Abstract: A urethral catheter assembly utilizing a removable guide wire for navigating the catheter through a patient's urethral lumen during the insertion procedure. The guide wire being very flexible and having a low coefficient of friction, thus reducing the likelihood of injuring or puncturing the urethra during insertion. The guide wire extends beyond the distal end of the catheter assembly to ensure that the flexible tip of the guide wire is the first contact point between the catheter assembly and the urethral lumen. In one embodiment, the guide wire extends beyond the proximal end of the catheter assembly and is adapted to be handled by a medical doctor to manually maneuver the guide wire through the urethra.

Abstract: A lithium ion battery includes at least one battery cell. The battery cell includes a cathode electrode, an anode electrode, and a separator. The separator is sandwiched between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode. At least one of the cathode electrode and the anode electrode includes a current collector. The current collector includes a graphene layer and a carbon nanotube layer.

Abstract: Vaccines comprising TRAP polypeptides and Salmonella enteritidis vectors comprising TRAP polypeptides are provided. The vaccines may also include a CD154 polypeptide capable of binding to CD40. Also provided are methods of enhancing an immune response against Apicomplexan parasites and methods of reducing morbidity associated with infection with Apicomplexan parasites.

Abstract: Methods to sensitize tumor cells to radiation therapy through the administration of an endothelin agonist such as the ETB agonist IRL1620.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to hemi phorboxazole A: and its stereoisomers, as well as derivatives of hemi phorboxazole A of formula I: wherein ring A is aryl or a 5- or 6-membered heteroaryl optionally substituted with one or more of halogen, —OH, or —C1-6alkyl; and R is —CN, a 5- or 6-membered heteroaryl, or halogen; and the pharmaceutically acceptable salt forms thereof, in addition to methods of using these compounds.

Abstract: An electrical connecting element, a method of fabricating the same, and an electrical connecting structure comprising the same are disclosed. The method of fabricating the electrical connecting structure having twinned copper of the present invention comprises steps of: (A) providing a first substrate; (B) forming a nano-twinned copper layer on part of a surface of the first substrate; (C) forming a solder on the nano-twinned copper layer of the first substrate; and (D) reflowing the nano-twinned Cu layer and solder to produce a solder joint, wherein at least part of the solder reacts with the nano-twinned copper layer to produce an intermetallic compound (IMC) layer which comprises a Cu3Sn layer, This invention reduces the voids formation in the interface between the intermetallic compound and the solder, and then enhances the reliability of solder joints.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system including an anchor configured to be disposed within a foundation, wherein an upper side of the anchor is configured to be exposed at a surface of the foundation and a wedge-style anti-ram security barrier configured to mechanically couple to the anchor and mount to the surface of the foundation.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of modulating electrophysiological activity of an excitable cell. The method involves causing exogenous expression of a glycine receptor (GlyR) protein in an excitable cell of a subject. Thereafter, the excitable cell is exposed to an allosteric modulator of the GlyR protein. Modulation of the exogenous GlyR protein (an ion channel) in response to the allosteric modulator modulates the electrophysiological activity of the excitable cell. The method can be used to control pain in a subject. The invention further provides a replication-defective HSV vector comprising an expression cassette encoding a GlyR protein, stocks and pharmaceutical compositions containing such vectors, and a transgenic animal.

Abstract: A monitoring method with a function of correlation-based system identification applicable for a digitally controlled DC-DC converter system is revealed. The monitoring method includes a plurality of steps. After the system is operated in a steady state, input a pseudo random binary sequence signal into the system via a pseudo random binary sequence generator and store the pseudo random binary sequence signal and an output signal of a path to be monitored in a memory unit. Then perform a correlation analysis of data stored in the memory unit by a correlation analysis module and output an impulse response. Next obtain a frequency response of the impulse response by a discrete-time Fourier transform module. Finally, smooth the frequency response by an adaptive sliding window smoothing module so that a monitoring curve of the frequency response becomes smooth.

Abstract: A coplanar waveguide (CPW) square-ring slot antenna for use in wireless communication systems is miniaturized and reconfigurable by the integration of ferroelectric (FE) BST (barium strontium titanate) thin film varactors therein. The slot antenna device includes a sapphire substrate, top and bottom metal layers, and a thin ferroelectric BST film layer, where the FE BST varactors are integrated at the back edge of the antenna on the top metal layer.

Abstract: Disclosed are a curcumin derivative or a salt thereof, which contains a fluorine atom, represented by formula (I): (wherein R1a and R1b are each independently a hydrogen atom, alkyl, acetyl, or methoxycarbonyl; R2s are each independently a fluorine atom, CHF2—, CF3—, CHF2O—, or CF3O—; R3s are each independently a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom; A is alkyl, cyano, carboxyl, alkoxycarbonyl, or R4—(CH2)m—; R4 is hydroxy, carboxy, cyano, acetyloxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxyalkoxy, hydroxyalkoxy, or CONR5R6; R5 and R6 are each independently a hydrogen atom or alkyl; and m is an integer from 1 to 5), and a diagnostic imaging agent for diagnosing a disease in which an amyloid ? peptide aggregate accumulates, the diagnostic imaging agent containing a compound having a 1,3-dicarbonyl structure, wherein the compound exists in a keto form and an enol form, and the keto form and the enol form have different affinities, respectively, to the amyloid ? peptide aggregate.

