Abstract: A shifter circuit comprises a high and low voltage buffer stages and an output buffer stage. The high voltage buffer stage comprises multiple transistors arranged in a transistor stack having a plurality of intermediate nodes connecting individual transistors along the stack. The transistor stack is connected between a voltage level being shifted to and an input voltage. An inverter of this stage comprises multiple inputs and an output. Inverter inputs are connected to a respective intermediate node of the transistor stack. The low voltage buffer stage has an input connected to the input voltage and an output, and is operably connected to the high voltage buffer stage. The low voltage buffer stage is connected between a voltage level being shifted away from and a lower voltage. The output buffer stage is driven by the outputs of the high voltage buffer stage inverter and the low voltage buffer stage.

Abstract: An artificial neuron is formed from an input subcircuit, a capacitor free leaky integrator subcircuit, and an output switching subcircuit. The input subcircuit is configured to supply a pulsed input signal. The capacitor free leaky integrator subcircuit is configured to supply a parasitic capacitance and to utilize the parasitic capacitance to provide differing time constants for the rising and falling edges of an output signal produced in response to the pulsed input signal. The output switching subcircuit s configured to, upon receipt of a sufficient output signal from the capacitor free leaky integrator subcircuit, switch off the input subcircuit and to release a neuron firing signal.

Abstract: A shifter circuit comprises, in one embodiment, an input voltage divider stage comprising multiple transistors arranged in a transistor stack defining a plurality of intermediate nodes. The transistor stack is connected between an input signal and ground and has at least one output. An inverting buffer stage is connected to a supply voltage and coupled to the input voltage divider's output. The inverting buffer stage is configured to provide an inverted output signal. Means are provided for stepping up the inverted output signal, receiving a stepped up output signal and providing a level-shifted output signal at a voltage level lower than that of the input signal.

Abstract: Shifter circuits comprise a matched translation stack comprising at least first and second stacks each of which comprising multiple transistors. The matched translation stack is configured to provide a primary logic level shift between a voltage level away from which a shift is desired (VddL) and a voltage level to which the shift is desired (VddH). One or more high voltage buffer stages are provided, at least one of which being connected with and biased by the matched translation stack. At least one high voltage buffer stage comprises multiple transistors arranged in a transistor stack that is biased by the first stack of the matched translation stack, and is connected to receive an input supplied by the second stack of the matched translation stack. The high voltage buffer stage also comprises an inverter that drives an output stage which is also driven by a low voltage buffer stage.

Abstract: Magnetic elements having unique shapes. In one example, the magnetic element defines an outer peripheral profile and a center point, wherein the outer peripheral profile includes a substantially curviform section and a notch section. The notch section may be configured to radially extend to at least the center point. In another example, a substantially circular or oval-shaped magnetic element defines an outer periphery and a gap void having an open end facing the outer periphery so as to form a gap along the outer periphery. The magnetic element optionally may not include an annular void that is spatially isolated from the gap void.

Abstract: A leaky integrator is formed from a capacitor-free, non-linear delay resistor having a parasitic capacitance and a capacitor-free amplifier. The amplifier utilizes utilize the parasitic capacitance of the delay resistor to provide differing time constants for the rising and falling edges of an output signal produced in response to a pulsed input signal.

Abstract: Pyrogenic toxins, such as staphylococcal enterotoxins, modified in the disulfide loop region are provided. The modified toxins retain useful biological properties but have substantially reduced toxicity compared to the corresponding unmodified native toxin. The native pyrogenic toxins are typically modified by deletions within the disulfide loop region to produce modified enterotoxins having 100-fold or greater decrease in toxicity.

Abstract: A shifter circuit comprises a high and low voltage buffer stages and an output buffer stage. The high voltage buffer stage comprises multiple transistors arranged in a transistor stack having a plurality of intermediate nodes connecting individual transistors along the stack. The transistor stack is connected between a voltage level being shifted to and an input voltage. An inverter of this stage comprises multiple inputs and an output. Inverter inputs are connected to a respective intermediate node of the transistor stack. The low voltage buffer stage has an input connected to the input voltage and an output, and is operably connected to the high voltage buffer stage. The low voltage buffer stage is connected between a voltage level being shifted away from and a lower voltage. The output buffer stage is driven by the outputs of the high voltage buffer stage inverter and the low voltage buffer stage.

Abstract: Shifter circuits comprise a matched translation stack comprising at least first and second stacks each of which comprising multiple transistors. The matched translation stack is configured to provide a primary logic level shift between a voltage level away from which a shift is desired (VddL) and a voltage level to which the shift is desired (VddH). One or more high voltage buffer stages are provided, at least one of which being connected with and biased by the matched translation stack. At least one high voltage buffer stage comprises multiple transistors arranged in a transistor stack that is biased by the first stack of the matched translation stack, and is connected to receive an input supplied by the second stack of the matched translation stack. The high voltage buffer stage also comprises an inverter that drives an output stage which is also driven by a low voltage buffer stage.

Abstract: A shifter circuit comprises, in one embodiment, an input voltage divider stage comprising multiple transistors arranged in a transistor stack defining a plurality of intermediate nodes. The transistor stack is connected between an input signal and ground and has at least one output. An inverting buffer stage is connected to a supply voltage and coupled to the input voltage divider's output. The inverting buffer stage is configured to provide an inverted output signal. Means are provided for stepping up the inverted output signal, receiving a stepped up output signal and providing a level-shifted output signal at a voltage level lower than that of the input signal.

