Abstract: A frequency controlled electro-optical device includes a substrate having transparent conductive control sections patterned thereon to selectively control the optical state of an electro-optical layer. Each of the control sections are partially electrically isolated from each other by crack lines, which allows for electrical communication between adjacent/proximate control sections to occur. As such, an electrical control signal applied directly to one control section forms an electric field in that control section, and also induces an electrical field in adjacent control sections that are not in direct receipt of the control signal. Therefore, the number of electrical connections required for coupling to a driving circuit to operate the device is minimized, thereby allowing the device to be fabricated with reduced complexity and cost.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical for and a method of treating one of vitamin D deficiency, diabetes and pre-diabetes in an animal comprising the steps A method of treating one of vitamin D deficiency, diabetes and pre-diabetes in an animal comprising the steps of administering a first therapeutic agent and a second therapeutic agent to the animal; providing the first therapeutic agent is one of vitamin D, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, clathrate, stereoisomer, enantiomer or prodrug thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof; and providing the second therapeutic agent is one of L-cysteine, glutathione; glycine, glutamate, and glutathione, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, clathrate, stereoisomer, enantiomer or prodrug thereof, pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof, or some combination of thereof.

Abstract: A positive electrode comprising ?-VOPO4 and/or Nax(?-VOPO4) wherein x is a value from 0.1 to 1.0 as an active ingredient, wherein the electrode is capable of insertion and release of sodium ions and a reversible sodium battery containing the positive electrode are provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improved data transmission utilizing a communication facilitator are described in accordance with embodiments of the invention. One embodiment includes a plurality of nodes, that each comprise: a transmitter; a receiver; and an encoder that encodes message data for transmission using a plurality of codewords; a cooperation facilitator node comprising: a transmitter; and a receiver; wherein the nodes are configured to transmit data parameters to the cooperation facilitator; wherein the cooperation facilitator is configured to generate cooperation parameters based upon the data parameters received from the nodes; wherein the cooperation facilitator is configured to transmit cooperation parameters to the nodes; and wherein the encoder in each of the nodes selects a codeword from the plurality of codewords based at least in part upon the cooperation parameters received from the communication facilitator and transmit the selected codeword via the multiple access channel.

Abstract: Disclosed are sensor assemblies and a Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) system. A sensor assembly includes at least one a motor configured to vibrate a sensing optode at a first frequency. A system includes a plurality of sensor assemblies and a controller for processing signals from the sensor assemblies.

Abstract: A system and methods for generating 3D images from 2D bioluminescent images and visualizing tumor locations are provided. A plurality of 2D bioluminescent images of a subject are acquired using any suitable bioluminescent imaging system. The 2D images are registered to align each image and to compensate for differences between adjacent images. After registration, corresponding features are identified between consecutive sets of 2D images. For each corresponding feature identified in each set of 2D images, an orthographic projection model is applied, such that rays are projected through each point in the feature. The intersection points of the rays are plotted in a 3D image space. All of the 2D images are processed in the same manner, such that a resulting 3D image of a tumor is generated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of identifying ammunition type and/or weapon type used to fire the ammunition from gunshot residue. This method involves providing a sample including a gunshot residue, subjecting the sample to spectroscopic analysis to produce a spectroscopic signature for the sample, and identifying the spectroscopic signature to ascertain the type of ammunition and/or the type of weapon used to fire the ammunition. A method of establishing reference spectroscopic signatures for ammunition type and/or weapon type used to fire the ammunition is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides a compound of formula I: or a salt thereof, wherein R1-R3 have any of the values described in the specification, as well as compositions comprising a compound of formula I. The compounds are useful as antibacterial agents.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for producing chitosan derivatives and the derivatives formed by these methods. The processes of the present disclosure utilize electrochemical methods to functionalize and/or modify amine and/or hydroxyl groups present on chitosan, to form new derivatives. In embodiments, a chloro-chitosan derivative may be prepared. The altered cationic affinity of these derivatives make them excellent candidates for biomedical applications, including pharmaceuticals, as well as food applications.

Abstract: A novel method for real-time small-signal stability analysis for power electronic-based components in a power system. The method may be used to monitor a power system in real-time by perturbing the source side of an electronic-based component of the power system of about 0.5 to 1 percent of a nominal current of the power system at the source side using shunt current injection, and perturbing the load side of the power electronic-based component by varying the voltage at the load side using series voltage injection. Time-domain results of the perturbations may be transferred to frequency-domain results and the stability of the power system may be monitored by obtaining a Nyquist contour and employing unit circuit criterion or Generalized Nyquist Criterion.

