Abstract: A sensor for detecting the presence of a target analyte, ligand or molecule in a test fluid, comprising a light transmissive substrate on which an array of surface plasmon resonant (SPR) elements is mounted is described. A multi-channel sensor for detecting the presence of several targets with a single micro-chip sensor is described. A multi-channel sensor including collections of SPR elements which are commonly functionalized to one of several targets is also described. The detectors sense changes in the resonant response of the SPR elements indicative of binding with the targets.

Abstract: A method for controlling striations in a lamp powered by an electronic ballast includes the steps of generating an asymmetric lamp current using an unbalanced circuit component in the electronic ballast and supplying that current to the lamp. The unbalanced circuit component may be an unbalanced output transformer or an unbalanced DC choke. The output transformer is unbalanced by offsetting the number of turns on each side of the tap on the primary winding of the transformer. In a similar manner, the DC choke is unbalanced by offsetting the number of turns in each winding of the choke.

Abstract: A deep drawing apparatus is provided in which a sheet material is subjected to optimal heating and cooling, whereby the limiting draw ratio is increased and a product can be worked more deeply, and uniformity of the sheet thickness of the product can be controlled. This apparatus includes: a punch 2 for subjecting a sheet material 9 to deep drawing; a die 3, used along with the punch, for forming the sheet material and subject the same to deep drawing; an anti-wrinkling component 4 for preventing wrinkling around the periphery of the forming portion in the sheet material; an induction heating coil 5 for directly heating the sheet material at a portion supported by the anti-wrinkling component; a heating controller 6 for controlling the amount of heating of the sheet material by the induction heating coil; and cooling means 21 to 23 for cooling the sheet material at the portion formed by the punch.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package includes a cover plate disposed on a substrate mounted with an integrated circuit chip thereon. The chip is formed with first solder pads coupled respectively and wiredly to pin terminals on the substrate, and second solder pads coupled respectively and wiredly to pinhole terminals in the cover plate, and includes a main circuit unit, a pin transmission unit interconnecting electrically first ports of a main circuit unit and the first solder pads, a pinhole transmission unit interconnecting electrically second ports of the main circuit unit, and a control unit coupled to the pin and pinhole transmission units, and operable to control operation of the pin and pinhole transmission units such that each first port is coupled to a selected first solder pad through the pin transmission unit and that each second port is coupled to a selected second solder pad through the pinhole transmission unit.

Abstract: An imaging system including a multi-mode fiber and a gradient index (GRIN) lens. The invention also relates to a system including a multi-mode fiber, such as a double-clad photonic crystal fiber, for transmitting an excitation signal to a sample for the purpose of imaging, and a scanning mechanism, which preferably includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirror, for reflecting the excitation signal in varying directions in order to scan the sample.

Abstract: A nanomaterial with a core-shell structure is provided. The nanomaterial comprises a shell and a core, wherein the shell is located on at least a portion of the surface of the core. The shell is substantially composed of a first metal oxide. The core is substantially composed of a second metal oxide, while the second metal oxide is a non-stoichiometric compound. The inventive nanomaterial exhibits excellent properties, such as good gas sensitivity and better field emission property, and has a high applicability.

Abstract: Peptides having at least 2 amino acids and no more than 15 amino acids are provided. The peptides comprise amino acid sequence X-Y or Y-X, wherein X is an aromatic amino acid and Y is any amino acid other than glycine. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions and kits including such peptides as well as methods using same for diagnosing and treating amyloid associated diseases.

Abstract: A lamp ignition circuit provides a high voltage electrical pulse to ignite a gas discharge lamp. A non-linear filter element within a charge circuit regulates the voltage of the ignition pulse such that the ignition pulse remains within a prescribed voltage range over a wide variety of conduit lengths between the lamp and the lamp ignition circuit. This allows for the ballast and lamp ignition circuit to be mounted either close to the lamp or far from the lamp without modifying the ignition circuitry.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a ferroelectric element having excellent properties, which includes a monocrystalline film of ?-Al2O3 formed as a buffer layer on a silicon substrate. The monocrystalline ?-Al2O3 film 6 is formed on the silicon substrate 4 which is the lowermost layer of an MFMIS structure 2. On the monocrystalline ?-Al2O3 film 6, there is formed an electrically conductive oxide in the form of a LaNiO3 film 8 as a lower electrode. On the LaNiO3 film 8, there is formed a PZT thin film 10 which is a ferroelectric material. ON the PZT thin film 10, there is formed a Pt film as an upper electrode.

Abstract: To provide a system by which evaluation of circumstances of contamination by microparticles having nucleic acid can be performed rapidly and accurately. The theme is achieved by a system for measuring microparticles that includes: (1) a microparticle adhesion step of adhering the microparticles having nucleic acid to a microparticle adhesion member; (2) a membrane breakage step of breaking membranes of the adhered microparticles by electrical discharge; (3) an electrophoresis step of electrophoresing the microparticles in a thickness direction of a gel to make the nucleic acid in the microparticles migrate from a negative electrode side toward a positive electrode side and adhere the nucleic acid on a surface of a nucleic acid detection member; and (4) a nucleic acid measurement step of fluorescently staining the surface of the nucleic acid detection member to measure a concentration of the nucleic acid.

