Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of preparing silicon carbon nanocrystals (SiC-NCs) in a size-dependent manner by reacting a compound of the Formula I: R1Si(X1)3, with a compound of the Formula II Si(X2)4(II) under conditions for the hydrolysis and condensation of the compound of the Formula I and the compound of the Formula II to form a siloxane polymer comprising repeating units of the Formula III: —[(R1SiO1.5)x(SiO2)y]—, followed by thermal processing of the siloxane polymer under conditions to form SiC-NC's. Optionally the SiC-NC's are liberated to provide free standing SiC-NC's.

Abstract: An on-chip packed reactor bed design is disclosed that allows for an effective exchange of packing materials such as beads at a miniaturized level. Also disclosed is a method of treating a sample within a microfluidic analysis system, comprising; providing a main channel having a trapping zone; providing a slurry of a reagent treated packing material; inducing a flow of said packing material into said trapping zone through a flow channel connected to said trapping zone to load said trapping zone and form a packed bed of said packing material; and flowing a sample containing analytes through said packed bed, said reagent treating the sample. The present invention extends the function of microfluidic analysis systems to new applications including on-chip solid phase extraction (SPE) and on-chip capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The design can be further extended to include integrated packed bed immuno- or enzyme reactors.

Abstract: Two hybrid message decoders for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes are proposed. One decoder uses a posteriori probability ratio (APPR) and a posteriori probability difference (APPD), and the other decoder uses a logarithm a posteriori probability ratio (LAPPR) and a logarithm a posteriori probability difference (LAPPD) as hybrid message. Since the variable node and check node processing can be readily done using APPR and APPD, respectively, the proposed decoders have lower complexity than the conventional decoder that uses LAPPR only as a message.

Abstract: There is described a pixel sensor converter for an image sensor array. In particular, a pixel sensor converter comprising: a delta-sigma converter comprising a modulator and a decimator. In some examples, the modulator is configured to be in communication with a detector, such as a photo-detector, and is configured to sample an analogue signal received from a detector at a particular sampling rate. The modulator is further configured to provide a bit stream of a particular bit rate. The provided bit stream corresponds to a sampled analogue signal. The decimator is in communication with the modulator, and is configured to receive and modify a bit stream provided from the modulator in order to provide a digital output signal. The provided digital output signal is representative of an analogue signal received at the modulator, but having a reduced bit rate than a corresponding bit stream provided by the modulator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions for ameliorating the symptoms of celiac disease or gluten sensitive enteropathy comprising egg yolk antibodies against gluten, including gliadin, high molecular glutenin, low molecular glutenin and mixtures of the three peptides. The antibodies may be produced by immunizing laying hens with immunogenic preparations of gluten and harvesting the eggs and egg yolks.

Abstract: The present invention provides new ?-phenylethylidenehydrazine derivatives, processes for preparing them and their use as pharmaceutical compostions.

Abstract: An on-chip packed reactor bed design is disclosed that allows for an effective exchange of packing materials such as beads at a miniaturized level. Also disclosed is a method of treating a sample within a microfluidic analysis system, comprising; providing a main channel having a trapping zone; providing a slurry of a reagent treated packing material; inducing a flow of said packing material into said trapping zone through a flow channel connected to said trapping zone to load said trapping zone and form a packed bed of said packing material; and flowing a sample containing analytes through said packed bed, said reagent treating the sample. The present invention extends the function of microfluidic analysis systems to new applications including on-chip solid phase extraction (SPE) and on-chip capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The design can be further extended to include integrated packed bed immuno- or enzyme reactors.

Abstract: Compositions, food products or beverages for ameliorating the symptoms of celiac disease or gluten sensitive enteropathy comprising egg yolk antibodies against gluten, including gliadin, high molecular glutenin, low molecular glutenin and mixtures of the peptides. The antibodies may be produced by immunizing egg laying fowl with immunogenic preparations of gluten and harvesting the eggs and egg yolks.

Abstract: A humidity sensor comprising an insulating substrate, a moisture-sensitive layer, and at least a detection electrode contacting the moisture-sensitive layer, wherein the moisture-sensitive layer is a porous, photocatalytic metal oxide.

Abstract: Small airway deposition of orientable drug particles in the lung due to interception is increased through alignment of these particles with an externally applied force such as a magnetic field. Drug particles in one embodiment are made magnetically responsive by loading them with magnetic nanoparticles. Elongated particles have a natural tendency to align parallel to the direction of flow through an airway, and therefore also parallel to airway walls; accordingly, alignment with a magnetic field to any other orientation increases interception, with a maximum increase for alignment perpendicular to airway walls. By positioning a magnetic field across a specific site within the lung, for example in the area of a tumor, the increase in deposition by interception allows localized targeting of inhaled drug particles to that area.

