Abstract: The present invention provides photonic crystal devices, device components and methods for preventing transmission of electromagnetic radiation from one or more laser sources or laser modes so as to provide an optical shield for protecting a users eyes or an optical sensor. The present invention also provides dynamic photonic crystals and devices incorporating dynamic photonic crystals for optically modulating the intensity of one or more beams of electromagnetic radiation and other optical switching applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating or preventing fibrosis and improving kidney function comprising administering a Hovenia dulcis Thunb extract and/or a Lindera obtusiloba extract to the subject. The method of the present invention can lower the level of GOT, GPT, ALP, BUN and total bilirubin; improve kidney functions; lower the amount of hydroxyproline in liver but increase the amount of hydroxyproline in kidney, suggesting that the extract above has excellent anti-fibrosis and kidney protecting effects; lower the level of malondialdehyde, suggesting that the extract has excellent anti-oxidative effect; and promote cell viability in liver and kidney cell lines, indicating that the extract has excellent liver and kidney cell protective effects.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of functional molecules using the thiol-ene coupling reaction and a process for the preparation of protected functional thiols, specifically thioesters is provided. The methods may be used to make functional polymers and other molecules. The method of making a functionalized polymer using a thiol-ene reaction comprises: providing a functionalized thioester having the following formula: wherein R is a functional group and COR? is a protecting group; cleaving the functionalized thioester, forming a functional thiol and an acyl group; providing a polymer having a pendant vinyl group; and reacting the polymer with the functional thiol whereby a functionalized polymer is formed, wherein the functional thiol is not isolated prior to reacting with the polymer.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for fabricating semiconductor structures and devices, particularly ultra-shallow doped semiconductor structures exhibiting low electrical resistance. Methods of the present invention use modification of the composition of semiconductor surfaces to allow fabrication of a doped semiconductor structure having a selected dopant concentration depth profile, which provides useful junctions and other device components in microelectronic and nanoelectronic devices, such as transistors in high density integrated circuits. Surface modification in the present invention also allows for control of the concentration and depth profile of defects, such as interstitials and vacancies, in undersaturated semiconductor materials.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, recombinant DNA molecules, recombinant host cells containing the DNA molecules, and transgenic and genetically engineered plant cells, plant tissue, seeds and plants which contain and express an herbicide resistant protoporphyrinogen oxidase such that they germinate from seed and grow in the presence of an amount of herbicide where the parent plant does not. Such plants are especially appropriate for use in agriculture or horticulture where herbicides are used to kill undesirable plants which might contaminate or compete with the transgenic plant of interest.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus to enable a user to perform upper extremity exercises. The apparatus includes an arm with one end connected to a base to securely support the arm while locating the other end adjacent to the user, proximate the user's upper extremities. The arm is formed with a plurality of joints at or between its ends, each joint having one or more rotational degrees of freedom while providing resistance to rotational movement in the one or more degrees of freedom, such that the free end of the arm can be moved in three dimensional space, and such that the arm is self-supporting. A manipulandum assembly including a plurality of manipulanda is attached to the free end of the arm, each manipulandum being positioned within hand grasping range of the user, and each manipulandum being or representing an object encountered in an upper extremity activity of the user's daily life.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel amino acid compounds useful in detecting and evaluating brain and body tumors. These compounds have the advantageous properties of rapid uptake and prolonged retention in tumors and can be labeled with halogen isotopes such as fluorine-18, iodine-123, iodine-124, iodine-125, iodine-131, bromine-75, bromine-76, bromine-77, bromine-82, astatine-210, astatine-211, and other astatine isotopes. These compounds can also be labeled with technetium and rhenium isotopes using known chelation complexes. The compounds disclosed herein bind tumor tissues in vivo with high specificity and selectivity when administered to a subject. Preferred compounds show a target to non-target ratio of at least 2:1, are stable in vivo and substantially localized to target within 1 hour after administration. Preferred compounds include 1-amino-2-[18F]fluorocyclobutyl-1-carboxylic acid (2-[18F]FACBC) and 1-amino-2-[18F]fluoromethylcyclobutyl-1-carboxylic acid (2-[18F]FMACBC).

Abstract: An imaging apparatus for simultaneously determining optical parameters of the eye comprising: a light source for illuminating at least a portion of the eye pupil; an illumination optical system for directing light rays emitted from the light source into the eye; a light receiving optical system for guiding the light rays reflected from the eye to a detector unit, wherein the detector unit detects an image intensity distribution from the light rays reflected from the eye; and an arithmetic unit for determining optical characteristics of the eye by parameter estimation is provided.

Abstract: The transmembrane human protein thrombomodulin (TM), as a critical regulator of the protein C pathway, represents the major anticoagulant mechanism that is operative in both normal and injured blood vessels under physiologic conditions in vivo. Compositions and methods are disclosed relating to thrombomodulin derivatives and conjugates, including methods for site-specific pegylation and compositions of a truncated thrombomodulin derivative.

Abstract: Thin film processing systems and methods are provided having a moving deposition sensor capable of translation and/or rotation in a manner that exposes the sensor to thin film deposition environments in a flux region substantially the same as the deposition environments experienced by one or more moveable substrates during a selected deposition period. In one embodiment, a thin film monitoring and control system is provided wherein one or more moveable substrates and a moveable deposition sensor are moved along substantially coincident trajectories in a flux region of a thin film deposition system for a selected deposition period. Systems and methods of the present invention may include SC-cut quartz crystal microbalance sensors capable of excitation of at least two different resonant modes.

