Abstract: A sparse DOA estimation is based on a multi-level prime arrays (MLPAs) as a general structure for coprime arrays. The array uses multiple uniform subarrays “or levels” where the number of antenna elements of the subarrays are pairwise coprime integers. The subarrays overlap only at their first antenna element by adjusting the inter-element spacing. By selecting the number of antennas of the subarrays and controlling the inter-element spacing, various MLPAs of different features can be constructed. The configuration that realizes the maximum number of unique lags is recommended because the DOF is upper bounded by the number of lags.

Abstract: A method to produce 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from C6 carbohydrates. The method includes the steps of reacting a reactant comprising at least one C6 carbohydrate, in a reaction mixture comprising at least about 5% (v/v) water, a polar, aprotic solvent, and an acid, for a time, at a temperature, and at a hydrogen ion concentration wherein at least a portion of the C6 carbohydrate present in the reactant is converted to 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (“HMF”).

Abstract: A composition includes a sea cucumber and ginseng/red ginseng composite extract which has the effect of regenerating the Bruch's membrane of the eye and improving the transport function of the Bruch's membrane. The composite composition improves the transport function of the Bruch's membrane and eliminates lipids accumulated on the membrane to promote the regeneration of the Bruch's membrane, thereby showing the effect of delaying or reversing the senescence process of the eye. Further, the composition is highly preventive or therapeutic of various diseases attributed to a decrease in the function of the Bruch's membrane with age, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and can solve the problem associated with the eye health maintenance of ordinary persons and with the transport reduction, resulting from senescence, of vitamins, metals, and anti-oxidative materials.

Abstract: A method of treating a tubular medical device with a biomolecule comprises the steps of: a) providing a polyolefin tubular substrate forming a tubular medical device; b) cleaning the tubular polyolefin substrate; c) exposing the tubular polyolefin substrate to a reactive gas containing at least one of acrylic acid and siloxane and to plasma energy to yield a plasma-deposited coating on at least one surface of the tubular polyolefin substrate; and d) attaching a biomolecule to the polyolefin substrate following formation of the plasma-deposited coating on at least one surface of the tubular polyolefin substrate, and wherein the biomolecule is at least one of an antibacterial agent, antimicrobial agent, anticoagulant, heparin, antithrombotic agent, platelet agent, anti-inflammatory, enzyme, catalyst, hormone, growth factor, drug, vitamin, antibody, antigen, protein, nucleic acid, dye, a DNA segment, an RNA segment, protein, and peptide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition for preventing and treating a Bruch's membrane dysfunction-associated disease, which includes a sea cucumber extract as an active ingredient, and more particularly, to a composition for preventing and treating a Bruch's membrane dysfunction-associated disease, which includes a sea cucumber extract having effects of regenerating the Bruch's membrane of an eye and improving a transport function. The composition according to the present invention improves the transport function of the Bruch's membrane and promotes the regeneration of the Bruch's membrane, thereby delaying or reversing an eye aging process, and thus has excellent effects on the prevention and treatment of a disease such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Sorsby's fundus dystrophy, Malattia Levintanese (ML), Stargardt disease, Best's vitelliform retinal dystrophy and Doyne's honeycomb retinal dystrophy (DHRD), which occurs due to the age-related dysfunction of the Bruch's membrane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vascularized three dimensional construct for thick tissue, a process for making the construct and to the use of the construct in tissue regeneration and repair and in drug development. The three-dimensional (3-D) tissue technology is used to generate vascularized, biomimetic tissue models in vitro utilizing a biodegradable nanofiber scaffold. The culture system allows the maintenance of long-term survival and function of liver and heart cells. The system utilizes a novel approach to generate structures that mimic in vivo tissue architecture. The system provides a microenvironment for forming 3-D microvascular networks within the nanofiber scaffolds.

