Abstract: A fabric care formulation is provided including water; an esterquat and a deposition aid polymer, wherein the deposition aid polymer is a dextran polymer functionalized with quaternary ammonium moieties.

Abstract: The subject disclosure presents systems and computer-implemented methods for determining an acoustic time-of-flight (TOF) of sound waves through a sample material with greater accuracy and in a more repeatable fashion, by invoking one or more of an envelope generation for an error function, fitting a non-linear curve to an ultrasound frequency sweep, or performing a clustered piece-wise linear regression on individual linear parts of the ultrasonic frequency sweep. The systems and methods are useful for, among other things, monitoring diffusion of fluids through porous materials, such as tissue samples.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for examining a beam of charged particles, including the following steps: producing persistent interactions of the beam with a sample at a plurality of positions of the sample relative to the beam and deriving at least one property of the beam by analyzing the spatial distribution of the persistent interactions at the plurality of positions.

Abstract: An organomimetic device includes a microfluidic device that can be used to culture cells in its microfluidic channels. The organomimetic device can be part of dynamic system that can apply mechanical forces to the cells by modulating the microfluidic device and the flow of fluid through the microfluidic channels. The membrane in the organomimetic device can be modulated mechanically via pneumatic means and/or mechanical means. The organomimetic device can be manufactured by the fabrication of individual components separately, for example, as individual layers that can be subsequently laminated together.

Abstract: Provided herein are 2?-O-methyl 3?phosphorothioate (MS)-modified synthetic nucleic acid molecules (single guide RNAs (sgRNAs)) for the use with a Cas9 nuclease in combination as a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex for an electroporation-based ex vivo targeted gene disruption of the BCL11A erythroid enhancer's +55, +58, or +62, functional regions. Additionally, provided herein are said RNP complexes (Cas9:MS-sgRNA), and compositions comprising the modified synthetic nucleic acid molecules or said RNP complexes, and methods for increasing fetal hemoglobin levels in a cell by disrupting BCL11A expression at the genomic level. Also provided herein are methods and compositions relating to the treatment of hemoglobinopathies by reinduction of fetal hemoglobin levels.

Abstract: The subject disclosure presents systems and computer-implemented methods for evaluating a tissue sample that has been removed from a subject. A change in speed of the energy traveling through the sample is evaluated to monitor changes in the biological sample during processing. The rate of change in the speed of the energy is correlated with the extent of diffusion. A system for performing the method can include a transmitter that outputs the energy and a receiver configured to detect the transmitted energy. A time-of-flight of acoustic waves and rate of change thereof is monitored to determine an optimal time for soaking the tissue sample in a fixative.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that permits calculation of reagent concentrations (in SI units) over time and space within a tissue sample as the sample is immersed in the reagent and the reagent diffuses into the tissue sample. The disclosed method has yielded the surprising result that once a formaldehyde concentration at all points within a tissue sample exceeds about 90 mM during a cold step of a cold+hot fixation protocol, the hot step of the fixation protocol can be commenced to provide reliable detection of molecular targets and preservation of tissue morphology in downstream analyses.

Abstract: A method and system are described for processing tissues according to particular processing protocols that are established based on time-of-flight measurements as a processing fluid is diffused into a tissue sample. In one embodiment, measurement of the time it takes about 70% ethanol to diffuse into a tissue sample is used to predict the time it will take to diffuse other processing fluids into the same or similar tissue samples. Advantageously, the disclosed method and system can reduce overall processing times and help ensure that only samples that require similar processing conditions are batched together.

Abstract: A method and system for classifying field of view (FOV) images of histological slides into various categories that include certain stain patterns, artifacts, and/or other features of interest are provided herein. Few-shot learning (e.g., a prototypical network) techniques are used to train a deep convolutional neural network using a small number of training samples for a small number of image classes for classifying stain images belonging to a larger number of image classes.

Abstract: The subject disclosure presents systems and computer-implemented methods for evaluating a tissue sample that has been removed from a subject. A change in speed of the energy traveling through the sample is evaluated to monitor changes in the biological sample during processing. The rate of change in the speed of the energy is correlated with the extent of diffusion. A system for performing the method can include a transmitter that outputs the energy and a receiver configured to detect the transmitted energy. A time-of-flight of acoustic waves and rate of change thereof is monitored to determine an optimal time for soaking the tissue sample in a fixative.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that permits calculation of reagent concentrations (in SI units) over time and space within a tissue sample as the sample is immersed in the reagent and the reagent diffuses into the tissue sample. The disclosed method has yielded the surprising result that once a formaldehyde concentration at all points within a tissue sample exceeds about 90 mM during a cold step of a cold+hot fixation protocol, the hot step of the fixation protocol can be commenced to provide reliable detection of molecular targets and preservation of tissue morphology in downstream analyses.

