Abstract: Multiple polynucleotides having different, arbitrary sequences are synthesized on the surface of an array by spatial control of polymerase activity. The polymerase is a template-independent polymerase such as terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT). Spatial control of polymerase activity is implemented by localized changes in redox-pH conditions. A single species of nucleotide is added and incorporated on growing polynucleotide strands at locations on the array where the polymerase is active. A washing step removes the polymerase and free nucleotides. This process may be repeated multiple times changing both the location of polymerase activity and the species of nucleotide thereby synthesizing different polynucleotides in parallel on the surface of the array. Polymerase activity may be regulated by removing a blocking group attached to a His-tag sequence on the polymerase, a change in pH, or release of encapsulated inhibitors.

Abstract: A disclosed drip chamber for an intravenous (IV) therapy system includes a container configured to hold an IV fluid, a drop former suspended over the container, and an inlet port disposed above the drop former and configured to receive the IV fluid from a reservoir. The drop former has an upper end, a lower tip, and an outer surface extending between the upper end and the lower tip. The inlet port is coupled to the outer surface to permit the IV fluid to descend down the outer surface.

Abstract: A switchable hydrophilic surface is created by attaching electrochemically switchable hydrophilicity polymers to the surface of a microelectrode array. Ferrocene polymers are one example of electrochemically switchable hydrophilicity polymers. Activation of electrodes in the microelectrode array changes the oxidation state of metal ions which switches the polymers between hydrophobic and hydrophilic conformations. Selective activation of electrodes can create patterns of wettability on the microelectrode array that may be varied in real time. The switchable hydrophilic surface may be used to control solid-phase synthesis of polymers. Growing polymers may be selectively extended at locations on the microelectrode array that are hydrophilic. The pattern of hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions can be changed during sequential rounds of synthesis to create a variety of different polymers at different locations on the surface of the microelectrode array.

Abstract: De novo polynucleotide synthesis is performed with a substrate-bound polymerase. The polymerase is attached to a solid substrate such as a microelectrode array. The polymerase adds nucleotides to growing polynucleotides strands that are also attached to the solid substrate. Spatial control of polymerase activity is achieved by changing the rate of nucleotide polymerization at selected locations on the surface of the solid substrate. The rate of polymerization is changed by inhibiting or promoting activity of the polymerase. In some implementations, activation of electrodes in the microelectrode array changes the rate of nucleotide polymerization. Nucleotides are added to the growing polynucleotide strands at areas where the polymerase is active. By varying the locations where the substrate-bound polymerase is active and the species of nucleotide added, a population of polynucleotides with different, arbitrary sequences is synthesized on the surface of the solid substrate.

Abstract: A universal template strand built with universal base analogs is used as a template for polynucleotide synthesis. The universal template strand can hybridize to any sequence of nucleotides. A new polynucleotide is synthesized by using a polymerase to extend a primer hybridized to the universal template strand. Unlike primer extension in polymerase chain reactions, base pairing with nucleotides in the template strand does not specify the sequence of the new polynucleotide. Instead, the sequence of the new polynucleotide is specified by the order of addition of protected nucleotides. After addition of a single species of protected nucleotide, the blocking group is removed and another protected nucleotide is added. The order of nucleotide addition can be varied to create any sequence. After synthesis, the polynucleotide can be dehybridized from the universal template strand. The universal template strand may then be reused to synthesize a different polynucleotide.

Abstract: This disclosure provides electrochemically-cleavable linkers with cleavage potentials that are less than the redox potential of the solvent in which the linkers are used. In some applications, the solvent may be water or an aqueous buffer solution. The linkers may be used to link a nucleotide to a bound group. The linkers include a cleavable group which may be one of a methoxybenzyl alcohol, an ester, a propargyl thioether, or a trichloroethyl ether. The linkers may be cleaved in solvent by generating an electrode potential that is less than the redox potential of the solvent. In some implementations, an electrode array may be used to generate localized electrode potentials which selectively cleave linkers bound to the activated electrode. Uses for the linkers include attachment of blocking groups to nucleotides in enzymatic oligonucleotide synthesis.

