Abstract: The present invention relates generally to degradable polymers, including degradable polymers that may be responsive to ionic strength. The invention also relates generally to methods of making degradable polymers and methods of using such polymers.

Abstract: A counter-rotating axial flow fan with reduced noise at the target operating point achieved without modifying a front impeller, a rear impeller, or a middle stationary portion is provided. An annular rib including a projecting surface for generating turbulent flow is formed on an inner wall portion of a casing at a position off from the middle stationary portion to a side of the rear impeller, the projecting surface extending radially inwardly of the inner wall portion and extending continuously in the circumferential direction of the inner wall portion. A fluid striking the projecting surface for generating turbulent flow is partially disturbed to form a turbulent flow before entering an area in which the rear impeller is provided. The turbulent flow suppresses flow separation of a fluid flowing along the surfaces of rear blades of the rear impeller from the surfaces of the rear blades.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for controlling boost and buck-boost converters using input-output linearization and leading-edge modulation is provided. The controller includes a summing circuit connected to the converter to create a third voltage representing a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. A gain circuit is connected to the summing circuit to adjust the third voltage by an appropriate gain. A modulating circuit is connected to the gain circuit, the converter, the first voltage, the second voltage and the second current to create a control signal based on the first voltage, the second voltage, the adjusted third voltage, the fourth voltage and the first current. The control signal is used to control the converter. Typically, the first voltage is a converter output voltage, the second voltage is a reference voltage, the fourth voltage is a converter input voltage, and first current is a converter inductor current.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical compositions having at least one crystal protein and a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist in amounts effective to inhibit a parasitic worm or helminth infection in a vertebrate or mammal are described. Methods for treating a parasitic worm or helminth infection in a subject are also described. The methods include administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the at least one crystal protein and a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist. The crystal proteins can be isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis and include Cry5B, Cry21, Cry14A, Cry6A, and Cry13A. The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist can be from the levamisole family, which include levamisole, pyrantel, and tribendimidine.

Abstract: Disclosed are compounds of the formula I: wherein R1, R2, V, W, X, Y and Z can be as defined herein. The compounds can be used in the treatment of disorders mediated by the cannabinoid receptors.

Abstract: The present invention includes methods and compositions having at least one nanoparticle for analyzing a chemical analyte. The device includes an electrochemical cell connected to a measuring apparatus, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a container and at least one electrode comprising a surface modification; a solution within the container comprising one or more chemical analytes and one or more metal nanoparticles in the solution, wherein one or more electrocatalytic properties are generated by the one or more metal nanoparticles at the at least one electrode and the contact of individual nanoparticles can be measured.

Abstract: A compound useful for treating subjects in need of therapy involving sigma receptors or for alleviation of affects resulting from drug abuse having the general formula I in which R1 can be a radical of an optionally substituted C-4 to C-7 N-containing heterocycle such as, for example, radicals of optionally substituted piperidines, optionally substituted piperazines, optionally substituted tetrahydropyridines, optionally substituted azepanes, tertiary amines (cyclic or acyclic), isoindoline-1,3-dione, or optionally substituted tetrahydroisoquinolones (aromatically substituted): R2,3,4,5,6 can each independently be any one or combinations of the following moieties, cyano, nitro, acyl, alkyl, amido, azido, isothiocyanate, isocyanate optionally substituted anilino, halogens, ethers, sulfonamides, thioacyl, nitro, aromatic, heterocyclic, olefinic, acetylene, deuterium, or tritium; Y can be either CH, CH2, O, S, OCH2, N—R, N—Ar, C—R, C—Ar; Z can be either H, O, S, S—R or NR.

Abstract: Methods are described for reducing cytoskeletal rearrangement and intercellular gap formation by contacting cells with an aminoalkyl glucosaminide phosphate. In particular, the methods can be used to reduce actin cytoskeletal rearrangement and/or intracellular gap formation related to ischemic or ischemia-reperfusion events and to alleviate diseases or conditions related to increased actin cytoskeletal rearrangement.

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 or an antibody directed thereto.

Abstract: Provided are methods, uses and pharmaceutical compositions for treatment of prostate cancer with a SEMA3C inhibitor in a biologically effective amount sufficient to cause cell death of a prostate cancer cell or to inhibit proliferation of the prostate cancer cells. The prostate cancer may be an androgen receptor (AR) positive prostate cancer and the SEMA3C inhibitor may be selected from one or more of the following: an antibody, a SEMA3C peptide, an antisense RNA, a siRNA, a shRNA or a small molecule.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for automated classification of a medical diagnostic image of a lung according to its deduced probability of relating to a lung of a patient who is suffering from a diffuse parenchymal lung disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, or severe asthma, or to a class of patients characterized by the severity of such a condition, or to a class of patients characterized by a prognostic likelihood of developing such a condition or severity of condition.

