Abstract: Herein disclosed are an electrode and a method for making an electrode having an enhanced electrically effective surface providing an increased signal to noise ratio. The electrode having a metal surface selected from gold, tungsten, stainless steel, platinum, platinum-tungsten, platinum-iridium, and combinations thereof; and an electrically conductive coating on said metal surface, said coating consisting essentially of polymerized pyrrole.

Abstract: Stress-related nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides and fragments and variants thereof are disclosed in the current invention. In addition, stress-related fusion proteins, antigenic peptides, and anti-stress-related antibodies are encompassed. The invention also provides recombinant expression vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule of the invention and cells into which the expression vectors have been introduced. Methods for producing the polypeptides and methods of use for the polypeptides of the invention are further disclosed.

Abstract: A device and method for targeting objects and specifically for locating intramedullary screw openings is described. The device and method include a target magnet and a sensor comprising an elliptical array of magnetoresistive elements, designed to give information on the three-dimensional orientation of the magnet. The sensor array is designed such that each magnetoresistive element is a member of an opposing pair and relays information on their alignment with the target magnet. The array is connected to a display such that the position of the sensor in relation to the target magnet is easily discerned. The invention is lightweight and portable, capable of operating on batteries and can be used in primitive situations where a stable supply of electricity is not available.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel methods and compositions for detection and isolation of cancer cells with metastatic potential. The invention further relates to assays for measuring the metastatic potential of such cancer cells and drug screening assays for the identification of agents having anti-metastatic potential. The present invention further provides methods and compositions for inhibiting the metastatic potential of cancer cells by modulating the activity of serine integral membrane proteases [(SIMP) consisting of seprase and dipetidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV)] expressed on the surface of metastasizing cancer cells.

Abstract: A lanthanoid metal catalyst for the formation carbon nanotubes from a carbon-containing gas mixture, a method for the formation of carbon nanotubes with the lanthanoid metal catalyst, endohedral carbon nanotube complexes containing lanthanoid metal atoms and/or ions, carbon nanotube imaging contrast agents, and a method for imaging living tissue with carbon nanotube imaging contrast agents are provided.

Abstract: Particular aspects provide novel compositions and methods useful for the growth, isolation and detection of microorganisms that have ?-glucosidase activity (e.g., the bacterium E. sakazakii). Certain embodiments provide a novel growth and/or plating media, comprising a fluorogenic ?-glucosidase substrate, which is both selective for and differential to E. sakazakii. In particular embodiments, the ?-glucosidase substrate comprises 4-methylumbelliferyl-?-D-glucoside. Additional embodiments relate to a selection media. Further embodiments relate to a selective medium that is based on Tryptone Bile agar. Still further embodiments relate to OK media as defined herein. Other embodiments of the invention relate to methods for growing bacterial cultures on media that is selective for and differential to microorganisms that have ?-glucosidase activity (e.g., the bacterium E. sakazakii).

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods utilizing thermostable and novel alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes for biosynthesizing chiral specific molecules for use as precursor molecules in synthesizing pharmaceutical compounds. Particularly, in preferred embodiments, the invention relates to directed engineering of an enzymatic catalytic site of an alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme gene for enhancing enantioselectivity for (S)-enantiomer substrate catalytic activity for providing aryl (S)-enantiomer products in stereomeric excess.

Abstract: Stationary x-ray digital breast tomosynthesis systems and related methods are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein can include an x-ray tomosynthesis system having a plurality of stationary field emission x-ray sources configured to irradiate a location for positioning an object to be imaged with x-ray beams to generate projection images of the object. An x-ray detector can be configured to detect the projection images of the object. A projection image reconstruction function can be configured to reconstruct tomography images of the object based on the projection images of the object.

Abstract: A photonic sensor system is provided. The system generally includes a beta emission source, optionally, a scintillation layer, and a luminophore-containing sensory layer. The system can be embodied in a particle. Also provided are photonic sensor strategies which are highly accurate and photonic sensors which are highly stable.

Abstract: A method for classifying a possible cancer from a magnetic resonance spectrographic (MRS) dataset includes extracting at least one feature from the MRS dataset as being identified with the possible cancer and embedding the extracted feature into a low dimensional space to form an embedded space. The method then clusters the embedded space into clusters representing a plurality of predetermined classes and spectrally decomposing the clusters to identify substantially significant independent metabolic signatures. The method then classifies the possible cancer as belong to one of at least two cancer classes based on the identified independent metabolic signatures.

