Abstract: This invention discloses compositions and methods for inducing, promoting or otherwise facilitating pain relief. More particularly, the present invention discloses the use of sub-normovasodilatory doses of nitric oxide donors in the therapeutic management of vertebrate animals including humans, for the prevention or alleviation of pain, especially neuropathic pain. According to some embodiments of the present invention, nitric oxide donors are administered by any suitable route so as to provide concentrations of NO that are about ½ to 10?15 of those known to induce vasodilation in normal circulations.

Abstract: A method of epitaxial growth of a material on a crystalline substrate includes selecting a substrate having a crystal plane that includes a plurality of terraces with step risers that join adjacent terraces. Each terrace of the plurality or terraces presents a lattice constant that substantially matches a lattice constant of the material, and each step riser presents a step height and offset that is consistent with portions of the material nucleating on adjacent terraces being in substantial crystalline match at the step riser. The method also includes preparing a substrate by exposing the crystal plane; and epitaxially growing the material on the substrate such that the portions of the material nucleating on adjacent terraces merge into a single crystal lattice without defects at the step risers.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, obtaining regression coefficients that quantify a relationship between premises feedback and first network and premises performance indicators, obtaining second network performance indicators for the network elements, obtaining second premises performance indicators for the customer premises equipment, and predicting customer complaints by applying the obtained regression coefficients to at least the second network performance indicators and the second premises performance indicators. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Provided is alloy for medical use and a medical device that is novel and useful. The alloy for medical use according to, for example, an embodiment of the present invention is mainly composed of three kinds of elements of gold (Au), platinum (Pt), and niobium (Nb). A total content of the three kinds of elements can be no smaller than 99% by weight, in which a platinum content can be no smaller than 5% by weight and no greater than 50% by weight and a niobium content can be no smaller than 3% by weight and no greater than 15% by weight. By adjusting the content ratio of the three elements, for example, it is possible to reduce or prevent artifacts in an MRI. Non-magnetization is also possible.

Abstract: The present invention relates to phosphorescent (triplet-emitting) organometallic materials. The phosphorescent materials of the present invention comprise Ir(III)cyclometallated alkynyl complexes for use as triplet light-emitting materials. The Ir(III)cyclometallated alkynyl complexes comprise at least one cyclometallating ligand and at least one alkynyl ligand bonded to the iridium. Also provided is an organic light emitting device comprising an anode, a cathode and an emissive layer between the anode and the cathode, wherein the emissive layer comprises a Ir(III)cyclometallated alkynyl complex as a triplet emitting material.

Abstract: Disclosed are graphene oxide membrane materials of high surface area, which membranes suitably have a surface area of above about 200 ?m and exhibit electrical conductivity in excess of about 200 S/m. Also provided are methods of synthesizing such membranes, as well as devices and sensors that incorporate these novel grapheme materials.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention may provide a portable, inexpensive two-view 3D stereo vision imaging system, which acquires a 3D surface model and dimensions of an object. The system may comprise front-side and back-side stereo imagers which each have a projector and at least two digital cameras to image the object from different perspectives. An embodiment may include a method for reconstructing an image of a human body from the data of a two-view body scanner by obtaining a front scan image data point set and a back scan image data point set. A smooth body image may be gained by processing the data point sets using the following steps: (1) data resampling; (2) initial mesh generation; (3) mesh simplification; and (4) mesh subdivision and optimization.

Abstract: A vehicle comprises a trailer angle detection apparatus and a trailer backup control system coupled to the trailer angle detection apparatus. The trailer angle detection apparatus is configured for outputting a signal generated as a function of an angle between the vehicle and a trailer towably attached to the vehicle. The trailer backup control system includes a jackknife enabling condition detector and a jackknife counter-measures controller. The jackknife counter-measures controller alters a setting of at least one vehicle operating parameter for alleviating an adverse jackknife condition during backing of the trailer by the vehicle when the jackknife enabling condition detector determines that a jackknife enabling condition has been attained at a particular point in time during backing of the trailer by the vehicle.

Abstract: Allyl alcohol, particularly from biobased sources such as glycerol, is hydroformylated to products including 4-hydroxybutyraldehyde and 4-hydroxy-2-methylpropionaldehyde by forming a homogeneous reaction mixture including allyl alcohol, a rhodium-based hydroformylation catalyst and a near critical liquefiable petroleum gas or mixture of such gases, reacting the near critical liquefiable petroleum gas (or gas mixture)-expanded allyl alcohol substrate with carbon monoxide and with hydrogen in the presence of the catalyst, and recovering substantially all of the petroleum gas or gases overhead by reducing the pressure and degassing the product mixture. Dense propane is especially useful as a single inert solvent/diluent, and substantially no other solvent/diluent is needed.

