Abstract: One aspect of the invention relates to 1,8-diarylnaphthalene compounds. In certain embodiments, a compound of the invention is an N-oxide of a 1,8-diarylnaphthalene. In certain embodiments, the aryl group is an optionally substituted acridyl group. In certain embodiments, a compound of the invention is a single steroisomer. In certain embodiments, a compound of the invention is a single enantiomer. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of detecting the presence of an analyte in a sample by monitoring the fluorescence of a compound of the invention in a sample. In certain embodiments, the analyte is a metal ion. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of determining the enantiomeric purity of an analyte by monitoring the fluorescence of a compound of the invention in the presence of the analyte. In certain embodiments, the analyte is a compound that is capable of hydrogen bonding.

Abstract: An ultra-thin film electrode including at least one electrically conductive layer disposed upon an adhesive layer that is carried by a substrate.

Abstract: Diagnostic tools for for serodiagnosing ehrlichiosis in mammals, particularly in members of the Canidae family and in humans are provided. The diagnostic tools are a group of outer membrane proteins of E. chaffeensis and variants thereof, referred to hereinafter as the “OMP proteins”, a group of outer membrane proteins of E. canis and variants thereof referred to hereinafter as the “P30F proteins”, and antibodies to the OMP proteins and the P30F proteins. The OMP proteins of E. chaffeensis encompass OMP-1, OMP-1A, OMP1-B, OMP-1C, OMP1-D, OMP1-E, OMP1-F, OMP1-H, OMP-1R, OMP-1S, OMP-1T, OMP-1U, OMP-1V, OMP-1W, OMP-1X, OMP-1Y and OMP-1Z. The P30F proteins of E. canis encompass P30, P30a, P30-1, P30-2, P30-3, P304, P30-5, P30-6, P30-7, P30-8, P30-9, P30-10, P30-11, and P30-12. Isolated polynucleotides that encode the E. chaffeensis OMP proteins and isolated polynucleotides that encode the E. canis P30F protein are also provided.

Abstract: An amphiphilic compound is provided capable of forming vesicles or liposomes, said amphiphilic compound having at least one headgroup containing a selectively cleavable group or moiety such as a residue of a choline or phenylalanine derivative, and at least one hydrogen-bonding group located either within said headgroup and/or in close proximity thereto. The cleavable group or moiety is cleaved under selective conditions including change of chemical, physical or biological environment and is preferably cleaved enzymatically in a biological environment such as the brain or the blood. Vesicles or liposomes made from said amphiphilic compounds are suitable for delivery of a therapeutic substance or a diagnostic agent specifically to a target organ or tissue, or for delivery of a nucleic acid for gene therapy.

Abstract: A method for forming a shallow junction region in a crystalline semiconductor substrate and method for fabricating a semiconductor device having the shallow junction region includes a defect engineering step in which first ions are introduced into a first region of the substrate and vacancies are generated in the first region. During the generation of substrate vacancies, the first region remains substantially crystalline. Interstitial species are generated in a second region and second ions are introduced into the second region to capture the interstitial species. Laser annealing is used to activate dopant species in the first region and repair implantation damage in the second region. The defect engineering process creates a vacancy-rich surface region in which source and drain extension regions having high dopant activation and low sheet resistance are created in an MOS device.

Abstract: Cannabinoid derivatives according to formula (I) are disclosed wherein, X, Y, R1, R2, and W can have the definitions provided herein. Without limitation, use of such compounds, their salts or pro-drug, or compositions containing the compounds, salts, or pro-drug, to modify the activity of CB1 and CB2 receptors and treat conditions mediated by these receptors.

Abstract: A new class of diketo acids constructed on pyridinone scaffolds, designed as inhibitors of HIV replication through inhibition of HIV integrase, is described. These compounds are useful in the prevention or treatment of infection by HIV and in the treatment of AIDS and ARC, either as the compounds, or as pharmaceutically acceptable salts, with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, used alone or in combination with antivirals, immunomodulators, antibiotics, vaccines, and other therapeutic agents, especially other anti-HIV compounds (including other integrase-based anti-HIV agents). Methods of treating AIDS and ARC and methods of treating or preventing infection by HIV are also described.

Abstract: A portable electronic device includes: a printed circuit board having opposite first and second surfaces and provided with at least one electronic component, the first surface being provided with at least one conductive pad that is electrically coupled to the electronic component; and a flexible circuit board having a main part stacked on the second surface of the printed circuit board, and an extension part extending and folded from the main part and stacked on the first surface of the printed circuit board. The extension part is provided with at least one conductive bump thereon. An outer surface of the main part is provided with at least one input key that is electrically coupled to the conductive bump. The conductive pad is bonded to the conductive bump.

Abstract: Embodiments of a polymer and vegetable oil based composition comprise a polylactide homopolymer, a vegetable oil dispersed inside the polylactide homopolymer, and a block copolymer configured to aid the dispersion of the vegetable oil inside the polylactide homopolymer.