Abstract: Transgenic plants containing recombinant barley alanine aminotransferase are described. Also provided are methods for generating transgenic plants containing recombinant barley alanine aminotransferase.

Abstract: Embodiments of crystalline, titanium silicate molecular sieves are described having a formula representing mole ratios of oxides of n M1O:TiO2:y SiO2:zH2O:wX where Mi refers to a metal cation or mixture of metal cations; n is from about 1 to about 2; y is from about 1 to about 10; z is from 0 to about 100; X is a halide anion other than fluorine, or combination of halide anions that excludes fluorine; and w is greater than 0. The pore size of the sieves can be adjusted by ion exchanging Mi cations with a suitable amount of another species. Embodiments of the invention are useful for various adsorptive fluid separation processes, including pressure swing adsorption processes. For example, disclosed embodiments are useful for separating methane from air.

Abstract: Described herein are protein based foams and methods for making the same. The foams are derived from proteins that have been hydrolysed and chemically modified such that a foam produced from the protein has improved physical properties (e.g., reduced surface tension, increased foamability and foam stability). The protein is recovered from the animal rendering process as a component of an animal by-product (e.g., bloodmeal, bonemeal or meat).

Abstract: An architecture and a method are provided for decoding codewords for codes such as low density parity check (LDPC) codes. An iterative decoding algorithm such as the Belief Propagation Algorithm (BPA) is employed that attempts to correct errors in an input block of symbols via a structure containing two sets of nodes through node processing and the passing of messages between nodes. Message passing and node processing is performed in a digit-serial manner instead of a bit-parallel manner.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of preparing silicon carbon nanocrystals (SiC-NCs) in a size-dependent manner by reacting a compound of the Formula I: R1Si(X1)3, with a compound of the Formula II Si(X2)4(II) under conditions for the hydrolysis and condensation of the compound of the Formula I and the compound of the Formula II to form a siloxane polymer comprising repeating units of the Formula III: —[(R1SiO1.5)x(SiO2)y]—, followed by thermal processing of the siloxane polymer under conditions to form SiC-NC's. Optionally the SiC-NC's are liberated to provide free standing SiC-NC's.

Abstract: Novel aromatic ether-containing monomers are described along with processes for their preparation and their polymerization into corresponding aromatic ether-containing polyfluorenes. These polyfluorenes exhibited stable blue-emission and therefore have application in polymer light-emitting devices.

Abstract: The present invention provides an isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding a non-oligomerizing Clavularia teal fluorescent protein (mTFP) variant having a tyrosine-derived chromophore, as well as fragments and derivatives thereof. Also provided is a method for engineering the nucleic acid sequence, a vector comprising the nucleic acid sequence, a host cell comprising the vector, and use of the vector in a method for expressing the nucleic acid sequence. The present invention further provides an isolated nucleic acid, or mimetic or complement thereof, that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleic acid sequence. Additionally, the present invention provides a non-oligomerizing mTFP variant encoded by the nucleic acid sequence, as well as derivatives, fragments, and homologues thereof. Also provided is an antibody that specifically binds to the mTFP variant. The present invention further provides a tandem dimer comprising two mTFP dimers, operatively linked by a peptide linker.

Abstract: Transgenic plants containing recombinant barley alanine aminotransferase are described. Also provided are methods for generating transgenic plants containing recombinant barley alanine aminotransferase.

Abstract: Visible and infrared light sources on silicon that have several attractive properties with respect to integrated optics. First, the devices are operational at room temperature and strictly require no thermal processing in their synthesis (although low temperature annealing can be used to form Ohmic contacts). These devices could therefore be included at any stage of chip fabrication. The special ease of synthesis of these silicon LEDs enables simple fabrication of surface structures such as patterned emitters and photonic crystal surfaces that enhance light emission in the forward direction. The LEDs are color-switchable—by reversing the current one can switch from infrared emission to visible emission. The lifetime of the luminescence is much shorter than the standard carrier recombination time in silicon, suggesting direct modulation of the emitted light.

Abstract: A method of forming a waveguide, the method comprising the steps of: forming a multilayer stack of light guiding layers; and delaminating the multilayer stack between at least two of the light guiding layers to form a waveguide between the light guiding layers; in which the patterned region has converging sides and the waveguide is tapered, the multilayer stack having increased transmissivity at a region corresponding to a selected thickness of the waveguide. A tapered waveguide is also disclosed, comprising: a multilayer stack of light guiding layers; the multilayer stack defining a channel between at least a first waveguiding layer and a second waveguiding layer; the channel having a diminishing thickness in a first direction; and at least one of the first waveguiding layer and the second waveguiding layer having a region of increased transmissivity adjacent a selected thickness of the core. Methods for the use of the tapered waveguide as an optical coupler or spectrometer are also disclosed.