Abstract: Described herein are fNIR-based brain computer interfaces. Training of individuals to intentionally control neural activity in specific cortical areas, thereby up-regulating and down-regulating oxygenation levels in specific locations in the brain is also provided herein. Further, continuous and/or binary control over computing environments using fNIR brain computer interfaces. Further still, a scale for brain interface index for oxygenation of a portion of the brain is provided herein.

Abstract: A stator of a switched reluctance motor includes a stator core part, stator coiling parts, stator salient parts, and pairs of permanent magnets. The stator coiling parts protrude inwardly from the stator core part and have coils wound on an external side thereof. The stator salient parts protrude inwardly from the stator core part and are disposed between the stator coiling parts. Each pair of the permanent magnets is inserted into each of the stator coiling parts and magnetized in the same direction as a direction of a magnetic field generated by the excitation of the coils. This stator has an electromagnetic structure designed to prevent the reversal of a magnetic field generated by the excited coils. The output of the motor is enhanced by inserting the permanent magnets so as to be magnetized in the same direction as a direction of a magnetic field generated by the excited coils.

Abstract: The invention provides an ophthalmic lens comprising one or more oblique prismatic component, wherein the lens slows myopia progression and/or treats or prevents myopia or a disease or condition associated with myopia. The one or more oblique prismatic components may be base-down or base-down and base-in or base up and base-in. The one or more oblique prismatic components may be central and/or in a distance and/or near zone of the ophthalmic lens. The invention also provides an ophthalmic lens comprising a central base-down prism in a distance zone wherein the lens slows myopia progression and/or treats or prevents myopia or a disease or condition associated with myopia. Also provided is an optical device comprising one or more ophthalmic lenses and a method of slowing myopia progression and/or treating or preventing myopia or a disease or condition associated with myopia including using one or more ophthalmic lenses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for collecting and preparing a body fluid sample, the system comprising a sample container (10) comprising a sample cup (38) for receiving the sample, said sample cup comprising graduated indicator markings (14) corresponding to equal increments of sample volume, a removable lid (16) for sealably covering said sample cup, said lid having an access point which is sealed by a septum, and a removable cap (22) which is effective to cover said access point, and a delivery device for containing a plurality of predetermined reagent doses which are to be added to a sample within the sample container in the predetermined doses relative to the volume of the sample.

Abstract: A graphene biosensor is formed on an electrically insulating substrate with a single-layer graphene sheet arranged between two metallic electrodes. The graphene sheet is in electrical contact with the metallic electrodes. The graphene sheet has perforations creating edges in the graphene sheet. The perforations may be holes on a micrometer scale or in a nanometer scale. The biosensor can be configured as an ISFET. The graphene sheet may comprise affinity probes immobilized on the edges for attaching specific molecules to the graphene sheet. Several graphene sheets may be arranged in a microarray with different affinity probes on different graphene sheets. The sensor may also be arranged on the distal end of a catheter for in situ measurements in a body vessel.

Abstract: A power load monitoring and predicting system coupling to a plurality of load devices is offered. The system includes a control unit, a measuring unit, and a loading/unloading unit. The measuring unit, and the loading/unloading are coupled to the control unit. The measuring unit measures an actual demand of the plurality of the load devices during a time period. The control unit calculates a predicted demand during a second time period according to the actual demand in a first time period. The loading/unloading unit unloads at least one of the load devices when the determined predicted demand during the second time period is larger than a threshold, in order to make the actual demand in the second time period be less than a predetermined demand target.

Abstract: A hole-blocking silicon/titanium-oxide heterojunction for silicon photovoltaic devices and methods of forming are disclosed. The electronic device includes at least two electrodes having a current path between the two electrodes. The electronic device also includes a heterojunction formed of a titanium-oxide layer deposited over a Si layer and being disposed in the current path. The heterojunction is configured to function as a hole blocker. The first electrode may be electrically coupled to the Si layer and a second electrode may be electrically coupled to the titanium-oxide layer. The device may also include a PN junction disposed in the Si layer, in the current path. The device may also include an electron-blocking heterojunction on silicon in the current path.

Abstract: The invention provides novel gold nanoclusters of the formula Au20(SR)15(weak ligand), wherein each R is independently an organic group, and the weak ligand is a weakly associating gold ligand of Formula I as described herein. The nanocluster can have an approximate molecular weight of 6 kDa. Corresponding dimers of the nanocluster can have an approximate molecular weight of 10 kDa (by SEC). The invention also provides methods of making and using the gold nanoclusters.

Abstract: An interconnection structure of a semiconductor device is provided, where the interconnection structure is constructed in a semiconductor substrate. The interconnection structure includes a first through silicon via and a second through silicon via both penetrating the semiconductor substrate, and the first through silicon via is spaced from the second through silicon via by a distance ranged from 2 ?m to 40 ?m.

