Abstract: The present invention relates generally to transscleral, transcorneal, and transocular delivery of biologically active substances through the tissues, blood vessels and cellular membranes of the eyes of patients without causing damage to the cellular surface, tissue or membrane. The invention provides compositions and methods for enhanced transscleral, transcorneal and transocular delivery of biologically active substances using pulsed incoherent light, and particularly the transcleral, transcorneal or transocular delivery of high molecular weight biologically active substances to a patient using pulsed incoherent light. The invention further provides a device for the application of the pulsed incoherent light to cellular surfaces and membranes of the eye of a subject using those compositions and methods.

Abstract: In a method of moving droplets, local heat is applied to a surface portion of a droplet for an amount of time sufficient to create a Marangoni flow in the droplet. Droplets are suspended in an emulsion in a carrier liquid on a substrate. A laser beam is used to move one of the droplets. the droplet consists of a first substance and a carrier liquid consists of a second substance that is not mixable with the first substance. The droplet is placed in the carrier liquid, and the mixture is emulsified. The emulsified mixture is placed on a substrate. Then the local heat is applied to the surface of the droplet. The first substance may include oil and the second substance may include water.

Abstract: An insertion device and an endoscope which are inserted and extracted through a small incision and have multiple functions. A device body has grip forceps as a treatment means. A first folding back section and a second folding back section are provided at a distal portion of the device body such that the first and second folding back sections are aligned in a row in the longitudinal direction of the device body. The first folding back section and the second folding back section respectively have image obtaining means. An operation means can move the first folding back section to a folded back position in which the first folding back section is folded back relative to the second folding back section, and can also move the second folding back section to a position in which the second folding back section is folded back relative to the device body.

Abstract: A medical instrument including a shaft rotating device for rotating a shaft of a medical instrument about its longitudinal axis relative to a handle of the medical instrument The shaft rotating device includes a operating element arranged at a proximal portion of the shaft such that the shaft is rotatable relative to the handle against frictional forces. The shaft rotating device includes a coil spring arrangement having a surface and being in frictional contact with a surface of a counterpart for keeping the shaft and the handle rotationally stationary with respect to each other and movable against frictional forces. The operating element is operatively connected with the coil spring arrangement such that torque applied to the operating element decreases the frictional forces, while the shaft and coil spring arrangement are operatively connected such that torque applied to a distal portion of the shaft increases the frictional forces.

Abstract: A process for producing ammonium nitrate is disclosed, which process comprises exposing a gaseous oxidiser feed composed at least substantially of ammonia, steam and an oxidising gas to conditions whereby the ammonia is oxidised to produce a reaction mixture including nitrogen monoxide and water vapour. The reaction mixture is cooled in a heat exchanger whereby the nitrogen monoxide is oxidised, the water vapour is condensed and the products of the nitrogen monoxide oxidation react with and are absorbed by the condensed water to form a nitric acid stream, with substantially all of the nitrogen monoxide in the reaction mixture being converted to nitric acid. The nitric acid stream is reacted with a stream of ammonia to form the ammonium nitrate.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for reducing hypertropic scarring resulting from dermal wound healing in a subject in need which comprises administering to the subject an antisense oligonucleotide which inhibits expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in an amount effective to inhibit expression of CTGF and thereby reduce hypertrophic scarring.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for inhibiting or blocking TGF-? activity in cells and/or tissues expressing TGF-? comprising, contacting cells and/or tissues expressing TGF-? with an amount of cholesterol or cholesterol derivative effective to inhibit the activity of TGF-?. The present invention further provides a method for treating a condition associated with overactivity of TGF-? or negative regulation in normal physiology by TGF-? in a subject in need of treatment, comprising contacting cells and/or tissue overexpressing TGF-? in the subject with an amount of cholesterol or cholesterol derivative effective to inhibit activity of TGF-? thereby treating the condition. In a preferred embodiment, the cholesterol derivative is oxidized 7-DHC.

Abstract: Provided herein are polycyclic ?-lactam compounds, compositions thereof and methods for the treatment and prevention of diseases such as cancer, including pancreatic cancer and pancreatic cancers resistant to mainline chemotherapeutic agents.

Abstract: Room temperature IR and UV photodetectors are provided by electrochemical self-assembly of nanowires. The detectivity of such IR detectors is up to ten times better than the state of the art. Broad peaks are observed in the room temperature absorption spectra of 10-nm diameter nanowires of CdSe and ZnS at photon energies close to the bandgap energy, indicating that the detectors are frequency selective and preferably detect light of specific frequencies. Provided is a photodetector comprising: an aluminum substrate; a layer of insulator disposed on the aluminum substrate and comprising an array of columnar pores; a plurality of semiconductor nanowires disposed within the pores and standing vertically relative to the aluminum substrate; a layer of nickel disposed in operable communication with one or more of the semiconductor nanowires; and wire leads in operable communication with the aluminum substrate and the layer of nickel for connection with an electrical circuit.