Abstract: Pyrogenic toxins, such as staphylococcal enterotoxins, modified in the disulfide loop region are provided. The modified toxins retain useful biological properties but have substantially reduced toxicity compared to the corresponding unmodified native toxin. The native pyrogenic toxins are typically modified by deletions within the disulfide loop region to produce modified enterotoxins having 100-fold or greater decrease in toxicity.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for eliminating virally-infected cells by administering a Shiga-toxin composition, and the present invention provides methods and compositions for suppressing bovine leukemia-related cell proliferation. In the methods, a Shiga-toxin composition is administered in an amount effective to suppress bovine leukemia-related cell proliferation. The Shiga-toxin composition can include a Shiga-toxin polypeptide; a probiotic microorganism expressing a Shiga-toxin polypeptide; or a transgenic plant expressing a Shiga-toxin polypeptide. In one embodiment, the Shiga-toxin polypeptide is Stx1A and, in another embodiment, the Shiga-toxin polypeptide is Stx1 holotoxin. In yet a further embodiment, the Shiga-toxin polypeptide comprises Stx2.

Abstract: Substantially spherical magneto-plumbite ferrite (barium or strontium ferrite) particles are formed from well-dispersed ultra-fine substantially spherical iron-based oxide and/or hydroxide particles as precursor particles. The precursor particles are mixed with a colloidal barium or strontium carbonate (BaCO3 or SrCO3), and with small amounts of a byproduct, such as sodium or potassium chloride (NaCl or KCl) or hydroxide (NaOH or KOH) or nitrate (NaNO3 or KNO3), functioning as a flux to lower the calcination temperature. The particles are filtered out of the mixture, dried, and calcined for a time sufficiently long and/or at a temperature sufficiently high to form magneto-plumbite ferrite from the precursor particles, and for a time sufficiently short and/or a temperature sufficiently low to maintain the general spherical shape of the precursor particles.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a powder of a dielectric compound include mixing particle components that are combinable to form the dielectric compound with matrix components. The mixture is melted, and the molten mixture is quenched to produce a solid material. The dielectric power is extracted from the solid material. A molar ratio of particle components to matrix components can be selected so that the solid material produced by quenching is amorphous. Particle components can be selected to produce Ba1−xSrxTiO3 powder, wherein 0≦x≦1. Matrix components consist essentially of Na2O·2B2O3 and Na2O·SiO2·9H2O or can be selected from a group consisting of zinc oxide, zinc carbonate, and zinc hydroxide.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for suppressing bovine leukemia-related cell proliferation. In the methods, a Shiga-toxin composition is administered in an amount effective to suppress bovine leukemia-related cell proliferation. The Shiga-toxin composition can include a Shiga-toxin polypeptide; a probiotic microorganism expressing a Shiga-toxin polypeptide; or a transgenic plant expressing a Shiga-toxin polypeptide. In one embodiment, the Shiga-toxin polypeptide is Stx1A and, in another embodiment, the Shiga-toxin polypeptide is Stx1 holotoxin.

Abstract: Pressurized Water Extraction (PWE) is a method for extracting materials from plants by exposing a plant sample to a pressurized liquid aqueous composition. The exposure may be performed statically, dynamically, or both. For example, the sample may be exposed to a liquid aqueous composition at a temperature of from about 0° C. to about 100° C. and a pressure between about 25 atm and about 1000 atm, more typically from about 50 atm to about 200 atm. Plant materials are selectively isolated in the aqueous compositions by this method more effectively than prior methods. Moreover, the present methods provide facile extraction of thermally labile compounds, such as bilobalides from Gingko leaves.

Abstract: Forming metal and metalloid carbides by mechanically inducing a reduction reaction between a metal chloride (or a metalloid chloride) and a metal carbide. The reduction reactions are induced mechanically by milling the reactants. Alloy carbides may also be produced by mechanically inducing the co-reduction of metal chlorides or metalloid chlorides and a metal carbide according to the equation: M1chloride+M2chloride+M3carbide→M1M2carbide, where M1 is a metal or metalloid, M2 is a metal or metalloid and M3 is a suitable carbide reducing agent.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method of identifying and selecting desiccation tolerant strains of bacteria and a method of producing a desiccated formulation of the identified strains.

Abstract: Methods for biodegrading nitroaromatic compounds present as contaminants in soil or water using microorganisms are disclosed. Water is treatable directly; dry soil is first converted into a fluid medium by addition of water. The preferred method comprises two stages, each employing microorganisms: a fermentative stage, followed by an anaerobic stage. The fermentative stage is rapid, wherein an inoculum of aerobic and/or facultative microorganisms ferments a carbohydrate added to the fluid medium, exhausting the oxygen in the fluid medium and thereby inhibiting oxidative polymerization of amino by-products of the nitroaromatics. In the subsequent anaerobic stage, an inoculum of a mixed population of anaerobic microorganisms completes the mineralization of the contaminant nitroaromatics, using the remaining carbohydrate as a carbon and energy source.

Abstract: A new and distinctive variety of a poplar tree, named ‘Gnarly Poplar,’ characterized by an attractive zigzag growth habit.