Abstract: Novel dendrimeric peptide compounds are disclosed that have a formula represented by the following formula I: The compounds demonstrate antimicrobial activity and may be prepared as pharmaceutical compositions and used for the prevention and treatment of a variety of conditions in mammals including humans where microbial invasion is involved. The present peptides are particularly valuable as their effect is rapid, broad in spectrum and mostly indifferent to resistance provoked by standard antibiotics.

Abstract: Carbon dioxide and other acid gases are removed from gaseous streams using aqueous absorption and stripping processes. By replacing the conventional stripper used to regenerate the aqueous solvent and capture the acid gas with a matrix stripping configuration, less energy is consumed. The matrix stripping configuration uses two or more reboiled strippers at different pressures. The rich feed from the absorption equipment is split among the strippers, and partially regenerated solvent from the highest pressure stripper flows to the middle of sequentially lower pressure strippers in a “matrix” pattern. By selecting certain parameters of the matrix stripping configuration such that the total energy required by the strippers to achieve a desired percentage of acid gas removal from the gaseous stream is minimized, further energy savings can be realized.

Abstract: A method is provided for quantifying a plasma membrane protein present by using a stable-isotope labeled peptide as a probe by mass spectrometry in a simple, quick and accurate manner. A plasma membrane protein is fragmented to prepare an oligopeptide fragment, identified by LC/MS/MS. A subject peptide for quantification is selected if the peptide is obtained by fragmenting with a protease, the peptide is specific to a target molecule, and if the peptide has a high total score value based on selective criteria for hydrophobic amino acids content, sequence conditions, number of amino acid residues, specific amino acid sequence conditions, etc. According to these criteria, a subject peptide fragment that can be ionized by ESI method is selected. By using the subject peptide for and a stable-isotope labeled peptide, the plasma membrane protein is quantified accurately by mass spectrometry.

Abstract: A smart inhaler system comprising an inhaler device for directed aerosol delivery facilitated by an adaptive nozzle and a mechanism for inhalation waveform modulation is provided. Methods of using the smart inhaler system for delivering an active agent to a target area of a lung of a subject are further provided.

Abstract: The invention includes sensors and sensing methods for determining cell morphology and/or chemical composition of an analyte. A porous substrate exhibiting a first optical signal is exposed to a target analyte and subsequently monitored for changes in the optical signal. More specifically, a photonic or porous substrate having a well-defined and highly tunable reflectivity or transmission spectrum, such as porous silicon (Si), porous alumina, porous Ge, porous GaAs, porous SiO2 and porous polymer, is used for example. A porous or photonic substrate is exposed to an analyte, such as a cell or other macromolecule, and changes in the scattered light are observed over time to determine cell morphology and/or chemical composition of the analyte using the substrate.

Abstract: A biological sample can be subjected to measurement, description and ionization of ions is possible under atmospheric pressure without undergoing pretreatment. Imaging having a resolution on the nanometer order can be performed. An STM needle (probe) of an XYZ-axis-drive piezoelectric element is oscillated along the Z axis to contact the sample to a depth on the nanometer order and capture molecules at the needle tip. A pulsed high voltage is applied to the needle, achieving needle electrospray. The sample molecules are then desorbed and ionized, and mass spectrometry is carried out. The needle is swept in the XY directions, oscillation is repeated and an image obtained by molecular imaging of a nanometer area of the biological sample is measured. The probe may be brought into contact with a droplet produced at the tip of a capillary connected to the outlet port of a liquid chromatograph to capture a sample.

Abstract: The invention provides a circuit system for driving a high-intensity discharging lamp, comprising a boosting circuit, an ignition coil circuit and a clamp circuit. The boosting circuit includes a first transformer and a first switch, in which the primary of the first transformer receives an input power, the secondary of the first transformer produces a boosting DC voltage, and the first switch is connected to the first transformer to control turning-on and turning-off of the first transformer. The ignition coil circuit is connected to the boosting circuit for converting the boosting DC voltage into a switching AC voltage to drive a load. The clamp circuit is connected to the boosting circuit and the ignition coil circuit for directing energy, reflected from the secondary of the first transformer to the primary of the first transformer, to the secondary of the first transformer as the first switch is turned off.

Abstract: The invention discloses a pharmaceutical composition for treating a subject comprising two or more bioactive nanoparticles, thus treating the subject by co-administering the bioactive nanoparticles to the subject, wherein a first and a second bioactive nanoparticles comprise a shell portion that is dominated by positively charged chitosan, a core portion that contains negatively charged substrate, and at least a first bioactive agent in the first nanoparticle and a second bioactive agent in the second nanoparticle.

Abstract: An isolated polypeptide is provided. The isolated polypeptide comprising an antigen recognition domain capable of specifically binding a CD44 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 and incapable of binding a CD44 polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 4 or 6.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of genes differentially expressed in benign thyroid lesions and malignant thyroid lesions for the diagnosis and staging of thyroid cancer.

