Abstract

Novel enzymes and novel enzymatic pathways for the pyruvate-based synthesis of shikimate or at least one intermediate thereto or derivative thereof, nucleic acids encoding the enzymes, cells transformed therewith, and kits containing said enzymes, cells, or nucleic acid. A KDPGal aldolase is used to perform condensation of pyruvate with D-erythrose 4-phosphate to form 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate (DAHP); a 3-dehydroquinate synthase is used to convert the DAHP to 3-dehydroquinate (DHQ); DHQ dehydratase can then convert DHQ to the key shikimate intermediate, 3-dehydroshikimate.

IPC Classes  ?

• C12N 9/04 - Oxidoreductases (1.), e.g. luciferase acting on CHOH groups as donors, e.g. glucose oxidase, lactate dehydrogenase (1.1)
• C12N 9/88 - Lyases (4.)

Abstract

A patch antenna system comprises a patch antenna having a patch spatially separated from a ground plane; a plurality of pins interposed between the patch and the ground plane selectively connecting the patch to the ground plane; and a control module operably coupled to the plurality of pins and operable to set an operating frequency characteristic of the patch antenna by selectively connecting the patch to the ground plane with one or more of the plurality of pins.

IPC Classes  ?

• H01Q 3/24 - Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• H01Q 1/38 - Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support

Abstract

Method and apparatus are introduced for determining proportional cardiac output (CO), absolute left atrial pressure (LAP), and/or other important hemodynamic variables from a contour of a circulatory pressure waveform or related signal. Certain embodiments of the invention provided herein include the mathematical analysis of a pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) waveform or a right ventricular pressure (RVP) waveform in order to determine beat-to-beat or time-averaged proportional CO, proportional pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), and/or LAP. The invention permits continuous and automatic monitoring of critical hemodynamic variables with a level of invasiveness suitable for routine clinical application. The invention may be utilized, for example, to continuously monitor critically ill patients with pulmonary artery catheters installed and chronically monitor heart failure patients instrumented with implanted devices for measuring RVP.

IPC Classes  ?

• A61B 5/02 - Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the cardiovascular system, e.g. pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow

Abstract

A self-powered sensor is provided for strain-rate monitoring and other low power requirement applications. The self-powered sensor is comprised of: a piezoelectric transducer; a non-volatile memory comprised of at least one floating gate transistor; a current reference circuit adapted to receive a voltage signal from the piezoelectric transducer and operable to output a reference current into the non-volatile memory; an impact-monitoring circuit having a triggering circuit and a switch; the triggering circuit adapted to receive the voltage signal from the piezoelectric transducer and operable to control the switch based on the rate of change of the voltage signal.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 3/32 - Investigating strength properties of solid materials by application of mechanical stress by applying repeated or pulsating forces

Abstract

Packaging systems (304) are provided for preventing post harvest microbial, including but not limited to fungal, diseases of food systems, such as but not limited to fresh produce, such as but not limited to berries (e.g., strawberries, blueberries, and/or the like). For example, various anti-microbial (e.g., anti-fungal) compounds (including multi-component compositions that can be selectively activated) can be incorporated into a container or sachet (26, 1 12) that in turn can be incorporated into a package insert ( 10, 100, 202, 300). The package insert (10, 100, 202, 300) can include various surfaces that are provided with a plurality of holes (22, 108, 204) formed therein for allowing the anti-microbial (e.g., anti-fungal) compounds to diffuse through the package insert (10, 110, 202, 300) and out through the plurality of holes (22, 108, 204). The package insert (10, 110, 202, 300) can be placed into a produce container (304), wherein the produce can then be introduced into the produce container (304) such that the produce is in proximity to the plurality of holes (22, 108, 204).

IPC Classes  ?

• B65D 81/28 - Applications of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants
• B65D 81/24 - Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contentsApplications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants

Abstract

The use of β-CDs as nucleating agents for PLA to provide an increase in polymer crystallinity is described. The improvement in increased crystallinity is related to the percentage of β-CDs used. For the analyzed films, crystallinity was approximately 1.47% in the absence of a nucleating agent, and approximately 17.85% in the presence of the maximum amount of nucleating agent tested (e.g., 30%). Thus, improvement in processability, producability, and heat resistance of PLA will depend on the amount of β-CDs loaded. Additionally, loading PLA with β-CDs carrying an antifungal volatile is an effective way to increase PLA crystallinity besides avoiding fungal development when used in active packaging. In this case, the antifungal volatiles, along with changes in headspace concentration because of changes in crystallinity, may prolong the fresh produce shelf life.