Abstract: A surface plasmonic polariton lens is disclosed that has an optical plate having incident thereupon waves of electromagnetic radiation. The plate also has a thin metal film of a metal having a negative permittivity. There are slits in the thin film, the slits being of decreasing radial width, and decreasing radial separation at increasing radius and being for the transmission therethrough of diffracted waves of the electromagnetic radiation. There are rings between the slits, the rings being of decreasing radial width at increasing radius and being for the transmission therethrough of evanescent waves of the electromagnetic radiation. The diffracted waves and the evanescent waves form propagated waves. A probe with such a lens, and an inspection apparatus and method using the probe are also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved method is provided for managing a whitelist. Upon receipt of an electronic message from an approved sender, the message is reviewed for references to other potential sender that may be added to the whitelist. For example, the potential sender may be copied on the electronic message. Based on this reference, the potential sender is deemed trustworthy and placed on the recipient's whitelist.

Abstract: The present invention provides compounds that have antagonist activity at the S1P1 and/or S1P3 receptors. These compounds have enhanced selectivity and potency at the S1P1 and/or S1P3 receptors.

Abstract: An ultra-wide band (UWB) antenna and a plug-and-play (PnP) device using the same are provided. A dielectric substrate of the PnP device has a ground plane. The UWB antenna includes a radiating metal plate and a feeding portion. The radiating metal plate is in a non-ground region of the dielectric substrate and has at least a slit cut. An opening of the slit cut is at the edge of the radiating metal plate facing the ground plane. The feeding portion is also at the edge of the radiating metal plate facing the ground plate for feeding a signal to the antenna.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a CMOS image sensor having a wide dynamic range, which permits favorable imaging even in cases where a bright portion and a dark portion exist simultaneously. The dynamic range can be widened by preventing the saturation of optical charge at a high illuminance by removing low illuminance signals due to long-time accumulation, intermediate illuminance signals due to short-time accumulation, and high illuminance signals due to ultra-short time accumulation from pixel portions of the image sensor. Further, adaptive control of the dynamic range can also be performed by dynamically changing the wide dynamic range imaging conditions that comprise a combination of different accumulation times of each of a plurality of short time accumulation signals.

Abstract: A gas sensor uses optical interferents in a porous thin film cell to measure the refractive index of the pore medium. As the medium within the pores changes, spectral variations can be detected. For example, as the pores are filled with a solution, the characteristic peaks exhibit a spectral shift in one direction. Conversely, when tiny amounts of gas are produced, the peaks shift in the opposite direction. This can be used to measure gas evolution, humidity and for applications for other interferometric-based sensing devices.

Abstract: A two-photon probe for real-time monitoring of intracellular magnesium ions is provided. Specifically, the two-photon probe is represented by Formula 1: wherein R is H or CH2OCOCH3. The two-photon probe is very suitable for real-time imaging of intracellular magnesium ions. The two-photon probe shows 17-fold two-photon excited fluorescence enhancement in response to Mg2+, which is 7-fold stronger than commercial probes, thus enabling staining of cells in a greatly reduced amount. In addition, the two-photon probe has a sufficiently low molecular weight to stain cells and is very suitable for monitoring Mg2+ ions present in the deep tissue. Furthermore, the two-photon probe can be effectively used for the quantitative as well as qualitative detection of intracellular magnesium ions. Further provided are a method for preparing the two-photon probe and a method for real-time monitoring of intracellular magnesium ions using the two-photon probe.

Abstract: Anthrax toxin, comprising of protective antigen (PA), lethal factor (LF) and edema factor (EF) is a major virulent factor of B. anthracis. Protective antigen, PA is the main component of all the vaccines against anthrax. The protective efficacy of PA is greatly increased if small quantities of LF of EF are incorporated into the vaccines. An ideal vaccine against anthrax should contain PA, LF and EF together, but this combination would be toxic. Therefore, the biologically inactive mutant preparations of PA, LF and EF may be used together for better immunoprotection. The present invention describes the method for generation of recombinant vaccine against anthrax, comprising of non-toxic, mutant anthrax toxin proteins. The procedure involves site-directed mutagenesis of the native genes of the toxin proteins, the expression and purification of the mutant proteins and finally characterization of these proteins.

Abstract: Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) systems and methods for detecting biomolecules of interest, such as a bacterium or virus are provided.

Abstract: When a predetermined amount of credits have been inserted into a slot machine, the game mode is switched from the non-insurance mode to the insurance mode according to the player's input operation via a touch panel. In the insurance mode, determination is made whether or not the amount of bet credits matches the maximum bet amount. When determination has been made that the amount of bet credits matches the maximum bet amount, the number of games is counted after switching of the game mode to the insurance mode. When the counted number of games reaches a predetermined number, a predetermined amount of credits is paid out. Furthermore, in this case, only in a case where determination has been made that the amount of credits bet on the game matches the maximum bet amount, the difference between the counted number of games and the predetermined number is displayed.

Abstract: First, benchmark data are collected on two thin slices of an object to get measured k-space trajectories. To find delays on different physical gradients, the root mean square error between estimated and measured k-space trajectories is minimized for different delays. To reduce the error further, an eddy current compensation is introduced along each physical gradient axis. A more accurate estimation of the k-space trajectory can be obtained to image the object.