Abstract: Natural materials often boast unusual combinations of stiffness, strength and toughness currently unmatched by today's engineering materials. Beneficially, according to the embodiments of the invention, these unusual combinations can be introduced into ceramics, glasses, and crystal materials, for example by the introduction of patterns of weaker interfaces with simple or intricate architectures. Two-dimensional surface modifications and three-dimensional arrays of effects within these materials allow for the deformation of these materials for increased flexure, impact resistance, etc. Further, the addition of interlocking substrate blocks in isolation or with additional flexible materials provide for improved energy dissipation and toughening. Such modified materials, based on carefully architectured interfaces, provide a new pathway to toughening hard and brittle materials.

Abstract: Optical solutions to address and overcome the issues of superseding/replacing electrical interconnection networks have generally exploited some form of optical space switching. Such optical space switching architectures required multiple switching elements, leading to increased power consumption and footprint issues. Accordingly, it would be beneficial for new optical, e.g. fiber optic or integrated optical, interconnection architectures to address the traditional hierarchal time-division multiplexed (TDM) space based routing and interconnection to provide reduced latency, increased flexibility, lower cost, and lower power consumption. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to exploit networks operating in multiple domains by overlaying mode division multiplexing to provide increased throughput in bus, point-to-point networks, and multi-cast networks, for example, discretely or in combination with wavelength division multiplexing.

Abstract: Multi-speed transmission for electric vehicles (EVs) can reduce the size of the electric motor and provide an appropriate balance between efficiency and dynamic performance. Currently used multi-speed transmissions for EVs were initially designed for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Since ICEs cannot operate below certain speeds and their speed control during gear changes is not an easy task, the presence of clutches or torque convertors is inevitable for start-ups, idle running and gear changing. This, however, is not the case for EVs as electric motors are speed controllable in a wide range of operating speeds. Accordingly, transmissions without clutches or torque converters are established for EVs.

Abstract: Energy dissipation measurements in Frequency Modulation-Atomic Force Microscopy (FM-AFM) should provide additional information for dynamic force measurements as well as energy dissipation maps for robust material properties imaging as they should not be dependent directly upon the cantilever surface interaction regime. However, unexplained variabilities in experimental data have prevented progress in utilizing such energy dissipation studies. The inventors have demonstrated that the frequency response of the piezoacoustic cantilever excitation system, traditionally assumed flat, can actually lead to surprisingly large apparent damping by the coupling of the frequency shift to the drive-amplitude signal. Accordingly, means for correcting this source of apparent damping are presented allowing dissipation measurements to be reliably obtained and quantitatively compared to theoretical models.

Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and apparatuses for separating sperm, including apparatus having an inlet and an outlet reservoir, and either: i) a radial array of microchannels disposed between the inlet and outlet reservoirs to provide fluid communication therebetween and to direct motile sperm inwardly from the inlet reservoir to the outlet reservoir; or ii) at least one microchannel path disposed between the inlet and outlet reservoirs to provide fluid communication therebetween, the at least one microchannel path having a path inlet adjacent the inlet reservoir, a path outlet adjacent the outlet reservoir, and a junction located between the path inlet and the path outlet for directing a portion of sperm that enter the path inlet towards the outlet reservoir based on wall-swimming behavior of sperm. Methods include filling an apparatus with buffer fluid, introducing semen into an inlet reservoir, and retrieving sperm separated from the semen from the outlet reservoir.

Abstract: It is provided a chitosan sponge for bone regeneration in a subject, comprising chitosan; a purine compound such as guanosine 5?-diphosphate (GDP); and at least one of a growth factor and a pyrophosphatase. Preferably the growth factor is BMP-7. The sponge is formed when the chitosan and the growth factor and/or pyrophosphatase is mixed with the purine compound such as guanosine 5?-diphosphate.

Abstract: Radiotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for cancer and its success depends critically on accurate targeting and delivery of the correct radiation dose. Accurate dosimetry is therefore essential to maintain and improve patient survival rates. However, size and long wait times currently limit water and graphite based calorimeters to standards laboratories leaving field-based dosimetry to ionization chamber measurements which depend upon a reference field-specified calibration factor. It would therefore be beneficial to provide radiotherapy equipment operators a direct approach of clinical reference dosimetry wherein the dosimeter provides increased independence on dose, dose rate, radiation energy, and energy type, etc. It would be further beneficial for such novel clinical dosimeters to be compact, function as secondary standards used routinely for measurements and allow radiotherapy doses to be measured directly and in an absolute manner.

Abstract: A catalyst precursor comprising (A) a microporous support; (B) a non-noble metal precursor; and (C) a pore-filler, wherein the micropores of the microporous support are filled with the pore-filler and the non-noble metal precursor so that the micropore surface area of the catalyst precursor is substantially smaller than the micropore surface area of the support when the pore-filler and the non-noble metal precursor are absent is provided. Also, a catalyst comprising the above catalyst precursor, wherein the catalyst precursor has been pyrolysed so that the micropore surface area of the catalyst is substantially larger than the micropore surface area of catalyst precursor, with the proviso that the pyrolysis is performed in the presence of a gas that is a nitrogen precursor when the microporous support, the non-noble metal precursor and the pore-filler are not nitrogen precursors is also provided. Methods of producing the catalyst precursor and the catalyst are provided.

