Abstract: A propagation delay time measuring system 100 includes a propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110 and a reply apparatus 120. The propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110 continuously transmits plural measuring packets a. A clock time of transmission is stored in the measuring packet a. The reply apparatus 120 sends back the measuring packets a, transmitted from the propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110, to the propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110. In the propagation delay time measuring system 100, the propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110 receives the measuring packets a sent back from the reply apparatus 120, and the propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110 measures a propagation delay time between the propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110 and the reply apparatus 120 using at least one of the received measuring packets a.

Abstract: The present invention presents a Reverse Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RRFLP) method for the detection of the presence of an informative restriction enzyme site in a nucleotide sequence. The method includes digesting a sample with the informative restriction enzyme; performing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on the digested sample with an oligonucleotide primer pair that flanks the informative restriction enzyme site; determining the Ct value of the sample; comparing the Ct value of the sample to the Ct value from a control sample; and calculating a ?Ct value, wherein a ?Ct value is the Ct value of the sample minus the Ct value of a control; and wherein a ?Ct value ?+1 indicates that the informative restriction enzyme sites is present in the nucleotide sequence. The present invention includes the application of the RRFLP method for detection of the infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV).

Abstract: Transcervical contraceptive devices (TCDs) are disclosed. The TCDs are constructed of shape memory polymer (SMP) materials capable of assuming a memory shape at physiological temperatures. These SMPTCDs (410) have a post-implantation memory shape that is substantially identical to or slightly larger than the insertion site (420) to adapt to changes that may occur in a fallopian tube. The SMPTCDs (410) may be formed as occlusion devices (i.e., plugs) having a number of different structural features. The SMPTCDs (410) may provide for a temporary or permanent means of contraception.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods of using curcumin or curcumin derivatives or analogs to activate the pro-apoptotic enzymes caspase-3/7 in cancer cells. The present invention also provides formulations of curcumin or derivatives or analogs with increased solubility or improved bioavailability. The formulations may be administered to a subject such that high concentrations of therapeutically effective curcumin compounds resuit in the subject's bloodstream. The invention thus involves the use of curcumin or curcumin derivatives or analogs to diminish cancer cell growth, decrease tumor size, prevent tumor formation, and Curcumin Carrier to reduce or prevent cancer or tumor cell invasion or metastasis into a tissue, e.g., into the nervous System and especially the brain, of a subject.

Abstract: The invention provides parstatin peptides, particularly a mammalian parstatin peptide including amino acids 1-26 of full length mammalian parstatin, preferably a human parstatin. The invention provides parstatin peptides in appropriate pharmaceutical carriers and formulated for administration. The invention provides for the use of the peptide for example as a medicament or for the preparation of a medicament. The invention provides methods of use for parstatin peptides including for inhibition of angiogenesis, for example for inhibition of ocular angiogenesis, for methods of cardioprotection, and for methods of prevention and treatment of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Abstract: A system for testing visual fields comprising a display for presenting a visual stimulus and an eye tracker for tracking movement of at least one of a patient's eyes to determine its position in three dimensions without requiring the patient to wear any tracking equipment. A computer controls the position of the stimulus on the display and causes it to move by an amount that is a function of the tracked three-dimensional position of the patient's eye and a visual field position that is to be tested. Changes to the position of the stimulus and any corresponding tracked eye movement are used to assess the patient's visual field.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and a method for increasing the harvested energy from a piezoelectric element exposed to environmental vibrations via a two-prong system. In a first prong, a cantilever beam is tapered and shaped so as to increase and provide an approximately uniform strain on and along the beam, thus resulting in increased voltage. In a second prong of the system and method, a voltage compensating circuit, when used with a voltage inversion circuit of the prior art, increases the harvested power by injecting current to the piezoelectric element after each voltage inversion so as to increase the voltage level.

Abstract: Disclosed are a hydrogel dressing for covering or treating a wound and a method for preparing the same. The hydrogel dressing includes a matrix structure of a cross-linked mixture, and an elastic sheet coated with an elementary metal or ionic metal embodied in the matrix structure. The mixture comprises a hydrophilic polymer, about 0.5 to about 5 wt % of a photocatalyst agent and at least 80 wt % of water based on the total weight of the mixture.

Abstract: Organic light emitting devices having a low-index electrode and a substrate with a surface treatment are provided. The combination of a relatively low-index electrode and a surface-treated substrate may eliminate guided modes and increase the light outcoupled by the device. It has been found that the combination surprisingly provides up to 1.5 times more outcoupled light than would be expected based on the performance of similar devices having higher-index electrodes.

Abstract: A radiation treatment system (100) for accurately delivering radiation to a targeted site within a cancer patient (108) that includes a modular patient support system and a patient positioner (114). The modular patient support system includes a modularly expandable patient pod (200) and at least one immobilization device, such as, for example, a rigid moldable foam cradle (350). The patient pod (200) includes a generally hemi-cylindrical support shell (212) that extends longitudinally between proximal edge (214) and distal edge (216), and transversely between two lateral edges (222, 224). In one embodiment, the lateral edges (222, 224) are tapered to minimize edge effects that result when radiation beams traverse the lateral edges (222, 224).

