Abstract: A reflective diffractometric hydrogel sensor includes an upper layer, including a microfluidic chamber formed from a substantially transparent material and configured to contain a solution, a reflective diffraction grating positioned within the microfluidic chamber, the diffraction grating including a plurality of hydrogel strips configured to change in dimension in response to a stimulus, each hydrogel strip having a top surface coated with a reflective material and a bottom surface in contact with the upper layer substrate, and a reflective surface below the reflective diffraction grating wherein when a coherent light is incident upon and reflected from the upper layer at an angle substantially normal to the upper layer an interference diffraction pattern results, including a first diffraction mode, a light intensity of which indicates the relative distance between the top surfaces of the plurality of hydrogel strips and the reflective surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for increasing the concentration of platinum group metals in urban waste material. The method comprises obtaining particles of urban waste material; screening the particles of urban waste material by size,—selecting particles of urban waste material that lie within a defined size range; and processing the selected particles using at least one physical or chemical technique whereby to increase the concentration of platinum group metals to at least 5 ppm. The invention also relates to an apparatus for increasing the concentration of platinum group metals in particulate urban waste material. The apparatus comprises: a drying unit (4), a particle size screening unit (5); and one or more processing units for effecting platinum group metal concentration of the particulate urban waste material by physical and/or chemical techniques, in particular a magnetic separation unit (7) and a froth flotation cell (9).

Abstract: This invention provides, but is not limited to, methods of using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) having repeat units of the formula M2(DHTP) (M is a divalent metal ion; DHTP=2,5-dihydroxyterephthalate) for acetylene storage. Also provided are compositions of the same formula and acetylene, e.g., an acetylene storage material comprising [M2(DHTP)]n and acetylene.

Abstract: A method for constructing a compound of immunologically modified nanotubes and method for using the compound to deliver immunoadjuvants to tumor cells and to produce targeted, synergistic photophysical and immunological reactions for cancer treatment. To prepare the immunologically modified nanotubes, carbon nanotubes are dissolved in a solution of glycated chitosan, an immunostimulant, hence using glycated chitosan as a surfactant for rendering the aqueous solution of nanotubes stable. The compound can be used for treatment of cancer. The method includes steps of intratumorally administering immunologically modified nanotubes and administering laser irradiation of the target tumor. The nanotube serves as a carrier to deliver immunoadjuvants to the tumor cells and serves as a light-absorbing agent in a cell body of a tumor in a host.

Abstract: An inattentive state determination device includes an observed amount acquiring means for acquiring information on the driver's line of sight and at least one of either information on driving operations or information on the traveling state as an observed amount; and an inattentive state determining means for determining the inattentive state of the driver based on the stochastic relationship between the inattentive state and the observed amount as well as the observed amount acquired by using the observed amount acquiring means. In addition, the inattentive state determining means calculates the probability that the driver is driving inattentively and determines that the driver is driving inattentively when the calculated probability exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for mapping a model of an object comprising an anatomical structure in a planning image and an intervention target region within it to intervention-guiding image data are disclosed. According to one method, an initial medial representation object model (m-rep) of an object comprising an anatomical structure is created based on image data of at least a first instance of the object. A patient-specific m-rep is created by deforming the initial m-rep based on planning image data of at least a second instance of the object, wherein the at least second instance of the object is associated with the patient. An intervention target region within the m-rep is identified in an image registered with the planning image. The patient-specific m-rep is correlated to the intervention-guiding image data of the at least second instance of the object, deformed from the planning image.

Abstract: A method of treating tinnitus comprising measuring a patient's hearing, determining the patient's hearing loss and the patient's tinnitus frequency using the measurements of the patient's hearing, programming a clinical controller with the measurements of the patient's hearing, selecting a plurality of therapeutic tones, where the therapeutic tones are selected to be at least a half-octave above or below of the patient's tinnitus frequency, setting an appropriate volume for each of the plurality of tones, repetitively playing each of the plurality of therapeutic tones, and pairing a vagus nerve stimulation pulse train with each playing of a therapeutic tone, thereby reducing the patient's perception of tinnitus.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to an allele on human chromosome 9 associated with increased risk for coronary heart disease and the use or detection of such an allele in determining whether a human has an increased risk for coronary heart disease. In one aspect, the invention relates to methods for detecting a predisposition or propensity or susceptibility for coronary heart disease in a human, comprising detecting the presence of an allele on human chromosome 9 that is associated with an increased risk for coronary heart disease in a human. Disclosed are methods and compositions for determining whether a person carries an allele associated with increased risk for coronary atherosclerosis by determining whether the person has an RA-CHR9 allele, such as by determining whether the person has an RA-CHR9 allele-associated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). The invention also relates to kits for detecting the presence of an allele on chromosome 9 associated with an increased risk for coronary heart disease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds and methods which may be useful as inhibitors of HIF pathway activity for the treatment or prevention of cancer and other hypoxia-mediated diseases.

