Abstract: A mass air flow sensor for an internal combustion engine is provided. The sensor has a pair of opposed nozzles. A converging nozzle has a first conical throughbore having a first throughbore axis, the first throughbore has first and second apertures, the first aperture has a diameter greater than the second aperture. The diverging nozzle has a second conical throughbore having a second through axis. The throughbore has third and fourth apertures, with the third aperture having a diameter greater than the fourth aperture. A first hotwire sensor positioned within the first aperture. A second hotwire sensor positioned within the second aperture.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for isolating edible protein from animal muscle by solubilizing the protein in an alkaline aqueous solution.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for generating ultrashort optical linear chirped pulses with very high power by amplifying the pulses so that their temporal duration is longer than the storage time of the amplifying medium. The additional gain factor is related to the ratio of the storage time to the stretched pulse. A preferred embodiment connects a mode locked laser source that generates optical pulses whose duration is stretched with a chirped fiber Bragg grating. Embodiments include methods, devices and systems causing an extreme chirped pulse amplifier (XCPA) effect in an oscillator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for identifying a target nucleotide sequence. This method involves forming a ligation product on a target nucleotide sequence in a ligase detection reaction mixture, amplifying the ligation product to form an amplified ligation product in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) mixture, detecting the amplified ligation product, and identifying the target nucleotide sequence. Such coupling of the ligase detection reaction and the polymerase chain reaction permits multiplex detection of nucleic acid sequence differences.

Abstract: A cable guardrail release system includes a firsts number of anchor posts installed adjacent a roadway. Each of the first number of anchor posts secures an end of a respective cable. Each anchor post is operable to release the respective cable secured by the anchor post upon a vehicle impact to the anchor post. The system may include a length of need section that includes a plurality of intermediate support posts each configured to support each of the respective cables. The length of need section may include portions of each of the respective cables running in between the plurality of intermediate support posts. Each anchor post may be configured to resist release of the respective cable secured by the anchor post upon a vehicle impact to the length of need section generally at an angle to the flow of traffic on the roadway.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel human gene designated CUDR. Provides is also a CUDR gene as a biomarker in the diagnosis of human cancers and a cancer therapy.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of diagnosing epilepsy in a mammal by detecting ST3 ?-galactoside ?-2,3-sialyltransferase 3 (ST3Gal-III) activity or by detecting for one or more mutations in a ST3Gal-III gene that decrease that activity of a ST3Gal-III polypeptide. The invention further provides methods of treating an epileptic condition associated with decreased ST3Gal-III activity by administering one or more agents that increase the activity of ST3Gal-III. Also provided are methods of identifying one or more agents that increase the activity of ST3Gal-III.

Abstract: The present invention provides protein-based biomarkers and biomarker combinations that are useful in qualifying ovarian cancer status in a patient. In particular, it has been found that the biomarkers set forth in Table 1 are biomarkers for ovarian cancer. The biomarkers can be detected by SELDI mass spectrometry.

Abstract: The present methods are exemplified by a process in which maternal blood containing fetal DNA is diluted to a nominal value of approximately 0.5 genome equivalent of DNA per reaction sample. Digital PCR is then be used to detect aneuploidy, such as the trisomy that causes Down Syndrome. Since aneuploidies do not present a mutational change in sequence, and are merely a change in the number of chromosomes, it has not been possible to detect them in a fetus without resorting to invasive techniques such as amniocentesis or chorionic villi sampling. Digital amplification allows the detection of aneuploidy using massively parallel amplification and detection methods, examining, e.g., 10,000 genome equivalents.

Abstract: An composition in a method for noninvasively monitoring the expression of therapeutic transgene delivered ex vivo and in vivo for the treatment of diseases includes the step of quantitatively imaging a reporter gene expression which is coupled to a therapeutic gene on a plasmid vector to infer levels, location, or duration of the therapeutic gene expression in the targeted tissues or organs. The reporter gene is imaged using a radiopharmaceutical for scintigraphic imaging of the gene expression interactions with the reporter gene, namely positron emission tomography, gamma camera or single-photon emission computed tomography. The genes are delivered with a liposome encapsulated reporter-therapeutic linked transgene vector with balanced reporter/therapeutic transgene expression. A transgene composition includes the reporter gene linked to the therapeutic gene or genes incorporated in and delivered by a liposome encapsulated reporter-therapeutic linked transgene vector.

Abstract: A remotely controllable system and method for positioning and operating a scleral depressor. A track is positioned to encircle at least a portion of the eye. One or more independent thrusters, or actuators, are radially positionable about the eye. An actuator is selectively deployable and selectively retractable by remote control. Thrusters may be mechanically operated and include pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical, chemical or other power supply forces. Remote control is provided by hand-operated controls, foot-operated switches or voice-operated control. A light source is positioned about at least a portion of the eye to provide transcleral illumination.

