Abstract: Inhalation airflow regulation devices and inhalers are disclosed. Methods of making and using inhalation airflow regulation devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: The current invention provides devices, methods and systems involving application of energy and/or a liquefaction promoting medium to a tissue of interest to generate a liquefied sample comprising tissue constituents so as to provide for rapid tissue sampling, tissue decontamination as well as qualitative and/or quantitative detection of analytes that may be part of tissue constituents (e.g., several types of biomolecules, drugs, and microbes). In addition, the current invention provides specific compositions of the said liquefaction promoting medium so as to facilitate liquefaction, preserve liquefied tissue constituents, and enable delivery of molecules into tissues.

Abstract: The present invention provides a biphasic and dynamic direct cardiac contact device adapted to be implanted in a patient suffering from congestive heart failure and related cardiac pathologies, said cardiac device having means for providing ventricular assist, ventricular support and diastolic recoil, or for providing ventricular support and diastolic recoil only.

Abstract: Excimers are formed in a high pressure gas by applying a potential between a first electrode (14, 214) and a counter electrode (25, 226) so as to impose an electric field within the gas, or by introducing high energy electrons into the gas using an electron beam. A phosphor for converting the wavelength of radiation emitted from the formed excimers is disposed within the gas and outside a region (62, 162) where the excimers are expected to be formed, so as to avoid degradation of the phosphor.

Abstract: An output voltage regulator of step-down switching power converters is described, with the regulator provided with digitally adjusted output voltage. It solves the problem of low regulation due to low error amplifier (EA) gain. This invention includes a power converter with the function of Digitally Error Correction, having Logic Control, EA, PWM comparator, Driver, power devices and passive components. A Digital Calibration Circuit whose input terminal is connected to the output voltage and output terminal is connected to the error signal. When the output voltage exceeds the tolerance range, this Digital Calibration Circuit will increase or decrease the error signal step by step, keeping the output voltage in the tolerance range. The Digital Calibration Circuit can be applied not only in nanometer scale process, but also in traditional process. For those power converters in traditional process, it is also quite promising in applications.

Abstract: A method for embedding a secret message into a PNG image comprises steps: converting a secret message into a plurality of secret codes; converting the secret codes into a plurality of secret shares; using a mapping process to modify values of the secret shares to approach a full-transparent value of an alpha channel of a PNG image, and sequentially embedding the mapped secret shares into the alpha channel. As the secret shares with high-transparent values, they leave the RGB channels untouched. Thus, embedding the secret shares into the PNG image does not make difference in the appearances between the secret-carrying image and the original PNG image. Therefore, the present invention can transmit secret message securely and realize covert communication.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for ejecting material. The ejected material is ejected as liquid and/or liquid vapor via an explosive process which can provide a very fast ejection as well as an ejection which has a large throw. The material can be water or other fire suppressant material to provide a successful fire extinguishing system.

Abstract: An environmental friendly poly(ether-fattyamide) coating composition for mild steel plates or the like comprises and/or consists of a condensation polymerization product of a fatty diol and an aromatic/cyclic diol and wherein the fattyamide diol is synthesized using rapeseed oil and further cured with an aminoplast resin and a catalyst. The rapeseed oil is combined with a crosslinker such as hexa methoxy melamine formaldehyde, butylated melamine formaldehyde, urea formaldehyde of hydroxyl values of 220-240 mg KOH/gm of resin and curing catalysts. The curing catalyst may be para toluene sulphonic acids, dodecyl sulphonic acids, orthro phosphoric acid in a solvent such as xylene, ethyl methyl ketone, ethylene glycol mono methyl ether and aromatic hydrocarbons. Additional agents such as surfactants, stabilizers, wetting agents, flow modifiers, dispersing agents, adhesion promoters and UV absorbers may be added.

Abstract: Degradable, polymeric fiber-based, three-dimensional braided scaffolds for use as graft materials in ligament and tendon repair, reconstruction and replacement are provided. Also provided are methods for preparing these scaffolds.

Abstract: An electronics component is disclosed herein. The electronics component include a substrate and a plurality of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) formed on said substrate, wherein said plurality of SWNTs form a patterned, dense and high-quality arrays of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on quartz wafers by using FeCl3/polymer as catalytic precursors and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of methane. With the assistance of polymer, the catalysts may be well-patterned on the wafer surface by simple photolithography or polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp microcontact printing (?CP).

