Abstract: Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) cases possessing the LOC387715 (rs10490924) variant have a higher risk of neovascular AMD. Individuals with AMD who are homozygous for both variants might be at greater risk for earlier onset of neovascular AMD. Determining the presence of this variant indicates which path the disease may take and which nutritional, supplement, or medicaments are appropriate.

Abstract: UV/ozone treatment can be used to alter the hydrophobicity of organosilane coated surfaces. Methods are contemplated for producing micropatterned surfaces by coating a surface with an organosilane to produce an organosilane surface; and exposing the organosilane surface to ultraviolet light in the presence of oxygen, wherein the micropatterned organosilane surface is produced without the use of photoresist. Methods for producing substrate-micropatterned surfaces further are also contemplated. Suitable substrates include nucleotides, proteins, carbohydrates, and cells. The organosilane coated devices of the present invention may be used in, for example, arrays.

Abstract: A formulation for the delivery of an anti-inflammatory agent to a subject is described. In one particular application of the invention, the formulation comprises oil-based or aqueous droplets comprising indomethacin (1-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-5-methoxy-2-methyl-1-H-indole-3-acetic acid) or celecoxib (4-[5-(4-methylphenyl)-3-(trifluoromethyl) pyrazol-1-yl] benzenesulfonamide) stabilised by nanoparticles, particularly silica nanoparticles.

Abstract: A powered leg prosthesis includes powered knee joint comprising a knee joint and a knee motor unit for delivering power to the knee joint. The prosthesis also includes a prosthetic lower leg having a socket interface coupled to the knee joint and a powered ankle joint coupled to the lower leg opposite the knee joint comprising an ankle joint and an ankle motor unit to deliver power to the ankle joint. The prosthesis further includes a prosthetic foot coupled to the ankle joint, at least one sensor for measuring a real-time input, and at least one controller for controlling movement of the prosthesis based on the real-time input.

Abstract: Provided are a heat generation sheet and a method of fabricating the same. The heat generation sheet includes: a base comprising first and second sides; a heat generation layer which is formed in at least one region of the first side of the base and in which a plurality of conductive nanoparticles are physically necked; a protective layer protecting the heat generation layer; and an electric feeding part supplying power to the heat generation layer. The heat generation layer is formed by coating and heat treating a nanoparticle dispersion solution.

Abstract: A MEMS vertical displacement device for vertically displacing and tilting a vertically displaceable platform. The vertically displaceable platform may be displaced using a plurality of recurve actuators configured to provide vertical displacement without horizontal movement. The vertically displaceable platform may be tilted about two axes to yield tilting that is advantageous in numerous applications. The recurve actuators may be thermal, piezoelectric or formed from other appropriate materials.

Abstract: A bi-directional DC-DC converter includes a first series circuit connected to ends of a first DC power source and including a first winding of a first reactor and a first switch; a second series circuit connected to ends of the first switch and including a second winding of the first reactor, a second reactor, a second switch, a third switch, and a second DC power source; a third series circuit connected to the ends of the first switch and including a fourth switch and the second DC power source; and a control circuit configured to turn on/off the switches and thereby carry out step-up and step-down operations between the first and second DC power sources.

Abstract: Some embodiments disclosed herein provide a signal decoder with a general purpose calculation engine. A system for decoding signals in a wireless communication system can include: a controller including an instruction counter; a program memory configured to store program code for operating the controller; a general purpose calculation engine configured to perform primitive operations derived from algorithms for decoding a plurality of coded signals received via a plurality of receive antennas; and a data memory connected to the general purpose calculation engine for storing data generated by the general purpose calculation engine while performing the primitive operations.

Abstract: [Problem] When a nonreciprocal device operating at 100 GHz to 300 GHz is to be realized by using a conventional magnetic material of garnet-type ferrite or spinel-type ferrite, a huge permanent magnet is required and, therefore, it is very difficult to achieve a millimeter-wave band nonreciprocal device for practical use. [Solving means] To solve this problem, there is provided a millimeter-wave band nonreciprocal device composed of a magnetic material represented by a formula ?-MxFe2-xO3 (0<x<2), wherein M is at least one of elements In, Ga, Al, Sc, Cr, Sm, Yb, Ce, Ru, Rh, Ti, Co, Ni, Mn, Zn, Zr, and Y and the magnetic material having ?-phase hematite as a principal phase exhibits strong coercive force and anisotropic magnetic field at room temperature. Dimensions of a magnetic circuit containing a permanent magnet for operations of the nonreciprocal device can be made remarkably small and, by optimum design, the use of the magnetic circuit can be made unnecessary.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composition and method for enhancing fertilization. Fertilization enhancement is achieved by effectively delivering bioactive molecules with a lipid anchor (GPI-linked proteins) to the surface of epididymal or ejaculated sperm. The process may be facilitated or promoted in the presence of Clusterin/APOJ, a well-known lipid carrier. The rate of delivery, or removal, of bioactive molecules is regulated by the concentration of lipid carrier present. The acquisition of these molecules, such as Sperm Adhesion Molecule 1 (SPAM1) can significantly impact sperm maturation and function.

