Abstract: A spectroscopic method and system to identify a biofilm of a microorganism. A sample containing a sample microorganism is irradiated with substantially monochromatic radiation. A Raman data set is obtained based on radiation scattered from the irradiated sample. A database is searched in accordance with the Raman data set in order to identify a known Raman data set from the database. The database contains a plurality of known Raman data sets where each known Raman data set is associated with a known sessile form of a corresponding known microorganism. A sessile form of the sample microorganism is identified based on the known Raman data set identified by the searching.

Abstract: A system and method to provide a diagnosis of the renal disease state of a test renal sample. A database containing a plurality of reference Raman data sets is provided where each reference Raman data set has an associated known renal sample and an associated known renal disease state. A test renal sample is irradiated with substantially monochromatic light to generate scattered photons resulting in a test Raman data set. The test Raman data set is compared to the plurality of reference Raman data sets using a chemometric technique. Based on the comparison, a diagnosis of a renal disease state of the test renal sample is provided. The renal disease state includes renal oncocytoma or chromophobe renal carcinoma disease state.

Abstract: A method of assessing occurrence of a plant pathogen in a sample. The method comprises irradiating the sample and assessing radiation scattered from the sample for radiation that exhibits a Raman scattering characteristic of the pathogen. Detection of scattered radiation that exhibits a Raman shift characteristic of the pathogen is an indication that the pathogen occurs in the sample.

Abstract: A system and method of correlating Raman measurements with digital images of a sample so as to classify the sample's disease state. A spectroscopic data set is obtained for the sample positioned in the field of view of a spectroscopic device. With the sample removed from the field of view, the sample is treated with a contrast enhancing agent. The treated sample is repositioned in the spectroscopic device's field of view and a digital image of the treated sample is obtained. The spectroscopic data set is linked with the digital image by defining a transformation to map the image spatial coordinates of the digital image to the spectral spatial coordinates of the spectroscopic data. For the spectroscopic data set of the sample, the database is searched to identify a spectroscopic data set, of a known sample having well characterized pathology, which matches the sample's spectroscopic data set.

Abstract: Raman molecular imaging is used to differentiate between normal and diseased cells or tissue. For instance benign and malignant lesions of bladder and other tissues can be distinguished, including epithelial tissues such as lung, prostate, kidney, breast, and colon, and non-epithelial tissues, such as bone marrow and brain. Raman scattering data relevant to the disease state of cells or tissue can be combined with visual image data to produce hybrid images which depict both a magnified view of the cellular structures and information relating to the disease state of the individual cells in the field of view.

Abstract: A system and method of detecting explosive compounds located on a sample. The sample is irradiated with animal-safe ultra-violet radiation generating a fluorescence data set. A fluorescence database is searched based on the fluorescence data set in order to identify a known fluorescence data set. If the searching of the fluorescence database identifies a known fluorescence data set, an area of interest in the sample is identified based on the known fluorescence data set identified in the fluorescence database searching. The area of interest is irradiated with substantially monochromatic radiation to generate a Raman data set of the area of interest. A Raman database is searched based on the Raman data set in order to identify a known Raman data set. An explosive compound in the area of interest is identified based on the known Raman data set identified by searching the Raman database.

Abstract: A pulse photobleaching methodology wherein a monochromatic illumination (e.g., laser illumination) having a higher power intensity (photobleaching power) just below the photodamage threshold of a luminescent sample is initially used to significantly attenuate sample luminescence without photothermally destroying the sample material. Thereafter, the laser power density may be reduced to a significantly lower level (analytical power level) to carry out spectroscopic measurements (e.g., collection of Raman scattered photons) on the sample. In one embodiment, the laser illumination wavelength remains the same despite changes in laser power intensity. Some figures-of-merit may be computed from optical measurements made at the analytical power level to guide the photobleaching process. Sample-dependent combinations of laser power density and short exposure times may be obtained to significantly expedite photobleaching to assist in collection of sample spectral data in the field without a long wait.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of analyzing the physiological function of a target substance by inactivating the physiological function of the target substance, comprising the steps of: (a) binding to the target substance a photoactive compound represented by formula (I): (in the formula, Q is a group for binding this compound with the target substance) to form a composite comprising the target substance and the photoactive compound; and (b) irradiating the obtained composite with light to inactivate the function of the target substance to which the photoactive compound has been bound, or to inactivate the function of the target substance at the site where the photoactive compound has been bound.

