Abstract: A method for treating cancer tumors, particularly ovarian cancer tumors, is described, where fused cyclic pyrimidine having a cancer treating ability is selectively delivered to an FR expressing cancerous tumor.

Abstract: The present invention is a one-step method for efficiently converting carbon-hydrogen bonds into carbon-carbon bonds using a combination of aryl halides, a substrate, and a copper salt as catalyst. This method allows faster introduction of complex molecular entities, a process that would otherwise require many more steps. This invention is particularly relevant for the organic synthesis of complex molecules such as, but not limited to, pharmacophores and explosives.

Abstract: The present invention provides a passive LC ballast and an associated method of manufacturing a passive LC ballast for use with any one of a plurality of high voltage discharge lamps. The passive LC ballast has an inductance and a capacitance selected in accordance with one of a set of one or more inductance-capacitance pairs. Each inductance-capacitance pair defines a respective inductance and a respective capacitance such that, when the inductance and the capacitance of the passive LC ballast is selected in accordance with any one of the inductance-capacitance pairs and the passive LC ballast is used with any one of the lamps, the lamp operates between respective minimum and maximum lamp powers of the lamp.

Abstract: The present invention relates to characterizing changes in mammalian gastrointestinal microbiota associated with antibiotic treatment and various disease conditions (such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin-deficiency or insulin-resistance related disorders, glucose intolerance, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver, abnormal lipid metabolism, short stature, osteoporosis, and other disorders of bone formation and mineralization, etc.) and related diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Therapeutic methods of the invention involve the use of probiotics, prebiotics, or narrow spectrum antibiotics/anti-bacterial agents that are capable of restoring healthy mammalian bacterial gastrointestinal microbiota.

Abstract: A submicron connection layer and a method for using the same to connect wafers is disclosed. The connection layer comprises a bottom metal layer formed on a connection surface of a wafer, an intermediary diffusion-buffer metal layer formed on the bottom metal layer, and a top metal layer formed on the intermediary diffusion-buffer metal layer. The melting point of the intermediary diffusion-buffer metal layer is higher bottom metal layers may form a eutectic phase. During bonding wafers, two top metal layers are joined in a liquid state; next the intermediary diffusion-buffer metal layers are distributed uniformly in the molten top metal layers; then the top and bottom metal layers diffuse to each other to form a low-resistivity eutectic intermetallic compound until the top metal layers are completely exhausted by the bottom metal layers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for screening infants at high risk for central auditory processing deficits and then remediating less efficient processing behaviorally using an adaptive training algorithm that gradually increases sensitivity to rapidly occurring stimuli streams.

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus and method for free space pumping of active double-clad fiber based lasers and amplifiers. The apparatus comprises a laser emitting a signal laser beam; an active double-clad fiber having a core defining an optical axis of the apparatus and a pump cladding defining a cone of numerical aperture; an optical arrangement directing the signal laser beam along the optical axis through the core of the active double-clad fiber; at least one pump source emitting a pump beam; at least one delivery means coupling the pump beam to the pump cladding of the active double-clad fiber; and an optical arrangement coupling the amplified signal laser beam exiting the active double-clad fiber out of the apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing silver nanoparticles by employing ethanolamine. The method of this invention can be easily operated and no organic solvent is required. Ethanolamine first reacts with copolymers of poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (abbreviated as SMA) to generate polymeric polymers. The polymeric polymers then reduce silver ions to silver atoms which are dispersed in the form of silver nanoparticles. Functional groups of the polymeric polymers can chelate with silver ions and be stably compatible with water or organic solvents, whereby the silver nanoparticles can be stably dispersed without aggregation and the produced silver nanoparticles.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly includes a proton exchange membrane, a first electrode and a second electrode. The proton exchange membrane has two opposite surfaces, a first surface and a second surface. The first electrode is located adjacent to the first surface of the proton exchange membrane, and the first electrode includes a first diffusion layer and a first catalyst layer. The second electrode is located adjacent to the second surface of the proton exchange membrane, and the second electrode includes a second diffusion layer and a second catalyst layer. At least one of the first diffusion layer and the second diffusion layer includes a carbon nanotube structure. A fuel cell using the membrane electrode assembly is also provided.

