Abstract: Disclosed herein are hollow microneedles and a fabrication method thereof. The microneedles are small in diameter and are long and hard enough to pass through the stratum corneum. Therefore, the hollow microneedle of the present invention can be used in blood sampling or drug injection through the skin.

Abstract: Anti CMV antibodies are provided. Thus an antibody of the present invention comprises an antigen recognition domain capable of binding an MHC molecule being complexed with a cytomegalovirus (CMV) pp65 or pp64 peptide, wherein the antibody does not bind said MHC molecule in an absence of said complexed peptide, and wherein the antibody does not bind said peptide in an absence of said MHC molecule. Also provided are methods of using the antibodies.

Abstract: Diagnostic tools for serodiagnosing ehrlichiosis in mammals, particularly in members of the Canidae family and in humans are provided. The diagnostic tools are a group of outer membrane proteins of E. chaffeensis and variants thereof, referred to hereinafter as the “OMP proteins”, a group of outer membrane proteins of E. canis and variants thereof referred to hereinafter as the “P30F proteins”, and antibodies to the ONP proteins and the P30F proteins. The OMP proteins of E. chaffeensis encompass OMP-1, OMP-1A, OMP1-B, OMP-1C, OMP1-D, OMP1-E, OMP1-F, OMP1-H, OMP-1R, OMP-1S, OMP-1T, OMP-1U, OMP-1V, OMP-1W, OMP-1X, OMP-1Y and OMP-1Z. The P30F proteins of E. canis encompass P30, P30a, P30-1, P30-2, P30-3; P30-4, P30-5, P30-6, P30-7, P30-8, P30-9, P30-10, P30-11, and P30-12. Isolated polynucleotides that encode the E. chaffeensis OMP proteins and isolated polynucleotides that encode the E. canis P30F protein are also provided.

Abstract: A gas permeable, carbon based, nanocomposite membrane comprises a nanoporous carbon matrix comprising a pyrolyzed polymer, and a plurality of nanoparticles of carbon or an inorganic compound disposed in the matrix. The matrix is prepared by pyrolyzing a polymer, and nanoparticles of the particulate material are disposed in the polymer prior to pyrolysis. The particles may be disposed in a precursor of the polymer, which precursor is subsequently polymerized, or in the polymer itself.

Abstract: A vacuum chamber with an innovative wall structure. Instead of a conventional homogenous wall structure, the invention uses an array of internally-pressurized, thin-walled cells to contain an enclosed volume. The walls are arranged so that when a vacuum is present in the enclosed volume, the cell walls are placed primarily in tension. In this way the likelihood of buckling instability is substantially reduced. The result is a much lighter vessel compared to a conventional homogenous wall vessel of similar strength.

Abstract: A bone or dental implant material in the form of a paste includes a mixture of calcium phosphate and/or calcium-containing powders, liquid glycerol, organic acid and gelling agent. The paste is stable, resistant to washout and will harden upon exposure to water. Physical characteristics of the paste, including consistency, porosity, and hardening time, are controlled by the choice and ratio of constituents.

Abstract: This document provides methods and materials related to assessing brain conditions within mammals. For example, methods and materials that can be used to determine whether or not a mammal (e.g., a human) with a brain aneurysm is likely to experience brain aneurysm rupture are provided.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system for identifying a running speed of an integrated circuit is provided. An asynchronous multi-rail circuit is configured to receive input data and transmit output data. A completion detection circuit is configured to generate a completion detection signal for the asynchronous multi-rail circuit. A variable clock generator configured to be driven by at least the completion detection signal. A synchronous circuit element configured to receive at least a portion of the output data and configured to be clock driven by a clock signal from the variable clock generator. A period of the clock signal represents a running speed of the asynchronous circuit.

