Abstract: The invention provides genes and polymorphisms associated with AMD, and methods for diagnosing an increased risk of AMD in a patient who has at least one of the AMD-associated polymorphisms as provided.

Abstract: The present invention employs an iterative application of BLAST and Hidden Markov Model (HMM) based searches which identified 34 &bgr;-defensin genes in the human genome and 48 in the mouse genome. The present invention relates to novel antimicrobial peptides and derivatives thereof as well as the &bgr;-defensin genes encoding the peptides. The invention further relates to methods of use of the peptides including a method of inhibiting microbial growth by administering an effective amount of the peptide alone or in combination with other antimicrobial agents or antibiotics.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system and methods for the straightening an electrophoresis gel image in the vertical and horizontal directions, and for analyzing a straightened gel image. The system includes an input unit for receiving raw data from the electrophoresis gel, a straightening unit for providing a straightened gel image, an output unit for portraying the raw data from the electrophoresis gel and the straightened gel image, and a an analyzing unit for analyzing the data portrayed in the straightened gel image. The system features a dye boost feature for boosting the intensity of bands, filtering means for modifying the gel image, and a genotype editing feature for editing the results of an automatic gel analysis. The system allows for manual and automatic analysis of the straightened gel image according to a specified set of analysis parameters providing a range of analysis stringency levels.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for reconciling communication and locality by enabling a user/programmer to write programs in an extended procedural language which explicitly manipulate locality. The multiprocessor includes a plurality of processing elements connected to each other each processing element having a unique address and including a central processing unit for executing local CPU code and reading and writing local data and a locality manager for controlling data movement between processing elements which are cooperating on a single task by executing local locality manager code which indicates when shared data can be released and when non-local data is requested.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for reconciling communication and locality by enabling a user/programmer to write programs in an extended procedural language which explicitly manipulate locality. The multiprocessor includes a plurality of processing elements connected to each other each processing element having a unique address and including a central processing unit for executing local CPU code and reading and writing local data and a locality manager for controlling data movement between processing elements which are cooperating on a single task by executing local locality manager code which indicates when shared data can be released and when non-local data is requested.