Abstract: This application provides a microsphere suitable for tissue engineering that comprises connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). Also provided is a matrix, material or scaffold suitable for tissue engineering that comprises connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Additionally, methods of treating skin of a human are provided. The methods comprise administering to the skin microspheres comprising a growth factor that increases fibroblast proliferation or collagen, elastin, or glycosaminoglycan synthesis. Further provided are the use of the above microspheres for the treatment of the skin of a human. Additionally, this application proves the use of the above microsphere for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of the skin of a human.

Abstract: The present invention relates to arylated camphenes, processes for their preparation and uses thereof for the manufacture of medicaments for the treatment of diseases, disorders or conditions associated with, or benefiting from stimulation of CB2 receptors.

Abstract: The disclosure provides spider silk polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding the same. Methods of using such polypeptides and polynucleotides and designing novel biomaterials using repeat units of the polypeptides and polynucleotides.

Abstract: The present invention relates to certain compounds (e.g., imidazopyrazine, imidazopyridine, imidazopyridazine and imidazpyrimidine compounds) that act as inhibitors of the MAP kinase interacting kinases MNK2a, MNK2b, MNK1a, and MNK1b. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds, and to the use of the compounds for the preparation of a medicament for the prophylaxis and treatment of diseases (e.g., proliferative diseases (e.g., cancer), neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's disease), metabolic diseases (e.g. diabetes), neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g. autism), or psychiatric disorders (e.g. schizophrenia or anxiety)) as well as methods of treating these diseases.

Abstract: A welding method of applying energy to an interface where a metal glass and a crystalline metal make contact with each other or to the metal glass near the interface, heating and melting the metal glass to form a molten layer, and joining the metal glass and the crystalline metal. The metal glass has a glass formation ability in which a nose time of a TTT curve when a solid of the metal glass is reheated is 0.2 seconds or more. The metal glass and the crystalline metal are formed with a material that satisfies a temperature range of a temperature of the metal glass at which a spread factor of the crystalline metal that has not been melted and the molten metal glass is 25% or more and a melting point of the crystalline metal to be 100 K or more.

Abstract: This invention relates to a composition, kit, or DNA chip for use in diagnosis of esophageal cancer, which comprises a plurality of polynucleotides selected from the group consisting of polynucleotides whose expression levels are varied in esophageal cancer tissues obtained from esophageal cancer patients when compared with cancer-free esophageal tissues obtained from esophageal cancer patients, mutants thereof, and fragments thereof, and to a method for detecting esophageal cancer using the composition, kit, or DNA chip.

Abstract: A trochoid drive system includes: a supporting part to support one wheel having a wheel axle perpendicular to a steering axle that is spaced from an output axle and turns about the output axle; and a steering part that turns in synchronization with the steering axle, the steering part being configured so that a position thereof relative to the output axle is displaceable on a turning plane. The steering part includes: a first link system configured to adjust a steering angle q of the wheel by rotating the wheel axle about the steering axle in association with the displacement; and a second link system jointed to the first link system to adjust a camber angle of the wheel by tilting the wheel axle by an angle corresponding to the steering angle on a plane perpendicular to a plane parallel to the steering angle.

Abstract: A method is provided in which pretreated and densified cellulosic biomass particulates can be hydrolyzed at a high solids loading rate as compared with the solids loading rate of loose hydrolysable cellulosic biomass fibers. The resulting high concentration sugar-containing stream can be easily converted to biofuels or an entire suite of other useful bioproducts.

Abstract: The present invention provides substituted pyrrolo-, furano-, and cyclopentylpyrimidine bicyclic compounds of formula III, and 5,6-saturated and unsaturated and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, prodrugs, solvates, and hydrates thereof, having antimitotic activity, anti-multidrug resistance activity, such as for example P-glycoprotein inhibition, and antitumor activity, and which inhibit paclitaxel sensitive and resistant tumor cells. Also provided are methods of utilizing these compounds for treating tumor cells and inhibiting mitosis of cancerous cells.

Abstract: A data processing method for an estimation of compound-protein interaction using both chemical substance information, such as a chemical property of the compound, and biological information, such as sequence information of genes to rationally and efficiently screen compounds. First space representing space coordinates of a first chemical substance group and second space representing space coordinates of a second chemical substance group are defined, and the first chemical substance group is characterized by a first characteristic amount and the second chemical substance group is characterized by a second characteristic amount, and map transformation of the coordinates of the first space and the coordinates of the second space results in the solution so as to increase the correlation between the first space and the second space using a multivariable analysis technique or a machine learning method.

Abstract: A catadioptric optical system includes, in order from an object side to an image side and arranged along an optical axis, a first catadioptric unit, a second catadioptric unit disposed in axial alignment with the first catadioptric unit and with a space therebetween; and a lens group disposed in axial alignment with the first and second catadioptric optical units. Light rays arriving from an object plane undergo a first reflection at the image-side surface of the first catadioptric optical unit, a second reflection at the object-side surface of the first catadioptric optical unit, a third reflection at the image-side surface of the second catadioptric optical unit, and a fourth reflection at the object-side surface of the second catadioptric optical unit. Advantageously, the sum the outward Petzval curvatures is cancelled out by the sum of inward Petzval curvatures.