Abstract: An apparatus for guiding the migration of cancer and other cells includes a reservoir device, a cover, a tube, a nanofiber structure, and a lock device. The reservoir device defines a reservoir having an open top. The cover is configured for removable installation over the open top of the reservoir. The tube has a proximal end portion reaching into the reservoir. The nanofiber structure communicates an inlet port in the tube with the reservoir. The lock device interlocks the tube with the reservoir device, and also interlocks the nanofiber structure with the reservoir device.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an encoding apparatus using a Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) scanning, which includes a mode selection means for selecting an optimal mode for intra prediction; an intra prediction means for performing intra prediction onto video inputted based on the mode selected in the mode selection means; a DCT and quantization means for performing DCT and quantization onto residual coefficients of a block outputted from the intra prediction means; and an entropy encoding means for performing entropy encoding onto DCT coefficients acquired from the DCT and quantization by using a scanning mode decided based on pixel similarity of the residual coefficients.

Abstract: The present invention generally concerns a method for isolating nanoparticles via the decomposition of a ternary metal hydride. More specifically, the present invention harnesses increased energy densities from two distinct nanoparticles isolated by a precise decomposition of LiAlH4. The singular material is air stable and is a nanocomposite of Li3AlH6 nanoparticles, elemental Al nanoparticles, an amount of Ti metal, and a nanoscale organic layer, which we call nMx. The nanocomposite protects and preserves the high energy densities of the core metals isolated from the controlled reaction and makes the nanoparticles safe to handle in air. The final composite is devoid of byproducts or phase transitions that will decrease the energy output of the nanocomposite. The method of the present invention creates a narrow distribution of nanoparticles that have unique burning characteristics useful for many applications.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ecological method for denitrification and phosphorus removal in wastewater treatment process, which relates to the field of sewage treatment technology, The present invention provides a nitrogen and phosphorus removal system, comprising a nitrogen and phosphorus removal unit and a sulfate adsorption unit. The nitrogen and phosphorus removal unit is packed with coarse sand layer, deoxidizing layer and sulfur/iron mixture layer, while the sulfate adsorption unit is filled with modified hydrotalcite. Both of the units are filled with solid material, which effectively avoid the contamination that causes by liquid carbon source feeding. The application of the present invention can realize a completely denitrification, which achieve a maximum removal rate of 100%, a phosphorus removal efficiency of about 80%. The TP concentration is below 0.5 mg/L in the treated effluent, while the average sulfate removal rate is about 50%.

Abstract: A composite material comprising a polymer and a carbonized hemp filler, wherein the carbonized hemp filler is produced by carbonizing hemp at a temperature of at least 1100 C to produce a char; and milling the char to produce a particle size, wherein the filler comprises 95% of particles of less than 10 microns in size; and wherein the hemp filler comprises between 1 and 50% of the total mass of the composite.

Abstract: A multi-protocol determining method based on a CAN bus is provided, which includes a mode setting step and two or more modes are set in a controller of the CAN bus. The multi-protocol determining method based on the CAN bus includes a listening step, and the modes are taken turns to read a packet from the communicated node. The multi-protocol determining method based on the CAN bus further includes a confirming step. In the confirming step, if the packet is received successfully by one of the modes, the CAN bus is set to work in the corresponding mode. The controller sends one or more requesting packets, each having a communicating request based on a predetermined protocol, to the communicated node, and if the controller receives a feedback packet from the communicated node successfully, the protocol of the communicated node is identified to be the predetermined protocol.

Abstract: A flexible liquid crystal Fresnel lens is provided that may realize a lens using a polymer thin film substrate, so that it may provide the same electro-optical characteristics irrespective of polarization of light incident on a lens, and provide flexible characteristics and high image quality. The flexible liquid crystal Fresnel lens includes a liquid crystal layer formed between an upper substrate and a lower substrate in which a Fresnel region pattern is formed, wherein the lower substrate and the upper substrate may respectively include a first substrate and a second substrate including a transparent and flexible material while having a birefringent index, optical axes of the lower substrate and the upper substrate may be perpendicular to each other, and optical axes respectively forming an angle of 45° with respect to the lower substrate and the upper substrate may be formed in the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: Sparse representation of information performs powerful feature extraction on high-dimensional data and is of interest for applications in signal processing, machine vision, object recognition, and neurobiology. Sparse coding is a mechanism by which biological neural systems can efficiently process complex sensory data while consuming very little power. Sparse coding algorithms in a bio-inspired approach can be implemented in a crossbar array of memristors (resistive memory devices). This network enables efficient implementation of pattern matching and lateral neuron inhibition, allowing input data to be sparsely encoded using neuron activities and stored dictionary elements. The reconstructed input can be obtained by performing a backward pass through the same crossbar matrix using the neuron activity vector as input. Different dictionary sets can be trained and stored in the same system, depending on the nature of the input signals.

Abstract: A modified graphite electrode comprising a coating of electrochemically reduced graphene oxide. The modified graphite electrode may be employed in detecting of uric acid. A sensing device comprising the modified graphite electrode and a method of making the modified graphite electrode are described herein.