Abstract: Described herein is a circuit and related method for improving the dynamic range and the linearity characteristic of a CMOS image sensor. In various embodiments of the CMOS image sensor, a current sampler, a comparator, and a 1-bit memory are incorporated in each pixel circuit. In the image sensor, pixels are arranged in columns and a column slice is used to read the digital and analog singles from each column. In addition, a calibration circuit is incorporated in the sensor circuit for providing calibration current, which is used to generate calibration parameter. The image sensor operates in three non-overlapping modes: the difference mode, the WDR mode, and the calibration mode. The image sensor is switched among the three modes by control signals, which are provided to the image sensor by various control circuits. The image sensor normally operates in the difference mode and switches to the WDR mode when the difference between consecutive frames is over a threshold.

Abstract: A method of sorting mixtures of nucleic acid strands comprising hybridizing the strands to an array of immobilized oligonucleotides, each of which includes a constant segment adjacent to a variable segment. The constant segment of the immobilized oligonucleotides can be made complementary to the ends of strands obtained by digesting a double-stranded nucleic acid with a restriction enzyme and restoring the restriction sites, thereby permitting the sorting of strands according to their variable sequences adjacent to their constant terminal restored restriction sites.

Abstract: Provided are efficient, cost-effective and water tolerant methods (e.g., single-vial methods) for preparing fatty acid esters from organic matter, comprising: obtaining organic matter comprising at least one fat substituent, contacting the organic matter in a reaction mixture with a basic solution under conditions suitable to provide for hydrolytic release of monomeric fatty acids from the at least one fat substituent to provide a base-treated reaction mixture, and esterifying the monomeric fatty acids of the base-treated reaction mixture by acidification of the reaction mixture and treating in the presence of an organic alcohol to provide fatty acid esters. The methods optionally further comprise, prior to esterifying, neutralizing the base-treated reaction mixture to provide for neutralized fatty acids, separating the neutralized fatty acids from the neutralized reaction mixture, and dissolving the separated fatty acids in the esterification reaction mixture.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for universal lossy compression that provide performance at or near the rate-distortion limit and that are based on universal, implementable lossy source coding algorithms.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses methods, assays and kits for the diagnosis, screening and identification of Turner syndrome and other disorders of sexual differentiation in a human using single nucleotide polymorphisms present on the X and Y chromosomes.

Abstract: A stent includes a stent body of a cylindrical configuration having outer and inner surfaces, a first coated layer coating at least the outer surface, and a second coated layer coating substantially completely over the first coated layer. The first coated layer is prepared of a first composition comprising a polymer and a vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor (preferably argatroban) of a kind, which does not inhibit proliferation of endothelial cells, the weight compositional ratio of the polymer to the inhibitor being within the range of 8:2 to 3:7. On the other hand, the second coated layer is prepared of a polymer alone or a second composition comprising a polymer and a drug, the weight compositional ratio of the drug to 80% by weight of the polymer being less than 20% by weight.

Abstract: A liquid lithium jet nozzle comprising: an inlet through which liquid lithium flows into the nozzle; an inlet flow channel that receives liquid lithium that flows into the nozzle via the inlet and shapes the flowing liquid lithium to flow in a thin film; and a flow region that receives flowing liquid lithium shaped by the flow channel and in which the liquid lithium flows with at least one large surface of the film exposed.

Abstract: This invention provides method of making and using of a porous 3 dimensional cyclic RGD peptide-modified alginate scaffold that can be loaded with different cell types and/or growth factors for implantation at sites of tissue damage to promote tissue regeneration. The cyclic RGD peptide promotes vascular formation of the host tissue, cell binding and survival of seeded cells. Scaffolds with growth factors but without cells can also be implanted to create a vascular bed in which cells are transplanted at a later time point.

Abstract: An isolation circuitry and method are provided for coupling between a power supply and processing circuitry in order to provide power to the processing circuitry whilst hiding a power consumption characteristic of that processing circuitry. The isolation circuitry comprises a plurality of sub-circuits, with each sub-circuit comprising a capacitor, a first switch configured to provide a first connection between the capacitor and the power supply, a second switch configured to provide a second connection between the capacitor and the processing circuitry, and a third switch configured to provide a third connection across the capacitor to partially discharge the capacitor. Control circuitry controls the plurality of sub-circuits, such that within each sub-circuit the first switch, second switch and third switch are placed in an active state in a repeating sequence.

Abstract: Micro- and nano-particles are molded in micro- and nano-scale molds fabricated from non-wetting, low surface energy polymeric materials. The micro- and nano-particles can include pharmaceutical compositions, biologic drugs, drug compositions, organic materials, RNA, DNA, oligonucleotides, and the like.