Abstract: Methods, systems, and compositions can determine gene expression level of a specified cell-type subpopulation by direct analysis of a cell mixture sample composed of multiple subpopulations of various cell-types without the need of prior separation of the component cell-type subpopulations. A target gene and a reference gene can be identified as being informative for a specific cell-type subpopulation when at least 50% of the gene's transcripts in the cell mixture are from the subpopulation. This relative expression level in the cell mixture of the informative target and reference genes can correlate to the relative expression when measured in the isolated subpopulation. Thus, a similar biomarker can be obtained without the difficult step of isolating the cells of the subpopulation.

Abstract: An assembly for determining at least one electrical property of an object. The assembly includes at least one transmitter that can generate a plurality of electromagnetic field distribution patterns directed at an object. The assembly also includes a data apparatus with an MRI apparatus and a data processor. The MRI apparatus can produce at least one image of the object using a magnitude or a phase modulated by the electromagnetic field distribution patterns. The processor can then process data associated with the object to determine the at least one electrical property the object.

Abstract: A liquid cooling method for cooling LED lights used for minimally invasive surgeries is provided. The LED lights are integrated with the micro camera so that only one pipeline is needed to accommodate the electrical wires and cooling liquid conduits. The electrical wires disposed in the electrical wire conduit provide the path for electrical power required by the micro camera and the LED lights as well as the electronic signals from the micro camera. The liquid conduits guide the circulating cooling liquid to pass by the bottom surface of the LED substrate and carry the generated heat off the human body.

Abstract: A monitoring system for an electric vehicle that draws current from a conductor is provided. The monitoring system includes a plurality of sensor modules distributed at spaced intervals throughout a conducting block of a current collector. The conducting block contacts the conductor in operation of the vehicle. Each sensor module comprises a strain sensor configured to output a first optical signal that reflects changes in strain and temperature of the conducting block and a strain-isolated temperature sensor that is configured to output a second optical signal that reflects changes in temperature of the conducting block. The monitoring system also includes an optical source for illuminating each sensor module and an optical signal interpretation module configured to receive first and second optical signals from each said sensor module. The optical signal interpretation module is configured to determine, from the optical signals, a temperature-independent strain measurement for each said sensor module.

Abstract: The invention provides for a method of enhancing immunological responses to an antigen in a vaccine formulation, and for a vaccine formulation that provides for an enhanced immunological response to an antigen. In the method and formulation the antigen is administered with an adjuvant which adjuvant comprises a solution of nitrous oxide gas in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier solvent for the gas and which adjuvant includes at least one fatty acid or ester or other suitable derivative thereof selected from the group consisting of oleic acid, linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, gamma-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid [C20: 5?3], decosahexaenoic acid [C22: 6?3], ricinoleic acid and derivatives thereof selected from the group consisting of the C1 to C6 alkyl esters thereof, the glycerol-polyethylene glycol esters thereof and the reaction product of hydrogenated natural oils composed largely of ricinoleic acid based oils, such as castor oil with ethylene oxide.

Abstract: A vibrational energy harvester having a base and a piezoelectric transducer formed from a layer of piezoelectric material and extending between a first end at the base and a second end. At least a portion of the piezoelectric transducer is arranged in a back and forth pattern between the first and second ends. A magnetic component provides a magnetic field within which at least a portion of the piezoelectric transducer operates so that it exhibits nonlinear behavior. A biomedical implantable device using the vibration energy harvester can extract energy from heartbeat waveforms (heartbeats) to thereby power a device within the body.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that binds ?v?3 integrin, as well as methods of use in the treatment of diseases and disorders.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for hierarchically mapping, ranking, and labeling data sets automatically. Also provided are methods for browsing and navigating a hierarchically mapped data set, and START identifying changes in network structure over time. An example method may involve receiving document data indicating a corpus of documents and references between documents within the corpus. Based on the document data, a network comprising two or more nodes and at least one directed edge may be determined. Also, a hierarchical partition of the documents may be determined based on the directed edges of the network. The hierarchical partition may define a plurality of nested modules, and each module in the plurality of nested modules may be associated with one or more respective documents within the corpus. The method may additionally include causing a graphical display to provide a visual indication of one or more of the plurality of nested modules.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for converting acetic acid to isobutene in the presence of a catalyst. In certain embodiments, a ZnxZryOz mixed oxide catalyst is used for carrying out a gas phase process for converting acetic acid to isobutene. In some embodiments, a ZnxZryOz mixed oxide catalyst made by an incipient wetness impregnation method is used and is indicated to be very stable for carrying out the conversion.

Abstract: Disclosed are knottin peptides containing non-natural amino acids so that they can be formed by chemical conjugation into two or more knottin monomers. The knottin monomers comprise a non-natural amino acid such as an aminooxy residue within the polypeptide sequence. The exemplified dimers were produced by oxime formation between two aldehyde groups present on a polyether linker and an aminooxy functional group that was site-specifically incorporated the knottin. Knottins variants based on EETI (Ecballium elaterium trypsin inhibitor) and AgRP (Agouti-related protein) were engineered to contain integrin-binding loops. These dimers were shown to have increased binding strength to integrins on U87MG tumor cells, achieving significant increases in inhibition of cell adhesion and proliferation. Also disclosed are knottin monomers comprising an aminooxy residue; these may be conjugated to molecules such as doxorubicin.

