Abstract: Thermoplastic polymer nanoclay nanocomposite fiber has silicate layers axially aligned through the fiber and enhanced crystallinity and average diameter ranging from 50 nm to 5 ?m is produced by solution electrospinning or melt electrospinning where polarity and electric field in the spinning zone are provided so as to potentiate the axial alignment and solidification of polymer is controlled to potentiate increase in crystallinity.

Abstract: Novel synthetic Arg-Gly-Asp containing peptides which have high affinity and specificity for their receptors by virtue of restrictions on their stereochemical conformation. Such restrictions can be provided by cyclization, by inclusion into a constraining conformational structure such as a helix, by providing an additional chemical structure such as an amide or an enantiomer of a naturally occurring amino acid, or by other methods. In particular, there are provided cyclic peptides having increased affinity and selectivity for the certain receptors over that of linear, Arg-Gly-Asp-containing synthetic peptides.

Abstract: The preparation of novel microemulsions to be used as precursors for solid nanoparticles is described. The microemulsion precursors consist of either alcohol-in-fluorocarbon microemulsions, liquid hydrocarbon-in-fluorocarbon microemulsions, or liquid hydrocarbon-in-water microemulsions. The formed solid nanoparticles have diameters below 200 nanometers and can be made to entrap various materials including drugs, magnets, and sensors. The solid nanoparticles can be made to target different cells in the body by the inclusion of a cell-specific targeting ligand. Methods of preparing the novel microemulsion precursors and methods to cure solid nanoparticles are provided.

Abstract: Methods for altering levels in plants of one or more phenolic compounds that are intermediates or final products of the plant phenylpropanoid pathway are provided. One method comprises transforming a plant cell with an expression construct comprising a nucleic acid which encodes a transactivator protein comprising the myb domain of the maize “ZmMyb-IF35” protein and an activation domain. Another method comprises transforming a plant cell with an expression construct comprising a transgene which encodes an antisense ZmMyb-IF35 RNA. The present invention also relates to expression constructs and vectors used in the present methods. transformed plant cells and transgenic plants prepared according to the present methods, and the seeds of such transgenic plants.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are sweet proteins that are variants of Brazzein, and nucleotide sequences capable of expressing them. Through a replacement of a particular amino acid in the naturally occurring Brazzein sequence with Lys or Asn, the taste profile and sweetness strength are improved.

Abstract: Transacylase enzymes and the use of such enzymes to produce paclitaxel, related taxoids, as well as intermediates in the paclitaxel biosynthetic pathway are disclosed. Also disclosed are nucleic acid sequences encoding the transacylase enzymes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device, a method, and a machine readable storage for managing a material substance program. The device can include a portable computing device having mobile telephony capabilities and a portable computing device having mobile telephony capabilities; and a wireless identification device communicably coupled to the portable computing device for identifying materials. The method for managing a material substance program can include scanning a material source to identify a material identifier, sending the material identifier to a proxy server, receiving material information from the proxy server, and displaying material information on a portable computing device having mobile telephony capabilities.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved systems and processes for performing sequential batch anaerobic composting (SEBAC) on high solids content wastes. In particular, the present invention provides improved flooded SEBAC systems that function more efficiently (i.e., higher conversion kinetics) at lower temperatures than conventional SEBAC systems. Further, the improved flooded SEBAC systems and processes of the subject invention enable efficient anaerobic digestion operation at a smaller reactor volume ratio as compared to conventional SEBAC systems, without the displacement of leachate and clogging as a result of entrapped biogas or an increased pressure drop (hydraulic). Further, the improved flooded SEBAC systems of the invention overcome concerns associated with leachate displacement as well as excessive pressure drops.

Abstract: An architecture is disclosed for assistance with exploration of design and other decision spaces and for making decisions. These decision spaces may be very large. The architecture consists of three main components: A Seeker acquires candidates by generating or retrieving them, along with their scores according to one or more criteria. A Filter locates a relatively small number of promising candidates that are retained for further analysis. Various filters may be used to locate the promising candidates. A Viewer allows a user to examine trade-off diagrams, and other linked displays, that present the filtered candidates for evaluation, analysis, further exploration, and narrowing the choice set. The computational load of the Seeker may be distributed among a large number of clients in a client-server computing environment.

