Abstract: The present invention provides a fiber reinforced polymer composite having a plurality of layers containing a plurality of fibers. The layers may be configured to maintain predetermined load sharing ratios among the layers at different load levels to produce a gradual load transfer between the different layers during the progressive failure of the composite. The composite is comprised of mono-fibers and the load sharing ratios of the layers have coefficients of variation that are less than 20%.

Abstract: This disclosure describes, in one aspect, methods for DNA sequencing and performing epigenomic analyses. Generally, the methods include immobilizing a plurality of copies of a DNA molecule on a surface, stretching at least a portion of the immobilized DNA molecules, and sequencing at least a portion of the immobilized, stretched DNA molecules.

Abstract: The invention concerns a wavelength tunable semiconductor laser comprising a laser gain section (510) optically coupled to an underlying optical waveguide (520). According to an embodiment of the invention, a first and a second passive microring resonators (530, 560) having a whistle geometry, are arranged on both sides of the laser gain section and evanescently coupled with the optical waveguide (520). Highly reflective broadband mirrors (541, 571) are provided at the free ends of optical waveguide branches (240, 270) tangentially connected to the microring resonators. The first and second passive microrings resonators provide an optical feedback to the laser gain section and allow to select the desired wavelength. The laser structure can be implemented according to a III-V/Si technology.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods associated with enhancement of phase response of intracavity phase interferometers are applicable in a variety of applications.

Abstract: A novel peptide sequence that is a modified derivative of a neuron-specific tyrosine phosphatase is shown and described. Specifically, the novel peptide sequence is a modified derivative of striatal-enriched tyrosine phosphatase (STEP). The peptide sequence has been modified so as to be able to ameliorate and treat brain injury resulting from excessive glutamate release and/or oxidative stress. Examples of the types of brain injury which the presently disclosed peptide sequence is useful for treating includes acute brain injury resulting from stroke or traumatic brain injury and chronic disorders such as Huntington's chorea and schizophrenia. Furthermore, the presently described peptide sequence may further be useful in the treatment and amelioration of disorders associated with fear memory such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Abstract: The invention provides a quantum dot (QD) modified optical fiber-based biosensor which characterizes matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzyme activity at pain signaling sites in the central nervous system (CNS) in vivo. Related systems and peptide biomarker screening methods are also provided.

Abstract: A system and method for designing an antenna wherein a plurality of antenna designs are visually compared using performance metric plots that distinguish between geometries that meet all requirements and designs that do not.

Abstract: A technique for classifying lesions as malignant or benign is disclosed. The technique can include: cooling an area of skin including a lesion of a patient to initiate a warm-up process; receiving a temporal sequence of thermal images of the area of skin representing a thermal recovery of the area of skin, the temporal sequence of thermal images generated by an infrared camera; generating a temporal profile of the thermal recovery based on the temporal sequence of thermal images; analyzing temporal statistical properties of the temporal profile; determining a malignancy probability that the lesion is malignant based on an analysis of the temporal profile, wherein the determining includes extracting one or more statistical features based on continuous-time stochastic signals in the sequence of thermal images; and classifying the lesion based on the malignancy probability.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electromagnetic energy detector. The detector can include a substrate having a first refractive index; a metal layer; an absorber layer having a second refractive index and disposed between the substrate and the metal layer; a coupling structure to convert incident radiation to a surface plasma wave; additional conducting layers to provide for electrical contact to the electromagnetic energy detector, each conducting layer characterized by a conductivity and a refractive index; and a surface plasma wave (“SPW”) mode-confining layer having a third refractive index that is higher than the second refractive index disposed between the substrate and the metal layer.

