Abstract: An apparatus and method for analyzing biological cells and other particles using an external laser cavity. Microfluidic channels contain and transport biological cells to be analyzed. A laser diode provides light for cell analysis. An external cavity is provided between one surface of the laser diode and a mirror opposite thereto. A microlens set focuses the light on only one cell as it passes through the external cavity. The presence of the cell in the external cavity gives a weak feedback toward the laser diode. The emission frequency and the output power of the laser are both functions of the length of the external cavity. Therefore, the variation of cavity length can be deduced from these parameters, where the variation is caused by changing the refractive index or size of the cell in the cavity.

Abstract: A neutron detector includes a plurality of neutron detecting element sections, each of the neutron detecting element sections having; a superconducting element including a substrate having at least one of surfaces thereof formed of a dielectric material, a strip line of the superconducting material formed on the surface and electrodes formed at opposed ends of the strip line, resistance determining sections for determining generation of heat resulting from a nuclear reaction between a superconducting element in the strip line and neutrons, through detection of change in a resistance value of said strip line, heat dissipation setting sections provided on a back side portion of the substrate opposite to the surface having the strip line formed thereon, the heat dissipation setting sections setting dissipation characteristics of the heat resulting from the nuclear reaction, and the heat dissipation characteristics being differentiated from each other between/among the neutron detecting element sections.

Abstract: Techniques are described that provide noncoherent demodulation via correlating “dirty” templates in wireless communication systems. In particular, the described techniques cross-correlate dirty templates that are adjacent symbol-long segments of the received noisy waveform. Unlike transmitted reference (TR) and differential templates that are noisy, i.e., propagate through the wireless communication channel, these dirty templates are both noisy and offset in time and, thus, are dirty. As a result, the described techniques enable noncoherent demodulation without timing synchronization and channel estimation. Symbol demodulation may be performed utilizing a maximum likelihood (ML) sequence detector or, alternatively, conditional ML demodulation may be performed to reduce receiver complexity. The described techniques may also be applied to a TR scheme to improve performance in the presence of mistiming.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention relates to a combined accelerometer and gyroscope system. The combined accelerometer and gyroscope system includes a combined accelerometer and gyroscope for maintaining vibration of a mass body at a constant amplitude using an applied drive voltage, and detecting vibration signals in directions of an acceleration axis and an angular velocity axis. An acceleration axis vibration signal obtainment unit obtains the vibration signal in the direction of the acceleration axis. An amplitude maintenance control unit outputs an acceleration axis vibration maintenance control signal using the vibration signal. An acceleration axis driving input unit receives a voltage signal from the amplitude maintenance control unit and applies the voltage signal to the combined accelerometer and gyroscope. An angular velocity axis vibration signal obtainment unit obtains the vibration signal in the direction of the angular velocity axis.

Abstract: A method and system for performing biochemical detection or analysis on micro- and nano-scale subcellular component within a single biological cell is provided. An integrated platform device and method to perform the biochemical analysis is also provided.

Abstract: A method of transforming plant plastids and regenerating fertile transplastomic plants by somatic embryogenesis is disclosed. The method involves transforming a plant plastid in a plant cell capable of being regenerated through somatic embryogenesis with a plastid expression cassette comprising one or more selectable marker genes that express in both green and non-green tissue and in light and dark conditions wherein the selectable marker gene product provides resistance of the plant cell to a selection agent. The transplastomic plant cell is cultured in the presence of the selection agent under conditions to cause the formation of a somatic embryo. The somatic embryo is grown into a fertile transplastomic plant. Preferably, the expression cassette contains two different selectable marker genes that express different proteins that provide plant cell resistance to the same selection agent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for treating or preventing excessive scarring, including keloid and hypertrophic scars, by administering 4-hydroxy tamoxifen to a patient with excessive scarring or a wound at risk for developing excessive scarring.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for the kinetic resolution of racemic and diastereomeric mixtures of chiral compounds. The critical elements of the method are: a non-racemic chiral tertiary-amine-containing catalyst; a racemic or diastereomeric mixture of a chiral substrate, e.g., a cyclic carbonate or cyclic carbamate; and a nucleophile, e.g., an alcohol, amine or thiol. A preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for achieving the kinetic resolution of racemic and diastereomeric mixtures of derivatives of ?- and ?-amino, hydroxy, and thio carboxylic acids. In certain embodiments, the methods of the present invention achieve dynamic kinetic resolution of a racemic or diastereomeric mixture of a substrate, i.e.

