Abstract: This invention relates to a novel soy isoflavone product with high purities and strong biological activities and the method of producing the same from natural soybeans, soybean materials (i.e. tofu dregs, soy molasses) and other plant sources. The method includes three steps consisting of extraction with an organic solvent, hydrolysis using an acid and crystallization using an antisolvent. The procedure is very simple and thus can be easily adapted for large-scale manufacturing. Moreover, the procedure is able to produce a high yield of total isoflavones at a lower cost. HPLC analysis and E-Screen bioassay reveal that the obtained product not only contains a high content of isoflavone aglycones by weight of dry matter but also exhibits strong estrogenic activity toward human cells. Therefore, the product should be efficacious for relieving menopausal symptoms and other estrogen-deficient diseases and can be used in health care supplements or as additives for foods, beverages or cosmetics.

Abstract: Methods of treating a carbon foam precursor to facilitate subsequent foaming of the material at low pressures, which may be on the order of about 0.5 to 1.5 atmospheres, are disclosed. In one embodiment, the carbon foam precursor is subjected to partial devolatilization under controlled conditions with subsequent foaming being effected at low pressure. The carbon foam precursor may be one of various forms of coal including raw coal, coal extract mesophase pitch, synthetic mesophase pitch or petroleum based pitch. The performing treatment of the carbon foam precursor may remove a portion of the internal blowing agent and may alter the fluidity of the carbon foam precursor matrix. In another embodiment, the precursor after being converted into a powder is subjected to oxidation prior to foaming.

Abstract: A bistable electrical device employing a bistable polymer body made from an electrically insulating polymer material in which doped nanofibers are dispersed. The doped nanofibers are composed of an electrically conductive nanofiber material and electrically conductive nanoparticles. The doped nanofibers impart bistable electrical characteristics to the polymer body, such that the polymer body is reversibly convertible between a low resistance state and a high resistance state by application of an electrical voltage.

Abstract: An amplifier array circuit is provided. An amplifier array includes a main amplifier array comprising a plurality of first amplifiers and a plurality of reference voltages, wherein the first amplifier is coupled to an input signal and the reference voltage corresponding to the first amplifier. A first reversed reference voltage amplifier array is located on one side of the main amplifier array and has a plurality of second amplifiers coupled to the input signal and the reference voltages, respectively. A second reversed reference voltage amplifier array is located on the other side of the main amplifier array and has a plurality of third amplifiers coupled to the input signal and the reference voltages respectively. The averaging network is coupled to a first output terminal and a second output terminal of the first, second and third amplifiers.

Abstract: A fiber optic switch based on the magneto-optic effect of magnetic materials is presented. Due to the optical fiber based construction of the switching device it is suitable for optical fiber networks The on-off function of the switch is useful for isolation and connection of node(s) from a fiber optical network without having to turn off a laser. The switch is based on the Faraday Effect exhibited by magneto-optic materials. The all-fiber magneto-optic switch has a beam splitter at the input that splits an incoming signal into orthogonal polarized paths. Each path has at least one magneto-optic Faraday rotator (MOFR) controlled by a field. When the field is present, the polarization of the optical beam changes, thereby turning the switch on or off depending on the initial polarization of the beam. A beam coupler couples the orthogonal polarized paths at the output of the all-fiber magneto-optic switch. The MOFR is a bismuth substituted iron garnet.

Abstract: The present invention, based on the discovery of a new biological phenomena, provides methods and compositions for use in identifying agents that modulate the phosphorylation of survivin, the interaction between survivin and p34cdc2-cyclin B1 kinase complex, and the interaction between survivin and caspase-9. Related methods and compositions can be used to modulate survivin regulated apoptosis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of the general formula (I) which are inhibitors of purine muclioside phosphorylases (PNP), purine phosphoribosyltransferases (PPRT), 5?-methylthioadenosine phosphorylases (MTAP), 5?-methylthioadenosine mucliosidases (MTAN) and/or nucleoside hydrolases (NH). The invention also relates to the use of these compounds in the treatment of diseases and infections including cancer, bacterial infections, protozoal infections, and T-cell mediated disease and to pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds.

Abstract: A method of making a phosphono-substituted dipyrromethane comprises reacting an aldehyde or acetal having at least one phosphono group substituted thereon with pyrrole to produce a phosphono-substituted dipyrromethane; and wherein the phosphono is selected from the group consisting of dialkyl phosphono, diaryl phosphono, and dialkylaryl phosphono. Additional methods, intermediates and products are also described.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rotor to be used in a dual-rotor lobe pump system for pumping a material at a periodic rate is provided. The method includes selecting a desired periodic flow rate for the material, selecting a number of lobes for the rotor, and selecting either a thickness of the rotor or a spacing between the dual-rotors' axes of rotation in the lobe pump. The method also includes determining the profile for the rotor based on the desired periodic flow rate, so that when the rotor is operated within the dual-rotor lobe pump system, the material can be pumped at substantially the desired periodic flow rate. In another embodiment of the invention, a lobe pump rotor profile is formed by the method described above.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a surface expression vector having pgsBCA, a gene coding poly-gamma-glutamate synthetase and a method for expression of target protein at the surface of microorganism using the vector. The vector, in which foreign genes are inserted, transforms microorganisms and makes foreign proteins expressed stably on the surface of microorganisms.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for assisting a subject to perform a motion such as a lift. The invention comprises a first anchor attachable to a first side of a joint of the subject's body, a second anchor attachable to a second side of the joint; and an elastic member connecting the first anchor and the second anchor, such that articulation of the joint in a first direction causes deformation of the elastic member and storing of energy, and articulation of the joint in a second direction causes relaxation of the elastic member wherein the energy is released and assists the subject to perform a motion in said second direction. The invention may be used at a subject's waist, ankle, wrist, knee, hip, elbow, shoulder, and/or at least one joint of the back and/or neck.

