Abstract: The present invention provides peptides corresponding to all or a portion of amino acid residues 12-26 of human p53 protein, which peptides are lethal to malignant or transformed cells when fused to a membrane-penetrating leader sequence. The subject peptides are thus useful in treating neoplastic disease in an animal, preferably a human. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the subject peptides admixed with a pharmaceutical acceptable carrier. Methods of treating neoplastic disease in a patient by administering a subject peptide fused at its carboxy terminal end to a membrane-penetrating leader sequence are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for improved efficiency in the collection of solar energy, in which an energy conversion device is provided that includes a first zone for converting received solar energy into thermal energy, the first zone having a Fresnel lens, and a heat absorption layer with heat collectors embedded therein. The energy conversion device also includes a second zone positioned at a lower level of first energy zone for converting received solar energy into electrical energy utilizing a photovoltaic cell.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for synthesizing a lithium transition metal oxide nanostructure for the cathode material LiCoO2, by using a molten salts/hydroxides flux method, and a device thereof.

Abstract: The present invention discloses antisense poly-2?-O-(2,4-dinitrophenyl) oligoribonucleotides which are capable of down regulating the expression of the RI? subunit of protein kinase A. An example is 5?-GGCUGCGUGCCUCCUCACUGG (named antisense poly-DNP RNA-21) or a sequence which has a one-base mismatch therewith. The antisense oligoribonucleotide can be synthesized by in vitro transcription followed by chemical derivatization. The base sequence of the oligoribonucleotides is complementary to that of nt 110 to 130 in RI?/PKA mRNA. The antisense poly-DNP RNA-21 was found to inhibit cell growth with IC50 values in the nanomolar range. These oligonucleotides can be used as effective anti-cancer agents.

Abstract: A system and method for determining indicators of left ventricular function, and for determining the effectiveness of a cardiac therapy are disclosed. The indicators of left ventricular function can include isovolumetric relaxation time and the negative slope of a V wave obtained from measuring changes in left atrial pressure during diastole. The apparatus may include a catheter comprising an inflatable balloon for insertion into the esophagus of an individual, a compressor device for pressurizing the balloon, and a means for sensing and recording pressure changes on the balloon.

Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate is anodically bonded to a glass substrate in a MEMS structure with or without electrically bypassing the insulator layer by electrically comprising the silicon layers. The insulator layer serves as an etch stop to create a well-defined, thin silicon membrane for a sensor. A second glass substrate is anodically bonded to the other side of the SOI substrate, and debonding of the existing anodic bond prevented by eliminating any potential drop across the existing bonded surface.

Abstract: A surface topology map technique and apparatus are disclosed for determining calcaneus thickness for imaging quantitative ultrasound measurements; improving measurement accuracy, particularly in in vivo applications.

Abstract: A method of synthesizing highly monodispersed Au nanoparticles having diameters in the range of 30-90 nm. Seed nanoparticles in a controlled concentration are combined with a precursor, also in a controlled concentration, a reducing and capping agent (e.g., sodium acrylate) in aqueous solution. Under controlled conditions of pH, temperature, and time, highly monodispersed nanoparticles having diameters in the range of 30-100 nm are produced. A relative size standard deviation of the size distribution of the resulting nanoparticles is as low as 2%.

Abstract: Systems and methods for digital detection of an analog tomographic signal are described. The methods include receiving an amplitude-modulated analog signal containing tomographic information, the analog signal having a modulation frequency, f?i; and converting the analog signal into a digital signal at a sampling frequency, fs, to produce a number of samples, K. The digital signal is multiplied by an in-phase reference signal to obtain an in-phase signal component, the in-phase reference signal having the frequency, f?i; and the digital signal is multiplied by a quadrature reference signal to obtain a quadrature signal component, the quadrature reference signal having the frequency, f?i. The in-phase signal component and the quadrature signal component are passed through the K-point averaging filter. A signal amplitude is computed based on the filtered in-phase signal component and the filtered quadrature signal component, the signal amplitude being representative of the tomographic information.

Abstract: An oxygen sensor usable and accurate in solutions of up to pH 14 is featured. The sensor is fabricated by immobilizing a layer of polystyrene mixed with a fluorophore (e.g., Ruthenium tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) dichloride) in a solvent such as dichloromethane. The mixture may be coated onto a structure such as a stainless steel sensor probe. In typical use, the inventive sensor probe is inserted into a flow cell through which the solution to be monitored flows. A blue LED light source having a wavelength of approximately 470 nm, and a spectrophotometer detector complete the sensor system. In operation, the fluorophore layer of the probe is illuminated by a blue LED light and the fluorescence is reflected back to the spectrophotometer. The monitored solution, typically an electroless gold plating bath, is pumped from the process equipment through the flow cell, and then back to the solution's origin.

Abstract: A composition which includes polymethylmethacrylate and an organoclay functionalized with intercalation agent, wherein said intercalation agent is a reaction product of a polyamine and an alkyl halide in a polar solvent, preferably a dimethyl, ditallow ammonium functionalized monmorillonite clay as shown in (FIG. 3).