Abstract: A method of treating a tubular medical device with a biomolecule comprises the steps of: a) providing a polyolefin tubular substrate forming a tubular medical device; b) cleaning the tubular polyolefin substrate; c) exposing the tubular polyolefin substrate to a reactive gas containing at least one of acrylic acid and siloxane and to plasma energy to yield a plasma-deposited coating on at least one surface of the tubular polyolefin substrate; and d) attaching a biomolecule to the polyolefin substrate following formation of the plasma-deposited coating on at least one surface of the tubular polyolefin substrate, and wherein the biomolecule is at least one of an antibacterial agent, antimicrobial agent, anticoagulant, heparin, antithrombotic agent, platelet agent, anti-inflammatory, enzyme, catalyst, hormone, growth factor, drug, vitamin, antibody, antigen, protein, nucleic acid, dye, a DNA segment, an RNA segment, protein, and peptide.

Abstract: A method of preparing a crosslinked, collagen-based wound care dressing is provided, comprising: (a) immersing a sample of fibrous and/or non-fibrous collagen in a buffered acidic, aqueous solution comprising an alcohol; (b) contacting the collagen in solution with a catalytic component comprising 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]carbodiimide hydrochloride for a time at least sufficient to effect reaction between amino and carboxyl groups present on the collagen and to yield crosslinked collagen that is resistant to pronase degradation; and (c) drying the crosslinked collagen to yield a porous, crosslinked collagen article wherein the porous, crosslinked collagen article demonstrates a pore size of 10-500 microns. Also provided are bioactive collagen medical scaffolds for hernia repair prosthetics and surgical incision closure members, prepared using the method above.

Abstract: A method of preparing a crosslinked, collagen-based medical scaffold is provided, comprising: (a) immersing a sample of fibrous and/or non-fibrous collagen in a buffered acidic, aqueous solution comprising an alcohol; (b) contacting the collagen in solution with a catalytic component comprising 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]carbodiimide hydrochloride for a time at least sufficient to effect reaction between amino and carboxyl groups present on the collagen and to yield crosslinked collagen that is resistant to pronase degradation; and (c) drying the crosslinked collagen to yield a porous, crosslinked collagen article wherein the porous, crosslinked collagen article demonstrates a pore size of 10-500 microns. Also provided are bioactive collagen medical scaffolds for wound care dressings, hernia repair prosthetics, and surgical incision closure members, prepared using the method above.

Abstract: A variety of medical devices including staples sutures and dental floss with surface treatment on at least one tissue-facing surface to improve biologic function such as to control tissue adhesion are disclosed including heparin surface treatment which provides heparin present in an amount to yield heparin bioactivity of at least one of i) an ATIII binding of at least 2 pmol/cm2, and ii) a thrombin deactivation of at least 0.2 IU/cm2; an acrylic surface treatment for coupling thereto of a heparin surface treatment, a collagen surface treatment or both; and an amino-functional polysiloxane surface treatment for coupling thereto of a heparin surface treatment.

Abstract: A method to produce an aqueous solution of carbohydrates containing C5- and/or C6-sugar-containing oligomers and/or C5- and/or C6-sugar monomers in which biomass or a biomass-derived reactant is reacted with a solvent system having an organic solvent, and organic co-solvent, and water, in the presence of an acid. The method produces the desired product, while a substantial portion of any lignin present in the reactant appears as a precipitate in the product mixture.

Abstract: A process to produce furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). The process includes the steps of reacting a C6 sugar-containing reactant in a reaction solution comprising a first organic solvent selected from the group consisting of beta-, gamma-, and delta-lactones, hydrofurans, hydropyrans, and combinations thereof, in the presence of an acid catalyst for a time and under conditions wherein at least a portion of the C6 sugar present in the reactant is converted to 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF); oxidizing the HMF into FDCA with or without separating the HMF from the reaction solution; and extracting the FDCA by adding an aprotic organic solvent having a dipole moment of about 1.0 D or less to the reaction solution.

Abstract: A method to produce an aqueous solution of carbohydrates containing C5- and/or C6-sugar-containing oligomers and/or C5- and/or C6-sugar monomers in which biomass or a biomass-derived reactant is reacted with a solvent system having an organic solvent, and organic co-solvent, and water, in the presence of an acid. The method produces the desired product, while a substantial portion of any lignin present in the reactant appears as a precipitate in the product mixture.

