Abstract: A semi-dry, one step electroblot transfer buffer composition for rapid transfer of proteins or polypeptides from polyacrylamide gel to a suitable membrane such as nitrocellulose or polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF). The composition contains components that minimized electrical resistance and enabled high efficiency rapid semi-dry transfer using conventional readily available filter paper, i.e., cotton cellulose fiber.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) moisture sensor. This moisture sensor includes one or more antenna structures having a tail. The tail is operable to transport a disturbance such as, but not limited to fluid or moisture from a monitored location wherein the antenna has an impedance and varies with proximity to the disturbance. An integrated circuit couples to the antenna structure. This IC includes a power harvesting module operable to energize the integrated circuit, an impedance-matching engine coupled to the antenna, a memory module, and a wireless communication module. The impedance-matching engine may vary a reactive component to reduce a mismatch between the antenna impedance and the IC and produce an impedance value (sensor code) representative of the reactive component impedance.

Abstract: A process for making a cyclic compounds such as cyclic acetal or cyclic ketones by feeding aldehyde or ketone compounds and polyhydroxyl compounds to a reaction zone at a molar ratio of polyhydroxyl compounds to aldehyde or ketone compounds of at least 3:1, reacting these compounds in the presence of a solid acid such as an acidic ion exchange resin, to generate a liquid reaction mixture without separating water from the reaction mixture as it is being formed in the reaction mixture, withdrawing the liquid reaction mixture from the reaction zone as a liquid product stream, and feeding the liquid reaction product stream to a distillation column to separate cyclic acetal compounds from unreacted polyhydroxyl compounds, and optionally recycling back the unreacted polyhydroxyl compounds to the reaction zone. The process produces cyclic acetal compounds in yields of at least 90% with long catalyst life. The process is also suitable to make cyclic ketals from ketone compounds.

Abstract: A wireless sensor includes an antenna, a tuning circuit, a pressure sensing circuit, a processing module, and a transmitter. Collectively, the pressure sensing circuit, the antenna, and the tuning circuit have one or more radio frequency (RF) characteristics and the pressure sensing circuit causes the RF characteristic(s) to vary with varying sensed pressures. The processing module detects a variance of the RF characteristic(s) from a desired value. In response to the detecting of the variance, the processing module adjusts the tuning circuit to substantially re-establish the desired value of the RF characteristic(s). The processing module generates a message regarding the adjusting of the tuning circuit, wherein a level of the adjusting is representative of a variance of pressure sensed by the pressure sensing circuit. The transmitter transmits the message.

Abstract: A medical system (10) and method monitor a patient. Patient data for the patient received. The patient data includes vital sign measurements and laboratory results. A vital signs instability index (VIX) regarding a physiological condition of the patient is calculated from the received vital sign measurements. A laboratory instability index (LIX) regarding the physiological condition is calculated from the received laboratory results. The VIX and the LIX are integrated into an indicator of patient deterioration.

Abstract: Devices for sorting components (e.g., cells) contained in a liquid sample are provided. In certain aspects, the devices include a magnetic separation device and an acoustic concentrator device fluidically coupled to magnetic separation device. Aspects of the invention further include methods for sorting cells in a liquid sample, and systems, and kits for practicing the subject methods.

Abstract: Uses of polymers including monomeric units based on salts of itaconic acid as film formers are disclosed. The polymers confer good film-forming characteristics to the compositions to which they are added, making them suitable for use in cosmetic and personal care product, in particular those that are applied to the skin, hair or nails. The polymers offer a variety of benefits to the products into which they are incorporated, increasing their performance, longevity or adhesion to the human body and improving their feel or appearance during use. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the polymers and the cosmetic and personal care compositions.

Abstract: To assist a surgeon performing a medical procedure, auxiliary images generally indicating internal details of an anatomic structure being treated are displayed and manipulated by the surgeon on a computer display screen to supplement primary images generally of an external view of the anatomic structure. A master input device controlling a robotic arm in a first mode may be switched by the surgeon to a second mode in order to function instead as a mouse-like pointing device to facilitate the surgeon performing such auxiliary information display and manipulation.

Abstract: A system for generating a role-based user interface includes a patient information database which stores patient data relating to a plurality of patients being treated by one or more caregivers. A caregiver information system stores caregiver data relating to the role, status, and location of the one or more caregivers. A decision support system evaluates the patient data and caregiver data and generates a role-based user interface displaying the most clinically meaningful information to the one or more caregivers based on the evaluation of the patient data and caregiver data.

Abstract: A method of diagnosing or monitoring foetal distress comprises measuring uric acid levels in saliva in samples obtained from the expectant mother. The method provides a warning sign of complications in pregnancy such as HELLP syndrome, eclampsia, gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, premature amniorrhexis, placenta accreta and intrauterine growth restriction. The diagnosis can be carried out in patients free from pre-eclampsia or eclampsia.

