Abstract: An integrated proteomics sample preparation device and method for in-gel digestion of proteins and for desalting and concentrating samples prior to further analysis such as by MALDI TOF and/or electro-spray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. The device and method of the present invention allow for digestion, desalting and concentration of sample prior to analysis. More specifically, the device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of wells in fluid communication with a an outlet or drainage opening containing a three dimensional structure comprising a plurality of sorptive particles entrapped in a porous polymer matrix so as to form a device capable of carrying out solid phase extraction. In a preferred embodiment, the wells are configured so as to prevent a sample carrier present in the wells from clogging the outlet when subjected to a driving force such as vacuum.

Abstract: An electronic product price display system for installation in a retail environment for displaying price and related information concerning retail consumer products price including at least one microencapsulated electrophoretic display label for displaying information about consumer products; a power system for powering the display labels, where the power system includes a photovoltaic cell coupled with a means for storing the power generated by the photovoltaic cell; an antenna for receiving RF signals and transmitting them to a microcontroller; a microcontroller for receiving RF communication signals and for converting the received signals into instructions to change the display labels; a programmable computer module for generating instructions for the labels; means for receiving said instructions from said computer and generating RF instruction signals; and means for removably affixing said labels to store shelving holding the consumer products.

Abstract: Anti-piracy measures for stereoscopic 3D content media displayed in dual lens projection systems are achieved by the forensic marking of each image in a stereoscopic image pair with separate component forensic marks or dots associated with each image of an image pair. In one example, the component mark used for marking one image of the pair is identical to the component forensic mark used for marking the other image of the pair. In another example, the component marks are different from each other. When superimposed over each other in proper alignment, the two component marks form a composite forensic mark. In this latter example, they each lack one or more of the forensic dots or shapes existing in the composite mark, and the component marks may or may not have one or more corresponding forensic dots or shapes in common.

Abstract: The invention relates to an Apparatus for the growth of artificial organic items, particularly human or animal skin. The growth of skin is possible if a slowly stretched piece of skin or skin substitute is in contact with the nutrient fluid only on its inner side, and in contact with a gas, especially with air, on its outer side.

Abstract: A system and method of detecting fuel theft at a fuel dispenser. The dispenser has a primary flow meter, an auxiliary flow detection device positioned at an entrance of a dispenser, and an auxiliary dispenser shutoff system. A rate of flow through the primary flow meter and a rate of flow through the auxiliary flow detection device are calculated. The primary flow meter rate of flow and the auxiliary flow detection device rate of flow are compared. If the difference exceeds a threshold, a shutoff signal is provided to the auxiliary dispenser shutoff system to stop fuel flow through the dispenser.

Abstract: The invention comprises an engine control device and method for use in a vehicle incorporating an internal combustion engine and a motor that are capable of transmitting motive power to an axle. The device has an engine utilization reduction portion configured to reduce the power supplied by the engine when a requested engine power is above a predefined engine power minimum value when the device is in a hybrid mode thereby increasing power provided by the electric motor. The device also may have a computer readable engine off portion configured to prevent the engine from starting or consuming fuel thereby causing the vehicle to be directionally powered by the electric motor only. The device may also have a warm up portion configured to operate the engine in warmup mode and limit the power supplied by the engine when the engine temperature is below a predefined engine operating temperature thereby reducing emissions during engine warmup.

Abstract: The present invention is a filter assembly for vacuum filtration formed of a housing having an upper portion and lower portion, a filter separating the upper from the lower portion of the housing, an inlet formed in the upper housing, an outlet and a vacuum port formed in the lower portion, a gasket arranged at a lowermost surface of the lower portion and the upper portion is having a height sufficient to trap any air that might enter and keep it away from the membrane surface. Preferably, it is of a curved shape, preferably in the form of a dome. Optionally, the upper portion of the housing may also contain a vent, particularly a vent controlled by a valve, for the removal of air periodically from the upper portion, especially when a large incursion of air has occurred.

Abstract: The invention relates to a Microchip for the detection of poor sources of electrical and/or magnetic fields. To detect such poor electrical sources hidden in a body is a difficult problem for which was found a solution by this invention. The invention solves this problem by a Microchip consisting of a plate with parallel rows of recesses, in each recess is a cristall with a magnetic activity, between the rows are one or more wires connected with a voltage source and one or more wires connected with a voltmeter, the whole surface of the plate with the cristals in the recesses and the wires is embeded in a layer of semiconducting polimeres.

Abstract: The present invention provides flexible packaging webs comprising a non-oriented metallized sealant film characterized by a secant modulus of less than 120,000 psi and an elongation at break of greater than 150%, wherein the non-oriented metallized sealant film comprises (1) a thermoplastic base layer of a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer, ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene/norbornene copolymer, polyamide and blends thereof; (2) a metal coating deposited on the base layer and having an optical density of 1.0 to 3.0; and (3) a heat sealing layer. The packaging webs of the present invention each exhibit an oxygen gas transmission rate of between 0 to 10.0 cm3/100 in2/24 hours at 73° F. (0 to 155 cm3/m2/24 hours at 23° C.) and 0% relative humidity and a water vapor transmission rate of between 0 to 0.1 g/100 in2/24 hours at 100° F. (0 to 1.55 g/m2/24 hours at 38° C.) and 90% relative humidity. The sealant films are formed by a blown coextrusion method.