Abstract: A method of mitigating narrow band interference (NBI) in ultra wide band (UWB) systems operating around 10 GHz mitigates multiuser interference from IEEE 802.22 and WiMAX, wherein the multiuser interference interfers with both trained and blind UWB systems, with the trained UWB system using pilot symbol assisted modulation. The method passes a received UWB signal through a band pass filter (BPF), wherein the BPF is located at a UWB receiver and the UWB signal is a Hanning modulated pulse centered at 4 GHz frequency. The method further measures a plurality of test functions, determines a number of active users, notch filters NBI signals, based on the determined number of active users, passes the notch filtered signal through a quadratic programming algorithm, to perform joint decoding, estimates an arrival of a UWB payload, and demodulates the UWB payload, based on the estimated arrival of the UWB payload.

Abstract: The dynamically adjustable airfoil system for road vehicles includes a pair of airfoils having their respective inner ends pivotally mounted to a central, vertical base on the rear of a road vehicle. An airfoil lift assembly is coupled to an outer end of each airfoil and to a rear wheel suspension system to facilitate dynamic adjustable positioning of the airfoils in response to movements of the suspension system. A split flap is pivotally mounted to each airfoil. A split flap actuator assembly is mounted inside each airfoil and coupled to a corresponding split flap to selectively and independently open or close the respective split flap. Opening of the split flap to various angles increases downforce exerted on the rear suspension system for improved performance. A controller controls deployment and angular disposition of the split flaps, depending on driving conditions.

Abstract: The dynamically adjustable airfoil system for road vehicles includes a pair of airfoils having their respective inner ends pivotally mounted to a central, vertical base on the rear of a road vehicle. An airfoil lift assembly is coupled to an outer end of each airfoil and to a rear wheel suspension system to facilitate dynamic adjustable positioning of the airfoils in response to movements of the suspension system. A split flap is pivotally mounted to each airfoil. A split flap actuator assembly is mounted inside each airfoil and coupled to a corresponding split flap to selectively and independently open or close the respective split flap. Opening of the split flap to various angles increases downforce exerted on the rear suspension system for improved performance. A controller controls deployment and angular disposition of the split flaps, depending on driving conditions.

Abstract: A method of mitigating narrow band interference (NBI) in ultra wide band (UWB) systems operating around 10 GHz mitigates multiuser interference from IEEE 802.22 and WiMAX, wherein the multiuser interference interfers with both trained and blind UWB systems, with the trained UWB system using pilot symbol assisted modulation. The method passes a received UWB signal through a band pass filter (BPF), wherein the BPF is located at a UWB receiver and the UWB signal is a Hanning modulated pulse centered at 4 GHz frequency. The method further measures a plurality of test functions, determines a number of active users, notch filters NBI signals, based on the determined number of active users, passes the notch filtered signal through a quadratic programming algorithm, to perform joint decoding, estimates an arrival of a UWB payload, and demodulates the UWB payload, based on the estimated arrival of the UWB payload.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the treatment of heavy oils using a catalytic hydrotreating process. More specifically, the invention relates to the presence of light hydrocarbon components in conjunction with the heavy oils for improved treatment of the heavy oils utilizing moderate temperature and pressure.

Abstract: A method of mitigating narrow band interference (NBI) in ultra wide band (UWB) systems operating around 10 GHz mitigates multiuser interference from IEEE 802.22 and WiMAX, wherein the multiuser interference interferes with both trained and blind UWB systems, with the trained UWB system using pilot symbol assisted modulation. The method passes a received UWB signal through a band pass filter (BPF), wherein the BPF is located at a UWB receiver and the UWB signal is a Hanning modulated pulse centered at 4 GHz frequency. The method further measures a plurality of test functions, determines a number of active users, notch filters NBI signals, based on the determined number of active users, passes the notch filtered signal through a quadratic programming algorithm, to perform joint decoding, estimates an arrival of a UWB payload, and demodulates the UWB payload, based on the estimated arrival of the UWB payload.