Abstract: The invention provides for a receptor, capable of binding to a target molecule, linked to a hygroscopic polymer or hydrogel; and the use of this receptor in a device for detecting the target molecule in a gaseous and/or liquid phase. The invention also provides for a method for detecting the presence of a target molecule in the gas phase using the device. In particular, the receptor can be a peptide capable of binding a 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) or 2,4,-dinitrotoluene (DNT).

Abstract: Atomic memory access requests are handled using a variety of systems and methods. According to one example method, a data-processing circuit having an address-request generator that issues requests to a common memory implements a method of processing the requests using a memory-access intervention circuit coupled between the generator and the common memory. The method identifies a current atomic-memory access request from a plurality of memory access requests. A data set is stored that corresponds to the current atomic-memory access request in a data storage circuit within the intervention circuit. It is determined whether the current atomic-memory access request corresponds to at least one previously-stored atomic-memory access request. In response to determining correspondence, the current request is implemented by retrieving data from the common memory. The data is modified in response to the current request and at least one other access request in the memory-access intervention circuit.

Abstract: Reliable, fast and inexpensive breath gas detector systems for medical diagnostics, including personal, handheld monitoring devices for a variety of diseases and conditions, including, for example, asthma, diabetes, blood cholesterol, and lung cancer. A sensor device (100) for detecting gases includes a sensing element (109) having an electrical resistance that changes in the presence of a target gas; a readout circuit, electrically coupled to the sensing element due to the presence of the target gas and converts the measurement to a digital signal; and a feedback loop (203) from a digital unit (205) to the readout circuit to compensate for variations in a baseline resistance of the sensing element.

Abstract: A method for transmitting data from a sender to a receiver over a channel. The method includes identifying the receiver, obtaining an initiation correlated symbol sequence (CSS) associated with the receiver, transmitting the initiation CSS, where the sender and the receiver are configured to communicate over the channel, where the channel is a frequency band in a radio-frequency spectrum. The method further includes receiving a first reservation CSS from the receiver signaling that the receiver has reserved the channel in order to receive the data from the sender. In response to receiving the first reservation CSS, transmitting the data to the receiver, and receiving an acknowledgment CSS from the receiver signaling that the receiver has received the data from the sender.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a macrolide compound expected to have a cell growth-inhibiting activity and a novel anticancer drug utilizing the compound. Specifically, the invention relates to a compound represented by Formula (I) or (II) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and relates to a cell growth inhibitor and an anticancer drug each containing the compound or the salt as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A system and methods enable distributed users to have controlled and distributed access to labor data, and the labor data are produced as the results of monitoring and accruing labor activities with many-to-many employment relation. One method further comprises: (1) a method of importing data as the result of monitoring labor activities, and resolving the employment relation under which a labor activity is performed; (2) a method of accruing labor activities using input data according to the employment relation identified by method (1), and; (3) a method of enabling controlled access to labor and payroll data for distributed users. Labor monitoring software system (a) accrues labor activities from field-collected labor monitoring data, (b) identifies the employment relation, and (c) prepares payroll report based on the terms defined in the employment relation.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to polymeric particles suitable for transporting bioactive agents across mucosal barriers. The invention also relates to methods of making and using those polymeric particles.

Abstract: The invention provides a flake graphite cast iron being highly strong and excellent in workability such as cutting performance, which is suitable for use, for example, in internal combustion engine parts and the like, and a production method thereof without using a misch metal. Specifically, the flake graphite cast iron according to the invention includes an A-type graphite with a uniformly and disorderly distributed existence form without directionality; and has a chemical composition containing 2.8 to 4.0 mass % of C, 1.2 to 3.0 mass % of Si, 1.1 to 3.0 mass % of Mn, 0.01 to 0.6 mass % of P, 0.01 to 0.30 mass % of S and the remainder being Fe and inevitable impurities, wherein the ratio (Mn/S) of the Mn content to the S content is within a range of 3 to 300.

Abstract: The invention provides a two-dimensional run-length limited (RLL) (1,3) code method and apparatus. The codec comprises an encoder and a decoder comprising a data buffer and grouping module, a two-dimensional code word generating module, a two-dimensional word unit page constructing module, a two-dimensional code word write array module, and a protection word stuffing module. The five modules are sequentially connected, and send output through the protection word stuffing module to a two-dimensional data recording device. The decoder comprises a two-dimensional data buffer module, a two-dimensional word unit page constructing module, a one-dimensional data word decoding module, and a one-dimensional data stream assembly module. The five modules are sequentially connected, and send output through the one-dimensional data stream assembly module.