Abstract: A semiconductor sensor, solar cell or emitter or a precursor therefore having a substrate and textured semiconductor layer deposited onto the substrate. The layer can be textured as grown on the substrate or textured by replicating a textured substrate surface. The substrate or first layer is then a template for growing and texturing other semiconductor layers from the device. The textured layers are replicated to the surface from the substrate to enhance light extraction or light absorption. Multiple quantum wells, comprising several barrier and quantum well layers, are deposited as alternating textured layers. The texturing in the region of the quantum well layers greatly enhances internal quantum efficiency if the semiconductor is polar and the quantum wells are grown along the polar direction. This is the case in nitride semiconductors grown along the polar [0001] or [000-1] directions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a bifunctional chelator for lanthanide. The method comprises the steps of providing a starting material which has an amino and carboxyl group; protecting the amino with an amino protecting group and the carboxyl with a carboxyl protecting group to produce a protected compound; reacting the protected compound with cyclen to generate a monoalkylated cyclen; reacting the monoalkylated cyclone with an activated compound to generated tetra-alkylated cyclone; removing the amino protecting group with a first protecting group removal reagent; and removing the carboxyl protecting groups with a second protecting group removal reagent to yield a bifunctional chelator having three more carboxyl groups and one or more amino groups.

Abstract: A high efficiency, and possibly highly directional, light emitting diode (LED) with an optimized photonic crystal extractor. The LED is comprised of a substrate, a buffer layer grown on the substrate (if needed), an active layer including emitting species, one or more optical confinement layers that tailor the structure of the guided modes in the LED, and one or more diffraction gratings, wherein the diffraction gratings are two-dimensional photonic crystal extractors. The substrate may be removed and metal layers may be deposited on the buffer layer, photonic crystal and active layer, wherein the metal layers may function as a mirror, an electrical contact, and/or an efficient diffraction grating.

Abstract: This invention pertains to the discovery that the human NELL-1 gene induces or upregulates bone mineralization. The NELL-1 gene or gene product thus provides a convenient target for screening for modulators of bone mineralization. In addition, NELL-1 can be used to facilitate repair of bone fractures and/or to generally increase bone density.

Abstract: Use of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as a therapeutic and in a method of treating, reducing, or ameliorating an injury selected from an ischemic injury, an ischemic-reperfusion injury, and a toxin-induced injury, to an organ in a patient. The invention includes administering to the patient NGAL in an amount effective to treat, reduce or ameliorate ischemic, ischemic-reperfusion, or toxin-induced injury to the organ, such as the kidney. A siderophore can be co-administered with the NGAL. The invention also relates to administering a sideophore to enhance a response to secretion of NGAL following an ischemic or toxin-induced injury to an organ in a patient.

Abstract: The preparation of robust, thin film materials with large second-order optical nonlinearities through the covalent self-assembly of chromophoric compositions and innovative use of silyl chemistry.

Abstract: The invention concerns a casting apparatus which includes a crucible support and induction heating means (14, 16, 18) arranged to receive and support a crucible (10) containing material which is to be melted and poured from an outlet (38). The outlet is positioned on a vertical axis (40). The support and induction heating means also operates to apply induction heating to the material to melt it in the crucible. There is also a translation mechanism which tilts the crucible while the crucible is still supported and while heat is continuously applied to it. This mechanism operates in such a way that during tilting, the outlet of the crucible is maintained on the vertical axis so that the molten material pours from the outlet on the vertical axis. In the embodiments described, the crucible is simultaneously moved vertically towards the mould into which the melt pours.

Abstract: Agonist polypeptide of a receptor protein has been identified. The agonist can be used to facilitate drug and antigen absorption. Suitable routes of administration include oral, nasal, transdermal, and intravenous. Pharmaceutical formulations may comprise a therapeutic agent or an immunogenic agent in combination with the agonist polypeptide.

Abstract: A step-counting ambulatory aid having a ground-contacting surface, which aid comprises a pressure-sensitive switch on the ground-contacting surface and a data recorder located elsewhere on the aid, wherein the pressure-sensitive switch is activated upon contact of the ground-contacting surface of the aid with ground, whereupon the pressure-sensitive switch sends a signal to the data recorder, which records the signal as a step; a method of counting the number of steps taken by a user of an ambulatory aid comprising having the user use an ambulatory aid equipped with a step counter; and a method of establishing a therapeutic regimen for a patient in need of an ambulatory aid comprising determining the number of steps that the patient should take during a set period of time, providing the patient with an ambulatory aid equipped with a step counter, and instructing the patient to take the determined number of steps with the ambulatory aid during the set period of time.

Abstract: A group I intron-derived ribozyme which binds RNA in trans, excises an internal segment from within the RNA, and splices the remaining 5? and 3? ends of the RNA back together (the trans-excision-splicing reaction) is disclosed. The excised segment can be as long as 28 nucleotides, or more, and as little as one nucleotide. The ribozymes of the invention are easily modified to alter their sequence specificity. Such ribozymes represent a new and potentially powerful class of generally adaptable genetic therapeutics.

Abstract: A computer system simulation method starts with algorithmically implementing a specification model independently of hardware architecture. High level functional blocks representing hardware components are connected together using a bus architecture-independent generic channel. The bus architecture-independent generic channel is annotated with timing and protocol details to define an interface between the bus architecture-independent generic channel and functional blocks representing hardware components. The interface is refined to obtain a CCATB for communication space. The read( ) and write( ) interface calls are decomposed into several method calls which correspond to bus pins to obtain observable cycle accuracy for system debugging and validation and to obtain a cycle accurate model.

