Abstract: A direct-view handheld binocular spectrometer for use in a variety of educational settings. The device comprises a holographic transmission diffraction grating and a uniquely curved quantitative wavelength scale for viewing visible-wavelength spectra with both eyes simultaneously. A variable width entrance slit, adjustable illumination for the wavelength scale, and attachable corrective lenses enhance the ease of use and efficiency as compared to traditional monocular spectrometers.

Abstract: This invention relates to agents and conjugates that can be used to detect and isolate target components from complex mixtures such as nucleic acids from biological samples, cells from bodily fluids, and nascent proteins from translation reactions. Agents comprise a detectable moiety bound to a photoreactive moiety. Conjugates comprise agents coupled to substrates by covalent bounds which can be selectively cleaved with the administration of electromagnetic radiation. Targets substances labeled with detectable molecules can be easily identified and separated from a heterologous mixture of substances. Exposure of the conjugate to radiation releases the target in a functional form and completely unaltered. Using photocleavable molecular precursors as the conjugates, label can be incorporated into macromolecules, the nascent macromolecules isolated and the label completely removed.

Abstract: Methods to control, or manipulate, melanocyte and keratinocyte cell death are disclosed. In particular, a method of preventing epidermal melanocyte cell loss due to injury in a vertebrate is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of inducing hair growth in a vertebrate, a method of inducing hair color in a vertebrate, a method of inducing skin color in a vertebrate, a method of treating baldness in an individual, and a method of treating alopecia areata in an individual.

Abstract: Chromosomal abnormalities are responsible for a significant number of birth defects, including mental retardation. The present invention is related to methods for non-invasive and rapid, prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities based on analysis of a maternal blood sample. The invention exploits the differences in DNA between the mother and fetus, for instance differences in their methylation states, as a means to enrich for fetal DNA in maternal plasma sample. The methods described herein can be used to detect chromosomal DNA deletions and duplications. In a preferred embodiment, the methods are used to diagnose chromosomal aneuploidy and related disorders, such as Down's and Turner's Syndrome.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the discovery of genetic polymorphisms that are associated with ocular diseases and disorders, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In particular, the present invention relates to methods for determining an individuals susceptibility to ocular disorders such as AMD by screening for mutations and/or polymorphisms in the human complement factor H (CFH) gene or gene product that confer susceptibility to such disorders. Also encompassed in the present invention are nucleic acid molecules containing the polymorphisms, variant proteins encoded by such nucleic acid molecules, reagents for detecting the polymorphic nucleic acid molecules and proteins, and methods of treatment following detection of susceptibility.

Abstract: The present invention has found that a series of peptides having sequences that substantially correspond to specific regions of the C-terminus of IL-16 can inhibit the activity of IL-16. The present invention has demonstrated that such IL-16-inhibiting peptides can be as short as 4 amino acid in length. Based on these discoveries, the present invention provides IL-16 antagonist peptides and the use thereof for the treatment of IL-16 mediated disorders such as certain inflammatory diseases.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods for the non-radioactive labeling, detection, quantitation and isolation of nascent proteins translated in a cellular or cell-free translation system. tRNA molecules are misaminoacylated with non-radioactive markers which may be non-native amino acids, amino acid analogs or derivatives, or substances recognized by the protein synthesizing machinery. Markers may comprise cleavable moieties, detectable labels, reporter properties wherein markers incorporated into protein can be distinguished from unincorporated markers, or coupling agents which facilitate the detection and isolation of nascent protein from other components of the translation system. The invention also comprises proteins prepared using misaminoacylated tRNAs which can be utflized in pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of diseases and disorders in humans and other maninials, and kits which may be used for the detection of diseases and disorders.

Abstract: An error detection technique can be used with data encryption/decryption such as those implementing the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to protect against side-channel attacks known as Differential Fault Analysis attacks, in which the error distribution is unknown. The method uses systematic nonlinear robust error detecting codes which distribute their error-detecting ability substantially uniformly across all possible errors. Error-detecting capabilities of these codes depend not just on error patterns (as in the case of linear codes) but also on data at the output of the device which is protected by the code and this data is unknown to the attacker since it depends on the secret key. The proposed nonlinear (n,k)-codes reduce the fraction of undetectable errors from 2?r to 2?2r as compared to the corresponding (n,k) linear code (where n?k=r and k>=r).

