Abstract: A microorganism isolated from soil was identified as being a Lactococcus lactis strain (NRRL B-30656) which produced an extracellular transferase enzyme when grown in a medium containing sucrose. This produced a glucose and fructose biopolymer on being purified and placed in a medium with sucrose in suitable temperature and pH conditions.

Abstract: It is disclosed a method of demapping a tributary from a first frame into a second frame, the first frame comprising a plurality of tributary words and a synchronization word, the method comprising: providing a first and a second counters; increasing the first counter by a first value at each clock cycle of the second frame; and performing reading operations according to the second counter. It further comprises: generating synchronization information according to the synchronization word; according to the synchronization information, performing a change of state between a first state and a second state, wherein, in the first state, the second counter is synchronized to the first counter at each clock cycle of the second frame, and in the second state, the second counter is synchronized to the first counter at a predetermined instant of the second frame and the second counter is increased by a second value at each clock cycle of the second frame wherein the reading operation is performed.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a collector configured to collect radiation from a radiation source, the collector including a plurality of shells forming separate compartments, and a cleaning arrangement including a gas inlet and a gas outlet, the cleaning arrangement being configured to clean surfaces of the plurality of shells by guiding a gas flow from the inlet through the compartments to the outlet. The cleaning arrangement includes a distribution system configured to divide the gas flow into several sub flows, each of the sub flows corresponding to one or more of the compartments, and a control system configured to control the relative amount of the sub flows.

Abstract: The invention relates to a once a day formulation of trazodone or a trazodone derivative. The formulation contains trazodone or a trazodone derivative and a controlled release excipient so that, once administered orally, the trazodone or the trazodone derivative is maintained at a therapeutic plasma concentration from at least 1 hour to at least 24 hours after initial administration. After administration, the initial therapeutic action takes effect within the first hour and lasts at least about 24 hours. This therapeutic effect remains relatively and substantially stable for the remaining period of 24 hours. The formulations can be used for treating depression and/or sleeping disorders.

Abstract: Use of a new vaccine antigen applied as a preventive or therapeutic measure against diseases in general, being such disease of bacterial, viral, cancer related, or other origins. The technical objective that this invention pursues is the development of formulations with the ability to increase the protective spectrum of existing vaccines and hence expanding it against different pathogens. In order to achieve this goal the NMB0928 protein was isolated and identified as a component of outer membrane preparations of Neisseria meningitidis capable of inducing bactericidal activity. Additionally the gene codifying for NMB0928 protein was cloned and expressed, and the said polypeptide was purified and its immunogenicity evaluated in animal models. The sequence data from homologous genes showed, due to the high degree of conservation, its high value as a target antigen of a cross-reactive response when it is presented by different routes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sustained release formulation for delivering one or more pharmaceutically active agents. The formulation comprises cross-linked high amylose starch and at least one pharmaceutically active agent, and optionally can be subdivided into smaller dosage forms where the smaller dosage forms have substantially the same sustained release properties as the formulation from which they were derived. The formulations can provide sustained release for up to at least 24 hours, and because of their divisability permits a recipient of the active agent or the person administering the active agent to titrate the dosage of the agent.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a water treatment composition, comprising: calcium hypochlorite coated with a coating comprising at least one hydrated or anhydrous salt. The present invention is also directed to a water treatment composition, comprising: (a) an inner core layer comprising calcium hypochlorite; (b) one or more interlayers of selected salts positioned on top of said inner core layer, and (c) one or more outer layers of selected salts positioned on top of said interlayer(s).

Abstract: The present invention relates to adducts of an amino acid or of a peptide with a vitamin B3 compound. Such adducts, thanks to the amino acid chain, easily penetrate the skin and are able to efficiently deliver the vitamin B3 compound to when applied topically. Such adducts can be used both in medical applications to treat vitamin B3 deficiency and in cosmetic application to exploit the skin care benefits of vitamin B3.

Abstract: A process for the production of ene-amide derivatives represented by the formula (I) wherein R1 and R2 and R3 are independently a hydrogen atom, an alkyl, a cycloalkyl, a cycloalkylalkyl, an alkylaryl, an aryl, a heterocycle, a cyano, an alkoxy, an aryloxy, a carboxyl, a carbamoyl, —CONR5R6 (in which R5 and R6 are independently an alkyl, arylalkyl or aryl group said ring being substituted being substituted or not with a functional group or with R5) or —COOR5 group (in which R5 is an alkyl, alkylaryl or aryl group), said alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkylaryl and aryl groups being substituted or not with a functional group or with R5; or R1 and R2 taken together, may form a ring (which terms includes mono-, di- and higher polycyclic ring systems); R4 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl, an aryl, an alkylaryl, said groups substituted or not with a halogen atom as Cl, Br, or F; X is an oxygen atom or a leaving group and m is an integer 1 or 2; when m is 1 then X is a leaving group; when m is 2 then X is a o

