Abstract: The use of surfactants that do not themselves act as dopants and are isoelectronic with either the group III or group V host atoms during OMVPE growth significantly reduces the incorporation of background impurities such as carbon, oxygen, sulfur and/or silicon. For example, the use of the surfactants Sb or Bi significantly reduces the incorporation of background impurities such as carbon, oxygen, sulfur and/or silicon during the OMVPE growth of III/V semiconductor materials, for example GaAs, GaInP, and GaP layers. As a result, an effective method for controlling the incorporation of impurity atoms is adding a minute amount of surfactant during OMVPE growth.

Abstract: Methods of performing PCR are provided. Methods may include using an optical source to provide heating for thermocyling the PCR reaction. Methods may include using surface plasmon resonance and/or fluorescence resonance enhanced transfer to allow real-time monitoring of a PCR reaction. Methods may include immobilizing a template, primer, or polymerase on a surface such as a gold or other surface plasmon resonance active surface.

Abstract: A method is provided for organizing a plurality of documents that include forms. An initial set of clusters is defined for the plurality of documents. The initial set of clusters is reclustered based on similarity values calculated in multiple feature spaces. For example, a first feature space may be associated with a content of a document while a second feature space may be associated with a content of a form associated with the document. Each cluster has an associated centroid vector in each feature space that is used to represent the cluster. The similarity between the document and each cluster is calculated in both feature spaces. Each document is assigned to the cluster whose centroid is most similar. The cluster centroids may be recalculated and the process repeated until the cluster assignments become stable.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for the detection and treatment of Ewing's sarcoma. In particular, the methods of detection relate to measuring in Ewing's sarcoma cells the expression of the NKX2.2 gene, as well as targets genes downstream of NKX2.2. The compositions and method of treatment for Ewing's sarcoma involve therapeutic agents that target the expression of the NKX2.2 gene or block the activity of the NKX2.2 protein. Also provided are methods of screening therapeutic agents that affect the expression of the NKX2.2 gene.

Abstract: Caps can be used to cover and disinfect a male protrusion portion of a medical connector. Some caps can create a seal with the male protrusion to prevent antiseptic from entering a lumen the protrusion. A biasing element can aid in creating or maintaining the seal.

Abstract: A method of performing parallel image reconstruction of undersampled image data in k-space. A defined partitioning of a k-space region into a plurality of segments is received. A segment of the plurality of segments is identified wherein data is sampled at less than a Nyquist rate. First imaging data is sampled at the Nyquist rate. A reconstruction coefficient is calculated for at least a portion of the identified segment using the sampled first imaging data. Second imaging data is sampled at less than the Nyquist rate. A value for a missing k-space sample in the identified segment is predicted using the calculated reconstruction coefficient and the sampled second imaging data. An image of the image area is defined using the predicted value and the received second dataset.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of forming metal oxide semiconductor nanostructures and, in particular, zinc oxide (ZnO) semiconductor nanostructures, possessing high surface area, plant-like morphologies on a variety of substrates. Optoelectronic devices, such as photovoltaic cells, incorporating the nanostructures are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a universal belay device for providing safety to mountain and rock climbers. The belay device allows a belayer to selectively operate the device in any of a plurality of modes. In an auto-locking mode, a fall by a climber automatically stops the rope without requiring the belayer manually apply any holding or stopping force. In a frictional mode, a fall by a climber is stopped by the belayer applying a minimal amount of pressure. The belay device includes a housing in which a rope pin and cam are contained. The cam is rotable to a first position which allows the rope pin to frictionally secure the rope against the housing and stop the rope. The cam is rotable to a second position which substantially prevents the rope pin from fully securing the rope and requires the user to apply a stopping force to stop the rope.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a method of indicating a subject's reaction to different agents administered to induce anesthesia. In particular, the subject's reaction can be assessed by receiving electrical signals from first and second electrodes spatially distributed on different regions of a subject's head, and by processing the electrical signals from the electrodes to provide a first indicator of the subject's reaction to a first of the agents and a second indicator of the subject's reaction to a second agent.

Abstract: Caps can be used to cover and sterilize the male luer of a medical connector. Some caps can create a seal with the male luer to prevent antiseptic from entering a lumen of the male luer. A biasing element can aid in creating or maintaining the seal.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated nucleic and amino acid sequences of a taste cell receptor that serves as a sensor for the bitter taste of phenylthiocarbamide (PTC), antibodies to such PTC taste receptor, methods of detecting such nucleic and amino acid sequences, and methods of screening for modulators of such PTC taste receptor.

