Abstract: A method for identifying the redox activity of a subject compound is disclosed. The method can be performed aerobically and can include forming a mixture comprising a free-radical precursor and a compound to be tested, and converting the free-radical precursor into a free-radical anion and a free-radical cation. After the free radical cation and the free radical anion have been formed, the relative redox activity of the subject compound may cause a difference in the rate of photo-bleaching of the mixture and/or the rate of superoxide generation. These differences can be quantified and used to identify the redox activity of the subject compound. This sensitive technique for measuring redox activity can be used to screen compounds for various biological applications. Drugs also can be developed based on the relationship between redox activity and biological activity for particular biological applications.

Abstract: A fluid-operated medical or dental handle with a device for limiting the rotational speed to a maximum rotational speed value is disclosed. The handle comprises a rotating part that can be induced to rotation by a driving fluid for driving a tool connectable to the rotating part, an electrodynamic transducer driven by the rotating part for induction of an electric voltage, wherein the electrodynamic transducer has at least one coil and a magnetic element and at least one switch element for optional opening and closing of a circuit between the two ends of the at least one coil, so that with the circuit closed, an electric current and an induced magnetic field that decelerates the rotational speed of the rotating part and the tool connectable thereto can be induced in the coil of the electrodynamic transducer.

Abstract: An exemplary pump includes a pump housing defining a pump cavity, a movable pumping member situated in the pump cavity, and at least one pressure-absorbing member located inside the pump housing. The housing also has an inlet and an outlet, and includes at least one interior non-wearing location that contacts liquid in the pump housing when the pump housing is primed with the liquid. The movable pumping member, when driven to move, urges flow of the liquid from the inlet through the pump cavity to the outlet. The at least one pressure-absorbing member is located inside the pump housing at the non-wearing location and contacts the liquid. The pressure-absorbing member has a compliant property to exhibit a volumetric compression when subjected to a pressure increase in the liquid contacting the pressure-absorbing member, the volumetric compression being sufficient to alleviate at least a portion of the pressure increase.

Abstract: Nitro oleic acid and related metabolites are agonists of PPAR-?. Surprisingly, nitro oleic acid is a more potent agonist of PPAR-?, relative to nitro linoleic acid. Thus, nitro oleic acid and its metabolites, as well as their pharmaceutically acceptable salts and prodrug forms, are candidate therapeutics for the treatment of type-2 diabetes, which results from insulin resistance accompanying the improper functioning of PPAR-?.

Abstract: A pressure sensor for connecting to a detector is provided. The pressure sensor comprises: an optical fibre, having a distal end with a distal plane for sensing pressure, a proximal end for communicating with a patch cord, and an In-fibre Bragg grating (FBG) therebetween; a housing, having a distal aperture, a proximal aperture and a bore therebetween, and sized to accept the optical fibre; an annular ring, forming a flexible seal between said optical fibre and housing at least distal to the FBG and a holder for retaining the housing. The FBG is housed in the housing such that in use, axial strain is transferred to said In-fibre Bragg grating housed within said housing by pressure exerted on the distal plane.

Abstract: Method and peptide for regulating cellular activity includes a panel of synthesized peptides that have biological effects on inhibiting or enhancing cellular activity. Selected peptides can be used as therapy to reduce and/or inhibit, or initiate and/or enhance, an inflammatory response in a subject.

Abstract: This application relates to methods of treating and ameliorating fibrosis, such as fibrosis of the pancreas. In particular, the application relates to methods of using a vitamin D receptor agonist (such as vitamin D, vitamin D analogs, vitamin D precursors, and vitamin D receptor agonists precursors) for the treatment of pancreatic fibrosis.

Abstract: A CMOS image sensor array has rows and columns of active pixels, and column lines in communication with the active pixels in the respective columns. Each active pixel has an output connected to a column line and includes a photodetector that produces a signal proportional to incident light intensity that is coupled to an active pixel output based on column select and row select signals. Each active pixel has a reset transistor for resetting the active pixel, wherein each reset transistor has a first gate terminal and a second gate terminal. The reset transistors have a variable threshold capability that allows increased sensor array dynamic range or mitigation of the effects of temperature or radiation induced transistor threshold voltage shifts. Row select, column select, and sense transistors can also be configured to have variable thresholds.

Abstract: Devices having a thin film or laminate structure comprising hafnium and/or zirconium oxy hydroxy compounds, and methods for making such devices, are disclosed. The hafnium and zirconium compounds can be doped, typically with other metals, such as lanthanum. Examples of electronic devices or components that can be made include, without limitation, insulators, transistors and capacitors. A method for patterning a device using the materials as positive or negative resists or as functional device components also is described. For example, a master plate for imprint lithography can be made. An embodiment of a method for making a device having a corrosion barrier also is described. Embodiments of an optical device comprising an optical substrate and coating also are described. Embodiments of a physical ruler also are disclosed, such as for accurately measuring dimensions using an electron microscope.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an ?1/CaV3.1 double knockout mouse or ?1?/?; Emx1-Cre mouse with enhanced essential tremor and a screening method of therapeutic agents for essential tremor by using the same. The ?1/CaV3.1 double knockout mouse or ?1?/?; Emx1-Cre mouse of the present invention may be usefully used for development of therapeutic agents for essential tremor because the mouse exhibits essential tremor strong and evident enough to be visually confirmed, compared to an ?1 knockout mouse.

