Abstract: The invention provides a method of inhibiting angiogenesis in an individual, the method comprising administering to the individual an agent that inhibits the interaction between CLEC14A and MMRN2. The inhibitor may be an antibody, a polypeptide, a peptide, a polynucleotide, a peptidomimetic, a natural product, a carbohydrate, an aptamer or a small molecule.

Abstract: In accordance with the purpose(s) of the present disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure, in one aspect, relate to macroporous photonic crystal membranes, structures including macroporous photonic crystal membranes, devices including macroporous photonic crystal membranes, methods of using macroporous photonic crystal membranes, methods of making macroporous photonic crystal membranes, and the like.

Abstract: The disclosed technology includes pumps, pipes, valves, seals, and systems for pumping and controlling high temperature fluids, such as liquid tin, at temperatures of between 1000-3000° C. The systems and device may be partially or entirely constructed using brittle materials, such as ceramics, that are capable of withstanding extreme heat without significantly degrading, and may be secured using components made of refractory metals, such as tungsten. The systems and devices may utilize static and dynamic seals made from brittle materials, such as graphite, to enable the high temperature operation of such pumps, pipes, valves, and systems without leakage.

Abstract: A method for character recognition and semantic for natural language processing comprising extracting a sequence of feature vectors from a sequence of input character images by a convolutional neural network (CNN) feature extractor. The sequence of feature vectors comprises a plurality of feature vectors, each feature vector representing an approximate-match of its corresponding input character in the sequence of input character images. The method further comprises applying a sequential classifier sequentially as a sliding window of a size of a plurality consecutive feature vectors upon the sequence of feature vectors from a first feature vector in the sequence of feature vectors to the last feature vector in the sequence of feature vectors; and recognizing an output character for a targeted feature vector among the applied-upon consecutive feature vectors within the sliding window as it is sliding across the sequence of feature vectors.

Abstract: A system for active-training a neural network includes an input interface to receive a set of images, a memory to store an active sampler, a feature generator and a subset of the images selected from the set of the images, the subset of the images having similarity values based on a predetermined feature domain information, at least one processor to train the feature generator by use of the active sampler. The active sampler is configured to perform first-selecting, from the subset of the images, a pair of images as matching pair images according to a threshold of similarity values, second-selecting a pair of images from another subset of the images, feeding the matching pair images and the unmatched pair images to the feature generator, updating weighting parameters and increasing the threshold according to preset values an output interface to render the weighting parameters of the feature generator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to key genes in the biosynthesis of steroidal alkaloids and saponins, including regulatory genes and enzyme-encoding genes, and to use thereof for altering the content of steroidal (glyco)alkaloids or phytosterols in plants. The present invention provides genetically modified plants or gene edited plants with altered content of steroidal (glyco)alkaloids, particularly to Solanaceous crop plants with reduced content of antinutritional steroidal glycoalkaloids and to the increase in phytosterols, including cholesterol or cholestanol in these plants. The present invention also provides methods of altering gene expression.

Abstract: A device and method are provided to facilitate the handling of a volume or fluid. The device includes an elongated tube having an open first end and a second end. The tube defines a reservoir for receiving the volume or fluid. A stanchion has a first end received within the reservoir of the tube and a second end projecting from the open end of the elongated tube. In operation, the elongated tube is deposited in a first capsule having fluid therein. The first capsule is centrifuged such that the volume of fluid is received in a reservoir in the tube through the open end. The tube is removed from the first capsule and positioned in a second capsule such that the open end of the tube is spaced from a closed end of the second capsule. The second capsule is centrifuged such that the volume of fluid is expelled from the reservoir of the tube.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing surgical procedures. Such a system includes a cannula having a tubular body and a distal end is sized and configured to be inserted into a body cavity. The system further includes a tool passing through a first port at s proximal end of the cannula, extending through the cannula, and protruding from the distal end of the cannula through a second port. The tool has a working element on a distal end of a shaft thereof. The working element is capable of articulation relative to the shaft and rotation relative to the cannula, and the tool is adapted for translation and rotation relative to the cannula. The system further includes a control system and actuator that articulate the tip of the working element relative to the shaft of the tool.

Abstract: The present invention relates to substituted heterocyclic derivative compounds, compositions comprising said compounds, and the use of said compounds and compositions for epigenetic regulation by inhibition of bromodomain-mediated recognition of acetyl lysine regions of proteins, such as histones. Said compositions and methods are useful for the treatment of cancer and neoplastic disease.

