Abstract: As a double-arm shoulder joint mechanism of a double-arm robot and a both-legs hip joint mechanism of a biped-walk robot, use is made of a double spherical joint having a construction such that joint rotation axes of 6 DOF are intersected at one point. As the double-arm shoulder joint mechanism of the double-arm robot, arms are connected respectively to a first spherical joint and a second spherical joint of the double spherical joint. As the both-legs hip joint mechanism of the biped-walk robot, legs are connected respectively to the first spherical joint and the second spherical joint of the double spherical joint.

Abstract: A method for treating cycloxygenase enzyme inflammation and inflammation pain is disclosed. In one embodiment, this method comprises the step of treating an inflammation patient with a specific amount of carrot seed or carrot seed extract, wherein inflammation is reduced and pain is decreased.

Abstract: The present invention relates to gene therapy. In particular, therapeutic agents, therapeutic gene products, and compositions are disclosed. Various systems and methods useful in targeting and delivering non-native nucleotide sequences to specific cells are disclosed, wherein virus-antibody-ligand conjugates are used to facilitate targeting and delivery.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include methods and compositions including viral composition that have high transduction efficiencies in vivo, in vitro and ex vivo. The viral composition include a viral vector and a protamine molecule, wherein the viral vector includes a polynucleotide encoding a tumor suppressor gene. The methods of the invention include administering the viral composition to a patient or subject for treatment of disease, in particular cancer, that is characterized by a reduced vector-induced production of neutralizing antibodies and a decreased vector-induced toxicity as compared to delivery of viral vectors alone.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are genetic markers for animal growth, fatness, meat quality, and feed efficiency, methods for identifying such markers, and methods of screening animals to determine those more likely to produce desired growth, fatness, meat quality, and feed efficiency and preferably selecting those animals for future breeding purposes. The markers are based upon the presence or absence of certain polymorphisms in an HMGA nucleotide sequence.

Abstract: The present application provides methods of screening anti-bacterial agents for effectiveness in treating persistent intracellular infection by bacteria capable of forming intracytoplasmic inclusions in cells.

Abstract: In a multilayer RF module, a plurality of vertically stacked ceramic layers include a first to a third ceramic layers. Each of the first and the third ceramic layers has a circuit component thereon and the second ceramic layer is located between the first and the third ceramic layers and is provided with at least one or more air cavities filled with air, the air cavities being vertically aligned with the circuit components of the first and the third ceramic layers.

Abstract: A process to synthesize substituted phenols such as those of the general formula RR′R″Ar(OH) wherein R, R′, and R″ are each independently hydrogen or any group which does not interfere in the process for synthesizing the substituted phenol including, but not limited to, halo, alkyl, alkoxy, carboxylic ester, amine, amide; and Ar is any variety of aryl or hetroaryl by means of oxidation of substituted arylboronic esters is described. In particular, a metal-catalyzed C—H activation/borylation reaction is described, which when followed by direct oxidation in a single or separate reaction vessel affords phenols without the need for any intermediate manipulations. More particularly, a process wherein Ir-catalyzed borylation of arenes using pinacolborane (HBPin) followed by oxidation of the intermediate arylboronic ester by OXONE is described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for functionally occluding the lumen of the left atrial appendage (LAA) is provided. Access to the LAA is through an epicardial approach. The devices function to capture the LAA through various non-invasive means. After capturing the LAA with the devices and methods provided, a clamping device is preferably disposed about the base of the appendage. In certain embodiments, the appendage remains viable subsequent to the functional occlusion of the lumen.

Abstract: A SPME-fiber cleaning and conditioning apparatus and method having an elongated heating chamber with first and second opposite ends. The first end is capable of insertably receiving a SPME fiber portion of a SPME device, and the second end is a fluid outlet. A heater is provided for heating the chamber and heat-treating an inserted SPME fiber. Contaminants and other particles are agitated, desorbed and purged from the inserted SPME fiber by flowing a fluid through the chamber from the first end to the second end, away from the SPME device. Additionally, turbulence may be produced in the flow at a location adjacent the first end, to enhance agitation, desorption, and purging. A holder may also be provided extending from the first end for supporting the SPME device in a substantially horizontal orientation when the SPME fiber is positioned in the chamber.

