Abstract: Methods and apparatus for method for characterizing a height profile of a scattering surface relative to a fiducial plane. The scattering surface, which may be an interface between distinct solid, liquid, gaseous or plasma phases, is illuminated with substantially spatially coherent light, and light scattered by the scattering surface is collected and dispersed, such as by a grating, into zeroth- and first-order beams. A spatial Fourier transform of the zeroth- and first-order beams is created, and one of the beams is low-pass filtered. The beams are interfered at a focal plane detector to generate an interferogram, which is transformed to retrieve a spatially resolved quantitative phase image and/or an amplitude image of the scattering surface. Imaging may be performed during an etching process, and may be used to adaptively control a photoetching process in a feedback loop.

Abstract: Acyclic CB[n]-type compounds, methods of making such compounds, and uses of the compounds. For example, these compounds can be used as nanocontainers to solubilize pharmaceutical agents. Also provided are compositions and methods of using them for therapy or prophylaxis of a wide variety of conditions for which therapy or prophylaxis is desirable.

Abstract: The present invention concerns compositions and methods of extracting infectious pathogens from a volume of blood. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of creating a fibrin aggregate confining the pathogens and introducing a fibrin lysis reagent to expose the pathogens for analysis. The present invention also concerns materials and methods for removing aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) from a sample.

Abstract: The present application discloses strategies to recruit and mobilize stem cells using S1P receptor selective agonists and antagonists as wells as regulators of chemokine receptors. In an in vivo ischemic model, S1P1/S1P3 activation with FTY720 impeded inflammatory cell infiltration and recruited endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) with the potential to increase microvascular remodeling. S1P3 expression on marrow-derived cells was essential for this remodeling. Concurrent systemic S1P3 and CXCR4 antagonism mobilized hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) with the ability to engraft and repopulate blood cells. Pre-treatment of donor HSCs with FTY720 increased homing toward SDF-1 and improved engraftment in marrow. FTY720-coated bone allografts coupled with systemic administration of VPC01091 enhanced bone allograft integration and new bone formation in bone defects. MSCs pre-treated with FTY720 exhibited increased migration toward SDF-1, a CXCR4+ ligand.

Abstract: Crude bio-based organic acid-producing feedstock is used to produce a bio-based organic acid. Related systems and methods are also described such as an integrated method including a step of producing a crude polyol product and then processing the crude polyol product to produce a bio-based organic acid.

Abstract: There is provided a new use of protein hydrolysates and peptide derived from seahorses for preventing or treating a neurodegenerative disease, and more particularly a composition and health functional foods for preventing or treating a neurodegenerative disease including seahorse protein hydrolysates or peptide isolated and purified from the same as an effective component.

Abstract: An electrical connecting element, a method of fabricating the same, and an electrical connecting structure comprising the same are disclosed. The method of fabricating the electrical connecting structure having twinned copper of the present invention comprises steps of: (A) providing a first substrate; (B) forming a nano-twinned copper layer on part of a surface of the first substrate; (C) forming a solder on the nano-twinned copper layer of the first substrate; and (D) reflowing the nano-twinned Cu layer and solder to produce a solder joint, wherein at least part of the solder reacts with the nano-twinned copper layer to produce an intermetallic compound (IMC) layer which comprises a Cu3Sn layer, This invention reduces the voids formation in the interface between the intermetallic compound and the solder, and then enhances the reliability of solder joints.

Abstract: The portable workstation includes a portable housing and a plurality of office modules disposed therein. The office modules include a computer module, a scanner module, printer module and a projector module. The computer module is the main interface for operating the other modules. A plurality of fans are disposed at the rear of the housing to cool the interior of the housing by expelling heated air generated by the different modules during use. The fans and all the modules are connected to a single rechargeable battery module. The various modules contained in the housing provide the user with all the necessary tools to perform any task at any locale.

Abstract: A presence determination system comprising at least one motion sensor for detecting movement in a sensing area. The system is adapted to determine a plurality of properties associated with at least one movement detected by the at least one sensor preceding a period where no motion is detected by the at least one sensor. The plurality of properties of the movement(s) detected before the period where no movement is detected are compared with a profile in order to determine whether or not the sensing area is unoccupied. The profile may be representative of movement properties indicative of exiting a room.

Abstract: Compounds and pharmaceutical compositions are contemplated that inhibit N-acyl-ethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase (NAAA) to so increase the concentration of the substrate of NAAA, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). NAAA inhibition is contemplated to be effective to alleviate conditions associated with a reduced concentration of PEA. Among other uses, various NAAA inhibitors are especially contemplated as therapeutic agents in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Abstract: A head-mounted pointing device is disclosed, and can be used for example for surgical training. The pointing device includes a frame or harness assembly made from a circumferential headband and a cross strap that extends over the user's (i.e. trainers) head. A laser pointer is mounted on one side of the circumferential headband, and a battery pack is provided to power the laser pointer. An user-operated pneumatically controlled switch is used to toggle the laser pointer. By moving the user's head and by activating the switch to engage the laser pointer, the trainer can point to a given target, such as material to be surgically excised from the patient during a surgical procedure.