Abstract: The invention regards a method for reproducing visual and/or audio data synchronously by a group of devices, as well as a system for realizing such method. According to the invention first, a spatial location of each of the devices of the group is determined. Then, the visual and/or audio content is partitioned into content parts, each part dedicated to be reproduced by one device of the group respectively, based on the spatial location of the device. The dedicated portions are transmitted to their associated devices together with a time stamp, and the group of devices reproduces commonly and synchronously the transmitted portions.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to novel chlorin-vitamin conjugates and method of making and using the chlorin-vitamin conjugates.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a control system for controlling a machine including a first controller to generate a first control command according to an objective of control. A second controller to generate a control input as a combination of a second control command and a third control command. Wherein the second controller generates the second control command according to the objective of control, and generates the third control command using a product of a gain with a difference between the first control command and the second control command. A motor to control the machine according to the control input.

Abstract: Various examples are provided for smart transportation and sensing systems. In one example, an apparatus for smart transportation sensing includes a reflector integrated in a contoured roadway unit configured to protect the reflector from damage by vehicles traveling along a transportation surface; and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag integrated in the contoured roadway unit. In another example, a system for smart transportation includes a vehicle including a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader configured to interrogate RFID tags integrated in reflector units disposed along a transportation surface; and a processing system in communication with the RFID reader, the processing system configured to process data obtained from at least one of the RFID tags to determine vehicle location along the transportation surface.

Abstract: Provided is an optical circuit element, and more particularly, is an optical circuit element that splits one optical signal into two polarization signals, or couples two polarization signals into one optical signal. The optical circuit element includes a plurality of input couplers to which an optical signal is input, a plurality of output couplers from which an optical signal is output, a first path and a second path configured to connect the input couplers and the second couplers to each other, and at least one wave plate.

Abstract: Speech understanding in the presence of background noise can be assessed using novel hearing tests. One such test is a Masking Level Difference with Digits (MLDD) test, which is a clinical tool designed to measure auditory factors that influence the understanding of speech presented within a background of noise. The MLDD test can be used clinically to facilitate a determination of functional hearing. The MLDD test presents background noise using both monotic and diotic conditions.

Abstract: The application provides a self-diagnosis and accident-handling unmanned nuclear reactor, which: can passively cool down excessively generated heat without an operation of an operator when a malfunction of the nuclear reactor has occurred, wherein a cooling operation for safety measures can be carried out in a completely passive manner without a separate control command by a change in environmental conditions such as the structure and pressure of the nuclear reactor; and has a simpler structure compared to that of a conventional nuclear reactor safety system. It also provides a self-diagnosis and accident-handling unmanned nuclear reactor, which performs heat exchange by using a two-phase heat transfer mechanism, wherein heat exchange performance is maximized by introducing a spray-type heat exchanger having an optimized structure in which channels are three-dimensionally arranged, and can also easily and passively control heat exchange without a separate control means by using saturated steam pressure.

Abstract: A cell state acquisition apparatus and a power battery using the cell state acquisition apparatus. A cell state acquisition apparatus having an acquisition board assembly, a first interface fixed at the bottom surface of a cell, a second interface fixed at the top end of another cell and a connecting seat connecting the first interface and the second interface; the acquisition board assembly including a PCB board, a signal processing module and a communication module mounted on the PCB board and a fixed block which is matched to be inserted in the first interface; and a signal acquisition module which is used for acquiring a cell state signal corresponding to the second interface is mounted on the fixed block.

Abstract: A digital constant on-time controller adaptable to a direct-current (DC)-to-DC converter includes a current sensing circuit that senses stored energy of the DC-to-DC converter, thereby generating a sense voltage; a semi-amplitude detector that detects half of a peak-to-peak amplitude of the sense voltage, thereby generating a semi-amplitude voltage; a DC voltage detector that detects a DC voltage across an effective series resistor of an energy storage circuit that provides the stored energy of the DC-to-DC converter, thereby generating a DC voltage; an arithmetic device that adds the sense voltage and the semi-amplitude voltage, from which the DC voltage and a predetermined reference signal are subtracted; and a pulse-width modulation (PWM) generator that generates a switch control signal according to a result of the arithmetic device.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosed technology provide a method including receiving one or more signals emanated from a monitored device; signal processing, based on a software model and a hardware-software (HW/SW) interaction model of the monitored device, the one or more signals to determine if an anomaly exists in the one or more signals; and responsive to determining, based on the signal processing, that an anomaly exists, transmitting an indication of the anomaly.

Abstract: A distributed storage server includes a plurality of data server devices and a plurality of metadata server devices. The metadata server devices store metadata associated with data which is distributively stored in the data server devices. A selected metadata server device checks whether a dangling directory occurs by performing a rename operation, based on information associated with a full path of a parent directory of a source and a full path of a parent directory of a target included in a request of the rename operation. When it is determined that the dangling directory does not occur, the selected metadata server device processes transactions directed to the metadata such that the rename operation is performed. The checking whether the dangling directory occurs is performed before a transaction period for processing the transactions.