Abstract: An integrated proteomics sample preparation device and method for in-gel digestion of proteins and for desalting and concentrating samples prior to further analysis such as by MALDI TOF and/or electro-spray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. The device and method of the present invention allow for digestion, desalting and concentration of sample prior to analysis. More specifically, the device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of wells in fluid communication with a an outlet or drainage opening containing a three dimensional structure comprising a plurality of sorptive particles entrapped in a porous polymer matrix so as to form a device capable of carrying out solid phase extraction. In a preferred embodiment, the wells are configured so as to prevent a sample carrier present in the wells from clogging the outlet when subjected to a driving force such as vacuum.

Abstract: A method and device for tissue removal. The device may be used to remove uterine fibroids and other abnormal gynecological tissue. According to one embodiment, the device includes a housing, an outer tube, and an inner tube. The outer tube is fixed to the housing and includes a side window proximate to its distal end. The side window may have sloped proximal and distal ends. The inner tube has a distal end positioned within the outer tube, the distal end being adapted to rotate and, at the same time, to move back and forth past the side window, with the rotational and translational movement of the inner tube being independently controllable. The distal end of the inner tube may have an external bevel. Suction is applied to the proximal end of the inner tube to draw tissue into the side window and to remove resected tissue through the inner tube.

Abstract: An entertainment system is provided, including: a network interface for coupling the entertainment system with a host system over a network; a video display for displaying graphical content to a user; a user input device; and a control module configured to: generate a graphical user interface (GUI) for display on the video display, said GUI comprising at least one hybrid mode screen including a content selection region for browsing entertainment content items available for performance by the entertainment system and an advertising region for displaying an advertisement; store information regarding performance of advertisements on the entertainment system; transmit said information regarding performance of advertisements on the entertainment system to the host system via the network interface; receive a request to perform an entertainment content item at a venue where the entertainment system is located; and perform the requested entertainment content at the venue.

Abstract: Systems and methods of processing data from a plurality of entertainment devices are provided. The method may include: receiving user interaction information, said user interaction information comprising information regarding user interaction with an advertisement displayed on an entertainment device, said entertainment device being configured to perform entertainment content; and associating the user interaction information with venue information regarding a venue in which the entertainment device is located.

Abstract: Described are techniques used for assessing the security of a network. Pruned attack trees are generated using a forward chaining, breadth-first technique representing the attack paths of a possible attacker in the network. A vulnerability score is determined for each network and attacker starting point using attack loss values assigned to each host and information extracted from the attack tree(s) concerning compromised hosts. Different hypothetical alternatives may be evaluated to improve security of the network and each alternative may be evaluated by recomputing the network vulnerability score and comparing the recomputed score to the original network vulnerability score. Also disclosed is a method for determining end-to-end connectivity of a network. The resulting end-to-end connectivity information is used in generating the pruned attack tree.

Abstract: An integrated proteomics sample preparation device and method for in-gel digestion of proteins and for desalting and concentrating samples prior to further analysis such as by MALDI TOF and/or electro-spray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. The device and method of the present invention allow for digestion, desalting and concentration of sample prior to analysis. More specifically, the device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of wells in fluid communication with a an outlet or drainage opening containing a three dimensional structure comprising a plurality of sorptive particles entrapped in a porous polymer matrix so as to form a device capable of carrying out solid phase extraction. In a preferred embodiment, the wells are configured so as to prevent a sample carrier present in the wells from clogging the outlet when subjected to a driving force such as vacuum.

Abstract: Described are techniques used for assessing the security of a network. Pruned attack trees are generated using a forward chaining, breadth-first technique representing the attack paths of a possible attacker in the network. A vulnerability score is determined for each network and attacker starting point using attack loss values assigned to each host and information extracted from the attack tree(s) concerning compromised hosts. Different hypothetical alternatives may be evaluated to improve security of the network and each alternative may be evaluated by recomputing the network vulnerability score and comparing the recomputed score to the original network vulnerability score. Also disclosed is a method for determining end-to-end connectivity of a network. The resulting end-to-end connectivity information is used in generating the pruned attack tree.

Abstract: The present invention is a filter assembly for vacuum filtration formed of a housing having an upper portion and lower portion, a filter separating the upper from the lower portion of the housing, an inlet formed in the upper housing, an outlet and a vacuum port formed in the lower portion, a gasket arranged at a lowermost surface of the lower portion and the upper portion is having a height sufficient to trap any air that might enter and keep it away from the membrane surface. Preferably, it is of a curved shape, preferably in the form of a dome. Optionally, the upper portion of the housing may also contain a vent, particularly a vent controlled by a valve, for the removal of air periodically from the upper portion, especially when a large incursion of air has occurred.

Abstract: A laboratory device design particularly for a multiplate format that includes a plate or tray having a plurality of utilitarian discontinuities such as reaction chambers or wells, wherein at least two of the discontinuities have different functionalities. In a preferred embodiment, the device is a multiwell plate or tray that meets SBS dimensional standards guidelines and is therefore automation compatible. In one embodiment, the device is a multiwell plate or tray that has a modular design, wherein removable inserts with different functionalities can be placed in a base. The particular inserts chosen depend on the desired sample preparation or assay to be carried out.

Abstract: An integrated proteomics sample preparation device and method for in-gel digestion of proteins and for desalting and concentrating samples prior to further analysis such as by MALDI TOF and/or electro-spray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. The device and method of the present invention allow for digestion, desalting and concentration of sample prior to analysis. More specifically, the device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of wells in fluid communication with a an outlet or drainage opening containing a three dimensional structure comprising a plurality of sorptive particles entrapped in a porous polymer matrix so as to form a device capable of carrying out solid phase extraction. In a preferred embodiment, the wells are configured so as to prevent a sample carrier present in the wells from clogging the outlet when subjected to a driving force such as vacuum.