Abstract: The invention features novel mutations in the FREAC3 gene. Our discovery provides methods for early diagnosis of glaucoma, other disorders of the eye, and heart defects. Also provided are cells having at least one deficient FREAC3 gene. Such cells may be used to detect therapeutic compounds that mimic FREAC3, are agonists of FREAC3, or otherwise modulate the level of FREAC3 biological activity.

Abstract: A method of making a ceramic casting mould contains forming a contact layer on a disposable wax-type pattern of the article to be cast, placing the pattern in a preparation mould for defining the outer shape of the casting mould and filling the cavity formed between the pattern and the preparation mould with a ceramic slip which expands to form a coherent cellular foam adhering to the surface of the pattern, removing the pattern and adhered foam from the preparation mould after from 5 to 30 minutes, eliminating the pattern to leave a casting mould formed by the contact layer and the adhered foam, and then firing the casting mould to strengthen said mould. Ceramic slip compositions are also described.

Abstract: A pair of sealed, concentric metal tanks define a high pressure air storage chamber between the tanks, while the inner of the two tanks forms an air expansion chamber and carries a plurality of axially spaced impellers fixed to a shaft mounted for rotation coaxially through both concentric tanks. A plurality of tubular inductor nozzles are fixedly mounted to the motor and project at circumferentially and axially spaced positions into the inner chamber and carry high pressure expansion nozzles which receive air from the high pressure storage chamber and induce recirculated, low pressure air from the inner chamber to flow through the tubular inductor nozzles for impingement on the respective impellers. Planetary gearing couples the impellers to the shaft to effect high velocity rotation of the output shaft of the motor.