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The invention relates to methods and kits for determining the methylation status of a target nucleic acid molecule in a sample comprising (a) bisulfite treatment of the target nucleic acid, (b) amplifying the treated target nucleic acid with methylation-specific primers, (c) contacting the amplicons with a methylation-specific plasmonic nanoprobe and (d) determining the methylation status based on melting temperature Tm of the hybrid probe and the target nucleic acid. In particular, a plasmonic gold nanoparticle covalently coupled to a morpholino oligonucleotide probe. Also claimed are methods and kits for determining methylation status of the Septin 9 (SEPT9) gene promoter.

A circularly polarized (CP) antenna for Radio Frequency energy harvesting comprising: a top substrate; a bottom substrate disposed on a ground plane; a middle substrate disposed between the top substrate and the bottom substrate; a slotted patch comprising more than one slots, the slotted patch being disposed on the top substrate; a slitted patch comprising a plurality of slits, the slitted patch being disposed between the top substrate and the middle substrate; a microstrip feed line disposed between the middle substrate and the bottom substrate; and a via connecting the slotted-circular-patch and the microstrip feed line to enable the slotted-circular-patch to be fed by the microstrip feed line, wherein the more than one slots and the slits are arranged so as to generate more than one orthogonal modes with equal magnitude for receiving RF signals.

Embodiments provide a true random number generator. The true random number generator may include a first ring oscillator having a first frequency, a second ring oscillator having a second frequency, a third ring oscillator having a third frequency, and a capacitor connected between the second ring oscillator and the third ring oscillator to provide a capacitive coupling therebetween. The second frequency is lower than the first frequency, and the third frequency is lower than the second frequency. The true random number generator may further include a D-type flip-flop having a data input connected to an output of the first ring oscillator and having a clock input connected to an output of the third ring oscillator, wherein the D-type flip-flop is configured to generate an output signal representing a sequence of random numbers.

A multi-modal printing system for printing a 3-dimensional object and method of operating the system are provided. The system comprises multiple layers of photoresin, in a stereolithography apparatus comprising a high speed resin applicator for applying the layers of photoresin, wherein the multi-modal printing system comprises a control mechanism configured to selectively control the high speed resin applicator to perform a discreet operation, a continuous operation, and a self-reset operation.

The present invention provides a method for detecting and/or quantifying the presence of a target nucleic acid sequence of a microorganism in a sample obtained from a subject, including amplifying the target sequence in a CpG island of the nucleic acid of the microorganism, irrespective of the methylation status of the CpG island. The invention is embodies by a method for detecting and/or quantifying the presence of a target nucleic acid sequence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) by amplifying a target sequence in the BamHI-W region of EBV in cell free DNAs (cfDNAs) obtained from a subject. The present invention also provides a kit to be used for the method of the invention.

Disclosed is a localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) nanopillar assembly. The LSPR assembly is for use in sensing the presence of a biomarker when attached to a quantum dot. The LSPR assembly comprises a substrate and an array. The array comprises a LSPR nanopillar and a polymer spacer attached to the nanopillar. The LSPR assembly further comprises an antibody attached to the at least one polymer spacer. In the LSPR assembly, a combined height of the polymer spacer and antibody is selected by varying the number of monomer units of the polymer spacer, so that, when in use with the biomarker and the quantum dot, the quantum dot is at a predetermined distance from the nanopillar.

A method of making a prognosis as to whether a patient having renal cancer is likely to survive in a tumour tissue sample obtained from the patient is provided. The method comprising determining the level of expression for each marker of a panel of markers comprising at least one housekeeping gene selected from the group consisting of ACTB, RPL13A, RPL9, and RPS29 and any combinations thereof and at least one prognostic gene selected from the group consisting of CXCL5, EFNA5, EMCN, G6PC, GFPT2, HIST2H3C, IGFBP1, LAMB3, MMP9, MOCOS, PLG, PRAME, RARRES1, SDPR, SLC6A19, TK1, KDELR3 and TSPAN7 and any combinations thereof, comparing the level of expression of each marker with a predetermined reference level associated with each marker, and determining the differential expression of each marker in the tumour tissue sample based on the expression parameter for each marker to provide a prognosis for renal cancer.

Various embodiments may provide a semiconductor package. The semiconductor package may include a routing layer including a plurality of first layer contact elements on a first side and a plurality of second layer contact elements on a second side opposite the first side, and a first semiconductor die including a plurality of first electrical die contact elements coupled to the plurality of first layer contact elements. The semiconductor package may further include a second semiconductor die including a plurality of second electrical die contact elements coupled to the plurality of second layer contact elements, and a mold structure covering the second semiconductor die. A first pitch between neighbouring first electrical die contact elements may be greater than a second pitch between neighbouring second electrical die contact elements.

The present invention relates to a method for forming a layered silicate/polymer composite, the composite comprising individual exfoliated silicate layers separated in a continuous polymer matrix, wherein the polymer is a hydrophobic polymer, the method comprising: exfoliating sheet silicate in water to form a silicate suspension; replacing the water in the silicate suspension by an organic solvent to form a silicate/organic solvent suspension; contacting the silicate/organic solvent suspension with a solution of a hydrophobic polymer precursor in an organic solvent to form a silicate/polymer precursor suspension; coating the silicate/polymer precursor suspension on a substrate; removing the organic solvents; curing the hydrophobic polymer precursor of the coating of the silicate/polymer precursor; and annealing the cured coating to form the layered silicate/polymer composite on the substrate.

Techniques regarding enhancing antimicrobial activity of antirheumatic agents by combination therapy are provided. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can regard a chemical composition comprising a polycarbonate polymer functionalized with a guanidinium functional group. The chemical composition can also comprise an antirheumatic agent, and the polycarbonate polymer can enhance an antimicrobial activity of the antirheumatic agent.