Abstract: Herein a Bacillus exosporium antigen delivery (BEAD) system that provides a means to introduce recombinant proteins or small molecules into the exosporium of members of the B. cereus family of bacteria, i.e. B. anthracis, B. cereus, and B. thuringiensis, is disclosed. The system results in the surface display of recombinant proteins or small molecules such that they can stimulate an immune response. In addition, methods of making and using the system are described.

Abstract: The present invention provides gas-induced method for phase-transforming organic solids, such as pharmaceutical crystals. The inventive method subjects the polymorphs of pharmaceutical agents to various pressures of gases (such as CO2, N2O, and CH4) to induce phase transform with ease.

Abstract: The invention provides a series of novel Lipid A analogs that are structually simple, synthetically accessible, and capable of blocking the cellular receptor within the signal transduction pathway. The novel Lipid A analogs can include a monosaccharide core with hydrophobic side chains and amino acid ionic motif. The invention further provides methods of using the compounds and compositions thereof in various therapeutic methods.

Abstract: An animal kennel comprises front, rear, top, bottom, and opposite side walls that collectively define a cavity. At least a portion of the cavity has a horizontal cross-section that is bordered by the front, rear, and opposite side walls. The cross-section has a front portion and a rear portion. The front portion is narrower between the opposite side walls than the rear portion. A majority of each of the front, rear, top, bottom and opposite side walls is formed of a material that is translucent and radiolucent.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating neutrons by inducing hydride-forming metals infused with hydrogen isotopes to undergo rapid phase transitions. Such transitions are induced by exposing the metals to rapid temperature changes. The method includes placing the metals in a high-pressure reaction chamber, introducing a hydrogen isotope gas into the chamber to produce a metal hydride, reducing the temperature of the pressure chamber to maximize infusion of gas into metal, then quickly heating the reaction chamber, such that the temperature of the interior of the reaction chamber rapidly rises from a minimum temperature to a maximum temperature in an amount of time that is less than a thermal shock period. The temperatures and pressures are at such high levels that if two or more hydrogen isotope atoms are in the same void or defect within a crystalline lattice of the metal hydride, the atoms can react, resulting in neutron generation.

Abstract: Analyzing a device under test (“DUT”) at higher frequencies. A phase shifter varies the phase of a standing wave on a transmission line coupled to the DUT. The standing wave magnitude is sampled at each of the phase shifts and one or more DUT characteristics are determined as a function of the sampled magnitudes and phase shifts. Further aspects include a related phase shifter comprising a waveguide having a plurality of sub-resonant slots formed therein and having active elements for loading the slots to control the phase shift applied to the signal.

Abstract: A neutron detection system may include a neutron detector including a plurality of neutron detection devices, a plurality of discrete neutron moderating elements, wherein each of the neutron moderating elements is disposed between two or more neutron detection devices, the plurality of neutron detection devices and the plurality of discrete neutron moderating elements disposed along a common axis, a control system configured to generate a detector response library, wherein the detector response library includes one or more sets of data indicative of a response of the detector to a known neutron source, receive one or more measured neutron response signals from each of the neutron devices, the one or more measured response signals response to a detected neutron event, and determine one or more characteristics of neutrons emanating from a measured neutron source by comparing the one or more measured neutron response signals to the detector response library.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a porous, acoustic attenuating composition, wherein the composition comprises a nanostructured material and wherein the composition exhibits acoustic transmission loss ranging from 20 to 60 dB/cm thickness of the composition.

Abstract: The ErbB-2 receptor, a member of the tyrosine kinase type 1 family of receptors, has been implicated in many human malignancies. Bacteriophage display technology was employed to identify peptides that bound to the extracellular domain of human ErbB-2. The peptide KCCYSL, most frequently occurring in the affinity selected population, was chemically synthesized and characterized for its binding activities to the recombinant extracellular domain of ErbB-2. The synthetic peptide exhibits high specificity to ErbB-2 as well as to ErbB-1, another member of ErbB family. Thus, this peptide can be employed in cancer imaging or therapeutic agent targeting to malignant cells ErbB-2 receptor.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a pupillary light reflex (PLR) system, wherein the PLR system includes a remote tracking and imaging system that is structured and operable to generate and acquire high resolution pupil stimulus and response data from a test subject while the test subject is moving and is disposed a distance from remote tracking and imaging system that is greater than or equal to one-third of a meter. The PLR system additionally includes a computer based system controller that is structure and operable to execute PLR software to control the operation of the remote tracking and imaging system and compute PLR information based on the pupil stimulus and response data acquired as the test subject is moving.

