| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120130025 | CHARGED POLYMERS AND THEIR USES IN ELECTRONIC DEVICES - The present invention generally relates to compositions and methods comprising charged polymers. The compositions can be used in a variety of applications, for example, in photovoltaic cells, field-effect transistors, and light emitting diodes. In some embodiments, the backbone of a charged polymer comprises at least one quaternary nitrogen and/or is conjugated. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120129726 | SUBCELLULAR IN VIVO TIME-LAPSE IMAGING AND SURGERY OF C. ELEGANS IN STANDARD MULTIWELL PLATES - High-content time-lapse assays on whole animals require their repeated immobilization for high-resolution imaging and manipulation. Here, we present a simple, rapid, and minimally invasive method for repeatedly immobilizing and imaging | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120128958 | SILICA AEROGELS AND THEIR PREPARATION - Silica aerogels with improved properties are disclosed together with methods for synthesizing such aerogels. The improved properties include lower thermal conductivity (better insulating capacity), lower acoustic velocity, lower dielectric constant and improved ductility. Greater tunability of the refractive index can also be achieved. The silica aerogels are prepared by a sol-gel processing method that provides better control of the formation of aerogel structures. Generally speaking, the improvements arise from control of the synthesis to create a morphology of primary clusters and diverse-sized secondary clusters of dense silica aerogels separated by less densely packed regions. By providing a broader range of secondary clusters and/or pore sizes and loose connectivity between clusters, reductions can be achieved in thermal conductivity and flexural modulus. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120128350 | BALANCED BYPASS CIRCULATORS AND FOLDED UNIVERSALLY-BALANCED INTERFEROMETERS - The invention generally relates, in one aspect, to an interferometer system. The interferometer system includes a splitter/combiner element (SCE), a first bi-directional optical path, and a second bi-directional optical path. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120126807 | TRANSPORT AND DETECTION OF SUPERPARAMAGNETIC PARTICLES BY NANOWIRE - An apparatus, method and computer-readable medium configured to transport a constituent of fluid sample that binds to a functionalized magnetic particle. The apparatus includes a substrate connected to an input port, a magnetic nanowire, and either a temporally changing magnetic field generator or a spin-polarized current source. The magnetic nanowire is disposed in a surface of the substrate. The width and thickness of the magnetic nanowire are configured so that a domain wall propagating along the nanowire in response to the temporally changing magnetic field continuously couples to a superparamagnetic particle introduced into the input port. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120126726 | Compact Cold, Weak-Focusing, Superconducting Cyclotron - A compact, cold, weak-focusing superconducting cyclotron can include at least two superconducting coils on opposite sides of a median acceleration plane. A magnetic yoke surrounds the coils and contains an acceleration chamber. The magnetic yoke is in thermal contact with the superconducting coils, and the median acceleration plane extends through the acceleration chamber. A cryogenic refrigerator is thermally coupled both with the superconducting coils and with the magnetic yoke. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120124214 | Method and Apparatus for Distributing Requests Among a Plurality of Resources - The invention relates to an apparatus for responding to data requests made by a client. The apparatus includes an input receiving a first data request that includes a sequence of nodes corresponding to a sequence of servers. The apparatus also includes decision logic determining whether the data specified in the data request is available on a selected server, and if the data is not available determining a next node from the sequence of nodes. The apparatus also includes a mapper mapping a server to the next node, and an output requesting the data by transmitting a second data request to the server mapped to the next node. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120123519 | TUBULAR SILK COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF - Described are tubular silk fibroin compositions and methods for their manufacture and use. Tubular compositions as described herein can be produced in a range of high burst strengths, can easily be made in a range of inner diameters, can be derivatized with functional moieties, and can be produced in a range of permeabilities suitable for particularized uses. In one aspect, the tubular compositions can be used in the repair or replacement of damaged or diseased blood vessels, including, but not limited to vessels smaller than about 6 mm. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120123508 | Methods and apparatus for wireless control of biological tissue - In exemplary implementations of this present invention, a supercapacitor-based electronic device delivers high currents to an array of implantable light sources or electrodes. The device receives wireless power from an external transmit coil and receives control signals from either an onboard computer or external wireless data telemetry. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120121193 | IMAGE COMPARISON AND PROCESSING - Method and systems for search and retrieval of images with an image processing system is disclosed. With an input interface, selection of a plurality of images to use in a search query is accepted. The plurality of images of the search query are processed with the image processing system. A subset of the plurality of target images that are similar to the plurality of images is determined. With an output interface, the subset of the plurality of target images as a result from the search query is output. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120120496 | A PASSIVE LOUVER-BASED DAYLIGHTING SYSTEM - A daylighting system for use in a building including a louver array having a first longitudinal element, and a second longitudinal element spaced therefrom. At least one of the first and second elements has an asymmetrical profile, each of the first and second longitudinal elements has a bottom profile including a parabolic surface, portions of opposing surfaces of the first and second longitudinal elements define a compound parabolic concentrator profile having a non-horizontal centerline that is tilted upwards, and the array prevents line of sight therethrough. A louver for a daylighting system includes (i) a leading edge defined by a leading connecting surface disposed between a parabolic concentrator surface and a flat surface; and (ii) a trailing edge defined by a trailing connecting surface disposed between a lower compound parabolic concentrator profile, and an upper compound parabolic concentrator profile. A method for designing a louver profile is provided. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120118063 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEASURING BUOYANT MASS AND DEFORMABILITY OF SINGLE CELLS - Method for determining buoyant mass and deformability of a cell. The method includes introducing the cell into a suspended microchannel resonator that includes a constriction near a distal location in the resonator. A first frequency shift in the resonator is monitored as a cell moves to the distal location in the resonator, the first frequency shift being related to the buoyant mass of the cell. Transit time of the cell through the constriction is measured by monitoring a second frequency shift as a result of a change in cell location as it passes through the constriction, whereby deformability is determined from the measured buoyant mass and transit time. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120117170 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A GEO-REFERENCED VIRTUAL COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT - A system for providing an image-referenced virtual collaborative environment contains a server in communication with at least a first client device and a second client device, wherein the server comprises a memory and a processor. The processor is configured by the memory to perform the steps of: extracting properties of a vector object, where the vector object is the result of a modification to a first background image performed by a first user on the first client device; placing the extracted properties of the vector object into a feature message; sending the feature message onto a specific topic on a message bus; delivering the feature message to a second user using the second client device; extracting data from the feature message; and rendering, in real time, the vector object on a second background image viewed by the second user via the second client device. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120116094 | COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING AND METHODS FOR FORMING FUNCTIONALIZED CARBON-BASED NANOSTRUCTURES - The present invention generally relates to compositions comprising and methods for forming functionalized carbon-based nanostructures. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120114081 | Architectures For Universal Or Software Radio - A system and technique for providing to flexible, programmable frequency estimators and spectrum analyzers that can operate over extremely large bandwidths and yet provide high spectral resolution are described. The acquisition time and hardware complexity of one technique scale as O(N), where N denotes the number of frequency bins acquired. Embodiments are disclosed in which architectures are implemented using exponentially-tapered transmission lines and filter cascades. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120112152 | ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED SQUISHABLE COMPOSITE SWITCH - A method and apparatus for making analog and digital electronics which includes a composite including a squishable material doped with conductive particles. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device has a channel made from the composite, where the channel forms a primary conduction path for the device. Upon applied voltage, capacitive actuators squeeze the composite, causing it to become conductive. The squishable device includes a control electrode, and a composite electrically and mechanically connected to two terminal electrodes. By applying a voltage to the control electrode relative to a first terminal electrode, an electric field is developed between the control electrode and the first terminal electrode. This electric field results in an attractive force between the control electrode and the first terminal electrode, which compresses the composite and enables electric control of the electron conduction from the first terminal electrode through the channel to the second terminal electrode. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120110470 | TOUCH-BASED SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING DATA - Data transfer system. The system transfers data by touch from a first digital device to a second digital device and includes a first digital device having a touch screen along with a second digital device also having a touch screen. The first and second digital devices are connected to a network including a data storage cloud wherein the first digital device is programmed to copy a touched visual representation of a data item to the data storage cloud and wherein the second digital device is programmed to retrieve the data item from the data storage cloud when a paste-able area in the second digital device is touched. The first and second digital devices may be touch-enabled smart phones, tablet computers or other digital devices. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120109610 | METHODS AND APPARATI FOR PREDICTING AND QUANTIFYING THREAT BEING EXPERIENCED BY A MODELED SYSTEM - A method predicts and quantifies the threat posed to a human-operated device based on an optimal device trajectory through a constraint-bounded corridor. A model of the device together with a model of anticipated hazards and the current state of both the device and the hazards are used to iteratively generate an optimal device trajectory through a constraint-bounded corridor or region within state space. Device dynamics are forward-simulated over a time horizon. A method generates a threat assessment metric from the resulting sequence of optimal vehicle states. This threat assessment may be used to devise various types and levels of operator assistance. The human operator can control the device within a safe corridor or region. Threat assessment is based on the nearness of successive optimal trajectory predictions to limits of safe device handling rather than on deviation from a predefined path. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120108548 | MOLECULAR TWEEZERS FOR THE TREATMENT OF AMYLOID-RELATED DISEASES - This invention provides novel compositions to inhibit the aggregation of amyloid proteins. In various embodiments the compositions comprise a molecular tweezers that binds lysine and/or arginine and thereby inhibits the aggregation of amyloidogenic proteins. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120108041 | Patterning of Nanostructures - A technique for forming nanostructures including a definition of a charge pattern on a substrate and introduction of charged molecular scale sized building blocks (MSSBBs) to a region proximate the charge pattern so that the MSSBBs adhere to the charge pattern to form the feature. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120107893 | MICROBIAL ENGINEERING FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CHEMICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS FROM THE ISOPRENOID PATHWAY - The invention relates to the production of one or more terpenoids through microbial engineering, and relates to the manufacture of products comprising terpenoids. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120107820 | Multiplexed Quantitative PCR End Point Analysis of Nucleic Acid Targets - Certain embodiments of the present invention are directed to one pot multiplexed quantitative PCR methods for end point analysis of a plurality of nucleic acid targets in a complex sample without user intervention, and to various encoded particles on which are immobilized one or more probes that hybridize with the plurality of targets. Certain other embodiments are directed to a new “multiple-color genetic variation detection method” that can detect SNPs and kit using one chamber multiplexed endpoint PCR and differentially labeled allele-specific primers (one recognizing only the wild type allele and one only the mutant allele). | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120107371 | STIMULI-RESPONSIVE SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLED DRUG DELIVERY - A method of delivering a therapeutic agent by providing a cross-linked polymer encapsulating the therapeutic agent to a site in a patient. The degradation rate of the cross-linked polymer is correlated with a local concentration of an indicator, and the therapeutic agent is released as the cross-linked polymer degrades. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120106298 | GESTURE RECOGNITION APPPARATUS AND METHOD - The disclosure provides a gesture recognition apparatus and method. The gesture recognition apparatus includes an ultrasound transmitter, an ultrasound receiver, a dividing module, a computing module, a gesture library, and a recognition module. The dividing module is configured to divide reflected ultrasound signals into a plurality of frames according to time intervals. The computing module is configured to obtain an eigenvalue of each frame. The classifying module is configured to filter the eigenvalues to obtain gesture eigenvalues, and to obtain a matrix of probabilities of the gesture eigenvalues. The recognition module is configured to search reference matrices of probabilities from the gesture library for matching with the matrix of probabilities, and to recognize the gesture eigenvalues as a reference gesture corresponding to the reference matrix of probabilities if the reference matrix of probabilities is found. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120104990 | Alkali Metal Ion Battery with Bimetallic Electrode - Electrochemical cells having molten electrodes having an alkali metal provide receipt and delivery of power by transporting atoms of the alkali metal between electrode environments of disparate chemical potentials through an electrochemical pathway comprising a salt of the alkali metal. The chemical potential of the alkali metal is decreased when combined with one or more non-alkali metals, thus producing a voltage between an electrode comprising the molten the alkali metal and the electrode comprising the combined alkali/non-alkali metals. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120103456 | ARTICLES AND METHODS FOR REDUCING HYDRATE ADHESION - This invention relates generally to articles, devices, and methods for gas hydrate mitigation in deep-sea drilling applications. In certain embodiments, hydrate-phobic surfaces are provided that ensure passive enhancement of flow assurance and prevention of catastrophic failures in deep-sea oil and gas operations. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120099090 | SYSTEM AND METHODS RELATED TO GENERATING ELECTROMEGNETIC RADIATION INTERFERENCE PATTERNS - Systems and methods related to the generation of interference patterns using electromagnetic radiation are generally described. Some embodiments are directed to the use of such systems and methods to perform interference lithography. