Abstract: A method for using dual indices to support query expansion, relevance/non-relevance models, blind/relevance feedback and an intelligent search interface, the method comprising: accessing an inverted index to obtain an initial retrieval of results in response to a query, and to generate a rank list of the results, the results referring to information units (IUs) where the query occurs; and determining a number of “N” IUs in the results that are assumed to be relevant by accessing a forward index; wherein the forward index and inverted index have pointers to locations in the IUs where terms of the query occur, and the forward index retrieves a term frequency vector of the IU or a set of contexts of the IU.

Abstract: A semi-crystalline shape memory polymer with transition temperature near body temperature and the production method thereof is disclosed. The shape memory polymer comprises a polymer chain which further comprises a plurality of prepolymers and a plurality of chain extenders bonding the prepolymers together in which each prepolymer further comprises a plurality of synthesized units. The above mentioned synthesized unit is obtained by reacting polymer diol with first diisocyanate. The obtained synthesized units are polymerized together with second diisocyanate and chain extender to form the shape memory polymer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of making articles, and systems for providing wool article have self-cleaning properties. The self-cleaning properties are brought about coating the wool articles with a photocatalyst formulation. The formulation contains titanium compounds, stabilizers, catalysts, and water.

Abstract: A Low-Density Parity-Check Convolutional Code (LPDCCC) decoder (10) for partial parallel decoding of low-density parity-check convolutional codes, the decoder having: a plurality of pipeline processors (11) to receive channel messages and edge-messages; each processor (11) having: a plurality of block processing units (BPUs) (13), each BPU (13) having a plurality of check node processors (CNPs) (14) to process check nodes that enter into the processor (11) and a plurality of variable node processors (VNPs) (15) to process variable nodes that are about to leave the processor (11); and a plurality of Random Access Memory (RAM) blocks (30) for dynamic message storage of the channel messages and the edge-messages; wherein in each processor (11), the VNPs (15) are directly connected to corresponding RAM blocks (30), and the CNPs (14) are directly connected to corresponding RAM blocks (30) such that the connections from the VNPs (15) and CNPs (14) to the corresponding RAM blocks (30) are pre-defined and fixed accor

Abstract: Method for removal of endotoxin from protein preparations using core-shell nanoparticles, which have the ability to selectively adsorb endotoxin molecules in a protein mixture. The method comprises the steps of (a) preparing a plurality of core-shell nanoparticles; (b) adding the core-shell nanoparticles into a protein preparation containing endotoxin; (c) incubating the core-shell nanoparticles with the protein preparation for a period of time; and (d) separating nanoparticles from the protein preparation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to synthetic green tea derived polyphenolic compounds, their modes of syntheses, and their use in inhibiting proteasomal activity and in treating cancers. The present invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions useful in methods of inhibiting proteasomes and of treating cancers.

Abstract: A method of making a multilayer filter and the multilayer filter made by the method. The method includes generally two steps. The first step is to coat a layer of nanofibers on a single side or both sides of a substrate medium to obtain a composite filter medium, and the second step is to fold the composite filter medium in a serpentine fashion to form a multilayer filter. The second step may alternatively be accomplished by stacking up a number of sheets of the composite filter medium to form a multilayer filter having a structure of two layers of nanofibers being sandwiched between two layers of said substrate medium. The resulting multilayer filter produced by either method contains at least one structural unit which has two layers of nanofibers being sandwiched between two layers of the substrate medium.

Abstract: A method for retarding or reversing progression of myopia of a viewer includes providing an object in front of the viewer; providing a transparent layer between the viewer and the object; and providing a primary image on the transparent layer, the transparent layer allows the viewer to see the object as a secondary image simultaneously with the primary image, wherein the secondary image is focused in front of the central region of the retina. A method for reducing hyperopia of a viewer includes providing an object in front of the viewer to provide a primary image; providing a transparent layer between the viewer and the object; providing a secondary image on the transparent layer, the transparent layer allows the viewer to see the primary image simultaneously with the secondary image, wherein the secondary image is focused behind the central region of the retina. Other systems are also described herein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a site-specific pegylated arginase conjugate and method for producing thereof. The site-specific pegylated arginase is homogeneous in molecular weight and shows therapeutic effect for treating cancers and viral infections. The method for producing the arginase conjugate comprises genetically modifying the gene encoding an arginase so that the PEG moiety can be attached to the enzyme at a predetermined, specific intended sites. This is achieved by removing the PEG-attaching amino acid residue(s) at undesirable site(s) while keeping or adding cysteine(s) at the desirable site(s) of the enzyme. Two exemplary embodiments of the pegylated arginase conjugate are directed to human arginase I (HAI) where a polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety is site-specific covalently bonded to Cys45 of the enzyme and Bacillus caldovelox arginase (BCA) where a polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety is site-specific covalently bonded to Cys161 of the enzyme.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for microfluidic mixing in a “lab-on-a-chip” environment. The methodology focuses on constant acceleration and deceleration about a mean angular speed with a rotating disk serving as the mixing platform. The methodology results in good mixing between different fluids.

