Abstract: A perineum overlay device for locating anatomical features within the perineum of a patient and/or needle insertion sites for targeting anatomical features within the perineum of a patient includes a section of flexible material and a plurality of markings printed on a first side of the section of the material. The section of flexible material is configured to conform and cover a portion of the perineum of a patient. The plurality of markings are each configured to identify a location of an anatomical feature within the perineum and/or a needle insertion site corresponding to a targeted anatomical feature within the perineum, when the section is positioned over the perineum of a patient.

Abstract: A method for improving the quality of ethylene glycol products, which mainly solves the technical problem of low UV-light transmittance of the ethylene glycol products present in the prior art. The method successfully solves the problem by use of the technical solution wherein the ethylene glycol raw material and hydrogen are passed through a rotating packed bed reactor loaded with solid oxide catalyst at a temperature of about 20 to about 280 ° C., a pressure of about 0.1 to about 4.0 MPa, a space velocity of about 0.2 to about 100.0 hr?1 and a molar ratio of hydrogen to ethylene glycol of from about 0.01 to 40:1, and ethylene glycol is obtained after the reaction. The solid oxide catalyst is at least one of copper-based, nickel-based and palladium-based catalysts, and the rotation rate of the rotating packed bed reactor is about 300 to about 5000 rpm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a flat tubular solid-oxide fuel cell and to a water electrolysis apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flat tubular solid-oxide fuel cell and to a water electrolysis apparatus, wherein the flat tubular solid-oxide fuel cell comprises: a cell stack including a plurality of flat tubular unit cells; and first manifolds which are made of ceramic materials, and each of which has a first reaction gas inlet/outlet portion for the entry/exit of a first reaction gas to/from the cell stack and a first insertion portion for the insertion of either of the two ends of the cell stack, wherein the first manifolds are arranged at both ends of the cell stack, respectively, to thereby simplify the structure of the fuel cell and minimize the number of sealing portions in order to reduce the loss of reaction gas or the like.

Abstract: Described are processes that include the non-enzymatic, hydrolytic liquefaction of lignocellulosic biomass to form digest slurries and heat recovery from such digest slurries. Due to enhanced flow properties of the digest slurries such heat recovery can be efficiently conducted in spiral, plate and frame or other heat exchanger designs, with the recovered heat going to unit operations of the process such as heating incoming pretreatment media for the liquefaction. Processes can also involve additional hydrolytic digestion of some or all of the initial slurry components with enzyme and/or additional heat recovery from the initial slurry by direct contact heat exchange in which a portion of the digest slurry liquids is flashed to vapor and that vapor is condensed onto incoming lignocellulosic biomass to the process. Processes as described can be integrated into ethanol manufacture by fermentation of sugars from the digested compositions.

Abstract: Polyamides, and methods of making and using polyamides, that have a difference between melting temperature (Tm) and crystallization temperature (Tc) of at most 20° C. are disclosed herein. Such polyamides can exhibit exceptionally fast crystallization kinetics making them suitable for use as engineering thermoplastics in melt processing methods such as injection molding. Particularly useful polyamides include 1,9-nonamethylene adipamide-co-1,9-nonamethylene terephthalamide copolymers.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention provides a nanothin polymer film having a plurality of pores defined solely by polymers of the polymer film. The pores have a uniform size. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of using a polymer film capsule with pores defined solely by the film described herein. The method includes: separating a mixture of chemicals having variable surface areas from the polymer film capsule by using a size exclusion column; collecting the polymer film capsule eluate from the size exclusion column; and determining a content of chemicals retained in the polymer film capsule by using UV/vis spectroscopy.

Abstract: The present specification teaches the generation of drought tolerant plants. The present disclosure enables manipulation of a phenotypic characteristic referred to herein as “stay-green” to generate drought tolerant plants by recombinant, mutagenic and/or breeding and selection methods. Plant management practice systems to increase crop yield and harvest efficiency in water-limited environments are also taught herein.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for managing device-to-device (D2D) communications session in a wireless-enabled communication environment. A first client node comprises a database containing location and ID information associated with a plurality of second client nodes. The location information in the database is updated as individual second client nodes change their location. As the location information is updated, it is processed by the first client node to determine the distance between it and an individual second client node. If the distance between the first client node and the individual second client node is within a viable D2D communications range, then the user of the first client node is notified that a D2D communications session can be initiate with the individual second client node.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for determining a color difference component quantization parameter and a device using the method. Method for decoding an image can comprise the steps of: decoding a color difference component quantization parameter offset on the basis of size information of a transform unit; and calculating a color difference component quantization parameter index on the basis of the decoded color difference component quantization parameter offset. Therefore, the present invention enables effective quantization by applying different color difference component quantization parameters according to the size of the transform unit when executing the quantization.

Abstract: Novel adsorbents and their use in a process for the removal of sulfur compounds from distillate fuels are described herein. The novel adsorbents are comprised of nanocrystals of Ni having adsorbed on their surface phosphorus and/or phosphine species, which nanocrystals can be distributed in a micro-/meso-porous support material.

