Abstract: This invention presents a modified reinforced concrete structure, which has a steel structure composed of a beam steel box unit, column steel box unit, and beam-column joint steel box unit with lap jointing reinforced steels. The side plate and/or end plate of the steel box has through holes for concrete flowing therebetween. In this way, the workability of concrete grouting and tamping are improved, and the phenomena of hive, segregation, or floating can be avoided. It can also enhance the performance of beam-column joints (e.g. with better confinement ability, etc.). Applying the invention, the efficiency and accuracy of constructing beam-column joints can be increased, and in addition to better ensure the structural safety, it can also reduce construction manpower and schedule.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the discovery that, in human cancer, an 11q deletion of ATM together with an increase in ATR and CHEK1 expression correlates with resistance to ionizing radiation which could be overcome by inhibition of the ATR/CHEK1 pathway. It provides for methods of identifying patients unlikely to exhibit an adequate response to radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy who may benefit from ATR/CHEK1 pathway inhibition, as well as methods of treating said patients.

Abstract: The productivity of a combined heat and mass transfer device is improved by directing a flow of a carrier-gas mixture through a fluid flow path in a combined heat and mass transfer device operating at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. Heat and mass are transferred from or to the carrier-gas mixture by a direct or indirect interaction with a liquid composition that includes a vaporizable component (e.g., water) in a liquid state to substantially change the content of the vaporizable component in the carrier-gas mixture via evaporation of the vaporizable component from the liquid composition or via condensation of the vaporizable component from the carrier-gas mixture, producing a flow of carrier-gas mixture having a concentration of the vaporizable component that differs from the concentration of the vaporizable component in the carrier-gas mixture before the heat and mass transfer process.

Abstract: Pellets containing an analgesic uniformly dispersed in a lipid carrier such as cholesterol mixed with fatty acid esters, can be used to provide long term pain relief. 5 mg cholesterol-tryglyceride-buprenorphine pellets released the majority of drug in 24-48 hours after implant and provide clinically significant plasma levels of analgesia in mice for 3-9 days. Blood levels of analgesia peak at day-1 and are substantially complete by day-5 depending on the level of buprenorphine. These results demonstrate that post surgical implants provide clinically significant levels of analgesia in the 24-48 hour period following surgery and thus obviate the time consuming, expensive, and high-risk need to inject mice post surgery. The pellets are safe and easy to use. Placed in the surgical wound at the end of surgery, they provide 2-3 days of analgesia and obviate the need for subsequent handling of the animal for pain therapy. The implants have no detectable effect on mouse behavior, hematology, or liver chemistry.

Abstract: In a case where a position command path for a control position of a load 5 that is equivalent to a moving object is set by issuing a position command Rc(z), a gain for one of a high-frequency component, a specified frequency, and a specified frequency width is constrained. This means that a resonant frequency can be constrained, and that after the position command Rc(z) arrives at a target position, a position detection signal Y(z) can also arrive at the target position in a set number of steps. It is therefore possible to perform positioning at high speed and with high precision by constraining a resonance mode of a mechanism that includes the moving object, and a feed-forward control can be performed that meets target positioning times that are set for various types of operating patterns.

Abstract: A wind power conversion apparatus for efficiently generating electric power is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one blade, the at least one blade being configured to rotate when exposed to wind, a fluid pump mechanically coupled to the at least one blade and configured to pressurize fluid from a low pressure fluid to a high pressure fluid, a fluid motor fluidly coupled to the fluid pump and configured to rotate an output shaft in response to the high pressure fluid and thereby providing the low pressure fluid, and an electric generator mechanically coupled to the fluid motor and configured to generate electric power in response to the rotation of the output shaft of the fluid motor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an adaptive Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) streaming service using metadata of content are provided. The metadata may include a minBufferTime attribute indicating a minimum amount of initially buffered media content. A terminal may receive content from a server before playback of the content, and may buffer the content by at least the minimum amount. The metadata may include a range attribute that designates a range of a target indicated by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The terminal may receive bytes designated by the range attribute from the URL, and may play back the content using the received bytes.

Abstract: Methods of forming graphene by graphite exfoliation, wherein the methods include: providing a graphite sample having atomic layers of carbon; introducing a salt and a solvent into the space between the atomic layers; expanding the space between the atomic layers using organic molecules and ions from the solvent and the salt; and separating the atomic layers using a driving force to form one or more sheets of graphene; the graphene produced by the methods can be used to form solar cells, to perform DNA analysis, and for other electrical, optical and biological applications.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of detecting activating mutations in exon 4 of a GNAQ or a GNA11 gene in a melanocytic neoplasm for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. The invention further provides methods of treating such melanocytic neoplasm by modulating the activity of the mutated GNAQ or GNA11.