Abstract: A method of computerized data analysis and synthesis is described. First and second datasets of a quantity of interest are stored. A Gaussian process model is generated using the first and second datasets to compute optimized kernel and noise hyperparameters. The Gaussian process model is applied using the stored first and second datasets and hyperparameters to perform Gaussian process regression to compute estimates of unknown values of the quantity of interest. The resulting computed estimates of the quantity of interest result from a non-parametric Gaussian process fusion of the first and second measurement datasets. The first and second datasets may be derived from the same or different measurement sensors. Different sensors may have different noise and/or other characteristics.

Abstract: A 2?-modified ribonucleoside having an alkoxymethyl protective group can be imparted with a high duplex-forming ability by introducing, as a substituent, a halogen atom into the protective group moiety. A modified form of RNA having a halogen-substituted alkoxymethyl protective group exhibits a high duplex-forming ability that is comparable to the duplex-forming ability of a 2?-O-methyl modified nucleic acid.

Abstract: An NMR experiment on hyperpolarizable magnetic nuclei of substrate molecules in a living human or animal body, involves polarizing the substrate molecules by non-hydrogenating para-hydrogen induced polarization (=NH-PHIP) into a singlet/pseudo singlet state in low magnetic field and injecting the substrate molecules into the living body, the body or a part thereof being previously located inside a magnet at low magnetic field. The magnet is switched on to high magnetic field, and in at least part of the substrate molecules, the singlet state/pseudo singlet state is converted into observable magnetization. An MRI or MRS measurement is carried out with the living body or the part thereof, collecting data from the substrate molecules. The NMR experiment is well applicable on hyperpolarized nuclei within a patient, with reduced losses of magnetization due to relaxation processes.

Abstract: An article and method of using spacer layer regions is provided, containing a gas compound, to reduce gas permeation through barrier films overlying a substrate comprising creating a spacer layer between one or more of the barrier films, wherein the spacer layer comprises at least one inert gaseous compound. In another embodiment, an article and method is provided comprising creating alternating thin films of hybridized sol-gel spin-on glass and PDMS based and olefin based elastomers.

Abstract: The present invention includes compositions, methods, systems for the controlled delivery of an active agent within a polymeric network upon the binding of a molecule that decreases the structural integrity of the polymeric network at one or more micro- or nanovacuoles.

Abstract: Compositions and methods useful in determining the major morphological types of lung cancer are provided. The methods include detecting expression of at least one gene or biomarker in a sample. The expression of the gene or biomarker is indicative of the lung tumor subtype. The compositions include subsets of genes that are monitored for gene expression. The gene expression is capable of distinguishing between normal lung parenchyma and the major morphological types of lung cancer. The gene expression and somatic mutation data are useful in developing a complete classification of lung cancer that is prognostic and predictive for therapeutic response. The methods are suited for analysis of paraffin-embedded tissues. Methods of the invention include means for monitoring gene or biomarker expression including PCR and antibody-based detection. The biomarkers of the invention are genes and/or proteins that are selectively expressed at a high or low level in certain tumor subtypes.

Abstract: Phosphonate and phosphinate N-methanocarba derivatives of AMP including their prodrug analogs are described. MRS2339, a 2-chloro-AMP derivative containing a (N)-methanocarba (bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane) ring system in place of ribose, activates P2X receptors, ligand-gated ion channels. Phosphonate analogs of MRS2339 were synthesized using Michaelis-Arbuzov and Wittig reactions, based on the expectation of increased half-life in vivo due to the stability of the C—P bond. When administered to calsequestrin-overexpressing mice (a genetic model of heart failure) via a mini-osmotic pump (Alzet), some analogs significantly increased intact heart contractile function in vivo, as assessed by echocardiography-derived fractional shortening (FS) as compared to vehicle-infused mice. The range of carbocyclic nucleotide analogs for treatment of heart failure has been expanded.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and compositions for treating or preventing a bacterial infection, particularly infection by a Staphylococcus bacterium. The invention provides methods and compositions for stimulating an immune response against the bacteria. In certain embodiments, the methods and compositions involve a non-toxigenic Protein A (SpA) variant.

Abstract: The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.

Abstract: Methods of imaging are provided. In some embodiments, the methods may comprise obtaining a raw speckle image of a sample, converting the raw speckle image to a laser speckle contrast image using a laser speckle contrast algorithm, and converting a laser speckle contrast image to a relative correlation time image using a relative correlation time algorithm.

Abstract: The present technology provides compositions and methods for treating chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, or diabetic nephropathy. The compositions comprise a nitrated lipid and an inhibitor of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. The methods comprise administering a nitrated lipid in combination with an inhibitor of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system to a subject in need thereof, in an amount effective to treat diabetic nephropathy, chronic kidney disease, and/or end-stage renal disease. The use of a nitrated lipid with an inhibitor of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system exhibits a synergistic effect in treating chronic kidney disease and diabetic nephropathy.