Abstract: A sorbent polymer is provided that interacts or reacts with aqueous urea to aid the regeneration of a dialysate liquid. The sorbent polymer may include one or more specific functional groups bonded thereto. Such specific functional groups are selected from carboxylic acids, carboxylic acid esters, carboxylates, amides, dicarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acid esters, and dicer boxylates to produce the desired urea sorbent.

Abstract: Disclosed is a composition comprising MZ for use as a dietary supplement or food additive for oral consumption for improving the visual performance of a human subject.

Abstract: The performance of a radio frequency identification (RFID) system is improved by a protocol that eliminates collisions between signals generated by a) RFID tags that the RFID reader has already identified as being in its interrogation zone and b) RFID tags that are newly arrived and thus that the reader has not yet identified. This is illustratively accomplished by the use of separate identification and access frames. It is during the identification frame that newly arrived tags become identified by the reader. Although there may be collisions during the identification frame, those collisions are only among newly arrived tags. The already-identified tags communicate with the reader during respective time slots of the access frame, so that they neither collide with each other nor with the newly arrived tags.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of affecting physiological disorders by stimulating a specific location along the sympathetic nerve chain. Preferably, the present invention provides a method of affecting a variety of physiological disorders or pathological conditions by placing an electrode adjacent to or in communication with at least one ganglion along the sympathetic nerve chain and stimulating the at least one ganglion until the physiological disorder or pathological condition has been affected.

Abstract: Cytotoxic variants of human ribonuclease 1 (RNase 1) identified through analysis of the interaction between RNase 1 and the human ribonuclease inhibitor (hRI) as defined by the three dimensional (3-D) atomic structure of the RNase1 hRI complex are disclosed. Also disclosed is the 3-D structure of the hRI·RNase 1 complex and methods for designing the RNase 1 variants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detecting neuronal injury in a mammalian subject. The biomarker of this invention specifically increases in serum of the mammalian that has neuronal injuries. In addition, the biomarker of this invention permits to identify and predict neuronal injuries.

Abstract: Colchicine neoglycosides, method for their synthesis and methods for their use are disclosed. The invention provides analogs of colchicine glycosylated to include a sugar moiety on a colchicine scaffold that is generally unglycosylated in nature. The colchicine neoglycosides disclosed herein are shown to have cytotoxic effects equivalent to at least the known cytotoxins paclitaxel and doxorubicin. Further, the neoglycosides disclosed according to the invention have physiologic effects not previously recognized in the alkaloid family that includes colchicine but recognized in other cytotoxic drug families such as the taxanes which act by stabilizing tubulin formation.

Abstract: A biochip including a metal nanoparticle layer on a multilayer substrate can perform qualitative and quantitative analyses simply without a separate tag. A biochip including a metal nanoparticle layer on a multilayer substrate and using a CMOS image sensor can be an economically beneficial biochip reusable and convenient in use by employing a relatively simple detection method without a need of using a separate tag.

Abstract: A process for generating enhanced resolution images of fibrous tissue within a portion of a body being sampled, including accessing source data representing a distribution of the tissue orientations for a plurality of discrete sample imaging elements defined within the portion based on a first imaging resolution; generating, based on the source data, streamline data representing a plurality of fibre tracks, each representing an estimated path of fibres in the tissue within the portion; generating an output matrix for a plurality of discrete output imaging elements within the portion based on a second imaging resolution that provides higher imaging resolution than the first imaging resolution; generating, for each output imaging element, image data including intensity data based on a number of fibre tracks at a location corresponding to the output imaging element; and generating display data for a device to display an enhanced image generated based on the image data.

Abstract: A screening method for determining secondary structures of a protein or polypeptide without performing computer simulation, is provided. The screening method is based in part on the interaction between the electrostatic forces and the electrostatic displacement forces in the protein, and makes use of a set of computational conditional statements. The screening method includes determining both alpha helix and beta sheet structures based on hydrophobic character and charges of the residues, among other considerations. A method for determining an overall folded structure of a protein using a physics-based simulation method with an initial configuration of the protein prepared according to the secondary structure(s) determined by the screening method, is also provided.