Abstract: An encoder is disclosed that is partitioned into discrete hardware modules. The discrete modules include multiple re-entry and exit points that allow enhanced control by software. The software can control the discrete modules during the encoding process and make adjustments according to CPU bandwidth and/or user requirements allowing for enhanced quality control and seamless hardware/software operations. In one embodiment, a media stream is received into an encoder that includes a pipeline of multiple hardware stages for encoding. An intermediate result is provided from at least one of the hardware stages to an encoding control module that processes the intermediate result to determine configuration instructions for a next hardware stage in the pipeline. Thus, the encoding process can be modified dynamically through hardware and software interactions as the media stream progresses through the pipeline of the encoder.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vaccine for increasing the immunogenicity of a tumor antigen thus allowing treatment of cancer, as well as a vaccine that increases the immunogenicity of a viral antigen, thus allowing treatment of viral infection, including immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In particular, the present invention provides a fusion protein comprising a viral chemokine fused to either a tumor antigen or viral antigen which is administered as either a protein or nucleic acid vaccine to elicit an immune response effective in treating cancer or effective in treating or preventing viral infection.

Abstract: In an exemplary method for making crystal vibrating devices, four wafers are provided: a crystal wafer, a base wafer, a first-lid wafer, and a second-lid wafer. The crystal wafer defines multiple crystal vibrating pieces including respective frames and respective electrodes formed on both main surfaces thereof. The base wafer defines multiple base plates bondable to one main surface of respective frames. The first-lid wafer defines multiple first lids bondable to the other main surface of the respective frames. Each first lid defines a void registrable with respective electrodes. The second-lid wafer is sized similarly to and bondable to the first-lid wafer so as to sealably close the voids. In a first bonding step the crystal wafer is bonded to the base wafer and first-lid wafer. In a subsequent adjustment step the thickness of at least one electrode per each crystal vibrating piece is adjusted to adjust the vibrational frequency of the respective vibrating portion.

Abstract: A sound attenuation canopy for reducing levels of sound passing through an opening comprises a sound absorbing member. The member is comprised of a flexible sound absorbing material and has a first end, a second end and an intermediate portion extending therebetween. The first end is configured to attach to the opening's periphery at a first location, the second end is configured to attach to the periphery at a second location and the intermediate portion is configured to be spaced apart from the opening. When the first end and the second end are attached to the periphery of the opening, at least one side opening is at least partially defined by the intermediate portion and the perimeter of the opening, and a sound transmission flow path through open space between the opening and the side opening comprises at least one change of direction greater than 45 degrees.

Abstract: Techniques and tools are described for rendering views of a map in which map metadata elements are layered in 3D space through which a viewer navigates. Layering of metadata elements such as text labels in 3D space facilitates parallax and smooth motion effects for zoom-in, zoom-out and scrolling operations during map navigation. A computing device can determine a viewer position that is associated with a view altitude in 3D space, then render for display a map view based upon the viewer position and metadata elements layered at different metadata altitudes in 3D space. For example, the computing device places text labels in 3D space above features associated with the respective labels, at the metadata altitudes indicated for the respective labels. The computing device creates a map view from points of the placed labels and points of a surface layer of the map that are visible from the viewer position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to peptide fragments which have one or more shared and/or similar amino acid sequences to amino acid sequences of specific portions of the 14 kDa protein of S. mansoni (Sm14) or related FABPs (Fatty Acid Binding Proteins), the peptide fragments functioning as continuous or discontinuous epitopic regions of the molecule or mimicking its biological activity. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for constructing active peptide fragments, peptide fragments, immunogenic composition and diagnostic kit using peptide fragments.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an agent for differentiating hematopoietic stem cells into natural killer cells and a method for the differentiation, more precisely an agent for differentiating hematopoietic stem cells into natural killer cells comprising YC-I [3-(5?-hydroxymethyl-2?-furyl)-1-benzylindazole] or IL-21 (Interleukin-21) as an active ingredient and a method for differentiating hematopoietic stem cells into natural killer cells using the same. The YC-I and IL-21 regulate the differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells into natural killer cells and increase the killing activity of NK cells. Therefore, the agent for NK cell differentiation of the present invention can be effectively used for cell therapy for the treatment of cancer by regulating the differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells into natural killer cells having tumor cell killing activity.

Abstract: Connectors having redundant fasteners for interconnecting adjacent structures are disclosed. Some connectors have first and second bearing bodies and a member disposed between the bearing bodies. A first fastener is held in tension and extends through the bearing bodies and the member. The tension in the first fastener urges the bearing bodies against each other in compression. A second fastener held in loose engagement relative to the bearing bodies and the member extends through the bearing bodies. On release of the tension in the first fastener, such as by failure of the first fastener, the second fastener is placed in tension.

Abstract: Non-contiguous regions of interest as well as contiguous regions of interest are similarly processed. After an isotope peak detector has identified isotope peaks on LC/MS images, a microaligner microaligns bounding areas of identified isotope peaks and redefines the bounding areas to help subsequent scoring process. Forms of isotope peaks influence formation of a peak association matrix and a mass/charge association map which creates association in the mass/charge dimension. A correlation scorer produces reproducibility scores as well as quality scores to help aid scientists to discover biological features of interest.

Abstract: A medical treatment device, such as a dental treatment device, is described, the device including a drive unit for driving multiple different tools that are detachably connectable to the treatment device and a tool recognition device for recognizing whether a tool is connected to the treatment device and/or which of the different tools is connected to the treatment device. The tool recognition device includes a coil and an evaluation unit, wherein the coil is connected or connectable to an AC voltage sources, and the coil is inductively couplable to the different tools, so that an AC voltage signal that is specific for each tool and that can be associated with the particular tool by the evaluation unit can be generated.