Abstract: A vaccine construct comprising an antigenic PCSK9 peptide and an immunogenic carrier, and methods of using the same that are effective to lower blood cholesterol levels in a mammal and treat dyslipidemias and related disease states in a mammal without the frequency of administration required by passive immunity strategies.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel non-invasive diagnostic tools/compounds comprising a cyclic peptide wherein the compound binds to a MSH receptor to image and treat cancers, especially, melanoma, including metastatic melanoma in vivo. The present invention represents a clear advance in the art which presently relies on tissue biopsy for diagnoses of these cancers. The novel imaging probes are capable of detecting cancerous melanoma cells, as well as their metastatic spread in tissues. This represents a quantum step forward in the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma, including metastatic melanoma using non-invasive molecular imaging techniques. The novel probes of the present invention will also be useful to initiate therapy for melanoma as well as monitor patients response to chemotherapy treatments and other interventions or therapies used in the treatment of melanoma/metastatic melanoma.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a method for sequencing long portions of DNA sequence by assembling a plurality of shorter polynucleotide reads. Generally, The method includes annealing a plurality of primers to a denatured DNA molecule, appending a barcode polynucleotide to the 5? end of the primer, subjecting the DNA molecules to a plurality of cycles of (1) pooling, (2) dividing, and (3) appending a barcode polynucleotide to the 5? end of the primer, sequencing the barcode polynucleotides and the genomic DNA, and assembling the short read polynucleotide sequences having identical barcode polynucleotides.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining blood brain barrier (BBB) damage and treating patients who may have suffered from BBB damage due to an ischemic event are provided. The methods and apparatus involve detecting the presence of cleaved occludin fragments in a sample of blood. According to some embodiments, the method further provides determining the degree of BBB damage based on the concentration of occludin fragments in the sample. In further embodiments the present disclosure provides kits for detecting the presence of occludin fragments in a blood sample.

Abstract: The current invention is in the field of molecular biology/pharmacology and provides methods of using compounds that modulate the effects of GPR30/GPER for treating obesity and diabetes (preferably agonists) as well as disease states and/or conditions that result from excessive formation of reactive oxygen species (preferably antagonists). These compounds may function as agonists and/or antagonists of the disclosed estrogen receptor and/or modulate the expression/upregulation of nox and nox-associated reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Abstract: An antenna having a body that includes a plurality of rigid sections separated by a plurality of flexible sections and at least one conductor attached to the rigid and flexible sections. The flexible sections forming hinges that connect rigid sections together to permit the body to be configured into a conical configuration from a substantially flat trapezoid configuration.

Abstract: A method of calculating radiation fluence and energy deposition distributions on a networked virtual computational cluster is presented. With this method, complex Monte Carlo simulations that require expansive equipment, personnel, and financial resources can be done efficiently and inexpensively by hospitals and clinics requiring radiation therapy dose calculations.

Abstract: Provided is a method of making a radiation detector, including: growing a thin film on a substrate. The substrate is a silicon substrate. The thin film includes aluminum antimony alloy (AlSb). The growing is epitaxial growth via ultra-high vacuum molecular beam epitaxy (UHV-MBE).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel non-invasive diagnostic tools/compounds to image cancers, especially, melanoma, including metastatic melanoma in vivo. The present compounds exhibit enhanced uptake in cancerous cells and tissue, suggesting favorable selective activity of compounds according to the present invention, which can be used as effective therapeutic agents against melanoma, including metastatic melanoma. The compounds according to the present invention represent an advance in the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma, including metastatic melanoma using non-invasive molecular imaging techniques. The novel probes of the present invention are useful to initiate therapy for melanoma as well as monitor patients' response to chemotherapy treatments and other interventions or therapies used in the treatment of melanoma/metastatic melanoma. Compounds according to the present invention may be used as diagnostic and therapeutic tools for a number of conditions and diseases states, especially melanoma.

Abstract: A Hardware-Embedded Delay PUF (HELP) leverages entropy by monitoring path stability and measuring path delays from core logic macros. HELP incorporates techniques to deal with bias. A unique feature of HELP is that it may compare data measured from different test structures. HELP may be implemented in existing FPGA platforms. HELP may leverage both path stability and within-die variations as sources of entropy.

Abstract: Using high-throughput screening, in an oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) model, isoxsuprine hydrochloride was identified as a potent neuroprotective compound. In an animal middle artery occlusion (MCAO) model of transient focal ischemia, isoxsuprine significantly reduced infarct volume compared to vehicle. The invention, therefore, provides methods of treatment and pharmaceutical compositions that are useful in the treatment and prevention of a wide-variety of ischemia-related injuries, including stroke.