Abstract: An ambulatory device for measuring urine flow comprises a portable hand-held container and a handgrip mounted thereto. A flow-measuring device is located in the container, and a means for collecting the data measured by the flow-measuring device is also provided. The parameters of the urine flow in the container are measured by the flow-measuring device and are processed by the aforementioned means for collecting data. The handgrip is pivotally mounted to the container by a double-pivot mechanism for maintaining the container substantially vertical in a number of positions of the handgrip. The flow-measuring device includes a sensor that measures a displacement of an air column related to a variation of pressure due to a variation of a urine level in the container.

Abstract: A method for iteratively decoding a set of encoded samples received from a transmission channel is provided. A data signal indicative of a noise level of the transmission channel is received. A scaling factor is then determined in dependence upon the data signal and the encoded samples are scaled using the scaling factor. The scaled encoded samples are then iteratively decoded. Furthermore, a method for initializing edge memories is provided. During an initialization phase initialization symbols are received from a node of a logic circuitry and stored in a respective edge memory. The initialization phase is terminated when the received symbols occupy a predetermined portion of the edge memory. An iterative process is executed using the logic circuitry storing output symbols received from the node in the edge memory and a symbol is retrieved from the edge memory and provided as output symbol of the node. Yet further an architecture for a high degree variable node is provided.

Abstract: A sensor for detecting erosion of a wear surface of a component, particularly a liner attached to the mill shell of a rotating grinding mill. The sensor comprises a conductive element embedded in the component, the conductive element comprising a first end positioned at a first distance from the wear surface, at least one conductive loop comprising a wear portion positioned at a second distance from the wear surface proximate to the first end and a circuit coupled to the at least one element for determining a continuity of the conductive loop.

Abstract: System and method for estimating data transmitted by a plurality of transmit elements across a communications channel. The system comprises a plurality of receive interfaces, each operative to receive a signal via the channel and output a respective sequence of received data elements.

Abstract: A deformable phantom apparatus for simulating motion of a patient's anatomy in 3D during breathing, the apparatus comprising a chamber fillable with a first fluid, a deformable member comprising tissue equivalent material of the anatomy being simulated, the deformable member being positionable within the chamber in the first fluid and having an open end in fluid communication with a second fluid outside the chamber in use; and a mechanism for causing the second fluid to flow through the open end to deform the deformable member between a normal state and a deformed state to simulate motion during breathing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to ionic liquids for use in chemical applications and capable of serving the dual function of solvent and liquid support. The ionic liquid lends itself to a method of synthesizing oligomers selected from the group consisting of oligopeptides, oligosaccharides and oligonucleotides, comprising contacting a first monomer unit with an ionic liquid at reaction conditions to provide an ionic liquid bound monomer unit; and contacting the ionic liquid bound monomer unit with at least one further monomer unit at reaction conditions to provide an ionic liquid bound oligomer comprising from 2 to 30 monomer units. The method lends itself to large scale manufacture of oligopeptides, oligosaccharides and oligonucleotides.

Abstract: Pancreatic acinar cells contribute to ?-cell neogenesis. Hamsters administered pentadecapeptide of INGAP protein demonstrated a 2-fold increase in the number of extra-islet acinar-associated ?-cell clusters resulting in a 2.8-fold increase in the overall extra-islet ? cell mass as compared to controls. In mammals acinar-to-?-cell differentiation provides an alternate pathway to ?-cell neogenesis; INGAP peptide plays a significant role in this process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to epilepsy. More particularly, the present invention relates to idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) and to the identification of three genes mapping to chromosome 2, which show mutations in patients with epilepsy. The invention further relates to nucleic acid sequences, and protein sequences of these loci (SCNA) and to the use thereof to assess, diagnose, prognose or treat epilepsy, to predict an epileptic individual's response to medication and to identify agents which modulate the function of the SCNA. The invention also provides screening assays using SCN1A, SCN2A and/or SCN3A which can identify compounds which have therapeutic benefit for epilepsy and related neurological disorders.

Abstract: Novel chemical agents are described. More specifically, hybrid molecules comprising a vitamin D receptor agonist moiety and an HDAC inhibitor moiety are described herein.

Abstract: A decoding method and system for stochastic decoding of linear codes with the parity check matrix comprising elements of a Galois field is provided. Each encoded sample of a set of encoded samples is first scaled by a scaling factor proportional to a noise level of the set of encoded samples. Each of the scaled encoded samples is then converted into a corresponding probability. For each probability a corresponding probability message is the generated by encoding each probability as a sequence of symbols or bits. Each probability message is then provided to a respective variable node of a logic circuitry for stochastic decoding. The logic circuitry represents a factor graph of the parity check matrix of the linear code.

Abstract: The invention features methods for diagnosing subjects at risk for or suffering from a disease or disorder, such as a psychosis. Methods are also provided for selecting a preferred therapy for a particular subject or group of subjects.