Abstract: Methods for forming hydrogen sensing materials include forming a palladium alloy thin film having less than about 83 atomic percent of palladium, and annealing the palladium alloy thin film to relieve residual stress and increase atomic intermixing of the nanorystaline lattice, while maintaining a grain size close to the grain size of the nonannealed palladium alloy thin film. For example, the sensing material may include a palladium-gold alloy thin film having about 60 atomic percent of palladium and about 40 atomic percent of gold. The palladium-gold alloy thin film is then annealed at a temperature of about 200 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. Methods for detecting hydrogen containing gas in which the hydrogen sensing material is maintained in a single phase when exposed to the hydrogen containing gas, and optical hydrogen sensors are also disclosed.

Abstract: A photoepilation device including a compact hand piece applicator and a portable electronics module for use in a non-medical setting. The hand piece, which contains no electrical signals, allows the user to focus on individual hair follicles by observing a magnified image provided on a semiconductor display. The image from the hand piece is transported to a remote CCD through a coherent imaging fiber, which also delivers the therapeutic energy pulse from a remotely located source to the localized target. Destruction of pluripotential follicular stems cells found in the hair bulb and bulge regions is possible via a single low power laser diode. Control of pulse width and spot size attains a range of fluence levels up to 85 J·cm?2.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for identifying strains of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae that can be used as immunogenic compositions having specificity against a plurality of Haemophilus influenzae strains. The invention also provides compositions comprising whole cell bacteria or outer membrane protein P2 obtained from the strains for use as vaccines.

Abstract: A language for semi-structured documents, XML has emerged as the core of the web services architecture, and is playing crucial roles in messaging systems, databases, and document processing. However, the processing of XML documents has a reputation for poor performance, and a number of optimizations have been developed to address this performance problem from different perspectives, none of which have been entirely satisfactory. Parallel XML parsing leverages the growing prevalence of multicore architectures in all sectors of the computer market, and yields significant performance improvements. The design consists of an initial preparsing phase to determine the structure of the XML document (or other data document), followed by a full, parallel parse. The results of the preparsing phase are used to help partition the XML document for data parallel processing.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the use of human BC200 RNA in both the diagnosis and prognosis of carcinomas to determine the presence of a carcinoma and tumor grade, and also to predict the likelihood that a carcinoma will progress to an invasive carcinoma.

Abstract: Computational grids have traditionally not scaled effectively due to administrative hurdles to resource and user participation. Most production grids are essentially multi-site supercomputer centers, rather than truly open and heterogeneous sets of resources that can join and leave dynamically, and that can provide support for an equally dynamic set of users. Large-scale grids containing individual resources with more autonomy about when and how they join and leave will require self-organizing grid middleware services that do not require centralized administrative control. Dynamic discovery of high-performance variable-size clusters of grid nodes provides an effective solution for implementation of grids. A brute force approach to the problem of identifying these “ad-hoc clusters” would require excessive overhead in terms of both message exchange and computation.

Abstract: A detuned duo-cavity laser-modulator device and method are provided which include lower, middle and upper reflectors, a gain region and an absorber region integrated into a semiconductor die. The middle reflector is disposed between the lower and upper reflectors. Together, the lower and middle reflectors define a first resonant cavity, while the upper and middle reflectors define a second resonant cavity. A gain region is disposed within a laser cavity of the resonant cavities to generate an optical carrier wave, while an absorber region is disposed within a modulator cavity of the resonant cavities to modulate a signal on the optical carrier wave. The laser and modulator cavities are detuned resonant cavities, with the detuning of the laser and modulator cavities being selected to minimized change in reflection from the modulator cavity to the laser cavity when the absorber region modulates the signal on the optical carrier wave.

Abstract: The present invention relates to proteins and polypeptides that (i) have the formula A-[Wm-A]n where each A is independently a peptide of formula XXXXRXPXXXX where each X is independently any amino acid, R is arginine, and P is proline; each W is independently a linker; m is 1 or 2; and n is any number from 1 through 5; (ii) consist essentially of the formula XnRXPXm where each X is independently any amino acid, R is arginine, P is proline, n is any number from zero to fifteen, m is any number from zero to fifteen, and the sum of n and m is any number from eight to fifteen; (iii) have the formula A-An where each A is independently a peptide of formula XXXXRXPXXXX where each X is independently any amino acid, R is arginine, and P is proline; and n is any number from 1 through 5; or (iv) consist essentially of the formula XnRXPXm where each X is independently any amino acid, R is arginine, P is proline, n is any number from zero to seven, m is any number from zero to seven, and the sum of n and m is any number

Abstract: The invention includes a partial gas separator, which may include a housing and a movable divider in the housing. A method according to the invention may provide a partial gas separator and gas may be moved to or from the housing. While moving gas to or from the housing, the movable divider may be allowed to move with the flow of gas.