Abstract: Infection of human fibroblast cells with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) causes down-regulation of cell surface expression of MHC class I. A recombinant mutant HCMV which fails to down-regulate class I heavy chain expression is described. A method of controlling down-regulation of MHC class I expression in a cytomegalovirus infected cell, a pharmaceutical composition, a vaccine composition, a method of preventing or reducing susceptibility to acute cytomegalovirus in an individual, and a virus based gene therapy vector are also described.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for identifying non-essential genes of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) genome through the insertion of a .beta.-glucuronidase marker gene into a specified HCMV gene, such that, if the product of the HCMV gene is not expressed, the gene is identified as non-essential for replication of HCMV. This invention also relates to a method of screening for compounds which inhibit HCMV by the insertion of the .beta.-glucuronidase marker gene into a HCMV gene, such that the enzyme marker is expressed and cleaves a conjugate chemical substrate in an assay system to yield a detectable fluorescing product or to result in a color change. This invention further provides the gene responsible in HCMV early cytopathic effect.

Abstract: Infection of human fibroblast cells with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) causes down regulation of cell surface expression of MHC class I. The present invention is directed to a mutant with a 9-kb deletion in the S component of the HCMV genome (including open reading frames IRS1-US9 and US11) which failed to down regulate class I heavy chains. By examining the phenotypes of mutants with smaller deletions with this portion of the HCMV genome, a 7-kb region containing at least 9 open reading frames was shown to contain the genes required for reduction in heavy chain expression. Furthermore, it was determined that two subregions (A and B) of the 7-kb region each contained genes which were sufficient to cause heavy chain down regulation. In subregion B, the US11 gene product is involved. It encodes a endoglycosidase H-sensitive glycoprotein which is intracytoplasmic, similar to the adenovirus type 2 E3-19K glycoprotein which inhibits surface expression of class I heavy chains.

Abstract: Infection of human fibroblast cells with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) causes down regulation of cell surface expression of MHC class I. The present invention is directed to a mutant with a 9-kb deletion in the S component of the HCMV genome (including open reading frames IRS1-US9 and US11) which failed to down regulate class I heavy chains. By examining the phenotypes of mutants with smaller deletions with this portion of the HCMV genome, a 7-kb region containing at least 9 open reading frames was shown to contain the genes required for reduction in heavy chain expression. Furthermore, it was determined that two subregions (A and B) of the 7-kb region each contained genes which were sufficient to cause heavy chain down regulation. In subregion B, the US11 gene product is involved. It encodes a endoglycosidase H-sensitive glycoprotein which is intracytoplasmic, similar to the adenovirus type 2 E3-19K glycoprotein which inhibits surface expression of class I heavy chains.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for determining timing delays associated with the placement and routing delays of an integrated circuit. In particular, the present invention determines the area of each region wherein a region includes a group or subgroup of circuit elements for use in designing an integrated circuit. Once the area for each region is obtained, substantially more accurate and more design specific wireload model and net parasitics can be obtained. The wireload models or net parasitics can then be supplied to other CAE tools to create a modified netlist. Moreover, the present invention provides a process which allows the user to account for the RC time constant effects of wire delay on a hierarchical block basis thereby improving the accuracy of the wire placement and routing delay estimate while preserving the performance benefits of a traditional simplified equation.

Abstract: The calcium carbonate is prepared by:(a) slaking quicklime in an aqueous medium;(b) carbonating and neutralising the suspension of slaked lime formed in step (a) using a gas comprising carbon dioxide; and(c) separating the precipitated calcium carbonate formed in step (b) from the aqueous medium in which it is suspended. There is added 0.1% to 2% by weight, based on the weight of dry calcium oxide, of a reagent having one or more active hydrogen atoms (or a salt thereof), to the aqueous medium in which the quicklime is slaked in step (a).

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously separating relatively coarse particles from a suspension of a mixture of particles in a liquid, wherein the suspension is caused to pass through a screening medium which is rotating in its own plane and wherein the screening medium extends over and across the upper end of a rotary drum having generally downwardly depending side walls and wherein the side walls diverge outwardly in a downward direction.

Abstract: A process for continuously separating relatively coarse particles from a suspension of a mixture of particles in a liquid wherein the suspension is caused to pass through a screening medium which is rotating in its own plane so that the coarse particles are retained on the surface of the screening medium; characterized in that atmospheric pressure above the screening medium is caused to be in excess of the pressure below that medium.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for continuously separating relatively coarse particles from a suspension of mixture of particles in a liquid by impinging the suspension upon the surface of a rotating screen so that liquid containing the relatively fine particles passes through the screen and the relatively coarse particles are flung radially outwardly to the periphery of the screen the preferred screen is a woven wire mesh with aperture sizes conveniently in the size range from about 0.020 mm to about 2.00 mm.

Abstract: A method of preparing precipitated calcium carbonate which comprises slaking quicklime in an aqueous medium, passing the suspension of calcium hydroxide through a sieve having an aperture size in the range of 40 to 70 microns, carbonating the calcium hydroxide and separating the calcium carbonate from the aqueous medium in which it is suspended. The sieved calcium hydroxide is subjected to high energy, high shear agitation which is terminated prior to carbonation. During the carbonation, the suspension of calcium hydroxide is subjected to relatively lower energy and shear agitation compared to the previous high energy, high shear agitation.

