Abstract: The present invention, in certain aspects, discloses systems and methods for treating a human being and/or items with descenting material, the systems, in certain aspects, including a generator for producing descenting material, and, in certain aspects at least one direction apparatus in communication with the generator for receiving produced descenting material from the generator and for directing said descenting material in a desired direction.

Abstract: A method and system for affecting a thrombus after ischemic stroke. The method may include injecting a plurality of magnetic particles into a bloodstream and moving or distorting a thrombus formed or lodged in the bloodstream using a magnetic force to manipulate the magnetic particles. The method may include conjugating ferromagnetic particles, paramagnetic particles, or superparamagnetic particles to a thrombus-specific attachment agent such as an anti-fibrin antibody, and injecting the conjugated particles into the bloodstream. Thereafter, the thrombus may be agitated, broken apart, or dissolved using a magnetic field to exert a magnetic force on the conjugated particles. The method may also include injecting a thrombolytic agent into the bloodstream to interact with and further dissolve the thrombus.

Abstract: A fabricated structure for use with an associated marking device is provided. In one form, the fabricated structure includes a self-lifting spring finger having a nib for marking.

Abstract: A method for removing the human scent and any other scent that is not advantageous to the environment you are in from clothing and equipment used by sportsmen by the use of gaseous ozone or hydroxyl and hydroperoxide ions. The gas is applied directly or indirectly to the clothing, equipment and body while the hunter is in the field and/or prior to or after the hunt. The method can also be used by fishermen to eliminate fish odor. The method of delivering a gas in compressed/generated form from a container.

Abstract: A detection system includes a detection device and an anti-evaporation device. The detection device comprises a region configured to merge at least two small drops and to detect a potential transient signal generated by the merger of the drops. The an anti-evaporation is configured to enclose the region and limit evaporation from the region. A method for detecting a signal includes the following steps: depositing drops of potentially reactive chemical solutions on a detection device within a drop-merging region; placing an anti-evaporation device over the drop-merging region to form a seal around the drop-merging region; merging the drops of potentially reactive chemical solutions; and measuring a signal occurring within the merged solution drops.

Abstract: Provided is a standalone integrated water treatment system for a distributed water supply. A filter input receives water to be treated. A coagulation system is in operative connection with the filter input, wherein the water which has been filtered is subjected to a coagulation process performed by the coagulation system to create pin floc from suspensions in the water. A maturation buffer tank is in operative connection with the coagulation system, wherein floc is aggregated in size within the water. A spiral separator is in operative connection with the maturation buffer tank, and the water is separated into two water streams, a first stream of water having most of the floc removed, and a second stream of water which includes a concentrated amount of the floc. An optional filtration system is in operative connection with the spiral separator and is configured to receive the first stream of water and to perform a filtration operation on the first stream of water.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting efforts to thwart discovery of a thing, the methods including: using a detector system in an area to detect a reaction product of a thing with descenter; producing with the detector system a detected reaction product level; comparing the detected reaction product level to a normal level of the reaction product in the area; and upon determining that the detected reaction product level is different from the normal level, providing an indication of possible presence of the thing based on said different level.

Abstract: A method and system for affecting a thrombus after ischemic stroke. The method may include injecting a plurality of magnetic particles into a bloodstream and moving or distorting a thrombus formed or lodged in the bloodstream using a magnetic force to manipulate the magnetic particles. The method may include conjugating ferromagnetic particles, paramagnetic particles, or superparamagnetic particles to a thrombus-specific attachment agent such as an anti-fibrin antibody, and injecting the conjugated particles into the bloodstream. Thereafter, the thrombus may be agitated, broken apart, or dissolved using a magnetic field to exert a magnetic force on the conjugated particles. The method may also include injecting a thrombolytic agent into the bloodstream to interact with and further dissolve the thrombus.

Abstract: A printing system and method combine conventional print and reusable print media functionality in a shared stand-alone system to allow a user flexibility in deciding whether to print a temporary document or an archival permanent document. The system integrates and shares functionality to reduce manufacturing and operating costs, as well as to reduce the device's footprint. Commonality may include a common printhead shuttling mechanism (traversing carriage) and portions of the mechanism for moving paper. Pre-conditioning and printzone conditioning stations may also be shared to achieve precondition heating and/or erasing of media sheets prior to printing and maintaining of an elevated temperature during printing. In embodiments, separate feed trays are provided for each media sheet type.

Abstract: The present invention, in certain aspects, discloses systems and methods for treating a human being and/or items with descenting material, the systems, in certain aspects, including a generator for producing descenting material, and, in certain aspects at least one direction apparatus in communication with the generator for receiving produced descenting material from the generator and for directing said descenting material in a desired direction.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a solar photovoltaic device is disclosed. The semiconductor material of the solar photovoltaic device is a heterostructure of two different binary compounds of the same metal. One or both of the two different binary compounds of the same metal are doped so that they have a conduction band edge offset of greater than about 0.4 eV. The binary compound acting as the optical absorbing material of the solar photovoltaic device has a bandgap of about 1.0 eV to about 1.8 eV.