Abstract: A tactile sensor and a multi-axial tactile sensor are provided, each of which is thin and can measure shearing force. A multi-axial tactile sensor 1 includes a sensor element 2 provided in a plane substantially at the same level as the surface of a substrate 6, and an outer package member 42 covering around the sensor element 2 and transmitting external force to the sensor element 2. The sensor element 2 includes a flexible beam 7 (8) having at least one end supported by the substrate 6. The sensor element 2 detects deformation of the beam 7 (8), the deformation being caused in the direction in parallel with the surface of the substrate 6.

Abstract: A system and methods are provided for verifying a hardware design for an electronic circuit. The method may include: providing a hardware design description for the electronic circuit; extracting a set of design constraints from the hardware design description, where the set of design constraints represents the electronic circuit in terms of signals and logical operations performed on the signals; creating an abstraction model from the set of design constraints, where the abstraction model abstracts one or more of the logical operations in the set of design constraints by replacing the abstracted logical operations with uninterpreted functions; and property checking the abstraction model in relation to one or more design properties. When a violation in the electronic circuit is detected by the property checking step, the feasibility of the violation is then checked and, if the violation is deemed infeasible, the abstraction model is refined.

Abstract: A method and system for improving the quality and quantity of a soluble salt recovered from the supernatant produced when concentrated solutions are mixed to precipitate an insoluble salt are disclosed. Liquid residual, or supernatant, contains salt that is reusable in the regeneration solution of ion removal devices such as ion exchange or electrodialysis metathesis (EDM). The disclosed embodiments include a method for concentration and purification of salt. NaCl is recovered in a truly Zero Discharge Desalination (i.e., ZDD) process. The ZDD process utilizes reverse osmosis (RO) or nanofiltration (NF) for the primary desalination of groundwater that has high concentration of CaSO4 and utilizes EDM to separately remove calcium and sulfate ions from the RO or NF concentrate so that water recovery can be improved. The recovered NaCl is reused in the EDM.

Abstract: Provided herein are compositions and kits comprising a therapeutic agent linked to a cleavable substrate, wherein the cleavable substrate is capable of being cleaved by cathepsin E. Also provided are methods of treating one or more symptoms of a disease or disorder characterized by expression of cathepsin E in a subject and methods of eliminating a cancer cell characterized by expression of cathepsin E using the provided compositions and kits. Further provided herein are methods of detecting the presence of a cancer cell or detecting a cathepsin E expressing cell using a photosensitizer linked to a cleavable substrate, wherein the cleavable substrate is capable of being cleaved by cathepsin E.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter relates to methods and compositions for protecting healthy cells from damage due to DNA damaging agents. In particular, the presently disclosed subject matter relates to the protective action of selective cyclin dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors administered to subjects that have been exposed to or that are at risk of exposure to DNA damage.

Abstract: A method of treating motor deficits in a stroke patient, comprising assessing a patient's motor deficits, determining therapeutic goals for the patient, based on the patient's motor deficits, selecting therapeutic tasks based on the therapeutic goals, performing each of the selected therapeutic tasks repetitively, observing the performance of the therapeutic tasks, initiating the stimulation of the vagus nerve manually at approximately a predetermined moment during the performance of the therapeutic tasks, stimulating the vagus nerve of the patient during the performance of the selected therapeutic tasks, and improving the patient's motor deficits.

Abstract: The present invention provides antimicrobial solutions that comprise at least one alcohol, at least one antimicrobial agent and at least one chelator and/or anticoagulant. Also provided are methods for rapidly reducing a microbe or a virus from surfaces including surfaces of indwelling medical devices and organic surfaces such as skin and sutures, and inorganic surfaces such as hospital equipment, pipelines etc.

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: The present invention relates to the ability of PLUNC proteins, such as SPLUNC1 and SPLUNC2, to bind to sodium channels and inhibit activation of the sodium channels. The invention further relates to methods for regulating of sodium absorption and fluid volume and treating disorders responsive to modulating sodium absorption by modulating the binding of PLUNC proteins to sodium channels.