Abstract: Nucleic acid and protein sequences relating to a cation channel which is sperm-specific (CatSper4) are disclosed. The CatSper4 protein is shown to be specifically expressed in sperm. Nucleic acids, vectors, transformed cells, transgenic animals, polypeptides, and antibodies relating to the CatSper4 gene and protein are disclosed. Also provided are methods of in vitro fertilization and contraception, methods of identifying modulators of CatSper4 activity, methods of genotyping subjects with respect to CatSper4, and methods of diagnosing and treating CatSper4-mediated disorders, including infertility. Related business methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system, method and medium for reducing the number of system calls from an application program to an operating system kernel. In an embodiment, a method includes the steps of creating a list of requests issued by an application program, associating an indicia with the list indicating whether the list contains a request, querying the indicia to determine if the list contains a request, and adding a new application program request to the list when the indicia indicates that the list includes a request.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of detecting executable software in alternate data streams to secure operation of a computer comprises processing information regarding a file requested for execution and determining an alternate data stream associated with the file, wherein the alternate data stream comprises executable software.

Abstract: Techniques for recovering data from cold images are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a computer implemented method for recovering data from cold images comprising searching storage associated with a target recovery device, identifying one or more data structures on the storage, parsing the one or more identified data structures, and recovering one or more portions of the one or more parsed data structures.

Abstract: This invention provides a genetically tractable in situ non-human animal model for hepatocellular carcinoma. The model is useful, inter alia, in understanding the molecular mechanisms of liver cancer, in understanding the genetic alterations that lead to chemoresistance or poor prognosis, and in identifying and evaluating new therapies against hepatocellular carcinomas. The liver cancer model of this invention is made by altering hepatocytes to increase oncogene expression, to reduce tumor suppressor gene expression or both and by transplanting the resulting hepatocytes into a recipient non-human animal. This invention also relates to the use of RNA interference (RNAi) technology in vivo to efficiently identify genes associated with liver cancer, in particular those encoding tumor suppressors, by knocking out candidate genes using RNAi and observing whether tumors would develop.

Abstract: Methods and systems of continuously optimizing data in WiFi positioning systems. A location-based services system uses WiFi-enabled devices to monitor WiFi access points in a target area to indicate whether a WiFi access point is newly-observed. A WiFi-enabled device communicates with WiFi access points within range of the WiFi-enabled device so that observed WiFi access points identify themselves. A reference database is accessed to obtain information specifying a recorded location for each observed WiFi access point in the target area. Observed WiFi access points for which the reference database has no information specifying a corresponding recorded location are identified. The recorded location information for each of the observed WiFi access points is used to calculate the position of the WiFi-enabled device. The reference database is informed of the WiFi access points (for which there was no information in the database) and is provided the calculated position in conjunction therewith.

Abstract: Techniques for controlling a direct injection semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for controlling a direct injection semiconductor memory device. The method may comprise applying a first voltage potential to a first region via a bit line and applying a second voltage potential to a second region of the memory device via a source line. The method may also comprise applying a control voltage potential to a body region of the memory device via a word line that is spaced apart and capacitively coupled to the body region, wherein the body region is electrically floating and disposed between the first region and the second region. The method may further comprise applying a third voltage potential to a third region of the memory device via a carrier injection line in order to bias at least one of the first region, the second region, the third region, and the body region to perform one or more operations.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of making a population of nucleic acid molecules, wherein each nucleic acid molecule comprises a predetermined nucleic acid sequence, each of said methods comprising the steps of: (a) synthesizing, on a substrate, a population of nucleic acid molecules wherein: i) each synthesized nucleic acid molecule comprises a predetermined nucleic acid sequence; and ii) each synthesized nucleic acid molecule is localized to a defined area of said substrate; (b) harvesting said population of synthesized nucleic acid molecules from said substrate to yield harvested nucleic acid molecules; and (c) introducing said harvested nucleic acid molecules into vector molecules.

