Abstract: Devices and methods for the treatment of open and closed wound spinal cord injuries are disclosed. For example, described herein are devices and methods for mitigating secondary injury to, and promoting recovery of, spinal cord primary injuries. More particularly, certain embodiments of the present invention are directed to polymeric mini-tubes that may be used for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. In addition, other embodiments are directed to polymeric “fill-in” bandages that may be used for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. For example, an erodible, or biodegradable, form of biocompatible polymer of the present invention is fabricated for surgical implantation into the site of the spinal cord injury.

Abstract: The present invention provides affinity matured humanized monoclonal antibodies, bi-specific antibodies, antibody conjugates, and fusion proteins that bind to the chemokine receptor CCR4. This antibody is derived from mAb 1567 and recognizes the same epitope. Binding of the antibodies disclosed herein to CCR4 inhibits ligand-mediated activities and is used to treat symptoms of cancer. Moreover, the antibody is used in combination with vaccines to suppress the activity of regulatory T cells.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphone module and a manufacturing process thereof are described. A thickness of a transparent temporary cover plate temporarily disposed in a conventional plastic package structure is adjusted. After a mold for a plastic protector is formed, an UV ray is utilized to irradiate the mold to reduce adherence on the temporary cover plate and a back surface of the MEMS acoustic wave sensing chip. Then, the temporary cover plate is removed, and the left space left is the main source for the back-volume of the MEMS microphone. Finally, a tag is covered on the plastic protector, so as to define the whole back-volume and form a closed back-volume. In the above-mentioned process, the size of the back-volume is the same as an area of the whole MEMS microphone chip. In addition, the back-volume can be defined.

Abstract: A substrate for feeding cells and/or tissues which is composed of a porous body having a thin film surface and a porous surface and which can be used in the regenerative medical techniques. A cell/tissue feeder is produced by cultivating tissues on the porous surface of the porous body. Cells are seeded on the porous surface of the body, followed by the cultivation of the cells to thus form and/or regenerate tissues. An aqueous solution of silk proteins, to which a water-soluble organic solvent is added, is introduced into a mold whose bottom or top surface is surface-roughened, followed by freezing the aqueous solution and then thawing the frozen aqueous solution to form a porous body having a thin film surface and a porous surface.

Abstract: A resistive memory system, a driver circuit thereof and a method for setting resistances thereof are provided. The resistive memory system includes a memory array, a row selection circuit, a first control circuit and a second control circuit. The memory array has a plurality of resistive memory cells. The row selection circuit is used for activating the resistive memory cells. The first control circuit and the second control circuit are coupled to the resistive memory cells. When each of resistive memory cells is set, the first control circuit and the second control circuit respectively provide a set voltage and a ground voltage to the each of resistive memory cells to form a set current, and the set current is clamped by at least one of the first control circuit and the second control circuit.

Abstract: Embodiments of the systems and methods described herein relate to a control unit comprising a memory having stored thereon a feature database that includes feature data, a portion of which is labeled with a transition from an ambulation mode and a memory having stored thereon a pattern recognition controller that is trained using the labeled feature data, wherein the pattern recognition controller is configured to predict the ambulation mode of an assistive device and the control unit is configured to communicate with sensors coupled to the assistive device.

Abstract: The subject invention pertains to a modified MC1R peptide ligand comprising a peptide that is a melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) ligand and a functionality or linker, such as a click functionality, for conjugation to a surface or agent. The modified MC1R peptide ligand can be coupled, e.g., via a click reaction with a complementary click functionality attached, to a moiety to form an MC1R-targeted agent. Drugs, contrast agents, polymers, particles, micelles, surfaces of larger structures, or other moieties can be targeted to the MC1R. The subject invention also pertains to a MC1R peptide ligand-micelle complex comprising a peptide that is a melanocortin 1 receptor ligand connected via a click reaction product to a micelle. The micelle is stable in vivo and can target melanoma tumor cells by association of the peptide ligand with the MC1R or the tumor and selectively provide a detectable and/or therapeutic agent (such as an imageable contrast agent and/or anti-cancer agent) selectively to the tumor cell.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method of searching for a wanted vehicle, capable of interoperating with black boxes mounted in vehicles of unspecified individuals, recognizing and searching for registration numbers of vehicles in proximity of each black box in real time, and identifying a location of the wanted vehicle in real time using information about locations of the searched vehicles. The method includes requesting, by an apparatus for searching for a wanted vehicle, a black box installed in at least one vehicle to search for a registration number of the wanted vehicle, and receiving a response corresponding to the request, and acquiring information about the wanted vehicle and a location of the wanted vehicle corresponding to the response using the black box for recognizing a vehicle registration number or the black box for detecting a vehicle registration number region.

