Abstract: The invention provides methods for overcoming glucocorticoid resistance of cancers by inhibition of CASP1. Also disclosed are diagnostic methods for determining glucocorticoid resistance potential by measuring expression level or promoter methylation status of CASP1 gene and/or NLRP3 gene.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for communication in a wireless local area network (LAN) system supporting a multi-bandwidth in which a communication apparatus supporting a multi-bandwidth includes generating a base frame based on at least one of a first bandwidth having the lowest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) among predetermined bandwidths and a second bandwidth that is two times greater than the first bandwidth, configuring a duplication mode frame based on the base frame, and transmitting the duplication mode frame through a plurality of bands.

Abstract: A method for producing monodisperse spherical granules includes heating a dispersed chemically active material that contains at least one rare-earth metal, melting the material in a pot to form a melt, forming a laminar jet when the melt flows through a die made of a high-melting metal, forming a flow of monodisperse drops when the jet disintegrates under an action of perturbations applied with a set frequency, collecting any granules formed after switching to a stationary granulation mode, wherein, before the melt is fed to the die, an outer surface of the melt is covered with a film of an oxide of a dispersed chemically active material, helium is bubbled within the melt, mechanical impurities are removed from the melt.

Abstract: Described herein is the identification of cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase upregulation in cystic kidney diseases. Also described is the use of cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitors for preventing the progression and/or treatment of cystic kidney diseases. Other aspects described provide medicaments for preventing the progression and/or treating cystic kidney diseases, and methods of diagnosing cystic kidney disease.

Abstract: A method of outputting color code for data communication to a display screen, the method includes determining a plurality of sections having a predetermined order of a display screen, mapping the plurality of sections to different binary numbers each having at least one-bit length, and outputting a predetermined color to consecutive sections including at least a first section among the plurality of sections in a direction of the predetermined order or a reverse direction of the predetermined order. The color output to the consecutive sections represents binary numbers in which ‘0’ or ‘1’ is added to a front or end of designated binary numbers in the direction of the predetermined order or the reverse direction of the predetermined order, the designated binary numbers mapped to a last section among the consecutive sections in the direction of the predetermined order or the reverse direction of the predetermined order.

Abstract: A defect inspection method and a defect inspection system for a solar cell are proposed, where the method includes the following steps. Output voltages and output currents of the solar cell are measured by a measuring device. A stepwise current-voltage curve (stepwise IV curve) and a fitted current-voltage curve (fitted IV curve) are generated by a processing device according to the output voltages and the output currents, and whether a first error of the fitted IV curve is less than a first error tolerance is determined by the processing device. When the first error is not less than the first error tolerance, whether there exists at least one surge in steps of the stepwise IV curve is determined by the processing device so as to determine whether the solar cell has a defect. Next, a determined result of the processing device is outputted by the output device.

Abstract: A gas shower device having gas curtain comprises a first gas shower unit for injecting a reaction gas, thereby forming a reaction gas region, and a second gas shower unit. The second gas shower unit arranged around a periphery of the first gas shower unit comprises a buffer gas chamber for providing a buffer gas, and a curtain distribution plate. The curtain distribution plate further comprises a plurality through holes for injecting the buffer gas, thereby forming a gas curtain around a periphery of the reaction gas region. In another embodiment, an apparatus for depositing film is provided by utilizing the gas shower device having gas curtain, wherein the gas curtain prevents the reaction gas in the reaction gas region from being affected directly by a vacuum pressure so that a residence time of reaction gas can be extended thereby increasing the utilization of reaction gas and film-forming efficiency.

Abstract: A timepiece or piece of jewellery made of a nickel free and cobalt free gold alloy, the composition of which includes by weight between 75% and 77.5% gold, between 1.2 and 1.6% palladium, and between 20.1 and 23.8% copper.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an anaerobic column reactor for biodegradation of wastes. Particularly the present invention relates to a process for conversion of biodegradable wastes to biogas and compost. More particularly, the present invention relates to an anaerobic reactor with unique arrangement of expanded and constricted portions alternatively placed vertically over each other which enhances the mixing pattern and thereby the mass transfer rates while controlling the biomass washout by regulating the upflow liquid velocity.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method for health monitoring and early warning for an electronic device. A sensor is used to monitor a physical parameter of a circuit board of a host electronic system of the electronic device to acquire sensor data, and transmit the acquired sensor data to an embedded control device. The sensor data includes at least one of current data, vibration data, temperature data and voltage data. The embedded control device is used to extract a feature from the sensor data to acquire feature data, and perform real-time analysis and prediction based on the feature data to obtain and display a prediction result. In this way, the user can be provided with real-time health monitoring and real-time prediction information for the host electronic system circuit board.

Abstract: An apparatus has a pixel array arrangement having a number of photosensitive detectors. Processing circuitry is configured to process data captured by at least one pixel of the array to provide image information and detect data on an encoded pulsed light signal. In a specific embodiment, data is captured at a vehicle. Information for the vehicle is determined based on the encoded pulsed light signal.

