Abstract: The present invention is directed to antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof having binding specificity for PACAP. The antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof comprise the sequences of the VH, VL, and CDR polypeptides described herein, and the polynucleotides encoding them. Antibodies and antigen binding fragments described herein bind to and/or compete for binding to the same linear or conformational epitope(s) on human PACAP as an anti-PACAP antibody. The invention contemplates conjugates of anti-PACAP antibodies and binding fragments thereof conjugated to one or more functional or detectable moieties. Methods of making said anti-PACAP antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof are also contemplated.

Abstract: An apparatus and system for obtaining metrics associated with a user's athleticism. In an embodiment, the user performs a workout using the apparatus, and the workout is scored based on a scoring system. In an embodiment, the scoring system may be objective, thereby facilitating score standardization, and individual users for which scores have been recorded may be ranked by the system. In an embodiment, individual users may associate their system profiles with one or more positions for one or more sports. The rankings may be filtered by position and sport to facilitate identification of one or more users of interest, such as for a college recruiting purposes or professional sports team drafts.

Abstract: Embodiments of an apparatus and system for obtaining metrics associated with a user's athleticism are disclosed. In an embodiment, the user performs a workout using the apparatus, and the workout is scored based on a scoring system. In an embodiment, the scoring system may be objective, thereby facilitating score standardization, and individual users for which scores have been recorded may be ranked by the system. In an embodiment, individual users may associate their system profiles with one or more positions for one or more sports. The rankings may be filtered by position and sport to facilitate identification of one or more users of interest, such as for a college recruiting purposes or professional sports team drafts.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a wireless audio speaker module configured to play music at a volume level that will not disturb those nearby, based on adapting a wireless audio speaker to be retained within headgear, adjusting the volume of sound emitted by the speaker to a level that will not disturb those nearby, and amplifying the speaker sound as a function of the headgear interior reflecting the sound emitted by the speaker to the user's ear. In an illustrative example, an airgap may be configured between the speaker and the headgear user's ear. In various embodiments, the sound volume emitted by the speaker may be adjusted to avoid disturbing those nearby. In some examples, the headgear may be a hardhat, advantageously configured with a wireless audio speaker module to permit construction workers to listen to music amplified by reflection within their hardhats without disturbing or distracting each other.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a wireless audio speaker module configured to play music at a volume level that will not disturb those nearby, based on adapting a wireless audio speaker to be retained within headgear, adjusting the volume of sound emitted by the speaker to a level that will not disturb those nearby, and amplifying the speaker sound as a function of the headgear interior reflecting the sound emitted by the speaker to the user's ear. In an illustrative example, an airgap may be configured between the speaker and the headgear user's ear. In various embodiments, the sound volume emitted by the speaker may be adjusted to avoid disturbing those nearby. In some examples, the headgear may be a hardhat, advantageously configured with a wireless audio speaker module to permit construction workers to listen to music amplified by reflection within their hardhats without disturbing or distracting each other.

Abstract: An apparatus and system for obtaining metrics associated with a user's athleticism are disclosed. The user performs a workout using the apparatus, and the workout is scored based on a scoring system. The scoring system may be objective, thereby facilitating score standardization, and individual users for which scores have been recorded may be ranked by the system. Individual users may associate their system profiles with one or more positions for one or more sports. The rankings may be filtered by position and sport to facilitate identification of one or more users of interest, such as for a college recruiting purposes or professional sports team drafts.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of determining, identifying, detecting and annotating nucleic acid sequences suspected in a sample. Particularly, the methods of the invention permit annotating nucleic acid variants present in a sample. The methods are based on data obtained in high-throughput sequencing of nucleic acids obtained from a sample. The invention relates also to computer programs capable of executing the inventive methods and apparatus suitable of running respective computer software.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a computer-implemented process for detecting malicious scripts at a client computer using a malicious script detector. A web page interceptor intercepts an access of web page data at a universal resource locator address. A script preprocessor determines script fragments embedded in the web page data and extracts variable and function names from the script fragments. A context analyzer determines whether the script fragments reference known-good scripts. The context analyzer may check variable and function names in the script fragment against a database of known-good contexts. Those script fragments which were determined to reference known-good scripts may be categorized as non-malicious. An emulator may perform emulation on remaining script fragments which were not determined to reference known-good scripts and not perform emulation on the script fragments which were determined to reference known-good scripts. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of designing at least one oligonucleotide for nucleic acid detection including: (I) identifying and/of selecting region(s) of at least one target nucleic acid to be amplified, the region(s) having an efficiency of amplification (AE) higher than the average AE; and (II) designing at least one oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing to the selected region(s). Also, a method of detecting at least one target nucleic acid including: (i) providing at least one biological sample; (ii) amplifying nucleic acid(s) in the biological sample; (iii) providing at least one oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing to at least one target nucleic acid, if present in the biological sample; and (iv) contacting the oligonucleotide(s) with the amplified nucleic acids and detecting the oligonucleotide(s) hybridized to the target nucleic acid(s). The method is useful for detecting the presence of at least one pathogen, such as a virus, in a human biological sample.

