Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel processes for the functionalization (derivatization) of carbon nanotubes and, as an extension, to fullerenes and other carbon surfaces. Generally, such processes involve reductive pathways. In some embodiments, carbon nanotubes are reacted with alkali metal and organic halides in anhydrous liquid ammonia. In other embodiments, polymers are grown from carbon nanotube sidewalls by reacting carbon nanotubes with alkali metal and monomer species in anhydrous liquid ammonia.

Abstract: A method for forming a micro- or nano-pattern of a material on a substrate is presented. The method utilizes a buffer layer assisted laser patterning (BLALP). A layered structure is formed on the substrate, this layered structure being in the form of spaced-apart regions of the substrate defined by the pattern to be formed, each region including a weakly physisorbed buffer layer and a layer of the material to be patterned on top of the buffer layer. A thermal process is then applied to the layered structure to remove the remaining buffer layer in said regions, and thus form a stable pattern of said material on the substrate resulting from the buffer layer assisted laser patterning. The method may utilize either positive or negative lithography. The patterning may be implemented using irradiation with a single uniform laser pulse via a standard mask used for optical lithography.

Abstract: The present invention is a new type of Glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) knockout mice model. This model can be applied to screen drug, test of treatment and search for diagnostic marker of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), glycogen storage disease, liver dysplasia, fatty liver and other liver disease.

Abstract: The invention relates to small molecules which function as inhibitors of the interaction between p53 and MDM2. The invention also relates to the use of these compounds for inhibiting cell growth, inducing cell death, inducing cell cycle arrest and/or sensitizing cells to additional agent(s).

Abstract: An electrospray (ES)-based deposition system enabling the coating an impervious substrate, such as a glass slide, with biological materials in a vacuum. Distilled water or a buffer is used as the solvent; no other solvents are used thereby eliminating hazardous waste from the process. Movement across differential pumping stages causes evaporation of the solvent occurs resulting in shrinkage of the remaining constituents with an increase of the charge density. The resulting ion beam enters a vacuum chamber and the beam impinges on the substrate, whereby a thin layer is deposited thereon. The spray can be focused to a specific area allowing patterning of the substrate if desired. The amount of coating can be controlled and a specified number of coats of the same or different molecules can be added to the surface.

Abstract: The subject invention concerns platinum complexes that exhibit antitumor cell and/or antiparasitic activity. The subject invention also concerns the use of platinum complexes of the invention to treat oncological and inflammatory disorders. The platinum complexes of the invention can also be used to treat or prevent infection by a virus or a bacterial or parasitic organism in vivo or in vitro.

Abstract: Non-naturally occurring mycobacteria in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex are provided. These mycobacteria have a deletion of an RD1 region or a region controlling production of a vitamin, and exhibit attenuated virulence in a mammal when compared to the mycobacteria without the deletion. Also provided are non-naturally occurring mycobacteria that have a deletion of a region controlling production of lysine, and mycobacteria comprising two attenuating deletions. Vaccines comprising these mycobacteria are also provided, as are methods of protecting mammals from virulent mycobacteria using the vaccines. Also provided are methods of preparing these vaccines which include the step of deleting an RD1 region or a region controlling production of a vitamin or the amino acids leucine and lysine from a mycobacterium in the M. tuberculosis complex. Embodiments of these mycobacteria, vaccines and methods, encompassing mycobacteria comprising a leucine auxotrophy and a pantothenate auxotrophy, are also provided.

Abstract: An air-coupled transducer includes a ultrasonic transducer body having a radiation end with a backing fixture at the radiation end. There is a flexible backplate conformingly fit to the backing fixture and a thin membrane (preferably a metallized polymer) conformingly fit to the flexible backplate. In one embodiment, the backing fixture is spherically curved and the flexible backplate is spherically curved. The flexible backplate is preferably patterned with pits or depressions.

Abstract: An arrangement, process and mask for implementing single-scan continuous motion sequential lateral solidification of a thin film provided on a sample such that artifacts formed at the edges of the beamlets irradiating the thin film are significantly reduced. According to this invention, the edge areas of the previously irradiated and resolidified areas which likely have artifacts provided therein are overlapped by the subsequent beamlets. In this manner, the edge areas of the previously resolidified irradiated areas and artifacts therein are completely melted throughout their thickness. At least the subsequent beamlets are shaped such that the grains of the previously irradiated and resolidified areas which border the edge areas melted by the subsequent beamlets grow into these resolidifying edges areas so as to substantially reduce or eliminate the artifacts.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of dispersing discrete fillers in a polymer matrix to form a composite. Also disclosed are composites having discrete fillers dispersed in a polymer matrix.

