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A core-shell nanoparticle is provided. The core-shell nanoparticle has a core comprising a metal fluoride doped with a first sensitizer and a shell surrounding the core, wherein the shell comprises a first layer comprising the metal fluoride doped with a second sensitizer and a first activator, and a second layer comprising the metal fluoride doped with a third sensitizer and a second activator, wherein the first activator and the second activator are different, and each is independently selected from the group consisting of Tm3+, Ho3+, and combinations thereof. A method of generating an optical signal using the core-shell nanoparticle and a method of preparing the core-shell nanoparticle is also provided.

The invention relates to a polyisocyanurate comprising isocyanurate rings linked by linker groups coupled to the nitrogen atoms of said rings. The polyisocyanurate may be microporous or mesoporous or both microporous and mesoporous.

Water soluble biodegradable polymers were prepared by an organoacid catalyzed ring opening polymerization (ROP) of a cyclic carbonate monomer bearing an active ester side chain. The initial polymer comprising an active ester side chain was treated with an amino-alcohol, which transformed the active ester groups to N-substituted amide groups bearing mono-hydroxy alkyl groups and/or dihydroxy alkyl groups, thereby forming the water soluble polymers. The water-soluble polymers are non-toxic and exhibit stealth properties in buffered serum solution.

A method and system for modeling the interests of an individual television viewer based on logging the user's television usage activities for the purpose of determining personalized recommendations is presented. According to one aspect of the claimed subject matter, user input in response to a questionnaire, the user's recorded television usage, the user's previous interactions with the personalized recommendations and contextual data such as external events and social group influences are used to model the probability of a user's interest in available media content. Data from the model is subsequently arranged to display units of available media content with the highest probabilities of user interest to the user. According to further embodiments, specific user behavior in previously consumed media content such as a user's selection, a user's continuous consumption, and a user's discontinuation of consumption is tracked and used as input.

A method for packetizing data representing a video sequence comprising a first frame and a second frame. The method comprising determining for at least one first area of a plurality of first areas of the first frame a second area of a plurality of second areas of the second frame such that, for different first areas different second areas are determined and such that, for each of the first areas, a measure of the distance between the second area determined for the first area and an area of the second frame whose location within the second frame corresponds to the location of the first area is above a value. The method further comprising grouping, for each of the first areas, data which the first area may be reconstructed and data from which the second area determined for the first area may be reconstructed into a packet.

We disclose a particle comprising a matrix coated thereon and having a positive charge, the particle being of a size to allow aggregation of primate or human stem cells attached thereto. The particle may comprise a substantially elongate, cylindrical or rod shaped particle having a longest dimension of between 50 ?m and 400 ?m, such as about 200 ?m. It may have a cross sectional dimension of between 20 ?m and 30 ?m. The particle may comprise a substantially compact or spherical shaped particle having a size of between about 20 ?m and about 120 ?m, for example about 65 ?m. We also disclose a method of propagating primate or human stem cells, the method comprising: providing first and second primate or human stem cells attached to first and second respective particles, allowing the first primate or human stem cell to contact the second primate or human stem cell to form an aggregate of cells and culturing the aggregate to propagate the primate or human stem cells for at least one passage. A method of propagating human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in long term suspension culture using microcarriers coated in Matrigel or hyaluronic acid is also disclosed. We also disclose a method for differentiating stem cells.

The invention relates to binding molecules against Chikungunya virus, which are able of neutralizing Chikungunya virus infectivity, and which can be used with therapeutic, diagnosis or research purposes, as well as to a pharmaceutical composition comprising said binding molecules.

There is provided an error correction method for a non-volatile memory. The method includes receiving a codeword read from the non-volatile memory, computing a reliability information for each bit of the codeword received, and performing a reduced-complexity soft-decision decoding (SDD) technique to decode the received codeword. In particular, the SDD technique includes forming a set of test patterns based on the reliability data, and determining whether to perform a HDD of a test pattern in the set of test patterns based on a distance between the test pattern and a candidate pattern. There is also provided an error correction module for a non-volatile memory and a memory system incorporating the error correction module.

The present invention discloses a method of preparing a lead-free piezoelectric thin film comprising the steps of: providing a precursor solution comprising at least one alkali metal ion, a polyamino carboxylic acid, and an amine; depositing the precursor solution on a substrate to form a film; and annealing the film. The present invention also provides a lead-free piezoelectric thin film prepared according to the method, a precursor solution for use in the method and a method of preparing the precursor solution.

The present invention generally relates to modified substrates such as membranes for use in bioartificial organs, such as bioartificial kidneys, and other applications. Certain aspects are generally directed to a membrane or other substrate modified to facilitate the attachment of cells. In one set of embodiments, the substrate or membrane may be at least partially coated with an adhesive such as 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (DOPA), poly(dopamine), or other adhesive comprising a molecule having a catechol moiety, for example on one side of the membrane or substrate. On at least a portion of the adhesive coated portion of the substrate, a protein may be coated, such as an extracellular matrix protein (for example, a collagen), to which cells such as primary human renal proximal tubule cells may be adhered. Surprisingly, such a dual coating may be used to promote the attachment of such cells to a membrane or other substrate that otherwise may not promote cell adhesion. In certain embodiments, the coating may also facilitate or promote not only cell adhesion, but also cell proliferation and/or differentiation. Such membranes or other substrates may be useful, for example, in bioartificial organs such as bioartificial kidneys, hemodialysis cartridges, bioimplants, biosensors, bioreactors, etc. In certain embodiments, cells may be attached to a membrane or other substrate on only one side, while the other side may be kept free of attached cells.