Abstract: A relay method of a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention relates to a relay method of a wireless communication system in which at least one relay device communicates with a base station. The relay method comprises the steps of: each relay device setting information about a frequency band to be relayed, composing a control signal including the information about the set frequency band, and transmitting the control signal to at least one relay device; and receiving the control signal, extracting the information about the frequency band included in the control signal, amplifying the signal according to the information about the frequency band set in each relay device, and transmitting the amplified signal to at least one terminal.

Abstract: Interactive electronic book operating systems and methods for displaying and allowing customization of content of scientific, engineering and other technical and professional digital books. The display screen can include icons for forward and backward page turning, generating of dynamic indexing and tables of contents, bookmarking, color themes, floating pages, highlighting, adding sticky notes, hiding selected content on the pages, quizzing the reader, lecturing the reader, tutoring the reader, showing the reader additional designs and practical relevance, and allowing the instructor to generate uniform seed numbers for problems and designs and/or allowing the instructor to generate random seed values for problems and designs.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel methods of using 2?-methyl-19-nor-20(S)-1?,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 or 2-methylene-19-nor-20(S)-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 to prevent Type 1 diabetes in a subject at risk of developing Type 1 diabetes without causing hypercalcemia in the subject.

Abstract: An interface device for an emulator is disclosed. The interface device includes a connection unit, a transmission unit, and an interface unit. The connection unit receives data, to be used to emulate a logic, from a host computer, and transmits result data, output from the logic, to the host computer. The transmission unit receives the data from the connection unit and stores (writes) the data in the first area of a register array. If the result data is stored in the second area of the register array, the transmission unit reads the result data and transmits the result data to the connection unit. The interface unit includes at least one register array, outputs a clock, set using the data stored in the first area, to the logic, and stores the result data, output from the logic, in the second area.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting program plagiarism through memory access log analysis is provided. A data extractor extracts an access log of an original program and an access log of a target program to be compared with the original program from a memory accessed by the programs. A common string detector enumerates values, which are obtained from the access logs extracted from the original program and the target program, into strings and detects a common string that commonly exists in the strings. A discontinuity calculator calculates a discontinuity value that indicates a distance between the strings by using an array of the detected common strings. A plagiarism determining unit determines that the target program is plagiarized if the calculated discontinuity value is less than a predetermined reference value.

Abstract: A backlight unit, with a parallel configuration of plural lamps, having improved reliability is disclosed. The backlight unit driver includes: first and second lamps connected parallel to each other; a DC/AC inversion portion inverting a DC voltage into an AC voltage to apply the AC voltage to the lamps; a transformer transforming the AC voltage from the DC/AC inversion portion; a positive polarity AC signal compensator compensating an electric current difference between the first and second lamps using positive polarity AC signals from the first and second lamps; and a negative polarity AC signal compensator compensating the electric current difference between the first and second lamps using negative polarity AC signals from the first and second lamps.

Abstract: Methods for determining the amount of vitamin D compounds in a sample are provided. The methods can employ LC-MS/MS techniques and optionally the use of deuterated internal standards. Methods for diagnosing vitamin D deficiencies are also provided.

Abstract: A method of automatically grading beef quality by analyzing a digital image is provided. The method includes: an image acquiring step of acquiring a color image of beef using a CCD camera; a region separating step of separating a lean region from the acquired image; a boundary extracting step of extracting a boundary line of the lean region; a boundary smoothing step of smoothing the boundary line extracted in the boundary extracting step; a boundary correcting step of correcting an indented portion and a protruded portion included in the boundary line having been subjected to the boundary smoothing step; a grading region determining step of determining a grading region on the basis of the boundary line corrected in the boundary correcting step; and a grading step of grading the beef quality on the basis of the image of the grading region.

Abstract: Compositions useful for reconstitution of concentrated formulations containing protein/peptide pharmaceuticals are provided. The composition generally includes one or more lipids, as well as one or more alcohols that promote and stabilize the formation of (a) lipid molecular assemblies with greater protein encapsulation; (b) protein-lipid complexes and (c) protein and lipid solutions. The reconstitution medium improves the protein-lipid association that in turn alters the pharmaceutical properties.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a tooth, which comprises the steps of: positioning a first cell mass substantially comprising either one of amniotic mesenchymal cells or epithelial cells, and a second cell mass substantially comprising the other one in the inside of a support carrier while keeping them in close contact with each other without being mixed together; and culturing the first and second cell masses in the inside of the support carrier.