA encoding BH55, methods of making BH55 hyaluronidase polypeptides, and antibodies that specifically bind BH55.

Abstract: An improved viscosurgical method involving the administration of a viscoelastic and a corresponding degradative agent, such that the post-operative intraocular pressure spike often observed following the use of viscoelastics in ophthalmic surgery is minimized, and an apparatus and clinical kit useful in the method are provided.

Abstract: The invention features a purified hyaluronidase BH55 polypeptide isolated from a mammalian species, preferably bovine or human. The invention also features DNA encoding BH55, vectors and transformed host cells containing DNA encoding BH55, the methods of making BH55 hyaluronidase polypeptides, and the antibodies that specifically bind BH55.

Abstract: A cover for a water pool comprised of flexible waterproof material having a drainage opening positioned therein and a sleeve defining a passageway secured on the cover and in alignment with and intersecting the drainage opening allowing a filter means to be slidably positionable therein for filtering of rain water and melting snow to remove particulate matter, the filter means repositionable or removable for cleaning without the need for removing the cover for the water pool.

Abstract: A cover for a water pool comprised of flexible waterproof material having a drainage opening positioned therein and a sleeve defining a passageway secured on the cover and in alignment with and intersecting the drainage opening allowing a filter to be slidably positionable therein for filtering of rain water and melting snow to remove particulate matter, the filter repositionable or removable for cleaning without the need for removing the cover for the water pool.

Abstract: Co dimerization is conducted of at least one monoolefin, for example a monoolefinic hydrocarbon such as ethylene, propylene or 1-butene, a halogenated monoolefin such as vinyl chloride, or an olefinic functional compound such as methyl acrylate, acrylonitrile, allyl acetate or vinyl acetate, with at least one polyolefin containing at least two conjugated or unconjugated ethylene bonds, for example a diene hydrocarbon such as 1,3-butadiene, piperylene, or isoprene or a polyolefin containing a carboxylic function, such as a fatty acid or a fatty acid ester having 14 to 24 carbon atoms in the fatty chain derived, for example, from a natural oil. The reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalytic system having general formula [RhX.sub.4 ][YR.sub.4 ] where X represents a halogen ion or a SO.sub.4.sup.--, SO.sub.3.sup.-, OH.sup.-, OR.sup.- or R.sup.

Abstract: A novel family of chemical compounds derived from fatty compounds has two branches of two carbon atoms on the linear chain and general formula C.sub.21 H.sub.39 COOR where R represents a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl radical or a glyceryl radical. Particular compounds for consideration have the following formulae:(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 C.sub.17 H.sub.29 COOR (I)(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)(C.sub.2 H.sub.4)C.sub.17 H.sub.30 COOR (II)and(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)(C.sub.2 H.sub.3)C.sub.17 H.sub.31 COOR (III)also compounds with the following formulae derived from partial or total hydrogenation of the above:(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 C.sub.17 H.sub.31 COOR (IV)(C.sub.2 h.sub.5)(C.sub.2 h.sub.4)C.sub.17 H.sub.32 COOR (V)andti (C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 C.sub.17 H.sub.33 COOR (VI)Compounds with formulae (I), (II) and (III) may be produced by addition of ethylene to compositions comprising mainly diunsaturated C.sub.

Abstract: A description is given of an improved process for the production of esters from fatty substances having a natural origin (animal and vegetable oils) and low molecular weight alcohols, in which the soaps and oily compounds entrained in the alkaline phases are recycled by treating them, following acidification and separation, with a fraction of the glycerol phase produced, in the presence of an alkaline catalyst and for forming preferably a triglyceride or a partly substituted glyceride.This process makes it possible to quantitatively obtain methyl, ethyl, propyl or butyl esters usable as a substitute for gas oil.