Abstract: A stochastic time-digital converter (STDC) including an input switching circuit, an STDC array, and an encoder. A clock circuit inputs two clock signals into two input terminals of the input switching circuit; the input switching circuit transmits the two clock signals in a cyclic cross-transposition form to two input terminals of the STDC array, and simultaneously outputs a trigger control signal to the encoder; each comparator in the STDC array independently judges the speeds of the two clock signals and sends the judgement results to the encoder for collection and processing; and the encoder outputs the size and positivity or negativity of the phase difference of the two clock signals. The technical solution utilizes the stochastic characteristic of the STDC to double the number of the equivalent comparators in the STDC array, eliminating the effects on the circuitry of device mismatching and processes, power supply voltage, and temperature.

Abstract: A method for forming a ZrO2 oxide film by plasma electrolytic oxidation includes a first step of placing an anode, which is a substrate with a ZrN film, and a cathode into an electrolyte of which the temperature range is from 65° C. to 75° C. Said electrolyte contains barium acetate or barium hydroxide ranging from 0.3 M to 0.7 M and sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide ranging from 1.5 M to 2.5 M. The method includes a second step of applying a voltage ranging from 50 V to 1000 V to the anode and cathode to finally form a ZrO2 film on a surface of the ZrN film of the anode. A DC power supply, an AC power supply, unipolar pulse power supply or bipolar pulse power supply is applied to said anode and cathode in constant-voltage mode or constant-current mode. The oxide film can be formed more rapidly than the prior art and has excellent crystallinity.

Abstract: A body-insertable imaging device includes a first camera that comprises a first image sensor and a first lens to pass incident light onto the first image sensor, a control interface to receive a remotely generated control signal, and an actuator communicatively coupled to the control interface and configured to support the camera and manipulate the camera about a pan axis, a tilt axis, and along a zoom direction in response to the control signal while the camera and actuator are within a body cavity, wherein the zoom direction extends out from a distal end of the body-insertable camera.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and compositions for treating or preventing a bacterial infection, particularly infection by a Staphylococcus bacterium. The invention provides methods and compositions for stimulating an immune response against the bacteria. In certain embodiments, the methods and compositions involve a non-toxigenic Protein A (SpA) variant or an antibody directed thereto.

Abstract: A method for preparing organic-inorganic composite materials is provided. It is a dispersion method that the inorganic phase is introduced into the polymer matrix uniformly. The core-shell structure, in which the inorganic materials are core and the organic materials are shell, is formed by first wrapping the inorganic materials with the organic materials in the same reactor. Therefore, the match between the polarity of inorganic phase and the polarity of polymer phase is increased.

Abstract: The present invention provides a melatonin suppression extent measuring device, which is able to receive and process a light signal to a spectral data, process the spectral data to a percent value of melatonin suppression based on a reference wavelength parameter and a reference quanta parameter through a conversion module, and display the percent value of melatonin suppression; therefore, users can exactly know how many melatonin suppression extent are caused by the light environment which is exposing themselves body.

Abstract: Provided are methods, uses and pharmaceutical compositions for treatment of prostate cancer with a SEMA3C inhibitor in a biologically effective amount sufficient to cause cell death of a prostate cancer cell or to inhibit proliferation of the prostate cancer cells. The prostate cancer may be an androgen receptor (AR) positive prostate cancer and the SEMA3C inhibitor may be selected from one or more of the following: an antibody, a SEMA3C peptide, an antisense RNA, a siRNA, a shRNA or a small molecule.

Abstract: The multi-core fiber of the present invention uses a multi-core fiber configuration, compatible with the “coupled” operation mode in which coupling between cores is positively utilized, to carry out mode division multiplexing transmission via a multi-core fiber that contains multiple single-mode cores in one optical fiber. The multi-core fiber of the present invention uses a configuration in which mode multiplexing transmission is carried out using a multi-core fiber that contains multiple single-mode cores in one optical fiber, wherein multiple cores are strongly coupled intentionally to form a coupled multi-core fiber that makes the coupled modes correspond, one to one, to the transmission channels.

Abstract: Ion mobility spectrometry systems, devices, and associated methods of operation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for performing ion mobility spectrometry includes ionizing a sample in gas phase and applying an electric field to the ionized sample in the gas phase, thereby moving the ionized sample along a drift region. The applied electric field has a plurality of strength values with respect to time, and the individual strength values being generally constant during a corresponding period of time. The method further includes detecting an ion intensity and a drift time of the ionized sample moving through the drift region under the applied electric field with the plurality of strength values.