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120095435 | DELIVERY OF A SOLID BODY AND/OR A FLUID USING A LINEAR LORENTZ-FORCE ACTUATED NEEDLE-FREE JET INJECTION SYSTEM - A method for transferring a solid body across a surface of a biological body includes (i) applying an electrical input to a controllable electromagnetic actuator; (ii) producing with the electromagnetic actuator a mechanical force corresponding to the electrical input; and (iii) applying the mechanical force to a reservoir coupled at one end to a nozzle, the mechanical force producing a pressure within the reservoir, a magnitude of the pressure varying with the mechanical force and causing ejection of a fluid from the reservoir to drive the solid body into the biological body. A method for delivering a substance to a target body includes (i) positioning a needle-free injector proximate to a surface of the target body; (ii) injecting the substance into the target body; and (iii) while injecting, moving the needle-free injector along the surface, thereby sweeping the surface. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120094060 | Methods and Apparatus for Digital Composites - In exemplary implementations of this invention, a digital material comprising many discrete units is used to fabricate a sparse structure. The units are reversibly joined by elastic connections. Each unit comprises fiber-reinforced composite material. Each unit is small compared to the sparse structure as a whole. Likewise, in a sparse structure made from this digital material, the number of types of units is small compared to the total number of units. The digital material is anisotropic. This anisotropy may be due to different fiber orientations within each unit. Furthermore, different units in a single sparse structure may be oriented in different directions and in different, non-parallel planes. In some cases, the digital material is reinforced with carbon fibers, and connections between units are stronger than the units themselves. The small discrete units may be assembled into a strong, lightweight sparse structure, such as an airframe. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120089205 | Methods and Apparatus for High-Throughput Neural Screening - In exemplary implementations of this invention, high-throughput screening of a mammalian brain is performed to locate neural circuit targets of interest. A variety of search patterns may be used for this neural screening, including (a) iterative subdivision, (b) serial search, and (c) combinatorial. To perform this neural screening, an array of optical fibers (or an array of waveguides) is inserted into the brain. Alternately, the array is positioned adjacent to the brain. Each fiber or waveguide in the array is coupled to a light source (LED or laser). The brain has been previously sensitized to light, using genetically encoded optical neural control reagents, which are delivered either using viruses or via transgenic means. In the screening, the array is used to optically perturb the brain. For example, the neurons of the brain may be activated by one color of light, and/or silenced by another color of light. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120089114 | INJECTION METHODS USING A SERVO-CONTROLLED NEEDLE-FREE INJECTOR - A method for injecting a substance through a biological body surface includes providing a needle-free transdermal transport device configured to inject the substance through the surface. The substance is injected into the biological body with the transport device while a parameter of the injection is sensed and a servo-controller is used to dynamically adjust at least one injection characteristic based on the sensed parameter. The substance is injected for (i) a first time period during which a first portion of a volume of the substance is injected at a first injection pressure, and (ii) a second time period during which a remainder of the volume of the substance is injected at a second injection pressure. A viscosity of the substance may be determined, and a pressure calculated for injecting the substance based on the viscosity. The substance may be injected with the transport device by using the calculated pressure. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120087890 | IMMUNONANOTHERAPEUTICS THAT PROVIDE IgG HUMORAL RESPONSE WITHOUT T-CELL ANTIGEN - The present invention provides compositions and systems for delivery of nanocarriers to cells of the immune system. The invention provides synthetic nanocarriers capable of eliciting an immune system response in the form of antibody production, wherein the nanocarriers lack any T cell antigens. In some embodiments, the invention provides nanocarriers that comprise an immunofeature surface, which provides high avidity binding of the nanocarriers to antigen presenting cells. The invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising such nanocarriers. The present invention provides methods of designing, manufacturing maceutical compositions thereof. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120084235 | STRUCTURED PREDICTION MODEL LEARNING APPARATUS, METHOD, PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - A structured prediction model learning apparatus, method, program, and recording medium maintain prediction performance with a smaller amount of memory. An auxiliary model is introduced by defining the auxiliary model parameter set θ | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120083947 | INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK FOR VEHICLE OPERATOR ASSISTANCE BASED ON A TRAJECTORY AND THREAT ASSESSMENT - Various types and levels of operator assistance are performed within a unified, configurable framework. A model of the device with a model of the environment and the current state of the device and the environment are used to iteratively generate a sequence of optimal device control inputs that, when applied to a model of the device, generate an optimal device trajectory through a constraint-bounded corridor or region within the state space. This optimal trajectory and the sequence of device control inputs that generates it is used to generate a threat assessment metric. An appropriate type and level of operator assistance is generated based on this threat assessment. Operator assistance modes include warnings, decision support, operator feedback, vehicle stability control, and autonomous or semi-autonomous hazard avoidance. The responses generated by each assistance mode are mutually consistent because they are generated using the same optimal trajectory. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120083676 | FETAL ECG MONITORING - A method for fetal monitoring includes acquiring electrical signals from a set of electrodes, for example, a set of surface electrodes applied to a maternal abdominal region. The electrical signals are analyzed, including by performing a morphological analysis of fetal electrocardiogram signals. A clinical indicator is then determined from a result of performing the morphological analysis. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120077680 | NANOWIRE-BASED DETECTOR - Systems, articles, and methods are provided related to nanowire-based detectors, which can be used for light detection in, for example, single-photon detectors. In one aspect, a variety of detectors are provided, for example one including an electrically superconductive nanowire or nanowires constructed and arranged to interact with photons to produce a detectable signal. In another aspect, fabrication methods are provided, including techniques to precisely reproduce patterns in subsequently formed layers of material using a relatively small number of fabrication steps. By precisely reproducing patterns in multiple material layers, one can form electrically insulating materials and electrically conductive materials in shapes such that incoming photons are redirected toward a nearby electrically superconductive materials (e.g., electrically superconductive nanowire(s)). For example, one or more resonance structures (e.g., comprising an electrically insulating material), which can trap electromagnetic radiation within its boundaries, can be positioned proximate the nanowire(s). The resonance structure can include, at its boundaries, electrically conductive material positioned proximate the electrically superconductive nanowire such that light that would otherwise be transmitted through the sensor is redirected toward the nanowire(s) and detected. In addition, electrically conductive material can be positioned proximate the electrically superconductive nanowire (e.g. at the aperture of the resonant structure), such that light is directed by scattering from this structure into the nanowire. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120076925 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THERMAL JET PRINTING - The disclosure relates to a method for depositing films on a substrate which may form part of an LED or other types of display. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus for depositing ink on a substrate. The apparatus includes a chamber for receiving ink; a discharge nozzle having an inlet port and an outlet port, the discharge nozzle receiving a quantity of ink from the chamber at the inlet port and dispensing the quantity of ink from the outlet port; and a dispenser for metering the quantity of ink from the chamber to the inlet port of the discharge nozzle; wherein the chamber receives ink in liquid form having a plurality of suspended particles and the quantity of ink is pulsatingly metered from the chamber to the discharge nozzle; and the discharge nozzle evaporates the carrier liquid and deposits the solid particles on the substrate. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120076860 | COMPOSITIONS, METHODS, AND SYSTEMS RELATING TO CONTROLLED CRYSTALLIZATION AND/OR NUCLEATION OF MOLECULAR SPECIES - The present invention generally relates to compositions, methods, and systems relating to controlled crystallization and/or nucleation of a molecular species. In some embodiments, the crystallization and/or nucleation of the molecular species may be controlled by tuning the surface chemistry and/or the morphology of a crystallization substrate. In some embodiments, the molecular species is a small organic molecule (e.g., pharmaceutically active agent). | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120075423 | Methods and Apparatus for Transient Light Imaging - In illustrative implementations of this invention, multi-path analysis of transient illumination is used to reconstruct scene geometry, even of objects that are occluded from the camera. An ultrafast camera system is used. It comprises a photo-sensor (e.g., accurate in the picosecond range), a pulsed illumination source (e.g. a femtosecond laser) and a processor. The camera emits a very brief light pulse that strikes a surface and bounces. Depending on the path taken, part of the light may return to the camera after one, two, three or more bounces. The photo-sensor captures the returning light bounces in a three-dimensional time image I(x,y,t) for each pixel. The camera takes different angular samples from the same viewpoint, recording a five-dimensional STIR (Space Time Impulse Response). A processor analyzes onset information in the STIR to estimate pairwise distances between patches in the scene, and then employs isometric embedding to estimate patch coordinates. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120073662 | COMPOSITIONS, METHODS, AND SYSTEMS COMPRISING POLY(THIOPHENES) - The present invention generally relates to compositions comprising at least one poly(thiophene) and an n-type material. The compositions can be used in a variety of applications, for example, in photovoltaic cells. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120073310 | CRYOGENIC VACUUM BREAK THERMAL COUPLER - A novel thermal coupler apparatus and method to couple a cryocooler or another cooling device to a superconducting magnet or cooled object allows for replacement without a need to break the cryostat vacuum or to warm up the superconducting magnet or other cooled object. A method uses a pneumatic actuator for coupling, and a retractable mechanical actuator for uncoupling. Mechanical closing forces are balanced between the intermediate temperature and low temperature cooling surfaces and do not transfer to the cooled object. The pneumatic actuator provides permanent control under mechanical closing forces in the thermal coupling. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120070766 | LAMINAR FLOW FUEL CELL INCORPORATING CONCENTRATED LIQUID OXIDANT - Electrochemical cell system. The system includes a low Reynolds number microfluidic channel including spaced apart anode and cathode forming sides thereof. A fuel channel introduces a liquid fuel into the microfluidic channel for laminar flow along the anode and an oxidant channel introduces a concentrated liquid oxidant into the microfluidic channel for laminar flow along the cathode. An electrolyte channel introduces a liquid electrolyte into the microfluidic channel for laminar flow between the fuel and oxidant flows. Electrodes are connected to the anode and cathode for connection to an external load. In another embodiment, the anode is porous and a gaseous fuel such as hydrogen diffuses through the anode into the interior of the microfluidic channel. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120070627 | METHOD FOR NANOPATTERNING BASED ON SELF ASSEMBLY OF A TRIBLOCK TERPOLYMER - Nanolithography and nanoscale device features based on a self-assembled film comprising an ABC triblock terpolymer disposed on a substrate surface are provided. The self-assembled film has a controlled pattern of features over the entire film. Each feature comprises block A, block B, or block C of the ABC triblock terpolymer. One or more blocks (A, B, or C) of the self-assembled film can be transformed by, for example, being removed, to provide a particular pattern geometry for nanolithography. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120069488 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MICROCONTACT PRINTING OF MEMS - The embodiments disclosed herein are directed to fabrication methods useful for creating MEMS via microcontact printing by using small organic molecule release layers. The disclose method enables transfer of a continuous metal film onto a discontinuous platform to form a variable capacitor array. The variable capacitor array can produce mechanical motion under the application of a voltage. The methods disclosed herein eliminate masking and other traditional MEMS fabrication methodology. The methods disclosed herein can be used to form a substantially transparent MEMS having a PDMS layer interposed between an electrode and a graphene diaphragm. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120065871 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ROAD CONDITION AND CONGESTION MONITORING - A portable communication device for providing road conditions and monitoring traffic congestion for a user contains a device for sensing orientation of the portable communication device, including acceleration and/or deceleration of a vehicle in which the communication device is located, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured by the memory to perform the step of calculating space time series data to determine traffic congestion characteristics, wherein the step of calculating space time series data includes at least one step selected from the group consisting of determining position of the portable communication device as a function of time, determining velocity of the portable communication device as a function of time, and determining acceleration of the portable communication device as a function of time. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120065358 | BIODEGRADABLE POLY(BETA-AMINO ESTERS) AND USES THEREOF - Poly(β-amino esters) prepared from the conjugate addition of bis(secondary amines) or primary amines to a bis(acrylate ester) are described. Methods of preparing these polymers from commercially available starting materials are also provided. These tertiary amine-containing polymers are preferably biodegradable and biocompatible and may be used in a variety of drug delivery systems. Given the poly(amine) nature of these polymers, they are particularly suited for the delivery of polynucleotides. Nanoparticles containing polymer/polynucleotide complexes have been prepared. The inventive polymers may also be used to encapsulate other agents to be delivered. They are particularly useful in delivering labile agents given their ability to buffer the pH of their surroundings. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120064505 | MEASUREMENT OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES AND RELATED METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS - The invention in some aspects relates to methods, devices and compositions for evaluating material properties, such as mechanical and rheological properties of substances, particularly biological substances, such as cells, tissues, and biological fluids. In some aspects, the invention relates to methods, devices and compositions for evaluating material properties of deformable objects, such as cells. In further aspects, the invention relates to methods, devices and compositions for diagnosing and/or characterizing disease based on material properties of biological cells. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120063788 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING OPTICAL SIGNALS - The present invention addresses the problem of transmitting optical signals with high extinction ratios using low-power drive signals. At present, low-power optical transmitters typically operate with modulation extinction ratios of, at best, about 10 dB. Embodiments of the present invention may achieve extinction ratios exceeding 20 dB using low-power drive signals of under 20 mW at data rates on the order of Gbits/sec. In addition, the modulation may be achieved with both low-power and low-fidelity drive waveforms, enabling conventional and often noisy high-speed, low-power electronics to generate high-extinction, high-fidelity optical waveforms. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120062277 | Reconfigurable Logic Automata - A family of reconfigurable asynchronous logic elements that interact with their nearest neighbors permits reconfigurable implementation of circuits that are asynchronous at the bit level. A reconfigurable asynchronous logic cell comprises a set of one-bit buffers for communication with at least one neighboring cell, each buffer capable of having several states and configured for receiving input state tokens from neighboring cells and for transferring output state tokens to neighboring cells, and a one-bit processor configured to perform a logic operation utilizing received tokens as inputs and to produce an output token reflecting the result of the logic operation, wherein the logic operation and the functional configuration of the buffers are reconfigurably programmable. A reconfigurable logic circuit comprises a plurality of reconfigurable logic cells that compute by locally passing state tokens and are reconfigured by the directed shifting of programming instructions through neighboring logic cells. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120060852 | RADIATION AND MELT TREATED ULTRA HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYETHYLENE PROSTHETIC DEVICES - A medical prosthesis for use within the body which is formed of radiation treated ultra high molecular weight polyethylene having substantially no detectable free radicals, is described. Preferred prostheses exhibit reduced production of particles from the prosthesis during wear of the prosthesis, and are substantially oxidation resistant. Methods of manufacture of such devices and material used therein are also provided. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120059240 | METHOD FOR PREPARATION OF MICELLAR HYBRID NANOPARTICLES FOR THERAPEUTIC AND DIAGNOSTIC APPLICATIONS AND COMPOSITIONS THEREOF - The disclosure provides a long-circulating, micellar hybrid nanoparticles (MHN) that contain MN, QD, and the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) within a single polyethylene glycol (PEG)-phospholipid micelle and provide the first examples of simultaneous targeted drug delivery and dual-mode NIR-fluorescent and MR imaging of diseased tissue in vitro and in vivo. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120058302 | FABRICATION OF ANTI-FOULING SURFACES COMPRISING A MICRO- OR NANO-PATTERNED COATING - The invention relates to a method of forming a micro- or nano-topography on the surface of a composite material. The topography or the chemical nature of the surface may be modified or tuned. The methods of the invention may be run in a continuous fashion. The composite materials produced by the inventive methods may be micro- or nano-patterned membranes, for instance, for anti-fouling purposes. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120057235 | Method for Antireflection in Binary and Multi-Level Diffractive Elements - Methods and apparatus for reducing or eliminating reflection at the interface between a binary or multi-level diffractive element and a surrounding medium. A non-planar diffractive surface of a diffractive optical element is coated forming a plurality of nanostructures on the non-planar diffractive surface and, in certain embodiments, on a planar surface as well. The nanostructures are chosen for providing adiabatic refractive index matching at the optical interface between the non-planar diffractive surface and a surrounding medium subject to matching tangential fields at surface discontinuities. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120055856 | AQUA-ROBOTIC POLLUTANT REMOVING SYSTEMS AND DEVICES, AND METHODS OF REMOVING POLLUTANTS FROM BODIES OF WATER - An aqua-robotic pollutant removing device includes a buoyant body, an electromechanical housing coupled to the buoyant body, and a pollutant absorbing belt coupled to the electromechanical housing and extending outward from the buoyant body. The electromechanical housing is constructed and arranged to rotate the pollutant absorbing belt. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120055795 | METHOD FOR SYNTHESIZING METAL OXIDE NANOCYRSTALS - Method for synthesizing metal oxide nanocrystals. The method includes forming a precursor solution including the metal oxide cation and introducing a selected metal oxide binding virus into the solution. Electrical pulses are generated across the solution whereby highly crystalline nanowires are formed. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120046793 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PULSE-MODULATED FEEDBACK CONTROL - A PM system for overcoming friction stickiness and which also remains stable is described. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120046242 | MOLECULAR ACTIVATORS OF THE WNT/BETA-CATENIN PATHWAY - The present invention is directed toward a method of treating a subject for a condition mediated by aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling by selecting a subject with a condition mediated by aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling and administering to the selected subject a compound selected from the group consisting of those set forth in Table 1, Table 2, and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. A method of similarly modulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in a subject is also discussed. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120045425 | DELTA 4, 5 GLYCURONIDASE COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS RELATED THERETO - The invention relates to Δ4,5 glycuronidase, related compositions, and methods of use thereof. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120043220 | EXTRACTION OF LIQUID ELEMENTS BY ELECTROLYSIS OF OXIDES - An electrolytic extraction method wins a target element from an oxide feedstock compound thereof. The feedstock compound is dissolved in an oxide melt in contact with a cathode and an anode in an electrolytic cell. During electrolysis the target element is deposited at a liquid cathode and coalesces therewith. Oxygen is evolved on an anode bearing a solid oxide layer, in contact with the oxide melt, over a metallic anode substrate. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120042882 | PARTICLES WITH CHARGED SURFACE DOMAINS - Methods include forming an adaptive aesthetic marking, such as a tattoo that is at least occasionally visible on a surface of skin by introducing, into a layer of skin, a plurality of particles, each comprising a core and a surface domain. The surface domain comprises a net charge and the core or surface domain, or both, includes a dye. A particle includes a core, first linkers and second linkers. Each first linker comprises a first end that binds to the core, and a second end that comprises a first functional group having a first charge. Each second linker comprises a first end that binds to the core, and a second end that comprises a second functional group having a different second charge. The first and second functional groups form an external mosaic of surface domains, each domain comprising a majority of one type of functional group. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120042857 | FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR VARIABLE ETHANOL OCTANE ENHANCEMENT OF GASOLINE ENGINES - Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency of the engine. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120040916 | MOLECULAR INHIBITORS OF THE WNT/BETA-CATENIN PATHWAY - The present invention is directed toward a method of treating a subject for a condition mediated by the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by selecting a subject with a condition mediated by the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and administering to the selected subject a compound selected from the group consisting of those set forth in Table 1, Table 2, and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. A method of similarly inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in a subject is also disclosed. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120040900 | COMPOSITIONS OF AND METHODS OF USING LIGAND DIMERS - Provided herein are ligand dimers, compositions thereof, as well as methods of their use. The ligand dimers provided can comprise at least one ligand to a Her receptor and can be used to force dimerization of specific receptor pairs. The forced dimerization of specific receptor pairs can be used to control (e.g., promote or inhibit) signaling, and, therefore, the ligand dimers provided can also be used in various forms of treatment in which such signaling control is beneficial to a subject. It follows that methods for controlling signaling are provided as are various methods of treatment. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120039909 | EPIGENETIC MECHANISMS RE-ESTABLISH ACCESS TO LONG-TERM MEMORY AFTER NEURONAL LOSS - The invention relates to methods and products for enhancing and improving recovery of lost memories. In particular the methods are accomplished through the increase of histone acetylation. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120037217 | DISCRIMINATING ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION BASED ON ANGLE OF INCIDENCE - The present invention provides systems, articles, and methods for discriminating electromagnetic radiation based upon the angle of incidence of the electromagnetic radiation. In some cases, the materials and systems described herein can be capable of inhibiting reflection of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., the materials and systems can be capable of transmitting and/or absorbing electromagnetic radiation) within a given range of angles of incidence at a first incident surface, while substantially reflecting electromagnetic radiation outside the range of angles of incidence at a second incident surface (which can be the same as or different from the first incident surface). A photonic material comprising a plurality of periodically occurring separate domains can be used, in some cases, to selectively transmit and/or selectively absorb one portion of incoming electromagnetic radiation while reflecting another portion of incoming electromagnetic radiation, based upon the angle of incidence. In some embodiments, one domain of the photonic material can include an isotropic dielectric function, while another domain of the photonic material can include an anisotropic dielectric function. In some instances, one domain of the photonic material can include an isotropic magnetic permeability, while another domain of the photonic material can include an anisotropic magnetic permeability. In some embodiments, non-photonic materials (e.g., materials with relatively large scale features) can be used to selectively absorb incoming electromagnetic radiation based on angle of incidence. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120034661 | STRAINS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FLAVONOIDS FROM GLUCOSE - The invention relates to the production of flavonoids and flavonoid precursors in cells through recombinant expression of tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL), 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL), chalcone synthase (CHS), and chalcone isomerase (CHI). | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120034296 | PROLONGED DURATION LOCAL ANESTHESIA WITH MINIMAL TOXICITY - Compositions containing site 1 sodium channel blockers for use as local anesthetics with rapid nerve block, improved potency and efficacy, and no local toxicity have been developed. Liposomes were employed for increased loading of the site 1 sodium channel blocker, producing prolonged duration of block without systemic toxicity. In one embodiment, the compositions contain a site 1 sodium channel blocker alone. In another embodiment, the compositions contain a site 1 sodium channel blocker in combination with a corticosteroid. As demonstrated by the examples, encapsulating site 1 sodium channel blockers in liposomes results in rapid and prolonged nerve block without systemic toxicity, which is enhanced by the addition of a corticosteroid. Fluid liposomes showed more rapid release of STX than did solid ones, and dexamethasone accelerated STX release. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120034153 | ELECTROLYTIC RECYCLING OF COMPOUNDS - An electrolytic recycling method recovers two or more component elements of one or more compounds simultaneously. A compound, such as a compound semiconductor, to be recycled is dissolved in a liquid electrolyte. Electrolysis of the dissolved compound recovers component elements simultaneously at respective negative and positive electrodes by reduction and oxidation respectively. The component elements produced may be in respective condensed phases or include a gaseous phase. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120033810 | AUTHENTICATION OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS - A group of devices are fabricated based on a common design, each device having a corresponding plurality of measurable characteristics that is unique in the group to that device, each device having a measurement module for measuring the measurable characteristics. Authentication of one of the group of devices is enabled by selective measurement of one or more of the plurality of measurable characteristics of the device. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120033697 | WAVELENGTH BEAM COMBINING OF QUANTUM CASCADE LASER ARRAYS - A laser source based on a quantum cascade laser array (QCL), wherein the outputs of at least two elements in the array are collimated and overlapped in the far field using an external diffraction grating and a transform lens. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120031984 | Personalized Building Comfort Control - In exemplary implementations of this invention, control apparatus for a HVAC system provides personalized comfort control. It can adjust local conditions in different rooms within a building in order to maximize the perceived comfort of individual occupants. The control apparatus locates individuals within a building. For each individual, it senses temperature, humidity and other parameters at the individual's location, calculates a comfort metric indicative of the user's comfort, and can control the flow of chilled or heated air to the individual's location in order to adjust local conditions to maximize the individual's comfort. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120027858 | Methods and Compositions for Managing Cancer Cell Growth - The invention relates to composition and a method of using the composition for modulating proliferation, invasiveness, the expression of a biomarker of an abnormal cell, of reducing the risk of a patient cell becoming abnormal, or of modulating proliferation of a carcinoma-associated fibroblast or of a tumor-associated macrophage. The invention also relates to a method of culturing the composition to produce molecules that modulate abnormal cell proliferation, invasiveness, or metastasis. The composition comprises a biocompatible matrix and cells engrafted thereon. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027837 | MULTILAYER COATING COMPOSITIONS, COATED SUBSTRATES AND METHODS THEREOF - The present invention provides, among other things, multilayer film coating compositions, coated substrates and methods thereof In some embodiments, a structure, comprising a substrate and a multilayer film on the substrate, wherein the multilayer film comprises a first plurality of first units, each first unit comprising a protamine polypeptide. In some embodiments, a structure comprising a microneedle substrate and a multilayer film coated on at least portion of the microneedle substrate, wherein the multilayer film comprises an agent for release and a first plurality of first unit; each first unit comprising a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer are associated with one another. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027808 | NICOTINE IMMUNONANOTHERAPEUTICS - The present invention provides compositions and systems for delivery of nanocarriers to cells of the immune system. The invention provides nanocarriers capable of stimulating an immune response in T cells and/or in B cells. The invention provides nanocarriers that comprise an immunofeature surface having a plurality of nicotine moieties. The invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising nanocarriers. The present invention provides methods of designing, manufacturing, and using nanocarriers and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. For example, the present invention describes nanocarriers capable of eliciting an immune response and the production of anti-nicotine antibodies. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027786 | GENETICALLY PROGRAMMABLE PATHOGEN SENSE AND DESTROY - Aspects of the invention relate to compositions and methods for using recombinant cells to sense and destroy specific pathogens. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027744 | MODIFIED HEPARINASE III AND METHODS OF SEQUENCING THEREWITH - The invention relates to heparinase III and mutants thereof. Modified forms of heparinase III having reduced enzymatic activity which are useful for a variety of purposes, including sequencing of heparin-like glycosaminoglycans (HLGAGs), removing active heparan sulfate from a solution, inhibition of angiogenesis, etc. have been discovered according to the invention. The invention in other aspects relates to methods of treating cancer and inhibiting tumor cell growth and/or metastasis using heparinase III, or products produced by enzymatic cleavage by heparinase III of HLGAGs. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120025868 | Asynchronous Logic Automata - A family of self-timed, charge-conserving asynchronous logic elements that interact with their nearest neighbors permits design and implementation of circuits that are asynchronous at the bit level. The elements pass information by means of state tokens, rather than voltages. Each cell is self-timed, so no hardware non-local connections are needed. An asynchronous logic element comprises a set of edges for asynchronous communication with at least one neighboring cell, the edges receiving state tokens from neighboring logic elements and transferring output state tokens to neighboring logic elements, and circuitry configured to perform, when the circuitry inputs contain valid tokens and the circuitry outputs are empty, a logic operation utilizing received tokens as inputs, thereby producing an output token reflecting the result of the logic operation. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120025671 | ELECTROCHEMICAL METHODS, DEVICES, AND STRUCTURES - The present invention provides devices and structures and methods of use thereof in electrochemical actuation. This invention provides electrochemical actuators, which are based, inter-alia, on an electric field-driven intercalation or alloying of high-modulus inorganic compounds, which can produce large and reversible volume changes, providing high actuation energy density, high actuation authority and large free strain. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120025195 | Confined Lateral Growth of Crystalline Material - In a structure for crystalline material growth, there is provided a lower growth confinement layer and an upper growth confinement layer that is disposed above and vertically separated from the lower growth confinement layer. A lateral growth channel is provided between the upper and lower growth confinement layers, and is characterized by a height that is defined by the vertical separation between the upper and lower growth confinement layers. A growth seed is disposed at a site in the lateral growth channel for initiating crystalline material growth in the channel. A growth channel outlet is included for providing formed crystalline material from the growth channel. With this growth confinement structure, crystalline material can be grown from the growth seed to the lateral growth channel outlet. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120024776 | Mesostructured Zeolitic Materials, and Methods of Making and Using the Same - One aspect of the present invention relates to mesostructured zeolites. The invention also relates to a method of preparing mesostructured zeolites, as well as using them as cracking catalysts for organic compounds and degradation catalysts for polymers. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120019941 | SYSTEM FOR DISCRETELY ACTUATED SOLAR MIRRORS - System for establishing a surface shape. The system includes a compliant substrate including the surface and having a reverse side, and a plurality of discrete actuators engaging the reverse side and arranged in a selected pattern to control the surface shape as individual discrete activators are activated. It is preferred that the actuators have multiple discrete stable states of elongation. A particularly preferred embodiment uses actuators that are binary with two stable states of elongation. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120016209 | FETAL ECG MONITORING - A method for fetal monitoring includes acquiring electrical signals from a set of electrodes, for example, a set of surface electrodes applied to a maternal abdominal region. The electrical signals are analyzed, including by performing a morphological analysis of fetal electrocardiogram signals. A clinical indicator is then determined from a result of performing the morphological analysis. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120016051 | RADIATION AND MELT TREATED ULTRA HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYETHYLENE PROSTHETIC DEVICES - A medical prosthesis for use within the body which is formed of radiation treated ultra high molecular weight polyethylene having substantially no detectable free radicals, is described. Preferred prostheses exhibit reduced production of particles from the prosthesis during wear of the prosthesis, and are substantially oxidation resistant. Methods of manufacture of such devices and material used therein are also provided. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120015824 | Method For Diagnosing Allergic Reactions - The invention provides a method for multiple cytokine detection from single cells for the purpose of generating immunological profiles of diseases. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120015104 | Method and Apparatus for Depositing LED Organic Film - In one embodiment the disclosure relates to an apparatus for depositing an organic material on a substrate, including a source heater for heating organic particles to form suspended organic particles; a transport stream for delivering the suspended organic particles to a discharge nozzle, the discharge nozzle having a plurality of micro-pores, the micro-pores providing a conduit for passage of the suspended organic particles; and a nozzle heater for pulsatingly heating the micro-pores nozzle to discharge the suspended organic particles from the discharge nozzle. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120014397 | CONTINUOUS WAVE OR ULTRAFAST LASERS - A laser system comprises: a seed oscillator, having a seed output; dispersive optics, operative to receive the seed output and divide the seed output into spectrally separate seed components; an array of individually addressable, phase adjustable laser amplifiers corresponding to the spectrally separate components, each laser amplifier receiving as its seed one of the spectrally separate seed components and producing one of the spectrally separate amplified components; and phase actuators controlling the individually addressable, phase adjustable laser amplifiers. A method of operating a laser system comprises: generating a seed signal; dividing the seed signal into spectrally separate component signals; amplifying the spectrally separate component signals; recombining the spectrally separate component signals into an amplified output; and controlling phases of the amplified spectrally separate component signals. Both single-pass and double-pass amplifier array versions are disclosed. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120013494 | Time Varying Quantization-based Linearity Enhancement of Signal Converters and Mixed-signal Systems - A signal-linearization system and method reduces nonlinear distortions in a digitized signal generated by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) when converting an analog input signal from analog to digital form. A signal adder adds a dither waveform to the analog input signal. An ADC includes sample-and-hold (S/H) circuitry and quantizer circuitry. The ADC converts the analog input signal with the added dither waveform into a digitized signal. The dither waveform operates to suppress nonlinear distortions attributed to the quantizer circuitry. A linearizer processor performs nonlinear equalization (NLEQ) on the digitized signal to suppress nonlinear distortions attributed to the S/H circuitry. A dither waveform removal module removes a digital counterpart of the dither waveform from the digitized signal. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120013139 | DEXTEROUS AND COMPLIANT ROBOTIC FINGER - A robotic finger that includes multiple phalanges, each phalange configured to be compliantly actuated. The robotic finger also includes compliant touch sensors that, in combination with the compliant actuation, provides the robotic finger with two levels of compliance. The two levels of compliance enable the robotic finger to gently conform to and manipulate objects. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120012894 | PERFORMANCE OF NITRIDE SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - A method of forming a transistor over a nitride semiconductor layer includes surface-treating a first region of a nitride semiconductor layer and forming a gate over the first region. Surface-treating the first region can cause the transistor to have a higher intrinsic small signal transconductance than a similar transistor formed without the surface treatment. A portion of the bottom of the gate can be selectively etched. A resulting transistor can include a nitride semiconductor layer having a surface-treated region and a gate formed over or adjacent to the surface-treated region. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120012877 | Quantum Dot White and Colored Light-Emitting Devices - A light-emitting device comprising a population of quantum dots (QDs) embedded in a host matrix and a primary light source which causes the QDs to emit secondary light and a method of making such a device. The size distribution of the QDs is chosen to allow light of a particular color to be emitted therefrom. The light emitted from the device may be of either a pure (monochromatic) color, or a mixed (polychromatic) color, and may consist solely of light emitted from the QDs themselves, or of a mixture of light emitted from the QDs and light emitted from the primary source. The QDs desirably are composed of an undoped semiconductor such as CdSe, and may optionally be overcoated to increase photoluminescence. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120010768 | HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND METHOD OF PATH DEPENDENT RECEDING HORIZON CONTROL - A path-dependent control of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) includes segmenting an original route into segments. A virtual route based on the remaining portion of the original route is generated once the HEV reaches a current segment of the original route. The virtual route includes a first segment corresponding to the current segment of the original route and a last segment representing at least two other segments of the remaining portion of the original route. Battery SoC set-points for the segments of the virtual route are generated. The vehicle is controlled according to the battery SoC set-point for the first segment of the virtual route as the vehicle travels along the current segment of the original route. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120010767 | HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND METHOD OF CONTROL USING PATH FORECASTING - A path-dependent control of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) includes segmenting a route into segments, generating a sequence of battery state-of-charge (SoC) set-points for the segments, and controlling the vehicle in accordance with the battery SoC set-points as the vehicle travels along the route. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120009390 | GUIDED SELF-ASSEMBLY OF BLOCK COPOLYMER LINE STRUCTURES FOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT INTERCONNECTS - Complex self-assembled patterns can be created using a sparse template and local changes to the shape or distribution of the posts of the template to direct pattern generation of block copolymer. The post spacing in the template is formed commensurate with the equilibrium periodicity of the block copolymer, which controls the orientation of the linear features. Further, the posts can be arranged such that the template occupies only a few percent of the area of the final self-assembled patterns. Local aperiodic features can be introduced by changing the period or motif of the lattice or by adding guiding posts. According to one embodiment, an array of carefully spaced and shaped posts, prepared by electron-beam patterning of an inorganic resist, can be used to template complex patterns in a cylindrical-morphology block copolymer. These complex self-assembled patterns can form a mask used in fabrication processes of arbitrary structures such as interconnect layouts. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120009222 | MODULATION OF THE IMMUNE RESPONSE - The present invention provides lipidoids that can be used to modulate the immune response in a subject. Lipidoids are prepared by the conjugate addition of an amine to an acrylate to acrylamide. The lipidoids form complexes or particles with an immunostimulatory polynucleotide, which are then administerd to a subject. Such compositions have been found to stimulate the production of cytokines and increase both humoral and cell-mediate immune response. The invention also provides pharmaceuti-cal compositions thereof and methods for using the same. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120009161 | THERAPEUTIC RETROVIRAL VECTORS FOR GENE THERAPY - Retroviral gene therapy vectors that are optimized for erythroid specific expression and treatment of hemoglobinopathic conditions are disclosed. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120008140 | Terahertz Sensing System and Method - Disclosed herein are a system and corresponding method for sensing terahertz radiation. The system collects terahertz radiation scattered from a target and upconverts the collected radiation to optical frequencies. A frequency-domain spectrometer senses spectral components of the upconverted signal in parallel to produce a spectroscopic measurement of the entire band of interest in a single shot. Because the sensing system can do single-shot measurements, it can sense moving targets, unlike sensing systems that use serial detection, which can only be used to sense stationary objects. As a result, the sensing systems and methods disclosed herein may be used for real-time imaging, including detection of concealed weapons, medical imaging, and hyperspectral imaging. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120007434 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC APPARATUS AND METHOD - Three-dimensional photovoltaic devices and power conversion structures associated therewith are provided. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120003755 | High Precision Scanning of Encoded Hydrogel Microparticles - Techniques are provided for high precision scanning of hydrogel microparticles. The high precision is achieved by one or more modifications to the microparticle composition, or microfluidics apparatus that align the microparticles in a detection channel, or method of preparing a sample for introduction into the apparatus, or some combination. An apparatus comprises a body structure having formed therein a central channel and multiple focusing channels in fluid communication with the central channel through multiple junctions. A width of the central channel is smaller in a portion downstream of each junction. A particle comprises a hydrogel matrix and a probe molecule. The particle has an aspect ratio greater than about three. A method includes loading into a sample fluid inlet a mixture, wherein a number of particles lies within a range from about 5 to about 10 particles/μl. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120003630 | MODULAR NUCLEIC ACID-BASED CIRCUITS FOR COUNTERS, BINARY OPERATIONS, MEMORY, AND LOGIC - We have created novel engineered genetic counter designs and methods of use thereof that utilize DNA recombinases to provide modular systems, termed single invertase memory modules (SIMMs), for encoding memory in cells and cellular systems. Our designs are easily extended to compute to high numbers, by utilizing the >100 known recombinases to create subsequent modules. Flexibility in our engineered genetic counter designs is provided by daisy-chaining individual modular components, i.e., SIMMs together. These modular components of the engineered genetic counters can be combined in other network topologies to create circuits that perform, amongst other things, logic and memory. Our novel engineered genetic counter designs allow for the maintenance of memory and provide the ability to count between discrete states by expressing the recombinases between their cognate recognition sites. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120003601 | Jet Injector Use In Oral Evaluation - A tooth treatment device includes a detector that detects a marker of oral health and a fluid ejector that ejects fluid against teeth in response to the detected marker. The device can include a housing configured to be held on hand, the fluid ejector being positioned at an end of the housing. The fluid may include a liquid, a medicant, a cleansing solution, cleaning particles, or any combination thereof. The medicant can include any combination of a chelating agent, fluoride, a fluorescent dye, a bacterial specific probe, and a biochemical specific biomarker. Further, the device can include a servo controller controlling pressure of ejected fluid in response to the detected marker and a sensed surface condition, latter including for example, a mechanical property of tissue. The device may include a pressure sensor that senses pressure of the fluid in the ejector. Also included may be a distance sensor that senses distance of the ejector from a tissue surface. The surface condition may be sensed using the sensed pressure, sensed distance, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the fluid ejector comprises a stationary magnet assembly providing a magnetic field and a coil assembly, slidably disposed with respect to the magnet assembly, the coil assembly driving ejection of the fluid jet. A method of tooth treatment includes detecting a marker of oral health and controlling ejection of a fluid jet against the tooth responsive to the detected marker. In some embodiments, detecting the marker includes detecting plaque and the ejection is controlled to clean the plaque. Detecting the marker can include collecting a sample from an oral cavity. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120003260 | Solid-Phase and Solution-Phase Synthesis of Glycosylphosphatidylinositol Glycans - One aspect of the present invention relates to solution-phase approaches to GPI synthesis. Another aspect of the present invention relates to key building blocks, and syntheses thereof, useful for GPI assembly. Yet another aspect of the invention relates to an automated method for the synthesis of GPIs and fragments thereof. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120003211 | IMMUNOGLOBULINS WITH REDUCED AGGREGATION - The present disclosure relates to immunoglobulins with reduced aggregation and compositions, methods of generating such immunoglobulins with computational tools and methods of using such immunoglobulins particularly in the treatment and prevention of disease. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120002880 | IMAGE COMPARISON USING REGIONS - Methods and systems for comparing two digital images are provided. A region of a selected image is extracted and processed. A target image from a plurality of target images is provided, where the region is smaller than the target image. The region is compared with a plurality of regions in the target image, and the region is matched to a target region from the plurality of regions in the target image. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120002272 | EXTERNAL-CAVITY ONE-DIMENSIONAL MULTI-WAVELENGTH BEAM COMBINING OF TWO-DIMENSIONAL LASER ELEMENTS - An external-cavity one-dimensional multi-wavelength beam combiner that performs wavelength beam combining along a stacking dimension of a laser stack formed of a plurality of laser arrays, each laser array configured to generate optical radiation having a unique wavelength, and each of the plurality of laser arrays including one or more laser emitters arranged along an array dimension of the laser stack. The multi-wavelength beam combiner includes an optical imaging element configured to image each of the laser emitters along a slow axis of the laser emitters, an optical focusing element arranged to intercept the optical radiation from each of the plurality of laser arrays and combine the optical radiation along a stacking dimension of the laser stack to form a multi-wavelength optical beam, and a diffraction element positioned at a region of overlap of the optical radiation to receive and transmit the multi-wavelength optical beam. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20110319877 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR LASER TREATMENT WITH SPECTROSCOPIC FEEDBACK - A platform Smart Scalpel system using rapid real-time feedback for effecting laser treatment. The platform system includes an imaging system for rapid real-time detection of tissue characteristics, a processing system for processing the detected characteristics, and a treatment system for effecting treatment in accordance with results of the processing. The platform system provides for preprogramming and real-time inputting conditions and parameters for diagnosis using the imaging system and/or treatment using the treatment system. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110319601 | Inorganic Particle Conjugates - The ionic conjugates include an inorganic particle electrostatically associated with a macromolecule which can interact specifically with predetermined chemical species or biological targets. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110319300 | Systems for Filling a Sample Array by Droplet Dragging - A method and an array filling system for loading a plurality of disparate sample containers, the sample containers comprising an integral structure. Each receptacle is characterized by a hydrophilic surface, and the receptacles are separated by a hydrophobic surface. The system has a liquid transfer device capable of holding liquid and adapted for motion to cause sequential communication of liquid held in the liquid transfer device with successive receptacles of the array by dragging the liquid across the hydrophobic surface. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110311939 | Plaque Removal and Differentiation of Tooth and Gum - A method of tooth treatment includes sensing a surface condition of tooth or gum and controlling ejection of a fluid jet against the tooth based on the sensed condition. The fluid may be a liquid and may be carried in a self-contained reservoir in a handle of a fluid ejection device. The liquid can be a cleansing solution and may contain cleaning particles. The ejection can be controlled to clean teeth at high pressure and to reduce pressure applied to gum, for example, to clean plaque. In some embodiments, the method may be used to remove soft tooth. The method may further include automatically scanning the fluid jet relative to a handle of an injection device. In an embodiment, the fluid is ejected by means of a fluid ejector comprising a stationary magnet assembly providing a magnetic field and a coil assembly, slidably disposed with respect to the magnet assembly, the coil assembly driving ejection of the fluid jet. Sensing the surface condition can include measuring a response of tissue to a mechanical perturbation and may include sensing an acoustic signal reflected from tissue. The mechanical perturbation can include applied force and the measured response can include deformation of the tissue. The method may further include mechanically disturbing the tissue with the fluid jet. A tooth treatment device includes a fluid ejector that ejects fluid against teeth and a servo controller controlling pressure of ejected fluid in response to a sensed surface condition. The fluid jet can have a diameter of less than 500 microns, a peak relative pressure of at least 1 kilopascal and velocity of at least 1 meter per second. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110311180 | Glassy Surface Smoothing Layer for Integrated Waveguide - An integrated optical waveguide includes a substrate, a waveguide under-cladding layer disposed on the substrate, and a waveguide core, having top and sidewall surfaces, disposed on the under-cladding layer. A glassy surface smoothing layer disposed on the waveguide core top surface and sidewall surfaces and has a refractive index, relative to a refractive index of the waveguide core, that enables guided optical transmission through the waveguide core and the glassy surface smoothing layer. In fabrication of the optical waveguide, a waveguide under-cladding layer is formed on a substrate and a waveguide core having sidewall surfaces and a top surface is formed on the under-cladding layer. A liquid suspension comprising particles of a glassy material is applied on the top and sidewall surfaces of the waveguide core. The applied liquid glassy particle suspension is heated to form a glassy surface smoothing layer on the waveguide core top surface and sidewall surfaces. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310914 | Mode-Locking with Reduced Nonlinearity Using Gain-Matched Output Couplers - A laser cavity includes a gain medium for amplifying a light pulse in a light path, wherein the gain medium has a gain profile for amplifying the light pulse as a function of wavelength; at least one mirror on one side of the gain medium; and an output coupler. The output coupler has an output coupling profile for inducing loss in the light pulse as a function of wavelength that substantially matches the saturated gain profile of the gain medium across a range of lasing wavelengths. The purpose of this device is to achieve a flattened net-gain profile to substantially improve mode-locking performance with respect to self-starting, beam-quality, and broadband operation. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110308953 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DESALINATION AND PURIFICATION - A liquid electrolyte can be desalinated and purified using a system that includes a first electrode and a configuration selected from (a) a second electrode and at least one distinct ion-selective boundary and (b) a second electrode that also serves as the ion-selective boundary. The ion-selective boundary is contained in the liquid conduit adjacent to a porous medium that defines pore channels filled with the liquid and that have a surface charge, and the charge of the ion-selective boundary and the surface charge of the pore channels share the same sign. A liquid including at least one charged species flows through the pore channels, forming a thin diffuse electrochemical double layer at an interface of the liquid and the charged surface of the pore channels. A voltage differential is applied between the electrodes across the porous medium to draw ions in the liquid to the electrodes to produce brine at the electrodes and to create a shock in the dissolved-ion concentration in the bulk volume of the liquid within the pore channels, wherein a depleted zone with a substantially reduced concentration of dissolved ions forms in the liquid bulk volume between the shock and the ion-selective boundary. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110306752 | MUTANT INTERLEUKIN-2 (IL-2) POLYPEPTIDES - The present invention relates to IL-2 mutants with increased affinity for the IL-2 alpha-receptor subunit (IL-2Rα). The invention thus includes IL-2 mutants with improved biological potency. The invention also includes methods for directed evolution of IL-2α using yeast surface display to generate mutants with increased affinity for IL-2Rα. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110306354 | Method and Apparatus for Constructing a User-Generated Geological System - A method and apparatus are provided to permit location discovery, including location discovery in indoor settings. The method may identify a wireless fingerprint present at a geographical location and determine whether the wireless fingerprint corresponds to a previously observed wireless fingerprint associated with the predefined geographical location. A new wireless fingerprint and a geographical location, or bind, may be received by the system and the system may evaluate whether or not the new bind is erroneous or not, or if the new bind is an improvement over existing binds in determining whether or not to accept the new bind. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110303531 | CONDUCTING POLYMER WITH ACTIVELY SWITCHABLE ABSORBENCY - Structure with electrically switchable wettability. The structure includes a doped conducting polymer, a counter electrode and an electrolyte disposed between the doped conducting polymer and the counter electrode. A preferred conducting polymer is polypyrrole doped with fluorinated carbon ions. A voltage between the doped conducting polymer and the counter electrode will cause the conductive polymer to switch between hydrophobic and hydrophilic states. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110302206 | IMAGE SEARCH AND RETRIEVAL - Techniques for providing search and retrieval of images are disclosed. The techniques include receiving a selection of a first image and performing a search query to determine a first plurality of images from a plurality of target images. A listing of the first plurality of images is presented, and a selection of a second image chosen from the first plurality of images is received. Another search query is performed, using the second image, to determine a second plurality of images. Finally a listing of the second plurality of images is provided. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110300588 | MUTATIONS AND GENETIC TARGETS FOR ENHANCED L-TYROSINE PRODUCTION - The invention relates to identification of mutations and genetic targets for enhanced L-tyrosine production, and bacterial strains capable of L-tyrosine production. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110300219 | NANOSTRUCTURES FOR DRUG DELIVERY - The present invention provides compositions, preparations, formulations, kits, and methods useful for treating subjects having cancer or at risk of developing cancer. Some embodiments of the invention may comprise a composition comprising a plurality of particles comprising a platinum(IV) therapeutically active precursor. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110298149 | INORGANIC NANOWIRES - An inorganic nanowire having an organic scaffold substantially removed from the inorganic nanowire, the inorganic nanowire consisting essentially of fused inorganic nanoparticles substantially free of the organic scaffold, and methods of making same. For example, a virus-based scaffold for the synthesis of single crystal ZnS, CdS and free-standing L10 CoPt and FePt nanowires can be used, with the means of modifying substrate specificity through standard biological methods. Peptides can be selected through an evolutionary screening process that exhibit control of composition, size, and phase during nanoparticle nucleation have been expressed on the highly ordered filamentous capsid of the M13 bacteriophage. The incorporation of specific, nucleating peptides into the generic scaffold of the M13 coat structure can provide a viable template for the directed synthesis of a variety of materials including semiconducting and magnetic materials. Removal of the viral template via annealing can promote oriented aggregation-based crystal growth, forming individual crystalline nanowires. The unique ability to interchange substrate specific peptides into the linear self-assembled filamentous construct of the M13 virus introduces a material tenability not seen in previous synthetic routes. Therefore, this system provides a genetic tool kit for growing and organizing nanowires from various materials including semiconducting and magnetic materials. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110297084 | Apparatus for Direct Fabrication of Nanostructures - An all-additive apparatus for direct fabrication of nanometer-scale planar and multilayer structures that performs “pick-and-place” retrieval and deposition of materials comprises a tip and a controller and transport mechanism configured for causing the tip to acquire a transferable material and deposit at least a portion of the acquired transferable material at a predetermined location onto a substrate, without the use of a bridging medium, in order to directly assemble a structure. The tip may be submillimeter-scale, may comprise a plurality of sub-tips disposed in a predetermined arrangement, and/or may mechanically vibrate. Mechanical vibration of the tip may be monitored. The tip may acquire the transferable material from a reservoir. The assembled structure may be cured on the substrate. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110295736 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RELATIVISTIC STATISTICAL SECURITIES TRADING - A system comprising a processor configured to calculate a location for a server along a communication link between a first trading center and a second trading center based at least in part on a property of the communication link. The server may be configured to send first trade instructions for trading a first financial instrument to the first trading center and send second trade instructions for trading a second financial instrument to the second trading center. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110294782 | SMALL MOLECULE PAK INHIBITORS - The present invention provides methods for treating fragile X syndrome and/or other neurodevelopmental disorders by administering small molecule p21-activated kinase (PAK) inhibitors to a patient suffering from, susceptible to, and/or exhibiting one or more symptoms of FXS and/or other neurodevelopmental disorders. The present invention provides specific small molecule PAK inhibitors and pharmaceutical compositions comprising small molecule PAK inhibitors. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293705 | METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR LOCALIZED AGENT DELIVERY - The invention provides compositions and methods for delivering agents to localized regions, tissues, or organs in vivo by conjugating agent-loaded nanoparticles to cells having homing capability. The agents may be therapeutic or diagnostic agents such as cancer chemotherapeutic agents and imaging agents respectively. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293703 | AMINOALCOHOL LIPIDOIDS AND USES THEREOF - Aminoalcohol lipidoids are prepared by reacting an amine with an epoxide-terminated compound are described. Methods of preparing aminoalcohol lipidoids from commercially available starting materials are also provided. Aminoalcohol lipidoids may be prepared from racemic or stereochemically pure epoxides. Aminoalcohol lipidoids or salts forms thereof are preferably biodegradable and biocompatible and may be used in a variety of drug delivery systems. Given the amino moiety of these aminoalcohol lipidoid compounds, they are particularly suited for the delivery of polynucleotides. Complexes, micelles, liposomes or particles containing the inventive lipidoids and polynucleotide have been prepared. The inventive lipidoids may also be used in preparing microparticles for drug delivery. They are particularly useful in delivering labile agents given their ability to buffer the pH of their surroundings. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293558 | MATERIAL PROPERTIES OF T CELLS AND RELATED METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS - The invention in some aspects relates to methods, devices and compositions for evaluating material properties, such as mechanical and rheological properties of substances, particularly biological substances, such as cells, tissues, and biological fluids. In some aspects, the invention relates to methods, devices and compositions for evaluating material properties of deformable objects, such as cells. In further aspects, the invention relates to methods, devices and compositions for diagnosing and/or characterizing disease based on material properties of biological cells. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292498 | HIGH PEAK POWER OPTICAL AMPLIFIER - A method and apparatus for providing a high peak power optical beam. The method includes interleaving pulse trains of different wavelengths and spatially and temporally overlapping the different wavelengths to produce an amplified output beam with very high peak power. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110289741 | Methods and apparatus for applying tension to a motion transmission element - In exemplary implementations of this invention, tension is applied to a motion transmission element with periodic features by causing that element to mesh with a device that has a pitch slightly greater than the pitch of the motion transmission element. The motion transmission element with periodic features may comprise, for example: (a) a belt with teeth, or (b) a chain. Further, the motion transmission element may comprise either an open or a closed loop. In exemplary implementations, the width of the teeth of the motion transmission element (along that element's long axis) is greater than the width of the teeth in the rack (along the rack's long axis). This allows room for the teeth of the rack to both fit and move within the gap between the teeth in the motion transmission element. This extra width of the element's teeth is not necessary if the element is sufficiently elastic. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110289635 | RESONANCE COMPENSATION IN SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPY - A method includes generating, using a sensor, a data signal. The data signal includes a first component based on a motion in a first direction of an actuator configured to provide motion between a sample and a probe in the first direction, the first direction substantially in the plane of the sample; and a second component based on at least one of topographic variations of the sample in a second direction, and a materials property of the sample. The method further includes generating, using a processor, a compensatory signal based on the first component of the data signal generated by the sensor; and providing the compensatory signal to the actuator. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110289043 | COMPUTATIONAL METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS - The invention in some aspects relates to methods, devices and compositions for evaluating material properties, such as mechanical and rheological properties of substances, particularly biological substances, such as cells, tissues, and biological fluids. In some aspects, the invention relates to methods, devices and compositions for evaluating material properties of deformable objects, such as cells. In further aspects, the invention relates to methods, devices and compositions for diagnosing and/or characterizing disease based on material properties of biological cells. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110288964 | Kinetic Input/Output - In exemplary implementations of this invention, an input/output device (“Bulb”) is attached to on an articulated, actuated robotic arm. The robotic arm can move the Bulb by translating it along three axes and by rotating it about the arm's base. In addition, the I/O can rotate about its own vertical axis. The Bulb comprises at least a pico-projector, two cameras, a depth sensor and an onboard computer. The onboard computer controls actuators in the robotic arm and Bulb that move the Bulb. It also processes visual data captured by the cameras in order to recognize objects or events, and to respond to them. This response may include changing the position of the Bulb or changing the parameters of an image projected by the pico-projector. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110288027 | TARGETS, METHODS, AND REAGENTS FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA - The present invention provides targets, methods, and reagents for the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia and related conditions. The invention provides methods for the diagnosis of schizophrenia and susceptibility to schizophrenia by detection of polymorphisms, mutations, variations, alterations in expression, etc., in calcineurin genes or calcineurin interacting genes, or polymorphisms linked to such genes. The invention provides oligonucleotides, arrays, and antibodies for detection of polymorphisms and variants. The invention provides transgenic mice having alterations in such genes. The invention also provides methods of treating schizophrenia by administering compounds that target these genes. The invention further provides screening methods for identifying such compounds and compounds obtained by performing the screens. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110287948 | MEASUREMENT OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES AND RELATED METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS BASED ON CYTOADHERENCE - The invention in some aspects relates to methods, devices and compositions for evaluating material properties, such as mechanical and rheological properties of substances, particularly biological substances, such as cells, tissues, and biological fluids. In some aspects, the invention relates to methods, devices and compositions for evaluating material properties of deformable objects, such as cells. In further aspects, the invention relates to methods, devices and compositions for diagnosing and/or characterizing disease based on material properties of biological cells. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110284059 | THERMOPHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY GENERATION - Inventive systems and methods for the generation of energy using thermophotovoltaic cells are described. Also described are systems and methods for selectively emitting electromagnetic radiation from an emitter for use in thermophotovoltaic energy generation systems. In at least some of the inventive energy generation systems and methods, a voltage applied to the thermophotovoltaic cell (e.g., to enhance the power produced by the cell) can be adjusted to enhance system performance. Certain embodiments of the systems and methods described herein can be used to generate energy relatively efficiently. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110282900 | IMAGE RETRIEVAL - Method and systems for search and retrieval of images with an image processing system is disclosed. With an input interface, a first image to use in a search query is received. The first image is processed with the image processing system to create first information and determine a first code associated with the first image. A plurality of images are received from an image database and processed to respectively create information at least related to each of the plurality of images. A plurality of codes associated with the plurality of images is determined. The first code is compared with the plurality of codes to find a subset of the plurality of images. The first information is compared with information for the subset. Finally, the image processing system determines if the subset compares favorably with the first image based, at least in part, on an outcome from the comparing the first information with the information from the subset. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110282658 | Method and Apparatus for Audio Source Separation - The present invention relates to co-channel audio source separation. In one embodiment a first frequency-related representation of plural regions of the acoustic signal is prepared over time, and a two-dimensional transform of plural two-dimensional localized regions of the first frequency-related representation, each less than an entire frequency range of the first frequency related representation, is obtained to provide a two-dimensional compressed frequency-related representation with respect to each two dimensional localized region. For each of the plural regions, at least one pitch is identified. The pitch from the plural regions is processed to provide multiple pitch estimates over time. In another embodiment, a mixed acoustic signal is processed by localizing multiple time-frequency regions of a spectrogram of the mixed acoustic signal to obtain one or more acoustic properties. A separate pitch estimate of each of the multiple acoustic signals at a time point are provided by combining the one or more acoustic properties. At least one of the multiple acoustic signals is recovered using the separate pitch estimates. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110282481 | PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD MANUFACTURE - Method and systems for circuit board manufacture and inspection are provided. A captured image of a circuit board is compared with a target image of a reference circuit board at a similar stage in manufacture. The target image and a captured image are aligned. The captured image is divided into a plurality of image regions. A primary image region within the captured image is selected, and a target image region within the target image is selected and properties of the primary image region and the target image region are compared. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110281290 | SOX-BASED KINASE SENSOR - Peptidyl sensors comprise a metal-binding peptide and one or two kinase recognition sequences with a hydroxyamino acid that can be phosphorylated in the presence of a kinase. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280912 | DEGRADABLE POLYMER NANOSTRUCTURE MATERIALS - This invention relates generally to composites comprising a plurality of nanostructures, and methods of making the same. In some embodiments, the composites further comprise a polymer. In some embodiments, the composites may have desirable properties such as, for example, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and/or high tensile strength. In one embodiment, the plurality of nanostructures comprises carbon nanotubes, and the polymer comprises a poly(beta-amino ester). Various methods are provided for preparing the composites. For example, the polymer and the plurality of nanostructures may, in some embodiments, be combined in a layer-by-layer process to form the composite. High throughput methods for preparing composites having different compositions also are provided for screening composites for desirable properties. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280861 | METHOD FOR MIR-125A IN PROMOTING HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL SELF RENEWAL AND EXPANSION - Embodiments of the invention relate to methods and compositions for the expansion of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) self renewal. The microRNA-125a is a master control of HSC self-renewal. Increased expression of mir-125a increased HSC self-renewal by 6-30 folds. Increased expression of mir-125a can be used to expand HSC ex vivo and in vivo. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280799 | NANOCELLS FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF DISEASES AND DISORDERS - The present invention relates to novel nanocell compositions and their use in imaging, diagnostic and treatment methods. In one embodiment, nanocells tailored for imaging methods comprise a nanocore surrounded by a lipid matrix, and are modified to contain a radionuclide core or a nanocore with an emission spectra. The nanocells may be size restricted such as being greater than about 60 nm so that they selectively extravasate at sites of angiogenesis (e.g. tumor) and do not pass through normal vasculature or enter non-tumor bearing tissue. In this way, angiogenic sites can be both detected and treated. In another embodiment, nanocells are tailored for various treatment methods, including the treatment of brain cancer, asthma, Grave's Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, and Pulmonary Fibrosis. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280581 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING HIGH-POWER LASER BEAMS - A method of operating a high-output-power fiber laser system includes: time multiplexing a plurality of pulses, each pulse having a pulse width, and each having a different wavelength from a plurality of seed oscillators onto a single fiber; setting each pulse width to a width less than the phonon lifetime; separating in time each pulse from each other pulse so as to leave a gap between adjacent pulses; setting a time between pulses each having a common wavelength to a time longer than a round-trip time of flight through a fiber amplifier of pulses having the common wavelength; and injecting the plurality of pulses from the single fiber into the fiber amplifier. Also to disclosed is a system capable of performing the method. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110279307 | High Duty Cycle Radar with Near/Far Pulse Compression Interference Mitigation - In conventional pulse compression processing, sidelobes from strong return signals may hide correlation peaks associated with weaker return signals. Example embodiments include methods of mitigating this near/far interference by weighting a received return signal or corresponding reference signal based the return signal's time of arrival, then performing pulse compression using the weighted signal to produce a correlation peak that is not hidden by sidelobes from another return. Multi-frequency processing can also be used to reduce the pulse width of the transmitted pulses and received return signals, thereby mitigating near/far interference by decreasing the overlap between signals from nearby targets. Weighting can be combined with multi-frequency pulse transmission and reception to further enhance the fidelity of the processed correlation peak. Weighting and multi-frequency processing also enable higher duty cycles than are possible with conventional pulse compression radars. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110279079 | Battery Charger Circuit and Control Schemes - Described is a battery charger circuit for charging a battery. The battery charger circuit comprises a control element having a first input configured to receive an input from a reference source, a second input configured to receive an input from the battery and an output, said control element having an output current response characteristic which varies with respect to the battery input such that said control element implements a saturating function that causes the charging current of the battery to automatically transition between a constant current operating mode and a constant voltage operating mode or a constant voltage operating mode to a constant current operating mode. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110278536 | LIGHT EMITTING MATERIAL - A film can include a plurality of semiconductor nanocrystals and a J-aggregating material in solution. The film can exhibit 90% energy transfer efficiency from the J-aggregating material to the plurality of semiconductor nanocrystals. The film can exhibit photoluminescence that is enhanced at least 2.5 times over an equivalent film including the plurality of semiconductor nanocrystals alone when excited at 465 nm. The film can be contacted onto a substrate by spin casting. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110275143 | Microfluidic Bubble Logic Devices - Fluid-based no-moving part logic devices are constructed from complex sequences of micro- and nanofluidic channels, on-demand bubble/droplet modulators and generators for programming the devices, and micro- and nanofluidic droplet/bubble memory elements for storage and retrieval of biological or chemical elements. The input sequence of bubbles/droplets encodes information, with the output being another sequence of bubbles/droplets or on-chip chemical synthesis. For performing a set of reactions/tasks or process control, the modulators can be used to program the device by producing a precisely timed sequence of bubbles/droplets, resulting in a cascade of logic operations within the micro- or nanofluidic channel sequence, utilizing the generated droplets/bubbles as a control. The devices are based on the principle of minimum energy interfaces formed between the two fluid phases enclosed inside precise channel geometries. Various devices, including logic gates, non-volatile bistable memory, ring oscillators, bubble synchronizers, analysis chips, and printers have been designed. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110274989 | CATALYSTS FOR OXYGEN REDUCTION AND EVOLUTION IN METAL-AIR ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS - Methods and devices for catalyzing reactions, e.g., in a metal-air electrochemical cell, are disclosed. In some instances, a porous positive electrode of the metal-air electrochemical cell includes a metal to catalyze a reaction at the electrode (e.g., oxidation of one or more metal-oxide species). The metal can be disposed as nanoparticles, and/or be combined with a second metal. Other aspects are directed to devices and methods that can generally promote a chemical reaction (e.g., an oxidation/reduction reaction) such as the formation of platinum containing nanoparticles that can be used to catalyze electrochemical reactions. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110274948 | ENERGY TRANSFER USING ELECTROCHEMICALLY ISOLATED FLUIDS - The present invention is related to energy generation using electrochemically isolated fluids, and articles, systems, and methods for achieving the same. The embodiments described herein can be used in electrochemical cells in which at least one electrode comprises an electrochemically active fluid (i.e., the electrochemical cell comprises at least one fluid comprising electrode active material that is flowable into and/or out of the electrode compartment in which the electrode active material is charged and/or discharged). | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110274429 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PHASE SHIFT KEYED OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS - A burst-mode differential phase shift keying (DPSK) communications system according to an embodiment of the present invention enables practical, power-efficient, multi-rate communications between an optical transmitter and receiver. An embodiment of the system utilizes a single interferometer in the receiver with a relative path delay that is matched to the DPSK symbol rate of the link. DPSK symbols are transmitted in bursts, and the data rate may be varied by changing the ratio of the burst-on time to the burst-off time. This approach offers a number of advantages over conventional DPSK implementations, including near-optimum photon efficiency over a wide range of data rates, simplified multi-rate transceiver implementation, and relaxed transmit laser line-width requirements at low data rates. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110274135 | Broadband Dispersion-Free Optical Filter Cavities Based on Dielectric Mirrors with Complementary Dispersion - A substantially dispersion-free optical filter cavity includes a first multilayer mirror and a second multilayer mirror, wherein each mirror includes layers of a less-refractive material and layers of a more-refractive material, the more-refractive material having a higher index of refraction than the less-refractive material. The mirrors are separated by a spacing, and the thickness of a plurality of the layers in the second multilayer mirror differ from corresponding layers in the first multilayer mirror to provide the cavity with complementary group-delay dispersion across the cavity with a phase difference within, e.g., ±0.015 rad across a range of wavelengths spanning at least, e.g., 50 nm. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110273763 | Cavity-Enhanced Parametric Amplification at Full Repetition Rate - Seed light pulses and pump light pulses are generated; the seed light pulses are preferably chirped; and both are directed into an enhancement cavity at a full repetition rate. The enhancement cavity defines a closed optical path that contains a nonlinear medium that provides phase matching at a wavelength different from both the central seed wavelength and the central pump wavelength. The generation of the pump light pulses and the seed light pulses are synchronized to pass the seed light pulses through the nonlinear medium simultaneously with the pump light pulses to parametrically amplify the seed light pulses in the nonlinear medium to produce an amplified signal pulse and idler pulse. Increased conversion with low average pump power can be achieved, as well as gain bandwidth enhancement approaching octave-spanning levels. Additionally, in the case of chirped pump pulses with sufficient bandwidth, optimal output coupling can be designed to achieve the best impedance matching at each temporal coordinate and attain the highest possible conversion and bandwidth. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110270792 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HYPOTHESIS TESTING - A decision stream in a hypothesis testing problem may be obtained by comparing a received data stream to a threshold. The threshold may be generated from a noise subset of the data stream based on certain characteristics of observed data. The probability distribution of the noise subset along with characteristics of the data stream may be used in determining the threshold. The determination of the threshold may be adaptive to maintain a user prescribed probability of error. A decision state machine may be used to control the manner in which noise characteristics are used to guide the hypothesis testing, increase the detection rate, and reduce the probability of error. The decision state machine evaluates the decision stream to determine falsely classified data samples and reclassify such items appropriately. The decision state machine may filter the decision stream to ensure that a lower decision error rate is achieved. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110269243 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS RELATED TO OPTICAL NANOSENSORS COMPRISING PHOTOLUMINESCENT NANOSTRUCTURES - Systems and methods related to optical nanosensors comprising photoluminescent nanostructures are generally described. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110268975 | Transient Migrating Phase Low Temperature Joining of Co-Sintered Particulate Materials Including a Chemical Reaction - A method joins bodies of two component materials, at least one of which is a particulate, at low temperature. A third component has a lower melting point than either of the components. The third component chemically reacts with one or both of the first two to form material with a higher melting point than the original third component. The system is heated to at or above that melting point. The third component melts and flows, migrating to fill spaces between particles. The fluid should migrate to and across the interface, bridging the two component materials. The migrating phase network connects across the joining interface. The reaction product remains solid at temperatures above the original melting point of the third component. The migrating phase can be the liquefied form of the third component, or, a glass, heated to act as a supercooled liquid. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110268804 | TARGETING OF ANTIGEN PRESENTING CELLS WITH IMMUNONANOTHERAPEUTICS - The present invention provides compositions and systems for delivery of nanocarriers to cells of the immune system. The invention provides nanocarriers capable of stimulating an immune response in T cells and/or in B cells. The invention provides nanocarriers that comprise an immunofeature surface. The nanocarriers are capable of targeting antigen presenting cells when administered to a subject. The invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising nanocarriers. The present invention provides methods of designing, manufacturing, and using nanocarriers and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110267390 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING FILMS - The disclosure relates to a method for depositing films on a substrate which may form part of an LED or other types of display. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus for depositing ink on a substrate. The apparatus includes a chamber for receiving ink; a discharge nozzle having an inlet port and an outlet port, the discharge nozzle receiving a quantity of ink from the chamber at the inlet port and dispensing the quantity of ink from the outlet port; and a dispenser for metering the quantity of ink from the chamber to the inlet port of the discharge nozzle; wherein the chamber receives ink in liquid form having a plurality of suspended particles and the quantity of ink is pulsatingly metered from the chamber to the discharge nozzle; and the discharge nozzle evaporates the carrier liquid and deposits the solid particles on the substrate. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110267340 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOTION CORRECTION AND IMAGE ENHANCEMENT FOR OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY - Images of an object, such as OCT scans of a human eye, can include distortions and data gaps due to relative motion of the object and the image acquisition device. Methods and systems for correction of such distortions and data gaps are described herein. Motion-corrected data is arrived at by applying three-dimensional transforms to input three-dimensional data sets that represent at least partially overlapping regions of the imaged object. The three dimensional transforms are computed based on an objective function that accounts for similarity between the transformed three-dimensional data sets and the estimated motion of the object relative to an imaging instrument. Methods and systems described herein advantageously eliminate the need for postulated assumptions and reliance on landmarks and are capable of filling data gaps, thereby producing high quality, undistorted images of objects subject to movement during imaging. Multiple motion-corrected data sets can be merged or combined to produce a data set with improved image quality. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110264230 | Artificial Human Limbs and Joints Employing Actuators, Springs, and Variable-Damper Elements - Biomimetic Hybrid Actuators employed in biologically-inspired musculoskeletal architectures employ an electric motor for supplying positive energy to and storing negative energy from an artificial joint or limb, as well as elastic elements such as springs, and controllable variable damper components, for passively storing and releasing energy and providing adaptive stiffness to accommodate level ground walking as well as movement on stairs and surfaces having different slopes. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110263747 | MULTIFUNCTIONAL ENCODED PARTICLES FOR HIGH-THROUGHPUT ANALYSIS - Method for making multifunctional particles. The method includes flowing a first monomer stream loaded with a fluorescent entity along a microfluidic channel and flowing a second monomer stream loaded with a probe adjacent to the first monomer stream along the microfluidic channel. The monomer streams are polymerized to synthesize particles having a fluorescent, graphically encoded region and a probe-loaded region. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110263693 | CELASTROL, GEDUNIN, AND DERIVATIVES THEREOF AS HSP90 INHIBITORS - Based on the discovery that celastrol and gedunin are Hsp90 inhibitors, the present invention provides novel inhibitors of Hsp90. and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, derivatives, and compositions thereof. The invention provides two classes of compounds. One class includes celastrol and its derivatives. The other class includes gedunin and its derivatives. The present invention further provides methods for treating disorders wherein Hsρ90 inhibition is desired (e.g., proliferative diseases, cancer, inflammatory diseases, fungal infections, etc.) comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an inventive compound to a subject in need thereof. Celastrol, gedunin, and derivatives thereof are particularly useful in the treatment of prostate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, lung cancer, and leukemia. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110263062 | Highly Luminescent Color-Selective Nanocrystalline Materials - A nanocrystal capable of light emission includes a nanoparticle having photoluminescence having quantum yields of greater than 30%. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110262752 | Highly Luminescent Color-Selective Nanocrystalline Materials - A nanocrystal capable of light emission includes a nanoparticle having photoluminescence having quantum yields of greater than 30%. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110262624 | Method and Apparatus for Depositing LED Organic Film - In one embodiment the disclosure relates to an apparatus for depositing an organic material on a substrate, including a source heater for heating organic particles to form suspended organic particles; a transport stream for delivering the suspended organic particles to a discharge nozzle, the discharge nozzle having a plurality of micro-pores, the micro-pores providing a conduit for passage of the suspended organic particles; and a nozzle heater for pulsatingly heating the micro-pores nozzle to discharge the suspended organic particles from the discharge nozzle. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110262028 | IMAGE COMPARISON - Method and systems for comparing two images with an image processing system is disclosed. A target image and a selected image are aligned. The selected image is divided into a plurality of image regions, and properties of predetermined regions are combined. A primary image region within the selected image is selected, and a target image region within the target image is selected and properties of the two regions are compared. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110261077 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ZOOM FUNCTION FOR VISUAL OBJECTS DISPLAYED ON SCREEN - A system and a method for providing a zoom function for visual objects displayed on a screen. The system provides a user interface showing the visual object. The system includes a detection unit and a zoom unit. The zoom function is completed by using a control object and the detection unit. The zoom unit generates a zoom-in effect on the visual object when the control object moves toward the detection unit. The zoom unit generates a zoom-out effect on the visual object when the control object moves away from the detection unit. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110258420 | EXECUTION MIGRATION - An execution migration approach includes bringing the computation to the locus of the data: when a memory instruction requests an address not cached by the current core, the execution context (current program counter, register values, etc.) moves to the core where the data is cached. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110257764 | Powered ankle-foot prothesis - A powered ankle-foot prosthesis, capable of providing human-like power at terminal stance that increase amputees metabolic walking economy compared to a conventional passive-elastic prosthesis. The powered prosthesis comprises a unidirectional spring, configured in parallel with a force-controllable actuator with series elasticity. The prosthesis is controlled to deliver the high mechanical power and net positive work observed in normal human walking. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110257626 | CONTROLLED NEEDLE-FREE TRANSPORT - A needle-free transdermal transport device for transferring a substance across a surface of a biological body includes a reservoir for storing the substance, a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir and a controllable electromagnetic actuator in communication with the reservoir. The actuator, referred to as a Lorentz force actuator, includes a stationary magnet assembly and a moving coil assembly. The coil assembly moves a piston having an end portion positioned within the reservoir. The actuator receives an electrical input and generates in response a corresponding force acting on the piston and causing a needle-free transfer of the substance between the reservoir and the biological body. The magnitude, direction and duration of the force are dynamically controlled (e.g., servo-controlled) by the electrical input and can be altered during the course of an actuation cycle. Beneficially, the actuator can be moved in different directions according to the electrical input. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110257415 | EPOXIDATION CATALYSTS - The present invention generally relates to methods for the synthesis of catalysts, including epoxidation catalysts, and related compounds and catalyst compositions. Embodiments described herein may provide efficient processes for providing catalysts (e.g., epoxidation catalysts) in large quantities and using simplified methods. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110257261 | PLATINUM (IV) COMPLEXES FOR USE IN DUAL MODE PHARMACEUTICAL THERAPY - The present invention provides compositions, preparations, formulations, kits, and methods useful for treating subjects in need of therapeutic protocol, including subjects having cancer or at risk of developing cancer. Some embodiments of the invention may comprise a composition comprising a first component comprising a precursor to a therapeutically active platinum agent and a precursor to a second therapeutically active agent. The therapeutically active platinum agent and the second therapeutically active agent may dissociate from each other, thereby forming a first therapeutically active platinum agent and a second therapeutically active agent. The second therapeutically active gent may affect a cellular pathway of a cancer cell and may be substantially inactive towards non-cancerous cells. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110257104 | METHODS TO IDENTIFY MACROMOLECULE BINDING AND AGGREGATION PRONE REGIONS IN PROTEINS AND USES THEREFOR - The present invention provides methods and computational tools based, at least in part, on computer simulations that identify macromolecule binding regions and aggregation prone regions of a protein. Substitutions may then be made in these aggregation prone regions to engineer proteins with enhanced stability and/or a reduced propensity for aggregation. Similarly, substitutions may then be made in these macromolecule binding regions to engineer proteins with altered binding affinity for the macromolecule. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110257041 | BIO-FIELD PROGRAMMABLE GATE ARRAY AND BIO-PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC ARRAY: RECONFIGURABLE CHASSIS CONSTRUCTION - Aspects of the invention relate to reconfigurable chassis that allow for rapid construction and optimization of biocircuits. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110257032 | MODULAR GLYCAN ARRAYS - The present invention provides methods and systems for functionally analyzing glycans and their interaction partners. Among other things, the invention provides modular glycan arrays in which different glycan populations are associated with different discrete solid phase particles. Provided arrays offer many advantages over available systems for assessing glycan binding interactions. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110256386 | Fabrication of Large-Area Hexagonal Boron Nitride Thin Films - A hexagonal boron nitride thin film is grown on a metal surface of a growth substrate and then annealed. The hexagonal boron nitride thin film is coated with a protective support layer and released from the metal surface. The boron nitride thin film together with the protective support layer can then be transferred to any of a variety of arbitrary substrates. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110256088 | TARGETED DELIVERY OF NUCLEIC ACIDS - Aspects of the invention provide compositions and methods for delivering nucleic acids to target cells. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110254199 | FAST CURABLE LIQUID RESIN PROCEDURE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MICRO/NANO FEATURED PARTS - A method of forming micro-based devices is provided that includes dispensing a liquid curable resin into a mold set with a reservoir section. Also, the method includes spinning the reservoir section and mold set so as to completely fill the patterning portion of the mold set with the liquid curable resin. The mold set is placed in a heating and cooling station that produces a cured part e. Also, the method includes moving the mold set and the cured part to a parting station, where the cured part is removed from the mold set. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110254107 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING MEMS DEVICE - The disclosure is generally directed to fabrication steps, and operation principles for microelectromechanical (MEMS) transducers. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a texture morphing device. The texture morphing device includes: a plurality of supports arranged on a substrate to support a deformable mirror; an ITO layer; and a Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) layer. A pair of adjacent supports form a cavity with the ITO layer and the deformable mirror. When the height of the cavity changes responsive to an external pressure, the internal reflection within the cavity is changed. The change in the height of the cavity causes the exterior texture to morph. Similar principles are disclosed for constructing sensor and actuators. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110253197 | TUNED SOLAR CONCENTRATORS AND DEVICES AND METHODS USING THEM - Solar concentrators are disclosed that improve the efficiency of PV cells and systems using them. The solar concentrators may be designed such that they include one or more tuned chromophores that emit light substantially in a single direction to a PV cell. Various materials and components of the solar concentrators are also described. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110251652 | NEURAL PROSTHETICS USING A CHEMICAL HARVESTING AND STIMULATION DEVICE - A neural prosthetic device is provided that includes one or more ion-selective membranes enabling electrically-controlled local modulation of ion concentrations around a nerve so as to achieve different excitability states of the nerve for electrical stimulation or inhibition of nerve signal propagation. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20110251493 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASUREMENT OF PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS - Method and system for measuring physiological parameters. The method includes capturing a sequence of images of a human face and identifying the location of the face in a frame of the video and establishing a region of interest including the face. Pixels are separated in the region of interest in a frame into at least two channel values forming raw traces over time. The raw traces are decomposed into at least two independent source signals. At least one of the source signals is processed to obtain a physiological parameter. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20110251144 | MOLECULAR MODULATORS OF THE WNT/BETA-CATENIN PATHWAY - The present invention is directed toward a method of treating a subject for a condition mediated by aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling by selecting a subject with a condition mediated by aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling and administering to the selected subject at least one compound selected from the group consisting of those set forth in Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. A method of similarly modulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in a subject is also discussed. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20110246881 | TRANSLATING TEXT TO, MERGING, AND OPTIMIZING GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE TASKS - A system and method that enables a plurality of lay users to collaborate on automating computer tasks is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system automatically performs these tasks, rather than just documenting how to perform them. The system allows a database of solutions to be built for every important computer task. A key characteristic of this system is that users contribute to this database by simply performing the task. The system records the graphical user interface (GUI) actions as the user performs the task. It aggregates GUI traces from multiple users into a canonical sequence of GUI actions parameterized by user-environment that will successfully accomplish the task on a variety of different configurations. A classifier is used to predict which steps are likely to be misinterpreted and requests human intervention to properly perform them. This process can be done iteratively until the translation is believed to be correct. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110246015 | System and Method for Providing Perceived First-Order Control of an Unmanned Vehicle - A system for providing perceived first order control of an unmanned vehicle contains a memory and a processor configured by the memory to perform the steps of receiving instructions for updating x-axis location, y-axis location, z-axis location, and/or heading of the unmanned vehicle; converting received instructions for updating x-axis location, y-axis location, z-axis location, and/or heading of the unmanned vehicle into a set of relative distance coordinates from a current location of the unmanned vehicle; and adjusting the set of relative distance coordinates by a gain control, to minimize coordinate change, wherein gain control provides a rate change in the x-axis location, y-axis location, z-axis location, and/or heading, resulting in a new set of coordinates. A screen displays a location dot representing current location of the unmanned vehicle and an outer limit circle surrounding the location dot representing an outer boundary for movement of the unmanned vehicle. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110245477 | EFFICIENT METHODS FOR Z- OR CIS-SELECTIVE CROSS-METATHESIS - The present invention generally relates to methods for performing metathesis reactions, including cross-metathesis reactions. Methods described herein exhibit enhanced activity and stereoselectivity, relative to known methods, and are useful in the synthesis of a large assortment of biologically and therapeutically significant agents. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110244764 | CHEMICAL-MECHANICAL POLISHING PAD CONDITIONING SYSTEM - Polishing pad conditioning system. The system includes a first rotatable platen supporting a polishing pad containing asperities having a radius of curvature. A second rotatable platen supports a disk of bulk material having holes therethrough, the second rotatable platen supported for translation as well as rotation. Means are provided for pushing the polishing pad and bulk material into contact at an interface during rotation and translation and means are provided for passing a slurry through the holes in the bulk material to the interface whereby the radius of curvature of the pad asperities is increased. Water may be delivered to the bulk material for cooling. A process for conditioning a polishing pad is also disclosed. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110241941 | METHOD FOR LOW SIDELOBE OPERATION OF A PHASED ARRAY ANTENNA HAVING FAILED ANTENNA ELEMENTS - Described is a method of modifying an antenna pattern for a phased array antenna having at least one failed antenna element. A number of proximate beamformers in a proximate angular region about a beamformer at an angle of interest are determined. Each of the proximate beamformers has a proximate beamformer weight vector. A corrected beamformer weight vector is determined for the angle of interest as a linear combination of the proximate beamformer weight vectors. Each element of the corrected beamformer weight vector that corresponds to one of the failed antenna elements has a value of zero. The method enables computation of low spatial sidelobe antenna patterns without requiring a recalibration of the antenna thereby enabling uninterrupted operation of systems that employ phased array antennas. The method can also be used to control taper loss or sidelobe level for phased array antennas that have no failed antenna elements. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110241931 | ITERATIVE CLUTTER CALIBRATION WITH PHASED ARRAY ANTENNAS - An iterative clutter calibration method comprises measuring an average of a sidelobe power in a range-Doppler image for a plurality of ranges. A determined value of an objective function is responsive to an average of the sidelobe clutter power. A plurality of beamformer weights is modified and the step of determining the value of the objective function is repeated until a maximum value of the objective function is determined. Each beamformer weight determines a gain and phase of a respective antenna element in an antenna system. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110241704 | STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD USING SOFT CAPACITIVE SENSING MATERIALS - A structural health monitoring system is provided to diagnose and localize crack damage on structural elements. The system uses one or more capacitive sensor assemblies that employ a soft dielectric material. The system can be applied over a large area as a sensing skin, allowing the presence of cracks to be localized. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110240621 | MULTIFUNCTIONAL CNT-ENGINEERED STRUCTURES - Various applications for structured CNT-engineered materials are disclosed herein. In one application, systems are disclosed, wherein a structured CNT-engineered material forms at least part of an object capable of providing its own structural feedback. In another application, systems are disclosed, wherein a structured CNT-engineered material forms at least part of an object capable of generating heat. In yet another application, systems are disclosed, wherein a structured CNT-engineered material forms at least part of an object capable of functioning as an antenna, for example, for receiving, transmitting, absorbing and/or dissipating a signal. In still another application, systems are disclosed, wherein a structured CNT-engineered material forms at least part of an object capable of serving as a conduit for thermal or electrical energy. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110240344 | DEPOSITION OF NANOWIRES AND OTHER NANOSCALE OBJECTS ON SURFACES - The present invention generally relates to the deposition of nanowires and other nanoparticles on surfaces. According to one aspect of the invention, a fluid containing nanoscale objects, such as nanowires, is deposited on a surface having one or more relatively hydrophilic regions and one or more relatively hydrophobic regions. If the fluid is hydrophilic, it will preferentially be located in the relatively hydrophilic regions (or vice versa if the fluid is relatively hydrophobic). The fluid is then allowed to evaporate to cause the nanoscale objects to deposit. For instance, the rate of evaporation may be controlled so as to allow the nanoscale objects to substantially deposit at the centers of the regions and/or at a rate that causes the nanoscale objects to become substantially aligned. In some cases, the regions may be relatively small, e.g., having a minimum surface dimension of less than about 3000 nm. In one set of embodiments, one or more cylindrical droplets may be formed on the surface. For example, the surface may contain a relatively hydrophilic region, having a large surface aspect ratio, surrounded by a relatively hydrophobic region, such that an aqueous fluid deposited on the relatively hydrophilic region forms a cylindrical droplet. Other aspects of the present invention are directed to methods for creating and using such articles, methods for promoting such articles, or the like. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110237815 | OLEFIN METATHESIS CATALYSTS AND RELATED METHODS - The present invention provides methods for the synthesis of catalysts and precursors thereof. Methods of the invention may comprise combining a catalyst precursor and at least one ligand to generate a catalytically active species, often under mild conditions and in high yields. In some cases, a wide variety of catalysts may be synthesized from a single catalyst precursor. Methods of the invention may also include the preparation of catalysts which, under reaction conditions known in the art, may have been difficult or impossible to prepare and/or isolate due to, for example, steric crowding at the metal center. The present invention also provides catalyst compositions, and precursors thereof, which may be useful in various chemical reactions including olefin metathesis. In some cases, methods of the invention may reduce the number of synthetic and purification steps required to produce catalysts and/or other reaction products, as well as reducing time, cost, and waste production. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110236927 | GENETICALLY STABILIZED TANDEM GENE DUPLICATION - The invention provides constructs and methods for producing genetically stabilized tandem gene duplications. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110235771 | CMOS READOUT ARCHITECTURE AND METHOD FOR PHOTON-COUNTING ARRAYS - Embodiments of the present invention include complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) readout architectures for photon-counting arrays with a photon-counting detector, a digital counter, and an overflow bit in each of the sensing elements in the array. Typically, the photon-counting detector is a Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode (APD) that emits brief pulses every time it detects a photon. The pulse increments the digital counters, which, in turn, sets the overflow bit once it reaches a given count. A rolling readout system operably coupled to each sensing element polls the overflow bit, and, if the overflow bit is high, initiates a data transfer from the overflow bit to a frame store. Compared to other photo-counting imagers, photon-counting imagers with counters and overflow bits operate with decreased transfer bandwidth, high dynamic range, and fine spatial resolution. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110235668 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPER RADIANT LASER ACTION IN HALF WAVELENGTH THICK ORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR MICROCAVITIES - The disclosed device is a solid state organic semiconductor VCSEL in which the microcavity is composed of metal and dielectric mirrors and the gain layer is only λ/2n thick. The gain layer comprises a thermally evaporated 156.7 nm thick film of the laser dye DCM doped (2.5% v/v) into an Alq | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110233428 | DETECTION OF MATERIALS VIA NITROGEN OXIDE - Methods and devices for detecting the presence of a NO forming material (e.g., a material that can form, or is, a nitrogen monoxide molecule) are disclosed based on detection of fluorescence exhibited by NO molecules in a first vibrationally excited state of a ground electronic state. Such excited NO molecules can be formed, for example, when small amounts of explosives are photodissociated. By inducing fluorescence of the material, a distinct signature of the explosive can be detected. Such techniques can be performed quickly and with a significant standoff distance, which can add to the invention's utility. In another aspection of the invention, methods and apparatus for generating electromagnetic radiation are disclosed. Such methods and apparatus can be used in conjunction with any detection method disclosed herein. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110233386 | SINGLE-ELECTRON DETECTION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SOLID-STATE INTENSITY IMAGE SENSORS - Embodiments of the present invention include an electron counter with a charge-coupled device (CCD) register configured to transfer electrons to a Geiger-mode avalanche diode (GM-AD) array operably coupled to the output of the CCD register. At high charge levels, a nondestructive amplifier senses the charge at the CCD register output to provide an analog indication of the charge. At low charge levels, noiseless charge splitters or meters divide the charge into single-electron packets, each of which is detected by a GM-AD that provides a digital output indicating whether an electron is present. Example electron counters are particularly well suited for counting photoelectrons generated by large-format, high-speed imaging arrays because they operate with high dynamic range and high sensitivity. As a result, they can be used to image scenes over a wide range of light levels. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110232940 | LOW IONIZATION POTENTIAL ADDITIVE TO DIELECTRIC COMPOSITIONS - Insulating liquid. The liquid includes an ester liquid and an additive to the ester liquid having a lower ionization potential than the ionization potential of the ester liquid. In one aspect, conductive nanoparticles are also added. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110231937 | GENERATING A MULTIPLE-PREREQUISITE ATTACK GRAPH - In one aspect, a method to generate an attack graph includes determining if a potential node provides a first precondition equivalent to one of preconditions provided by a group of preexisting nodes on the attack graph. The group of preexisting nodes includes a first state node, a first vulnerability instance node, a first prerequisite node, and a second state node. The method also includes, if the first precondition is equivalent to one of the preconditions provided by the group of preexisting nodes, coupling a current node to a preexisting node providing the precondition equivalent to the first precondition using a first edge and if the first precondition is not equivalent to one of the preconditions provided by the group of preexisting nodes, generating the potential node as a new node on the attack graph and coupling the new node to the current node using a second edge. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110230568 | HEATING OF POLYMERS AND OTHER MATERIALS USING RADIATION FOR DRUG DELIVERY AND OTHER APPLICATIONS - The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for releasing a releasable species from an article using an external trigger, for example, using infrared or near-infrared radiation. Such systems and methods may be useful, for example in biological applications (e.g., as an implant within a subject), industrial applications, commercial applications, or the like. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to an article containing a radiation-sensitive polymer or other radiation-sensitive material. Exposure of the radiation-sensitive material to radiation such as infrared or near-infrared radiation may cause the material to increase in temperature. This increase in temperature may be used, in some cases, to cause the release of a drug or other releasable species from the article. For instance, a drug may be contained in a heat-sensitive material positioned in thermal communication with the radiation-sensitive material, or a drug may be contained within an enclosure that is isolated, at least in part, by a heat-sensitive material positioned in thermal communication with the radiation-sensitive material. In another aspect of the invention, a receive antenna may be used to focus infrared or near- infrared radiation on an article. For instance, the receive antenna may focus infrared or near-infrared radiation on a radiation-sensitive material in the article. Such focusing may be useful, in some embodiments, to control release of a drug or other releasable species from the article. Other aspects of the invention are directed to systems and methods of making or using such articles, e.g., by implanting the article within a subject, methods of treatment involving such articles, kits including such articles, and the like. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110229556 | LIPID-COATED POLYMER PARTICLES FOR IMMUNE STIMULATION - The invention provides delivery systems comprised of lipid coated polymer core particles, as well as compositions, methods of synthesis, and methods of use thereof. The particles can be used to carry antigen and adjuvant, resulting in enhanced immune responses. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110229529 | LIPID VESICLE COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF USE - The invention provides delivery systems comprised of stabilized multilamellar vesicles, as well as compositions, methods of synthesis, and methods of use thereof. The stabilized multilamellar vesicles may comprise prophylactic, therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110226210 | FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR VARIABLE ETHANOL OCTANE ENHANCEMENT OF GASOLINE ENGINES - Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency of the engine. | 09-22-2011 |