Abstract: A method of making antibodies to a selected part P of an immunoglobulin molecule ZP, Z comprising the non-selected part of ZP, P being the selected part of ZP which comprises a hidden epitope of the light chain, said method comprises tolerizing the source of antibodies, by administering to the source a compound containing the non-selected part Z or a part of Z and administering antibodies to the non-selected part Z or a part of Z; wherein these administered antibodies are specific to an Fc region of ZP; and immunizing the source of antibodies with part of ZP having the selected part P exposed; and wherein Z comprises non-hidden epitopes of said immunoglobulin molecule, and wherein said compound containing the non-selected part of said molecule comprises a whole immunoglobulin, and wherein immunizing the source of antibodies with part of ZP comprises immunizing with free light chain.

Abstract: A memory cell array and device having a memory cell array (i.e., an integrated circuit device, for example, a logic device (such as, a microcontroller or microprocessor) or a memory device (such as, a discrete memory)) including electrically floating body transistors in which electrical charge is stored in the body of the transistor, and techniques for reading, controlling and/or operating such memory cell array and such device. The memory cell array and device include a variable and/or programmable word length. The word length relates to the selected memory cells of a selected row of memory cells (which is determined via address data). In one embodiment, the word length may be any number of memory cells of a selected row which is less than or equal to the total number of memory cells of the selected row of the memory array.

Abstract: Rationally-designed LAGLIDADG meganucleases and methods of making such meganucleases are provided. In addition, methods are provided for using the meganucleases to generate recombinant cells and organisms having a desired DNA sequence inserted into a limited number of loci within the genome, as well as methods of gene therapy, for treatment of pathogenic infections, and for in vitro applications in diagnostics and research.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a system and method for using a satellite positioning system to filter WLAN access points in a hybrid positioning system. In some embodiments, the method can include detecting WLAN APs in range of the WLAN and satellite enabled device, obtaining satellite measurements from at least two satellites to provide a plurality of possible satellite locations of the device, and providing a weight for each AP based on the distance from the WLAN APs to the possible satellite locations of the device.

Abstract: A method is described and disclosed for harvesting and preparing porcine hearts that may be used, among other things, as an improved analog of the human heart in cardiac simulator systems for training surgical personnel for performing beating heart surgery.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing local system resources from a browser is described. The method for providing access to local computer system resources through a browser includes processing network traffic associated with a browser to identify at least one command parameters and communicating the at least one command parameter for execution using local computer system resources.

Abstract: A method and system for detection and tracking of osteoporosis is disclosed. A method of characterizing an image of a target vertebra includes building a computer model from a set of sample images of pathological and non-pathological variations of vertebrae representing variations in shape of the vertebrae. The method also includes receiving an image of a target vertebra of a subject and automatically estimating contours of lateral outlines of the superior and the inferior cortical endplates of the image. The parameters of the model are varied to determine a set that represents a model shape that approximates the estimated contours of the outlines of the cortical endplates. The method includes automatically characterizing the target vertebra based on the set of model parameters that are determined and outputting on a display device the characterization of the target vertebra.

Abstract: Methods for producing an image indicative of arthritic symptomatology are provided. The methods during a model building phase create a constrained deformable statistical template. The methods then during a runtime phase fit a plurality of loci in a digitized target radiograph of the specified joint; parameterize positions of the plurality of loci fitted in the digitized target radiograph to generate an instance of the statistical template by deriving values for parameters of the digitized target radiograph from the statistical template; search the digitized target radiograph by applying the statistical template to the digitized target radiograph until an optimal fit of the statistical template to at least one region of the digitized target radiograph is found; and produce a comparison image by comparing the at least one region of the digitized target radiograph with the optimal fit of the statistical template.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing leakage of sensitive information from a computer is described. The method includes identifying data entered into the computer system as sensitive data, tainting the sensitive data with at least one taint bit to form a tainted data, tracking the tainted data within the computer system and identifying at least one condition that compromises the security of the tainted data. The system is a computer system including taint analysis software for identifying data entered into the computer system as sensitive data, tainting the sensitive data with at least one taint bit to form a tainted data, tracking the tainted data within the computer system and identifying at least one condition that compromises the security of the tainted data.