Abstract: A prosthetic device and method to restore extraocular muscle function. The device includes a housing; a biasing component disposed in the housing; a proximal connector operatively connected to a proximal end of the biasing component; and a distal connector operatively connected to a distal end of the biasing component, wherein the proximal connector is configured for being secured with respect to an orbital bone and the distal connector adapted to be secured to the paralyzed or absent muscle stump, e.g. on the globe, or to the eyelid.

Abstract: A focused droplet nebulizer of the invention produces substantially uniform droplets of a predetermined size. Droplets are pushed out through a small outlet orifice by the contraction of a chamber. The droplets can be carried on a substantially non-divergent path in a drift tube. A piezo membrane micro pump acts in response to an electrical control signal to force a droplet out of the outlet orifice. The nebulizer can operate at frequencies permitting a stream of individual droplets of the predetermined size to be sent along the substantially non-divergent path in the drift tube in a preferred embodiment ELSD device.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a transformation system for Labyrinthulomycota that allows the elucidation of biosynthetic mechanisms of lipids such as PUFA and carotenoids as well as for the construction of a high production system and the design and development of novel functional lipid molecules by the control of the mechanisms. The present invention provides a vector for the transformation of Labyrinthulomycota with a transgene, which comprises at least (1) a nucleotide sequence which is homologous to a part of chromosomal DNA of Labyrinthulomycota and is capable of homologous recombination with the chromosomal DNA, (2) a selection marker gene having a promoter sequence located upstream and a terminator sequence located downstream, and (3) a cloning site for transgene insertion having a promoter sequence located upstream and a terminator sequence located downstream.

Abstract: A method and system for providing multi-color holographic optical traps and patterns. The method and system employs a laser beam which interacts with a diffractive optical element with a hologram and for optics which acts to selectively pass or attenuate different light color wavelengths and to position the particular color light at selected different locations to form the different color holographic optical trap patterns and to use these patterns for various commercial purposes.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a method of detecting the onset of pregnancy toxemia whereby the onset risk of pregnancy toxemia can be adequately evaluated. Namely, a method of detecting the onset of pregnancy toxemia in a pregnant mammal which comprises the measurement step of measuring the concentration of angiopoietin-2 in a body fluid, the comparison step of comparing the angiopoietin-2 concentration obtained in the above measurement step with a normal level, and the judgment step of judging the presence or absence of the onset risk of pregnancy toxemia based on the results of the above comparison step. In the judgment step, it may be considered that the patient has a risk of the onset of pregnancy toxemia in the case where the angiopoietin-2 concentration obtained in the measurement step is lower than the normal level.

Abstract: A laser diode having nano patterns is disposed on a substrate. A first conductive-type clad layer is disposed on the substrate, and a second conductive-type clad layer is disposed on the first conductive-type clad layer. An active layer is interposed between the first conductive-type clad layer and the second conductive-type clad layer. Column-shaped nano patterns are arranged at a surface of the second conductive-type clad layer to form a laser diode such as a distributed feedback laser diode.

Abstract: The present invention provides aminoglycosides and pharmaceutical compositions that include the aminoglycosides. The aminoglycosides are useful to treat or prevent infectious diseases (e.g., bacterial infections) in a mammal (e.g., human).

Abstract: A device and method for determining bottom sediment is provided. The method includes transmitting a pulse of a pulse width corresponding to a water-bottom depth, extracting a series of amplitude data of water-bottom echo signals from predetermined signals among the water-bottom echo signals received by the transducer at a predetermined time interval, normalizing the extracted series of amplitude data after TVG-processed, calculating two or more feature quantities based on the normalized series of amplitude data in each of segments of the normalized series of amplitude data, and a value corresponding to the water-bottom depth, and generating bottom-sediment classification information indicating the bottom sediment based on the two or more feature quantities.

Abstract: This disclosure outlines a new method of modifying the properties of existing liquid crystals by doping them with ferroelectric micro- and nanoparticles. We show that this approach, in contrast to the traditional time consuming and expensive chemical synthetic methods, enriches and enhances the electro-optical performance of many liquid crystal materials. We demonstrate that by changing the concentration and type of ferroelectric particles the physical properties of the nematic, smectic, and cholesteric liquid crystal materials can be changed, including the dielectric constants, the birefringence, the phase transition temperatures, and even the order parameter. We also demonstrate the performance of these new materials in various devices, including displays, light modulators, and beam steering devices.

Abstract: An X-CT scan system includes a base, an object rotary support, an X-ray generation device and a data acquisition system, wherein one side of the detector is leveled to or beyond the prolong line of the connecting line between the X-ray source of the X-ray generation device and the center of the object rotary support, the length of the beyond portion is less than the radius of the imaging field. The advantage of the invention is in that the invention can reconstruct the entire image of the object by means of X-ray projection data which only covers half of the area of the object. Compared with the traditional CT scan system, half of the detector size can be saved at most. The X-CT scan system is simplified and the projection data amount for scan and computation amount for image reconstruction are also reduced with the reconstructed image quality guaranteed.