Abstract: This invention relates to agents and conjugates that can be used to detect and isolate target components from complex mixtures such as nucleic acids from biological samples, cells from bodily fluids, and nascent proteins from translation reactions. Agents comprise a detectable moiety bound to a photoreactive moiety. Conjugates comprise agents coupled to substrates by covalent bounds which can be selectively cleaved with the administration of electromagnetic radiation. Targets substances labeled with detectable molecules can be easily identified and separated from a heterologous mixture of substances. Exposure of the conjugate to radiation releases the target in a functional form and completely unaltered. Using photocleavable molecular precursors as the conjugates, label can be incorporated into macromolecules, the nascent macromolecules isolated and the label completely removed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of manufacture of microfluidic chip such as a plastic microfluidic chips, which has channels packed with polymer-embedded particles and uses thereof. The chip of the present invention is designed for application of an untreated biological sample on the chip thus allowing isolation, purification and detection of biomolecules, such as nucleic acids, proteins or peptides in one step. The invention also provides a microfluidic chip for combined isolation, purification and detection of biomolecules thus providing a complete Lab-on-a-Chip analysis system for biomolecules such as nucleic acids and proteins. The chips of the invention can be adapted to perform highly specific immunoassays and diagnostic test, for example, for diagnosis of infectious agents, such as bacteria, viruses or parasites.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and accompanying computer-based systems and computer-executable code stored on a computer-readable medium for constructing a model of a biological network. The invention further provides methods for performing sensitivity analysis on a biological network and for identifying major regulators of species in the network and of the network as a whole. In addition, the invention provides methods for identifying targets of a perturbation such as that resulting from exposure to a compound or an environmental change. The invention further provides methods for identifying phenotypic mediators that contribute to differences in phenotypes of biological systems.

Abstract: This invention relates to agents and conjugates that can be used to detect and isolate target components from complex mixtures such as nucleic acids from biological samples, cells from bodily fluids, and nascent proteins from translation reactions. Agents comprise a detectable moiety bound to a photoreactive moiety. Conjugates comprise agents coupled to substrates by covalent bounds which can be selectively cleaved with the administration of electromagnetic radiation. Targets substances labeled with detectable molecules can be easily identified and separated from a heterologous mixture of substances. Exposure of the conjugate to radiation releases the target in a functional form and completely unaltered. Using photocleavable molecular precursors as the conjugates, label can be incorporated into macromolecules, the nascent macromolecules isolated and the label completely removed.

Abstract: The use of modulators of Mre 11, tankyrase, the DNA damage pathway and MRN complex formation of the protection of mammals from failure of growth arrest, apoptosis or proliferative senescence.

Abstract: The non-invasive detection of fetal chromosomal aneuploidies is demonstrated. Alleles of fetal RNA-SNPs present in a biological sample (e.g. maternal blood) containing fetal RNA are detected and quantified in order to determine the ratio of the alleles. This ratio is compared to a standard control consisting of euploid fetuses. Deviation of allele ratio indicates the presence of chromosomal aneuploidy.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for detecting susceptibility to metabolic syndrome. In particular, the presence of differences in at least one of the following genes; microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP), fatty acid binding protein 2 (FABP2), annexin A5 (ANXA5), pyruvate dehydrogenase (lipoamide) alpha 2 (PDHA2), CDP-diacylglycerol synthase (phosphatidate cytidylyltransferase) 1 (CDS 1), and glycerol kinase 2 (GK2) serves as a prognostic and diagnostic indicator of metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, metabolic syndrome can be treated by regulating the levels of MTP, FABP2, ANXA5, PDHA2, CDS1, and GK2.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing optical microscopy in one to three dimensions employs a spectral self-interference fluorescent microscopy technique that includes providing at least one fluorescent microscopy sample, at least one objective lens, and at least one reflecting surface. The fluorescent sample is disposed between the objective lens and the reflecting surface, the distance from the sample to the reflecting surface being several to several tens times an excitation wavelength. Excitation light causes the fluorescent sample to emit light, at least a portion of which is reflected by the reflecting surface. The objective lens collects the reflected light and the light emitted directly by the fluorescent sample. The direct and reflected light interfere causing spectral oscillations in the emission spectrum. The periodicity and the peak wavelengths of the emission spectrum are spectroscopically analyzed to determine the optical path length between the fluorescent sample and the reflecting surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides lanthanide binding tags (LBT) that selectively complex trivalent lanthanide (Ln) ions and afford stable complexes with desirable physical properties, including at least one of fluorescence and anomalous x-ray scattering.

Abstract: A mixed ionic and electronic conducting membrane includes a two-phase solid state ceramic composite, wherein the first phase comprises an oxygen ion conductor and the second phase comprises an n-type electronically conductive oxide, wherein the electronically conductive oxide is stable at an oxygen partial pressure as low as 10?20 atm and has an electronic conductivity of at least 1 S/cm. A hydrogen separation system and related methods using the mixed ionic and electronic conducting membrane are described.

Abstract: A tunable current mode integrator for low-frequency continuous-time filters that requires a reduced amount of area when implemented in an integrated circuit (IC). The integrator includes input and output transistors, and cross-coupled current mirrors, integration capacitors, and operational transconductance amplifiers (OTAs) that form a feedback structure with the input transistors. Input currents are converted to small current swings within the OTAs, and are subsequently integrated by the capacitors. Resulting integrated voltages are converted to output currents by the output transistors.

Abstract: Methods of treatment or prevention of hyperproliferative diseases or pre-cancerous conditions affecting epithelial cells, such as psoriasis, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis, or hyperproliferative or UV-responsive dermatoses, hyperproliferative or allergically mediated diseases of other epithelia and methods for reducing photoaging, or oxidative stress or for prophylaxis against or reduction in the likelihood of the development of skin cancer, are disclosed.