Abstract: Nucleic acid molecules that encode plant proteins involved in photoperiodism and circadian rhythms are disclosed. These molecules may be introduced into plants in order to alter the photoperiodic and/or circadian clock-based gene expression of the plants.

Abstract: The disclosure provides proteins that can be used to determine the redox status of an environment (such as the environment within a cell or subcellular compartment). These proteins are green fluorescent protein (GFP) variants (also referred to as redox sensitive GFP (rosGFP) mutants), which have been engineered to have two cysteine amino acids near the chromophore and within disulfide bonding distance of each other. Also provided are nucleic acid molecules that encode rosGFPs, vectors containing such encoding molecules, and cells transformed therewith. The disclosure further provides methods of using the rosGFPs (and encoding molecules) to analyze the redox status of an environment, such as a cell, or a subcellular compartment within a cell. In certain embodiments, both redox status and pH are analyzed concurrently.

Abstract: Nucleic acid molecules that encode plant proteins involved in photoperiodism and circadian rhythms are disclosed. These molecules may be introduced into plants in order to alter the photoperiodic and/or circadian clock-based gene expression of the plants.

Abstract: A method for forming arrays of metal, alloy, semiconductor or magnetic clusters is described. The method comprises placing a scaffold on a substrate, the scaffold comprising, for example, polynucleotides and/or polypeptides, and coupling the clusters to the scaffold. Methods of producing arrays in predetermined patterns and electronic devices that incorporate such patterned arrays are also described.

Abstract: Engineered fluorescent proteins, nucleic acids encoding them and methods of use are provided.

Abstract: A method for forming arrays of metal, alloy, semiconductor or magnetic clusters is described. The method comprises placing a scaffold on a substrate, the scaffold comprising, for example, polynucleotides and/or polypeptides, and coupling the clusters to the scaffold. Methods of producing arrays in predetermined patterns and electronic devices that incorporate such patterned arrays are also described.

Abstract: The nucleic acid that encodes the Arabidopsis ELF3 protein, which is involved in photoperiodism and circadian rhythms, is disclosed. This nucleic acid may be introduced into plants in order to alter the photoperiodic and/or circadian clock-based gene expression of the plants.

Abstract: Engineered fluorescent proteins, nucleic acids encoding them and methods of use.

Abstract: Subsearch, where a satisfiability algorithm searches through the original theory for ground clauses that satisfy some numeric property, is represented in terms of S(C,P,u,s), the set of ground instances of C that have u literals unvalued by P and s literals satisfied by the assignments in P. This representation allows an intelligent search to be performed to answer subsearch problems posed in terms of S(C,P,u,s). Intelligent Subsearch uses truth value assignments to atoms to eliminate sets of bindings to universally quantified variables within a quantified clausal constraint; the bindings being eliminated because the bindings cannot satisfy a specific statement. Intelligent subsearch backtracks away from poor choices in the search for bindings to variables within the quantified clauses. In typical uses, intelligent subsearch can reduce the time of the checking problem from O(DU) to O(D&agr;U) for some &agr;<1.

Abstract: Microelectronic devices have a semiconductor/conducting polymer interface are disclosed. The conducting polymer may be electrically contacted in a manner to assure that it remains exposed to the environment. If the environment is an inert electrolyte to which additional electrodes are contacted, the conducting polymer can be electrochemically oxidized or reduced to control its electrochemical potential and a tunable (variable barrier) diode results. This tunable diode is a device that rectifies current like a traditional diode, but unlike traditional diodes, the effective barrier height of the tunable diode can be actively controlled. This control can be an element of an active device or a means for fabricating fixed barrier diodes with controlled barrier heights. Alternatively, the environment can contain an analyte to be sensed, either directly or through a mediating layer. The electrical characteristics (e.g.

Abstract: Nucleic acid molecules that encode a plant promoter involved in photoperiodism and circadian rhythms are disclosed. These molecules may be introduced into plants in order to alter the photoperiodic and/or circadian clock-based gene expression of the plants.

Abstract: A system for determining schedules and processing other optimization problems includes a local optimization engine and a global optimization engine. The local optimization engine operates based on heuristics, and includes a prioritizer, a constructor, and an analyzer to make large “coherent” moves in the search space, thus helping to avoid local optima without relying entirely on random moves. The global optimization engine takes the individual schedules produced by the local optimization engine and optimizes them using Linear Programming/Integer Programming techniques.

