Abstract: A gas sensor is described which incorporates a sensor stack comprising a first film layer of a ferromagnetic material, a spacer layer, and a second film layer of the ferromagnetic material. The first film layer is fabricated so that it exhibits a dependence of its magnetic anisotropy direction on the presence of a gas, That is, the orientation of the easy axis of magnetization will flip from out-of-plane to in-plane when the gas to be detected is present in sufficient concentration. By monitoring the change in resistance of the sensor stack when the orientation of the first layer's magnetization changes, and correlating that change with temperature one can determine both the identity and relative concentration of the detected gas.

Abstract: Circular nucleic acid vectors that provide for persistently high levels of protein expression are provided. The circular vectors of the subject invention are characterized by being devoid of expression-silencing bacterial sequences, where in many embodiments the subject vectors include a unidirectional site-specific recombination product hybrid sequence in addition to an expression cassette. Also provided are methods of using the subject vectors for introduction of a nucleic acid, e.g., an expression cassette, into a target cell, as well as preparations for use in practicing such methods. The subject methods and compositions find use in a variety of different applications, including both research and therapeutic applications. Also provided is a highly efficient and readily scalable method for producing the vectors employed in the subject methods, as well as reagents and kits/systems for practicing the same.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods for imaging in animals.

Abstract: The present invention provides a simple, non-destructive and versatile method that enables layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly to be performed on virtually any substrate. A novel catechol-functionalized polymer which adsorbs to virtually all surfaces and can serve as a platform for LbL assembly in a surface-independent fashion is also provided.

Abstract: Improved anti-HCV immunogens and nucleic acid molecules that encode them are disclosed. Immunogens disclosed include those having consensus HCV genotype 1 a/1 b NS3 and NS4A. Pharmaceutical composition, recombinant vaccines comprising and live attenuated vaccines are disclosed as well methods of inducing an immune response in an individual against HCV are disclosed.

Abstract: Amide derivatives of valproic acid are provided along their use in the treatment of epilepsy.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a device may generally comprise a capillary having a first end and a second end; a laser to emit energy at a sample in the capillary to ablate the sample and generate an ablation plume in the capillary; an electrospray apparatus to generate an electrospray plume to intercept the ablation plume to produce ions; and a mass spectrometer having an ion transfer inlet to capture the ions. The ablation plume may comprise a collimated ablation plume. The device may comprise a flow cytometer. Methods of making and using the same are also described.

Abstract: A functional image creating method and a functional image creating apparatus, each enabling rendering of an activated region, are provided. A phase difference image PDr(x) is created using a complex image ?r(x) created from an MR signal in an inactive state and a complex image ??r(x) obtained by filtering the complex image ?r(x). A phase difference image PDa(x) is created using a complex image ?a(x) created from an MR signal in an active state and a complex image ??a(x) obtained by filtering the complex image ?a(x). Function signal images diff1(x) and diff2(x) are created using the phase difference images PDr(x) and PDa(x), respectively. A magnitude image Mr(x), a magnitude image Ma(x), a standard image, or a morphological image I(x) is masked with the function signal image diff1(x) or diff2(x), thereby a function image I?(x) with an activated region rendered is created.

Abstract: In the context of the early detection and monitoring of eye diseases, such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, the use of optical coherence tomography presents the difficulty, with respect to blood vessel segmentation, of weak visibility of vessel pattern in the OCT fundus image. To address this problem, a boosting learning approach uses three-dimensional (3D) information to effect automated segmentation of retinal blood vessels. The automated blood vessel segmentation technique described herein is based on 3D spectral domain OCT and provides accurate vessel pattern for clinical analysis, for retinal image registration, and for early diagnosis and monitoring of the progression of glaucoma and other retinal diseases. The technique employs a machine learning algorithm to identify blood vessel automatically in 3D OCT image, in a manner that does not rely on retinal layer segmentation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for establishing a trusted path between a user interface and a trusted executable, wherein the trusted path includes a hypervisor and a driver shim. The method includes measuring an identity of the hypervisor; comparing the measurement of the identity of the hypervisor with a policy for the hypervisor; measuring an identity of the driver shim; comparing the measurement of the identity of the driver shim with a policy for the driver shim; measuring an identity of the user interface; comparing the measurement of the identity of the user interface with a policy for the user interface; and providing a human-perceptible indication of whether the identity of the hypervisor, the identity of the driver shim, and the identity of the user interface correspond with the policy for the hypervisor, the policy for the driver shim, and the policy for the user interface, respectively.