Abstract: A real-time billing monitoring system and method. A processor receiving time data with respect to a task. The time data measures an amount of work accruing by one or more staff members toward completion of the task as the task is being performed. The processor generates a graphical object representing the time data as the task is being performed. The object is displayed on a display device concurrently with the performance of the task.

Abstract: It is provided a method of designing at least one oligonucleotide for nucleic acid detection comprising the following steps in any order: (I) identifying and/or selecting region(s) of at least one target nucleic acid to be amplified, the region(s) having an efficiency of amplification (AE) higher than the average AE; and (II) designing at least one oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing to the selected region(s). It is also provided a method of detecting at least one target nucleic acid comprising the steps of: (i) providing at least one biological sample; (ii) amplifying nucleic acid(s) comprised in the biological sample; (iii) providing at least one oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing to at least one target nucleic acid, if present in the biological sample; and (iv) contacting the oligonucleotide(s) with the amplified nucleic acids and detecting the oligonucleotide(s) hybridized to the target nucleic acid(s).

Abstract: A method of sequencing a first polynucleotide strand having a first polynucleotide sequence, the first polynucleotide strand resembling a second polynucleotide strand having a known second polynucleotide sequence, the method employing a data set which, for one or more fragment(s) of the second polynucleotide sequence, contains: for each position along each said fragment: (i) first probe data describing the hybridization intensity of the first polynucleotide strand with a respective first probe designed to bind to a portion of the second polynucleotide strand centered at said position; and (ii) second probe data describing the respective hybridization intensities of the first polynucleotide strand with each of a set of second probes, each said second probe being designed to bind with a respective mutation of the corresponding portion of the second polynucleotide sequence which is formed by mutating the corresponding portion of the second polynucleotide sequence at said position, the data set including said sec

Abstract: It is provided a method of designing at least one oligonucleotide for nucleic acid detection comprising the following steps in any order: (I) identifying and/or selecting region(s) of at least one target nucleic acid to be amplified, the region(s) having an efficiency of amplification (AE) higher than the average AE; and (II) designing at least one oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing to the selected region(s). It is also provided a method of detecting at least one target nucleic acid comprising the steps of: (i) providing at least one biological sample; (ii) amplifying nucleic acid(s) comprised in the biological sample; (iii) providing at least one oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing to at least one target nucleic acid, if present in the biological sample; and (iv) contacting the oligonucleotide(s) with the amplified nucleic acids and detecting the oligonucleotide(s) hybridized to the target nucleic acid(s).

Abstract: Provided is a method and apparatus for increasing an etching selectivity of photoresist material. An exemplary method initiates with providing a substrate with a developed photoresist layer. The developed photoresist layer on the substrate includes polymer chains containing silicon. Next, the substrate and developed photoresist layer are exposed to an ultraviolet (UV) light, where the UV light emanates from a UV generating agent. A portion of the developed photoresist layer is then converted to a hardened layer where the hardened layer is created by cross-linking the polymer chains containing silicon and the cross-linking is activated by the UV light. Next an etch may be performed on the substrate using the hardened layer.

