Other

The General Hospital Corporation

Massachusetts General Hospital Corporation

Organogenesis, Inc.

Jerome Gross

Tayyaba Hasan

Gerard J Nau

Romaine R Bruns

Jack Raymond Wands

Robert M Carr, Jr

Thomas L Mueller

Paul D Kemp

Suzanne De La Monte

S W Malinski

Kent S Barta

Mehmet Ozturk

John Cavallaro

John G Maresh

The methods of the invention can be used to treat mycobacterial infections, or any disease or disorder that is caused by (or aggravated by) an intracellular pathogen. Accordingly, the invention features methods for treating a subject who has a disorder that is associated with an intracellular pathogen by administering, to a subject, a molecular conjugate that includes a photosensitizer (a term used herein to refer to a light activatable compound) and a targeting moiety, the targeting moiety being capable of targeting the conjugate to the intracellular pathogen.

Photosensitizer conjugates for targeting intracellular pathogens

Photosensitzer conjugates for targeting intracellular pathogens

This invention relates to a method of detecting and diagnosing neurological disease or dysfunction using antibodies against a neurological form of Pancreatic Thread Protein (nPTP). Specifically, this invention is directed to a method of diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease, Down's Syndrome, and other neurological diseases or dysfunctions by using monoclonal antibodies, combination of those monoclonal antibodies or nucleic acid probes, to detect nPTP. The invention also relates to a recombinant DNA molecule encoding PTP and to the substantially pure form of nPTP. The invention additionally relates to a method of diagnosing pancreatic disease using antibodies against Pancreatic Thread Protein.

Method of detecting neurological disease or dysfunction

The present invention provides improved collagen threads and methods of making and using such threads, including the production of yarn, as well as braided, knitted, and woven articles of manufacture, comprising such threads.

Collagen threads

This invention relates to a prosthetic replacement for the cornea and particularly to a transparent collagen material useful for making such a prosthesis and to methods for making such transparent collagen material. The prosthesis is preferably composed of a native, non-fibrilized, transparent collagen material formed from a soluble collagen solution by ultracentrifuging to form a pellet and fixing the same pellet, whereby the collagen material has less than 5% absorbance of light at 900 nm for a 5 mm thick sample and comprises polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate or vitrosin, in a range of from 0.01 to 50.0 percent by weight, based on the collagen protein.

Collagen replacement prothesis for the cornea

A transparent native, non-fibrilized collagen material is described having an absorbence at a wavelength of 900 nm of less than 5% in a sample 5 mm thick. This collagen material is useful for a prosthetic replacement of the cornea because of the high transparency and because it is a native material, and thus less susceptible to immunogenic responses. A method for forming the native, non-fibrilized, highly transparent collagen material comprises ultracentrifuging a purified solution of native collagen to form a pellet of transparent collagen material, and fixing the pellet of collagen material to form a rigid, leather-like material. The collagen material can also be used for prosthetic replacement of other bodily tissues, such as nucleus pulposus, cartilage, and vitreous body.

Transparent non-fibrilized collagen material by ultracentrifugation

For securing such materials as insulation to sheet metal, a nailable fastener has at one end of its metal shank three or more lobes which interpenetrate the sheet metal and bend radially outward to become firmly embedded in the sheet. Each lobe of the fastener, as manufactured, has an inner camming surface which slopes outward to the rounded outer surface, which is a continuation of the generally cylindrical shank. The intersection of these two surfaces forms a semi-elliptical cutting edge terminating in a tip. The tip and the cutting edge progressively slit and raise a pocket in the sheet for each lobe, as its inner camming surface bends the lobe outward. The resulting radial interpenetration secures and stabilizes the fastener.

Interpenetrating nailable fastener for sheet metal

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for microscopic examination of samples containing bacteria in low numbers and which require precise staining procedures for visualization and counting. A slide has a filter assembly through which the bacterial suspension is filtered onto a filter membrane. A chamber adjacent to said filter, by sliding, delivers to the filter surface with simultaneous mixing, an optimum amount of bacterial dye at the proper concentration. The upper portion of the sliding chamber then fits over the filter membrane to form an incubation chamber. After incubation, the bacteria so stained are easily washed and conveniently further prepared for microscopic inspection. By use of this method and apparatus, all of the complex steps of the fluorescent antibody technique can be simply performed.

Method and apparatus for bacterial microscopy

For pressure dispensers of the barrier piston type, the present piston includes circumferential ribs and adjacent grooves. The grooves so reduce the bending resistance of the piston wall as to hinge inward, to slope the ribs downward. When pressure is applied within the piston, this bends the rib against the interior can wall like a squeegee. As the piston rises in the can, the rib flexes to take up surface irregularities. A plurality of these elements makes the piston wall flexible, permitting segments above and below each to deflect sideward. This flexibility to adapt to the cross-section of somewhat out-of-round cans adds reliability to the barrier piston pack system.

Piston for pressure dispensers of the barrier piston type

In a tool for crimping a valve mounting cup into the mouth of a dispensing can, an annular piston which moves between inner and outer cylinders presses on the upper edge of a rubber sleeve whose inner and lower surfaces are restrained by the inner cylinder and an outward extending flange at its base. Since a downward force on the piston is resisted by the base flange, the axial length of the rubber-like sleeve is shortened, causing it to bulge radially outward beneath the lower edge of the outer cylinder. This outer cylinder is positioned on the mounting cup rim. The rubber sleeve, bulging outward beneath the rim, draws the inner wall of the mounting cup radially outward to seal it onto the can.

Expanding crimp tool for valved dispensers and the like

In that type of apparatus for mounting the largest sizes of pneumatic tires on drop-center wheels, where thrust is applied slantingly to drive one of the tire beads into the drop-center of the wheel preparatory to use of contra-rotating bead deflectors, the present invention provides for applying and manipulating such thrust forces with exceptional ease. Two hydraulic struts of equal size are mounted in a vertical plane, with their pistons extending to fittings on a common lateral shaft. The fitting of one actuator is a clevis which surrounds the fitting of the first. Their remote ends are spaced vertically, so that the thrust at the shaft is reacted truss-like by the triangulated cylinders. On the lateral shaft is mounted a thrust shoe, whose angle may be fixed perpendicular to either actuator; or it may be varied relative to one of the actuators by a hydraulic motor. By varying the length of the extension of the actuators, the shoe is moved at any chosen direction in the vertical plane. Using the hydraulic motor to vary the angle of the thrust shoe affords to the operator a new manipulative control over the thrust force.

Growing community of inventors

Waban, MA, United States of America

Jerome Gross