Abstract: The method for scanning a transform coefficient of the present invention comprises the steps of: determining a reference transform block for a block to be decoded; deriving a scanning map of the block to be decoded using scanning information of the reference transform block; and executing a reverse-scan on the transform coefficient of the block to be decoded using the derived scanning map. The present invention enhances image encoding/decoding efficiency.

Abstract: The use of a purine nucleoside phosphorylase or nucleoside hydrolase or a vector encoding expression of one of these enzymes is detailed along with the use of a prodrug cleaved by the purine nucleoside phosphorylase or nucleoside hydrolase for the preparation of a direct injection inhibition of replicating or non-replicating targeted cells. The targeted cells do not normally express the introduced purine nucleoside phosphorylase or nucleoside hydrolase. The enzyme and prodrug are amenable to intermixing and injection as a single dose or as separate injection or administration to the targeted cells. The substance and prodrug efficacy are enhanced through exposure of the targeted cells to X-ray radiation. Administration of a prodrug regardless of administration route to the targeted cells is effective in combination with X-ray radiation therapy to kill or inhibit function of the targeted cells.

Abstract: The invention provides novel polypeptides useful for co-stimulating T cells, isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding them, vectors containing the nucleic acid molecules, and cells containing the vectors. Also included are methods of making and using these co-stimulatory polypeptides.

Abstract: A projection auto-stereoscopic display includes an image projector (100) and a stereo screen (200). The image projector (100) projects image. The image includes multiple viewing-zone pictures. The stereo screen (200) receives the image and reflects the image. The stereo screen (200) includes a linear polarizer (202), for receiving the image projected thereon and filtering the image in polarization. A first micro-retarder layer (204) is attached behind over the linear polarizer. A second micro-retarder layer (208) is disposed behind over the first micro-retarder layer (204). A reflection-type polarization preserved diffuser is disposed behind the second micro-retarder layer, for reflecting and diffusing an incident light into various directions.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for related to organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) having a microcavity. In one embodiment, a white-light source includes a first microcavity organic light emitting diode (OLED) configured to emit a narrow spectrum of blue light; a second microcavity OLED configured to emit a narrow spectrum of green light, and a third microcavity OLED configured to emit a narrow spectrum of red light. In another embodiment, a light source includes a plurality of OLEDs disposed on a glass substrate. Each of the OLEDs is configured to emit light in substantially orthogonal to the glass substrate in a predefined spectrum. Each of the OLEDs includes a semi-reflecting mirror; and an emitting layer, where the emitting layer in each OLED corresponds to a respective color of light emitted by the OLED.

Abstract: Devices and methods for delivering treatment fluids or particulates such as, stem cells, drugs, Botox and like, to an inner lining of a bladder for treatment of urinary tract disorders, including over active bladder. A balloon delivery system can include an inflation balloon having a plurality of micro-needles configured to pierce and otherwise puncture an inner bladder wall so as to deliver the treatment fluid to bladder tissue. The treatment fluid can be directly injected into the bladder tissue using the micro needles. Alternatively, the micro needles can be fabricated of bioabsorbable or bioresorbable materials such that the micro needles can remain embedded within the bladder tissue to deliver the treatment fluid or particulate.

Abstract: A method and system for treating exhaust emitted via an exhaust line from a diesel engine. A POC system is installed on the exhaust line, and has at least one diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), a set of two or more particulate oxidation catalyst (POC) elements, a first differential pressure sensor (?P1) to measure the pressure difference across the first and all but the last POC elements, and a second differential pressure sensor (?P2) to measure pressure differences across the last POC element. During operation of the engine, ?P1 is monitored to determine whether its POC elements require active regeneration, and ?P2 is separately monitored to determine whether its (the last) POC element requires active regeneration.

Abstract: An NO sensing system includes an inlet for receiving an original sample, a humidifier, fluidly communicating with the inlet, and a first sensor. The original sample is fluidly transmitted through the humidifier and exits the humidifier as a humidified sample having a humidity above a predetermined level. The first sensor generates a potential difference in response to presence of NO in the humidified sample. The potential difference is indicative of a level of NO within the original sample.

Abstract: Nanofibers are formed using electrospray deposition from microfluidic source. The source is brought close to a surface, and scanned in one embodiment to form oriented or patterned fibers. In one embodiment, the surface has features, such as trenches on a silicon wafer. In further embodiments, the surface is rotated to form patterned nanofibers, such as polymer nanofibers. The nanofibers may be used as a mask to create features, and as a sacrificial layer to create nanochannels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a polycondensation product by polycondensing monomers including (A) an aromatic or heteroaromatic compound containing a polyether chain, (B) optionally an aromatic or heteroaromatic compound which is different from monomer (A), and (C) an aldehyde, in the presence of a protonation catalyst, wherein the aldehyde is provided by a fast-releasing aldehyde source and a slow-releasing aldehyde source.