Abstract: A digital DC-DC converter is implemented using first-order delta-sigma modulation, rather than A/D conversion. In the DC-DC converter, a PWM generator converts an input DC voltage to a preset level DC voltage according to an input PWM signal. A converter converts the DC voltage from the PWM generator to a preset level voltage. A delta-sigma modulator converts a feedback voltage Vfd corresponding to the output voltage Vout of the converter to a 1-bit digital voltage Vo according to a preset reference voltage Vref. A counter counts logic 1's in 1-bit digital voltage signals Vo from the delta-sigma modulator. A delay controller controls a high-level delay time according to the number of logic 1's counted by the counter and transfers a PWM signal having the controlled high-level delay time to the PWM generator.

Abstract: The present invention provides the complete genomic sequence of a novel human coronavirus, coined as coronavirus-HKU1 (“CoV-HKU1”), isolated in Hong Kong from a patient who had a recent history of visit to Schenzhen, China. The virus belongs to the order Nidovirales of the family Coronaviridae, being a single-stranded RNA virus of positive polarity. The invention also provides the deduced amino acid sequences of the complete genome of the CoV-HKU1. The nucleotide sequences and deduced amino acid sequences of the CoV-HKU1 are useful in preventing, diagnosing and/or treating the infection by CoV-HKU1. Furthermore, the invention provides immunogenic and vaccine preparations using recombinant and chimeric forms as well as subunits of the CoV-HKU1 based on the nucleotide sequences and deduced amino acid sequences of the CoV-HKU1.

Abstract: A method and system for augmenting a corpus with documents on concepts not sufficiently covered within the corpus is provided. The augmentation system generates a corpus concept graph from the documents of a corpus. A corpus concept graph represents concepts of the documents as nodes and related concepts as links between nodes. To generate a corpus concept graph, the augmentation system identifies the concepts that are related within each document of the corpus and adds nodes and links to the corpus concept graph for related concepts. The augmentation system analyzes the corpus concept graph to determine whether the relatedness of concepts of the documents of the corpus is sufficient. If the relatedness of a pair of concepts is not sufficient, then the augmentation system attempts to identify documents not already in the corpus that are related to the concepts that are not sufficiently related.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of renal-related disorders. More particularly, the present invention contemplates a method for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of glomerulosclerosis and/or end stage renal failure and/or related conditions. The method of the present invention is preferably practised by the administration of a derivative of angiotensin I. Generally, but not exclusively, the angiotensin I derivative exhibits anti-angiotensin II properties. In a preferred embodiment, the angiotensin I is des-Aspartate-angiotensin I or a derivative, homologue or analogue thereof. The present invention further contemplates compositions for use in the treatment and/or prophylaxis of renal-related disorders such as but not limited to glomerulosclerosis and/or end stage renal failure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nitrogen-regulated GATA transcription factor gene required for sugar sensing and the modulation of the expression of this gene to modulate a characteristic in a plant. The GATA transcription factor of the present invention is involved in regulating sugar sensing in plants and its expression is influenced by nitrogen status. Increased expression of this or substantially similar genes can produce plants with improved nitrogen utilization and increased yield.

Abstract: The present invention relates to organic light emitting devices (OLEDs), and more specifically to efficient OLEDs having electron blocking layers. The devices of the present invention comprise at least one electron blocking layer which functions to confine electrons to specific regions of the light emitting devices. The present invention also relates to materials for use as electron blockers that show increased stability when incorporated into an organic light emitting device.

Abstract: A method of culturing tissue comprises growing tissue forming cells whilst subjecting the tissue forming cells to mechanical stresses which are generated magnetically.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a reversible electrochemical sensor for polyions. The sensor uses active extraction and ion stripping, which are controlled electrochemically. Spontaneous polyion extraction is suppressed by using membranes containing highly lipophilic electrolytes that possess no ion-exchange properties. Reversible extraction of polyions is induced by constant current pulse of fixed duration applied across the membrane. Subsequently, polyions are removed by applying a constant stripping potential. The sensors provide excellent stability and reversibility and allow for measurements of heparin concentration in whole blood samples via protamine titration.

Abstract: Stand-alone modules or blocks for use in creating low-power sensor-based monitor/control systems. Each module performs a pre-defined function, and when included in a monitor/control network operates as a node on the network and automatically communicates with one or more connected nodes using a uni-directional packet-based protocol. One class of such predefined nodes communicates Boolean values, for example, with input sensor nodes detecting the presence or absence of environmental phenomena (e.g., motion, light, sound, water, button presses, etc.), intermediate nodes transforming those Boolean values using combinational or sequential logic, and output nodes converting the resulting Boolean values to environmental phenomena (e.g., beeping, light, electric relay activation, etc.) or to data for further processing by a computer. Another class of nodes communicates integer or number values.