Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, compositions, and kits for isolating target nucleic acids below a target size from a sample comprising nucleic acid components. In some embodiments, the methods involve one or more aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) compositions, at least one solid phase medium, and at least one buffer. Some embodiments provide a kit comprising one or more ATPS compositions, at least one solid phase medium, and at least one buffer. Other embodiments provide methods for diagnosing a disease or condition using the methods described herein.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, compositions, and kits for concentrating and purifying at least one target analyte from a clinical biological sample. In some embodiments, the methods involve one or more aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) compositions and at least one solid phase medium. Some embodiments provide a kit comprising one or more ATPS compositions, a binding buffer; and a solid phase medium. Other embodiments provide methods of treating cancers or infectious diseases in a patient in need thereof.

Abstract: This invention provides a computer implemented method to identify a specific gemstone with a known reference point. In one embodiment, said computer implemented method, comprises the steps of: (a) detecting said known reference point from a source image of said specific gemstone; (b) Retrieving one or more reference images of possible gemstones from a gemstone database based on said known reference point; (c) extracting edge features from said source image and said one or more reference images; (d) computing a similarity value by matching said edge features from each of said one or more reference images against said source image; and (e) identifying said specific gemstone from said one or more reference images based on said similarity value.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for compositions including coated magnetic particles (e.g., coated magnetic nanoparticles), methods of using the coated magnetic particles such as imaging a subject (e.g., a mammal), tissue, organ, or the like, a cryopreservation composition including the coated magnetic particles, methods of use of the cryopreservation composition in biomaterials (e.g., tissue, organ, and the like), methods of making the composition and cryopreservation composition, and the like.

Abstract: A method may include causing a write head of a magnetic data storage drive to write a first portion of data to a magnetic data storage device of the magnetic data storage drive based at least in part on a first value of at least one parameter of a write current. The method may include updating a value of a write counter and determining whether the value of the write counter is greater than or equal to a threshold write count. The method may also include adjusting the at least one parameter of the write current to a second, different value. The method may further include causing the write head to write a second portion of data to the magnetic data storage device based at least in part on the second value of the at least one parameter of the write current.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media for detecting abnormalities in a characteristic of an eye using eye-imaging methods are presented. A plurality of images of the eye are received over time. Each image includes a plurality of pixels, which can be partitioned into blocks of pixels with varying sizes, called pixel partitions. A value is determined for each pixel partition, e.g., an average of the pixel values. A pixel partition set may be identified, which includes a pixel partition from each image, corresponding to a common region of a patient's eye. A regression model is computed for each pixel partition set using the values determined for each pixel partition. The regression model computes a rate of change of the retinal nerve fiber thickness at individual pixel partitions over time. An abnormality may be identified by comparing the rates of change of the model and the expected age-related rate of change.

Abstract: An effective dose of a pharmaceutically acceptable phenylbutyrate salt such as sodium phenylbutyrate applied to human ocular tissues or through injection or other means prevents ocular hypertension and treats glaucoma in humans, leading to a new medical therapy for lowering the intraocular pressure via a mechanism different from the existing glaucoma medications. This compound can be formulated in combination with topical or other forms of steroids in prevention and treatment of steroid induced ocular hypertension and glaucoma.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media for detecting abnormalities in a characteristic of an eye using eye-imaging methods are presented. A plurality of images of the eye are received over time. Each image includes a plurality of pixels, which can be partitioned into blocks of pixels with varying sizes, called pixel partitions. A value is determined for each pixel partition, e.g., an average of the pixel values. A pixel partition set may be identified, which includes a pixel partition from each image, corresponding to a common region of a patient's eye. A regression model is computed for each pixel partition set using the values determined for each pixel partition. The regression model computes a rate of change of the retinal nerve fiber thickness at individual pixel partitions over time. An abnormality may be identified by comparing the rates of change of the model and the expected age-related rate of change.

Abstract: An effective dose of a pharmaceutically acceptable phenylbutyrate salt such as sodium phenylbutyrate applied to human ocular tissues or through injection or other means prevents ocular hypertension and treats glaucoma in humans, leading to a new medical therapy for lowering the intraocular pressure via a mechanism different from the existing glaucoma medications. This compound can be formulated in combination with topical or other forms of steroids in prevention and treatment of steroid induced ocular hypertension and glaucoma.