Abstract: Phakopsora pachyrhizi, the fungal pathogen that causes Asian soybean rust, has the potential to cause significant losses in soybean yield in many production regions of the U.S. To assist the development of new modes of soybean resistance to fungal infection, peptides were identified from combinatorial phage-display peptide libraries which inhibit germ tube growth from urediniospores of P. pachyrhizi. Two peptides, Sp2 and Sp39, were identified that inhibit germ tube development when displayed as fusions with the coat protein of M13 phage or as fusions with maize cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (ZmCKX1). These peptides may be used in vitro to help control fungal infection. These peptides may also be expressed as transgenes in a plant to help the resulting transgenic plant defend against the fungi.

Abstract: A holographic imaging system including a transmission line coupled to an antenna at one end and to a signal source at another end. The antenna defines an aperture through which a signal generated by the signal source is transmitted incident to an object located remotely from the aperture and through which a signal reflected from the object is received by the antenna aperture. A standing wave probe phase-referenced to the antenna aperture samples the reflected signal. A detector connected to the standing wave probe receives the sampled reflected signal and provides an output signal that represents a real-valued signal proportional to an in-phase component of the reflected signal from the object. A processor executes an imaging algorithm for generating a multi-dimensional profile representative of the object based on the output signal from the detector.

Abstract: The present invention provides a series of new and improved compounds/materials as vehicles to delivery degradative enzymes to remove/remedy environmental pollutants. The inventive material comprises a series of amide-functionalized ordered mesoporous carbon (AFOMC), which utilizes chemical conjugation techniques for the tethering of enzymes to the surface of the synthesized AFOMC. The delivery mechanism may be utilized to express a wide variety of toxin-degrading enzymes for removal/remediation of organic pollutants.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel methods for improving the efficiency of artificial activation of unfertilized mammalian oocytes by reducing the intracellular concentration of Zn2+ in the oocyte. The methods of the invention may additionally comprise a preceding step of increasing the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ in the oocyte prior to reduction of the intracellular Zn2+ concentration. The invention further provides unfertilized oocytes activated by the disclosed methods and viable mammalian animals produced from unfertilized oocytes activated by the disclosed methods.

Abstract: In various cases, an obstetrical device is provided for assisting a cesarean section delivery of a neonate having a fetal presenting part well seated within the mother's pelvis. Generally, the device comprises a tubular tail having an internal lumen and a hollow head extending from a distal end of the tail and having an internal chamber fluidly connected to the lumen. The head includes at least one aperture extending through an exterior wall. The device is operable to position the head near or in contact with the fetal presenting part to provide air into an area near and/or between contact surfaces of the fetal presenting part and a vagina and/or a cervix of the mother. Providing the air will reduce or release a suction formed between the contact surfaces such that the well seated fetal presenting part can be easily separated from the vagina and/or the cervix.

Abstract: Methods and systems for improved unsupervised learning are described. The unsupervised learning can consist of biclustering a data set, e.g., by biclustering subsets of the entire data set. In an example, the biclustering does not include feeding know and proven results into the biclustering methodology or system. A hierarchical approach can be used that feeds proven clusters back into the biclustering methodology or system as the input. Data that does not cluster may be discarded. Thus, a very large unknown data set can be acted on to learn about the data. The system is also amenable to parallelization.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a soybean plant with mutations in FAD2-1A and FAD2-1B. Moreover, the present invention is directed to seeds from said plants with altered ratios of monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats. In particular, the present invention is directed to plants where the plants exhibit elevated levels of oleic acid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds and methods for the prevention or treatment of infections by negative strand RNA viruses, such as influenza virus and measles virus, wherein said compounds delay or inhibit viral replication by modulating the level or activity of a polypeptide involved in the synthesis or degradation of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) in a cell, tissue, or subject. The methods involve administration of one or more compounds which modulate the level of gene expression, where the gene encodes a polypeptide involved in regulating the metabolic level of S1P, or modulate the level or activity of a polypeptide involved in regulating the metabolic level of S1P, such as sphingosine kinase (SK) and S1P lyase (SPL). Exemplary methods are directed towards reducing the level of SW by reducing the level or activity of one or more SKs, increasing the level or activity of one or more SPLs, or a combination of both steps.

Abstract: Novel pentablock polymers comprising PGA-PCL-PEG-PCL-PGA or PEG-PCL-PLA-PCL-PEG, wherein PEG is polyethylene glycol, PCL is poly(?-caprolactone), PGA is poly(glycolic acid), and PLA is poly(lactic acid).

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a method for making silver nanoparticles, and includes steps of reacting a silver salt with a phosphene amino acid to make silver nanoparticles. Exemplary phosphene amino acids include trimers, with a particular example being a trimeric amino acid conjugate containing one phosphene group. In an exemplary method of the invention, the silver nanoparticles may be produced in timer periods of less than about 30 minutes, and at temperatures of less than about 40° C. Other methods of the invention are directed to methods for stabilizing silver nanoparticles.