Abstract: A laboratory tube cap presenter for a tube, such as a test tube, a medical vial or other vessel that may be capped by an automated capper in a robotic tube handling apparatus, the tube cap presenter having a magazine of pre-oriented tube caps that cooperates with a selector mechanism and a shuttle mechanism to transport a selected tube cap to a presentation station where the tube cap is oriented for pick up by the pickup mechanism of a robotic tube handling apparatus.

Abstract: A robust fabrication process for selective area growth of semiconductors in growth windows is provided. Sidewall growth is eliminated by the presence of a spacer layer which covers the sidewalls. Undesirable exposure of the top corners of the growth windows is prevented by undercutting the growth window prior to deposition of the dielectric spacer layer. The effectiveness of this process has been demonstrated by selective-area growth of Ge and Ge/SiGe quantum wells on a silicon substrate. Integration of active optoelectronic devices with waveguide layers via end-coupling through the dielectric spacer layer can be reliably accomplished in this manner.

Abstract: A robotic picker with a pick head unit for a robotic tube handler that provides for automated transport and sampling of laboratory tubes, the picker having a prong picker with a multiple of depending pick prongs optimized for an orthogonal arrangement of tubes, typically in a tube rack, wherein the pick head unit has a mechanism for shifting the radial orientation of the pick head unit to accommodate both orthogonal and diagonal arrangements of laboratory tubes.

Abstract: A method for correcting service manual textual inconsistencies. Extracting textual procedures from service documents stored in a memory of a service document storage device. Each term of an extracted textual procedure terminology is compared to a correlating target name terminology for identifying any matching terms by a processor. An overlap similarity is computed as a function of the identified matching terms from the extracted textual procedure terminology and the correlating target name terminology. A determination is made whether the overlap similarity is greater than a predetermined similarity threshold. The service documents are modified to change the extracted textual procedure terminology to the correlating target name terminology in response to the overlap similarity being greater than the predetermined similarity threshold and the extracted textual procedure terminology not exactly matching the correlating target name terminology.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the novel diastereoselective syntheses for generating phosphorothioate compounds. Examples include nucleoside phosphorothioate analogs that are useful in treating diseases and/or conditions such as viral infections.

Abstract: Universal linear components are provided. In general, a P input and Q output wave combiner is connected to a Q input and R output wave mode synthesizer via Q amplitude and/or phase modulators. The wave combiner and wave mode synthesizer are both linear, reciprocal and lossless. The wave combiner and wave mode synthesizer can be implemented using waveguide Mach-Zehnder modulator technology. This device can provide any desired linear transformation of spatial modes between its inputs and its outputs. This capability can be generalized to any linear transformation at all by using representation converters to convert other quantities (e.g., polarization, frequency) to spatial mode patterns. The wave combiner and wave mode synthesizer are also useful separately, and can enable applications such as self-adjusting mode coupling, optimal multi-mode communication, and add-drop capability in a multi-mode system.

Abstract: A laboratory tube printer and labeler for labeling laboratory tubes with printed labels, the tube printer and labeler advantageously accommodating an automated tube handling device having a robotic pickup and placement mechanism where the tube printer and labeler has a housing having an upper deck with a printing station and a tube labeling and pickup station displaced from the printing station such that the labeling and pickup station can be accessed by the robotic pickup and placement mechanism wherein a printed label is transported to the labeling and pickup station and applied to a laboratory tube placed in the labeling and pickup station.

Abstract: A photodetector having a ridge-in-slit geometry is provided, where a semiconductor ridge is laterally sandwiched in a metallic slit. This assembly is disposed on a layer of semiconducting material, which in turn is disposed on an insulating substrate. These structures can provide efficient resonant detectors having the wavelength of peak response set by the ridge width. Thus a lateral feature defines the wavelength of peak responsivity, as opposed to a vertical feature.

Abstract: Improved integration of optoelectronic devices is provided by a spacer layer laterally sandwiched between distinct regions that are monolithically fabricated onto the same substrate (e.g., by selective epitaxy). An optical waveguide in one of the regions can optically couple to an optoelectronic device in another of the regions through the spacer layer, thereby providing a monolithically integrated form of butt-coupling. Preferably, the spacer layer thickness is less than about 50 nm, and is more preferably less than about 20 nm, to reduce optical loss. The spacer layer is preferably electrically insulating, to prevent shorting of devices grown by selective epitaxy.

Abstract: A method for correcting service manual textual inconsistencies. Extracting textual procedures from service documents stored in a memory of a service document storage device. Each term of an extracted textual procedure terminology is compared to a correlating target name terminology for identifying any matching terms by a processor. An overlap similarity is computed as a function of the identified matching terms from the extracted textual procedure terminology and the correlating target name terminology. A determination is made whether the overlap similarity is greater than a predetermined similarity threshold. The service documents are modified to change the extracted textual procedure terminology to the correlating target name terminology in response to the overlap similarity being greater than the predetermined similarity threshold and the extracted textual procedure terminology not exactly matching the correlating target name terminology.

