Abstract: Provided is an optical microscope system for detecting nanowires that is designed with a rotational polarizer and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to allow for use of an existing optical microscope in fabricating an electronic device having the nanowires. The optical microscope system includes: a light source for emitting light to provide the light to a nanowire sample; a rotational polarizer provided on a path of the light emitted from the light source for polarizing the light; an optical microscope for detecting a nanowire image using light that is polarized by the rotational polarizer and incident on the nanowire sample; a CCD camera provided in a region of the optical microscope for photographing and storing the nanowire image detected by the optical microscope; and a data processor for performing Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on the nanowire image stored in the CCD camera.

Abstract: The invention generally features compositions and methods that are useful for increasing immune function. Such methods can be employed to enhance innate immunity for the prevention or treatment of pathogen infections (e.g., bacterial, viral, or fungal infections), lymphopenia, or cancer by stimulating a CD1 37 polypeptide expressed on an immune cell, such as a memory T cell. The invention further comprises a mouse lacking detectable levels of CD 137, cells derived from the mouse, and methods of producing additional knockouts animals.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nostril plug which can reduce functional articulatory disorder by closing a nostril thereby preventing the leaking of exhalation from the nostril and can be used with substantially no discomfort. The nostril plug being inserted into a nostril for suppressing the leaking of exhalation from a nose includes a valve unit for suppressing only passage of exhalation in breathing and support bodies for supporting the valve unit mounting the valve unit thereon and being arranged in the nostrils. The support body is formed of a tubular body inscribed in the nostril, and the valve unit is removably fitted in the support bodies. When the pressure in the nostril reaches a predetermined level or more through exhalation, the valve unit can be separated from the support bodies by the pressure.

Abstract: A fire retardant thermally insulative, vandalism and damage resistant panel for the building exteriors includes a relatively low density foam layer having relatively high thermal resistivity, a relatively high density foam layer having relatively high impact strength and resistance to bending facingly contacting the low density foam layer, a porous fabric contacting the high density foam layer at a surface thereof facing oppositely from the low density foam, and a weather resistant, water impermeable exterior layer contacting the fabric at a surface facing in a direction opposite from where the high density foam contacts the fabric, where the high density foam substantially occupies at least parts of some of the pores of the fabric and the exterior layer material substantially occupies at least parts of at least some of the pores of the fabric such that sufficient pores of the fabric are filled with the high density foam, the exterior surface material and chemical reaction products thereof to create a bond be

Abstract: A coaxial cable includes a core, an insulating layer, a shielding layer, a sheathing layer. The core includes an amount of carbon nanotubes having at least one conductive coating disposed about the carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes are orderly arranged. The insulating layer is about the core. The shielding layer is about the insulating layer. The sheathing layer is about the shielding layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for cleaning, etching, activation and subsequent treatments of glass surfaces, glass surfaces coated with metal oxides or with organic material layers, SiO2-layer coated materials, and SiO2-layer coated materials with an organic material surface coating by effects of an electrical plasma layer. The invention disclosed herein includes at least one electrode system (1) consisting of at least two electrodes (2) and (3) situated inside of a dielectric body (4). An electrical plasma layer is generated preferably at atmospheric gas pressure, and preferably above the electrodes (2) and (3) situated on the same side of the treated glass, metal oxide coated glass, other SiO2-coated materials and SiO2-coated materials with a layer of organic material (5) and which are energized by an alternating or pulsed electrical voltage applied between them.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for a random access scheme for multi-channel in a wireless communication system are provided. The method for performing the random access scheme for the multi-channel in the wireless communication system includes randomly generating a backoff counter value to transmit data; adjusting the backoff counter value by taking into account status of a plurality of idle subcarrier sets per backoff slot; when the backoff counter value becomes zero, selecting one or more subcarrier sets to carry the data from the idle subcarrier sets; and transmitting the data through the selected one or more subcarrier sets. The data collision probability between the terminals can be lowered, the channel utility can be enhanced, the transfer rate in the single-channel random access scheme can be raised, and the consumption of the radio resource can be reduced without using signals for the band request and allocation.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to liver disease. More specifically the invention provides compositions and methods, including D-4F, that are useful in treating or preventing hepatic fibrosis.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, compositions and articles of manufacture useful for the treatment of Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria and spores, and related conditions. The disclosure further relates to methods and compositions for the identification of a phage associated lytic enzyme to rapidly kill Streptococcus pneumoniae and other bacteria. Related articles of manufacture, methods of degrading spores and methods of treatment of infections or bacteria populations of, or subjects exposed to or at risk for exposure to, Streptococcus pneumoniae are also provided.

Abstract: One-dimensional nanostructures having uniform diameters of less than approximately 200 nm. These inventive nanostructures, which we refer to as “nanowires”, include single-crystalline homostructures as well as heterostructures of at least two single-crystalline materials having different chemical compositions. Because single-crystalline materials are used to form the heterostructure, the resultant heterostructure will be single-crystalline as well. The nanowire heterostructures are generally based on a semiconducting wire wherein the doping and composition are controlled in either the longitudinal or radial directions, or in both directions, to yield a wire that comprises different materials. Examples of resulting nanowire heterostructures include a longitudinal heterostructure nanowire (LOHN) and a coaxial heterostructure nanowire (COHN).

