Abstract: Provided are tris-quaternary ammonium compounds which are modulators of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Also provided are methods of using the compounds for modulating the function of a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, and for the prevention and/or treatment of central nervous system disorders, substance use and/or abuse and/or gastrointestinal tract disorders.

Abstract: A new variety of smooth cordgrass identified as ‘LA11-101’ is disclosed as being genetically different from ‘Vermilion’, the only other smooth cordgrass variety for the northern Gulf of Mexico, and as having rapid establishment and growth in natural brackish and saline marsh environments, and excellent seed set and germination.

Abstract: Antisense molecules capable of binding to a selected target site in the dystrophin gene to induce exon skipping are described.

Abstract: A forming method of a laminated structure by internal oxidation is provided. An alloy coating layer is formed. The alloy coating layer has a columnar grain structure and includes a first metal element and a second metal element, and the first metal element is oxidized more easily than the second metal element. Thereafter, a thermal oxidation treatment process is performed to the alloy coating layer, so as to form a plurality of oxide layers and a plurality of metal layers stacked alternately with each other from a surface portion of the alloy coating layer. A material of the oxide layers includes an oxide of the first metal element, and a material of the metal layers includes the second metal element.

Abstract: A metal oxide-supported nickel catalyst includes a matrix containing a metal oxide and catalytic sites distributed throughout the matrix and having an intricate interface with the matrix, in which the catalytic sites are selected from the group consisting of nano-nickel(0) domains and nano-nickel(0)-A(0) alloy domains. Also disclosed are a method for preparing this catalyst and a method for using it to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen by partial oxidation of a C1-C5 hydrocarbon.

Abstract: Light emitting devices including sub-pixels having different numbers of emissive layers are provided. At least one sub-pixel of a first color may include a single emissive layer, and at least one sub-pixel of a second color may include multiple emissive layers disposed in a vertical stack. Light emitting devices in which different voltages are applied to each sub-pixel or group of sub-pixels are also provided. In some configurations, the voltage to be applied to a sub-pixel may be selected based upon the number of emissive layers in the sub-pixel.

Abstract: Composite materials for carbon dioxide (C02) capture that include: (1) a mesoporous carbon source; and (2) an in situ polymerized polymer that is associated with the mesoporous carbon source, where the in situ polymerized polymer is selected from the group consisting of thiol-based polymers, amine-based polymers, and combinations thereof. Methods of making the composite materials for C02 capture include: (1) associating a mesoporous carbon source with monomers, where the monomers are selected from the group consisting of thiol-based monomers, amine-based monomers, and combinations thereof; and (2) polymerizing the monomers in situ to form said composite materials. Further embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods of capturing C02 from an environment by associating the environment with one or more of the aforementioned composite materials.

Abstract: A method of regioselectively preparing a pyridine-containing compound is provided. In particular embodiments, the method includes reacting halogen-functionalized pyridal[2,1,3]thiadiazole with organotin-functionalized cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b?]dithiophene or organotin-functionalized indaceno[2,1-b:3,4-b?]dithiophene. Also provided is a method of preparing a polymer. The method includes regioselectively preparing a monomer that includes a pyridal[2,1,3]thiadiazole unit; and reacting the monomer to produce a polymer that includes a regioregular conjugated backbone section, wherein the section includes a repeat unit containing the pyridal[2,1,3]thiadiazole unit. A polymer that includes a regioregular conjugated backbone section, and electronic devices that include the polymer, are also provided.

Abstract: A system for registering images includes an image registration unit. The image registration unit is configured to receive first image data for a first image in an N-dimensional space, receive second image data for a second image in the N-dimensional space, calculate a field of update vectors that maps the first image into a moving image, and map the first image into the moving image using the field of update vectors such that the moving image more closely matches the second image. The field of update vectors includes a plurality of N+M dimensional update vectors, each update vector having N spatial components and M extra components. N is a number greater than zero, and M is a number greater than zero. The M extra components of the plurality of update vectors identify portions of the first image that are assigned external values during the mapping the first image into the moving image.

Abstract: Nano-graphene oxide sheets or nano-graphene sheets having a maximum average lateral dimension of about 50 nm and methods of making nano-graphene oxide sheets and nano-graphene sheets.

Abstract: Provided are bis-quaternary ammonium cyclophane compounds which are modulators of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Also provided are methods of using the compounds for modulating the function of a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, and for the prevention and/or treatment of central nervous system disorders, substance use and/or abuse, and or gastrointestinal tract disorders.