Abstract: A light fixture includes a ballast and a plurality of lamps connected to the ballast in parallel. The ballast provides an output signal to the plurality of lamps as a function of a 1st steady state condition. When the ballast senses an end-of-life condition for a lamp of the plurality of lamps, the ballast increases the frequency of the output signal provided to the plurality of lamps until the lamp ceases to conduct current. When the lamp ceases to conduct current, the ballast decreases the frequency of the output signal to a frequency determined as a function of a 2nd steady state condition different from the 1st steady state condition. A total current of the 2nd steady state condition is proportional to a total current of the 1st steady state condition as a function of the number of lamps exhibiting an end-of-life condition.

Abstract: Computer-implemented method, system, and techniques for summarization, searching, and indexing of video are provided, wherein data related to objects detected in the video in a selected time interval is received and the objects are clustered into clusters such that each cluster includes objects that are similar in respect to a selected feature or a combination of features. A video summary is generated based on the computed clusters.

Abstract: A universal joint system, to be used in construction, for joining two or more cladding materials together. The joint system is configured to replace conventional caulks joints prone to failure due to short UV longevity or improper installation conditions. The joint system is comprises interlocking extrusions and rubber gasket extrusions along with supportive components. The joint system is configurable for both vertical and horizontal installations and can be used with any substrate finishes.

Abstract: An evaluation device is adapted for providing a transceiver system with performance information thereof. The transceiver system models a channel between a transmitter and a receiver thereof using Nakagami distribution with a fading parameter. The evaluation device includes a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) computing module, a capacity computing module, and an output module. The SNR computing module is operable to set an average SNR for the channel between the transmitter and the receiver, and to compute an expected value and variance of an effective SNR of the transceiver system according to the fading parameter and the average SNR. The capacity computing module is operable to compute an outage capacity of the transceiver system based upon the expected value and the variance of the effective SNR and a transmission outage parameter. The output module is operable to provide the transceiver system with the average SNR and the outage capacity.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for evaluating video quality based on a hybrid type which, when bit stream data is received, extracts first evaluation parameters based on the received bit stream data to calculate a preliminary video quality score based on the first extracted evaluation parameters and then extracts second evaluation parameters, and calculates a final video quality score by adjusting the preliminary video quality score based on the second extracted evaluation parameters and methods thereof.

Abstract: The application describes methods for accurately evaluating whether thyroid test samples, especially indeterminate thyroid samples, are benign or malignant.

Abstract: The invention is a nanoparticle that contains an anticancer drug that is released in cancer cells when administered to a subject. The nanoparticles have a core including the anticancer drug and polymer chains that are soluble at the pH of the cancer cell. The core is surrounded by a layer of polymer chains that are insoluble at the pH of healthy tissue but soluble at the pH of the cancer interstitium. An outside layer is made of water-soluble polymer chains to shield the nanoparticle from RES recognition and give the nanoparticle a long circulation time in the bloodstream of the subject. The outside layer may also include folic acid moieties that bind folic acid receptors on the surface of the cancer cell.

Abstract: Platinum complexes that exhibit photoabsorption and photoemission, methods of making such complexes, and applications thereof are disclosed, including optical devices comprising the complexes.

Abstract: A two dimensional barcode containing encoded information can be embedded with an image with a high visual quality. The encoded information within the barcode is meaningful to machines, while the image is meaningful to humans. The two dimensional barcode embedded with the image is designed such that machines can decode the information encoded within the two dimensional barcode even with the distortion from the image. The subject application describes various systems, methods and devices that can facilitate embedding the image within the two dimensional barcode, detecting the two dimensional barcode embedded with the image within a practical environment, and decoding the encoded information from the two dimensional barcode even with the distortion from the image.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing Lyme disease status in a mammal is provided. The method entails, in a biological sample obtained or derived from a mammal, determining antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi) outer surface proteins (Osp) OspA, OspC, and OspF. Based upon determining the OspA, OspC, and OspF antibodies, the mammal can be diagnosed as vaccinated, not vaccinated, infected or not infected with B. burgdorferi. Mammals that have early, intermediate or chronic B. burgdorferi infection can also be identified. The method is particularly suited for use with horses and dogs. Isolated or recombinant B. burgdorferi antigens and compositions that contain them are also provided.

Abstract: Piezoelectric fibers include a polypeptide wherein molecules of the polypeptide have electric dipole moments that are aligned such that the piezoelectric fiber provides a piezoelectric effect at an operating temperature. A piezoelectric component provides a plurality of piezoelectric fibers, each comprising an organic polymer. A method of producing piezoelectric fibers includes electrospinning a polymer solution to form a fiber and winding the fiber onto a rotating target in which the rotating target is electrically grounded. An acoustic sensor includes a plurality acoustic transducers, wherein the plurality of acoustic transducers are structured and arranged to detect a corresponding plurality of vector components of an acoustic signal, and at least one of the plurality of acoustic transducers comprises a piezoelectric fiber.