Abstract: An electroactive polymer is used to produce a tactile sensor. The electroactive polymer (EAP) includes a sheet of an ion-exchange membrane having opposite surfaces on which are plated gold electrodes. The EAP is formed to have a dome-shape with a plurality of sensing electrodes circumferentially disposed around an outer surface of the dome. A flexible polymer underlying the EAP supports it and prevents a force applied to the tactile sensor from inverting the dome. The sensor electrodes produce separate output signals indicative of different vector components of an applied force acting on the tactile sensor, so that a direction of the force can be determined. Vias provided in the electrodes are electrically coupled to a flexible circuit that conveys the output signals externally from the sensing electrodes for use and further processing. A plurality of the tactile sensors can be formed as an array on an ion-exchange membrane.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition for use in treating, inhibiting, and/or preventing breast and/or ovarian cancer can include: a molecule having a structure of one of Compounds 1-38, pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or analog thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier containing the compound. The pharmaceutically acceptable carrier can be configured for oral, systemic, transdermal, intranasal, suppository, parenteral, intramuscular, intravenous, or subcutaneous administration. The compound can be present in the composition in a therapeutically effective amount for treating, inhibiting, and/or preventing breast and/or ovarian cancer. Also, the compound can be present in a therapeutically effective amount for enhancing production of BRCA1.

Abstract: A system (100) for transmitting digital information includes a transmitting apparatus (102) for generating an optical signal bearing digital information, a dispersive optical channel (104), and a receiving apparatus (110) for receiving the optical signal. The dispersive optical channel (104) is disposed to convey the optical signal from the transmitting apparatus (102) to the receiving apparatus (110). The transmitting apparatus includes an encoder (114) for encoding digital information into a series of blocks, each including a plurality of data symbols corresponding with one or more bits of digital information. A signal generator (118) generates a time-varying signal corresponding with each of said blocks.

Abstract: Provided is a cutting bar for dental use that can cut both dentin and enamel with a single bar unanesthetically and efficiently without causing any pain or unpleasant sensation in a patient, in particular, a cutting bar for dental use that can fundamentally solve the problem in that a cutting blade of a cutting bar rotating at low speed comes into contact with hard enamel present in a surface layer of a tooth during cutting of carious dentin to cause unpleasant sensation in a patient. A cutting bar for dental use includes a head in which a cutting blade is formed; a neck leading to the head; and a handle joined to the neck through an intermediation of a joint portion, wherein diamond abrasive grains are electrodeposited in a predetermined range extending from a substantially maximum diameter portion of the head to the neck.

Abstract: Provided are rapid and sensitive cell-free assay methods for detecting and/or measuring specific bimolecular or higher order interactions via reassembly of a split monomeric reporter protein, and methods of detecting or identifying modulators of such interactions by the effect on the signal provided by the reassembled split reporter protein. This methodology is adaptable to protein-protein, protein-peptide, protein-nucleic acid, protein-methylated or nonmethylated nucleic acid and other small or large molecule ligands and binding proteins.

Abstract: The present methods are exemplified by a process in which maternal blood containing fetal DNA is diluted to a nominal value of approximately 0.5 genome equivalent of DNA per reaction sample. Digital PCR is then be used to detect aneuploidy, such as the trisomy that causes Down Syndrome. Since aneuploidies do not present a mutational change in sequence, and are merely a change in the number of chromosomes, it has not been possible to detect them in a fetus without resorting to invasive techniques such as amniocentesis or chorionic villi sampling. Digital amplification allows the detection of aneuploidy using massively parallel amplification and detection methods, examining, e.g., 10,000 genome equivalents.

Abstract: A copper base rolled alloy has a copper base alloy composition containing 0.05 percent by mass or more, and 10 percent by mass or less of at least one type of element selected from Be, Mg, Al, Si, P, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zr, and Sn, wherein the X-ray diffraction intensity ratio I(111)/I(200) of (hkl)plane measured with respect to a rolled surface is 2.0 or more.

Abstract: A thermionic electron emission device includes an insulating substrate, and one or more grids located thereon. The one or more grids include(s) a first, second, third and fourth electrode down-leads located on the periphery thereof, and a thermionic electron emission unit therein. The first and second electrode down-leads are parallel to each other. The third and fourth electrode down-leads are parallel to each other. The first and second electrode down-leads are insulated from the third and fourth electrode down-leads. The thermionic electron emission unit includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a thermionic electron emitter. The first electrode and the second electrode are separately located and electrically connected to the first electrode down-lead and the third electrode down-lead respectively. Wherein the thermionic electron emitter includes a carbon nanotube film structure.

Abstract: Compositions comprising a plurality of functionalized carbon nanotubes and at least one type of payload molecule are provided herein. The compositions are soluble in water and PBS in some embodiments. In certain embodiments, the payload molecules are insoluble in water. Methods are described for making the compositions and administering the compositions. An extended release formulation for paclitaxel utilizing functionalized carbon nanotubes is also described.