Abstract: Methods and reagents are described for myocardial regenerative therapy using cardiomyocytes that are cultured ex vivo to have a controlled orientation of beating. This is achieved by growing the cardiomyocytes on a culture support that is coated with a polymerizable liquid crystal which is oriented so as to be in a liquid crystal phase state prior to curing with ionizing radiation or ultraviolet rays.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to trans-,trans-conjugated linoleic acid compositions and use thereof, and in particular to trans-,trans-conjugated linoleic acid produced from photoisomerization of soy oil in the presence of an antioxidant, and used in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and human and animal food compositions for improved health. The invention also relates generally to a method for treatment and prevention of health-related disorders of obesity by administration of pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and/or food compositions containing and/or prepared from trans-,trans-conjugated linoleic acid-rich soy oil.

Abstract: Proton resonance frequency shift thermometry may be improved by combining multibaseline and referenceless thermometry.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a drug delivery cuff including a drug reservoir. In an embodiment, an integrated drug pump may be provided. A drug delivery cuff in accordance with an embodiment may be placed around any suitable vascular graft (e.g., ePTFE) or directly around any natural tissue conduit (e.g., perivascularly), at any position along the graft/conduit or overlapping a graft and conduit, either at the time of graft surgical placement or separate therefrom.

Abstract: Provided herein are peptoids capable of inhibiting or reversing amyloid ? (A?) fibril or plaque production. The peptoids form a helical structure with three monomers per helical turn and have at least two monomers with a side-chain having an arylalkyl group having the same chirality positioned such that the side-chains are on the same side of the peptoid. Also provided are methods of using the peptoids to inhibit or reverse aggregation of A? and methods of treating subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or slowing the progression of AD.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutic agent and an alkoxy-polyethylene glycol, for example, methoxy-polyethylene glycol, for administration of the therapeutic agent to the mammal. The compositions can be applied to a membrane, for example, a nasal membrane during intranasal administration. The invention also provides methods of administering such compositions to a mammal.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a catalyst-free growth mode of defect-free Gallium Arsenide (GaAs)-based nanoneedles on silicon (Si) substrates with a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible growth temperature of around 400° C. Each nanoneedle has a sharp 2 to 5 nanometer (nm) tip, a 600 nm wide base and a 4 micrometer (?m) length. Thus, the disclosed nanoneedles are substantially hexagonal needle-like crystal structures that assume a 6° to 9° tapered shape. The 600 nm wide base allows the typical micro-fabrication processes, such as optical lithography, to be applied. Therefore, nanoneedles are an ideal platform for the integration of optoelectronic devices on Si substrates. A nanoneedle avalanche photodiode (APD) grown on silicon is presented in this disclosure as a device application example. The APD attains a high current gain of 265 with only 8V bias.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical detection system comprising an illumination unit and a detection unit. The illumination unit comprises two laser beams of two different wavelengths. One beam is used to excite targeted molecules in a sample to their excited states. The other beam is used to induce the excited molecules in the sample to generate a stimulated emission signal. The stimulated emission signal can be used for long-distance detection due to its coherent property. Its extraction from the detection unit can be realized by demodulating the second beam's intensity change.

Abstract: Apparatuses capable of and techniques for detecting long wavelength radiation are provided.

Abstract: A light emitting diode includes a substrate, a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, a second semiconductor layer, a third optical symmetric layer, a metallic layer, a fourth optical symmetric layer, and a first optical symmetric layer, and a second optical symmetric layer stacked with other in the listed sequence. The light emitting diode further includes a first electrode electrically connected with the first semiconductor layer and a second electrode electrically connected with the second semiconductor layer. A refractive index of the third optical symmetric layer or the fourth optical symmetric layer is in a range from about 1.2 to about 1.5. A refractive index difference between the source layer and the first optical symmetric layer is less than or equal to 0.3. A refractive difference between the second optical symmetric layer and the substrate is less than or equal to 0.1.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods of simultaneous analyte separation and detection using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-active ultra thin layer chromatography (UTLC) chips. The SERS-active UTLC chips of the present disclosure are used to physically separate compounds within a mixture, which are then identified based on their unique SERS spectra.