Abstract: A tire display assembly comprising folding blanks which, when assembled, simulates a car seat and is capable of supporting and displaying a vehicle tire. When the assembly is used to display a tire the tire rests on the part of the display which simulates the cushion of a car seat and leans against the part which simulates a backrest of a car seat. A mass support is inserted in the space defined by the parts of the assembly which simulates the cushion of a car seat and is designed to carry the mass of the tire and add rigidity to the tire display assembly. A header upon which printed matter can be posted is situated on top of the part of the assembly which simulates a backrest of a car seat.

Abstract: The calcium carbonate is prepared by:(a) slaking quicklime in an aqueous medium;(b) carbonating and neutralizing the suspension of slaked lime formed in step (a) using a gas comprising carbon dioxide; and(c) separating the precipitated calcium carbonate formed in step (b) from the aqueous medium in which it is suspended. There is added 0.01% to 15% by weight, based on the weight of dry calcium oxide, of a reagent having one or more active hydrogen atoms (or a salt thereof), to the aqueous medium in which the quicklime is slaked in step (a).The reagent is selected from the group consisting of triethanolamine, mannitol, diethanolamine, bicine, morpholine, tri-isopropanolamine, N-ethyl diethanolamine, N,N-diethylethanolamine and sodium boroheptonate.

Abstract: An improvement is disclosed for use in the process wherein an organophilic clay is manufactured by reacting a smectite-type clay with a higher alkyl-containing quaternary ammonium compound. According to the improvement of the invention, the gelling properties of the resulting organoclay are enhanced, by subjecting the clay as a pumpable slurry, to high-speed fluid shear, prior to the reaction thereof with the ammonium compound.

Abstract: In the process for preparing an organoclay by reacting a smectite-type clay with a higher alkyl-containing quaternary ammonium compound, the gelling properties of the organoclay are enhanced by reducing the average particle size of the clay prior to the reaction thereof with the quaternary ammonium compound.

Abstract: Indole-2-alkanoic acids are disclosed. The compounds act as prostaglandin and thromboxane antagonists and are useful in treating asthma, inflammation, diarrhea, hypertension, angina, platelet aggregation, cerebral spasm, premature labor, spontaneous abortion and dismenorrhea and as cytoprotective agents.

Abstract: A particulate porous material suitable for use as a high surface area column packing material comprises particles substantially all of which are not smaller than 5 micrometers and not larger than 1 millimeter in diameter, and each particle is in the form of a substantially cellular body and consists predominantly of an open, three-dimensional matrix of crystal of mullite which define between them interconnecting pores having a width in the range of from 5 nanometers to about 2 micrometers. The particles can be coated with a reactive layer. There is also disclosed a process for producing the particulate porous material wherein a particulate product comprising particles substantially all of which are between 5 micrometers and 1 millimeter in diameter and consisting predominantly of a mixture of mullite crystals and silica is treated with a concentrated aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide at a temperature of at least 50.degree. C.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for preparing a porous inorganic material. The process comprises preparing a cellular aluminosilicate material by foaming or spray drying an aqueous suspension of the material. The cellular material is calcined, leached with hydroxide to remove silica, dewatered and dried to leave a porous, cellular ceramic material.

Abstract: There is provided a porous cellular material comprising a plurality of cavities each defined by a substantially spherical wall formed of a rigid intermeshing matrix of ceramic needles said wall being pierced by at least one aperture to provide access to the cavity, and the or each aperture having a diameter such that the ratio of the diameter of the aperture to the diameter of the cavity into which the aperture opens is in the range of from 0.1:1 to 1:1.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for treating a clay mineral thereby to change its rheological properties when in aqueous suspension such that the fluidity of the aqueous suspension at a given temperature and percentage by weight of completely deflocculated clay mineral solids in the suspension is increased, which process comprises the steps of mixing with the clay mineral in a plastic state a minor proportion by weight of a water-soluble organic compound having a plurality of basic groups and a number average molecular weight not greater than 1000, and subsequently or simultaneously subjecting the mixture to mechanical working under conditions such that from 25 to 1000 KJ of energy per Kg of dry clay mineral are dissipated in the mixture.

Abstract: A particulate porous material suitable for use as a high surface area column packing material comprises particles substantially all of which are not smaller than 5 micrometers and not larger than 1 millimeter in diameter, and each particle is in the form of a substantially cellular body and consists predominantly of an open, three-dimensional matrix of crystals of mullite which define between them interconnecting pores having a width in the range of from 5 nanometers to about 2 micrometers. The particles can be coated with a reactive layer. There is also disclosed a process for producing the particulate porous material wherein a particulate product comprising particles substantially all of which are between 5 micrometers and 1 millimeter in diameter and consisting predominantly of a mixture of mullite crystals and silica is treated with a concentrated aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide at a temperature of at least 50.degree. C.