Abstract: The present invention provides a method for screening for the effect of a test agent on a population of biological specimens, preferably insects, comprising the steps of providing a population of specimens, administering at least one test agent to the population, creating a digitized movie showing the movements of members of the population, measuring at least one trait of members of the population, and correlating the traits of the population with the effect of the test agent. The invention also provides a method for preparing a medicament useful for the treatment of a mammalian disease.

Abstract: A method of system is provided for assaying specimens. In connection with such system or method, plural multi-pixel target images of a field of view are obtained at different corresponding points in time over a given sample period. A background image is obtained using a plural set of the plural target images. For a range of points in time, the background image is removed from the target images to produce corresponding background-removed target images. Analysis is performed using at least a portion of the corresponding background-removed target images to identify visible features of the specimens. A holding structure is provided to hold a set of discrete specimen containers. A positioning mechanism is provided to position a plural subset of the containers to place the moving specimens within the plural subset of the containers within a field of view of the camera.

Abstract: High density plasma (HDP) techniques form high tensile stress silicon oxide films. The HDP techniques use low enough temperatures to deposit high tensile stress silicon oxide films in transistor architectures and fabrication processes effective for generating channel strain without adversely impacting transistor integrity. Methods involve a two phase process: a HDP deposition phase, wherein silanol groups are formed in the silicon oxide film, and a bond reconstruction phase, wherein water is removed and tensile stress is induced in the silicon oxide film. Transistor strain can be generated in NMOS or PMOS devices using strategic placement of the high tensile stress silicon oxide. Example applications include high tensile stress silicon oxides for use in shallow trench isolation structures, pre-metal dielectric layer and silicon on insulator substrates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for screening for the effect of a test agent on a population of biological specimens, preferably insects, comprising the steps of providing a population of specimens, administering at least one test agent to the population, creating a digitized movie showing the movements of members of the population, measuring at least one trait of members of the population, and correlating the traits of the population with the effect of the test agent. The invention also provides a method for preparing a medicament useful for the treatment of a mammalian disease.

Abstract: A method of system is provided for assaying specimens. In connection with such system or method, plural multi-pixel target images of a field of view are obtained at different corresponding points in time over a given sample period. A background image is obtained using a plural set of the plural target images. For a range of points in time, the background image is removed from the target images to produce corresponding background-removed target images. Analysis is performed using at least a portion of the corresponding background-removed target images to identify visible features of the specimens. A holding structure is provided to hold a set of discrete specimen containers. A positioning mechanism is provided to position a plural subset of the containers to place the moving specimens within the plural subset of the containers within a field of view of the camera.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for screening for the effect of a test agent on a population of biological specimens, preferably insects, comprising the steps of providing a population of specimens, administering at least one test agent to the population, creating a digitized movie showing the movements of members of the population, measuring at least one trait of members of the population, and correlating the traits of the population with the effect of the test agent. The invention also provides a method for preparing a medicament useful for the treatment of a mammalian disease.

Abstract: Tools are provided for obtaining and assessing data concerning the physical or behavioral traits of an biological specimen population for the purpose of identifying, treating, or gathering intelligence on the condition of the specimen population. In one aspect, a computer system is provided to assess a condition of a biological specimen by studying the physical traits of a sample that comprises a number of specimens. The condition may comprise a human central nervous system condition. A user interface is provided that comprises a computer screen, an input interface portion, and a processing mechanism. The user interface may further comprise a specimen information input mechanism. The specimen information input mechanism may comprise a specimen type input that allows the user to specify, through the computer screen input, the type of specimen to be studied.

Abstract: The present invention rapidly and efficiently provides proteins engineered to bind to arbitrary target proteins requiring only knowledge of the amino acid sequences of short portions of the target proteins (for example, either the amino or the carboxy termini). This invention provides such proteins as well as methods and systems for their design, synthesis and use, and especially provides for use of a plurality of binding proteins in array format. The engineering methods of the present invention take a precursor protein known to already bind to a short peptide and engineer alterations in precursor proteins so that it binds to a new target peptide by using computer-assisted molecular design techniques and optional assay for actual binding. The invention also provides arrays and libraries of binding proteins and methods of using binding proteins.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for screening for fragments, derivatives and analogs of Hsp90 that are altered in their subcellular localization, and thus, altered in their activity as compared to wild type Hsp90. The present invention is also directed to screening for modulators of Hsp90 activity as determined by assaying for altered subcellular localization of Hsp90. The present invention is further directed to diagnostic, prognostic and screening uses of Hsp90/centrosome co-purification.