Abstract: HCV variants are described. The variants include polynucleotides comprising non-naturally occurring HCV sequences and HCV variants that have a transfection efficiency and ability to survive subpassage greater than HCV that have wild-type polyprotein coding regions. Expression vectors comprising the above polynucleotides and HCV variants are also described, as are the provision of cells and host cells comprising the expression vectors. Methods for identifying a cell line that is permissive for infection with HCV are also provided, as are vaccines comprising the above polynucleotides in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Additionally, methods for inducing immunoprotection to HCV in a primate are described, as are methods for testing a compound for inhibiting HCV replication.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel method of obtaining a factor involved in appetite control and/or body weight control, as well as genes obtained by said method, polypeptides encoded by said genes, or novel polypeptides obtained from the information on polypeptides encoded by said genes as a means for treating, controlling or diagnosing diseases associated with eating disorders and/or body weight control. Also the present invention relates to substances that inhibit the effects of said genes or said polypeptides as a means for treating, controlling or diagnosing diseases associated with appetite control and/or body weight control. By using thiazolidine diones having a PPAR ? agonist activity, genes and polypeptides involved in appetite regulation and/or body weight reduction can be obtained. NESFATIN or the like obtained by said method can be used as a means for treating, controlling or diagnosing diseases associated with eating disorders and/or body weight control.

Abstract: The present invention provides a surface-substrate for adherence of cells thereto. The surface-substrate comprises at least one micronail structure protruding from the surface, at least a region of the micronail having cellular-internalization promoting properties. The invention also provides an electronic device comprising a transistor structure, in which a gate electrode is formed with the at least one micronail protruding from the surface thereof.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter provides methods for increasing perfusion in hypoxic regions of tissues in subjects. Also provided are methods for treating diseases and/or disorders associated with hypoxia in subjects, methods for increasing sensitivity of tumors to radiation and/or chemotherapy treatments, methods for delaying tumor growth in subjects, and methods for inhibiting tumor blood vessel growth in subjects. In some embodiments, the presently disclosed methods involve administering to subjects in need thereof a first composition selected from the group consisting of a nitrosylated hemoglobin and an agent that induces nitrosylation of endogenous hemoglobin in the subject and a second composition comprising a hyperoxic gas. In some embodiments, the presently disclosed methods also include treating a tumor with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, immunotherapy, or combinations thereof. Also provided are inhalable gases that can be employed in the presently disclosed methods.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, novel methods for adaptive receiver design and related parameter estimation techniques for efficient and non-coherent reception of ultrawideband signals are presented. Efficient estimation of maximum excess delay of the channel for enabling many useful adaptation techniques is additionally provided. Also, noise power estimation which significantly improves the performance of the receivers is presented.

Abstract: Attenuated Listeria bacteria are provided. The subject bacteria are characterized by having a mutation in a gene chosen from the IpIA gene and the hly gene. The subject bacteria find use in a variety of applications, where representative applications of interest include, but are not limited to: (a) use of the subject bacteria as adjuvants; (b) use of the subject bacteria as delivery vectors for introducing macromolecules into a cell; (c) use of the subject bacteria as vaccines for eliciting or boosting a cellular immune response; etc.

Abstract: This invention provides a composition for delivery of a gene to a syncytial structure comprising stem cells incorporated with the gene. This invention also provides a composition for ion channel transfer which comprises stem cells incorporated with a compound in an amount sufficient to create ion channels. This invention also provides for a method of expressing a functional gene product in a syncytial structure comprising administering a composition, comprising stem cells that have been incorporated with a gene, to the syncytial structure. This invention further provides a method of expressing a functional ion channel in a syncytial structure comprising administering a composition, comprising stem cells that have been incorporated with a compound in an amount sufficient to create ion channels, to the syncytial structure. This invention also provides a composition for delivery of small molecules comprising stem cells incorporated with the small molecules or genes encoding the small molecules.

Abstract: A method for performing magnetic resonance spectroscopy is described. The method generally includes applying a tailored multiband spectral-spatial radio frequency excitation pulse to a sample including a first species and at least a second species having a different resonant frequency than the first species. The multiband excitation pulse excites the first species according to a first amplitude and excites the second species according to a second amplitude that is substantially greater than the first amplitude. Data is acquired from the sample. The acquired data is then utilized to generate a spectroscopic output. By way of example, the spectroscopic output is a spectroscopic image. In particular embodiments, the data for the first and second species is acquired dynamically over an observation window of time.