IPC Classes  ?

• C08L 67/04 - Polyesters derived from hydroxy carboxylic acids, e.g. lactones
• C08K 5/00 - Use of organic ingredients

Abstract

A very low cost extruder system was tested for the inactivation of phytohemagglutinins in beans, such as but not limited to cranberry beans. Cranberry beans were extruded at either 105 or 13O°C (die end). The screw speed was 118, 194 or 255 revolutions per minute (rpm). The feed rate was set at either 85 or 120g/min and moisture content was set at either 25 or 35%. The phytohemagglutinin activity in the extruded samples was determined in triplicate by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The very low cost extruder system inactivated active phytohemagglutinins in the extruded cranberry beans by over 98%.

IPC Classes  ?

• A23L 1/00 - Foods or foodstuffs; Their preparation or treatment (preservation thereof in general A23L 3/00)
• A23L 1/025 - Physical treatment, e.g. with wave energy, irradiation, electrical means, magnetic fields (cooking A23L 1/01; preserving A23L 3/00, A23B)
• A23L 1/053 - Exudates, e.g. gum arabic, gum acacia, gum karaya, tragacanth

Abstract

The present inventions relate to compositions and methods for providing stress tolerant transgenic plants comprising a RING domain zinc-finger motif transcription factor protein. More particularly, the invention relates to compositions and methods comprising a RING-H2 domain transcription factor protein for providing drought and salt tolerant plants, in particular comprising a recombinant XERICO gene and protein.

IPC Classes  ?

• C12N 15/82 - Vectors or expression systems specially adapted for eukaryotic hosts for plant cells
• A01H 5/00 - Angiosperms, i.e. flowering plants, characterised by their plant partsAngiosperms characterised otherwise than by their botanic taxonomy

Abstract

The present invention relates to compositions comprising acyltransferase nucleic acid molecules for altering lipids on the surface of plants, and related methods. In particular, the present invention provides compositions and methods for increasing the amount of free fatty acids, acylglycerols, and other lipids on the surface of a plant. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to increasing activity of a GPAT acyltransferase for altering lipid on the plant surface, for increasing surface lipids, for enhancing environmental stress tolerance, increasing resistance to biotic stress, and providing novel plant lipids for commercial products. In further embodiments, the present invention relates to using an Arabidopsis thaliana GPAT acyltransferase for altering lipid compounds on the surface of a plant.

IPC Classes  ?

• A01H 5/00 - Angiosperms, i.e. flowering plants, characterised by their plant partsAngiosperms characterised otherwise than by their botanic taxonomy
• C12N 15/82 - Vectors or expression systems specially adapted for eukaryotic hosts for plant cells

Abstract

A diastereomers of imidazolines as 4-position acids are described. The imidazoline diastereomers potentiate the activity of antitumor drugs and are potent inhibitors of the transcription factor NF-ϰB.

IPC Classes  ?

• A61K 31/4172 - Imidazole-alkanecarboxylic acids, e.g. histidine

Abstract

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for modulating the degree of adipose tissue deposited intramuscularly in livestock animals. In particular, the present invention relates to compositions and methods for the use of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs to preferentially increase the amount of intramuscular adipose tissue in cattle.

IPC Classes  ?

• A01N 37/00 - Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing organic compounds containing a carbon atom having three bonds to hetero atoms with at the most two bonds to halogen, e.g. carboxylic acids

Abstract

The present inventions relate to therapeutic compositions comprising, and methods utilizing, arachidonic acid derivatives and analogs for treatment of patients demonstrating symptoms of pathological conditions. Specifically, the inventions relate to therapeutic compositions for activating transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 channels (TRPVl). Additionally, therapeutic compositions are provided for increasing TRPVl -type responses. These pathological conditions include, but are limited to, hypertension, in particular salt induced hypertension, and cardiovascular complications, including myocardial infarction, kidney dysfunction, diabetes, and inflammation. Further, the inventions relate to drug screening methods for providing additional therapeutic compounds.

IPC Classes  ?