Abstract: The present invention relates to agriculture. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of increasing photosynthesis of a plant and more particularly of crop plants. In addition, the invention relates to a method of increasing photosynthesis and/or yield in crop plants, comprising an exposure thereof to lipo-chitooligosaccharides, and compositions therefor. Further, the invention relates to an agricultural composition for enhancing a plant crop photosynthetic rate and/or growth thereof comprising a photosynthetic rate-promoting amount of at least one lipo chitooligosaccharide (LCO) together with an agriculturally suitable carrier and methods using same.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention a method is provided comprising: providing a model for a predetermined location within an electrical power system having therein distributed resources (DR), the model based on known system conditions, the model indicative of first sensed characteristics of the electrical power system at the predetermined location; sensing at the predetermined location characteristics of the electrical power system corresponding to at least some of the first sensed characteristics; determining a status of the electrical power system network indicative of an islanding event in dependence upon sensing and other than in dependence upon other sensed data sensed remotely from the predetermined location; and, controlling a distributed resource in dependence upon the status

Abstract: A method and apparatus for lesion or organ definition for the purpose of radiation treatment planning localization and treatment position verification. The apparatus uses a combination of an ultrasound imaging system and a diagnostic imaging system to acquire localization ultrasound images referenced in the coordinate space of the diagnostic imaging system through the use of a position sensing system. The method compares the location of the lesion in the localization ultrasound images with the position of the lesion in ultrasound images taken while the patient lies on the treatment table of a therapy treatment unit, suggests corrective measures to place the lesion in its intended treatment position and executes the correction upon confirmation from qualified personnel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel inhibitors of aminoglycoside 6?-N-acetyltransferases, more specifically, AAC(6?)-li and AAC(6?)-ly, as well as compositions and uses thereof. Furthermore, the present invention relates to synthetic methodologies for preparing the inhibitors of aminoglycoside 6?-N-acetyltransferases.

Abstract: A low-power atmospheric pressure plasma source, comprising a plasma-forming region for injection of a plasma-forming gas; an excitation region for injection of a source of reactive species downstream of the plasma-forming region; and a narrow converging plasma exit for producing a narrow plasma jet, the source being electrically decoupled from a substrate under treatment by the plasma jet. The present source may find applications for example for skin treatment, etching of skin cancer cells, detachment of cells, removal of skin pigmentation and deposition of temporary organic films.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for high-speed bandpass serial data communication. A driver receives at least one data signal and generates a bandpass data signal for transmission through a bandpass waveguide interconnect. The bandpass data signal is launched into the bandpass waveguide interconnect using a first adaptor and extracted therefrom after transmission using a second adaptor. A receiver connected to the second adaptor recovers the at least one data signal from the extracted bandpass data signal. A dispersion compensation circuit receives one of the at least one data signal and the bandpass data signal and information indicative of a phase response of the bandpass waveguide interconnect and dispersion compensates the one of the at least one data signal and the bandpass data signal by compensating the phase response of the bandpass waveguide interconnect.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a series of new chemical agents that demonstrate anti-tumor activity. More particularly, the present invention relates to molecules, referred to as “combi-molecules”, that combine two major mechanisms of anti-tumor action. A combi-molecule is capable of degrading to a ligand involved in cell signaling pathways and to an agent capable of damaging DNA. More specifically, the present invention relates to molecules capable of blocking epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mediated signal transduction and capable of damaging DNA. The present invention also relates to a general method of synthesis of these combi-molecules.

Abstract: Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major problem in cancer chemotherapy. The best characterized resistance mechanism is the one mediated by the over-expression of drug efflux transporters, permeability-glycoprotein (P-gp), which pump a variety of anticancer drugs out of the cells, resulting in lowered intracellular drug accumulation. A series of flavonoid dimers are developed in this invention, which are linked together by linker groups of various lengths. These flavonoid dimers are found to be efficient P-gp modulators that increase cytotoxicity of anticancer drugs in vitro and dramatically enhance their intracellular drug accumulation. It is found that the flavonoid dimers of this invention is also useful in reducing drug resistance in treating parasitic diseases.

Abstract: The invention provides novel inhibitors of protein translation initiation and inhibitors of eIF4F activity that can increase chemosensitivity or diminish or reverse chemoresistance in growth transformed cells and thereby reduce hyperproliferative conditions, such as cancer progression, in select patient populations having particular tumor genotypes. The invention also provides methods which target translation initiation controls in growth-transformed cells, such as tumor subtypes with altered expression of a gene activity, including the human akt, bcl-2, eIF4E, eIF4A or PTEN activities, to restore drug sensitivity in vivo in a genotype selective manner. In one aspect, the inhibitors of translation initiation of the invention are rocaglates, i.e., cyclopenta[b]benzofurons, which increases chemosensitivity or diminishes or reverses chemoresistance either alone or in combination, additively or synergistically, with other agents that alter growth or death.