Abstract: DNA encoding a plant quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPRTase) enzyme, and constructs comprising such DNA are provided. Methods of altering quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase expression are provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to eubacterial tmDNA sequences and the corresponding tmRNA sequences. The present invention is further directed to alignments of eubacterial tmDNA sequences and the use of the sequences and sequence alignments for the development of antibacterial drugs. The present invention is also directed to the use of the sequences for the development of diagnostic assays.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an adsorbent having an excellent AGEs adsorption ability. The present invention provides an adsorbent for advanced glycation end products consists of a copolymer resin having hydrophilic methacrylate, wherein the constituent unit of said copolymer resin consists of a particular methacrylate compounds and vinyl compounds. Preferably, the copolymer resin having hydrophilic methacrylate has one or more basic ion-exchange groups.

Abstract: This invention provides fluorescent adducts that emit in the far red and/or near infrared. In certain embodiments, the adducts comprise a mutant apoprotein and a bilin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for characterizing the physiological state of a living system, including cells, tissues, organs, and whole organisms. The methods involve capturing biomarkers from the living system, and correlating their presence or absence to a physiological state. The biomarkers can be captured from the system, and then detected using any suitable analytical system to determine their presence or absence. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method of detecting a polypeptide biomarker in a blood serum or plasma sample obtained from a single subject with an affinity ligand which is capable of binding to a plurality of different polypeptide biomarkers derived from the same parental molecule.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a modified hemoglobin with an allosteric effector conjugated which is capable of dynamically regulating the efficiency of oxygen release. The hemoglobin composition provided in the present invention is utilizing maleimide-Polyethylene glycol-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl as a linker to crossbridge the peptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 1 to the surface of a hemoglobin, and hence, it is able to decrease the oxygen affinity through the characteristic of the peptide which could enter into the central cavity formed between ?- chains of hemoglobin under an appropriate oxygen concentration.

Abstract: An etching technique for the fabrication of thin (Al, In, Ga)N layers. A suitable template or substrate is selected and implanted with foreign ions over a desired area to create ion implanted material. A regrowth of a device structure is then performed on the implanted template or substrate. The top growth surface of the template is bonded to a carrier wafer to created a bonded template/carrier wafer structure. The substrate is removed, as is any residual material, to expose the ion implanted material. The ion implanted material on the bonded template/carrier wafer structure is then exposed to a suitable etchant for a sufficient time to remove the ion implanted material.

Abstract: A tree data structure for storing strings of searchable data divided into substrings has at least one first type node that has a substring associated with it and at least one second type node that does not having a substring associated with it. A second type node is directly linked to a first type node by a fail transition. A first type node is directly linked to a second type node by a match transition. An IP address lookup system has memory for storing a tree data structure and a controller for storing and loading an incoming IP address. The system has a finite state machine having three stages including a first stage for loading the IP address and performing a length calculation, a second stage for searching the data structure to find a match, and a third stage for determine the next-hop address index.

Abstract: The invention relates to regenerative, supported amine sorbents that includes an amine or an amine/polyol composition deposited on a nano-structured support such as nanosilica. The sorbent provides structural integrity, as well as high selectivity and increased capacity for efficiently capturing carbon dioxide from gas mixtures, including the air. The sorbent is regenerative, and can be used through multiple operations of absorption-desorption cycles.

Abstract: A temperature-compensated fibet optic strain gauge (10) for measuring strain of a host structure (5), the strain gauge (10) comprising: a mount (20) having a void (19) separating a first section (17) from a second section (18); a first fiber Bragg grating (FBG) (30); a second fiber Bragg grating (FBG) (40); and removable bridging portions (24) adjacent to the void (19) to connect the first section (17) to the second section (18), the bridging portions (24) being removed after the mount (20) is operatively attached to the host structure (5); wherein a right-side failure proof feature is provided by detecting whether a reflection wavelength reverts to an original Bragg wavelength of the first FBG (40) to indicate whether the first FBG (40) has broken.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for diagnosing cancer comprising detecting the presence of survivin in the biological fluid of a patient. The present invention also provides kits comprising one or more agents that detect survivin polypeptide or survivin nucleic acid and a container for collecting biological fluid for testing.

Abstract: It has been discovered that certain natural mRNAs serve as metabolite-sensitive genetic switches wherein the RNA directly binds a small organic molecule. This binding process changes the conformation of the mRNA, which causes a change in gene expression by a variety of different mechanisms. Modified versions of these natural “riboswitches” (created by using various nucleic acid engineering strategies) can be employed as designer genetic switches that are controlled by specific effector compounds. Such effector compounds that activate a riboswitch are referred to herein as trigger molecules. The natural switches are targets for antibiotics and other small molecule therapies.