Abstract: A method for using dual indices to support query expansion, relevance/non-relevance models, blind/relevance feedback and an intelligent search interface, comprising using a computing device to: access an inverted index to obtain an initial retrieval of results in response to a query, and to generate a rank list of the results, the results referring to information units (IUs) where the query occurs; and determine a number of “N” IUs in the results that are regarded by the computing device to be relevant by accessing a forward index; and use the forward index to perform any one from the group consisting of: computing query expansion weights for top “N” retrieved IUs, building the relevance models by the contexts of query terms in the top “N” retrieved IUs, and finding the longest contiguous sequences of query terms in a query found in an IU; wherein the forward index and inverted index have pointers to locations in the IUs where terms of the query occur, and the forward index retrieves a term frequency vector o

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for attachment to a conventional sheet metal forming press. The apparatus allows the sheet metal forming process to be preformed fully submerged in an oil. Methods for sheet metal forming in oil are also provided.

Abstract: A method of preparing a tip for lithography, includes forming a mold having at least one recess; disposing a first polymer in the recess to form an apex of the tip; curing the first polymer in the recess; and disposing a second polymer in the recess to form a base of the tip. The Young's Modulus of the second polymer is lower than the Young's Modulus of the first polymer. The tip structure for lithography includes a substrate, and a layered structure including a tip having an apex of a first polymer and a base of a second polymer. The first polymer is less resiliently deformable than the second polymer.

Abstract: A rehabilitation system for training hand movement of a user, the system comprising: a platform to be attached to the hand of the user; a plurality of finger assemblies operatively connected to the platform, each finger assembly having: a motor, a proximal follower assembly for a metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint having a proximal rail guide operatively connected to the motor, and an intermediate follower assembly for a proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint having an intermediate rail guide operatively connected to the proximal follower assembly; wherein a knuckle joint indicator of the proximal rail guide corresponds to a first virtual center and knuckle joint indicator of the intermediate rail guide corresponds to a second virtual center, the alignment of the knuckle joint indicators to the virtual centers enable motion of the finger to be controlled and maintain rotational axes of the finger about each virtual center when the proximal and intermediate follower assemblies are actuated by the motor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to synthetic green tea derived polyphenolic compounds, their modes of syntheses, and their use in inhibiting proteasomal activity and in treating cancers. The present invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions useful in methods of inhibiting proteasomes and of treating cancers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for imparting false twist to a short staple yarn delivered from a nip of a pair of front drafting rollers before ring spinning. Downstream of the nip, the twisted yarn is drawn sequentially across first and second runs of travelling endless belts, such that the yarn wraps about a first convex surface of the first run, then passes between the first and second runs, before wrapping about a second convex surface of the second run. Friction between each of the first and second convex surfaces and the yarn imparts the false twist in a common direction. Maintaining a differential between first and second linear speeds of the first and second runs, respectively, has been found to reduce yarn defects, particularly the nep count.

Abstract: A wearable power assistive device for hand rehabilitation includes a hand brace having an external platform and an internal platform connected to and spaced inwardly from the external platform. Five finger assemblies are adjustably mounted on and extending from the distal end of the external platform. Each finger assembly includes a proximal follower assembly for a metacarpophalangeal joint. Five motors are used to actuate the five finger assemblies respectively. Each motor is mounted in close proximity to the external platform and has one end connected to the external platform and another end coupled to its proximal follower assembly by a ball joint in order to facilitate transfer of force and minimize mechanical stress on the other parts of the device.

Abstract: This invention discloses a therapeutic post-injury pressure glove and a method to produce the same. The pressure glove is configured to apply pressure onto a plurality of pressure-receiving regions of an injured hand such that each pressure-receiving region receives a pressure within an upper bound and a lower bound determined therefor. In one embodiment, the pressure glove comprises a plurality of custom pressure-applying fabric portions each of which is configured to direct a pressure onto one of the pressure-receiving regions. A suitable fabric specific for each fabric portion is selected so that adequate pressure is provided on a wounded area while maintaining a low pressure on an intact part of the hand. The pressure glove is fabricated with a size less than the hand's size by a reduction factor. The reduction factor and the set of selected fabrics are determined via obtaining a computed pressure distribution.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for imparting false twist to a short staple yarn delivered from a nip of a pair of front drafting rollers before ring spinning. Downstream of the nip, the twisted yarn is drawn sequentially across first and second runs of travelling endless belts, such that the yarn wraps about a first convex surface of the first run, then passes between the first and second runs, before wrapping about a second convex surface of the second run. Friction between each of the first and second convex surfaces and the yarn imparts the false twist in a common direction. Maintaining a differential between first and second linear speeds of the first and second runs, respectively, has been found to reduce yarn defects, particularly the nep count.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for reducing residual torque in singles ring yarns, achieved by imparting two separate false twisting points on the traveling strand of fibers (or yarn) after the strand exits from the spinning triangle with a proper ratio between the belt speed and the strand feeding speed. In addition to reducing the residual torque, this double false twist technique also reduces yarn hairiness to the same level as achieved by more expensive compact spinning devices, reduces yarn twist by more than 20% and significantly enhances yarn and fabric softness. Furthermore, by combining the double false twist technique with a compact spinning device, the numbers of neps, thick and thin places are significantly reduced to produce high-quality yarns and fine-count yarns.