Abstract: A method of forming electrospun fiber mats from a plurality of different biodegradable polymeric fibers is provided, in which a plurality of up to six different biodegradable polymer solutions are electrospun together by a method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of up to six different biodegradable polymer solutions each containing at least one biologically or pharmaceutically active material and each in communication with a needle for electrospinning a biodegradable polymer fiber from the solution, and pumping each solution through its respective needle into an electric field under conditions effective to produce uncontrolled charged jet streams of the polymer solutions directed at a grounded rotating mandrel, thereby forming fiber threads of the biologically or pharmaceutically active compounds and polymers in the solutions that are deposited on the mandrel to form an electrospun non-woven fiber mat, wherein the needles are positioned for co-deposition of the fiber threads from the polymer solu

Abstract: A nerve cuff electrode with a clip-on design feature is provided for the stimulation of nerves and nerve fibers and the recording of bio-potentials from nerves and nerve fibers. The nerve cuff includes an aperture having a longitudinal slit, a pinch hinge having a first arm and a second arm spaced apart from each other and at least one electrode embedded in the inner circumference of the aperture. The longitudinal slit is configured to open when a compressive force is applied to the outer surfaces of the first arm and the second arm whereby the first and second arm are squeezed together. When the compressive force is removed, the spring tension of the cuff returns the longitudinal slit to its normally closed position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of screening actives for the treatment of allergic reactions and providing treatment therefor. In particular, the invention relates to the screening of various antibacterial actives for treatment of asthma and other related symptoms.

Abstract: The invention provides a non-human mammal or a cell line that has a targeted gene disruption in an endogenous Iqgap2 gene. The invention also provides methods of identifying a compound as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and methods of treating or preventing hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract: An atomic force microscope and a method for detecting interactions between a probe and two or more sensed agents on a scanned surface and determining the relative location of two or more sensed agents is provided. The microscope has a scanning probe with a tip that is sensitive to two or more sensed agents on said scanned surface; two or more sensing agents tethered to the tip of the probe; and a device for recording the displacement of said probe tip as a function of time, topographic images, and the spatial location of interactions between said probe and the two or more sensed agents on said surface.

Abstract: A method or screen for assessing the potential of a compound to treat a pathological condition, such as arrhythmia, which is manifested by an increased late sodium current in a heart is disclosed. The method employs a mutant sodium channel protein having an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acids among the ten amino acids occurring at the carboxy end of the S6 segments of D1, D2, D3 or D4 domains of mammalian Nav1 differs from the amino acid in wild-type Nav1 by substitution with tryptophan, phenylalanine, tyrosine or cysteine. Cells transfected with a nucleic acid that encodes a mutant mammalian Nav1 protein, as well as isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence that codes for a mutant mammalian Nav1 protein are disclosed.

Abstract: An air flow conduit (98) and a related plenum (80) for distributing conditioned air from a refrigeration and heating unit (64) on an end (44) of a railroad freight car (20) into a cargo space (53) within the car (20). A deflector directs a flow of air upward into an inlet end of the plenum (80) and allows the flow to expand gradually within the plenum, smoothing the flow of air within the plenum so that it continues effectively at sufficient rates over the length of the car (20).

Abstract: A method of identifying an animal having a disease or condition without clinical symptoms includes detecting an elevated level of plasma DNA from blood or a blood fraction from the animal. In particular, the disease or condition can be a lymphoid neoplastic disease. Also, the plasma DNA can comprise a tumor-derived plasma DNA. In certain embodiments, the evaluation of the blood or blood fraction from the animal for the mutation assists in the identification of the disease or condition and/or its prognosis in the animal.

Abstract: A novel peptide adhesive motif is described that requires no receptor or cross-links to achieve maximal adhesive strength. Several peptides with different degrees of adhesive strength have been designed and synthesized using solid phase chemistries. All peptides contain a common hydrophobic core sequence flanked by positively or negatively charged amino acids sequences.

Abstract: Hybrid crystalline organic-inorganic quantum confined systems are disclosed, which contain alternating layers of a bifunctional organic ligand and a II-VI semiconducting chalcogenide, wherein the semiconducting chalcogenide layers contain chalcogenides have the formula MQ, in which M is independently selected from II-VI semiconductor cationic species and Q is independently selected from S, Se and Te; and the bifunctional organic ligands of each organic ligand layer are bonded by a first functional group to an element M of an adjacent II-VI semiconducting chalcogenide layer and by a second functional group to an element M from the adjacent opposing II-VI semiconducting chalcogenide layer, so that the adjacent opposing II-VI semiconducting chalcogenide layers are linked by the bifunctional organic ligands of the organic ligand layers. Optical absorption experiments show that these systems produce a significant blue shift in their optical absorption edges, 1.2-1.5 eV, compared to a shift of 1.