Abstract: A miniature microphone comprising a diaphragm compliantly suspended over an enclosed air volume having a vent port is provided, wherein an effective stiffness of the diaphragm with respect to displacement by acoustic vibrations is controlled principally by the enclosed air volume and the port. The microphone may be formed using silicon microfabrication techniques and has sensitivity to sound pressure substantially unrelated to the size of the diaphragm over a broad range of realistic sizes. The diaphragm is rotatively suspend for movement through an arc in response to acoustic vibrations, for example by beams or tabs, and has a surrounding perimeter slit separating the diaphragm from its support structure. The air volume behind the diaphragm provides a restoring spring force for the diaphragm. The microphone's sensitivity is related to the air volume, perimeter slit, and stiffness of the diaphragm and its mechanical supports, and not the area of the diaphragm.

Abstract: An acid gas such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, or a mixture thereof is removed from gaseous streams using aqueous absorption and stripping processes. By replacing the conventional stripper used to regenerate the aqueous solvent and capture the acid gas with a multipressure stripper (51) that combines acid gas compression with stripping, less energy is consumed. The multipressure stripper is a multistage flash (52, 55, 59) in which the total vapor flow from each stage is compressed and fed to the bottom of the previous flash stage at a higher pressure. In this process, the heat in the water content of the vapor exiting each stage is utilized at a higher pressure in the previous stage. The described stripping process generates the acid gas at a higher pressure without operating the stripper at a higher temperature, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the system.

Abstract: A portable optical detection chip comprises a substrate, a plurality of avalanche-type photosensitive device modules and a plurality of plane mirrors. The plurality of avalanche-type photosensitive device modules are formed on the substrate, and each of them comprises a plurality of avalanche-type photosensitive devices and a plurality of lenses. Each of the lenses is stacked on one of the avalanche-type photosensitive devices. The plurality of plane mirrors are disposed between the avalanche-type photosensitive device modules. That is, the avalanche-type photosensitive device modules are separated from each other by the plane mirrors.

Abstract: An novel gliclazide nanosphere, the manufacturing method therefor and the application thereof are provided in the present application is provided. The gliclazide nanosphere is prepared by reacting the solid gliclazide with a polymeric matrix for improving the dissolution property and safety of gliclazide, and is benefit for immediately releasing dosage application in clinical therapy.

Abstract: Increasing signal to noise ratio in optical spectra obtained by spectrophotometers. An interferometer introduces interference effects into a source light beam. A dual beam configuration splits the source beam having the interference effects into a reference beam and a sample beam. The reference beam interacts with a reference substance and is detected by a reference detector. The sample beam interacts with a sample substance and is detected by a sample detector. An optical spectra of the sample is based on the difference between the detected reference beam and the detected sample beam.

Abstract: A system and method for recognition of images may include the use of alignment markers. The image recognized may be a pattern from an array, a character, a number, a shape, and/or irregular shapes. The pattern may be formed by elements in an array such as an identification marking and/or a sensor array. More particularly, the system and method relate to discriminating between images by accounting for the orientation of the image. The size and/or location of alignment markers may provide information about the orientation of an image. Information about the orientation of an image may reduce false recognitions. The system and method of image recognition may be used with identification markings, biosensors, micro-fluidic arrays, and/or optical character recognition systems.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, systems and methods that protect an application from attacks are provided. In some embodiments, traffic from a communication network is received by an anomaly detection component. The anomaly detection component monitors the received traffic and routes the traffic either to the protected application or to a honeypot, where the honeypot shares all state information with the application. If the received traffic is routed to the honeypot, the honeypot monitors the traffic for an attack. If an attack occurs, the honeypot repairs the protected application (e.g., discarding any state changes incurred from the attack, reverting to previously saved state information, etc.).

Abstract: The present invention discloses a butterfly match-line structure and a search method implemented thereby, wherein the parallelism of the match lines is increased to shorten the search time, and a butterfly-type connection is used to reduce the power consumption and achieve the best energy efficiency. Via the butterfly-type connection, information can be reciprocally transmitted between the parallel match lines, which are independent originally. When a miss case occurs, more succeeding memory cells will not be compared but will be turned off. Thereby, the power consumption is reduced. Further, XOR-based conditional keepers are used to reduce the matching time and the power consumption. Besides, such a circuit is also used to shorten the delay time of the butterfly-type connection.

Abstract: A breathing apparatus is provided for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea that optimizes the positive pressure to the airway of a patient. The apparatus is configured to detect flow limitations in the patient airway from an analysis of inspiratory flow waveforms. The airway pressure setting is raised, lowered or maintained depending on whether a flow limitation has been detected and on the previous actions taken by the apparatus. The apparatus may include a blower, a flow sensor, a pressure sensor, a microprocessor, a pressure controller and a nasal fitting. The apparatus is configured to increase the airway pressure when a flow limitation is detected in the airway of the patient and to decrease the airway pressure when a flow limitation is not detected.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a crystal of ACE protein. The present invention further relates to methods, processes, ACE modulators, pharmaceutical compositions and uses of ACE crystal and the structure coordinates thereof.