Abstract: Systems and processes for producing hydrogen using bacteria are described. One detailed process for producing hydrogen uses a system for producing hydrogen as described herein, the system including a reactor. Anodophilic bacteria are disposed within the interior of the reactor and an organic material oxidizable by an oxidizing activity of the anodophilic bacteria is introduced and incubated under oxidizing reactions conditions such that electrons are produced and transferred to the anode. A power source is activated to increase a potential between the anode and the cathode, such that electrons and protons combine to produce hydrogen gas. In one system for producing hydrogen is provided which includes a reaction chamber having a wall defining an interior of the reactor and an exterior of the reaction chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed are a nano fiber reinforced composite and a method of manufacturing the same. A spinning dope (nano fiber forming spinning dope) having a viscosity capable of fiber formation upon electrospinning and a spinning dope (spinning dope for matrix) having a viscosity incapable of fiber formation upon electrospinning are electrically spun onto the same collector with a high voltage applied thereto through different nozzles of the same nozzle block with a high voltage applied thereto. In the nano fiber reinforced composite, nano fibers are uniformly arranged between matrix components with no fibers formed therein, the nano fibers being arranged at an orientation angle of 90° or less relative to the longitudinal axis of the composite material.

Abstract: A method for generating driver assistance information of a traveling vehicle. The method can restructure traveling environments into an image based on a sensor system capable of removing blind spots around a traveling vehicle, and a scheme capable of exactly detecting a lane and a vehicle, and give a collision warning when there is a possibility of collision. Further, the method integrates recognition results of front/rear vehicles based on a lane recognition method applicable to various road environments, including the shape, curvature and loss of a lane, improves the stability of lane recognition, and distinguishes a solid line from a dot line, so it is possible to provide a driver with the subdivided degrees of danger. In addition, when a vehicle deviates from a lane, a voice warning may be output and the position of the vehicle for a road is restructured as an image.

Abstract: The present invention provides compounds of formulae (I), (II), and (III), which can be block copolymers with various substituents and side-chain groups. The side-chains can include semifluorinated alkyl- and PEG-derived groups. The block copolymers can be surface active block copolymers (SABCs) and can be used as antifouling coatings. Coating compositions employing the compounds of the invention and methods for their use are also provided.

Abstract: A composition which includes polymethylmethacrylate and an organoclay functionalized with an intercalation agent, wherein said intercalation agent is a reaction product of a polyamine and an alkyl halide in a polar solvent, preferably a di-methyl, di-tallow ammonium functionalized montmorillonite clay.

Abstract: Methods for the prevention and/or alleviation of androgen-mediated disorders treatable by administering a chroman-derived anti-androgen compound are provided by the present invention. The invention further provides pharmaceutical and nutraceutical compositions containing chroman-derived anti-androgen compounds useful in the prevention and/or alleviation of androgen-mediated disorders, particularly prostate cancer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an electronic device comprises providing a substrate (501), direct writing a functional material by a thermal spray on the substrate (502) and removing a portion of the function material to form the electronic or sensory device (503).

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for in silico or bioinformatic modeling of cellular metabolism. The invention includes methods and systems for modeling cellular metabolism of an organism, comprising constructing a flux balance analysis model, and applying constraints to the flux balance analysis model, the constraints selected from the set consisting of: qualitative kinetic information constraints, qualitative regulatory information constraints, and differential DNA microarray experimental data constraints. In addition, the present invention provides for computational procedures for solving metabolic problems.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for improving the performance of a nuclear quadrupole resonance detection system by reducing, during reception, the coupling between one or more excitation coils that provide a radio frequency magnetic field that excites quadrupole nuclei, and one or more high temperature superconductor receive coils that detect the resulting nuclear quadrupole resonance signal.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to various methods for detecting DNA sequence differences, including single nucleotide mutations or polymorphisms, one or more nucleotide insertions, and one or more nucleotide deletions. Labeled heteroduplex PCR fragments containing base mismatches are prepared. Endonuclease cleaves the heteroduplex PCR fragments both at the position containing the variation (one or more mismatched bases) and, to a lesser extent, at non-variant (perfectly matched) positions. Ligation of the cleavage products with a DNA ligase corrects non-variant cleavages and thus substantially reduces background. This is then followed by a detection step in which the reaction products are detected, and the position of the sequence variations are determined.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for making magnetically modified electrodes and electrodes made according to the method. Such electrode are useful as electrodes in batteries, such as Ni-MH batteries, Ni—Cd batteries, Ni—Zn batteries and Ni—Fe batteries.