Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of enhancing chemiluminescence from a chemiluminescent label comprising contacting a chemiluminescent label with an acid in the presence of a degradable cationic surfactant and hydrogen peroxide followed by the addition of a base. Related kits containing such degradable cationic surfactant are also provided. The degradable cationic surfactant can compress light emission time of the chemiluminescent label to an extent that is comparable to or shorter than conventional surfactants. The degradable cationic surfactant can also increase chemiluminescence of the chemiluminescent label, providing increased light emission output that is comparable to conventional surfactants.

Abstract: A method is provided for N-alkylation of acridine compounds by reduction of acridines to corresponding acridans to improve the reactivity of the acridine nitrogen, and subsequent N-alkylation of the acridans in ionic liquid solvents to provide the corresponding acridinium compounds in high yield. This inventive process improves chemical conversion, and does not require the use of highly toxic alkylating agents, such as 1,3-propane sultone.

Abstract: High performance clock distributions and similar wiring networks require improvements in reliability and performance. This is especially true when hierarchical wiring with different metal thicknesses is employed and when a smaller number of large, higher-power buffers are used to reduce timing variability. Routing of critical nets improves robustness, reliability, and resistance while minimizing track and power usage. The method further optimizes the use of multiple physical pins on buffers to achieve desired electrical criteria. This involves optimal selection of additional routing beyond what is needed to satisfy simple connectivity. The routing involves an iterative process to select and evaluate additional possible routes on multiple layers. Each iteration involves extraction and simulation or estimation, and additional routes are added until the desired electrical criteria are met.

Abstract: Zwitterion-containing compounds for the modification of hydrophobic molecules to improve their solubility and/or to lower their non-specific binding as provided. The zwitterion-containing compounds may be suitable for modification of detectable labels such as biotin and fluorescein to improve their solubility. The zwitterion-containing compounds may also be useful for the preparation of conjugates of proteins, peptides and other macromolecules or for crosslinking molecules and/or macromolecules.

Abstract: A method is provided for N-alkylation of acridine compounds, typically with a 1,3- propane sultone alkylating reagent, in ionic liquid solvents to provide the corresponding acridinium compounds in high yield.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a porous vegetable filler for use in a foaming process mainly comprises exposing discarded coffee grounds to sunlight to a moisture content of 5%-15%; then baking the coffee grounds after solarization using a dryer at 120° C.-350° C. for 1 to 4 hours; finally grinding the baked coffee grounds to a size of less than 1000 mesh to obtain a porous vegetable filler for use in a foaming process.

Abstract: A method is provided for N-alkylation of acridine compounds, typically with a 1,3-propane sultone alkylating reagent, in ionic liquid solvents to provide the corresponding acridinium compounds in high yield.

Abstract: A light sensor having a light conversion element between first and second electrodes is disclosed. The light conversion element includes a body of semiconductor material having first and second surfaces. The body of semiconductor material is of a first conductivity type and has doping elements in a concentration gradient that creates a first electrostatic field having a magnitude that varies monotonically from the first surface to the second surface. A bias circuit applies a variable potential between the first and second electrodes to create a second electrostatic field having a direction opposite to that of the first electrostatic field and a magnitude determined by the potential. One of the electrodes is transparent to light in a predetermined band of wavelengths. The body of semiconductor material can include an epitaxial body having a monotonically increasing concentration of a doping element as a function of the distance from one the surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention includes an imaging apparatus having an imaging array, readout amplifier, and controller. The imaging array includes a plurality of pixels that accumulate charge when exposed to light. The readout amplifier receives charge from the pixels and generates a pixel signal indicative of the amount of charge received. The controller causes the charge from a plurality of the pixels to be added together to form a sum charge that is received by the readout amplifier. The imaging array can include a plurality of columns of pixels, and the controller causes the charge from a plurality of pixels in one of the columns to be added together to form a partial sum charge that is included in the sum charge. The readout amplifier can include a horizontal shift register, and the partial sum charge can be generated in the shift cells.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an apparatus and a method for synchronizing the velocity of an image of a moving object or target and the clocking of image sensor elements used to track the moving target.

Abstract: An imaging array having a CCD imaging array that includes a plurality of pixels that accumulate charge when exposed to light and a readout amplifier is disclosed. The readout amplifier includes an operational amplifier having an input and an output port and a feedback capacitor connecting the input and output ports and a variable impedance path between the input and output ports, the path having an impedance controlled by a reset signal. A reset signal generator generates the reset signal in three sequential phases in which the path between the input and output ports has three impedance values to provide a starting voltage at the amplifier input prior to the measurement of charge from each pixel that has reduced noise.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for synchronizing the velocity of an image of a moving object and the clocking of image sensor elements used to track the moving target. The imaging apparatus includes a two-dimensional array of image sensor elements being configured to sense a first set of image elements in a first direction according to a clock rate. A plurality of rows of image sensor elements are spaced from each other. The rows of image sensor elements are configured to sense a second set of image elements of the target moving in the first direction according to the clock rate. Each row has image sensor elements that are different in length from the image sensor elements of the other rows. A measurement module is coupled with the plurality of rows of image sensor elements to measure the sharpness of detected image elements and to identify the row of image sensor elements having the sharpest detected image elements.

