Abstract: A system and method are provided for reconstructing images from limited or incomplete data, such as few view data or limited angle data or truncated data generated from divergent beams. The method and apparatus may iteratively constrain the variation of an estimated image in order to reconstruct the image. To reconstruct an image, a first estimated image may be generated. Estimated data may be generated from the first estimated image, and compared with the actual data. The comparison of the estimated data with the actual data may include determining a difference between the estimated and actual data. The comparison may then be used to generate a new estimated image. For example, the first estimated image may be combined with an image generated from the difference data to generate a new estimated image. To generate the image for the next iteration, the variation of the new estimated image may be constrained.

Abstract: A bioamplifier that includes a high pass filter, open-loop amplifier, and low pass filter in an area efficient design that can be used in implantable neural interfaces. The high pass filter can be implemented by using a switch-capacitance resistor coupled with parasitic capacitance of the electrode. The amplifier can be chopper stabilized and can include a high gain, current-ratio first stage followed by one or more dimension-ratio stages. The low pass filter utilizes the output impedance of the open-loop amplifier to form an embedded gm-C low pass filter.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for manufacturing a polymeric material having a compositional gradient, comprising: forming a mixture comprising a first photopolymerizable polymer precursor and a second photopolymerizable precursor, and subjecting said mixture to an intensity gradient of electromagnetic radiation, wherein said first precursor has a greater reactivity ratio than said second precursor, and/or said first precursor is mono-functional and said second precursor is di-functional, and/or said first precursor is less inhibited by oxygen than said second precursor.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for harvesting or separating one or more biological cells from an aqueous feed, a stream, a suspension, or any combinations thereof by providing the aqueous feed, the stream, or the suspension comprising the one or more biological cells in a tank or a vessel; providing one or more ion-exchange resins, wherein the ion-exchange resin is an anion-exchange resin; contacting the anion-exchange resin with the aqueous feed; binding the one or more biological cells to the anion-exchange resin; releasing or eluting the bound one or more biological cells by changing the pH; and collecting the released one or more biological cells to obtain a concentrated slurry or suspension of the one or more biological cells.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging method comprises performing imaging where more than one polarizing magnetic field strength is used during scanning and processing at least one image resulting from the scanning to yield an enhanced contrast image.

Abstract: Iminosugar compounds are described that have inbuilt delivery features by virtue of covalent incorporation of a tocopherol moiety, or alternative moieties that are analogs of tocopherol or select analogs of cholesterol, or its antagonist “Ezitimibe”; and are likely to have broad spectrum antiviral activity. The compounds differ from previous iminosugar compounds, even lipophillic ones, being more hydrophobic and resembling fats and oils in their partition behavior in vivo into lipid phases of lipoproteins, cellular lipid droplet organelles and biological membranes. These features confer a number of unique delivery attributes in vivo, favorable to the therapy of virus infections involving cells of the lymphoid system and the liver, in particular, but these features are also favorable in general for the treatment of virus infections of man and animals.

Abstract: Displacement measuring device with light irradiation system, first and second FBGs and detecting system. The first FBG has first transmittance distribution or first reflectance distribution. The second FBG has second transmittance distribution or second reflectance distribution. The detecting system detects light passed through the first and second FBGs of which at least one of the first transmittance distribution and the second transmittance distribution changes in a wavelength direction with a change amount different from that of the other, according to a displacement amount of an object, or amplitude of the light passed through the first and the second FBGs of which at least one of the first reflectance distribution and the second reflectance distribution changes in the wavelength direction with a change amount different from that of the other, according to the displacement amount of the object, and acquires an index to indicate the displacement amount based on the amplitude.

Abstract: A micro-fluidic system comprising means for optically trapping a particle and a Raman excitation source for causing Raman scatter from the particle while it is in the optical trap.

Abstract: An electro-tactile display includes an electrode substrate provided with a plurality of stimulation electrodes, a conductive gel layer positioned between the stimulation electrodes and the skin of a wearer, a switching circuit section electrically connected to the stimulation electrodes, a stimulation pattern generating section electrically connected to the switching circuit, and means for alleviating a sensation experienced by the wearer as a result of the stimulation electrodes. In one aspect, the means for alleviating a sensation is configured from the conductive gel layer. The conductive gel layer has a resistance value equivalent to that of the horny layer of the skin. In another aspect, the means for alleviating a sensation is configured from the stimulation determination means and the threshold value adjustment means.