Abstract: A system receives one or more messages corresponding to a request to add data to an electronic storage object that is accessible on a network, the one or more messages corresponding to the electronic storage object to which data is to be stored, and including raw data corresponding to the data that is to be stored. Responsive to the one or more messages, the system: locates the electronic storage object in a database, identifies data conversion metadata in the electronic storage object that indicates how the raw data is to be converted to formatted data in a format that is recognized by a computational application, uses the data conversion metadata to convert the raw data to the formatted data in the format recognized by the computational application, and stores the formatted data to the electronic storage object in the database.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are prodrugs of platinum containing anticancer agents such as cisplatin that contain an alkylating moiety. Upon administration, the prodrugs release the platinum containing anticancer agent and the alkylating agent, which can form an adduct with DNA or can protect the platinum containing agent from removal. The disclosed prodrugs can be used to treat various cancers, including cisplatin resistant cancers.

Abstract: A muographic observation instrument is constructed with a ground unit in which six gaseous detectors are attached to six detector sockets arranged to be parallel to a flat surface with a certain distance between them, and a pair out of ten radiation shields is placed between each detector socket mounted the shield sockets. Since the gaseous detectors have smaller spatial resolution compared to a usual scintillator detector, the thickness of lead plates used for eliminating the noise caused by electromagnetic shower from the horizontal direction can be made ? smaller, and therefore the weight of the whole device is decreased substantially. Furthermore, since only the gaseous detectors and radiation shields have to be mounted to the sockets of the ground unit, the installation of the device is simple.

Abstract: The invention relates to genes which may be utilized for resistance to soybean cyst nematode. More specifically the present disclosure relates to identification of gene(s) that can confer upon a soybean plant resistance to soybean cyst nematode (SCN) and methods to use these loci and genes to obtain soybean strains that are resistant to SCN.

Abstract: A method for imaging the brain of a living patient includes creating and displaying an unconstrained 3D virtual reality image of the brain of the living patient based on a plurality of 3D images captured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An administration of a drug is simulated into brain tissue. The simulation includes displaying a simulated diffusion of the drug in 3D VR image of the brain; displaying simulated brain tissue uptake of the drug in the 3D VR image of the brain; displaying a simulated stimulation of individual neurons in the 3D VR image of the brain; and analyzing a simulated activity of the individual neurons based on at least one predetermined property of the drug. The method further includes determining a brain treatment protocol based at least in part on the simulated administration of the drug into the brain.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for selectively depositing silicon oxide on dielectric surfaces relative to a metal-containing surface such as copper are provided. Methods involve exposing a substrate having dielectric and copper surfaces to a copper-blocking reagent such as an alkyl thiol to selectively adsorb to the copper surface, exposing the substrate to a silicon-containing precursor for depositing silicon oxide, exposing the substrate to a weak oxidant gas and igniting a plasma to convert the adsorb silicon-containing precursor to form silicon oxide, and exposing the substrate to a reducing agent to reduce any oxidized copper from exposure to the weak oxidant gas.

Abstract: Systems and methods for hands-on training of students. Such a system includes one or more programmable controllers configured to interact with one or more external devices. Each programmable controller includes a microcontroller, a memory device, an interface for remotely accessing the programmable controller, and at least one bus interface for interfacing with an external microcontroller of another programmable controllers. The method includes functionally coupling a first of the programmable controllers to an external device, programming the first programmable controller to operate the external device, and providing instructions to the external device through the programmable controller from a remote location relative to the first programmable controller.

Abstract: A voltage comparator comparing a voltage of a first input signal and a voltage of a second input signal is provided. The voltage comparator includes: a first switch pair transmitting, respectively, the first input signal and the second input signal to a control terminal of a first transistor and a control terminal of a second transistor in response to a clock signal; a second switch pair connecting a first terminal and a second terminal of the first transistor and connecting a first terminal and a second terminal of the second transistor in response to at least one of the clock signal and a reset signal; and a first reset switch connecting the control terminal of the first transistor and the control terminal of the second transistor in response to the reset signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for producing lubricant basestocks having a reduced or minimized aromatics content. A first processing stage can perform an initial amount of hydrotreating and/or hydrocracking. A first separation stage can then be used to remove fuels boiling range (and lower boiling range) compounds. The remaining lubricant boiling range fraction can then be exposed under hydrocracking conditions to a USY catalyst including a supported noble metal, such as Pt and/or Pd. The USY catalyst can have a desirable combination of catalyst properties, such as a unit cell size of 24.30 or less (or 24.24 or less), a silica to alumina ratio of at least 50 (or at least 80), and an alpha value of 20 or less (or 10 or less). In some aspects, the effluent from the second (hydrocracking) stage can be dewaxed without further separation. In such aspects, a portion of the dewaxed effluent can be used as a recycle quench stream to cool the hydrocracking effluent prior to entering the dewaxing reactor.