Abstract: A controlled-release formulation containing diacerein or its analogs is provided. Also provided is a method of lowering blood levels of uric acid using this formulation.

Abstract: Methods for synthesis of thermoelectric materials are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of fabricating a thermoelectric material includes generating a plurality of nanoparticles from a starting material comprising one or more chalcogens and one or more transition metals; and consolidating the nanoparticles under elevated pressure and temperature, wherein the nanoparticles are heated and cooled at a controlled rate.

Abstract: An on-demand video delivery system, comprising: a program center having a content server for receiving and storing media signals representing humanly perceptible video programs and for converting the media signals into coded media data suitable for streaming over the Internet; and a plurality of delivery servers, each connected to the content server and the Internet for establishing an unicast link over the Internet with a respective one of a plurality of set top boxes (STBs) to deliver, upon request made from an STB for a video program, the requested video program by streaming over the Internet using Internet Protocol (IP).

Abstract: Provided is a non-invasive prenatal testing method based on whole-genome tendency scoring and adapted to test whether a pregnant woman's fetus has autosomal aneuploidy. The method includes: creating a database of mk values which equal the averages of length proportions of health persons' chromosome k; obtaining the pregnant woman's and her fetus' chromosomal data yk from the pregnant woman's plasma; obtaining p values by the ratio of the yk values to the mk values; and analyzing p values to determine whether the target chromosome has chromosome aneuploidy. The comparable data is increased and thus test accuracy is enhanced by comparing the p values and the p values in a database. Due to an abundance of comparable data, the method of the present invention is accurate even when performed in the first trimester, such that pregnant women can know as soon as possible whether their fetuses' chromosomes are normal.

Abstract: A voltage level control circuit controls a target slicing voltage level to slice a video signal by a target circuit. The voltage level control circuit includes a slicing circuit for sequentially slicing the video signal by a plurality of slicing voltage levels to correspondingly generate a plurality of first clock signals; a detection circuit for respectively detecting a plurality of phase differences between the first clock signals and a plurality of corresponding second clock signals to generate a plurality of detection signals; an oscillating circuit for generating the second clock signals according to the detection signals, respectively; and an adjusting circuit for determining whether to adjust the target slicing voltage level according to the detection signals corresponding to the slicing voltage levels.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for treating and/or preventing hyperuricemia or metabolic disorders associated with hyperuricemia comprising administering to a patient in need a therapeutically effective amount of diacerein, rhein, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, an analog, a prodrug, or an active metabolite thereof.

Abstract: Methods for treating abnormal glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in a patient in need thereof, wherein the provided methods comprise administering to a patient in need a therapeutically effective amount of an Interleukin-1? modulator. Also, the invention provides compositions comprising at least one lipid modifying agent and an IL-1? modulator.

Abstract: A method for intelligent antenna configuration selection of a communication apparatus including an antenna module including a plurality of antennas and a plurality of radio modules sharing the antenna module includes individually determining a preferred antenna configuration of the antenna module by each radio module; determining an optimum antenna configuration according to the preferred antenna configurations; and controlling a configuration of the antennas based on the optimum antenna configuration. The optimum antenna configuration is determined for a radio module having a highest priority among the radio modules to have an optimum radio communication performance.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an isolation structure of a semiconductor device includes the following steps. Firstly, a substrate including a first surface and a second surface is provided. At least one trench is formed in the first surface of the substrate. The trench has a sidewall and a bottom surface. Then, a first chemical vapor deposition process is performed to form a first isolation layer on the first surface of the substrate and the sidewall and the bottom surface of the trench. Then, an anisotropic surface treatment process is performed, so that a surface of the first isolation layer has differential surface chemical properties. Afterwards, a second chemical vapor deposition process is performed to form a second isolation layer on the first isolation layer with a surface having differential surface chemical properties.

