Abstract: A self-assembled carbon structure such as a carbon opal is disclosed herein. The structure is composed of hydrophilic carbon spheres oriented in a periodic colloidal crystal structure, wherein the carbon spheres have a porous surface, wherein the carbons spheres have an average particle diameter less than 3000 nm. Also disclosed is an inverse opal structure that includes a plurality of voids in the structural material. The voids are regularly arranged in an ordered periodic structure, the voids having a spherical shape. The inverse opal structure has a specific surface area greater than 100 m2/g and method for making the same together with materials that employ the same.

Abstract: A combination of antioxidants and method of incorporating the antioxidants into an asphalt binder to make a modified asphalt binder are described. The antioxidants comprise a thioester and an aldehyde. The aldehyde and thioester, in a ratio between about 1:100 and about 100:1 parts by weight, are added to an asphalt binder. An acidic catalyst is also added in a concentration between about 0.1 wt % and about 18 wt % of the asphalt binder. The antioxidants, asphalt binder, and catalyst are mixed at a temperature between about 85° C. and about 135° C. for a time between about 30 minutes and about 6 hours. The antioxidants are capable of improving the performance grade of the asphalt binder. The modified asphalt binder possesses superior resistance to oxidative age hardening compared to other modified asphalt binder compositions that incorporate various antioxidants.

Abstract: A zinc titanate reactive adsorbent comprising multiphase, polycrystalline nanofibers comprising ZnTiO3, ZnO, TiO2, and Zn2TiO4.

Abstract: A ring cavity light-emitting transistor device, including: a planar semiconductor structure of a semiconductor base layer of a first conductivity type between semiconductor collector and emitter layers of a second conductivity type; base, collector, and emitter metalizations respectively coupled with the base layer, said collector layer, and said emitter layer, the base metalization including at least one annular ring coupled with a surface of the base layer; and an annular ring-shaped optical resonator in a region of the semiconductor structure generally including the interface of the base and emitter regions; whereby application of electrical signals with respect to the base, collector, and emitter metalizations causes light emission in the base layer that propagates in the ring-shaped optical resonator cavity.

Abstract: An ink composition for making a conductive silver structure comprises a silver salt and a complex of (a) a complexing agent and a short chain carboxylic acid or (b) a complexing agent and a salt of a short chain carboxylic acid, according to one embodiment. A method for making a silver structure entails combining a silver salt and a complexing agent, and then adding a short chain carboxylic acid or a salt of the short chain carboxylic acid to the combined silver salt and a complexing agent to form an ink composition. A concentration of the complexing agent in the ink composition is reduced to form a concentrated formulation, and the silver salt is reduced to form a conductive silver structure, where the concentrated formulation and the conductive silver structure are formed at a temperature of about 120° C. or less.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a protein composed of a first polypeptide or polypeptide domain having a first specific binding activity for Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte Antigen 4 (CTLA-4) expressed on a T-cell cell surface and a second specific binding activity for Glucose Transporter 2 (GLUT2) or an extracellular ectodomain thereof expressed on a pancreatic ?-cell surface, wherein binding of the first polypeptide or polypeptide domain to CTLA-4 induces a CTLA-4 specific agonist response in the T-cell, and binding of the second polypeptide or polypeptide domain to GLUT2 or an ectodomain thereof does not inhibit GLUT2 glucose transporter function, wherein said agonist response in the T-cell induces a response that reduces immunoreactivity against pancreatic ?-cells.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a semiconducting nanoparticle comprising a one-dimensional semiconducting nanoparticle having a first end and a second end; where the second end is opposed to the first end; a first node that comprises a first semiconductor; where the first node contacts a radial surface of the one-dimensional semiconducting nanoparticle producing a first heterojunction at the point of contact; and a second node that comprises a second semiconductor; where the second node contacts the radial surface of the one-dimensional semiconducting nanoparticle producing a second heterojunction at the point of contact; where the first heterojunction is compositionally different from the second heterojunction.

Abstract: A structural displacement sensor that includes an arched member having two ends, where each end is attached to a fastening member. In an embodiment of the invention, the fastening members are configured to be attached to a structure. Further, a strain gauge is attached to the arched member, and the strain gauge is operatively connected to a signal processing device. In an embodiment, the arched member and strain gauge are configured to measure a displacement of the structure based on the amount of strain detected on the strain gauge.

Abstract: A method for amplifying an input optical signal includes the following steps: providing a light-emitting transistor device having a base region between collector and emitter regions; applying electrical signals with respect to the base, collector, and emitter regions to produce light emission from the base region of the light-emitting transistor device; and applying the input optical signal to the base region of the light-emitting transistor device to produce an amplified optical output from the base region.

Abstract: A method for producing light emission, including the following steps: providing a transistor structure that includes a semiconductor base region disposed between a semiconductor emitter region and a semiconductor collector region; providing a cascade region between the base region and the collector region, the cascade region having a plurality of sequences of quantum size regions, the quantum size regions of the sequences varying, in the direction toward the collector region, from a relatively higher energy state to a relatively lower energy state; providing emitter, base and collector electrodes respectively coupled with the emitter, base, and collector regions; and applying electrical signals with respect to the emitter, base, and collector electrodes to cause and control light emission from the cascade region.