Abstract: The invention provides mitochondrially targeted antioxidant compounds comprising a lipophilic cation moiety covalently coupled to an antioxidant moiety which is either a superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic or a glutathione peroxidase mimetic. These compounds can be used to treat patients who would benefit from the reduction of oxidative stress.

Abstract: The current invention, Supercritical Antisolvent Precipitation with Enhanced Mass Transfer (SAS-EM) provides a significantly improved method for the production of nano and micro-particles with a narrow size distribution. The processes of the invention utilize the properties of supercritical fluids and also the principles of virbrational atomization to provide an efficient technique for the effective nanonization or micronization of particles. Like the SAS technique, SAS-EM, also uses a supercritical fluid as the antisolvent, but in the present invention the dispersion jet is deflected by a vibrating surface that atomizes the jet into fine droplets. The vibrating surface also generates a vibrational flow field within the supercritical phase that enhances mass transfer through increased mixing. Sizes of the particles obtained by this technique are easily controlled by changing the vibration intensity of the deflecting surface, which in turn is controlled by adjusting the power input to the vibration source.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for the production of scaffolds, such scaffolds to be used for a variety of purposes, including tissue engineering. More specifically, the present invention relates to the use of fused crystals, such as fused salt crystals to form a framework. The methods for producing the scaffolds of this invention improve the porosity, interconnectivity and ease of manufacture as compared to prior art methods.

Abstract: A method for imaging objects in a highly scattering turbid medium comprises: using a group of sources and detectors to generate a plurality of emergent energy waves from the medium, determining the intensity data of the emergent energy waves and processing the intensity data by using an image reconstruction algorithm. Arrangement of sources-detectors may be in parallel (transmission and/or backscattering) geometry or in cylinder geometry. The reconstruction algorithm is a novel hybrid dual Fourier tomographic algorithm for a fast 3D image reconstruction. The forward models are the radiative transfer model based on the cumulant solution of the radiative transfer equation or the diffusion model based on the approximate diffusion equation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transdermal drug delivery system which comprises: a therapeutically effective amount of a hormone; at least one dermal penetration enhancer, which is a safe skin-tolerant ester sunscreen ester; and at least one volatile liquid.

Abstract: Carriers for drug delivery, methods of making such carriers and for associating them to drugs, the resulting carrier and drug combination and methods for drug delivery, particularly controlled or sustained release delivery, using such carrier and drug combinations.

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus is disclosed that includes an injection mold, a mold injector, and means for monitoring the injection mold process using acoustic energy. The injection mold includes a cavity for receiving an injection mold material, such as a polymer as injected via the mold injector. The monitoring system includes an acoustic energy generator, an ultrasonic crystal, and an energy monitoring device. The acoustic energy generator produces continuous acoustic energy to be non-invasively applied to the injection mold as the polymer is delivered into the mold. The energy monitoring device monitors changes in dynamic parameters of a resulting continuous resonant frequency established by the acoustic energy generator through the ultrasonic crystal. The ultrasonic crystal serves also as a transducer to receive an output signal from the mold to be delivered to the energy monitoring device.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a radio frequency magnetic field unit to generate a desired magnetic field. In one embodiment, the radio frequency magnetic field unit includes a first aperture that is substantially unobstructed and a second aperture contiguous to the first aperture. In an alternative embodiment, the radio frequency magnetic field unit includes a first side aperture, a second side aperture and one or more end apertures. In one embodiment of a method, a current element is removed from a radio frequency magnetic field unit to form a magnetic field unit having an aperture. In an alternative embodiment, two current elements located opposite from one another in a radio frequency magnetic field unit are removed to form a magnetic filed unit having a first side aperture and a second side aperture.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transdermal drug delivery system which comprises: a therapeutically effective amount of an analgesic; at least one dermal penetration enhancer, which is a safe skin-tolerant ester sunscreen ester; and at least one volatile liquid. The invention also provides a method for administering at least one systemic acting analgesic to an animal which comprises applying an effective amount of the analgesic in the form of the drug delivery system of the present invention.

Abstract: A method of improving the survival of neuronal cells has the steps of obtaining a frozen cellular composition comprising neuronal cells; thawing the cellular composition; and contacting the cellular composition with a balanced electrolyte solution including a lithium salt. One example of a lithium salt is lithium chloride. Also is provided a kit comprising a container of with a cellular composition comprising neuronal cells and a container of a diluent comprising a balanced electrolyte solution and a lithium salt.