Abstract: A step detecting apparatus and method in a personal navigator where acceleration signals in at least two directions are acquired from an accelerometer sensor, as a pedestrian moves. Variances of the acceleration signals are calculated and summed. The variance sum is compared with a threshold. If the variance sum is greater than the threshold, it is determined that a detected step is a walking step. If the variance sum is less than the threshold, it is determined that the detected step is a mark-time step.

Abstract: A soybean cultivar designated HFPR-5 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar HFPR-5, to the plants of soybean HFPR-5, to plant parts of soybean cultivar HFPR-5 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar HFPR-5 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from soybean variety HFPR-5, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar HFPR-5 and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar HFPR-5 with another soybean cultivar.

Abstract: A human urocortin-related peptide with significant sequence homology to the CRF neuropeptide family was identified. A mouse CDNA was isolated from whole brain poly (A+) RNA that encodes a predicted 38 amino acid peptide protein designated herein as urocortin II. Both human URP and mouse Ucn II are structurally related to the other known mammalian family members, CRF and urocortin (Ucn). These peptides are involved in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis under basal and stress conditions, suggesting a similar role for URP and Ucn IL Synthesized Ucn-II and URP peptide binds with higher affinity to CRF-R2 than to CRF-R1 Ucn II and human URP appear to be involved in the regulation of body temperature and appetite and may play a role in other stress related phenomenon. These findings identify Ucn II and human URP as a new members of the CRF family of neuropeptides, which are expressed centrally and bind to CRF-R2.

Abstract: A drug delivery system comprising a contact lens having dispersed therein as nanoparticles having a particle size less than about 50 nm, an ophthalmic drug nanoencapsulated in a material from which said ophthalmic drug is capable of diffusion into and migration through said contact lens and into the post-lens tear film when said contact lens is placed on the eye.

Abstract: An ultrahigh-pressure dual on-line solid phase extraction/capillary reverse-phase liquid chromatography (DO-SPE/cRPLC) system is provided.

Abstract: Plasmids useful for treating ischemic disease, such as ischemic heart disease, are described. The plasmids express vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) under the control of a promoter (RTP801) that is up-regulated under hypoxic conditions. Pharmaceutical compositions for treating ischemic disease include mixtures of the hypoxia-regulated VEGF plasmids and pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. Methods for treating ischemic disease include administering such pharmaceutical compositions to a person in need of such treatment.

Abstract: Provided are a piezoelectric material without using lead or an alkali metal, the piezoelectric material having a stable crystal structure in a wide temperature range, high insulation property, and high piezoelectric property, and a piezoelectric element using the piezoelectric material, in which the piezoelectric material is made of a metal oxide having a tetragonal crystal structure and expressed by Ba(SixGeyTiz)O3 (here, 0?x?1, 0?y?1, and 0?z?0.5), the piezoelectric element includes the piezoelectric material and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the piezoelectric material, and at least one of the pair of electrodes is made of SrRuO3 or Ni.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for adaptively estimating the specific differential phase (Kdp) from dual-polarization radar data in the complex domain. Some embodiments adapt for wrapped differential propagation phases by estimating the specific differential phase in the complex domain. Some embodiments adapt for measurement fluctuations and/or spatial scale in making such estimations. Some embodiments also provide for determining the presence of storms cells using the dispersion of the differential propagation phase shift over a subset of bins.

Abstract: The invention provides a rapid, quantitative assay to directly assess the impact of a diverse range of sugars upon the sugar-mediated uptake of corresponding sugar-conjugates into various cell types.

Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a transmission line geometry or structure may readily be realized as periodic printed coupled/uncoupled microstrip lines on dielectric and/or suitable biased ferromagnetic substrates. An example of a transmission line geometry or structure may be adapted to emulate extraordinary propagation modes within bulk periodic assemblies of anisotropic dielectric and magnetic materials. For instance, wave propagation in anisotropic media may be emulated by using a pair of coupled transmission lines (30, 32) having a specially designed geometry, thereby enabling mold wave dispersion in a microwave or optical guided wave structure. Degenerate band edge resonances, frozen modes, other extraordinary modes, and other unique electromagnetic properties such as negative refraction index may be realized using unique geometrical arrangements that may, for example, be easily manufactured using contemporary RF or photonics/solid state technology.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to crystalline organic polymer nanoparticles comprising a conductive organic polymer; wherein the crystalline organic polymer nanoparticles have a size of from 10 nm to 200 nm and exhibits two current-voltage states: (1) a high resistance current-voltage state, and (2) a low resistance current-voltage state, wherein when a first positive threshold voltage (Vth1) or higher positive voltage, or a second negative threshold voltage (Vth2) or higher negative voltage is applied to the nanoparticle, the nanoparticle exhibits the low-resistance current-voltage state, and when a voltage less positive than the first positive threshold voltage or a voltage less negative than the second negative threshold voltage is applied to the nanoparticle, the nanoparticle exhibits the high-resistance current-voltage state. The present invention is also directed methods of manufacturing the nanoparticles using novel interfacial oxidative polymerization techniques.