• A61K 31/165 - Amides, e.g. hydroxamic acids having aromatic rings, e.g. colchicine, atenolol, progabide

Abstract

Systems are provided for preventing post harvest fungal diseases of food systems, such as but not limited to fresh produce, such as but not limited to berries (e.g., blueberries). For example, various anti-fungal compounds can be incorporated or encapsulated into cyclodextrins, such as but not limited to α, β and/or &ggr; cyclodextrins. The encapsulated anti-fungal materials can be used alone (e.g., brought into proximity to the produce) or incorporated into film and/or packaging materials that are used in the packing and/or storing of produce. By way of a non-limiting example, the anti-fungal compounds can include volatile compounds such as but not limited to acetaldehyde, hexanal and 2E-hexenal. The cyclodextrins provide controlled release of the volatiles over a period of at least several days such that they prevent or inhibit fungal growth, including but not limited to several species of the Colletotrichum, Alternaria, Botrytis, Penicillium and/or Aspergillus genera.

IPC Classes  ?

• A01N 25/00 - Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators, characterised by their forms, or by their non-active ingredients or by their methods of applicationSubstances for reducing the noxious effect of the active ingredients to organisms other than pests
• A01N 25/26 - Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators, characterised by their forms, or by their non-active ingredients or by their methods of applicationSubstances for reducing the noxious effect of the active ingredients to organisms other than pests in coated particulate form

Abstract

Method and apparatus are introduced for determining proportional cardiac output (CO), absolute left atrial pressure (LAP), and/or other important hemodynamic variables from a contour of a circulatory pressure waveform or related signal. Certain embodiments of the invention provided herein include the mathematical analysis of a pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) waveform or a right ventricular pressure (RVP) waveform in order to determine beat-to-beat or time-averaged proportional CO, proportional pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), and/or LAP. The invention permits continuous and automatic monitoring of critical hemodynamic variables with a level of invasiveness suitable for routine clinical application. The invention may be utilized, for example, to continuously monitor critically ill patients with pulmonary artery catheters installed and chronically monitor heart failure patients instrumented with implanted devices for measuring RVP.

IPC Classes  ?

• A61B 5/02 - Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the cardiovascular system, e.g. pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow

Abstract

The present invention provides compositions and methods for controlling plant pests. In particular, the present invention provides plant extracts with insecticidal activity.

IPC Classes  ?

• A01N 25/00 - Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators, characterised by their forms, or by their non-active ingredients or by their methods of applicationSubstances for reducing the noxious effect of the active ingredients to organisms other than pests
• A01N 65/00 - Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing material from algae, lichens, bryophyta, multi-cellular fungi or plants, or extracts thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for enhancing protein folding. In particular, the present invention relates to methods for directing recombinantly expressed proteins to protein folding chaperones.

IPC Classes  ?

• C07K 14/47 - Peptides having more than 20 amino acidsGastrinsSomatostatinsMelanotropinsDerivatives thereof from animalsPeptides having more than 20 amino acidsGastrinsSomatostatinsMelanotropinsDerivatives thereof from humans from vertebrates from mammals
• C07K 14/195 - Peptides having more than 20 amino acidsGastrinsSomatostatinsMelanotropinsDerivatives thereof from bacteria
• C07H 21/04 - Compounds containing two or more mononucleotide units having separate phosphate or polyphosphate groups linked by saccharide radicals of nucleoside groups, e.g. nucleic acids with deoxyribosyl as saccharide radical
• C12P 21/04 - Cyclic or bridged peptides or polypeptides, e.g. bacitracin
• C12N 1/21 - BacteriaCulture media therefor modified by introduction of foreign genetic material
• C12N 15/74 - Vectors or expression systems specially adapted for prokaryotic hosts other than E. coli, e.g. Lactobacillus, Micromonospora

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for classifying data and uncovering and correcting annotation errors. In particular, the present invention provides a self-organizing, self-correcting algorithm for use in classifying data. Additionally, the present invention provides a method for classifying biological taxa (1113).

IPC Classes  ?

• C12Q 1/68 - Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganismsCompositions thereforProcesses of preparing such compositions involving nucleic acids

Abstract

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for providing aphid resistance in plants. More particularly, the invention relates to compositions and methods for using aphid resistant germplasm for breeding soybean aphid resistant soybean plants, including but not limited to cultivars, varieties, lines and methods of breeding the same for commercial use, the breeding methods further involving identifying and using genetic markers for aphid resistant traits.

IPC Classes  ?

• A01H 5/00 - Angiosperms, i.e. flowering plants, characterised by their plant partsAngiosperms characterised otherwise than by their botanic taxonomy
• A01H 5/10 - Seeds
• A01H 1/00 - Processes for modifying genotypes