Abstract: A hybrid antenna structure includes a dielectric substrate, a metal element, a ground element, a feeding radiation element, and a proximity sensor. The dielectric substrate has a first surface and a second surface which are opposite to each other. The metal element is disposed on the second surface of the dielectric substrate. The metal element has a slot. The ground element is disposed on the first surface of the dielectric substrate. The feeding radiation element is disposed on the first surface of the dielectric substrate. The feeding radiation element is coupled to a feeding point. The feeding radiation element is adjacent to the slot of the metal element. The proximity sensor is coupled to the metal element, such that the metal element is configured as the sensing pad of the proximity sensor.

Abstract: An antenna structure includes a metal mechanism element, a ground element, a first radiation element, a second radiation element, and a dielectric substrate. The metal mechanism element has a slot. The ground element is coupled to the metal mechanism element. The first radiation element is coupled to a feeding point. The first radiation element is also coupled to a grounding point on the ground element. The second radiation element is coupled to the feeding point. The second radiation element is adjacent to the first radiation element. The dielectric substrate is adjacent to the slot of the metal mechanism element. The ground element, the first radiation element, and the second radiation element are disposed on the dielectric substrate.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing and an antenna structure. The housing includes a first slot and a second slot. The first slot and the second slot extend along a same direction. The first slot has a first closed end and a second closed end. The second slot has a third closed end and an open end. The antenna structure is disposed in the housing. The antenna structure includes a grounding element, a first radiating element, and a second radiating element. The first radiating element has a first end and a second end, the first end is connected to the grounding element, and the second end is located between the third closed end and the open end. An orthogonal projection of the first radiating element that is projected onto the housing overlaps with and crosses on the first slot.

Abstract: An antenna structure includes a metal mechanism element, a ground element, a feeding radiation element, a connection radiation element, a shorting radiation element, a parasitic radiation element, and a dielectric substrate. The metal mechanism element has a slot. The feeding radiation element has a feeding point. The connection radiation element is coupled to the feeding radiation element. The connection radiation element is further coupled through the shorting radiation element to the ground element. The parasitic radiation element is coupled to the ground element. The parasitic radiation element is disposed between the feeding radiation element and the shorting radiation element. The dielectric substrate is adjacent to the slot of the metal mechanism element. The feeding radiation element, the connection radiation element, the shorting radiation element, and the parasitic radiation element are all disposed on the dielectric substrate.

Abstract: This invention generally relates to a method for developing, generating and selecting human embryonic stem (hES)-like pluripotent cells using transgenic expression of intronic microRNA-like RNA agents. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and composition for generating a non-naturally occurring intron and its intronic components capable of being processed into mir-302-like RNA molecules in mammalian cells and thus inducing certain specific gene silencing effects on differentiation-related and fate-determinant genes of the cells, resulting in reprogramming the cells into a pluripotent embryonic stem (ES)-cell-like state. The ES-like cells so obtained are strongly express hES cell markers, such as Oct3/4, SSEA-3 and SSEA-4, and can be guided into various tissue cell types by treating certain hormones and/or growth factors under a feeder-free cell culture condition in vitro, which may be used for transplantation and gene therapies.

Abstract: An isolated RNA comprising an intron RNA that is released in a cell, thereby modulating the function of a target gene. Also disclosed are a composition comprising a chemokine and an isolated RNA of the invention or a DNA template for the isolated RNA, a composition comprising one or more agents that induce RNA-mediated modulation of the functions of two or more target genes in a cell, and methods of using these compositions for modulating the functions of genes in a cell.

Abstract: Patterns of microRNA (miRNA) expression are correlated to the degrees of tumor cell differentiation in human prostate cancer. MiRNAs can complementarily bind to either oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, resulting in targeted gene silencing and thus changes of cellular tumorigenecity. Using miRNA microarray analysis, 8 down-regulated and 3 up-regulated known miRNAs in androgen-independent human prostate cancer cell lines, such as LNCaP C4-2B and PC3, compared to those androgen-dependent cell lines, such as LNCaP and PC3-AR9 were consistently detected. Fluorescent in-situ hybridization assays in human prostate cancer tissue arrays containing sixty patients at different stages also showed the same miRNA expression patterns in hormone-refractory prostate carcinomas (HRPC) compared to androgen-sensitive non-cancerous prostate epithelium. In-vitro tumorigenecity assays using one of the identified miRNAs, mir-146a, were performed to provide validation of its function in prostate cancer.

Abstract: An isolated RNA comprising an intron RNA that is released in a cell, thereby modulating the function of a target gene. Also disclosed are a composition comprising a chemokine and an isolated RNA of the invention or a DNA template for the isolated RNA, a composition comprising one or more agents that induce RNA-mediated modulation of the functions of two or more target genes in a cell, and methods of using these compositions for modulating the functions of genes in a cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to isolated nucleic acids comprising mir-302 genes. Also disclosed are expression vectors, host cells, and transgenic animals containing the nucleic acids, and use of the nucleic acids to generate ES-like cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel compositions and methods for suppressing the function or activity of a targeted gene through a novel intracellular piRNA-mediated RNAi mechanism, using RNA-DNA duplex constructs. The invention further provides novel methods and compositions for generating or producing RNA-DNA duplex agents, whose quantity is high enough to be used for the invention's gene silencing transfection and possibly in therapeutics applications. This improved RNA-polymerase chain reaction (RNA-PCR) method utilizes thermocycling steps of promoter-linked DNA or RNA template synthesis, in vitro transcription and then reverse transcription to bring up the amount of RNA-DNA duplexes up to two thousand folds within one round of the above procedure for using in D-RNAi-directed gene silencing.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel compositions and methods for suppressing the function or activity of a targeted gene through a novel intracellular piRNA-mediated RNAi mechanism, using RNA-DNA duplex constructs. The invention further provides novel methods and compositions for generating or producing RNA-DNA duplex agents, whose quantity is high enough to be used for the invention's gene silencing transfection and possibly in therapeutics applications. This improved RNA-polymerase chain reaction (RNA-PCR) method utilizes thermocycling steps of promoter-linked DNA or RNA template synthesis, in vitro transcription and then reverse transcription to bring up the amount of RNA-DNA duplexes up to two thousand folds within one round of the above procedure for using in D-RNAi-directed gene silencing.

