Abstract: This invention provides a method for producing a device having elastic fiber arranged thereon. The method includes maintaining a cell culture including cells (for example, fibroblasts), cell medium and tropoelastin in conditions enabling the cells to form elastic fiber from the tropoelastin, and contacting a device with the cell culture to enable elastic fiber formed by the cells to be deposited onto the device, thereby producing a device having elastic fibers arranged thereon.

Abstract: A method of healing a wound including contacting a wound edge with a tropoelastin or elastin derived peptide in conditions for enabling a sustained contact of the tropoelastin with the wound edge for a time period for enabling re-epithelialization of the wound.

Abstract: An electronic gaining system moderates payout rates by the processor randomly providing a first random outcome which determines whether the wager is initially resolved by the processor as a winning outcome, tie outcome or losing outcome. The processor recognizes specific ones of, but less than all of the tie outcomes and/or the losing outcomes as belonging to a provisional subset of the outcomes and/or losing outcomes. The processor recognizes a random outcome as within the provisional subset, the processor randomly selecting from among multiple additional outcomes stored in memory for at least individual ones of random outcomes within the provisional subset, and randomly selecting a final random outcome for the at least individual one of the random outcomes within the provisional subset from a second set of random outcomes that includes at least one winning outcome, and resolving the wager on the basis of the final random outcome.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for inducing or promoting repair of a bone fracture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to hydrogels and to the use of hydrogels for repair or restoration of tissue. In particular, the hydrogels of the present invention can be used for the repair or restoration of cardiac tissue.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polymers, especially polymers useful as hydrogels, and to use of hydrogels for repair or restoration of tissue. In particular, the polymers and hydrogels of the present invention can be used for the repair or restoration of cartilage, especially articular cartilage. The polymers comprise at least a monomer for binding water, a monomer for imparting mechanical properties and a monomer for binding to an extracellular protein. The hydrogels comprise a polymer comprising at least a monomer for binding water and a monomer for binding to an extracellular protein. Crosslinking polymers by binding of said extra-cellular matrix protein forms hydrogels.

Abstract: An apparatus enables play of a wagering game in which winning outcomes are determined by random appearance of specific predetermined symbols in which: a player places a wager worth monetary value on a single gaming event in the wagering game; the player purchases with monetary value a safeguard action useful only in the single gaming event; the player receives a first complete set of symbols; if one symbol in the first complete set of symbols prevents or limits an amount of award in the single gaming event, the player exercises the safeguard action to discard the one symbol and have that one symbol replaced with one randomly provided symbol to form a second complete set of symbols; and the wager is resolved against a paytable using the second set of complete symbols.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of controlling orientation of direct covalent binding of a peptide to a polymer substrate surface, to surfaces with peptides directly covalently bound thereto in a manner where the orientation of binding is controlled as well as to devices comprising such substrates. In particular the invention relates to A method of controlling predominant orientation of direct covalent binding of one or more peptides to a polymer substrate surface comprising: (a) exposing the surface to energetic ion treatment to generate a plurality of activated sites comprising reactive radical species; (b) incubating the surface with one or more peptide/s that exhibit or can be induced to exhibit a dipole moment and manipulating the electric field environment and/or charge of said surface and/or of said peptide/s during said incubating; wherein predominant orientation of direct covalent binding of said peptide/s to said surface is thereby controlled.

Abstract: A method of healing a wound including contacting a wound edge with a tropoelastin or elastin derived peptide in conditions for enabling a sustained contact of the tropoelastin with the wound edge for a time period for enabling re-epithelialization of the wound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to tropoelastin and to tissue repair and restoration using elastic materials. Disclosed is a process for producing an elastic material from tropoelastin including heating a solution of tropoelastin to form an elastic material from the tropoelastin in the solution. Also disclosed are elastic materials prepared according to this process and their applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to hydrogels and to the use of hydrogels for repair or restoration of tissue. In particular, the hydrogels of the present invention can be used for the repair or restoration of cardiac tissue.

Abstract: An apparatus enables play of a wagering game in which winning outcomes are determined by random appearance of specific predetermined symbols in which: a player places a wager worth monetary value on a single gaming event in the wagering game; the player purchases with monetary value a safeguard action useful only in the single gaming event; the player receives a first complete set of symbols; if one symbol in the first complete set of symbols prevents or limits an amount of award in the single gaming event, the player exercises the safeguard action to discard the one symbol and have that one symbol replaced with one randomly provided symbol to form a second complete set of symbols; and the wager is resolved against a paytable using the second set of complete symbols.

Abstract: Injectable biomaterial compositions formed from tropoelastin for tissue repair and restoration. The compositions include a coalescence-controlling agent in the form of a polysaccharide or polysaccharide derivative, in an amount effective for providing the substance with the properties of flow, enabling injection.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cashless gaming wherein a player can access credits via a pin activated keypad located on the gaming machine. Real-time accounting allows the player to redeem credits and secure perquisites as a function of patronage.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for measuring the similarity of communication packet binary objects to classified object binary objects is disclosed. The method determines at least one pattern signature in an Nth binary object, accessing a location in a similarity store which has object identifiers for each of the previous N?1 binary objects which contain the corresponding pattern, and writing the object identifier of the Nth binary object at that same location in the similarity store. Reporting the number of locations in similarity store which contain the object identifiers of a communication packet and a classified object is a measure of similarity to each other. Outgoing packets are blocked if they correlate highly with confidential documents or objects.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polymers, especially polymers useful as hydrogels, and to use of hydrogels for repair or restoration of tissue. In particular, the polymers and hydrogels of the present invention can be used for the repair or restoration of cartilage, especially articular cartilage. The polymers comprise at least a monomer for binding water, a monomer for imparting mechanical properties and a monomer for binding to an extracellular protein. The hydrogels comprise a polymer comprising at least a monomer for binding water and a monomer for binding to an extracellular protein. Crosslinking polymers by binding of said extra-cellular matrix protein forms hydrogels.

Abstract: A wagering game is played on processor-based gaming apparatus including: providing a gaming apparatus of processor, video display and gaming input system; after a wager, the processor executes code to play a first wagering game and display images associated with the first wagering game on the video display; when the processor recognizes a predefined trigger outcome, bonus play of a second game different from the first wagering game begins; the processor identifies bonus points accumulated during bonus play distinct from any wagering credits; the processor displays at least two distinct bonus events of a first bonus event played on the first wagering game and a second bonus event played on the first wagering game. The first bonus event and the second bonus event being activated by the processor diminishing accumulated bonus points. An amount of bonus points needed to activate the first bonus event is different from an amount of points needed to activate the second bonus event.