Abstract: A computer-implemented apparatus or method, or a software product, for generating a composite quantitative comparison of drug products based on multiple attributes of them. A set of name-attribute similarity scores are generated based on similarities among the names of selected target and reference drugs. A set of product-attribute similarity scores are generated based on similarities among product attributes of the selected target and reference drugs. A target drug confusability score is generated based on the confusability of the target drug as compared to a population of other drugs. The composite quantitative comparison is generated based on a composite of the name-attribute and product-attribute similarity scores, and the target confusability score. A set of one or more severity of confusion scores may also be included in the composite quantitative comparison.

Abstract: The invention presents a method of radiation dosimetry and radiation field imaging. It utilizes luminescent material based on aluminum oxide doped with carbon and magnesium (Al2O3:C,Mg) and containing aggregate oxygen vacancy defects. Storage of dosimetric information is based on ionization of the crystal matrix, generation of free electrons and capture of electrons and holes by traps and color centers. An absorbed dose is determined by non-destructive readout of fluorescence from color centers induced by radiation. The preferred mode of measurements is to illuminate the Al2O3:C,Mg phosphor with a red laser (at 635 or 650 nm) and to measure the intensity of 750 nm fluorescence. Method allows for high temperature and environmental stability of dose information. The detector material is insensitive to room light before and after the irradiation and provides a fast data rate during scanning for imaging of radiation fields.

Abstract: A clothing garment is formed in two loops or bands as unitary garment. A first of the two loops is an elongated member and the second is an elongated, non-rectangular member, having a wide central region. The two loops can be in the form of two pieces of fabric sewn or otherwise bonded together to form two joined loops. The loops can be elongated pieces of fabric formed into loops by a releasable closure member, such as a hook and loop connector. The connector can provide size adjustment to accommodate various head sizes. The loop with the wide central region is shorter than the essentially rectangular loop.

Abstract: A method applying a thermal barrier coating to a metal substrate, or for repairing a thermal barrier coating previously applied by physical vapor deposition to an underlying aluminide diffusion coating that overlays the metal substrate. The aluminide diffusion coating is treated to make it more receptive to adherence of a plasma spray-applied overlay alloy bond coat layer. An overlay alloy bond coat material is then plasma sprayed on the treated aluminide diffusion coating to form an overlay alloy bond coat layer. A ceramic thermal barrier coating material is plasma sprayed on the overlay alloy bond coat layer to form the thermal barrier coating. In the repair embodiment of this method, the physical vapor deposition-applied thermal barrier coating is initially removed from the underlying aluminide diffusion coating.

Abstract: A method for tuning a vibratory device including a cantilevered resonator comprising the steps of increasing a voltage V0 supplied to the vibratory device to thereby increase the bandwidth of the vibratory device; and keeping the resonant frequency of the vibratory device at substantially that natural frequency of the cantilevered resonator, wherein the vibratory device comprises: a capacitor including a movable plate and a fixed plate spaced from each other, the movable plate being part of the cantilevered resonator; a voltage source connected to the capacitor for providing voltage V0 across the capacitor to produce an attractive force between movable plate and fixed plate; a circuit connecting the voltage source to the capacitor; and a load resistor in said circuit having a resistance RL satisfying the following equation: ? = ? 0 ? c 0 ? R L ( 1 - ? ) where: ? is at least 10; ?0 is the beam constant for the cantilevered resonator; c0 is the capacitance for the capacitor; and ? is the vo

Abstract: A wall mounted aquarium, is constructed from a structural material frame and a glass aquarium mounted within the frame. Preferably, the structural material is a metal that can be welded, such as steel. Structural polymeric materials and composites now known and hereafter developed, can be used. The structural material frame has a front side and a rear side. Preferably, it is formed from a pair of vertically oriented “U” shaped channel members. A horizontal “U” shaped channel member and the pair of vertical “U” shaped channel members are bonded together to form a “U” shaped frame unit. The “U” shaped channel members open inwardly. A glass aquarium having five sides and an open top end is mounted within the frame. One of the sides is a front side, one of the sides is a bottom side, one of the sides is a rear side and two of the sides are ends. The channel members can be tubular or have an open “U” configuration.

Abstract: An improved rotary confocal fluorescence scanner capable of detecting analytes separated on over a 1,000 capillaries simultaneously. This system uses a confocal microscope objective and mirror assembly that rotates inside a vertical ring of capillaries to provide rapid and efficient excitation and detection of fluorescently labeled fragments separated within a cylindrical capillary array. Use of automated procedures to load and run all capillaries permits one to read more than 350,000 base pairs of raw sequence data per hour.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting bacterial infections in the gastrointestinal tract is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a first composition separated from a second composition. The first composition contains urea in powdered form. The second composition, on the other hand, contains an indicator. A biopsy of a gastric sample is first contacted with the first composition and then placed in the second composition. The second composition indicates the presence of an enzyme that, in turn, indicates the presence of bacteria. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a biopsy of a gastric sample is contacted with a single composition. The composition contains urea in a powdered form combined with a dry indicator. Besides urea and a dry indicator, the composition can also contain an anti-caking agent.