Abstract: Substrates for solid-phase synthesis are reused by freeing synthesized polymers without removing the linkers that hold the polymers to the substrate. The linkers may be made of oligonucleotides or polypeptides. In an implementation, the polymers are released by cleavage of the linkers and then the truncated linkers are regenerated by adding back the portion that was removed. In an implementation, molecular bonds between the linkers and the polymers are cleaved releasing the polymers while leaving the linkers available for reuse without regeneration. In an implementation, single-stranded oligonucleotide linkers are hybridized to complementary strands that hold the polymers to the substrate with double-stranded oligonucleotide complexes. The double-stranded oligonucleotide complexes are denatured releasing the polymers while leaving the original linkers attached to the substrate. The polymers that are synthesized with these techniques may be the same or different type of molecules than the linkers.

Abstract: Electrically controlled hybridization is used to selectively assemble oligonucleotides on the surface of a microelectrode array. Controlled activation of individual electrodes in the microelectrode array attracts oligonucleotides in solution to specific regions of the array where they hybridize to other oligonucleotides anchored on the array. The oligonucleotides that hybridize may provide locations for subsequent oligonucleotides to hybridize. The active electrodes and the oligonucleotides in solution may be varied during each round of synthesis. This allows for multiple oligonucleotides each with different and specific sequences to be created in parallel. This is accomplished without the use of phosphoramidite chemical synthesis or template-independent DNA polymerase enzymatic synthesis. Oligonucleotides created with these techniques may be used to encode digital data. Fully assembled oligonucleotides may be separated from the array and sequenced, stored, or otherwise processed.

Abstract: Flow stop assemblies are described herein. A flow stop assembly configured to control flow through a tubing includes a flow stop base and a pincher. The flow stop base includes a base wall, at least one pincher guard, a tubing guide, a pincher recess, a pincher protrusion, and a base extension. The pincher is movable relative to the base extension and is configured to move between a flow position and an occlusion position, wherein in the flow position the pincher surface is spaced apart from the pincher protrusion and in the occlusion position, the pincher surface is disposed adjacent to the pincher protrusion and is configured to obstruct flow through the tubing.

Abstract: A disclosed drip chamber for an intravenous (IV) therapy system includes a container configured to hold an IV fluid, a drop former suspended over the container, and an inlet port disposed above the drop former and configured to receive the IV fluid from a reservoir. The drop former has an upper end, a lower tip, and an outer surface extending between the upper end and the lower tip. The inlet port is coupled to the outer surface to permit the IV fluid to descend down the outer surface.

Abstract: An impact-driven apparatus and method to achieve triboluminescence of homochiral API crystals as a measurement tool for rapidly assessing the presence of trace crystallinity within nominally amorphous pharmaceutical powders. The apparatus may include a kinetic energy director and two plates which hold a sample for testing. The triboluminescence may also be achieve by an acoustic transducer.

Abstract: This application concerns compositions including at least one whole or partial food fruit component and/or at least one whole or partial food vegetable component. Also, methods for preparing a fruit and vegetable-based food product formulation for animal or human consumption including blending said composition and a liquid in a blender to form a slurry. Further, uses of said composition as a nutritional source or supplement for humans or animal.

Abstract: A system and method for failure recovery in a multiple processing node system are described herein. Each node can be adapted to store a backup copy of its database portion and/or results to disk storage or memory of at least one other node. In the event of a failure of a node, the replacement node can be adapted to transfer or copy the backup copy of the database portion of the failed node from the failed node's neighbors to the replacement node's disk storage or memory in between database operations. Before the transfer or copy of the backup copy is completed, the replacement node can be adapted to perform database operations in part on the portion of the backup copy the replacement node has already received and in part on the backup copy stored at the neighboring node(s).