Abstract: Assignment of attributes to elements subject to constraints is achieved using a system that has a systematic engine and a nonsystematic engine. The systematic engine includes a schedule developer for producing partial proposed assignments, a pruning processor for determining violations of discrepancy limits by a partial proposed assignment, and a bound selector for relaxing discrepancy limits as needed. The non-systematic engine includes a schedule packer for modifying assignments proposed by the systematic engine and an evaluator for comparing the modified assignments with the constraints.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for laser frequency stabilization and precise laser frequency tuning comprises splitting a laser beam into two beam portions and recombining the two portions after they traverse differing optical distances. The thus-processed combined beam exhibits a time variation in intensity, the time variation being a function of the time rate of change of the laser beam. A signal proportional to the laser frequency's time rate of change is derived from the time variation of the processed beam's intensity and used to generate a control signal to provide feedback to control the laser frequency, thereby providing for laser frequency stabilization. Precise laser frequency tuning may be achieved by introducing a controlled variation in the derived signal, such as by adjusting a frequency differential introduced between the beam portions, or by otherwise introducing a controlled variation in the signal derived from the processed beam.

Abstract: Thermodynamically metastable skutterudite crystalline-structured compounds are disclosed having preselected stoichiometric compositions and superior and optimizable thermoelectric properties. The compounds are formed at low nucleation temperatures and satisfy the formula:M.sub.1-x M'.sub.4-y Co.sub.y M".sub.12wherein:M=any metal, metalloid, or mixture thereof, except for La, Ce, Pr, Nd, and Eu when x=0, and M'=Fe, Ru, or Os, and M"=Sb, P, or As;M'=Fe, Ru, Os, Rh, or mixture thereof;M"Sb, As, P, Bi, Ge.sub.0.5-w Se.sub.0.5+w, wherein w=0 to 0.5 or mixture thereof;x=0 to 1;y=0 to 4; andwherein M' and/or M" are doped or undoped. These compounds generally have the crystalline structure of a skutterudite, wherein the crystalline structure is cubic with 34 atoms in the unit-cell in the space group Im3. The M".sub.12 atoms occupy unit-cell sites 24(g), the M'.sub.4-y atoms form a cubic sublattice occupying unit-cell sites 8(c), and the M.sub.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for the evaluation and measurement of metamorphopsia. The apparatus includes a pattern generator that displays a deformable pattern, such as an Amsler grid, on a computer monitor. The rectilinear grid includes substantially parallel and equally spaced lines that intersect at vertices. An input device, such as a mouse, is used by a patient or technician to detect areas of the pattern where the cursor is not visible to the subject, so that areas of scotoma can be marked. The input device is also used to adjust the positions of the vertices, and distort the grid, until the grid appears substantially rectilinear to the subject. The deformations of the pattern are then recorded, and can be retrieved for comparison to subsequent test results so that changes in visual field deficits or metamorphopsia can be sensitively detected, and even corrected by a lens that distorts images in the same pattern.

Abstract: Methods for coating substrates are described. The methods comprise coating at least a portion of a substrate with particular coating materials. The coating materials can be crosslinked and coated onto a substrate. Alternatively, the coating materials may be covalently bonded to the substrates. The coating materials might themselves functionalize the substrate, or provide a biocompatible coating on the substrate. The coating materials might also include electrophilic or nucleophilic groups that allow for the subsequent reaction of the coating materials with additional reagents. The present invention also provides coated workpieces, particularly medical workpieces having a surface for contacting tissue or blood. These workpieces comprise a first layer and a second layer. The first layer comprises a molecular tether covalently bonded to the surface.

Abstract: Storage, retrieval and erasure of optical information in bacteriorhodopsin (bR) films by alteration of the bR's absorption spectrum by photo-induction and by application and switching of an electrical field.

Abstract: A molecularly imprinted substrate and sensors employing the imprinted substrate for detecting the presence or absence of analytes are described. One embodiment of the invention comprises first forming a solution comprising a solvent and (a) a polymeric material capable of undergoing an addition reaction with a nitrene, (b) a crosslinking agent (c) a functionalizing monomer and (d) an imprinting molecule. A silicon wafer is spincoated with the solution. The solvent is evaporated to form a film on the silicon wafer. The film is exposed to an energy source to crosslink the substrate, and the imprinting molecule is then extracted from the film. The invention can be used to detect an analyte by forming films which are then exposed to a reaction energy to form a crosslinked substrate. The imprinting molecules are extracted from the crosslinked substrate. The film is exposed to one or more of the imprinting molecules for a period of time sufficient to couple the imprinting molecules to the film.

Abstract: Methods for covalently modifying surfaces of various substrates are disclosed, along with various substrates having surfaces modified by such methods. Candidate surfaces include various polymeric, siliceous, metallic, allotrophic forms of carbon, and semiconductor surfaces. The surfaces are exposed to a reagent, having molecules each comprising a nitrenogenic group and a functionalizing group, in the presence of energized charged particles such as electrons and ions, photons, or heat, which transform the nitrenogenic reagent to a nitrene intermediate. The nitrene covalently reacts with any of various chemical groups present on the substrate surface, thereby effecting nitrene addition of the functionalizing groups to the substrate surface. The functionalizing groups can then participate in downstream chemistry whereby any of a large variety of functional groups, including biological molecules, can be covalently bonded to the surface, thereby dramatically altering the chemical behavior of the surface.