Abstract: This invention relates to the stimulation of a specific combination of 5 acupuncture points including EX-HN5 (taiyang), BL59 (fuyang), BL2 (cuanzhu), GV20 (baihui), and LI4 (hegu) and its effectiveness in improving vision in the treatment of anisometropic amblyopia.

Abstract: A method for monitoring service levels of a service provider includes defining performance criteria, deploying at least one data collection agent and executing each data collection agent to monitor and collect operation data. The method further includes receiving the operation data from each data collection agent and aggregating the operation data. A level of service is then determined based on the performance criteria and the aggregated operation data. A system and computer-readable storage media for monitoring service levels of a service provider are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is presented for writing data to a surface of a magnetic disk in a disk drive. The method includes determining a number of sector groups into which sectors of the data to be written will be grouped, loading registers with current values, kick-latching values, and precompensation values for each of said sector groups, and applying the current values, kick-latching values, and precompensation values for each of the sector groups to the write head while writing data to the sector groups of the recording media.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a write head with an improved pole tip to improve overwrite and/or adjacent track interference. A cross pole tip writer is provided with a shape that is designed to reduce the saturation on the pole tip and aid in the concentration of flux to the down track.

Abstract: A pole piece of a magnetic write head is formed over a substrate and includes a pole tip having a width that is less than its height which is normal the substrate. Due to stress-anisotropy, the pole tip structure has an inherent easy-axis which is oriented in an unfavorable direction (i.e. perpendicular to the ABS and almost collinear with a driving field of the write head). To alleviate this problem, during electroplating or annealing of the pole piece a magnetic field is applied to the pole tip in a direction which is out-of-plane from the substrate but in-plane with a side wall of the pole tip which vertically projects from the substrate. By applying the magnetic field in this manner, the easy axis of the pole piece is oriented in the direction of the applied magnetic field to facilitate more efficient switching in the write head. Ideally, the angle ? is about 90° for Hexagonal-Closed Packed (HCP) materials or about 50° for Face-Centered Cubic or Body-Centered Cubic (BCC) materials (e.g. NiFe and CoFe).

Abstract: A method for providing transverse magnetic bias proximate to a pole tip to speed up the switching time of the pole-tip during the writing operation is disclosed. The transverse field disposed proximate the pole-tip helps the conventional driving field in rotating the magnetization through the first 90-degrees, especially at small angle where the effective anisotropy-field is strongest in opposing the conventional driving field. By offsetting the magnetization from its easy-axis, the transverse field also increases the torque that the collinear driving field would have on the magnetization.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing transverse magnetic bias proximate to a pole tip to speed up the switching time of the pole-tip during the writing operation is disclosed. The transverse field disposed proximate the pole-tip helps the conventional driving field in rotating the magnetization through the first 90-degrees, especially at small angle where the effective anisotropy-field is strongest in opposing the conventional driving field. By offsetting the magnetization from its easy-axis, the transverse field also increases the torque that the collinear driving field would have on the magnetization.

Abstract: The magnetic head is formed with a narrow pole tip, and a pole tip heating element is fabricated to reduce the pole tip stress and increase its permeability, such that the magnetization switching speed of the pole tip is increased. The heating element is preferably electrically interconnected within the induction coil circuit of the magnetic head, such that the electrical current flowing through the induction coil also flows through the heating element. In a preferred embodiment, the heating element is fabricated above the second magnetic pole. The heating element is preferably formed with a resistance of approximately 0.2 to 1.0 ohms, such that the approximately 40 mA current that flows through the induction coil and the heating element creates a heating energy of the heating element of approximately 0.3 to 1.6 mW. The heating element can be comprised of a variety of materials such as Cu, W, NiFe, NiCr and IrRh.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fibrous base material comprising less fibrillated aramid fibers, synthetic graphite and at least one filler material, and a non-asbestos friction material produced therefrom. In certain embodiments, the fibrous base material is impregnated with a phenolic or phenolic-base resin material, including, for example, a mixture of a phenolic resin and a silicone resin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fibrous base material comprising fibrillated aramid fibers, cellulose fibers, and at least one type of filler material and a non-asbestos friction material produced therefrom by impregnating the fibrous base material with a phenolic or modified phenolic resin. The friction material exhibits good anti-shuddering properties and is especially useful in continuous slip clutch applications.