Abstract: A semiconductor element, a semiconductor sensor, and a semiconductor memory element are provided, in which an MFMIS structure having a lower electrode and an integrated circuit can be integrated. An epitaxially grown ?-Al2O3 single crystal film (2) is disposed on a semiconductor single crystal substrate (1), and an epitaxial single crystal Pt thin film (3) is disposed on the ?-Al2O3 single crystal film (2).

Abstract: The invention provides a device having two components: a needle advancing apparatus slidable longitudinally along a catheter to advance needles into a tissue membrane, such as a blood vessel wall, around an opening in the membrane; and, a suture retrieval assembly insertable through the catheter beyond a distal side of the tissue membrane. The needle advancing apparatus advances suture through the tissue wall. The suture retrieval assembly grabs the suture on the distal side of the tissue membrane for extraction thereof through the opening in the tissue membrane. A method for suturing a membrane beneath the patient's skin is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for generation of a control code set for a manufacturing process includes generating a list of sequences of operations with an automatic sequence of operations generator, selecting an optimized sequence of operations from the list of sequences of operations, and utilizing the optimized sequence of operations to generate the control code set.

Abstract: A method and system for reducing and/or eliminating striations from gas discharge lamps powered by an electronic ballast charges a capacitive energy device, which is coupled in parallel with the lamp, when the capacitive energy device detects that a predetermined lamp voltage condition has been satisfied. The system/method supplements the current supplied to the lamp by the electronic ballast with current supplied from the capacitive energy device when the predetermined lamp voltage condition is not satisfied. The supplemental current supplied to the lamp creates a harmonic-rich lamp current waveform that reduces and/or eliminates striations.

Abstract: A novel search method having an advantage over the DSR 472 method the search accuracy of which is currently said to be the highest level is proposed. At the feature value computation stage, the two-dimensional image used in computation of the three-dimensional model feature value (excluding a contour feature value) is corrected so that the gray scales of the pixels are emphasized more as the distance from the center of the two-dimensional image increases.

Abstract: The invention provides a device having two components: a needle advancing apparatus slidable longitudinally along a catheter to advance needles into a tissue membrane, such as a blood vessel wall, around an opening in the membrane; and, a suture retrieval assembly insertable through the catheter beyond a distal side of the tissue membrane. The needle advancing apparatus advances suture through the tissue wall. The suture retrieval assembly grabs the suture on the distal side of the tissue membrane for extraction thereof through the opening in the tissue membrane. A method for suturing a membrane beneath the patient's skin is also disclosed.

Abstract: Isolated protein complexes are provided comprising growth factors such as IGF-I, IGF-II, VEGF or PDGF, or at least domains thereof that enable binding to and activation of both a growth factor receptor, and an integrin receptor-binding domain of vitronectin or fibronectin. These protein complexes may be in the form of oligo-protein complexes or single, synthetic proteins where the growth factor and vitronectin or fibronectin sequences are joined by a linker sequence. In particular forms, vitronectin or fibronectin sequences do not include a heparin binding domain and/or polyanionic domain. Also provided are uses of these protein complexes for stimulating or inducing cell migration and/or proliferation which may have use in wound healing, tissue engineering, cosmetic and therapeutic treatments such as skin replacement and skin replenishment and treatment of burns where epithelial cell migration is required.

Abstract: Peptides having at least 2 amino acids and no more than 15 amino acids are provided. The peptides comprise amino acid sequence X—Y or Y—X, wherein X is an aromatic amino acid and Y is any amino acid other than glycine. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions and kits including such peptides as well as methods using same for diagnosing and treating amyloid associated diseases.

Abstract: A gallium containing zinc oxide with an improved heat ray shielding function while keeping high transparency to visible light rays is provided. A gallium containing zinc oxide, which has a heat ray shielding function, a gallium content in the range of 0.25 to 25 % by weight, and a carrier electron density ne of 2×1020/ cm3 or higher.

Abstract: The present invention provides a slurry catalyst and a method for preparing the same, and belongs to the technical field of preparing catalyst. Particularly, the present invention provides a slurry catalyst directly used in a slurry bed reactor for synthesizing methanol and dimethyl ether and a method for preparing the same, which uses the complete liquid phase preparation from solution to slurry without the conventional slurry-producing process of firstly forming a solid catalyst and dispersing it into an inert medium after crushing and milling. This catalyst mainly comprises Cu, Zn, Al and Zr, wherein atomic ratios of each of components are Cu/Zn/(Al+Zr)=1/0.1-5/0.15-15 and Zr/Al=1:1.0-1:30, and one or two selected from the group consisting of lanthanide metals, Mn, Mo, Si, V, W, Cr, Mg, Ni, K, Pd, Rh, Ru, Re, Pt and Sr is used a promoter.