Abstract: A system and methods for parallel processing of queries to one or more databases are described herein. One or more databases may be distributed among a subset of slave nodes of a global-results processing matrix. A query to the database may be generated using a query-based high-level programming language. The query-based source code then may be converted to intermediary source code in a common programming language and then compiled into a dynamic link library (DLL) or other type of executable. The DLL is then distributed among the slave nodes of the processing matrix, whereupon the slave nodes execute related portions of the DLL substantially in parallel to generate initial query results. The initial query results may then be provided to a master node of the global-results processing matrix for additional processing, whereby the master node is adapted to execute one or more associated portions of the DLL on the initial query results.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring a plurality of processing nodes into a parallel-processing database system are described herein. Each of a plurality of processing nodes connected by a network receive software and one or more configuration files related to the intended function of the processing node. The software may include homogeneous agent software, one or more library dynamic-link libraries (DLL), and the like. The configuration file is used to configure the homogeneous agent to operate as the intended node in a global-results processing matrix, a general-purpose query processing matrix, or a index-base query processing matrix. Another node or nodes may be configured to convert query-based programming code to intermediary source code in a common programming language and then compile the intermediary source code into a dynamic link library (DLL) or other type of executable.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring a plurality of processing nodes into a parallel-processing database system are described herein. Each of a plurality of processing nodes connected by a network receive software and one or more configuration files related to the intended function of the processing node. The software may include homogeneous agent software, one or more library dynamic-link libraries (DLL), and the like. The configuration file is used to configure the homogeneous agent to operate as the intended node in a global-results processing matrix, a general-purpose query processing matrix, or a index-base query processing matrix. Another node or nodes may be configured to convert query-based programming code to intermediary source code in a common programming language and then compile the intermediary source code into a dynamic link library (DLL) or other type of executable.

Abstract: A method for distributing and sorting data among a plurality of nodes is described herein. After receiving a portion of a data set (e.g., a database), each node sorts its portion and estimates a partitioning of the sorted dataset among the nodes based in part on its own sorted data portion. Each node then provides a representation of its estimated partition to a master node. The master node, using the provided estimated partitions, determines a tentative partitioning and submits the tentative partitioning to each node. Each node then determines the effect the tentative partitioning using its data portion. If the effect is acceptable for each node, the tentative partitioning plan is used to partition the data. Otherwise, the tentative partitioning plan is repeatedly revised by the master node and considered by the nodes having data portions until an acceptable or optimum partitioning is determined.

Abstract: A system and method for scheduling database operations to one or more databases in a parallel-processing database system are described herein. After a query server generates a dynamic-link library (DLL) or other executable representative of one or more database operations to a database, the query server notifies a scheduling services module of the generation of the DLL and submits the DLL to a query agent. The query agent notifies the scheduling services module of its receipt of the DLL. Based on any of a variety of considerations, the scheduling services module schedules a time of execution for the DLL by one or more processing matrices that store the database. At the scheduled time, the scheduling services module directs the query agent to submit the DLL to the indicated processing matrices. The scheduling services module also can be adapted to monitor the execution of previously submitted DLLs by one or more processing matrices and adjust the scheduled times of execution for subsequent DLLs accordingly.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring a plurality of processing nodes into a parallel-processing database system are described herein. Each of a plurality of processing nodes connected by a network receive software and one or more configuration files related to the intended function of the processing node. The software may include homogeneous agent software, one or more library dynamic-link libraries (DLL), and the like. The configuration file is used to configure the homogeneous agent to operate as the intended node in a global-results processing matrix, a general-purpose query processing matrix, or a index-base query processing matrix. Another node or nodes may be configured to convert query-based programming code to intermediary source code in a common programming language and then compile the intermediary source code into a dynamic link library (DLL) or other type of executable.

Abstract: A system and method for scheduling database operations to one or more databases in a parallel-processing database system are described herein. After a query server generates a dynamic-link library (DLL) or other executable representative of one or more database operations to a database, the query server notifies a scheduling services module of the generation of the DLL and submits the DLL to a query agent. The query agent notifies the scheduling services module of its receipt of the DLL. Based on any of a variety of considerations, the scheduling services module schedules a time of execution for the DLL by one or more processing matrices that store the database. At the scheduled time, the scheduling services module directs the query agent to submit the DLL to the indicated processing matrices. The scheduling services module also can be adapted to monitor the execution of previously submitted DLLs by one or more processing matrices and adjust the scheduled times of execution for subsequent DLLs accordingly.