Abstract: It is provided a method of designing oligonucleotide probe(s) for nucleic acid detection comprising the following steps in any order: (i) identifying and selecting region(s) of a target nucleic acid to be amplified, the region(s) having an efficiency of amplification (AE) higher than the average AE; and (ii) designing oligonucleotide probe(s) capable of hybridizing to the selected region(s). It is also provided a method of detecting at least one target nucleic acid comprising the steps of: (i) providing a biological sample; (ii) amplifying the nucleic acid(s) of the biological sample; (iii) providing at least an oligonucleotide probe capable of hybridizing to at least a target nucleic acid, if present in the biological sample; and (iv) contacting the probe(s) with the amplified nucleic acids and detecting the probe(s) hybridized to the target nucleic acid(s). In particular, the method indicates the presence of at least a pathogen, for example a virus, in a human biological sample.

Abstract: A method for increasing etching selectivity of a developed silicon-containing photoresist layer on a non-silicon containing photoresist layer on a substrate. The developed silicon-containing photoresist layer includes polymer chains containing silicon. Next, the developed silicon-containing photoresist layer and uncovered portions of the non-silicon containing photoresist layer are exposed to an ultraviolet (UV) light, where the UV light emanates from a UV generating agent, such as neon, xenon, helium, hydrogen, or krypton gas in an inert gas (e.g., argon, etc.) plasma. A top portion of the developed silicon-containing photoresist layer is then converted to a hardened layer, where the hardened layer is created by cross-linking the polymer chains containing silicon and the cross-linking is activated by the UV light. Next, an etch is performed on the uncovered portions of the non-silicon containing photoresist layer and the substrate using the hardened layer.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a wafer, adapted for a patterned gate structure. The gate structures comprise a gate dielectric layer, a nitrogen-containing barrier layer and a silicon-containing gate layer sequentially stacked over the substrate. The method includes cleaning the substrate with phosphoric acid solution and hydrofluoric acid solution so that silicon nitride residues formed in a reaction between the nitrogen-containing barrier layer and the silicon-containing gate layer can be removed and the amount of pollutants and particles can be reduced. Ultimately, the yield of the process as well as the quality and reliability of the device are improved.

Abstract: A two-step stripping method for removing via photoresist during the fabrication of trench-first partial-via dual damascene features is disclosed. In the first cleaning step, inert gas (He, Ar, N2)/fluorocarbon plasma is used to contact the remaining “Via Photo” for a short time period not exceeding 20 seconds. Thereafter, in the second cleaning step, a reducing plasma is used to completely strip the remaining “Via Photo”, thereby preventing the low-k or ultra low-k carbon-containing dielectric layer from potential carbon depletion.

Abstract: Provided is a method for increasing an etching selectivity of photoresist material. The method initiates with providing a substrate with a developed photoresist layer. The developed photoresist layer on the substrate is formulated to contain a hardening agent. Next, the substrate is exposed to a gas, where the gas is formulated to interact with the hardening agent. A portion of the developed photoresist layer is then converted to a hardened layer where the hardened layer is created by an interaction of the hardening agent with the gas. Some notable advantages of the discussed methods of increasing the selectivity of a photoresist include improved etch profile control. Additionally, by combining fabrication steps such as the hardening of the photoresist in an etch chamber, downstream etching processes may be performed without having to transfer the wafer to an additional chamber, thereby improving wafer throughput while minimizing handling.

Abstract: Provided is a method for increasing an etching selectivity of photoresist material. The method initiates with providing a substrate with a developed photoresist layer. The developed photoresist layer on the substrate is formulated to contain a hardening agent. Next, the substrate is exposed to a gas, where the gas is formulated to interact with the hardening agent. A portion of the developed photoresist layer is then converted to a hardened layer where the hardened layer is created by an interaction of the hardening agent with the gas. Some notable advantages of the discussed methods of increasing the selectivity of a photoresist include improved etch profile control. Additionally, by combining fabrication steps such as the hardening of the photoresist in an etch chamber, downstream etching processes may be performed without having to transfer the wafer to an additional chamber, thereby improving wafer throughput while minimizing handling.