Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display (LCD) device is provided. In the method, a vertical alignment layer having a first area and a second area is formed on a substrate. A first plasma gas is sprayed onto the first area with first spraying conditions under atmospheric pressure. A second plasma gas is sprayed onto the second area with second spraying conditions under atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an RFID Tag and Antenna for use with an RFID tag and a method of radio frequency identification (RFID). The RFID Tag comprises a RFID chip 5 for storing data, an antenna 6 and an electromagnetic band gap substrate 12. The RFID chip 5 and the antenna 6 are mounted above the electromagnetic band gap substrate 12. The electromagnetic band gap substrate has a reflection phase which is different from 180° at the operation frequency of the antenna. The electromagnetic band gap substrate enables the RFID to operate even if it is mounted on a conductive object, as the reflection phase is not 180° so it does not destructively interfere with the radiation from the antenna at the operating frequency. Preferably the reflection phase is between 340° and 115° or ?95° and 145°. The preferred embodiment uses a band gap substrate having two mushroom-like conductive layers 3, 7 with a dielectric in between.

Abstract: A material having crosslinked polyrotaxane which has further improved swelling properties, especially one having a crosslinked polyrotaxane which changes in swelling property with change in pH; and a material having a crosslinked polyrotaxane which is responsive especially at a high speed to a change of the surrounding electric field. The materials have a crosslinked polyrotaxane comprising at least two polyrotaxane molecules which each comprises cyclic molecules, a linear molecule which includes the cyclic molecules in cavities of cyclic molecules in a skewered manner, and capping groups, each of which locates at each end of the linear molecule in order to prevent the dissociation of the cyclic molecules, the least two polyrotaxane molecules having been bound to each other through a chemical bonding between the cyclic molecules thereof, wherein the cyclic molecules have hydroxy groups (—OHs) and part of the hydroxy groups are substituted with a group having an ionic group.

Abstract: The present invention includes a system that allows for the easy substitution of imaging elements attached to an anatomical positioning device. One or more imaging elements may be mounted to the anatomical positioning device in such a way that the placement of the imaging elements in relation to the anatomical positioning device and the subject can be easily controlled by the operator.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of detecting asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) in a sample, particularly a sample that may contain symmetrical dimethylarginine (SDMA) and/or arginine. The methods generally involve modifying any SDMA and arginine in the sample such that SDMA and arginine are readily distinguishable from ADMA; and detecting ADMA. The invention further provides antibodies specific for ADMA; antibodies specific for modified SDMA; and antibodies specific for modified arginine. The invention further provides kits for practicing the subject methods.

Abstract: Image formation via photoinduced fluorescence changes in a polymeric medium with two-photon fluorescence readout of a multi-layer structure. Fluorophore-containing polymers, possessing one or more basic functional groups, underwent protonation in the presence of a photoinduced acid generator upon exposure to a broad-band UV light source or fast-pulsed red to near-IR laser irradiation. Solution studies demonstrated formation of monoprotonated and diprotonated species upon irradiation, each resulting in distinctly different absorption and fluorescence properties. The fluorescence of the original, neutral, fluorophore was reduced upon monoprotonation leading to a concomitant increase in fluorescence at longer wavelengths due to the monoprotonated form, the basis for multichannel data readout.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for encoding and decoding an image. The image compression system includes an image segmentation unit (110) for segmenting a first image into a plurality of sub-images; a first encoding unit (120) for encoding the sub-images to output sub-image bitstreams; a BMAP construction unit (130) for calculating the quantity of information of each sub-image bitstream and generating BMAP information using the calculated quantity of information and information on construction of each sub-image; and a bitstream combining unit (150) for combining the sub-image bitstreams and BMAP information.

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 present invention is directed to plant genetic engineering. In particular, it relates to methods of modulating cytokinin related processes in a plant and selecting a plant having a phenotype associated with an altered cytokinin-related process.