Abstract: The present invention provides purified and isolated polynucleotides encoding Type I ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) and analogs of the RIPs having a cysteine available for disulfide bonding to targeting molecules. Vectors comprising the polynucleotides and host cells transformed with the vectors are also provided. The RIPs and RIP analogs are particularly suited for use as components of cytotoxic therapeutic agents of the invention which include gene fusion products and immunoconjugates. Cytotoxic therapeutic agents or immunotoxins according to the present invention may be used to selectively eliminate any cell type to which the RIP component is targeted by the specific binding capacity of the second component of the agent, and are suited for treatment of diseases where the elimination of a particular cell type is a goal, such as autoimmune disease, cancer and graft-versus-host disease.

Abstract: Fluorescent energy transfer dyes capable of moving between a more stacked configuration to exhibit fluorescent quenching and a more spaced configuration to exhibit fluorescence can be conjugated to a peptide epitope or nucleic acid for use in the detection of an unknown antibody in bulk solution. The resulting labeled peptide reagent can be used in an immunoassay procedure by placing it in bulk solution along with the unknown antibody to be detected. When the antibody binds to the peptide epitope, the pair of dyes carried by the peptide epitope will have their configuration altered from a stacked to an unstacked configuration and will exhibit a fluorescent increase in response thereto.

Abstract: A method of welding metal components together including moving a laser beam in a first direction along an interface between a pair of metal components such that in the vicinity of the focused beam, metal from each component is vaporized to produce a keyhole in a pool of molten metal. The laser beam is oscillated in a direction different from (e.g., transverse to) the first direction such that the keyhole oscillates through the pool of molten metal and molten metal fills into the keyhole as the position of the keyhole changes.

Abstract: Genetic and biochemical characterization of the leinamycin biosynthesis gene cluster from Streptomyces atroolivaceus S-140 revealed two PKS genes, lnmI and lnmJ, that encode six PKS modules, none of which contains a cognate AT domain. The AT activity is provided in trans by a discrete protein, LnmG, which loads the malonyl coenzyme A extender unit onto the ACP domains of all six PKS modules. This finding provides a basis for methods of engineering modular polyketide synthases and polyketide synthase/nonribosomal peptide synthetases.

Abstract: A compound and method for producing an enantiomerically enriched epoxide from an olefin using a chiral ketone and an oxidizing agent is disclosed.

Abstract: Recombinant watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) hydroperoxide lyase protein, DNA sequences encoding the protein, vectors containing the DNA sequences and hosts containing the vectors are provided, together with methods for recombinantly producing watermelon hydroperoxide lyase, DNA sequences, vectors and hosts.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for accurately calculating the spatial-temporal effects of a variety of environmental conditions on animal individual, population and community dynamics, given the animal's temperature-dependent behaviors, morphology and physiology, by running integrated microclimate and animal models to calculate the discretionary energy and water available to the animal and its activity time. The methodology requires relatively few, easily measured data to perform the calculations. The microclimate model translates a set of climate and other environmental conditions into a set of microclimate conditions experienced by an animal, given a set of the animal's characteristics. The animal model uses the microclimate conditions data and the set of animal characteristics data to solve for several animal conditions. Further calculations and several display options are available to a user, including spatial-temporal analyses.

Abstract: Ligands which bind to the HER2, HER3 and/or HER4 receptors are useful as normal epithelial cell growth factors.

Abstract: Vaccinium ashei Reade ‘Ochlockonee’ is a Rabbiteye blueberry is distinguished by distinguished by its late bloom period, high and consistent productivity, large berry size, moderate chill requirement, late ripening, small berry scar, and high-quality fruit suitable for mechanical harvesting for the fresh market. The fruit of the plant is primarily used as fresh fruit for shipping, but is also suitable for customer-pick and processing markets.

Abstract: A new and distinct variety of sweet cherry tree, Prunus avium, originating as a hybrid seedling of the cross: ‘Starks Gold’ (unpatented)בStella’ (unpatented). This new variety is unique from its parents and other sweet cherries varieties because it is late blooming, dark skinned, dark fleshed, and is self-fertile.