Abstract: Derivatives of plumbagin can be selectively cytotoxic to breast cancer cells. Derivative ‘A’ (Acetyl Plumbagin) has emerged as a lead molecule for testing against estrogen positive breast cancer and has shown low hepatotoxicity as well as overall lower toxicity in nude mice model. The toxicity of derivative ‘A’ was determined to be even lower than vehicle control (ALT and AST markers). The possible mechanism of action identified based on the microarray experiments and pathway mapping shows that derivative ‘A’ could be acting by altering the cholesterol-related mechanisms. The low toxicity profile of derivative ‘A’ highlights its possible role'as future anti-cancer drug and/or as an adjuvant drug to reduce the toxicity of highly toxic chemotherapeutic'drugs.

Abstract: Methods and systems of operating a support structure and beam shaping mechanism in a manner that compensates for motion patterns exhibited by a patient, promotes comfort of the patient, and optimizes accuracy of delivery of radiotherapy to a targeted location within the patient. The support structure can be a treatment table or couch and the beam shaping mechanism can be a multi-leaf collimator (MLC), and/or an MLC-bank/-carriage. The control system can utilize algorithms for predicting tumor motion and loading condition on the table/couch during radiation therapy.

Abstract: A booster circuit is configured, such that: in response to a reading request for reading data from a flash memory, when a voltage of an output terminal detected by a voltage detection circuit is not higher than a voltage, an oscillator outputs a control clock signal of predetermined on time and off time to a transistor of a boost converter to perform switching control of the transistor; and when the voltage detection circuit detects that the voltage of the output terminal reaches a voltage, an oscillator outputs a control clock signal of an on time and an off time input from a selection circuit to a transistor of a boost converter to perform switching control of the transistor.

Abstract: A microfluidic device for a confocal fluorescence detection system has an input channel defined by a body of the microfluidic device, a sample concentration section defined by the body of the microfluidic device and in fluid connection with the input channel, a mixing section defined by the body of the microfluidic device and in fluid connection with the concentration section, and a detection region that is at least partially transparent to illumination light of the confocal fluorescence detection system and at least partially transparent to fluorescent light when emitted from a sample under observation as the sample flows through the detection region.

Abstract: Provided herein are peptide combinations comprising a GIP agonist peptide and a glucagon antagonist peptide. In some embodiments, the peptide combination is provided as a composition, e.g., a pharmaceutical composition, while in other embodiments, the peptide combination is provided as a kit. In yet other embodiments, the peptide combination is provided as a conjugate, e.g., a fusion peptide, a heterodimer. In specific aspects, the GIP agonist peptide is an analog of native human glucagon. In specific aspects, the glucagon antagonist peptide is an analog of native human glucagon. In some embodiments, the GIP agonist peptide is covalently attached to the glucagon antagonist peptide via a linker. Method of treating a disease, e.g., a metabolic disorder, such as diabetes and obesity, comprising administering the peptide compositions described herein are further provided.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods and compositions for treating or ameliorating a condition associated with increased or decreased myofibroblast activities and use thereof

Abstract: Provided are peptide analogues of PA-IL and compositions containing them. The PA-IL peptide analogues have altered carbohydrate binding specificity relative to a PA-IL of SEQ ID NO:1, and thus the analogues contain amino acid substitutions in SEQ ID NO:1. The substitutions can be at positions 50, 52 and 53 of SEQ ID NO:1 and can include combinations of amino acid substitutions at those positions Also included are methods for detecting changes in the glycosylation of carbohydrates and for separating biomolecules which contain glycoproteins or glycoconjugates.

Abstract: Disclosed are hierarchically porous carbon materials with a plurality of discreet nanoparticles dispersed on their carbon phase. The materials possess a continuous network of pores that spans the porous material, permitting the flow of fluids into and through the material. The porous materials can be used as heterogeneous catalysts.

Abstract: Porphyrinic compounds that contain solubilizing groups are described, along with methods of making and using the same and compositions comprising such compounds. Examples of such compounds include compounds of Formula I: wherein: Z is a porphyrinic macrocycle, Alk1 and Alk2 are each independently an alkylidene chain; L is a linking group or is absent; R1 is preferably an ionic group or polar group; R2 is an ionic group, polar group, bioconjugatable group, or targeting group; R3 is present or absent and when present is a halo group, bioconjugatable group, or targeting group, n is O or 1 (that is, the CH group is present, or Alk1 and Alk2 are bonded directly to a carbon of the porphyrinic macrocycle Z); or a salt thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for selecting a processor clock speed and a wireless network are disclosed. The method for selecting a processing speed of a processor and/or a wireless network to be connected in a User Equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system includes detecting states of a processor-related queue and a network module-related queue, and selecting a processing speed of the processor-related queue and/or a wireless network to be connected, based on the detected states of the processor-related queue and the network module-related queue and power consumptions of a processor and a network module. The processing speed of the processor-related queue and/or the wireless network to be connected are selected to keep a difference between a length of the processor-related queue and a length of the network module-related queue at a predetermined value and minimize the power consumptions of the processor and the network module.