Abstract: A system is provided for migrating a VM over a WAN. A first server has a VM. The first and second servers are operatively connected over the WAN by a virtual private local area network service. The first server migrates the VM to the second server by coping files and state of the VM to the second server without interrupting the interactive software on the VM. During a last round of migrating the VM, for packets intended for the VM on the first server, the first server buffers the packets in a buffer as buffered packets. Instead of delivering the buffered packets to the VM, the first server transmits the buffered packets to the second server. The second server plays the buffered packets to the VM migrated to and operating on the second server, such that buffered packets are played before current packets currently received from the clients are played.

Abstract: A process for recovering solvents from inorganic and organic solutions is disclosed. The process utilizes a polymer capable of selectively extracting the solvent from the inorganic or organic solution. Introduction of the polymer into the solvent solution creates formation of a polymer-rich phase and a solute-rich phase. The recovered solvent may be separated from the polymer-rich phase by heating the polymer-rich phase to at least the cloud point of the polymer. The polymer and/or solute may be recycled for further use in the solvent recovery process.

Abstract: An opto-electronic oscillator circuit, including: an opto-electronic circuit loop including an optical modulator that receives a first electrical signal and produces an optical output signal coupled with an optical resonator, a photodetector circuit optically coupled with the optical resonator, and a phase shifter coupled with the photodetector circuit for producing a phase shifted output signal that is fed back as the first electrical signal; an optical loop comprising the optical coupling of the optical resonator with the photodetector; and an electrical feedback circuit loop for coupling the first electrical signal with the photodetector circuit.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of producing biological products or increasing production of such products through expression in a plant of a bacterial or plant glycolate catabolic cycle gene, such as glycolate dehydrogenease (GDH), glycolate oxidase (GO), or malate synthase (MS) in combination with a plant gene, such as farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPS), squalene synthase (SQS), or PLAS. Also provided are plants, plants parts and compositions produced through methods of the present invention. The invention leads to two to five fold increase of end product yield.

Abstract: Provided herein are compounds that inhibit a binding interaction between a ? integrin and a G protein subunit, as well as compositions, e.g., pharmaceutical compositions, comprising the same, and related kits. In some embodiments, the compound is an antibody or antibody analog, and, in other embodiments, the compound is a peptide or peptide analog. Also provided are methods of using the compounds, including methods of treating or preventing a medical condition, such as stroke, heart attack, cancer, or inflammation.

Abstract: Diagnostic methods relating to a cardiac ventricular dysfunction are provided. In some embodiments, the diagnostic method is a method of diagnosing diastolic dysfunction in the absence of systolic dysfunction in a subject. The method comprises assaying a sample obtained from the subject for evidence of activation of renin-angiontensin system (RAS), evidence of oxidative stress, a level of adiponectin, or a combination thereof, wherein, when there is a lack of evidence of RAS activation, a lack of evidence of oxidative stress, a reduction in the level of adiponectin, or a combination thereof, as compared to a control subject, the subject is diagnosed with diastolic dysfunction in the absence of systolic dysfunction. Also provided are methods of diagnosing a type of cardiac ventricular dysfunction, methods of determining a therapeutic regimen for a subject suffering from a cardiac ventricular dysfunction, and methods of treating diastolic dysfunction in the absence of systolic dysfunction.

Abstract: The methods and apparatus of the present invention allow the evaluation of inflammation of the esophagus. Measurements may be utilized, for example, to diagnose a disease of the esophagus, to monitor inflammation of the esophagus, or to access the treatment of a disease of the esophagus. In one embodiment, the invention comprises a method for measuring esophageal inflammation comprising deploying a device into the esophagus of a subject, removing the device after a predetermined period of time, analyzing the device for a diagnostic indicator of esophageal inflammation and evaluating the diagnostic indicator to diagnose esophageal inflammation.

Abstract: Histone deacetylases inhibitors (HDACIs) and compositions containing the same are disclosed. Methods of treating diseases and conditions wherein inhibition of HDAC provides a benefit, like a cancer, a neurodegenerative disorder, a neurological disease, traumatic brain injury, stroke, malaria, an autoimmune disease, autism, and inflammation, also are disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a pharmaceutical compositions and methods of reducing acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity. The disclosure includes pharmaceutical compositions including acetaminophen and one or more components selected from S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), S-methylmethionine (SMM), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The disclosure also relates to methods of reducing acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity in a subject by administering or co-administering one or more of S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), S-methylmethionine (SMM), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, with acetaminophen to a subject.

Abstract: A method for producing light emission from a semiconductor structure, including the following steps: providing a semiconductor structure that includes a first semiconductor junction between an emitter region of a first conductivity type and a base region of a second conductivity type opposite to that of the first conductivity type, and a second semiconductor junction between the base region and a drain region; providing, within the base region, a region exhibiting quantum size effects; providing an emitter electrode coupled with the emitter region; providing a base/drain electrode coupled with the base region and the drain region; and applying signals with respect to the emitter and base/drain electrodes to obtain light emission from the semiconductor structure.