Abstract: A method and system are described for processing tissues according to particular processing protocols that are established based on time-of-flight measurements as a processing fluid is diffused into a tissue sample. In one embodiment, measurement of the time it takes about 70% ethanol to diffuse into a tissue sample is used to predict the time it will take to diffuse other processing fluids into the same or similar tissue samples. Advantageously, the disclosed method and system can reduce overall processing times and help ensure that only samples that require similar processing conditions are batched together.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to automated systems and methods for quantitatively determining an unmasking status of a biological specimen subjected to an unmasking process (e.g. an antigen retrieval process and/or a target retrieval process) using a trained unmasking status estimation engine. In some embodiments, the trained unmasking status estimation engine comprises a machine learning algorithm based on a projection onto latent structure regression model. In some embodiments, the trained unmasking status estimation engine includes a neural network.

Abstract: A method for maintaining an elevator installation includes performing at least one maintenance step that includes interacting with an elevator control of the elevator installation. The method further comprises confirming by the elevator control a performance of the maintenance step based on the at least one interaction. An elevator control for an elevator installation includes at least one maintenance step and an interaction signature associated with the maintenance step stored therein. An elevator installation includes an elevator control having at least one maintenance step and an interaction signature associated with the maintenance step stored therein.

Abstract: Practicing a takeover of vehicle control of a vehicle 100 from an autonomous mode includes generating a takeover command for performing the takeover of the vehicle control without the existence of a reason for a takeover, and outputting the takeover command to a driver of the vehicle, wherein information about the non-existence of a reason for takeover is not output to the driver.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to automated systems and methods for predicting an expression of one or more biomarkers in a sample of a biological specimen. In some embodiments, the sample is one which has an unknown fixation status, or one where the duration of fixation to which the sample was subject is unknown. In some embodiments, the predicted expression is a quantitative estimation of the percent positivity of one or more biomarkers. In other embodiments, the predicted expression is a quantitative estimation of the staining intensity of one or more biomarkers. In some embodiments, the systems and methods utilize a trained biomarker expression estimation engine which has been trained with a plurality of training samples, where the trained biomarker expression estimation engine is adapted to derive biomarker expression features from the sample.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to automated systems (200) and methods for quantitatively determining a fixation duration of a biological specimen using a trained fixation estimation engine (210). In some embodiments, the trained fixation estimation (210) engine includes a neural network. In some embodiments, the trained fixation estimation (210) engine includes a supervised classifier.

Abstract: A drive arrangement includes a movable, rotatable rail segment of an elevator system. An electric motor moves the movable rail segment. The drive arrangement is configured to rotate the rail segment about an angle of rotation of less than 360°. An inverter unit provides electrical power to the electric motor and is configured to receive a control command relating to the position of the movable rail segment and provide the electrical drive power based on the control command. The drive arrangement forms two or exactly three drive segments. Each drive segment includes an inverter unit and a coil arrangement, which is supplied with electrical power by the assigned inverter unit. Each inverter unit includes a communication unit, which receives the control command. The communication units are configured to specify amongst themselves a master communication unit and to specify the remaining communication unit as slave communication units.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for evaluating a tissue sample that has been removed from a subject. Movement of fluid through the tissue sample is monitored by measuring time of flight of acoustic waves passed through the tissue sample. A system for performing the method can include a transmitter that outputs the energy and a receiver configured to detect the transmitted energy. Using the disclosed method and system, an optimized protocol for ensuring adequate distribution of the fluid throughout a variety of tissue types and/or sample sizes can be developed and utilized.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for evaluating a tissue sample that has been removed from a subject. Movement of fluid through the tissue sample is monitored by measuring time of flight of acoustic waves passed through the tissue sample. A system for performing the method can include a transmitter that outputs the energy and a receiver configured to detect the transmitted energy. Using the disclosed method and system, an optimized protocol for ensuring adequate distribution of the fluid throughout a variety of tissue types and/or sample sizes can be developed and utilized.