Abstract: A pressure is maintained within a volume within which a semiconductor wafer resides at a pressure that is sufficient to maintain a liquid state of a precursor fluid to a non-Newtonian fluid. The precursor fluid is disposed proximate to a material to be removed from the semiconductor wafer while maintaining the precursor fluid in the liquid state. The pressure is reduced in the volume within which the semiconductor wafer resides such that the precursor fluid disposed on the wafer within the volume is transformed into the non-Newtonian fluid. An expansion of the precursor fluid and movement of the precursor fluid relative to the wafer during transformation into the non-Newtonian fluid causes the resulting non-Newtonian fluid to remove the material from the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling centralized memory management in wireless terminal devices. Memory management scripts associated with a wireless application are stored in a registry accessible through a data network for on-demand download and execution. A memory management kernel in each terminal device monitors a memory utilization of the terminal device. Based on the memory utilization, the memory management kernel interacts with an application gateway hosting the terminal device to download and execute one or more of the memory management scripts.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel method for the treatment of neoplasia, including cancer and other diseases and conditions in humans and mammals. More particularly, in preferred aspects, the present invention provides a method for the use of prenylcysteine analogs for the treatment of neoplasia, hyperproliferative cell growth including psoriasis, restenosis following cardiovascular surgery, hyperplasia, including renal hyperplasia, chronic inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, among others.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an aromatic substituted pentadienoic acid amides and there use in combination of specific amounts of aromatic amides i.e. 4-alkyl-5-(substituted phenyl)-2(E),4(E)-pentadienoic acid amides, its geometrical isomers or their dihydro or tetrahydro derivatives and an anti-infective drug useful in potentiating the bioefficacy of antiinfective drug. The combination of the present invention is useful in the treatment of certain infections and disease at lower concentration of anti-infectives necessary to inhibit the growth of microbial strains and may also find applications in reducing the resistance in microorganisms.

Abstract: A display-enabled electronic system. The display-card electronic comprises an external device and card-type device receiving the external device. The external device provides a data signal. The card-type device comprises a card body, at least one image display unit, and an interface. The card body comprises a display surface and a receiving portion. The image display unit disposed in the display surface displays corresponding images in response to the data signal. The interface disposed in the receiving portion, electrically connects to the external device to transmit the data signal.

Abstract: A method of forming a feature includes forming a mask of a first material on an underlying layer, the mask having an incorrect profile. The profile of the mask is corrected and a feature is formed in the underlying layer. A system for forming a feature is also disclosed.

Abstract: Novel ligand compounds having the structural formula (I): and the salts and optical/geometrical isomers thereof are suited for formulation into pharmaceutical compositions useful in human or veterinary medicine, or, alternatively, into cosmetic compositions.

Abstract: A computer-based educational tool is provided to enable children to more easily learn the visual representations of letters, numbers, shapes, colors, and words, by drawing upon their existing verbal knowledge. More specifically, a child is allowed to utter the name of a letter, number, shape, color, or word and have the corresponding visual representation of that letter, number, shape, color, or word be displayed visually upon a screen in response to his or her verbal utterance. Speech recognition tools and techniques are utilized for capturing and recognizing the verbal utterances of the child. Unique visual and aural display methods is utilized for presenting content to the child in developmentally beneficial ways.

Abstract: A Lagrangian support vector machine solves problems having massive data sets (e.g.

Abstract: A surgical device for joint replacement surgery includes an intraoperative joint head having a stem attachment structure where the stem attachment structure may be removably attachable to a stem and a force sensor housed by the joint head for measuring in vivo forces during surgery. The in vivo forces may be generated by one or more of tension provided by soft tissue, load application during surgery, limb movement during surgery, and a combination thereof. Also, the joint head may provide a cavity where the stem attachment structure houses the force sensor and may be removably insertable in the joint head cavity. A method of performing joint replacement surgery includes installing an intraoperative joint head having a force sensor housed by the joint head and a stem attachment structure, the stem attachment structure being removably attachable to a stem, measuring joint forces, and adjusting an implant parameter based on the measured joint forces.

Abstract: A system for producing bubble free liquid includes a continuous liquid source and a de-bubbling chamber. The de-bubbling chamber includes an outlet and an inlet. The inlet coupled to an outlet of the continuous liquid source by a supply pipe. The de-bubbling chamber also includes at least one port in a sidewall of the de-bubbling chamber. The at least one port being at least a length L from the inlet of the de-bubbling chamber. A method for producing bubble free liquid is also described.