Abstract: The present invention is based, in part, on our discovery of compositions and methods that can be used to treat a patient who has a compromised bone (due, for example, to a disease such as osteoporosis or an injury such as a bone fracture). The compositions can also be administered prophylactically. For example, they can be administered to help maintain bone health as a patient ages. More specifically, the compositions include polypeptides that constitute (or that include) a fragment of a calcitonin receptor (CR) and polypeptides that constitute (or include) biologically active variants of those fragments. Sequence-specific formulas are provided herein, and polypeptides conforming to those formulas, as well as nucleic acids encoding them, expression vectors, host cells, pharmaceutical formulations, and methods of their preparation and use are within the scope of the present invention.

Abstract: The invention is directed to compositions to screen for small molecule drugs that inhibit proteases, such as viral proteases, e.g., HIV proteases; and methods for making and using these compositions. The invention provides compositions and methods for identifying compositions, e.g., drug molecules, that can inhibit proteases, e.g., HIV proteases. In alternative embodiments, the invention provides cell-based assays to screen for compositions, e.g., small molecules or drugs, that inhibit or modify the activity of enzymes such as calcium-dependent protein convertases involved in HIV envelop protein processing, including cleavage of the HIV gp160 envelope precursor, resulting in gp120 and gp41 envelope products.

Abstract: Both single phase lead-free cubic pyrochlore bismuth zinc niobate (BZN)-based dielectric materials with a chemical composition of Bi1.5Zn(0.5+y)Nb(1.5?x)Ta(x)O(6.5+y), with 0?x<0.23 and 0?y<0.9 and films with these average compositions with Bi2O3 particles in an amorphous matrix and a process of manufacture thereof. The crystalline BZNT-based dielectric material has a relative permittivity of at least 120, a maximum applied electric field of at least 4.0 MV/cm at 10 kHz, a maximum energy storage at 25° C. and 10 kHz of at least 50 J/cm3 and a maximum energy storage at 200° C. and 10 kHz of at least 22 J/cm3. The process is a wet chemical process that produces thin films of Bi1.5Zn(0.5+y)Nb(1.5?x)Ta(x)O(6.5+y) without the use of 2-methoxyethanol and pyridine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods comprising genes and peptides associated with cyclic peptide toxins and toxin production in mushrooms. In particular, the present invention relates to using genes and proteins from Amanita species encoding Amanita peptides, specifically relating to amatoxins and phallotoxins. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention also relates to methods for detecting Amanita peptide toxin genes for identifying Amanita peptide-producing mushrooms and for diagnosing suspected cases of mushroom poisoning. Further, the present inventions relate to providing kits for diagnosing and monitoring suspected cases of mushroom poisoning in patients.

Abstract: Provided are methods for aqueous isolation of depolymerized lignin in high yield from a lignin-containing biomass composition, comprising positioning a lignin-containing biomass composition into a flowthrough thermal reactor chamber to provide for passage of an aqueous fluid therethrough, contacting the lignin biomass composition with the aqueous fluid under elevated temperature conditions sufficient to provide for lignin release and depolymerization, flowing the aqueous fluid through the reactor chamber under the elevated temperature conditions, to provide an output aqueous fluid comprising released depolymerized lignin, and collecting the depolymerized lignin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to peptide ligands of the melanocortin receptors, in particular the melancortin-4 receptor, and as such, are useful in the treatment of disorders responsive to the activation of this receptor, such as insulin resistance.

Abstract: Disclosed are cathodes comprising a conductive support substrate having a catalyst coating including Ni5P4 nanocrystals. The conductive support substrate is capable of incorporating a material to be reduced, such as water or hydrogen cations. Also disclosed are methods for generating hydrogen gas from water via an electrolysis reaction or from the reduction of hydrogen cations, wherein the catalyst is part of a conductive support within a cathode, including (a) placing an anode and the inventive cathode in an electrolyte, (b) placing the anode and cathode in conductive contact with an external source of electricity, (c) providing a source of water to the cathode, and (d) using the external source of electricity to drive an electrolysis reaction at the cathode, whereby the hydrogen gas is generated from water. In certain embodiments, the reaction uses a free catalyst, wherein the catalyst is placed in proximity to the cathode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to therapeutic agents comprising bispecific recombinant antibody fragments to selectively clear a protein associated with a neurological disease and methods of use of these therapeutic agents to treat neurological diseases.

Abstract: A pulsed voltage bias method and/or pulsed light bias method may be used to reduce, minimize, and/or eliminate external quantum efficiency measurement artifacts of multi-junction solar cells, for example artifacts caused by the shunt effect. In this manner, multi-junction solar cells may be designed and constructed with improved performance, efficiency, and the like.

Abstract: A compiler tool-chain may automatically compile an application to execute on a limited local memory (LLM) multi-core processor by including automated heap management transparently to the application. Management of the heap in the LLM for the application may include identifying access attempts to a program variable, transferring the program variable to the LLM, when not already present in the LLM, and returning a local address for the program variable to the application. The application then accesses the program variable using the local address transparently without knowledge about data in the LLM. Thus, the application may execute on a LLM multi-core processor as if the LLM multi-core processor has an unlimited heap space.