Abstract: The present invention provides dendrimer conjugates. The present invention provides a composition comprising a dendrimer conjugate and a cell, such as a cell covered with dendrimer conjugates, in which dendrimer conjugates home the cell to a target tissue.

Abstract: A culture chamber includes a plurality of recesses (10) each formed of a bottom portion (11) and an opening portion (12). The bottom portion (11) has a hemispherical shape and the opening portion (12) is defined by a wall that surrounds an area from a boundary between the opening portion (12) and the bottom portion (11) to an end of each of the recesses (10), the wall having a taper angle in a range from 1 degree to 20 degrees. An equivalent diameter of the boundary is in a range from 50 ?m to 2 mm and a depth from a bottom of the bottom portion (11) to the end of each of the recesses is in a range from 0.6 or more times to 3 or less times the equivalent diameter, and the wall defining the opening portion (12) forms a surface continuous to the bottom portion (11).

Abstract: A flame retardant coating composition comprising poly(dopamine) and either tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane) or gaseous ammonia, as well as an article comprising a substrate and the flame retardant coating composition, is provided. In various embodiments, the poly(dopamine) is substantially water insoluble. The coating composition can further comprise at least one additional component selected from the group consisting of melamine, an anionic clay, a phosphorus-containing compound, an amine-containing compound, aluminosilicates, silicon oxides, and combinations thereof. Also provided are methods for forming the flame retardant coating composition and methods for increasing flame retardant properties of a substrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of preparing a biological specimen for imaging analysis, comprising fixing and clearing the biological specimen and subsequently analyzing the cleared biological specimen using microscopy. Also included are methods of quantifying cells, for example, active populations of cells in response to a stimulant. The present disclosure also provides devices for practicing the described methods. A flow-assisted clearing device provides rapid clearing of hydrogel-embedded biological specimens without the need of specialized equipment such as electrophoresis or perfusion devices.

Abstract: The present disclosure illustrates a method and an apparatus of fiber tracking, and non-transitory computer-readable medium thereof. In an embodiment, a fiber tracking process is performed on a diffusion magnetic resonance image of a subject's brain based on validated and better tracking parameters, so as to obtain first tracking images, nerve fibers between two first regions of interest in each of the first tracking images are extracted, a nerve fasciculus skeleton is established based on an overlapping process performed on the plurality of nerve fibers extracted from the first tracking images, and the nerve fibers more similar to the structure of the nerve fasciculus skeleton are selected to obtain a specific fasciculus of the subject. Thus, the technical solution of the present disclosure can be used to improve the sensitivity of fiber tracking and be useful for improvement of preoperative assessment and surgical navigation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for inhibiting growth of bacteria and to nanometer scale surfaces having antibacterial properties.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to switchable carboxybetaine-based polymers, hydrogels, and/or elastomers, along with novel related monomers, crosslinkers, and methods. Under acidic conditions, the materials undergo self-cyclization and can catch and kill bacteria. Under neutral/basic conditions, these materials undergo ring-opening and can release killed bacterial cells and resist protein adsorption and bacterial attachment. These smart polymers, hydrogels and elastomers also show excellent mechanical properties making them highly desirable for many biomedical applications.

Abstract: A light emitting diode and a method of fabricating the same are described. The light emitting diode has: a hole transport layer, an active layer and an electron transport layer. The active layer is disposed on the hole transport layer, and the active layer has a mesophase structure of an organic amine compound and a perovskite structure compound. The electron transport layer is disposed on the active layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and compositions for treating disease related to disorders of bone remodeling. In particular, the present disclosure relates to cyclic peptide compositions and methods for treating rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract: Products, compositions, systems, and methods for modifying a target structure which mediates or is associated with a biological activity, including treatment of conditions, disorders, or diseases mediated by or associated with a target structure, such as a virus, cell, subcellular structure or extracellular structure. The methods may be performed in situ in a non-invasive manner by placing a nanoparticle having a metallic shell on at least a fraction of a surface in a vicinity of a target structure in a subject and applying an initiation energy to a subject thus producing an effect on or change to the target structure directly or via a modulation agent. The nanoparticle is configured, upon exposure to a first wavelength ?1, to generate a second wavelength ?2 of radiation having a higher energy than the first wavelength ?1.

Abstract: A method includes receiving multiple compound muscle action potential values (CMAPs), wherein each CMAP is an onset latency, a peak latency, a conduction velocity, or a response amplitude measured from a baseline; for each of the CMAPs and for each of a number parameters calculated from the CMAPs, determining a corresponding demyelinating boundary value using a normal value from a preselected population; determining whether each of the CMAPs and each of the parameters exceeds the corresponding demyelinating boundary value; determining one or more demyelinated nerve pathways based on which of the CMAPs and the parameters exceeds the corresponding demyelinating boundary value; indicating on a display which of the CMAPs and the parameters exceed the corresponding demyelinating boundary value; and displaying, in pictorial form, an anatomical diagram indicating the demyelinated nerve pathways.