Abstract: A current-mode controlled DC-DC converter includes a comparator comparing a first or second current detection signal with a first or second reference current that is based on an error voltage of a voltage detection signal, a pulse generator generating a first pulse signal whose ON time is longer than an interval between when the second current detection signal reaches a minimum value and when the second current detection signal reaches the second reference current, a pulse generator generating a second pulse signal whose ON time is longer than an interval between when the first current detection signal reaches a minimum value and when the first current detection signal reaches the first reference current, the second pulse signal being behind the first pulse signal by a half period, and a PWM circuit generating a first or second PWM signal according to the pulse signal and an output signal from the comparator, thereby turning on/off a switch.

Abstract: A plasma generator in which the variation of the impedance in the cavity before and after plasma is ignited is less and hardly affected by the shape of the cavity, and the ignitability of the plasma is improved and a method of generating plasma using the plasma generator are provided. The plasma generator comprises a nonconductive gas flow pipe (1) for introducing a gas (9) for generating plasma and discharging it into the atmosphere and a conductive antenna pipe (2) surrounding the gas flow pipe. A microwave (7) is applied to the antenna pipe to change the gas in the gas flow pipe into plasma. The plasma generator is characterized in that a slit (3) with a predetermined length is formed in the antenna pipe (2) along the axial direction of the gas flow pipe. Preferably, the plasma generator is characterized in that the length of the slit is an integral multiple of the half-wave length of the applied microwave.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method for reducing contaminants from industrial processes. More particularly, the invention is directed to a method of sequestering pollutants from flue gases in operational plants. The method includes sequestering contaminants from a point source by reacting an alkaline material with a flue gas containing contaminants to be sequestered, wherein the reaction has a rapid mass transfer rate to sequester at least a portion of the contaminants.

Abstract: In one embodiment, imaging a medium under evaluation includes generating acquired images of the medium, each acquired image comprising a cross-sectional image along a lateral and a depth direction of the medium that results from scanning the medium at a different depths, filtering each acquired image to remove out-of-focus portions of the images and generate filtered images, and merging the filtered images to form a high-resolution fused image.

Abstract: A method for controlling the frequency of a conscious, periodic human physiological activity that comprises preparing a base track of prerecorded music having a base tempo, adding a rhythmic musical track having an activity tempo conforming with a target frequency of at least one conscious, periodic human physiological activity to the base track of prerecorded music, and configuring the base track of prerecorded music with the rhythmic musical track for playback by a human participant having interest in the target frequency.

Abstract: A method of producing a zinc oxide-based semiconductor crystal, including: introducing at least zinc and oxygen on a surface of a substrate; and growing a zinc oxide-based semiconductor crystal on the substrate, wherein a total or partial portion of the zinc is ionized in a vacuum atmosphere of 1×10?4 Torr or less and is introduced to the surface of the substrate to grow the ZnO based semiconductor crystal. As a result, it is possible to provide a method of producing a zinc oxide based semiconductor crystal capable of growing a zinc oxide semiconductor crystal having excellent surface flatness and crystallinity and including an extremely small amount of impurities at a high growth rate.

Abstract: Methods of obtaining cells internally labeled with perfluorocarbon nanoparticles suitable for magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for obtaining magnetic resonance imaging data from labeled under clinically relevant scan times and field strengths. Finally, the application further discloses methods of specifically detecting and distinguishing magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy data from two distinct sets of cells labeled with distinct types of perfluorocarbon nanoparticles.

Abstract: A method of preparing a hydrogel comprises: (i) reacting a first molecule comprising a carboxylic acid group and second molecule comprising an amine group or an alcohol group with a hydrolase enzyme to form a product comprising an amide bond or ester bond, wherein the hydrolase enzyme would normally catalyse the production of an amine or an alcohol from an amide or an ester under physiological conditions; and (ii) maintaining the product comprising an amide or ester bond under conditions suitable to allow hydrogel formation.

Abstract: A method for making carbon nanotubes that includes the following steps. A metal substrate is provided. The surface of the metal substrate is polished. The polished metal substrate is put into a reaction device. A protecting gas is introduced to the reaction device while the environment inside of the reaction device is heated to about 400 to 800 degrees. A mixture of carbon source gas and protecting gas is introduced to the reaction device, whereby the carbon nanotubes are grown on the metal substrate on the polished metal substrate.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods to identify the location in a genome of a nonfixed or multicopy genomic element using microarrays or sequencing.