Abstract: Embodiments for extracting data for online account includes systems that receive at least one check images, apply one or more optical character recognition processes to at least a portion of the at least one check image, and convert image based data to text based data. The embodiments further identify check data in the text based data, identify online data from the check data, incorporate at least a portion of the online data into a portion of an online account, and provide the online account portion to a customer.

Abstract: A method and system for cleaning a brake booster aspirator shut-off valve are provided. The shut-off valve is operable to selectively permit flow of intake air through an aspirator; the aspirator bypasses a throttle of an engine and provides a vacuum source for a brake booster. The method comprises determining whether the shut-off valve may require cleaning, opening the shut-off valve so as to permit a flow of air through the shut-off valve and clean the shut-off valve and adjusting the throttle position of the engine to compensate for the additional flow of intake air through the aspirator.

Abstract: A liquid composition containing at least 2 mole % of water, at least 50 mole % of polyhydroxyl compounds, at least 3 mole % of cyclic compounds, and at least 0.01 mole % of a homogeneous acid catalyst. The mole percentages are based on the moles of all liquids in the composition. The liquid composition optionally contains up to 20 mole % of carbonyl compounds, based on the number of moles of the cyclic compounds. The cumulative amount of any other liquid ingredient in the liquid composition does not exceed 10 mole %. The cyclic compounds include cyclic acetals, cyclic ketals, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A vehicle electronic control unit (ECU) may control a vehicle subsystem and be configured to receive from a remote server via a vehicle telematics unit (TCU), a parameter definition of a processed parameter to be computed by the ECU; generate the processed parameter according to the parameter definition based on a raw parameter generated by the ECU; and send the processed parameter to a vehicle data buffer associated with the ECU for upload to the remote server via the TCU.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a digital image in fluorescence gel imaging is disclosed. The method includes providing a gel sample and placing the gel sample on a flat panel detector having array of photodiodes and transistors that collect light generated from the gel sample. The gel sample is illuminated using a light source integrated into the flat panel imaging system and light emitted by the gel sample responsive to an excitation of the gel sample by light provided by the light source is then collected, with the light emitted by the gel sample being collected by the array of photodiodes of the flat panel detector and converted to electric charges to generate light data. The light data is then processed to generate a digital image of the gel sample.

Abstract: Embodiments for identifying errors based on data extracted from financial record images includes systems that receive one or more financial record images from a user, apply an optical character recognition process to at least a portion of the one or more financial record images, and identify record data based on the applied optical character recognition process comprising at least a name of a party to the financial record. The systems further identify errors associated with the one or more financial record images based on the record data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting RF field strength. A field strength reference generator develops a field strength reference current as a function of a field strength of a received RF signal; and a field strength quantizer develops a digital field-strength value indicative of the field strength reference current. In one embodiment, detected field strength is used to dynamically vary the impedance of a tank circuit whereby, over time, induced current is maximized. In another embodiment, the quantized field strength is used to sense changes to the environment to which the RFID tag is exposed. In yet another embodiment, dynamic variations of the quantized impedance of the tank circuit are used to sense changes in the environment. Several alternate antennas are specially adapted to facilitate sensing of environmental conditions using the RFID tag.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for extracting check data and using the check data for determining a disposition of a check. The system, method, and computer program product are configured to: a) receive an image of a check; b) apply an optical character recognition process to at least a portion of the image of the check; c) convert one or more image portions of the at least a portion of the image to text based data based at least partially on the application; d) identify a date of the check based on the text based data obtained from the one or more image portions; e) compare the date of the check to one or more authorization parameters; and f) provide a disposition of the check based on the comparison of the date of the check to the one or more authorization parameters.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include systems, methods, and computer-program products for lifting metadata from financial documents to allow for automated exception processing. As such, allowing for automated decisions for exception processing to systematically be resolved base on matches between lifted metadata. The exceptions may include one or more irregularities such as bad micro line reads, outdated check stock, or misrepresentative checks that may result in a failure to match the check to an associated account for processing. As such, once an exception is identified during the processing the metadata lifted from the document with the exception may be utilized to search financial records at the financial institution to attempt to identify the correct version of the document. Subsequently, the system may correct the irregularity systematically and automatically.

Abstract: Applicant has disclosed a foam swab for cleaning and lubricating firearms. In the preferred embodiment, the invention comprises: a molded plastic shank having a threaded free end and a series of parallel rings spaced between parallel spacers; and a foam cover, preferably made of polyurethane, thermally bonded to the spacers. To clean a firearm, solvent or lubricant is applied to the foam cover. Then the threaded end can be screwed into a gun cleaning rod and the foam swab drawn through a firearm bore.