Abstract: A surgical guidance system for properly orienting a surgical instrument, such as an acetabular cup inserter, within a patient relative to a plurality of anatomical reference points includes a support device for retaining the patient, a reference sensor fixedly coupled to the support device and a tool sensor removably coupled to the instrument. The support device includes a plurality of abutment pads that directly contact the plurality of anatomical reference points. A processor is electrically connected to the reference and tool sensors and is programmed to collect spatial orientation data compiled from each sensor. Using the spatial orientation data, the processor determines in real-time the actual orientation of the surgical instrument relative to the anatomical reference points. An indicator is electrically connected to the processor and provides a feedback signal that assists the surgeon in properly orienting the instrument relative to a user-defined acceptable range.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to selectively extract light rare earth metals, and by extension, europium, from an acidic solution containing a plurality of types of rare earth metal. This valuable metal extraction agent is represented by the general formula. In the formula: R1 and R2 each indicate the same or different alkyl group; R3 indicates a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; and R4 indicates a hydrogen atom or any given group other than an amino group bonded to the ? carbon as an amino acid. Preferably, the general formula has a glycine unit, a histidine unit, a lysine unit, an aspartic acid unit, or an N-methylglycine unit. Preferably, when extracting europium using the extraction agent, the pH is adjusted into the range of 2.0-3.0 inclusive, and when selectively extracting light rare earth metals, the pH is adjusted to 1.7-2.7 inclusive.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to pharmaceutical agents and compositions useful for the treatment and prevention of amyloid disease in a subject. The invention further relates to isolated antibodies that recognize a common conformational epitope of amyloidogenic proteins or peptides that are useful for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of amyloid disease.

Abstract: This invention relates to a mammalian artificial chromosome vector, which retains a human chromosome 7 fragment comprising human cytochrome P450 genes and is transmittable to progeny, wherein the human chromosome 7 fragment retains a region of approximately 1 Mb±500 Kb in size comprising at least a human CYP3A gene cluster, which region is located between chromosome markers AC004922 and AC073842, and to a non-human mammalian animal retaining the vector.

Abstract: The invention provides the Zidovudine-conjugated quinoline compound N-((1-(2-(hydroxy-methyl)-5-(5-methyl-2,4-dioxo-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-1(2H)-yl)-tetrahydrofuran-3-yl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl)-6-(4b,8,8-trimethyl-4b,5,6,7,8,8a-hexahydrodibenzo[a,c]phenazin-2-yloxy)hexanamide. The compound can selectively kill hepatoma cells, especially hepatoma cells with hepatitis B, and inhibit the growth of subcutaneous tumors in mice, but has no significant toxicity to normal liver cells. Experiments confirm that the compound has an anti-hepatoma effect and can be used in preparation of anti-hepatoma drugs.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to water-dispersible polyurethane polymers as well as related polyurethane dispersion (PUD) compositions including the same, methods of making the same, methods of using the same, and articles coated with the same. The water-dispersible polyurethane polymer includes hydrophobic oligomeric polyether soft segments that include 1,2-di-substituted oxyethylene repeating units. The 1,2-di-substituted oxyethylene repeating units are derived from unsaturated fatty acid esters, such as from a distribution of epoxidized vegetable oil fatty acid esters subjected to a ring-opening polymerization process for oligomeric polyether polyol formation. The water-dispersible polyurethane polymer further includes hard segments common to other PUD compositions.

Abstract: A nonhuman transgenic mammal is described whose genome comprises a promoter construct operably linked to a heterologous DNA encoding an epithelial sodium channel ? subunit, wherein said promoter construct directs expression of the epithelial sodium channel ? subunit in lung epithelial cells of said animal, and wherein said transgenic mammal has increased lung mucus retention as compared to the corresponding wild-type mammal. The animal is useful in screening compounds for activity in treating lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Abstract: A non-penetrative vacuum blood container for storing blood sample, the non-penetrative vacuum blood container comprises: (a) a cap (1) having a number of air passages (4) at its inner wall and ridges (5) at is outer wall; (b) an enclosure (2) which includes enclosure head (8), enclosure neck (9) and enclosure chamfer (10); and (c) a tube (3) for storing blood sample; wherein the air passages (4) further includes enclosure stopper (7) close to opening (6) of the cap (1); and wherein an enclosure opening (11) is provided at the enclosure head (8).

Abstract: The current invention provides a fabrication method for large surface area, pinhole-free, ultra thin ion conducting membranes using atomic layer deposition on inexpensive sacrificial substrates to make cost effective, high performance fuel cells or electrolyzers. The resultant membrane electrode assembly (MEA) enables significant reduction in resistive losses as well as lowering of the operating temperature of the fuel cell. The invention further provides a method to deposit 3-dimensional surface conformal films that may have compositional grading for superior performance. In addition, the invention provides decoration and modification of electrode surfaces for enhanced catalytic activity and reduced polarization losses. The method of the current invention enables the MEA structure to be fabricated from the anode side up or the cathode side up, each with or without an incorporated anode current collector or cathode current collector, respectively.

Abstract: Provided are compositions and methods for modulating quorum sensing in microbes. The compounds are AI-2 analogs and as such have structures similar to 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione that can act as agonists/antagonists of quorum sensing. The compounds are useful for modulating quorum sensing in bacteria and can be used in methods for prophylaxis or therapy of bacterial infections and for reduction of biofilms.