Abstract: The instant invention provides methods and compositions for the treatment, prevention and diagnosis of for example, platelet aggregation or clot formation in a subject. The invention inhibits the activity of decreases the amount of neutrophils in the subject by inhibiting the activity or production of IL-6, interferon-gamma, STAT1, or cathepsin G. The invention addresses decreasing the amount of neutrophils in an attempt to treat subjects that have or are at risk of developing a vascular occlusive disease, an ischemia or reperfusion injury, an acute or chronic inflammatory state, autoimmune disease, myelodysplastic syndrome, tissue injury from surgery or accidental trauma, acute bacterial or viral infection, has undergone a microvascular surgical reconstructive procedure, is receiving granulocyte colony stimulating factor therapy, receiving stem cell therapy, or has sickle cell anemia.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to polyurethanes and polyurethane prepolymers having improved mechanical properties over ordinarily produced polyurethanes or polyurethane prepolymers. Such polyurethanes and prepolymers include very small amounts of organically-modified layered clays, and more specifically, less than 1 weight percent, based upon the total polymer composition, of a layered clay exfoliated with organic quaternary ammonium salts having alkyl substituents, wherein at least one of the alkyl substituents carries an —NH2 group.

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED A burdock fruit extract containing arctigenin at high content and its production method are provided, and both of which are used for treatment of pancreatic cancer. SOLUTION The burdock fruit extract containing arctigenin at high content by enzymatically converted arctiin into arctigenin with beta-glucosidase, which is an enzyme occurring endogenously in a burdock fruit, and adding ethanol, extracting, concentrating and then freeze-drying or spray drying.

Abstract: An ultra-low power clock source includes a compensated oscillator and an uncompensated oscillator coupled by a comparator circuit. In an example, the compensated oscillator is more stable than the uncompensated oscillator with respect to changes in one or more of temperature, voltage, age, or other environmental parameters. The uncompensated oscillator includes a configuration input configured to adjust an operating characteristic of the uncompensated oscillator. In an example, the uncompensated oscillator is adjusted using information from the comparator circuit about a comparison of output signals from the compensated oscillator and the uncompensated oscillator.

Abstract: A portable copier system including an upper panel having a device groove and a camera slot, an object sensor for measuring an object size and detecting presence or absence of an object, a lower panel fitted with a plurality of guides, wherein each of the plurality of guides is attached with an object sensor, an adjustment mechanism comprising a plurality of extendible rods, wherein each of the plurality of extendible rods is connected to the upper panel and supported by the lower panel, an image capture device mounted on the device groove, and a controller that controls the adjustment mechanism based on data from the object sensor data and sends signal to the image capture device.

Abstract: An arteriovenous dialysis access graft configured to be implanted in a subject includes: at least one flexible conduit having first and second end portions, wherein the first end portion is configured to connect to an artery of the subject and the second end portion is configured to connect to a vein of the subject such that blood flows through the at least one conduit; and at least one cannulation chamber positioned between the first end portion and the second end portion of the at least one conduit. The chamber includes: an elongated housing having an inlet and an outlet, a posterior wall, a pair of sidewalls, and an open anterior portion defining a cannulation port; and a self-sealing material extending across the cannulation port. The posterior wall and the sidewalls of the housing are formed of a substantially rigid material.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method to counteract group velocity dispersion in fibers, or any other propagation of electromagnetic signals at any wavelength (microwave, terahertz, optical, etc.) in any other medium. A dispersion compensation step or device based on dispersion-engineered metamaterials is included and avoids the need of a long section of specialty fiber or the need for Bragg gratings (which have insertion loss).

Abstract: A process is provided for carrying out an oxidation on a sprayable feed including a furanic substrate to be oxidized and a catalytically effective combination of cobalt, manganese, and bromide components for catalyzing the oxidation of the furanic substrate, which process comprises spraying the feed into a reactor vessel as a mist, supplying an oxidant, reacting the furanic substrate and the oxidant, and managing the exothermic temperature rise due to the reaction through a selection and control of the operating pressure within the reactor vessel. A crude dehydration product from the dehydration of fructose, glucose or both, including 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, can be directly oxidized by the process to produce 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid in surprisingly increased yields.

Abstract: A dynamics performance testing system, for use in testing the dynamics performance of an anchor rod or an anchor rode, comprising a main machine and a measurement and control system. The main machine comprises a vertical machine frame (1), a clamping apparatus (3) arranged on the top of the vertical machine frame (1) and used for vertically clamping the top end of a sample (6), where the sample (6) is provided at the bottom end thereof with a tray (61), a drop-hammering apparatus (2) used for being dropped vertically from the vertical machine frame (1) at a set height to impact the tray (61), a lifting apparatus used for lifting the drop-hammering apparatus at the bottom of the vertical machine frame (1) to the set height, and a protection apparatus used for physical protection and isolation to reduce bodily injury and noise. The measurement and control system controls the drop-hammering apparatus to select a parameter for drop-hammering and a process of lifting and dropping.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of determining the aggressiveness or indolence of a ductal carcinoma in situ lesion. Also provided are methods of development treatment plans for subjects with a ductal carcinoma in situ lesion based on the aggressiveness of the lesion.