Abstract: An allergy testing system includes encapsulated allergens, a microneedle array, and an activation system coupled to the microneedle array and the encapsulated allergens such that the encapsulated allergens are moved into contact with a subject as the microneedle array is moved from a resting position to a penetrating position. A method for determining a degree of reaction to one or more allergens by a patient in a minimally invasive manner is also disclosed. Penetration of one or more microneedles into a skin of the patient is caused. Each of the penetrations into the skin is exposed with an allergen from each of the one or more microneedles. One or more images are captured of each of the penetrations into the skin. Each of the captured images are analyzed to assess the degree of reaction to the specific allergen. Allergic reactivity data is output for at least one of the allergens.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an article fabrication system having a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article, and a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving one of the material deposition tools. A system controller is operably connected to the material deposition device to control operation of the material deposition device. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating an article using the system of the invention and a method of fabricating a living three-dimensional structure.

Abstract: A syringe is provided which comprises a barrel (11) and a needle sheath (30) slidably located within the barrel, a plunger (20) with a plunger seal (23), a needle, a needle sheath (30) and a sheath seal (50), arranged so that depression of the plunger forces the needle sheath to move into a position where it covers or at least partly encloses the needle after delivery of fluid contents of the syringe. The needle sheath may be manually actuated or may be actuated by decompression of a spring. The syringe may further comprise a plunger disabling means operable to impede, prevent or otherwise hinder withdrawal of the plunger during or following depression of the plunger. The syringe may be a pre-filled syringe or a syringe which is filled by a user.

Abstract: A power source and methods thereof includes a structure comprising one or more p type layers, one or more n type layers, and one or more intrinsic layers and at least one source of radiation is disposed on at least a portion of the structure. Each of the p type layers is separated from each of the n type layers by one of the intrinsic layers.

Abstract: This invention relates to modified double-stranded oligoribonucleic acid (dsRNA) having improved stability in cells and biological fluids, and methods of making and identifying dsRNA having improved stability, and of using the dsRNA to inhibit the expression or function of a target gene.

Abstract: A beaded preform includes a plurality of adjacently positioned beads for forming a plurality of voids in an engineered material. The beaded preforms may be comprised of a filaments (single strand of beads) and mats (two-dimensional and three dimensional arrays of beads). The filaments and mats may be coated to become tows and laminates, respectively, which may then be assembled into composite materials. The preforms may be produced using novel manufacturing apparatuses and methods, and incorporated into known manufacturing processes to produce porous structures, including stress-steering structures, in any material including metals, plastics, ceramics, textiles, papers, and biological materials, for example.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of treating a subject with acute spinal cord injury by administering a purine receptor antagonist to the subject under conditions effective to treat spinal cord injury. The purine receptor antagonist inhibits P2X purine receptor activation. The inhibition of P2X purine receptor activation can also be used in conjunction with methods of treating a subject with spinal cord ischemia resulting from stroke or vascular insult, interruption, or mechanical injury, treating a subject with ischemic or traumatic insults of brain tissue in regions expressing P2X receptors, and for inhibiting ATP-triggered brain or spinal cord cell death.

Abstract: A nanoscale membrane exposed on opposite sides thereof and having an average thickness of less than about 100 nm, and a lateral length to thickness aspect ratio that is more than 10,000 to 1 is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making such membranes, and use thereof in a number of devices including fuel cells, sensor devices, electrospray devices, and supports for examining a sample under electron microscopy.

Abstract: A method and system for workload balancing includes determining which one of a plurality of printer devices satisfies at least one criteria and routing the job to the printer device which satisfies the criteria. The determining is carried out at one or more of the plurality of printer devices.

Abstract: A method, computer readable medium, and system for optimizing utilization of one or more assets includes obtaining at least one of operational data and condition data for one or more elements of at least one of the assets. At least one of historical maintenance data and life-cycle data for the one or more elements of the at least one of the assets is retrieved. One or more diagnostics on the one or more elements of the at least one of the assets is conducted based on the obtained at least one of the operational data and the condition data. One or more prognostics on the one or more elements of the at least one of the assets is conducted based on the at least one of the obtained operational data and condition data and on the retrieved at least one of the historical maintenance data and the life-cycle data. One or more optimization instructions for the at least one asset are determined based on the conducted diagnostics and prognostics and the determined one or more optimization instructions are displayed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding mutant phytases and the isolated mutant phytases themselves. The present invention further relates to methods of using the isolated nucleic acid molecules and the isolated mutant phytases of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrofusion microelectrode made of a tube having a first proximal end and a second distal end. The tube has an electrically conductive coating on its exterior surface that extends continually from the first proximal end of the tube toward the second distal end of the tube. Also disclosed is an electrofusion microelectrode unit having an electrofusion microelectrode and a holding tool capable of receiving the electrofusion microelectrode at the second distal end of the tube. The present invention also relates to a system having two or more electrofusion microelectrodes of the present invention and to methods of manipulating cells and/or cellular components using the electrofusion microelectrodes, units, and systems of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method for identifying one or more of a plurality of sequences differing by one or more single base changes, insertions, deletions, or translocations in a plurality of target nucleotide sequences. The method includes a ligation phase, a capture phase, and a detection phase. The ligation phase utilizes a ligation detection reaction between one oligonucleotide probe, which has a target sequence-specific portion and an addressable array-specific portion, and a second oligonucleotide probe, having a target sequence-specific portion and a detectable label. After the ligation phase, the capture phase is carried out by hybridizing the ligated oligonucleotide probes to a solid support with an array of immobilized capture oligonucleotides at least some of which are complementary to the addressable array-specific portion. Following completion of the capture phase, a detection phase is carried out to detect the labels of ligated oligonucleotide probes hybridized to the solid support.

Abstract: A method and system for preventing excessive flood packets from switching devices in a network for routing packets between a source station having an address and a destination station in the network having an address. A first packet directed toward the destination station is received over the network via an incoming traffic switch. The incoming traffic switch includes a table without the address of the destination station. The first packet is flooded over the plurality of switches. The flooded first packet is received at a front facing switch coupled to the destination station. The front facing switch has a table including the source address of the packet. The source address of packet is flushed from the table of the front facing switch. A response packet is sent from the destination station to the source station. The response packet is flooded to the incoming traffic switch. The flooded response packet is received at the incoming traffic switch.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a methods of inhibiting postharvest disease or desiccation in a fruit or vegetable, either by treating a fruit or vegetable with a hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide under conditions effective to inhibit postharvest disease or desiccation, or by providing a transgenic plant or plant seed transformed with a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein and growing the transgenic plant or transgenic plant produced from the transgenic plant seed under conditions effective to inhibit a postharvest disease or desiccation in a fruit or vegetable harvested from the transgenic plant. Also disclosed are DNA constructs and expression systems, host cells, and transgenic plants containing the DNA construct.

Abstract: A novel composite structural component including novel boron nitride agglomerated powders and a matrix is provided having controlled density and fracture strength features. In addition methods for producing the novel boron nitride agglomerated powders are provided. One method calls for providing a feedstock powder including boron nitride agglomerates, and heat treating the feedstock powder to form a heat treated boron nitride agglomerated powder. In one embodiment the feedstock powder has a controlled crystal size. In another, the feedstock powder is derived from a bulk source.

Abstract: Upon detecting a data event initiating an update to a table, a first classifier index associated with the data event is identified. From a classifier table, the current position in a first dimension of the table associated with the classifier index is determined. An open position in the first dimension of the table is also identified. Updated data is stored in the open position within the table. In the classifier table, the open position storing the updated data is associated with the classifier index.