Abstract: A tube handling system with a semi-automatic lab tube selection apparatus for enabling a user to pick a select lab tube in a standard lab tube holding rack with open-bottom wells that contain one or more lab tubes that includes a tube selection unit having, a housing with a top deck having a tube rack support, a transport mechanism contained within the housing having a carriage assembly, with the carriage assembly having a carrier with a push-pin, a drive system that moves the carrier and the push-pin under the tube rack support, and an actuator that raises the push-pin on command for removal, and, a control system to locate the carrier and the push-pin at a select location corresponding to a selected position under an open-bottom well of a tube rack positioned on the tube rack support to raise the push-pin for removal.

Abstract: A photodetector having a ridge-in-slit geometry is provided, where a semiconductor ridge is laterally sandwiched in a metallic slit. This assembly is disposed on a layer of semiconducting material, which in turn is disposed on an insulating substrate. These structures can provide efficient resonant detectors having the wavelength of peak response set by the ridge width. Thus a lateral feature defines the wavelength of peak responsivity, as opposed to a vertical feature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to anhydrous and hydrated forms of Compound 1, which are useful in the inhibition of c-Met protein kinase. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising compounds of formula I and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of proliferative disorders.

Abstract: Improved integration of optoelectronic devices is provided by a spacer layer laterally sandwiched between distinct regions that are monolithically fabricated onto the same substrate (e.g., by selective epitaxy). An optical waveguide in one of the regions can optically couple to an optoelectronic device in another of the regions through the spacer layer, thereby providing a monolithically integrated form of butt-coupling. Preferably, the spacer layer thickness is less than about 50 nm, and is more preferably less than about 20 nm, to reduce optical loss. The spacer layer is preferably electrically insulating, to prevent shorting of devices grown by selective epitaxy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to anhydrous and hydrated forms of Compound 1, which qre useful in the inhibition of c-Met protein kinase. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising compounds of formula I and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of proliferative disorders.

Abstract: A ring to assist in use of an animal ligation device has an inner diameter dimensioned for easy passage around a part of an animal to be removed by the ligation device, an outer diameter of the ring having an outer peripheral groove dimensioned for receipt of a ligature of the ligation device so as to assist in use of the ligation device relative to the animal. The ring is preferably made from a plastic material having the groove dimensioned for easy removal of the ligature after positionment of the ligature relative to the animal, so that completion of use of the ligation device is facilitated.

Abstract: Si—Ge quantum wells where the well material has a lowest conduction band energy minimum at k=0 (the ? point of the first Brillouin zone) are provided. Quantum well structures that satisfy this condition have “Kane-like” bands at and near k=0 which can provide physical effects useful for various device applications, especially optical modulators. In the Si1?xGex material system, this condition on the band structure is satisfied for x greater than about 0.7. The quantum well barrier composition may or may not have Kane-like bands. A preferred method of providing such quantum well structures on a substrate (e.g., a silicon substrate) is to grow a first Ge-rich Si—Ge buffer layer on the substrate, and then anneal the resulting layered structure. In many cases it is further preferred to grow a second Ge-rich Si—Ge buffer layer on top of the first buffer layer and anneal the resulting layered structure.

Abstract: A system and method for misfire detection in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine system includes an engine-speed activated artificial neural network (ANN)-based detection function. An input vector includes a plurality of engine speed derivatives attributable to a respective cylinder, and also includes engine speed and load values. The input vector values are updated each combustion cycle. A conventional misfire detection block is used when the engine speed is at or below an engine speed threshold. An ANN-based misfire detection block is used when the engine speed exceeds the threshold. The ANN-based block is configured to emulate a plurality of distinct ANNs each of which is conditioned by a respective set of weights and biases to correspond to and detect when a respective cylinder has misfired. The ANN-based block includes an output signal for each ANN indicating whether the respective cylinder has misfired.

Abstract: An electro-optic semiconductor device (e.g., an optical modulator) having side access and beam propagation within the device is provided. Side access for the optical input and/or output facilitates disposition of electronic circuitry and/or heat sinking structures on the top and bottom surfaces of the modulator. Internal beam propagation instead of internal waveguiding advantageously simplifies optical coupling and alignment to the modulator. Interaction length within the device is preferably enhanced by passing through the device active region at a relatively shallow angle. The internally propagating beam is reflected from a reflective face parallel to the device active region. The side faces can be perpendicular or tilted with respect to the reflective face. Tilted side faces are preferably tilted to provide external beam paths parallel to the reflective face. Internal reflection from an angled side face can be employed to provide configurations having one side port and one top or bottom port.

Abstract: SiGe quantum wells where the well material has a lowest conduction band energy minimum at k=0 (the ? point of the first Brillouin zone) are provided. Quantum well structures that satisfy this condition have “Kane-like” bands at and near k=0 which can provide physical effects useful for various device applications, especially optical modulators. In the Si1-xGex material system, this condition on the band structure is satisfied for x greater than about 0.7. The quantum well barrier composition may or may not have Kane-like bands. Optical modulators and/or detectors according to the invention are suitable for inclusion in waveguide-based optical interconnects. Such interconnects can be on-chip interconnects or chip to chip interconnects.