Abstract: The present invention is a composite encapsulating material which consists of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, yttrium oxide and zinc oxide and has glass transition temperature between 694° C. and 833° C. as well as expansion coefficient between 7.0 and 8.5×10?6/° C. The ratio of the number of moles of silicon dioxide plus aluminum oxide (yttrium oxide or zinc oxide) to the total number of moles is 41.88˜62.22% (10.48˜26.67% or 11.11˜47.64%); the ratio of the number of moles of aluminum oxide to the total number of moles is 5.23˜17.78%. The ratios of aluminum oxide to silicon dioxide, yttrium oxide to silicon dioxide, and zinc oxide to silicon dioxide are 0.14˜0.40, 0.29˜0.60, and 0.25˜1.30, respectively.

Abstract: Models for simulating traumatic brain injury provide analogues for studying similar occurrences in humans. Such models may include inserting a subject into a sheath. While in the sheath, the subject may be placed on a pad beneath an impactor. The head of the subject may be impacted by the impactor, whereby the head of the subject moves into the pad. Methods may further include attaching a helmet to the head of the subject. An arm of an impact device may be connected to a handle of the helmet, such that the head of the subject is restrained relative to the impact device. While advancing the impactor, the arm may be disconnected from the handle, such that the head of the subject becomes unrestrained relative to the impact device and moves into the pad in response to the impacting.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to nanoparticles carrying nucleic acid cassettes for expressing RNA. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to improved methods for targeted delivery and expression of siRNAs in vivo using DNA-based siRNA-expressing nanocassettes and receptor-targeted nanoparticles. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of targeted delivery of survivin siRNA expressing nanocassettes which enhance sensitivity of human cancer cells to anticancer agents.

Abstract: The invention provides novel oligonucleotides and methods of using the same for detection or measurement of specific nucleic acid molecules. The invention also features nucleic acid arrays comprising the oligonucleotides of the invention. An oligonucleotide of the invention comprises (1) a reporter-binding sequence capable of hybridizing to a fluorrophore-labeled reporter sequence and (2) a hairpin-forming sequence capable of forming a stem-loop. Formation of the stem-loop modifies (e.g., quenching) the fluorescence signals of the reporter sequence when the reporter sequence is hybridized to the oligonucleotide. This can be achieved, for example, by bringing one or more guanine based in the oligonucleotide into close proximity to the fluorophore(s) of the reporter sequence by virtue of the formation of the stem-loop. Disruption of the stem-loop, such as by hybridization of a target sequence to at least part of the hairpin-forming sequence, produces a detectable change in the fluorescence signals.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition and related methods for delivering cargo to a mitochondria which includes (a) a membrane active peptidyl fragment having a high affinity with the mitochondria and (b) cargo. The cargo may be selected from a wide variety of desired cargoes which are to be delivered to the mitochondria for a specific purpose. Compositions and methods are disclosed for treating an illness that is caused or associated with cellular damage or dysfunction which is caused by excessive mitochondrial production of reaction oxygen species (ROS). Compositions which act as mitochondria-selective targeting agents using the structural signaling of the ?-turn recognizable by cells as mitochondria) targeting sequences are discussed. Mitochondria and cell death by way of apoptosis is inhibited as a result of the ROS-scavenging activity, thereby increasing the survival rate of the patient.

Abstract: A three-dimensional nanobattery formed by individually wiring nanostructured electrodes and combining them with an electrolyte. Short, capped nanotubes termed ‘nanobaskets’ are formed by sputtering coating onto nanoporous templates. Metallic nanowires are grown by electrochemical deposition from the nanobaskets and through the template, making electrical contact with each nanobasket electrode. The same procedure can be used to fabricate both a battery anode and a battery cathode. A thin layer of electrolyte is placed between the two nanobasket electrodes, and electrical contact is made through the nanowires.

Abstract: Technologies are generally described for systems and methods for detecting chiral properties of materials and separating materials based on their chiral properties. A chiral vector is constructed from anisotropy properties of a polarization-dependent output signal from a sample. Different types of molecules from the sample can be differentiated based on a magnitude of the chiral vector. Chiral properties of the sample can be detected based on an angle of the chiral vector. The output signal can be a fluorescent emission from the sample and can be used to detect chiral properties of a substantially opaque sample.

Abstract: An incandescent light source display includes a container and a number of incandescent light sources. The incandescent light sources are located in the container. Each of the incandescent light sources includes a first electrode, a second electrode and an incandescent element. The second electrode is spaced from the first electrode. The incandescent element is electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode. The incandescent element includes a carbon nanotube structure.

Abstract: The invention provides a two-dimensional run-length limited (RLL) (1,3) code method and apparatus. The codec comprises an encoder and a decoder comprising a data buffer and grouping module, a two-dimensional code word generating module, a two-dimensional word unit page constructing module, a two-dimensional code word write array module, and a protection word stuffing module. The five modules are sequentially connected, and send output through the protection word stuffing module to a two-dimensional data recording device. The decoder comprises a two-dimensional data buffer module, a two-dimensional word unit page constructing module, a one-dimensional data word decoding module, and a one-dimensional data stream assembly module. The five modules are sequentially connected, and send output through the one-dimensional data stream assembly module.

Abstract: Methods and apparati for performing measurements of electrical signals in a multi-compartmented fluidic array format where the signal to noise ratio is improved are disclosed.