Abstract: The invention relates to relatively short peptides (termed ?-conotoxins herein), about 10-30 residues in length, which are naturally available in minute amounts in the venom of the cone snails or analogous to the naturally available peptides, and which preferably include two disulfide bonds.

Abstract: The present invention provides for methods and systems for detecting steroids. Examples of such steroids include estrogen, progesterone, androgen, testosterone, and derivatives and analogs thereof. Systems useful for carrying out the method include tripartite constructs including a DNA-binding domain, a ligand binding domain, and an activation domain. The present invention provides numerous improvements over previous diagnostic systems for detection of steroids, such advantages include that the method allows for detection of steroid analogs and derivatives, whose structures may not yet be known, the method is generally applicable to a wide variety of organisms, and numerous ligand binding domains may be used in conjunction with the present system.

Abstract: An active needle device for fluid injection or extraction includes at least one hollow elongated shaft defining at least one channel. The channel provides communication between at least one input port and at least one output port of the needle device. At least one active component such as a sensor or actuator is placed or integrated into the elongated shaft. The needle device can include a macroneedle, a microneedle, or an array of macroneedles or microneedles. The microneedles can be fabricated on a substrate which can remain attached to the microneedles or be subsequently removed. The active component can facilitate biochemical, optical, electrical, or physical measurements of a fluid injected or extracted by the needle device.

Abstract: Systems, devices, methods, and software are provided that are suitable for use in the creation, implementation, use and/or refinement of treatment protocols. The software is configured for use in a client-server environment where the server communicates with client devices such as PDAs, laptops, tablets, or desktop computers. The software is directed to programming for basing an assessment of risk of bacterial infection in a subject on the presence, or lack, of viral illness in that subject. The diagnosis of viral illness is made through the use of results obtained from an enterovirus polymerase chain reaction test or a direct fluorescent assay test for respiratory viruses. Such test data, in conjunction with ‘time to positivity’ data for urine, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or other cultures, is then processed by the software to assess the individual risk of occurrence of various conditions, such as bacterial infection, in a particular subject.

Abstract: The invention provides articles of manufacture which are arrays, reagents, kits, and methods for diagnosis and/or prognosis of diseases with genomic aberrations. The methods of the invention identify differences between DNA samples from normal and disease tissues that are ascertained using comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) with microarrays of genomic fragments covering the whole genome of an organism, or microarrays containing subsets of the genome that are identified by the methods herein, for example, the long arm of chromosome 2 associated with prostate cancer. The detected genomic aberrations, are correlated to specific clinical outcomes, such that specific patterns of genomic aberration—disease association are identified in the majority of samples. The invention also provides genomic DNA arrays encompassing regions, the aberration of which was correlated to specific disease outcomes, for diagnosis/prognosis of such diseases.

Abstract: Characterizing dielectric surfaces by detecting electron tunneling. An apparatus includes an atomic force probe. A mechanical actuator is connected to the atomic force probe. A mechanical modulator is connected to the mechanical actuator. The mechanical modulator modulates the mechanical actuator and the atomic force probe at the resonant frequency of the atomic force probe. An electrical modulator is connected to the atomic force probe. A feedback sensing circuit is connected to the mechanical modulator to detect movement of the atomic force probe and provide information about the movement of the atomic force probe to the mechanical modulator allowing the mechanical modulator to modulate the atomic force probe at the resonant frequency of the atomic force probe as the resonant frequency of the atomic force probe changes. An FM detector is connected to the feedback circuit detects changes in the resonant frequency of the atomic force probe.

Abstract: Provided are compositions, methods and uses for identifying persons at an increased risk of infection by, transmission of, or accelerated progression of a disease caused by an HIV-1 virus. Diagnostic, prognostic and combined therapeutic kits are also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to relatively short peptides (termed ?-conotoxins herein), about 10-25 residues in length, which are naturally available in minute amounts in the venom of the cone snails or analogous to the naturally available peptides, and which preferably include two disulfide bonds.

Abstract: A human gene termed APC is disclosed. Methods and kits are provided for assessing mutations of the APC gene in human tissues and body samples. APC mutations are found in familial adenomatous polyposis patients as well as in sporadic colorectal cancer patients. APC is expressed in most normal tissues. These results suggest that APC is a tumor suppressor.