Abstract: A two component, curable hot melt adhesive system includes a first hot melt adhesive formulation which has a softening temperature greater than room temperature and which includes a first component of a curable adhesive therein. The system includes a second hot melt adhesive formulation which has a softening temperature which is greater than room temperature and which includes a second component of a curable adhesive therein. The second component is reactive with the first component to provide a cured adhesive bond. In use, the two formulations are heated to a temperature above their softening temperature and are contacted so as to cause mixing. The mixture cools to provide a thermoplastic bond which subsequently cures to provide a permanent adhesive bond. While the first and the second component individually perform as hot melt adhesives, combining the first and the second gives enhanced adhesive performance in extended temperature ranges.

Abstract: Large area, fast frame rate, charge coupled devices (CCDs) are provided. Interline transfer CCDs can have interleaved pinned photodiodes and vertical shift registers. The interline transfer CCDs are ideal for producing high frame rate video images from a continuous light source. The photodiodes transfer charge indicative of the previous video frame to an adjacent vertical shift register with little or no lag, while light from the current video frame is integrating in the photodiodes. The charge signals only have to travel a short distance from a photodiode to an adjacent vertical shift register. The charge signals indicative of each video frame are then shifted out of the vertical shift registers. Each vertical shift register has a doping gradient that increases the charge transfer rate. All of these factors provide a fast and efficient video frame rate, even in a large area CCD.

Abstract: Large area, fast frame rate, charge coupled devices (CCDs) are provided. Interline transfer CCDs can have interleaved pinned photodiodes and vertical shift registers. The interline transfer CCDs are ideal for producing high frame rate video images from a continuous light source. The photodiodes transfer charge indicative of the previous video frame to an adjacent vertical shift register with little or no lag, while light from the current video frame is integrating in the photodiodes. The charge signals only have to travel a short distance from a photodiode to an adjacent vertical shift register. The charge signals indicative of each video frame are then shifted out of the vertical shift registers. Each vertical shift register has a doping gradient that increases the charge transfer rate. All of these factors provide a fast and efficient video frame rate, even in a large area CCD.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an apparatus and a method for synchronizing the velocity of an image of a moving object or target and the clocking of image sensor elements used to track the moving target. In one embodiment, an imaging apparatus comprises a two-dimensional array of image sensor elements being configured to sense a first set of image elements of a target moving in a first direction with respect to the two-dimensional array of image sensor elements, to integrate light from the set of image elements into corresponding pixel values, and to shift the pixel values along the image sensor elements in the first direction according to a clock rate. A plurality of rows of image sensor elements are spaced from each other and extend in the first direction.

Abstract: Large area, fast frame rate, charge coupled devices (CCDs) are provided. Interline transfer CCDs can have interleaved pinned photodiodes and vertical shift registers. The interline transfer CCDs are ideal for producing high frame rate video images from a continuous light source. The photodiodes transfer charge indicative of the previous video frame to an adjacent vertical shift register with little or no lag, while light from the current video frame is integrating in the photodiodes. The charge signals only have to travel a short distance from a photodiode to an adjacent vertical shift register. The charge signals indicative of each video frame are then shifted out of the vertical shift registers. Each vertical shift register has a doping gradient that increases the charge transfer rate. All of these factors provide a fast and efficient video frame rate, even in a large area CCD.

Abstract: Large area, fast frame rate, charge coupled devices (CCDs) are provided. Interline transfer CCDs can have interleaved pinned photodiodes and vertical shift registers. The interline transfer CCDs are ideal for producing high frame rate video images from a continuous light source. The photodiodes transfer charge indicative of the previous video frame to an adjacent vertical shift register with little or no lag, while light from the current video frame is integrating in the photodiodes. The charge signals only have to travel a short distance from a photodiode to an adjacent vertical shift register. The charge signals indicative of each video frame are then shifted out of the vertical shift registers. Each vertical shift register has a doping gradient that increases the charge transfer rate. All of these factors provide a fast and efficient video frame rate, even in a large area CCD.

Abstract: Large area cameras that sense light using charge coupled devices are provided. The large area cameras have a scintillator that senses short wavelength (e.g. x-rays) radiation and provides light at a longer wavelength. Optical fibers transmit the light to charge coupled devices arranged in an M×N array. Subsets of the image signals can be summed together to increase signal strength and frame rate. The image signals can be amplified and digitized to accomplish image reconstruction in near-real time for a plurality of CCDs. To accomplish image reconstruction in near-real time for a plurality of CCDs, the digitized signals for one image frame are stored in first memory circuits, while image signals from another frame are read out of second memory circuits. The image signal are written into and read out of the memory circuits in configurations that are independent of the orientation of the CCDs within the CCD array.

Abstract: A two component, curable hot melt adhesive system includes a first hot melt adhesive formulation which has a softening temperature greater than room temperature and which includes a first component of a curable adhesive therein. The system includes a second hot melt adhesive formulation which has a softening temperature which is greater than room temperature and which includes a second component of a curable adhesive therein. The second component is reactive with the first component to provide a cured adhesive bond. In use, the two formulations are heated to a temperature above their softening temperature and are contacted so as to cause mixing. The mixture cools to provide a thermoplastic bond which subsequently cures to provide a permanent adhesive bond. While the first and the second component individually perform as hot melt adhesives, combining the first and the second gives enhanced adhesive performance in extended temperature ranges.