Abstract: The present invention provides a phosphopeptide or phosphoprotein (PP) stabilised amorphous calcium phosphate or amorphous calcium fluoride phosphate complex having a calcium ion greater than about 30 moles of calcium per mole of PP.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter relates to nitric oxide-releasing particles for delivering nitric oxide, and their use in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.

Abstract: The present invention provides AAV capsid proteins, virus capsids comprising said capsid proteins and virus vectors comprising said capsid proteins, wherein the AAV capsid proteins have one or more mutations, wherein the mutation(s) result in a phenotype of decreased liver transduction and/or reduced glycan binding affinity as compared to a control. The invention also provides methods of administering the virus vectors and virus capsids of the invention to a cell or to a subject.

Abstract: Compounds and methods for stimulating neurogenesis (e.g., post-natal neurogenesis, including post-natal hippocampal and hypothalamic neurogenesis) and/or protecting neuronal cell from cell death are disclosed herein. In vivo activity tests suggest that these compounds may have therapeutic benefits in neuropsychiatric and/or neurodegenerative diseases such as schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, normal aging, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Down syndrome, spinocerebellar ataxia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, stroke, radiation therapy, chronic stress, abuse of a neuro-active drug, retinal degeneration, spinal cord injury, peripheral nerve injury, physiological weight loss associated with various conditions, as well as cognitive decline associated with normal aging, chemotherapy, and the like.

Abstract: A method of designing and manufacturing an acoustic sensor having a high degree of directivity is disclosed. The sensor includes a rotatable plate that is attached to a substrate with mounts. In one aspect the mounts are freely rotatable and the torque on the plate is measured using detectors disposed on springs that provide a resistance to rotation of the plate. In another aspect the plate is mounted to the substrate with mounts that torsionally deform during rotation of the plate. These detectors measure the torque on the plate according to the torsional deformation of the mounts. Methods of improving the signal to noise ratio of acoustic sensors having multiple detectors are also disclosed.

Abstract: The here described invention discloses a combination of a top and bottom loop binder library using the CD and the FG loops of a number of FnIII domains (FnIII) (e.g., FnIII7, FnIII10 and FnIII14) together with the surface exposed residues of the beta-sheet. The invention also pertains to a method of forming a library of FnIII domain polypeptides useful in screening for the presence of one or more polypeptides having a selected binding or enzymatic activity.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods to temporarily alter visual acuity of a subject. An example system includes a first light source configured to produce infrared light in an infrared wavelength spectrum for transient propagation into an eye of the subject and a second light source configured to produce visible light in a visible wavelength spectrum for transient propagation into the eye of the subject. The system further includes a transmission unit configured to propagate the infrared light and the visible light into the eye, wherein the light propagated into the eye temporarily alters visual acuity of the subject.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provided a method of fabricating a semiconductor light source structure. The method comprises providing a GaAs substrate; forming a lower cladding layer above the substrate, the lower cladding layer comprising an AIxGa1-xAs alloy; forming an active region above the lower cladding layer, the active region comprising a GaAs separate confinement heterostructure; and forming an upper cladding layer comprising an AIxGa1-xAs alloy above the active region in the form of an elongate stripe bounded on either side by an InGaP current-blocking layer, the elongate stripe defining an index-guided optical waveguide.

Abstract: A nanocrystal described herein comprises a semiconductor material MX, wherein M is a group II or a group III element and X is a group V or a group VI element to provide a II/VI compound or a III/V compound, the nanocrystal having lateral dimensions and a vertical dimension having the shortest axis, wherein surfaces of the nanocrystal normal or substantially normal to the axis of the vertical dimension comprise a layer of M ions passivated by a counter ion chemical species.

Abstract: Molecule-based magnetic polymers with reasonably high Curie temperature and methods of preparing are provided. In particular, magnetic polymers having repeating units of an organometallic monomer covalently bonded to a monomer having a plurality of unpaired electrons are disclosed. Intrinsically homogeneous magnetic fluids (liquid magnets) and methods of preparing are also provided.

Abstract: A manual neurological testing device for measuring a subject's reaction time comprising: a releasable holding member operable to be grasped by the subject; a stimulus device coupled with the releasable holding member, the stimulus device outputting a perceivable stimulus; and a measurement device coupled with the releasable holding member, the measurement device measuring the subject's reaction time for grasping the releasable holding member relative to the perceivable stimulus.