Abstract: A resonate gate drive circuit for driving at least one power switching devices recovers energy loss for charging and discharging the input capacitance of the power switching devices. The gate drive circuit charging and discharging the gate capacitor with a high level current, so the switching loss of the power switching devices can also be reduced. The gate drive circuit can clamp and keep the voltage across the gate capacitor to a certain level while the power switching devices turn on, and it can also clamp and keep the voltage across the gate capacitor to almost zero while the power switching devices turn off. The gate drive circuit comprises four small semiconductor bidirectional conducting switching devices connected in full-bridge configuration. An inductor is connected to the two junctions of the full-bridge configuration to help switching the current direction. A capacitor in series with the inductor is necessary for some applications.

Abstract: A method for facilitating the avoidance of a vehicle collision with an object includes the following steps: a) providing an environment for generating training examples, b) evolving a good driver using a visual input, c) evolving a crash predictor using a visual input, and d) outputting a warning signal.

Abstract: A method for controlling light-emission of a light-emitting diode (LED) light source whose heat is dissipated by a thermal module is provided. The method includes following steps: providing a constant current source to drive the LED light source and obtaining a reference voltage correspondingly; monitoring and obtaining a dynamic voltage of the LED light source; and comparing the dynamic voltage with the reference voltage and adjusting a heat-dissipating power of the thermal module in real time to make the dynamic voltage of the LED light source approach the reference voltage. By monitoring the dynamic voltage of the LED light source and adjusting the heat-dissipating power of the thermal module in real time, light power of the LED light source can be maintained.

Abstract: An optical device is presented for use in modulation of light and/or in sensing an external field, by at least partially, directly or indirectly exposing the device to the controllable or unknown external field. The device comprises a waveguide structure configured to define at least a first light channel having a light input and a light output, and having a first deformable resonating structure. The device thereby allows exposure of said at least first channel to the external field of the kind affecting a deformation of the first resonant structure thus causing a change in the first resonant wavelength, resulting in a corresponding change in at least one parameter of light output from said first channel, said change in the output light parameter being indicative of the external field.

Abstract: This document provides methods and materials related to assessing organisms for the presence or absence of anti-virus antibodies. For example, this document provides methods and materials that can be used to determine whether or not an organism (e.g., a member of a swine species such as a pig) contains anti-PRRS virus antibodies. In other embodiments, this document provides methods and materials that can be used to determine if a particular organism received a vaccine version of a virus, was infected with a naturally-occurring version of the virus, or is naive with respect to the virus.

Abstract: A method for performing a mask design layout resolution enhancement includes determining a level of correction for the design layout for a predetermined parametric yield with a minimum total correction cost. The design layout is corrected at the determined level of correction based on a correction algorithm if the correction is required. In this manner, only those printed features on the design layout that are critical for obtaining the desired performance yield are corrected, thereby reducing the total cost of correction of the design layout.

Abstract: The invention provides vitamin K-dependent polypeptides with enhanced membrane binding affinity. These polypeptides can be used to modulate clot formation in mammals. Methods of modulating clot formation in mammals are also described.

Abstract: This invention discloses a kind of cerium-based oxide fiber and its fabricating method. The cerium-based hydrate fiber can be synthesized by aging under the boiling point of water for 10 hours to 50 hours by the addition of a chemical modifier. The fibers show a diameter of submicron to micron size, and the aspect ratio is greater than 100. The hydrate fibers can transform to oxide fiber after calcination at high temperature.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a sequence dependent polynucleotide nanomechanical device based on a nucleic acid paranemic crossover (PX) molecule which is a four-stranded structure related to parallel double crossover molecules, except that every possible crossover takes place. Eliminating two crossovers leads to a topoisomer, termed JX2, in which one pair of ends are switched (rotated 180°) while the other pair of ends remain the same. The device can be cycled between the two states, PX and JX2, by replacing single strands that set the state to be PX or JX2.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptide and nucleic acids constructs which are useful for determining the cell cycle status of a mammalian cell. Host cells transfected with these nucleic acid constructs can be used to determine the effects that test agents have upon the mammalian cell cycle.