Abstract: The present invention relates to the characterization of the porcine adenovirus E1 and E4 regions. The complete nucleotide sequence of the genome of porcine adenovirus type 3 (PAV-3), providing the characterization of the PAV3 E1 region, is described herein. Methods for construction of infectious PAV genomes by homologous recombination in procaryotic cells are provided. Recombinant PAV viruses are obtained by transfection of mammalian cells with recombinant PAV genomes. The PAV-3 genome can be used as a vector for the expression of heterologous nucleotide sequences, for example, for the preparation and administration of subunit vaccines to swine or other mammals.

Abstract: A recombinant double stranded RNA (dsRNA) phage expresses dsRNA-encoded genes in eukaryote cells. Recombinant dsRNA phage are useful for the expression of dsRNA expression cassettes encoding passenger genes, such as, but not restricted to, vaccine antigens, bioactive proteins, immunoregulatory proteins, antisense RNAs, and catalytic RNAs in eukaryotic cells or tissues. Methods are provided to deliver recombinant dsRNA phage to eukaryotic cells and tissues, either by direct administration, formulated in lipid or polylactide-coglycolide, or by utilizing a bacterial vaccine vector.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for containing plasma and forming a Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) magnetic topology are described in which plasma ions are contained magnetically in stable, non-adiabatic orbits in the FRC. Further, the electrons are contained electrostatically in a deep energy well, created by tuning an externally applied magnetic field. The simultaneous electrostatic confinement of electrons and magnetic confinement of ions avoids anomalous transport and facilitates classical containment of both electrons and ions. In this configuration, ions and electrons may have adequate density and temperature so that upon collisions ions are fused together by nuclear force, thus releasing fusion energy. Moreover, the fusion fuel plasmas that can be used with the present confinement system and method are not limited to neutronic fuels only, but also advantageously include advanced fuels.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel polypeptides comprising a prion-aggregation domain and a second domain; novel polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides; host cells transformed or transfected with such polynucleotides; and methods of making and using the foregoing.

Abstract: Provided are mono- and diimide naphthalene compounds for use in the fabrication of various device structures. In some embodiments, the naphthalene core of these compounds are mono-, di-, or tetra-substituted with cyano group(s) or other electron-withdrawing substituents or moieties. Such mono- and diimide naphthalene compounds also can be optionally N-substituted.

Abstract: Techniques for filtering light include, along a central optical axis, an entrance window; a first polarizer, a narrowband polarization-changing material, a second polarizer, and an exit window. The optical paths through the filter are substantively unscattered and pass through unstressed components between the polarizers. The polarization-changing material changes polarization for a narrow wavelength band on the order of about 0.01×10?9 meters and does not condense on optical windows and polarizers during the operational lifetime. An aspect ratio, defined by a distance from the entrance window to the exit window divided by an optical aperture for the entrance window, is less than 4/1. This filter thus transmits light substantively unattenuated in the narrow wavelength band up to a maximum acceptance angle greater than 5 degrees. Combined with optics and imaging detectors, it is suitable for wide area surveillance, including daylight surveillance for combustion like forest fire and missile plume.

Abstract: An antenna whose resonance and electromagnetic radiation properties can be modified by environmental conditions, acoustic conditions, and the like. The reconfiguring antenna acts to facilitate wireless transmission of information about the local environment without the need for local power.

Abstract: A biaxially textured article includes a substrate, a first buffer layer disposed on the substrate, the first buffer layer having uniaxial crystal texture characterized by out-of-plane texture with no significant in-plane crystallographic texture. A metal comprising second buffer layer is disposed on the first buffer layer, the second buffer layer having a biaxially textured surface. An electronically active layer, such as a superconductor layer, can be disposed on the second buffer film. Ion-beam assisted processes can be used to biaxially texture the surface of the second buffer film after its deposition.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a thermal interface material includes the steps of: (a) forming an array of carbon nanotubes on a substrate; (b) submerging the carbon nanotubes in a liquid macromolecular material; (c) solidifying the liquid macromolecular material; and (d) cutting the solidified liquid macromolecular material, to obtain the thermal interface material with the carbon nanotubes secured therein.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for producing functionally graded materials that contain a hard phase that is embedded in a metal matrix phase. The material have a continuous gradient of a matrix metal phase. An example of these types of materials include functionally graded cemented tungsten carbide (the hard phase) that has a continuous gradient of cobalt (the matrix metal) from one reference position, for example, one surface of a part, to another reference position, for example, the opposite surface of the part or within the part. The functionally graded materials are sintered via a liquid phase sintering (LPS) technique. In order to achieve the desired continuous gradient of the matrix metal, an initial gradient of one of the chemical elements of the hard phase is designed and built into the part prior to liquid phase sintering.