Abstract: An immunogenic composition capable of producing a respiratory syncytial (RS) virus specific immune response in a host immunized therewith comprises purified, inactivated RS virus which is substantially free from cellular and serum components and which is non-infectious, non-immunopotentiating, immunogenic and protective. The virus is grown on a vaccine quality cell line and harvested virus is purified under non-denaturing conditions to be substantially free from cellular and serum components. The purified RS virus is inactivated using ?-propiolactone, a non-ionic detergent, particularly n-octyl-?-D-glucopyranoside and n-octyl-?-D-glucopyranoside, or ascorbic acid. The immunogenic composition may be formulated as a vaccine for in vivo administration to a human host. The immunogenic composition also may be used in diagnostic applications.

Abstract: New analogues of kahalalide F are provided.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to at least one precursor compound and derivatives thereof, a process for preparing a taxane, and a baccatin derivative.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying and selecting a gene required for the proliferation in vivo of a pathogenic microorganism, comprising: using a strain of the pathogenic microorganism, generating mutants for inactivation in the genes encoding these factors, determining the virulence of these mutants on an expiremental model of infection, and their effect on enteric colonization in an axenic mouse model, and selecting the bacterial genes essential for resistance to serum in vitro, and essential, in the host, for dissemination in the serum. Application to the screening of compounds which inhibit the products of the genes identified, and to the inhibition in vitro of the proliferation of a pathogenic microorganism in serum.

Abstract: Disclosed are processes to produce a compound of the formula (I):

Abstract: A method and system for providing click-once links is disclosed. Elision is used to automatically remove a URL and associated content from a web page as hyperlinks are selected, reducing previously visited material and providing visual feedback to a user. When a user selects an elision-enabled hyperlink, the hyperlink and its associated content are not displayed during subsequent displaying of the same web page. Web pages may be generated on the origin server and a browser client updates the content automatically. Click-once links may be flagged in an enclosing HTML source page through a combination of an indirection through a JavaScript function in an anchor and an additional HTML tag. Cookies may be used to record information about which links have been followed and to share such information with the origin server for use in subsequent page generation, or the browser may be adapted to perform elision without using cookies.

Abstract: In order to obtain a novel binding protein against a chosen target, DNA molecules, each encoding a protein comprising one of a family of similar potential binding domains and a structural signal calling for the display of the protein on the outer surface of a chosen bacterial cell, bacterial spore or phage (genetic package) are introduced into a genetic package. The protein is expressed and the potential binding domain is displayed on the outer surface of the package. The cells or viruses bearing the binding domains which recognize the target molecule are isolated and amplified. The successful binding domains are then characterized. One or more of these successful binding domains is used as a model for the design of a new family of potential binding domains, and the process is repeated until a novel binding domain having a desired affinity for the target molecule is obtained.

Abstract: A device in a form of an interactive toy having a transparent container, a sensor positioned in proximity to and/or within the container to sense a user interaction in proximity to the container, a rendering device, operationally coupled to the sensor and arranged to render a user perceivable response if the sensor senses the interaction in proximity to the container; and an object positioned within the container and operationally positioned regarding the rendering device. The rendered user perceivable response may occur in proximity to the object. The sensor may be a passive infrared motion sensor and the container may be arranged to enable the sensor to sense the interaction in proximity to the container.

Abstract: A scintillator comprising a matrix material body and nano-material scintillator media carried by the matrix body. One embodiment provides a scintillator apparatus comprising a matrix material body with nano-material scintillator media carried by the matrix body. In one embodiment the nano-material scintillator media is quantum dots. In another embodiment the nano-material scintillator media is nanowires.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method and apparatus for obtaining end-user location information for emergency services within a multimedia network is presented. The multimedia network may include a network implementing the Session Initiation Protocol, H.323, etc. In one embodiment, a Location Application Server (LAS) in the multimedia network and an interface between the LAS and a gateway mobile location center (GMLC) is defined.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and compositions for synthesizing an oligopeptide or polypeptide by convergent assembly of a plurality of pairs of oligopeptides in chemical ligation reactions. An important aspect of the present invention is an oligopeptide having a C-terminal disulfide-protected carboxythioester group that can be deprotected to spontaneously generate a free C-terminal thioester moiety. This allows a single precursor to participate in a succession of chemical ligation reactions, thereby making the convergent synthesis approach possible. The present invention is useful in methods for chemical synthesis of oligopeptides, polypeptides and proteins, and improves the efficiency of native chemical ligation reactions, particularly where four or more peptide fragments are used to assemble an oligopeptide, polypeptide or protein product.