Abstract: Methods and systems for solar energy converter with increased photovoltaic and thermal conversion efficiencies including a collection optics for receiving and concentrating incident sunlight, or radiation from any other directed electromagnetic energy source, an optical filtering unit for separating and redirecting infrared light and ultraviolet light from incoming solar light, a thermal distribution unit redirecting heat from the optical filtering unit into a thermal-loop, and a photovoltaic for receiving the filtered light from the filtering system and converting the light into energy.

Abstract: Increasing competition for fossil fuels, and the need to avoid release carbon dioxide from combustion of these fuels requires development of new and sustainable approaches for energy production and carbon capture. Biological processes for producing methane gas and capturing carbon from carbon dioxide are provided according to embodiments of the present invention which include providing an electromethanogenic reactor having an anode, a cathode and a plurality of methanogenic microorganisms disposed on the cathode. Electrons and carbon dioxide are provided to the plurality of methanogenic microorganisms disposed on the cathode. The methanogenic microorganisms reduce the carbon dioxide to produce methane gas, even in the absence of hydrogen and/or organic carbon sources.

Abstract: The invention relates to particular ubiquitination epitopes, antibodies that specifically recognize and bind to ubiquitinated proteins and peptides (particularly after the ubiquitin is removed by proteolytic cleavage) and to methods of using these epitopes and antibodies.

Abstract: A device for manipulating an object present in a fluid by electrokinetics is disclosed. The device comprises a substrate forming a flow chamber. The device further comprises a plurality of electrically biasable electrode structures and at least one electrically floating electrode structure.

Abstract: Methods of treating or preventing a disease or disorder in a subject are provided by the present invention which include administering a composition including a therapeutically effective amount of a protein kinase C (PKC) zeta inhibitor. A disease or disorder treated or prevented by administration of a PKC zeta inhibitor is characterized by abnormal vascular permeability. Diseases or disorders treated or prevented by administration of a composition including a therapeutically effective amount of a PKC zeta inhibitor include cancer, an ischemic condition and microvascular complications of a systemic or local condition in the subject, such as diabetes and/or diabetic macular edema. Additionally, methods of inhibiting PKC zeta are provided which include incubating PKC zeta in vivo, in vitro and/or in silico with a PKC zeta inhibitor.

Abstract: This application discloses methods for treating or preventing an ophthalmic retinal vascular permeability, angiogenic or fibroproliferative disease, disorder or condition that involve administering to a patient in need thereof a composition that can inhibit mast cell migration into the vitreous or the retina, mast cell proliferation in the vitreous or the retina, or mast cell secretion into the vitreous or the retina.

Abstract: A neural probe and method of fabricating same are provided. The probe comprises a plurality of frames connected to each other and to a substrate by respective bimorphs. A probe base is connected by another bimorph to the frames. A probe tip extends from the probe base. The probe can achieve a large vertical motion and out-of-plane curling. The probe can operate according to three modes. The first mode pertains to a large-signal motion for tuning in single-unit neuronal activity. The second pertains to a small-signal motion with lock-in amplifier that increases SNR. The third pertains to burst small-signal motion for clearing tissue responses. Fabrication of a neural probe begins with a processed CMOS chip. Post-CMOS processing incorporates self-aligned selective nickel plating and sacrifices two aluminum layers. The fabrication technique produces a neural probe in which the sensing elements are in close proximity to CMOS circuitry.

Abstract: Composite combustion catalyst particles are described and disclosed. A metal core of a combustible metal can be coated with a metal oxide coating. Additionally, a catalyst coating can at least partially surround the metal oxide coating to form a composite catalyst particle. The composite catalyst particles can be dispersed in a variety of fuels such as propulsion fuels and the like to form an enhanced fuel. During initial stages of combustion, the catalyst coating acts to increase combustion of the fuel. As combustion proceeds, the metal core heats sufficiently to disturb the metal oxide coating. The metal core then combusts in highly exothermic reactions with an oxidizer and the catalyst coating to provide improved energy densities to the enhanced fuel.

Abstract: A fault-tolerant timeout protocol for distributed sensor arrays and networks in which each sensor has a plurality of backup nodes, each of which is operable to send priority information which includes the product of the time needed for the backup node to transmit sensor information to a base station and the number of tasks offered to the backup node. In another embodiment, the base station stores the two values and calculates their product. In both cases, the lowest resulting value is used by the base station to select the backup node, which then sends backup sensor information. Another aspect of the present invention is a fault-tolerant sensor integration algorithm. The algorithm creates an abstract sensor defined as an interval having values above and below the reading of an associated physical sensor, and finds a range of values common to more than half of the abstract sensors.