Abstract: The present invention generally relates to mass spectrometry and related techniques, and in some cases, to determining single species using mass spectrometry. In certain instances, polymers such as DNA or RNA can also be sequenced. Certain embodiments of the invention relate to passing a polymer, such as DNA, RNA, a protein, a polypeptide, a polysaccharide, etc., through a pore and cleaving the polymer in sequence. For instance, the polymer may be cleaved using a laser or an electric field. In some embodiments, a property of at least one subunit of a polymer is determined using mass spectrometry. In some embodiments, a single ion (which may be a subunit of a polymer, or an ion based on another species) can be isolated in a mass spectrometer and a signal generated from the single ion.

Abstract: A various-substance holder, a various-substance holder treating apparatus, and a various-substance holder treating method are provided which enable the mutual identification of particulate carriers to which various substances are or can be immobilized without the need to arrange the particulate carriers at predetermined positions or in a predetermined order, eliminating the need for time and effort to arrange the various substances at predetermined positions or in a predetermined order to allow treatments to be quickly and easily achieved. The various-substance holder has a plurality of particulate carriers or plural sets of particulate carriers to which plural types of chemical substances are or can be immobilized and a carrier holding portion holding the plurality of particulate carriers or the plural sets of particulate carriers in a substantially stationary state such that the plurality of particulate carriers or the plural sets of particulate carriers can be externally measured.

Abstract: A flexible tactile sensor apparatus is provided. The flexible tactile sensor apparatus may obtain information about an applied force, using a resistance between an upper nano wire array of an upper plate and a lower nano wire array of a lower plate, which may be changed based on a distance, between the upper nano wire array and the lower nano wire array, adjusted in proportion to the force.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods for polymerizing non-immunogenic haptens into immunogens, which then can be used to stimulate anti-hapten antibody production in animals. Specifically, haptens with amine and/or carboxylic groups are polymerized into macromolecules by using cross-linking reagents, and the derived haptenic polymers are used to immunize animals for the production of anti-hapten antibodies.

Abstract: An irregular connectivity mesh representative of a surface having an arbitrary topology is processed using a non-uniform relaxation procedure. The non-uniform relaxation procedure minimizes differences between vectors normal to faces of pairs of triangles having a common edge and located within a designated neighborhood of a given vertex. The relaxation procedure may be used to construct subdivision and pyramid algorithms for performing processing operations such as upsampling, downsampling and filtering on irregular connectivity meshes. The signal processing algorithms may be utilized in applications such as smoothing, enhancement, editing, texture mapping and compression.

Abstract: Digital communication coding methods for designing protograph-based bit-interleaved code modulation that is general and applies to any modulation. The general coding framework can support not only multiple rates but also adaptive modulation. The method is a two stage lifting approach. In the first stage, an original protograph is lifted to a slightly larger intermediate protograph. The intermediate protograph is then lifted via a circulant matrix to the expected codeword length to form a protograph-based low-density parity-check code.

Abstract: Thiazole and thiophene compounds are disclosed having utility in treating inflammatory conditions, immunoinflammatory conditions, autoimmune diseases, and cancers. Methods for the synthesis of these compounds are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention is a new computational method for the formation of magnetic resonance (MR) images. The method utilizes the data acquired by the multiple receiver channels available as parallel imaging hardware on standard MRI scanners to: (i) automatically identify a set of multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems (e.g., MIMO filter banks) that act as interpolation kernels for acquired MR data sets (that can be subsampled with respect to the Nyquist criterion) without requiring a separate calibration scan; and (ii) use the identified MIMO systems to synthesize MR data sets that can in turn be used to produce high quality images, thereby enabling high quality imaging with fewer data samples than current methods (or equivalently provide higher image quality with the same number of data samples). A unique feature of the present invention is its ability to account for aliasing effects and minimize the associated image distortion by optimally adapting the said MIMO interpolation (image reconstruction) kernels.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes lateral P-I-N light-sensitive diodes disposed on a silicon island formed by a P? epitaxial layer and surrounded by trenches that provide lateral isolation, where the island is separated from the substrate by a porous silicon region that is grown under the island and isolates the lower portions of the photovoltaic device from the highly doped substrate. The trenches extend through the P? epitaxial material into the P+ substrate to facilitate self-limiting porous silicon formation at the bottom of the island, and also to suppress electron-hole recombination. A protective layer (e.g., SiN) is formed on the trench walls to further restrict porous silicon formation to the bottom of the island. Black silicon on the trench walls enhances light capture. The photovoltaic devices form low-cost embedded photovoltaic arrays on CMOS IC devices, or are separated to produce low-cost, HV solar arrays for solar energy sources, e.g. for solar concentrators.