Abstract: Patterns of microRNA (miRNA) expression are correlated to the degrees of tumor cell differentiation in human prostate cancer. MiRNAs can complementarily bind to either oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, resulting in targeted gene silencing and thus changes of cellular tumorigenecity. Using miRNA microarray analysis, 8 down-regulated and 3 up-regulated known miRNAs in androgen-independent human prostate cancer cell lines, such as LNCaP C4-2B and PC3, compared to those androgen-dependent cell lines, such as LNCaP and PC3-AR9 were consistently detected. Fluorescent in-situ hybridization assays in human prostate cancer tissue arrays containing sixty patients at different stages also showed the same miRNA expression patterns in hormone-refractory prostate carcinomas (HRPC) compared to androgen-sensitive non-cancerous prostate epithelium. In-vitro tumorigenecity assays using one of the identified miRNAs, mir-146a, were performed to provide validation of its function in prostate cancer.

Abstract: This invention generally relates to a method for developing, generating and selecting human embryonic stem (hES)-like pluripotent cells using transgenic expression of intronic microRNA-like RNA agents. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and composition for generating a non-naturally occurring intron and its intronic components capable of being processed into mir-302-like RNA molecules in mammalian cells and thus inducing certain specific gene silencing effects on differentiation-related and fate-determinant genes of the cells, resulting in reprogramming the cells into a pluripotent embryonic stem (ES)-cell-like state. The ES-like cells so obtained are strongly express hES cell markers, such as Oct3/4, SSEA-3 and SSEA-4, and can be guided into various tissue cell types by treating certain hormones and/or growth factors under a feeder-free cell culture condition in vitro, which may be used for transplantation and gene therapies.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel compositions and methods for suppressing the function or activity of a targeted gene through a novel intracellular piRNA-mediated RNAi mechanism, using RNA-DNA duplex constructs. The invention further provides novel methods and compositions for generating or producing RNA-DNA duplex agents, whose quantity is high enough to be used for the invention's gene silencing transfection and possibly in therapeutics applications. This improved RNA-polymerase chain reaction (RNA-PCR) method utilizes thermocycling steps of promoter-linked DNA or RNA template synthesis, in vitro transcription and then reverse transcription to bring up the amount of RNA-DNA duplexes up to two thousand folds within one round of the above procedure for using in D-RNAi-directed gene silencing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and composition for generating an artificial intron and its components capable of producing microRNA (miRNA) molecules and thus inducing specific gene silencing effects through intracellular RNA interference (RNAi) mechanisms, and the relative utilization thereof. The miRNA-producing intron so generated is not only useful for delivering desired miRNA function into the intron-mediated transgenic organisms or cells but also useful for suppressing unwanted gene function in the transgenic organisms or cells thereof. Furthermore, the derivative products of this novel man-made miRNA-producing intron have utilities in probing gene functions, validating drug targets, generating transgenic animals and gene-modified plants, developing anti-viral vaccines and treating as well preventing gene-related diseases (gene therapy).

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of immobilizing proteins onto a support, using a cellular expression system or a cell-free expression system, to attach a ligand to the C-terminus of the protein, by an intein-mediated or a puromycin-mediated approach. A method for improving the efficiency of intein-mediated ligand attachment is also provided. The methods of the present invention are useful in the preparation of protein microarrays.

Abstract: An in vivo method for labelling a protein having an N-terminal cysteine is disclosed. A probe comprising a thioester group and a detectable label is introduced into a cell expressing the N-terminal cysteine protein, allowing for the N-terminal cysteine to cleave the thioester bond and resulting in the label being covalently attached to the N-terminus of the protein by an amide bond.

Abstract: An isolated RNA comprising an intron RNA that is released in a cell, thereby modulating the function of a target gene. Also disclosed are a composition comprising a chemokine and an isolated RNA of the invention or a DNA template for the isolated RNA, a composition comprising one or more agents that induce RNA-mediated modulation of the functions of two or more target genes in a cell, and methods of using these compositions for modulating the functions of genes in a cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for generating a recombinant gene composition, which is able to elicit specific gene silencing effects through RNA splicing and/or processing mechanisms, and the relative utilization thereof. The recombinant gene molecule so generated is useful not only for delivering desirable gene function into the transfected cells thereof but also for suppressing undesirable gene function in the transfected cells, respectively or simultaneously. Furthermore, the derivative products of this novel recombinant gene have multiple utilities in probing gene function, validating drug target, and treating as well as preventing gene-related diseases.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fast, simple and reliable polymerase thermocycling reaction procedure for the linear amplification of nucleic acid sequences from cellular RNAs or genomes or both. The principle of this polymerase thermocycling reaction method relies upon the thermal cycling steps of promoter-linked nucleic acid template synthesis and in-vitro transcriptional amplification to bring up the amount of desired nucleic acid sequences up to two thousand fold within one cycle of the above procedure. Neither RNase H activity nor alkaline degradation is used in order to protect the RNA sequences of resulting amplified products which are ready for further applications, such as genechip/microarray analysis, in-vitro translation reaction and induction of RNA interference. Without the preferential amplification drawback of PCR/RT-PCR methods, the accuracy and resolution of current molecular biology analysis and diagnosis can be significantly improved by the present invention.