Abstract: Disclosed is an interferometer comprising a light source, a reflective element, and a photodetector. The light source is configured to emit a light beam, and an angle is formed by inclusion between a direction to which the light beam travels and the reflective element, the photodetector is configured to be substantially perpendicular to the reflective element. The light beam is halved into a first light beam propagating by the included angle, and a second light beam reflected off the reflective element, the first light beam and the second light beam interfere each other to form an interferogram on the photodetector, which detects the interferogram. By benefit of above, the interferometer does not need to reposition its parts in order to make adjustment to interferogram, thereby simplifying optical element setup and minimizing physical volume of the interferomger. Also disclosed is a spectrometer including the same interferometer and a Fourier-transform-capable analyzer.

Abstract: A method and device for coding and decoding are disclosed. The method includes: dividing a picture to be encoded into several slices, each containing macroblocks continuous in a designated scanning sequence in the picture; dividing slices in the picture into one or more slice sets according to attribute information of the slices, each slice set containing one or more slices; and encoding the slices in the slice sets according to slice and slice set division information to get a coded bit stream of the picture. The decoding method includes: obtaining slice and slice set division information from a bit stream to be decoded and decoding the bit stream according to the obtained slice and slice set division information. The invention improves the performance of video transmission effectively and realizes region based coding. The implementation of coding and decoding is simple and the complexity of coding and decoding systems is reduced.

Abstract: An in vivo RFID chip implanted in a patient's body, comprising an integrated antenna formed on the chip, and a CMOS-compatible circuitry adapted for biosensing and transmitting information out of the patient's body. In preferred embodiments, the CMOS-compatible circuitry is adapted to sense a chemical and/or physical quantity from a local environment in the patient's body and to control drug release from the drug reservoirs based on the quantity sensed.

Abstract: To provide a detection device capable of, e.g., obtaining a list of genes whose expressions are commonly changed in response to administration of a specific drug or drugs, based on consideration of relationship (e.g., interacting relationship among genes) among genes, a list of proteins whose expressions are commonly changed in response to administration of a specific drug or drugs, based on consideration of relationship (e.g., interacting relationship among proteins) among proteins, and a list of users who purchased an identical product or products, based on consideration of relationship (e.g., friendship) among users, and so forth. A graph data obtaining unit (20) obtains graph data indicating a graph including a plurality of vertexes. A vertex data obtaining unit (22) obtains vertex data that correlates an information item to a vertex.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate and a second substrate facing the first substrate. A first alignment layer formed on the first substrate includes a first area aligned in a first direction and a second area aligned in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a second alignment layer formed on the second substrate includes a third area aligned in a third direction different from the first direction and a fourth area aligned in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction. Liquid crystal molecules in a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second alignment layers are aligned in different directions from each other in plural domains defined by the first to fourth areas. Thus, the liquid crystal display may have improved aperture ratio and transmittance.

Abstract: One exemplary metamaterial is formed from a plurality of individual unit cells, at least a portion of which have a different permeability than others. The plurality of individual unit cells are arranged to provide a metamaterial having a gradient index along at least one axis. Such metamaterials can be used to form lenses, for example.

Abstract: Improved poly(amido ethylenimine) copolymers for gene delivery are disclosed. One illustrative embodiment includes polyethylene glycol (PEG) covalently bonded to a branched poly(triethyenetetramine/cystamine bisacrylamide) copolymer (poly(TETA/CBA)). The polyethylene glycol can be linear or branched. Another illustrative embodiment includes an RGD peptide covalently bonded to the poly(TETA/CBA)-PEG conjugate. Still another illustrative embodiment includes a method of using these compositions for transfecting a cell with a nucleic acid.

Abstract: Compounds of formula (I): in which R1, R2, R3, R3?, R4, R5, R6, R6?, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, R16, R17, A, D, X, Y, and Z are defined in the specification. Also disclosed is a method of using one of the compounds to lower the blood cholesterol level and treat cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and corneal arcus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bridge inspecting device for inspecting a structure of a bridge. The device includes a vehicle, a pendulum mechanism and at least one image sensing device. The vehicle has an arm and is stably parked at an edge of the bridge. The pendulum mechanism has an end movably secured to the arm and the pendulum mechanism has at least one pendulum element. The at least one image sensing device is connected to another end of the pendulum mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a MIMO communication system signal detection method applied to a MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) system with m transmitting antennas and n receiving antennas. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring the channel (from m transmitting antennas to n receiving antennas) matrix H by using a channel estimation algorithm; calculating a transmitted signal preliminary estimation vector [{circumflex over (x)}1, {circumflex over (x)}2, . . .