Abstract: A method, according to an embodiment, for evaluating a regenerated cartilage includes allowing a group of cells containing auricular chondrocytes to stand in the presence of a culture medium, subsequently collecting at least a portion of a liquid component from the culture medium, measuring the GFAP content of the collected liquid component, and determining whether a regenerated cartilage that has been obtained or can be obtained from the group of cells is suitable for transplantation based on the GFAP content.

Abstract: An inter-vertebral cage for use in repairing a damaged inter-vertebral disc includes a plurality of cage sections and a hinge element that connects adjacent ones of the cage sections together for relative movement. The hinge elements automatically urge the cage sections to move from an extended orientation to an installed orientation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transmissive optical concentrator comprising an elliptical collector aperture and a non-elliptical exit aperture, the concentrator being operable to concentrate radiation incident on said collector aperture. The body of said concentrator may have a substantially hyperbolic external profile. Also disclosed is a photovoltaic cell employing such a concentrator and a photovoltaic building unit comprising an array of optical transmissive concentrators, each having an elliptical collector aperture; and an array of photovoltaic cells, each aligned with an exit aperture of a concentrator, wherein the area between adjacent collector apertures is transmissive to visible radiation.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrode for water-splitting reaction that is capable of increasing conductive path between a photocatalyst layer and a current collecting layer without inhibiting light absorption by photocatalyst, which comprises: a photocatalyst layer 10; a current collecting layer 30; and a contact layer 20 that contains semiconductor or good conductor and is provided between the photocatalyst layer 10 and the current collecting layer 30, wherein the contact layer 20 is provided along the surface shape of the photocatalyst layer 10 at the current collecting layer 30 side of the photocatalyst layer 10.

Abstract: The resolution of conventional imaging devices is restricted by the diffraction limit ‘Perfect’ imaging devices which can achieve a resolution beyond the diffraction limit have been considered impossible to implement. However, the present disclosure provides an imaging device which can achieve improved resolution beyond the diffraction limit and which can be implemented in practice. Said imaging device comprises: a. a lens having a refractive index that varies according to a predetermined refractive index profile; b. a source; c. an outlet for decoupling waves from the device; and d. a reflector provided around the lens, the source and the outlet, wherein the reflector and the refractive index profile of the lens are together arranged to direct waves transmitted in any of a plurality of directions from the source to the outlet.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate and/or liquid droplet separation processes from liquids containing the same and the use of specific chemical additives to control surface wetting, hydrophobicity and surface forces in such processes.

Abstract: Methods and compounds for treating neurodegenerative and other disorders. Included is the administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a compound having binding specificity for a p75NTR receptor molecule. Enhanced survival of neural and other cells has been observed.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices comprising multiple nanogaps having a separation of less than about 5 nm. Also disclosed are methods for fabricating these devices.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to therapeutic compositions that comprise: (1) a nanovector, (2) an active agent; and (3) a targeting agent, wherein the active agent and the targeting agent are non-covalently associated with the nanovector. The present invention also pertains to methods of treating various conditions in a subject by utilizing the above-described therapeutic compositions. Methods of making the therapeutic compositions are also a subject matter the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a high-molecular-weight copolymer of polar group-containing allyl monomers including monomer units represented by formulae (3) and (4) (in the formulae, R1 represents a hydrogen atom (H) or hydrocarbon group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R2 represents —OH, —OCOR3 (R3 represents hydrocarbon group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms), —N(R4)2 (R4 represents a hydrogen atom or hydrocarbon group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms); and n and m are a value representing the molar ratio of each of the monomer units), which has few branches and unsaturated group at the molecular end, by copolymerizing olefin and a polar group-containing allyl compound using a metal complex of group 10 elements in the periodic system represented by formula (I) as a catalyst.

Abstract: Estimating focus error in an image involves a training phase and an application phase. In the training phase, an optical system is represented by a point-spread function. An image sensor array is represented by one or more wavelength sensitivity functions, one or more noise functions, and one or more spatial sampling functions. The point-spread function is applied to image patches for each of multiple defocus levels within a specified range to produce training data. Each of the images for each defocus level (i.e. focus error) is sampled using the wavelength sensitivity and spatial sampling functions. Noise is added using the noise functions. The responses from the sensor array to the training data are used to generate defocus filters for estimating focus error within the specified range. The defocus filters are then applied to the image patches of the training data and joint probability distributions of filter responses to each defocus level are characterized.