Abstract: Provided is a method for suppressing a circulating current in a modular multi-level converter for a high voltage direction-current (HVDC) transmission system. The HVDC transmission system converts an alternating current (AC) into a direct current (DC) and vice versa, transmits energy using a DC cable, and including a modular multilevel converter generating a high voltage source by stacking a plurality of sub-modules in series. In the circulating current suppression method, a circulating current (idiffj; j=a,b,c) of a,b,c phase in an abc 3-phase stationary reference frame, a DC current (idc) flowing in a DC cable, a current reference value (i*dc) of a DC component that needs to flow in the DC cable are inputted. The circulating current (idiffj) of the a,b,c phase is controlled to become zero. A compensation value (V*diffj) for suppressing a harmonic component of the circulating current is outputted.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a piezoelectric speaker having a weight that enables a frequency response characteristic of the piezoelectric speaker to be uniform by disposing a weight of a flexible material on an acoustic diaphragm or on and below an acoustic diaphragm of the piezoelectric speaker, thereby enhancing flatness of sound. The piezoelectric speaker having the weight includes a piezoelectric device having a piezoelectric layer and an electrode formed on or on and below the piezoelectric layer to apply an electrical signal to the piezoelectric layer; an acoustic diaphragm having a wider area than the piezoelectric device and bonded on one surface of the piezoelectric device; a frame disposed in a form that surrounds a side surface of the acoustic diaphragm; and a weight disposed above the acoustic diaphragm or above and below the acoustic diaphragm on which the piezoelectric device is disposed to thereby control a vibration.

Abstract: The present invention provides a membrane reaction apparatus for recovering heat of reaction, which includes a membrane reactor. The said membrane reactor includes a reaction pipeline, a membrane and a sweep pipeline. The reaction pipeline has a reaction space, and an exothermic reaction occurs therein, which generates product gas and heat of reaction. Part of the product gas penetrates through the membrane around the reaction space and enters into the sweep pipeline. Sweeping gas enters into the sweep pipeline and carries the product gas and the heat of reaction away. It is feasible to wrap the product gas around the sweep pipeline, for enhancing the heat transfer from the product gas to the sweeping gas. The heat of reaction brought by the sweeping gas can be further released in a heat exchanger, so that the heat of reaction is available to be recovered and used for other endothermic processes.

Abstract: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are identified that enhance pluripotency reprogramming of somatic cells as well as differentiation of pluripotent cells. Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell generation from somatic cells leads to the upregulation and downregulation of identified lncRNAs. The modulation of these lncRNAs are capable of enhancing pluripotency of somatic cells as well as enhancing differentiation of a pluripotent cell.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for use in wireless energy transfer, which includes a first resonator structure configured to transfer energy non-radiatively with a second resonator structure over a distance greater than a characteristic size of the second resonator structure. The non-radiative energy transfer is mediated by a coupling of a resonant field evanescent tail of the first resonator structure and a resonant field evanescent tail of the second resonator structure.

Abstract: Methods of treating an astrocytoma with agents effective to inhibit microglia function are provided, as well as methods of enhancing the efficacy of brain tumor radiation therapy on an astrocytoma in a subject. Also provided are methods of treating other solid tumor types, and tumor cell invasion, with guanylhydrazone compounds.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing a silicon-based wire optical waveguide, by which an optical transmission loss of the silicon-based wire optical waveguide due to ion irradiation with high energy is suppressed, and an end portion of the silicon-based wire optical waveguide that is three-dimensionally curved in a self-aligning manner is obtained. According to the method a protective film is selectively formed on the silicon-based wire optical waveguide exclusive of the end portion of the silicon-based wire optical waveguide; and ions are implanted to the silicon-based wire optical waveguide in a particular direction, so as to curve the end portion of the silicon-based wire optical waveguide to the particular direction in a self-alignment manner.

Abstract: A driver for semiconductor memory, comprising: a storage unit configured to match and store a memory cell address and bucket charge current data corresponding to the memory cell address; a selection controller configured to receive the memory cell address and a target charge current data, and output a bucket charge current select signal and a target charge current select signal corresponding to the bucket charge current data and the target charge current data, respectively, by referring to the storage unit; and a current supply unit configured to supply a bucket charge current and a target charge current in response to the bucket charge current select signal and the target charge current select signal, respectively.

Abstract: Provided is a communication method of a base station and a terminal for enhancing a recovery performance of a signal using a feedback control message. The feedback control message may include information about a target received power at the base station with respect to feedback information of each of a plurality of terminals and information associated with a feedback mode of the feedback information.

Abstract: The present invention relates to carbon based materials that are employed for hydrogen storage applications. The material may be described as the pyrolysis product of a molecular precursor such as a cyclic quinone compound. The pyrolysis product may then be combined with selected transition metal atoms which may be in nanoparticulate form, where the metals may be dispersed on the material surface. Such product may then provide for the reversible storage of hydrogen. The metallic nanoparticles may also be combined with a second metal as an alloy to further improve hydrogen storage performance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a shuttle vector that can be used for Corynebacterium and E. coli, containing: a repressor selected from a group consisting of a lacI repressor and a tetR repressor; a promoter selected from a group consisting of a trc promoter, a tetA promoter and a LacUV5 promoter; a replication origin pBL1 derived from Corynebacterium glutamicum; and a replication origin ColE1 of E. coli. A host cell transformed with the shuttle vector can effectively produce industrially useful substances. Also, the shuttle vector may be used to easily insert various combinations of target genes and, as a result, a variety of vectors can be prepared effectively.

Abstract: A method of identifying a sample includes placing the sample in proximity to a plurality of nanoparticles and irradiating the plurality of nanoparticles with laser radiation. A plasmon resonance process results in heating of the plurality of nanoparticles due to the laser irradiation. The method also includes transferring energy from the plurality of nanoparticles to the sample, obtaining a Raman spectrum associated with sample, and identifying the sample based on the Raman spectrum.