Abstract: The invention comprises anti-inflammatory conformal barriers with controllable permeability properties that can be applied to living cells prior to transplant, and methods for coating living cells with conformal barriers. The coatings comprise polymer layers deposited on a cell surface by layer-by-layer polymer assembly, wherein each layer contains a positive and a negative polymer pair. The barriers can be actively anti-inflammatory through incorporation of anticoagulant and/or anti-inflammatory agents into the barrier.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for purifying a protein complex and the components comprising the complex from a cell, a cell or tissue lysate or a whole organism by employing a combined set of affinity tags of high affinity, specificity and ease of elution. The method involves using a protein or a peptide modified to contain one or more affinity tags separated by one or more specific protease cleavage sites to isolate any interacting proteins or fragments thereof. Specifically exemplified is a method employing a modified bait containing AviTag or GST and a removal tag of His6 hexapeptide positioned proximal to the bait such that any excess bait can be efficiently removed from the purified complex yielding enriched interacting proteins prior to subjecting the complex for further identification of individual components. The identification of the proteins or fragments thereof contained in the protein complex will provide new targets for the identification of new pharmaceuticals and diagnostic tools.

Abstract: A structural reinforcement system for a tubular member, comprising: a carbon fiber shell attached to the tubular member with adhesive, wherein the carbon fiber shell comprises a carbon fiber fabric sandwiched between non-carbon bidirectional fabric, wherein the carbon fiber fabric is largely unidirectional along the y-axis along the tubular member; a unidirectional or biaxial fiber reinforced polymer hoop or helical wrap connected to the carbon fiber shell, wherein the fibers of the hoop wrap are largely unidirectionally oriented in the hoop direction; and optionally a protective wrap or coating around the system is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chemoenzymatic process for the preparation of (R)-GABOB and (R)-carnitine employing lipase-mediated resolution of 3-hydroxy-4-tosyloxybutanenitrile as the key step. The drawing accompanying this specification represents the preparation of racemic 3-hydroxy-4-tosyloxybutanenitrile, its lipase-mediated kinetic resolution and its successful application in the preparation of (R)-GABOB and (R)-carnitine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymyxin synthetase isolated from Gram-positive Paenibacillus sp. and a gene cluster encoding the same, more precisely a polymyxin synthetase isolated from Paenibacillus polymyxa E681, a gene cluster encoding thereof and a preparation method of polymyxin or its derivatives using the gene cluster. The polymyxin synthetase of the present invention can be effectively used for the increase of productivity of polymyxin and the development of a novel antibiotic.

Abstract: Provided herein are mutant strains of Neisseria meningitidis which produce Kdo-free lipid A as well as the Kdo-free lipid A molecules and immunogenic compositions containing such Kdo-free lipid A molecules from a Neisseria strain containing a genetically stable mutation which inactivates a gene selected from the group consisting of genes encoding arabinose-5-phosphate isomerase, CMP-Kdo synthetase and CMP-Kdo transferase. N. meningitidis NMB206 is a specifically exemplified strain which harbors a stable insertion mutation in the gene (kpsF) encoding A5P isomerase; strain NMB-249 is a specifically exemplified strain with a stable insertion mutation in the gene (kdtA) encoding CMP-Kdo synthetase, and strain NMB259 is specifically exemplified strain with a stable insertion mutation in the gene (kdsB) encoding CMP-Kdo transferase. Also provided by the present invention are methods for the production of Lipid A flee of 3-keto-3-deoxyoctanoic acid using these genetically stable N. meningitidis mutants.

Abstract: Polymeric chelating agents and metal chelates, particularly those of lanthanide metals and more specifically those of Gd(III), useful as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for therapeutic and diagnostic applications as well as clinical and biomedical research applications. The polymeric chelates are generated using ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). Polymers can have multiple sites for functionalization allowing for the synthesis of multimodal and targeted contrast agents. Hydroxypyridonate (HOPO)-based chelating moieties are integrated into a ROMP-derived polymer. More specifically, the HOPO-based chelating moiety is integrated into a benzonorbornadiene unit that constitutes the backbone of the polymer. The ROMP-derived polymer chelators can comprise multiple metal ions, particularly Gd(III) ions, in polymers of varying lengths to provide a series of agents with controlled relaxivites. Polymer chelates include those that are water-soluble.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a foil material for transfer to a target substrate, and methods for manufacturing such a foil material. In a method according to the present invention, a plastic substrate foil (32) is provided that is suitable for aligning liquid crystal material. To the substrate foil (32) is discontiguously applied a layer (34) comprising a liquid crystal material that is aligned.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for evaluating biological materials for the diagnosis of disease, such as gland abnormalities, and the cancerous and precancerous conditions. Nonlinear optical microscopy techniques, such as MP microscopy and harmonic generation microscopy, are used to generate high resolution, three dimensional images of a test tissue, such as a biopsy tissue sample and tissue in whole organisms, that are analyzed, optionally in combination, to detect, identify and characterize tumor-associated collagen signatures. The presence, abundance and extent of histological features and structural motifs comprising tumor-associated collagen signatures may be directly and accurately correlated with the onset and progression of cancer, such as breast cancer. The present methods are capable of providing an accurate and selective diagnosis of cancer, and provide diagnostic information complementary to conventional diagnostic methods.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high yield pathway for the fabrication, transfer and assembly of high quality printable semiconductor elements having selected physical dimensions, shapes, compositions and spatial orientations. The compositions and methods of the present invention provide high precision registered transfer and integration of arrays of microsized and/or nanosized semiconductor structures onto substrates, including large area substrates and/or flexible substrates. In addition, the present invention provides methods of making printable semiconductor elements from low cost bulk materials, such as bulk silicon wafers, and smart-materials processing strategies that enable a versatile and commercially attractive printing-based fabrication platform for making a broad range of functional semiconductor devices.