Abstract: A monocentric lens-based multi-scale imaging system is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention comprise a monocentric lens as an objective lens that collects light from a scene. Monocentric lenses in accordance with the present invention include a spherical central lens element and a plurality of lens shell sections that collectively reduce at least one of spherical and chromatic aberration from the magnitude introduced by the spherical lens element itself. A plurality of secondary lenses image the scene through the objective lens and further reduce the magnitude of aberrations introduced by the objective lens. A plurality of sensor arrays converts optical sub-images of the scene into a plurality of digital images, which can then be used to form a composite image of the scene.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is concerned with a stimuli-responsive polymer membrane and method of making the same. The method and making the membrane is a new one The entire body of the responsive membrane is a gel. Gels are used as membranes because they are permeable-swollen network. This disclosure discusses a new combination of cylindrical pores in a swollen network. When the network swells or shrinks the cylindrical pores open or close. Thus, inside the network, one can introduce ligands, function groups which due to specific interaction with some signaling molecules in the surrounding environment can cause swelling or shrinking the membrane and this way they open or close pores. With cylindrical pores in a gel there is the ability to regulate pore size in a broad range and an ability to arrange response by adding some functional groups inside the gel body.

Abstract: The present invention is a radially symmetric imaging detector that measures an incident neutron's or gamma-ray's energy and identifies its source on an event-by-event basis.

Abstract: A 3D-IC detector for each layer of a stacked device comprises a pulse generator to receive an initial signal and generate a pulse-in signal to a next stage detector. A latch is coupled to the pulse generator to receive an output signal from the pulse generator and generate a layer identifying signal. A counter is coupled to previous stage detector and the initial signal to perform a counting operation; and an adder coupled to the counter to add a number to a counting output from the counter and input added signal to the pulse generator.

Abstract: A device for detecting a presence of an object includes an optical phased array, a detector, a processing portion and an indicator. The optical phased array can transmit a first optical beam to a first location at a first time and can transmit a second optical beam to a second location at a second time. The detector can detect a first reflected beam based on the first optical beam and can detect a second reflected beam based on the second optical beam. The processing portion can determine the presence of the object based on the first reflected beam and the second reflected beam. The indicator can generate an indicator signal based on the presence of the object.

Abstract: Techniques for presenting patient data at the patient's bedside include receiving predetermined presentation style data that indicates a subset of fewer than all parameters available from an electronic medical records (EMR) system and a first arrangement on a display device of related parameters in the subset. Without human intervention, the most recent values from the EMR system are received. The most recent values are associated in the EMR system with the particular patient for corresponding parameters of the subset. A first most recent value is presented according to the first arrangement at the particular bedside display device without human intervention. In some embodiments, the most recent values are also received or presented in response to a single stroke from a human user at an input for the particular display device.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the field of diagnostic microbiology, and, more particularly; to compositions and methods for detecting and differentiating one or more viruses or other intracellular parasites present in a specimen. The present invention also provides compositions and methods to evaluate the susceptibility of organisms to antimicrobial agents.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide a ground-engaging vehicle braking assembly for a vehicle. The assembly generally comprises: a base subassembly mounted to a portion of the vehicle; a common member comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the common member being rotatably attached to the base subassembly; a first linkage subassembly comprising the first portion of the common member; and a second linkage subassembly comprising the second portion of the common member and a pad member, the pad member being configured to engage a ground surface over which the portion of the vehicle is travelling. An associated method of operating the assembly is also provided, wherein multiple modes of operation are incorporated. A system is also described, wherein at least one processor is configured to move various linkage subassemblies of the assembly based upon one or more predetermined parameters related to mode of operation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a telemedical stethoscope, which automatically diagnoses a disease, and records visually and auditorily, and stores the stethoscope data on a screen. The present invention enhances primary diagnosis and treatment effect for a patient by transmitting/receiving the data to/from a doctor at a medical center and by receiving a telemedicine service. In addition, the present invention transmits the data to a health management program so as to be used for personal healthcare and disease prognosis decision of a patient.

Abstract: Although it can be farnesylated, the mutant lamin A protein expressed in Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) cannot be defarnesylated because the characteristic mutation causes deletion of a cleavage site necessary for binding the protease ZMPSTE24 and effecting defarnesylation. The result is an aberrant farnesylated protein (called “progerin”) that alters normal lamin A function as a dominant negative, as well as assuming its own aberrant function through its association with the nuclear membrane. The retention of farnesylation, and potentially other abnormal properties of progerin and other abnormal lamin gene protein products, produces disease. Farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) (both direct effectors and indirect inhibitors) will inhibit the formation of progerin, cause a decrease in lamin A protein, and/or an increase prelamin A protein. Decreasing the amount of aberrant protein improves cellular effects caused by and progerin expression.

Abstract: A device and a method automatically trace and fix a resonance frequency of the batteries for offering an optimal charging frequency to the batteries. The device and method utilize a resonance frequency fr that charges batteries with a sinusoidal wave, automatic tracing function, and a fixed current. While the resonance frequency fr is adopted in a charging device and served as the optimum charging frequency, the using life of the batteries could be extended.