Abstract: Multifunctional reactive polymers created by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and methods of making such polymeric systems are provided. Such polymers provide multifunctional surfaces which can present two or more different molecules (e.g. biological ligands) in controlled ratios. Polymers may include compositional gradients allowing attached ligands to be presented as continuous gradients across a surface. The polymer compositions are modularly designable and applicable to a wider range of applications, including biomedical devices and diagnostic systems.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gate stack structure suitable for use in a semiconductor flash memory device and its fabricating method. The gate stack structure is fabricated on a p-type 100 silicon substrate, which also includes the following components in sequence from bottom to top: a charge tunnel layer of Al2O3 film, the first charge trapping layer of RuOx nanocrystals; the second charge trapping layer of high-k HxAlyOz film, a charge blocking layer of Al2O3 film, and a top electrode. In this invention, the RuOx nanocrystals have excellent thermal stability, and do not diffuse easily at high temperatures. The high-k HfxAlyOz film has high density charge traps.Pd with a high work function is used as the top electrode. Therefore, the present gate stack structure has vast practical prospects for nanocrystal memory devices.

Abstract: Multiplexed electrospray deposition apparatus capable of delivering picoliter volumes of one or more substances is disclosed. The apparatus may include a unitary planar dispenser etched from a silicon wafer through microfabrication or micromachining technology. The apparatus may be used as a deposition tool for making protein microarrays in a noncontact mode. Upon application of potential difference in the range of 7-9 kV, the substances may be dispensed directly, not through a collimating mask, onto a substrate with microhydrogel features functionalized with an anchoring agent.

Abstract: The present invention provides materials and methods for detecting, quantifying, and/or profiling microRNAs. Advantageously, the present invention is sensitive, specific, convenient, and cost-effective. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a universal primer for reverse transcription of miRNAs, a universal reverse primer for PCR amplification reaction, and a universal probe. In another embodiment, the present invention provides assays that allow the detection and/or quantification of a plurality of target miRNAs using a single reverse transcription reaction and a single qPCR reaction.

Abstract: A method of processing a blood vessel image is provided. The method includes (a) sharpening an original blood vessel image using a Gabor filter in consideration of various directions and thicknesses of blood vessels included in the blood vessel and (b) detecting edges according to a change in brightness in a blood vessel domain and a non-blood vessel domain of the original blood vessel image and the blood vessel image on which the Gabor filtering step is completed, using an edge extraction method based on a first-order differentiation or second-order differentiation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of miRNAs that are involved in the process of neuromuscular synaptic maintenance and regeneration following injury or disease. Modulation of these miRNAs is proposed as treatment for spinal cord injury and neurodegenerative disease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of inducing high activity of human adipose stem cells, highly active stem cells induced by the method, cell therapeutic agents including the highly active stem cells, and a medium for inducing high activity of human adipose stem cells. The method of the present invention enables a long-term culture of human adipose stem cells while maintaining high activity, production yield and differentiation potency of the stem cells through in vitro culture, even in case culture conditions are not appropriate for mature human adipocytes, security of adipocytes is not guaranteed, or adipocytes are diseased.

Abstract: A tubular tissue graft device is provided comprising a tubular member and a restrictive fiber matrix of a bioerodible polymer about a circumference of the tubular tissue. The matrix may be electrospun onto the tubular tissue. In one embodiment, the tubular tissue is from a vein, such as a saphenous vein, useful as an arterial graft, for example and without limitation, in a coronary artery bypass procedure. 5 Also provided is method of preparing a tubular graft comprising depositing a fiber matrix of a bioerodible polymer about a perimeter of a tubular tissue to produce a tubular tissue graft device. A cardiac bypass method comprising bypassing a coronary artery with a tubular tissue graft device comprising a vein and a restrictive fiber matrix of a bioerodible polymer about a circumference of the vein also is provided.

Abstract: A patient alignment system for a radiation therapy system. The alignment system includes multiple external measurement devices which obtain position measurements of components of the radiation therapy system which are movable and/or are subject to flex or other positional variations. The alignment system employs the external measurements to provide corrective positioning feedback to more precisely register the patient and align them with a radiation beam. The alignment system can be provided as an integral part of a radiation therapy system or can be added as an upgrade to existing radiation therapy systems.

Abstract: A system has been constructed that recapitulate the features of a capillary bed through normal human tissue. The system facilitates perfusion of three-dimensional (3D) cell monocultures and heterotypic cell co-cultures at the length scale of the capillary bed. A major feature is that the system can be utilized within a “multiwell plate” format amenable to high-throughput assays compatible with the type of robotics commonly used in pharmaceutical development. The system provides a means to conduct assays for toxicology and metabolism and as a model for human diseases such as hepatic diseases, including hepatitis, exposure-related pathologies, and cancer. Cancer applications include primary liver cancer as well as metastases. The system can also be used as a means of testing gene therapy approaches for treating disease and inborn genetic defects.

Abstract: An acoustic probe calibration system includes a waveguide and a moveable piston. The waveguide extends from a front end to an opposite back end along a longitudinal axis and defines a cavity extending from the front end to the back end. The piston is disposed within the cavity of the waveguide and is configured to move within the cavity of the waveguide along the longitudinal axis of the waveguide. An acoustic probe is inserted into the waveguide to define an interior chamber between the acoustic probe and the piston. The acoustic probe determines pressure responses to acoustic stimuli inside the interior chamber. The piston is moveable to a plurality of different positions within the waveguide to change a size of the interior chamber such that the acoustic probe can determine the pressure responses within the interior chambers.