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel dendrimer compounds and methods of synthesizing the same. In particular, the present invention is directed to novel polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers, novel dendrimer branching units, methods for synthesizing such novel PAMAM dendrimers and functionalized dendrimers, as well as systems and methods utilizing the dendrimers (e.g., in diagnostic and/or therapeutic settings (e.g., for the delivery of therapeutics, imaging, and/or targeting agents (e.g., in disease diagnosis and/or therapy, etc.))).

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to methods for selecting aptamers. More specifically, the invention provides methods for the selection of at least one aptamer for use in combination with another epitope binding agent such as another aptamer, an antibody, or a double stranded nucleic acid. The invention also encompasses methods for simultaneously selecting at least two aptamers that each recognize distinct epitopes on a target molecule.

Abstract: A TiO2-containing composite nano-powder catalyst obtained by combining a titanium-based metal ceramic compound in powder form with a mixing solution containing compound(s) of a platinum group metal and/or a non-noble metal, drying the resulting mixture, and then performing oxidative thermal decomposition on the dried mixture. This catalyst also can be used as a support to further support platinum group metal(s) and/or non-noble metal(s) to obtain another composite nano-powder catalyst. A method for preparing a TiO2-containing composite nano-powder catalyst is also disclosed.

Abstract: Small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of parasitic diseases, in particular, semi-synthetic derivatives of the fugally-derived natural product merulin A for the treatment of African Sleeping Sickness.

Abstract: Methods, assays, and products for the detection of analytes in a sample are provided. In one aspect, for example, a device for detecting an analyte in a sample can include a fluid transfer membrane further including a sample input region operable to receive a liquid sample, a reagent region including a first split aptamer segment, a second split aptamer segment, and a detection marker, where the first and second split aptamers are operable to ligate in the presence of the analyte. The detection marker is operable to bind to the second split aptamer. The device can further include a test region having an immobilized binding reagent operable to bind to the first split aptamer segment such that the detection marker is held in the test region when the first split aptamer segment is ligated to the second split aptamer segment due to the analyte being present in the sample.

Abstract: The present invention provides minicircle nucleic acid vector formulations for use in administering to a subject, wherein the minicircle nucleic acid vectors include a polynucleotide of interest, a product hybrid sequence of a unidirectional site-specific recombinase, and are devoid of plasmid backbone bacterial DNA sequences. Also provided are methods of producing the subject formulations as well as methods for administering the minicircle nucleic acid vector formulations to a subject. The subject methods and compositions find use in a variety of different applications, including both research and therapeutic applications.

Abstract: The invention relates to tunable elastomeric nanochannels for nanofluidic manipulation. In particular, the present invention relates to nanochannels for performing biological assays.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a practical, universal and efficient method to ligate two large macromolecules (e.g., proteins) using the alkyne-azide 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction to produce a conjugated macromolecule, such as a multivalent scFv. The present invention also provides for conjugate macromolecules comprising a plurality of macromolecule components cross-linked through at least one linking group comprising at least one 1,2,3-triazole moiety, wherein at least 50 percent of the macromolecule components in the conjugate macromolecule has only one site available for cross-linking.

Abstract: The present invention relates to substituted pterin compounds, their synthesis and use. In particular, the present invention relates to a new precursor compound and its analogs for synthesizing a new substituted pterin compound and its analogs. These new compounds are particularly suitable for treating molybdenum cofactor deficiency.

Abstract: An integrated dual-axis anisotropic magnetoresistive sensor can include first and second sensor units. A resistor bridge of the first sensor unit can include a plurality of magnetoresistors, each having at least one strip of anisotropic magnetoresistive material with a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the technological anisotropy axis of the material. A resistor bridge of the second sensor unit can include a plurality of magnetoresistors having a plurality of strips of the anisotropic magnetoresistive material, the plurality of strips including a first subset having longitudinal axes aligned at a first angle to the technological anisotropy axis and a second subset having longitudinal axes aligned at a second angle to the technological anisotropy axis. The second angle can have the same magnitude as the first, but be rotated in an opposite direction from the technological anisotropy axis.