Abstract: The invention comprises two key components: dielectrophoresis (DEP) and reversible binding surfaces. DEP has become an important tool for trapping dielectric particles. Moreover, DEP can manipulate cell movement as dictated by the intrinsic dielectric constant of the cell without modification. DEP therefore provides a mechanism by which to force targets in a flow channel to a reversible binding surface. By building selectivity into the binding surface, the capacity to choose which targets can be held after the dielectric field is turned off, providing a separation strategy that does not suffer from fouling issues, as large foulants can freely pass over the surface through the flow channel.

Abstract: This invention provides novel azido linkers for deoxynucleotide analogues having a detectable marker attached thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a possibility of return of spontaneous circulation, includes: an electrocardiogram acquiring unit acquiring electrocardiogram waveform data from a subject in a cardiac arrest condition during chest compression applied to the subject; a bandpass filter unit allowing only a frequency component in a vicinity of a frequency of a P wave of the electrocardiogram waveform to pass through the bandpass filter unit; a resuscitation possibility determining unit determining whether an output of the bandpass filter unit exceeds a predetermined value or not, and determining that there is the possibility of return of spontaneous circulation when the output exceeds the predetermined value; and an outputting unit outputting a result of determination related to the possibility of return of spontaneous circulation.

Abstract: The canonical Wnt signaling pathway is implicated in many disorders including neural tube defects, limb malformations, and heart defects, developmental disorders associated with alcohol exposure (fetal alcohol syndrome) or exposure to bipolar medications (i.e. lithium), wound healing, and Alzheimer's disease. Elevated plasma homocysteine (HCy), which results from folate (folic acid, FA) deficiency, the mood-stabilizing drug lithium (Li), and alcohol (ethanol) are linked to the induction of human congenital heart and neural tube defects. FA supplementation ameliorates the observed developmental errors in the Li-HCy, or alcohol-exposed mouse embryos and normalized heart function. Li, HCy or Wnt3A suppress Wnt-modulated Hex and Islet-1 expression. FA protects from the gene misexpression that is induced by all three factors. Administration of myo-inositol with FA synergistically enhances the protective effect.

Abstract: A method for making an orthopaedic implant, the method comprising: characterizing at least a portion of a bone corresponding to the bone to be replaced, said corresponding bone being on the contralateral side of the patient; providing a model of the orthopaedic implant based on a mirror image of the contralateral bone; and forming the orthopaedic implant based on the model.

Abstract: A judgment unit judges the pass/fail of DUTs. A power supply circuit has changeable characteristics, and supplies a power supply signal to the DUTs. A condition setting unit performs a pilot test before a main test for the DUTs, and acquires a test condition to be used in the main test. The condition setting unit executes: (a) measuring a first device characteristic value for each of multiple pilot samples sampled from among the DUTs while emulating a power supply characteristic close to what is used in a user environment in which the DUT is actually used; (b) measuring a predetermined second device characteristic value for each of the multiple pilot sample devices while emulating a power supply characteristic close to what is used in a tester environment in which the main test is performed; and (c) determining the test condition based on the first and second device characteristic values.

Abstract: A method of forming composite materials includes mixing a first metal precursor with a chelating agent to form a first metal-chelate complex. The first metal-chelate complex is added to a polymer binder having terminating hydroxyl groups to form a polymer binder-first metal-chelate. The polymer binder first metal-chelate complex is mixed with an aluminum precursor. The aluminum precursor decomposes forming aluminum nanoparticles dispersed in a continuous phase material having metallic aluminum cores. At least one of the first metal-chelate complex and the first metal is dissolved in the continuous phase. The aluminum nanoparticles can have a passivating coating layer thereon provided by the polymer binder, or can have a passivating coating layer formed by including an epoxide, alcohol, carboxylic acid, or amine in the adding that forms passivating compound(s) which add further protection that can provide complete protection from oxidation of the metallic aluminum cores by air.

Abstract: There is provided a recombinant bacterium comprising at least one overexpressed acyl-ACP thioesterase gene, and wherein at least one gene from the tricarboxylic acid cycle or glycolysis or both is inactivated. There is also provided a method for producing fatty acids, said method comprising culturing bacteria comprising at least one overexpressed acyl-ACP thioesterase gene in a growth medium in a container having walls; allowing said bacteria to secrete fatty acids; and collecting said fatty acids. Acid supplementation is also shown to increase productivity.

Abstract: An epitaxial structure is provided. The epitaxial structure includes a substrate, an first epitaxial layer, a second epitaxial layer, a first carbon nanotube layer and a second carbon nanotube layer. The first epitaxial layer is located on the substrate. The first carbon nanotube layer is located between the substrate and the first epitaxial layer. The second epitaxial layer is located on the first epitaxial layer. The second carbon nanotube layer is located between the first epitaxial layer and the second epitaxial layer.