Abstract: Features described herein relate to ejecting drops from a thin layer of fluid. Piezoelectric elements can generate a uniform high acoustic field, which is transferred through a segmented metal support structure and an acoustic horn. The sound waves generate capillary waves on a thin layer of fluid on a top surface of the acoustic horn. At sufficiently high amplitudes, the capillary waves begin to break apart, resulting in the ejection of drops from the thin layer of fluid.

Abstract: A method for detecting chemical reactions uses a nanocalorimeter having a substrate including thermal isolation capability residing on the substrate, thermal equilibration regions residing within the thermal isolation capability, and thermal measurement capability residing within each of the thermal equilibration regions. The thermal measurement device is connected to detection electronics. The method includes depositing drops of potentially reactive chemical solutions within the thermal equilibration region. These potentially reactive solution drops are merged through the use of drop merging electrodes residing within the thermal isolation region. The thermal change occurring within the merged solution drops is then measured with the detection electronics.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for surface texturing multicrystalline silicon using drop jetting technology to form mask or etch patterns on a surface of a multicrystalline silicon substrate.

Abstract: Inline methods for forming a photovoltaic cell electrode structure, wherein the photovoltaic cell includes a semiconductor substrate having a passivation layer thereon, includes providing a plurality of contact openings through the passivation layer to the semiconductor substrate, selectively plating a contact metal into the plurality of contact openings by printing electroless plating solution into the plurality of contact openings to deposit the contact metal, depositing a metal containing material on the deposited contact metal, and firing the deposited contact metal and the deposited metal containing material. The metal containing material may include a paste containing a silver or silver alloy along with a glass frit and is substantially free to completely free of lead. The methods may also use light activation of the passivation layer or use seed layers to assist in the plating.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting presence of a thing, the thing treated with a descenter, one method including in an area in which it is possible that a thing treated with a descenter is present, using a detector to detect a descenter level in the area, producing a detected descenter level, comparing the detected descenter level to a normal descenter level for the area, determining that the detected descenter level is different from the normal descenter level, said determining indicating the possible presence of a thing treated with a descenter; and using a trained service animal to facilitate such a method.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using a scent elimination device to conceal contraband and then training service animals to determine if an ozone-based scent-removal technique has been used to remove scent from contraband are disclosed. The systems and methods comprise providing a plurality of packages. At least one of the plurality of packages containing a predetermined amount of a contraband substance. Further, the systems and methods comprise generating a gaseous stream of descenting material from a portable device. The gaseous stream of descenting material contains ozone. Further, the systems and methods comprise dispersing the gaseous stream of descenting material over the contraband in a concentration sufficient to eliminate the scent. The descented contraband may be placed in an enclosure for transport. Further, the systems and methods comprise introducing a service animal to the plurality of packages.

Abstract: A method of producing at least one piezoelectric element includes depositing a piezoelectric ceramic material onto a surface of a first substrate to form at least one piezoelectric element structure. Then an electrode is deposited on a surface of the at least one piezoelectric element structure. Next, the at least one piezoelectric element structure is bonded to a second substrate, the second substrate being conductive or having a conductive layer. The first substrate is then removed from the at least one piezoelectric element structure and a second side electrode is deposited on a second surface of the at least one piezoelectric element structure. A poling operation is performed to provide the at least one piezoelectric element structure with piezoelectric characteristics.

Abstract: A method of producing at least one piezoelectric element includes depositing a piezoelectric ceramic material onto a surface of a first substrate to form at least one piezoelectric element structure. Then an electrode is deposited on a surface of the at least one piezoelectric element structure. Next, the at least one piezoelectric element structure is bonded to a second substrate, the second substrate being conductive or having a conductive layer. The first substrate is then removed from the at least one piezoelectric element structure and a second side electrode is deposited on a second surface of the at least one piezoelectric element structure. A poling operation is performed to provide the at least one piezoelectric element structure with piezoelectric characteristics. In another embodiment, a material for a thick film element is deposited onto a surface of a first substrate to form a thick film element structure having a thickness of between greater than 10 ?m to 100 ?m.

Abstract: Various fluidic techniques can employ ducting structures, such as microstructures, that extend between other components, such as plate-like structures. A ducting structure can, for example, include an inlet opening toward or near one plate-like structure, an outlet opening toward or near another plate-like structure, and a duct in which fluid flows after being received through the inlet opening and before being provided through the outlet opening. In some implementations, a ducting structure is photo-defined, such as by exposing a photoimageable structure and then removing either exposed or unexposed regions. In some implementations, a ducting structure is a freestanding polymer microstructure. In some implementations, ducting structures are microstructures that extend approximately the same length between first and second plate-like structures, and have a ratio of length to maximum cavity diameter of approximately two or more.