Abstract: Methods for the treatment or prevention of diseases which are caused by the decreased concentrations of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) in cells are described. The diseases which may be treated by the methods of the invention include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, including steroid resistant COPD and asthma. The invention provides methods for treating or preventing of diseases caused by the degradation of HDAC2 by providing to the subject in need of treatment or prevention a molecular compound capable of preventing the degradation of HDAC2. Such molecular compounds include Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) activators. Methods are further provided for the treatment and prevention of COPD and asthma by providing to a subject in need of such treatment and prevention a nucleic acid which causes expression of HDAC2 in lung cells and/or a nucleic acid which causes expression of Nrf2 in lung cells.

Abstract: Sulfonated silane ionomeric materials useful in electrodes of e.g., membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) of fuel cells can improve cell performance. MEAs prepared with CCE cathode catalyst layers and standard ELAT anode layers over a period of several start-stop cycles, as well as at multiple relative humidities were studied. The MEA performance was monitored using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and fuel cell polarization curves. The CCE cathode materials appeared to maintain performance and had improved water management capabilities at comparatively low relative humidities.

Abstract: During shock wave therapy, a determination is made that a kidney stone has begun to fracture, and then a progress of its fragmentation is assessed. This determination can reduce the number of shock waves used to disintegrate kidney stones, and thereby reduce dose-dependent tissue damage. The identification of fracture is possible through the detection and analysis of resonant acoustic scattering, which is the radiation caused by reverberations within a stone particle that is struck by a shock wave. The scattering frequency can provide both an indication that the kidney stone has fragmented, and an indication of the relative sizes of the fragments. Related concepts employ displacement measurements of kidney stones/fragments to provide both an indication that the kidney stone has fragmented, and an indication of the relative sizes of the fragments. Such techniques can be combined with vibro-acoustography based gating that better targets the stone.

Abstract: A laser diode capable of performing self-pulsation operation, and capable of sufficiently reducing the coherence of laser light and stably obtaining low-noise laser light is provided. The laser diode includes: a laser chip including at least one laser stripe which extends in a resonator length direction between a first end surface and a second end surface opposed to each other, in which the laser stripe includes a gain region and a saturable absorption region in the resonator length direction, and the width of the laser stripe in the saturable absorption region is larger than the width of the laser stripe in the gain region.

Abstract: A disclosed chemical detection system for detecting a target material, such as an explosive material, can include a cantilevered probe, a probe heater coupled to the cantilevered probe, and a piezoelectric element disposed on the cantilevered probe. The piezoelectric element can be configured as a detector and/or an actuator. Detection can include, for example, detecting a movement of the cantilevered probe or a property of the cantilevered probe. The movement or a change in the property of the cantilevered probe can occur, for example, by adsorption of the target material, desorption of the target material, reaction of the target material and/or phase change of the target material. Examples of detectable movements and properties include temperature shifts, impedance shifts, and resonant frequency shifts of the cantilevered probe. The overall chemical detection system can be incorporated, for example, into a handheld explosive material detection system.

Abstract: A stereo-phase-based absolute three-dimensional (3D) shape measurement method is provided that requires neither phase unwrapping nor projector calibration. This proposed method can be divided into two steps: (1) obtain a coarse disparity map from the quality map; and (2) refine the disparity map using local phase information. Experiments demonstrated that the proposed method could achieve high-quality 3D measurement even with extremely low-quality fringe patterns. The method is particular well-suited for a number of different applications including in mobile devices such as phones.

Abstract: Cinnamic acid-based oligomers and therapeutic uses thereof are provided. The oligomers are used as anti-inflammation agents, inhibitors of elastase and anti-oxidants, and in some cases (e.g. the treatment of lung disorders such as lung cancer) all three activities are simultaneously beneficial. Subsets of the oligomers (e.g. ?-O4 and ?-5 trimers and tetramers) are used as anticoagulants.

Abstract: A participant, engages in healthcare provider prescribed physical rehabilitation exercises utilizing specifically designed controllers, and these exercises are mapped to one or more video game commands. These commands are coupled with other inputs to control the video game that will be used to ensure adherence to a prescribed rehabilitation regimen. Information is gathered on the participant, in order to aid in rehabilitation.

Abstract: Provided herein are benzopyrimido-pyrrolo-oxazine-dione (BPO) compounds and pyrimido-pyrrolo-quinoxalinedione (PPQ) compounds, and compositions comprising these compounds, that inhibit cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mediated ion transport and that are useful for treating diseases and disorders associated with aberrantly increased CFTR chloride channel activity, such as polycystic kidney disease and secretory diarrheas. The compounds and compositions comprising the compounds described herein may be used for inhibiting expansion or preventing formation of cysts in persons who have polycystic kidney disease.