Abstract: This invention relates to novel pharmaceutically-useful compounds, to methods for their preparation, and to pharmaceutical compositions and therapeutic methods for treating certain conditions.

Abstract: The invention relates to the chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides, e.g., oligoribonucleotides. In another aspect, the invention relates to compounds of formula (II) processes for making these compounds, and the use thereof in the chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides, e.g., oligoribonucleotides. The invention also relates to methods of synthesis of oligomers, including but not limited to oligopeptides, oligosaccharides and oligonucleotides, particularly oligoribonucleotides and also oligodeoxyribonucleotides, in solution systems, and ionic tag linkers for use in methods provided herein.

Abstract: Photonic integration has primarily sought to exploit optical parallelism through wavelength division multiplexing whilst in many instances “brute-force” time division multiplexing offers benefits through reduced complexity and cost. However, photoreceivers are primarily the same now for operation at 10 Gb/s, 20 Gb/s, 40 Gb/s and above as 20 or 25 years ago and exploit the same optical detection—amplification—logic processing design. However, high speed low cost electronics ca be leveraged in conjunction with optical time sampling and logic to provide a new design paradigm. An incoming XGbs?1 optical data stream is sampled and processed by N photodetectors each operating at (X/N)Gbs?1 rather than the current direct XGbs?1 front-end of the prior art. Flexibility for the designer in establishing N within optical layer constraints, electronics capabilities etc.

Abstract: A greenhouse having side walls that provide a structural frame and which define an enclosed growing area. The greenhouse also has a roof which extends from the structural frame, and which has multiple roof sections extending inwardly over the growing area. A first roof section covers a first portion of the growing area and terminates in a first remote edge which is spaced inwardly from the structural frame. A second and subsequent roof sections covers the growing area and terminates in a second remote edge which overlaps the first remote edge, thus defining a vertical gap between the adjacent roof sections through which air can circulate. The greenhouse also has a cooling system mounted to a roof section which has nozzles for spraying water vapor into the circulating air, thus cooling the air.

Abstract: A method for producing an arene with an aromatic C—N bond ortho to an aromatic C—O bond from a hydroxy arene comprising said aromatic C—O bond is provided.

Abstract: Nutraceutical or pharmaceutical compositions, functional foods, extracts, dietary supplements and food/feed additives enriched in phytochemicals having antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory activity may be derived from the skin, pith, or cortex from stem tubers of select potato cultivars, such as Onaway, Russet Burbank, Purple Valley or Bora Valley cultivars. These cultivars and combinations thereof provide a useful antioxidant source enriched in ferulic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acids, ascorbic acid, anthocyanins, and rutin, isomers or derivatives thereof having antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory activity.

Abstract: The invention encompasses the novel class of compounds represented by the Formula (I) below, which are inhibitors of the TC-PTP enzyme. The invention also encompasses pharmaceutical compositions which include the compounds shown above and methods of treating or preventing TC-PTP mediated diseases, including cancer, via their use in the activation of antigen-presenting cells, like dendritic cells, for applications in the immunotherapeutic treatment of diseases.

Abstract: Photonic integrated circuits required connection to germanium doped silica cored optical fibers or silica cored and fluorine doped silica cladding optical fibers which have low index contrast and large mode field diameters. However, the optical waveguide within a photonic integrated circuit such as formed using silicon-on-insulator or compound semiconductors tends to be high index contrast and small mode field diameter. Accordingly, it is necessary to implement adiabatic waveguide tapers with a high coupling efficiency and small footprint in order to couple into the photonic integrated circuits to/from the optical fiber. Prior art tapers have been generally high loss and absorb valuable die footprint. In contrast the inventors demonstrate a small low loss waveguide taper designed using a methodology they refer to a “constant loss”.

Abstract: A major challenge for the general use of “lab-on-a-chip” (LOAC) systems and point-of-care (POC) devices has been the generally complex and need for sophisticated peripheral equipment, such that it is more difficult than anticipated to implement low cost, robust and portable LOAC/POC solutions. It would be beneficial for chemical, medical, healthcare, and environmental applications to provide designs for inexpensive LOAC/POC solutions compatible with miniaturization and mass production, and are potentially portable, using compact possibly hand-held instruments, using reusable or disposable detectors. Embodiments of the invention address improved circuit elements for self-powered self-regulating microfluidic circuits including programmable retention valves, programmable trigger valves, enhanced capillary pumps, and flow resonators.

Abstract: The present relates to a method for producing calcium sulfate solid crystals and hydrochloric acid (HCl) from a calcium chloride solution comprising the steps of feeding a continuous stirred-tank reactor with a calcium chloride solution, sulfuric acid and water; mixing the calcium chloride solution, sulfuric acid and water in the reactor; and maintaining the reactor a temperature of less than about 70° C., converting the calcium chloride solution, sulfuric acid and water into HCl and calcium sulfate solid crystals. The method described herein can be incorporated as a means for regenerating HCl from CaCl2 solutions which are generated in the metallurgical industry when processing calcium-bearing ores for recovering metals like rare earth elements.

Abstract: There is provided a method for preparing a dense hydrogel comprising providing an at least partially gelled hydrogel, placing the at least partially gelled hydrogel in fluid communication with an end of a capillary, and driving the at least partially gelled hydrogel into the capillary to form a dense hydrogel. There is also provided a system for preparing the dense hydrogel comprising a capillary having a bore; and a driver in communication with an end of the capillary for driving an at least partially gelled hydrogel into the bore of the capillary to form a dense hydrogel.

Abstract: A flue gas treatment apparatus has a flue gas inlet, a treated gas outlet downstream of the flue gas inlet, and a gas flow path therebetween. The flue gas treatment apparatus comprises a particulate removal device. A first heater is downstream of the particulate removal device. The first heater heats the flue gas to a first treatment temperature. A first catalytic converter is downstream of the first heater for eliminating at least some CO and SO2 from the flue gas. A second heater is downstream of the first catalytic converter for heating the flue gas to a second treatment temperature. A second catalytic converter is downstream of the second heater for eliminating at least some NOx from the flue gas. At least a first fan forces the flue gas from the flue gas inlet to the treated gas outlet.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a process for reducing particle agglomeration and/or increasing porosity of agglomerated particles, a method for enhancing dispersion of nanoparticles in a polymer matrix, and thermoplastic or thermoset nanocomposites comprising nanoparticles.

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.