Abstract: A modified microbial fuel cell with a halogen salt or salt water oxidizer. The fuel cell is a batch cell, but flow-through cell embodiments are also envisioned. The cathode and anode are separated by a cation exchange membrane or saline bridge. The anode contains microorganisms in media or various water bed sediments. The cathode contains water and a halogenated salt oxidizer. The fuel cells operated continuously for over 3 months, providing approximately 10 times more power than those in the current literature for batch cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for cancer diagnostics, including but not limited to, cancer markers. In particular, the present invention provides gene expression profiles associated with prostate cancers. Genes identified as cancer markers using the methods of the present invention find use in the diagnosis and characterization of prostate cancer. In addition, the genes provide targets for cancer drug screens and therapeutic applications.

Abstract: An electronic circuit capable of efficiently transmitting signals in a case where signals are transmitted over substrates with three or more substrates three-dimensionally mounted. In the present invention, LSI chips are stacked in three layers, and a bus is formed over three chips. The first through the third transmitter coils 13a, 13b, 13c and the first through the third receiver coils 15a, 15b, 15c are formed by wiring on the first through the third LSI chips 11a, 11b, 11c. These three pairs of transmitter and receiver coils are disposed so that the centers of the openings thereof are coincident with each other, whereby three pairs of transmitter and receiver coils 13 and 15 form inductive coupling to enable communications.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer with a strained Si layer having sufficient tensile strain and few crystal defects, while achieving a relatively simple layered structure, is provided.

Abstract: An FPGA needs extremely large numbers of switches in its wiring architecture and therefore shows low logic density and low operating speed. This tendency becomes increasingly evident with high integration FPGAs. 3-dimensional FPGAs are getting attention for potential improvements in their operating speed and logic density. However, 3-dimensional integration processes have poor yield and are difficult to adapt for the production of devices with fine features. In addition, difficulty in heat radiation imposes limits on the number of stacks. The present invention exploits advantages of the 3-dimensional FPGA to deliver FPGAs with high speed/high integration and which resolves difficulty in manufacturing processes.

Abstract: A method for producing aligned carbon nanotubes and/or nanofibres comprises providing finely divided substrate particle having substantially smooth faces with radii of curvature of more than 1 ?m and of length and breadth between 1 ?m and 5 mm and having catalyst material on their surface and a carbon-containing gas at a temperature and pressure at which the carbon-containing gas will react to form carbon when in the presence of the supported catalyst, and forming aligned nanotubes and/or nanofibres by the carbon-forming reaction.

Abstract: Patterned laser treatment of the retina is provided. A visible alignment pattern having at least two separated spots is projected onto the retina. By triggering a laser subsystem, doses of laser energy are automatically provided to at least two treatment locations coincident with the alignment spots. All of the doses of laser energy may be delivered in less than about 1 second, which is a typical eye fixation time. A scanner can be used to sequentially move an alignment beam from spot to spot on the retina and to move a treatment laser beam from location to location on the retina.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for decreasing the infectivity, morbidity, and rate of mortality associated with a variety of pathogenic organisms and viruses. The present invention also relates to methods and compositions for decontaminating areas colonized or otherwise infected by pathogenic organisms and viruses. Moreover, the present invention relates to methods and compositions for decreasing the infectivity of pathogenic organisms in foodstuffs. In particular, decreased pathogenic organism infectivity, morbidity, and mortality is accomplished by contacting the pathogenic organism with an oil-in-water nanoemulsion comprising an oil, an organic solvent, and a surfactant dispersed in an aqueous phase.

Abstract: An electronic ballast including a rectifying circuit to provide a signal representative of the current signal associated with a buck inductor, a monitoring circuit to provide a monitoring circuit signal when the signal representative of the buck inductor is within a specified range, and a comparing circuit coupled to the rectifying circuit and the monitoring circuit and operable to alter the output of the power converter circuit driving the lamps in response to comparisons between the signals from the rectifying circuit and the monitoring circuit to control power conditions in the ballasts.

Abstract: A device for presenting content to a user is utilized in combination with a general purpose computer. The computer has a processor, a computer communications interface, a computer memory and an operating system. The operating system has one or more file management tools. The device has a housing, a device communications interface and a device memory. The device memory comprises a boot partition which includes boot software. The boot software is copied from the device into the computer memory and is executed from the computer memory by the processor. The device memory also comprises a secure partition inaccessible by the file management tools and having content stored thereon. The device memory also comprises content delivery software, which is copied to the computer memory, and when executed by the processor from the computer memory can access the content from the secure partition and present it to the user as sensory data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transgenic animal model of Alzheimer's Disease designated TgCRND8 as well as a method for making such model, which allows for the characterization of the etiology of the disease as well as for provide a system for the development and testing of potential treatments.

Abstract: The present invention provides a functionalized adsorbent for removal of acid gases, which comprises a pore-expanded mesoporous support having a pore volume of between 0.7 and 3.6 cc/g, a median pore diameter of between 1 and 25 nm, and a BET surface area of between 500 and 1600 m2/g. The support is functionalized by addition of acid-gas reactive functional groups within the pores and external surface of said support material. Also provided are methods of manufacturing the adsorbent and methods of use.