Abstract: A method of magnetic resonance is provided that uses a frequency swept excitation wherein the acquired signal is a time domain signal is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises, applying a sweeping frequency excitation and acquiring a time domain signal. The sweeping frequency excitation has a duration and is configured to sequentially excite isochromats having different resonant frequencies. Acquisition of the time domain signal is done during the duration of the sweeping frequency excitation. The time domain signal is based on evolution of the isochromats.

Abstract: A plasma generating apparatus and method using a neutral beam, capable of readily generating plasma at the same gas flow rate by changing the structure of an ion gun, without a separate ignition device, are provided. The apparatus includes a plasma generating part formed of a quartz cup, a radio frequency (RF) applying antenna disposed at the periphery of the plasma generating part, a cooling water supply part disposed at the periphery of the plasma generating part, and an igniter in direct communication with the plasma generating part, wherein a gas for generating plasma is supplied into the igniter, and the igniter has a higher local pressure than the plasma generating part at the same gas flow rate. The ion gun is also cheaper to manufacture since it does not require a separate power supply.

Abstract: This application is directed to novel soybean plant varieties, designated 5601TRR-292 (named ‘Allen’), 5601TRR-293, and 5601TRR-379. These varieties are glyphosate resistant cultivars, developed from BC3F2 single-plant derivatives of cultivar ‘5601T’. Also provided herein are seeds of the aforementioned soybean varieties, plants arising therefrom, plant parts of soybean varieties 5601TRR-292, 5601TRR-293, and 5601TRR-379 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing these soybean varieties with another soybean plant (as either the male or the female parent). The subject application also provides methods for introducing another transgenic trait or another genetic trait into the disclosed soybean varieties and soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods.

Abstract: A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication system. A transmitter that includes a plurality of transmit antennas selects one of a spatial multiplexing scheme and a spatial diversity scheme, processes a signal in the selected transmission scheme, and transmits the signal through the plurality of transmit antennas. A receiver that includes a plurality of receive antennas processes a signal in a reception scheme mapped to a transmission scheme of the transmitter. The transmission schemes include a transmission scheme for maximizing diversity gain and a transmission scheme for maximizing spectral efficiency. The MIMO communication system using an adaptive transmission mode switching technique performs switching between MIMO transmission modes using spatial selectivity of a channel, thereby obtaining maximum gain in a signal to noise ratio (SNR) and spectral efficiency according to channel state.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming (or providing) a series of layers formed on a substrate, the layers including a first plurality of layers including an n-type ohmic contact layer, a p-type modulation doped quantum well structure, an n-type modulation doped quantum well structure, and a fourth plurality of layers including a p-type ohmic contact layer. Etch stop layers are used during etching operations when forming contacts to the n-type ohmic contact layer and contacts to the n-type modulation doped quantum well. Preferably, each such etch stop layer is made sufficiently thin to permit current tunneling therethrough during operation of optoelectronic/electronic devices realized from this structure (including heterojunction thyristor devices, n-channel HFET devices, p-channel HFET devices, p-type quantum-well-base bipolar transistor devices, and n-type quantum-well-base bipolar transistor devices).

Abstract: The present invention provides an OLED with an emissive region comprising a plurality of sets of organic layers, each set comprising a non-continuous emissive layer and a neat non-emissive layer. The present invention also provides an OLED with an emissive region comprising a plurality of sets of organic layers, each set comprising an emissive layer and a neat non-emissive layer, wherein the energy gaps of the emissive layer and the non-emissive layer are not nested. The present invention also provides a method for making OLEDs by depositing on a substrate an anode, a plurality of sets of organic layers, each set comprising an emissive layer and a non-emissive layer wherein each layer is deposited sequentially, and a cathode.

Abstract: A retraction device including at least one pair of opposed retraction members, with each retraction member being capable of operably engaging the tissue to be retracted. A drive mechanism is operably engaged with at least one of each pair of retraction members for separating one of each pair of retraction members from the other to retract the tissue. A measuring device is operably engaged with at least one of the drive mechanism and one of each pair of retraction members, for determining and/or controlling a magnitude and/or rate of a force and/or strain imparted to the tissue by the drive mechanism via the retraction members as the tissue is being retracted. Associated devices and methods are also provided.

Abstract: A 15 kDa selenium-containing protein (“selenoprotein”) is disclosed. The protein is shown to be differentially expressed in cancer cells, such as prostate cancer cells. There is a correlation between the presence of a polymorphism at nucleotide positions 811 and 1125 of the 15 kDa selenoprotein gene, and the presence of cancer. This polymorphism is more prevalent in the African American population. The determination of an individual's genotype may be used as an indicator of the need for dietary selenium supplementation to inhibit tumor development. Compositions including the isolated protein, specific binding agents that recognize the protein, as well as underlying nucleic acid sequences are presented, as are methods of using such compositions.

Abstract: An assay method and kit for detecting a chemical. The method and kit utilize a metal surface capable of surface enhanced Raman Scattering. The metal surface may be provided in the form of one or more nanoparticles, to increase the surface enhanced Raman Scattering capability of the metal surface. The nanoparticles may be treated with one or more additives to further enhance or maintain the surface enhanced Raman Scattering capability of the nanoparticles.