Abstract: The sound processor and method uses a model of basilar membrane motion to select stimuli, based upon the predicted motion which the acoustic signal presented would produce in an acoustically excited normally hearing cochlea. The filter; used, in contrast to single channel per electrode approaches, cover multiple channels and overlap with each other. Consequently the stimuli presented produce a neural excitation pattern which approximates the spatio-temporal travelling wave observed on the basilar membrane in an acoustically excited normally hearing cochlea. Preferably, the predicted electrode stimuli are based upon the instantaneous predicted amplitude of the electrode location.

Abstract: A conductive element with a lateral oxidation barrier is provided for the control of lateral oxidation processes in semiconductor devices such as lasers, vertical cavity surface emitting lasers and light emitting diodes. The oxidation barrier is formed through modification of one or more layers which initially were receptive to oxidation. The quality of material directly below the oxidation barrier may be preserved. Related applications include the formation of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers on non-GaAs substrates and on GaAs substrates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a various methods, systems and devices for controlling light modulating elements and/or spatial light modulators. In some embodiments of the present invention, a recursive feedback method is used to control light modulating elements and/or spatial light modulators.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for writing information to, reading information from, and erasing information on a luminescent data storage medium comprising Al2O3. The method includes writing and erasing of the information using photoionization via sequential two-photon absorption and non-destructive reading the information using fluorescent detection. The apparatuses for writing and reading the information incorporate confocal detection and spherical aberration correction for multilayer volumetric fluorescent data storage. The methods also allow multilevel recording and readout of information for increased storage capacity.

Abstract: An improved processing approach is disclosed in order to allow for different rates of stimulation to be used for different electrodes in a multi-electrode cochlear implant. When the incoming signal is processed by filter array (35), each channel is processed to determine amplitude (37) and to estimate the period of the signal in that channel (39). The amplitude and period information is used to determine which electrode is stimulated, and the timing of that stimulation.

Abstract: A device (10) used for inserting an electrode array (15) into a cochlea of a subject. Particularly, the device (10) is adapted for insertion of electrode arrays (15) having an elongate carrier member (21) and a removable stylet (22) extending through the carrier member (21). The device includes a handle (11), an elongate positioning member (12) mounted to the handle (11), an actuator member (17) movable relative to the elongate positioning member (12), and at least one anchor member (16) connected to the actuator member (17) and engageable with the removable stylet (22). On insertion of the electrode array (15) into a subject's cochlea, the actuator member (17) can be moved relative to the elongate positioning member (12) to withdraw the removable stylet (22) from the carrier member.

Abstract: A gastrointestinal sampling device that increases the number of epithelial cells removed from the stomach lining without causing additional discomfort to the patient, and which is particularly useful for obtaining samples from the gastric mucus and between the epithelial cells of the stomach. It comprises a drag material (12) for obtaining a gastrointestinal sample and a protective sheath (22) for deployment about the drag material such that the drag material is substantially enclosed by the protective sheath upon removal from the gastrointestinal tract.

Abstract: The present invention provides a MOSFET device comprising: a substrate including a plurality of atomic ridges, each of the atomic ridges including a semiconductor layer comprising Si and an dielectric layer comprising a Si compound; a plurality nanogrooves between the atomic ridges; at least one elongated molecule located in at least one of the nanogrooves; a porous gate layer located on top of the plurality of atomic ridges. The present invention also provides a membrane comprising: a substrate; and a plurality of nanowindows in the substrate and a method for forming nanowindows in a substrate.

Abstract: Ibuprofen-aspirin compounds useful in treating aspirin or ibuprofen-treatable conditions, hydroxymethylacylfulvene analogs useful as antitumor drugs, and L-sugar illudin analogs useful as antitumor drugs.

Abstract: A device includes an agitation tank, a liquid circulation means for circulating a liquid along a tank wall of the agitation tank, and at least one auxiliary heat transfer means provided inside the agitation tank, wherein the auxiliary heat transfer means is constantly put in a wetted state.

Abstract: A thermal barrier coating for an underlying metal substrate of articles that operate at, or are exposed to, high temperatures, as well as being exposed to environmental contaminant compositions. This coating comprises an optional inner layer nearest to the underlying metal substrate comprising a non-alumina ceramic thermal barrier coating material in an amount up to 100%, and an outer layer having an exposed surface and comprising at least about 50% of a non-alumina ceramic thermal barrier coating material and alumina in an amount up to about 50% and sufficient to protect the thermal barrier coating at least partially against environmental contaminants that become deposited on the exposed surface. This coating can be used to provide a thermally protected article having a metal substrate and optionally a bond coat layer adjacent to and overlaying the metal substrate.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting bacterial infections in the gastrointestinal tract is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a first composition separated from a second composition. The first composition contains urea in powdered form. The second composition, on the other hand, contains an indicator. A biopsy of a gastric sample is first contacted with the first composition and then placed in the second composition. The second composition indicates the presence of an enzyme that, in turn, indicates the presence of bacteria. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a biopsy of a gastric sample is contacted with a single composition. The composition contains urea in a powdered form combined with a dry indicator. Besides urea and a dry indicator, the composition can also contain an anti-caking agent.