Abstract: A puppetry based system and method is provided. Specifically, the puppetry based system and method comprises a computer environment including one or more images, symbols and other proprietary content (collectively referred to as “images”). A printer is connected to the computer environment for printing the images in paper form. A hinge is provide which is attached to the paper form. The hinge is adapted for hand manipulation to create a hand actuated puppet which is representative of the image. In another aspect of the present invention, a puppetry based business model system and method is provided wherein content providers and owners provide images, to a puppet site. The puppet site reconfigures the images, symbols and other proprietary content to include a hinge area which, when such images are downloaded in paper form, the hinge area is adapted to be hand manipulated to form the paper form into a hand actuated puppet representation of the image.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of lactic bacteria of the species Lactobacillus farciminis for the treatment or prevention of a pathology of the digestive tube, especially an acute or chronic inflammatory pathology of the intestine.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ESD protection device or structure that exploits the high conductivity of a heavily doped heterojunction base of a standard SiGe bipolar junction transistor (BJT) cell. This improved ESD protection scheme further uses the combination of trench isolation and buried subcollector layer of the SiGe BJT to confine ESD current, minimizing parasitic substrate leakage and achieving large forward voltages while imposing minimal parasitic capacitive loads on a protected active device. Since the ESD protection structure is formed from conventional SiGe BJT transistor cells through modification of the contact metallization, it can be fabricated in an available SiGe BiCMOS fabrication process without additional processing steps, and characterization data already available for the SiGe BJTs can be used to model the performance of the ESD protection devices.

Abstract: A drilling device for producing undercut holes. The drilling device includes a drilling tool having an axis of rotation and a cutting portion arranged such that the cutting portion drills a hole with a longitudinal axis that is radially offset with respect to said axis of rotation and a centering device operable to apply a lateral force to said drilling tool for moving said axis of rotation towards said longitudinal axis to cause said cutting portion to form an undercut in a said hole.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses novel mesoporous compositions comprising vitamin E and alumina, and methods for their synthesis. The mesoporous compositions of the present invention have applications as drug-delivery vehicles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of separating components from milk, and the apparatus used therefor. The invention also relates to compositions prepared from the separated components. The present invention relates to nutritional milk compositions and products which are designed to include per serving size a specified percentage range of one or more components separated from milk. The compositions of the present invention can optionally include non-essential but nutritionally functional components. The complete nutritional milk compositions of the present invention can be provided as unflavored milks, flavored milks, ice creams and yogurts.

Abstract: A radial-capitellar implant for surgical replacement of the capitellum of the humerus and, optionally, the head of the radius. The radial-capitellar implant includes a capitellar implant or surface replacement arthroplasty of the capitellum and a radial prosthesis for replacement of the head of the radius. In one embodiment the radial prosthesis includes an articular head which moveable articulates with a stem implantable in the radius.

Abstract: A method of photochemically reducing iron(III) species in an iron or iron alloy plating solution by adding an additive to the electroplating solution; contacting the additive with iron(III) species to form an iron(III)-additive species; and irradiating the electroplating solution, wherein the radiation is of sufficient energy to reduce the iron(III) in the iron(III)-additive species to iron(II). The additive comprises hydroxycarboxylic acids and their lactones.

Abstract: Nanometer particles of poorly water-soluble or substantially water-insoluble compound are produced by finely-spraying a non-aqueous solution of said compound into a heated and fluidized bed of carrier excipient. The resulting product consists of a free flowing mixture of relatively large particles of carrier excipient and nanometer sized particles (less than 3 ?m)) of compound.

Abstract: In a spin-up process in a disk drive, the values of a PMA counter and a TOC counter are compared with each other with respect to a write-once disk. The PM counter is a adapted to count the number of disks in which information is written in a PMA region, among the disks from which information is theretofore read in the disk drive. The TOC counter is adapted to count the number of disks in which information is not written in the PMA region.

Abstract: An organic electroluminescent device includes a substrate, a plurality of gate lines on the substrate, a plurality of data lines on the substrate, each of the plurality of data lines crossing the gate lines, a plurality of switching elements and driving elements interconnected on the substrate, and a power line disposed in parallel to the data lines on the substrate, wherein the power line is electrically connected to at least two of the plurality of driving elements.

Abstract: An array substrate of a liquid crystal display device having a thin film transistor on a color filter structure and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed in the present invention.