Abstract: An active new password entry dialog provides a compact visual indication of adherence to password policies. A visual indication of progress towards meeting all applicable password policies is included in the display and updated as new password characters are being entered. A visual hint associated with at least one applicable password policy that has not yet been satisfied is also included in the display. An ability to obtain more detailed comprehensive password policy information is also permitted upon user command (e.g., including an indication whether each password policy has yet been met or unmet). Preferably the displayed hint and associated applicable password policy not yet satisfied is randomly changed during entry of a new password (e.g., upon the entry of each new password character).

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for computing the shading of a volume. A slice of the volume is rendered along a half-angle direction that is between a light direction and a view direction. A slice of the volume is then rendered along a light direction to assimilate shadow information of the slice in a shadow buffer. The shadow buffer is bled orthogonal to the light direction to shade the slice.

Abstract: This invention relates to detection of specific extracellular nucleic acid in plasma or serum fractions of human or animal blood associated with neoplastic or proliferative disease. Specifically, the invention relates to detection of nucleic acid derived from mutant oncogenes or other tumor-associated DNA, and to those methods of detecting and monitoring extracellular mutant oncogenes or tumor-associated DNA found in the plasma or serum fraction of blood by using rapid DNA extraction followed by nucleic acid amplification with or without enrichment for mutant DNA. In particular, the invention relates to the detection, identification, or monitoring of the existence, progression or clinical status of benign, premalignant, or maligant neoplasms in humans or other animals that contain a mutation that is associated with the neoplasm through detection of the mutated nucleic acid of the neoplasm in plasma or serum fractions.

Abstract: A local adaptive method is proposed for automatic detection of microaneurysms in a digital ocular fundus image. Multiple subregions of the image are automatically analyzed and adapted to local intensity variation and properties. A priori region and location information about structural features such as vessels, optic disk and hard exudates are incorporated to further improve the detection accuracy. The method effectively improves the specificity of microaneurysms detection, without sacrificing sensitivity. The method may be used in automatic level-one grading of diabetic retinopathy screening.

Abstract: A charger has two or more separate charging ports to which two or more rechargeable batteries can be coupled, respectively. Current from a single current source is allocated to the two or more separate charging ports so that the two or more rechargeable batteries will be fully charged at substantially the same time.

Abstract: A biostatic coating comprising a coating composition which on drying produces an intrinsically hydrophobic film. The coating composition includes a biocidal complex A-B in which A is a phenolic biocide and B is selected from polyvinylpyrrolidone (“PVP”), PVP polymers, PVP copolymers and mixtures thereof. The coating composition for example is selected from acrylic and methacrylic polymer based compositions, acrylic and methacrylic copolymer based compositions, vinyl polymer based compositions, vinyl copolymer based compositions, epoxy resins, epoxy esters, and mixtures thereof. Suitable biocides for use in the invention include, but are not limited to complexes of PVP or PVP copolymer with triclosan; diclosan; dichlorophen; orthophenylphenol; orthobenzylparachlorophenol, cresols, xylols, and substituted diphenyl ethers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a Drosophila in vitro system which was used to demonstrate that dsRNA is processed to RNA segments 21-23 nucleotides (nt) in length. Furthermore, when these 21-23 nt fragments are purified and added back to Drosophila extracts, they mediate RNA interference in the absence of long dsRNA. Thus, these 21-23 nt fragments are the sequence-specific mediators of RNA degradation. A molecular signal, which may be their specific length, must be present in these 21-23 nt fragments to recruit cellular factors involved in RNAi. This present invention encompasses these 21-23 nt fragments and their use for specifically inactivating gene function. The use of these fragments (or chemically synthesized oligonucleotides of the same or similar nature) enables the targeting of specific mRNAs for degradation in mammalian cells, where the use of long dsRNAs to elicit RNAi is usually not practical, presumably because of the deleterious effects of the interferon response.

Abstract: Novel ligand compounds that activate RAR receptors have the following structural formula (I): and are suited for formulation into pharmaceutical compositions useful in human or veterinary medicine, or, alternatively, into cosmetic compositions.

Abstract: It is intended to provide koji mold-origin phospholipase A2 and a DNA encoding it. Namely, phospholipase A2 comprising the following protein (a) or (b): (a) a protein having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2; and (b) a protein having an amino acid sequence derived from an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2 by a partial modification and serving as phospholipase A2.