Abstract: A mobile power supply with a data backup function and a data recovery method thereof are introduced. The mobile power supply supplies power to a portable electronic device installed with an Android operating system via a USB port. The mobile power supply copies a predetermined datum from the portable electronic device to a memory unit in the mobile power supply in conjunction with a control unit to perform first-stage data backup. Then, the USB port is electrically connected to a computer apparatus, such that the computer apparatus copies the predetermined datum from the memory unit to the computer apparatus while recharging the mobile power supply to perform second-stage data backup. Accordingly, the portable electronic device or the mobile power supply performs a data backup operation easily and quickly while being recharged.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of treating type II diabetes using combinations of diacerein or its derivatives with other antidiabetic agents. The methods may also allow improving glycemic control of type II diabetes patients and/or reducing side effects and/or cardiovascular risks of antidiabetic agents.

Abstract: Methods for synthesis of thermoelectric materials are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of fabricating a thermoelectric material includes generating a plurality of nanoparticles from a starting material comprising one or more chalcogens and one or more transition metals; and consolidating the nanoparticles under elevated pressure and temperature, wherein the nanoparticles are heated and cooled at a controlled rate.

Abstract: Various embodiments for data throttling are disclosed. One embodiment is a method performed by a mobile device for managing a voice call. The method comprises determining a voice call status. Based on the voice call status, a determination is made on whether at least one application executing on the mobile device is concurrently accessing data via the mobile device during an active call. In response to the occurrence of an active call and concurrent data access by the mobile device, the data access mode used by the mobile device for accessing the data is determined. Based on the determined data mode, data access by the at least one application is suppressed.

Abstract: A method of handling receive diversity of a mobile device in a wireless communication system for the mobile device is disclosed. The method comprises determining a plurality of corresponding conditions of a plurality of services supported by the mobile device; and controlling the receive diversity according to the plurality of corresponding conditions, for receiving data transmitted by a network of the wireless communication system.

Abstract: Various embodiments for data throttling are disclosed. One embodiment is a method performed by a mobile device for managing a voice call. The method comprises determining a voice call status. Based on the voice call status, a determination is made on whether at least one application executing on the mobile device is concurrently accessing data via the mobile device during an active call. In response to the occurrence of an active call and concurrent data access by the mobile device, the data access mode used by the mobile device for accessing the data is determined. Based on the determined data mode, data access by the at least one application is suppressed.

Abstract: Methods for treating abnormal glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in a patient in need thereof, wherein the provided methods comprise administering to a patient in need a therapeutically effective amount of an Interleukin-1? modulator. Also, the invention provides compositions comprising at least one lipid modifying agent and an IL-1? modulator.

Abstract: A data transmitting method for communicating one of a plurality of portable devices with a host computer via a data transmitting device having a plurality of USB connector is disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, the method includes the following steps: firstly, a switch circuit is configured in one of the portable devices. Then, the portable device having the switch circuit is coupled with the data transmitting device. Afterward, a data transmission path between the host computer and the portable device having the switch circuit is connected by the switch circuit to transmit data between the portable device having the switch circuit and the host computer, or the data transmission path between the USB connector, which is not connecting with the portable device having the switch circuit, and the host computer is connected by the switch circuit.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for treating and/or preventing hyperuricemia or metabolic disorders associated with hyperuricemia comprising administering to a patient in need a therapeutically effective amount of diacerein, rhein, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, an analog, a prodrug, or an active metabolite thereof.

Abstract: A voltage level control circuit controls a target slicing voltage level to slice a video signal by a target circuit. The voltage level control circuit includes a slicing circuit for sequentially slicing the video signal by a plurality of slicing voltage levels to correspondingly generate a plurality of first clock signals; a detection circuit for respectively detecting a plurality of phase differences between the first clock signals and a plurality of corresponding second clock signals to generate a plurality of detection signals; an oscillating circuit for generating the second clock signals according to the detection signals, respectively; and an adjusting circuit for determining whether to adjust the target slicing voltage level according to the detection signals corresponding to the slicing voltage levels.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of treating type II diabetes using combinations of diacerein or its derivatives with other antidiabetic agents. The methods may also allow improving glycemic control of type II diabetes patients and/or reducing side effects and/or cardiovascular risks of antidiabetic agents.