Abstract: The identification and determination of aspects of the construction of a patient's heart is important for cardiologists and cardiac surgeons in the diagnosis, analysis, treatment, and management of cardiac patients. For example minimally invasive heart surgery demands knowledge of heart geometry, heart fiber orientation, etc. While medical imaging has advanced significantly the accurate three dimensional (3D) rendering from a series of imaging slices remains a critical step in the planning and execution of patient treatment. Embodiments of the invention construct using diffuse MRI data 3D renderings from iterating connections forms derived from arbitrary smooth frame fields to not only corroborate biological measurements of heart fiber orientation but also provide novel biological views in respect of heart fiber orientation etc.

Abstract: A method for assessing a cancer status of biological tissue includes the steps of: obtaining a Raman spectrum indicating a Raman spectroscopy response of the biological tissue, the Raman spectrum captured using a fiber-optic probe of a fiber-optic Raman spectroscopy system; inputting the Raman spectrum into a boosted tree classification algorithm of a computer program, and using the boosted tree classification algorithm for comparing, in real-time, the captured Raman spectrum to reference data and assessing the cancer status of the biological tissue based on said comparison, the reference data being previously determined based on a set of reference Raman spectra indicating Raman spectroscopy responses of reference biological tissues wherein each of the reference biological tissues is associated with a known cancer status; and generating a real-time output indicating the assessed cancer status of the biological tissue.

Abstract: Assays for selecting a candidate modulator of a TMEM120A ion channel and/or a candidate modulator of chronic pain, the steps comprising contacting a lipid membrane comprising contacting a lipid membrane comprising TMEM120A polypeptide with a test compound; quantitating the TMEM120A ion channel activity; comparing the ion channel activity of the TMEM120A polypeptide with a control; and selecting the test compound that modulates the ion channel activity compared to the control; and methods and compositions for treating chronic pain including osteoarthritic pain.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new drug to treat malignant glioma, which is the most prevalent type of primary tumor of the central nervous system (CNS). The present invention indeed shows that the isolated NFL-TBS40-63 peptide is highly specific for glioma cells, in which it triggers apoptosis. It is therefore presented here for use in a method for treating malignant glioma. The present invention further relates to the use of the NFL-TBS40-63 peptide for detecting specifically glioma cells either in vivo, or in vitro, or for addressing chemical compounds to said tumor cells.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing the presence of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) or predicting the risk of developing HSP in a human subject, comprising detecting the presence or absence of a defect in a gene encoding a polypeptide comprising the sequence of FIG. 9 (SEQ ID NO: 19), in a nucleic acid sample of the subject, whereby the detection of the defect is indicative that the subject has or is at risk of developing HSP.

Abstract: It is provided an anti-microbial composition comprising a phenolic-rich extract such as a phenolic-rich maple syrup extract (PRMSE) and at least one antibiotic and a method of treating a bacterial infection comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a phenolic-rich extract and at least one antibiotic.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to RNA monomers comprising O-acetal levulinyl protecting groups at the 2? and/or the 5?-hydroxy functionalities of the ribose moiety. Said monomers may be incorporated into oligoribonucleotides or RNA polynucleotides. Furthermore, the invention is directed to methods for the synthesis of said RNA monomers, oligoribonucleotides and RNA polynucleotides, as well as methods for their deprotection and methods for the use of said compounds and compositions comprising said compounds. In particular, such compounds and compositions comprising them are used in methods for light-directed synthesis of RNA microarrays.

Abstract: A method for processing non-lignocellulosic waste comprises pre-treating the non-lignocellulosic waste by enzymatic hydrolysis to yield a pre-treated non-lignocellulosic waste subjecting the pre-treated non-lignocellulosic waste to microwave hydrothermal carbonization to yield at least one of a hydrochar and a biocrude liquor. A system for processing non-lignocellulosic waste includes an enzymatic hydrolysis station for receiving non-lignocellulosic waste and generating a treated non-lignocellulosic waste, and a microwave hydrothermal carbonization station downstream of the enzymatic hydrolysis station for receiving the treated non-lignocellulosic waste from the enzymatic hydrolysis station and generating at least one of a hydrochar and a biocrude liquor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel compositions and therapeutic methods for the treatment of cancer, in particular malignant glioma. The compositions include antisense oligonucleotides or RNAs or vectors encoding them which reduce expression of downregulated in renal cell carcinoma (DRR) in tumor cells, and inhibit malignant glioma cell invasion.

Abstract: The present application shows the relationship between variations in the amino acid sequence of histone proteins, more specifically the H3.3 protein, and proliferation-associated disorders. Herewith provided are predictive methods, commercial packages, therapeutic methods and screening methods based on this relationship.

Abstract: A method for generating a lattice cell shape for a stent comprising generating a unit cell model representing a stent cell to be made of a given material, the unit cell model comprising elements each comprising points defining a G2-continuous curve, setting a weighting factor to a same value for each one of the points, the weighting factor representing a contribution of a corresponding one of the points to a curvature of an optimal curve, determining a curvature of the G2-continuous curve as a function of the weighting factors having the same value, and structurally optimizing the unit cell model by iteratively determining a variable value for the weighting factor value using stress-strain characteristics for the given material, determining a new curvature of the G2-continuous curve as a function of the variable value, and minimizing the new curvature, thereby obtaining an optimized curve corresponding to an optimized lattice cell shape.

Abstract: Scalability and energy efficiency are key issues in data centers imposing tight constraints on the networking infrastructure connecting the servers. Optical interconnection mitigates electronic limitations but the additional flexibility offered by WDM and datarate across a data center interconnection network requires architectural design, photonic technologies, and operating strategies be selected and optimized to meet power consumption requirements. Multi-plane architectures based upon space-wavelength domain architectures have been proposed to overcome scalability limitations. It would be beneficial to extend space and time switching domains with the wavelength domain for additional capacity to increase throughput as well as providing same electro-optic interface.