Abstract: Provided herein are OspA polypeptides from Lyme Disease-causing Borrelia having certain alteration(s). In one embodiment, the alteration(s) increase the conformational stability of the OspA polypeptide containing the alteration(s) while maintaining at least some of the antigenicity of the corresponding unaltered OspA polypeptide. In another embodiment, the altered OspA polypeptide has reduced cross-reactivity to hLFA-1, as compared to the corresponding unaltered OspA polypeptide.

Abstract: Novel chimeric nucleic acids, encoding chimeric Borrelia proteins comprising OspC or an antigenic fragment thereof and OspA or an antigenic fragment thereof, are disclosed. Chimeric proteins encoded by the nucleic acid sequences are also disclosed. The chimeric proteins are useful as vaccine immunogens against Lyme borreliosis, as well as for immunodiagnostic reagents.

Abstract: An austenitic stainless steel composition including relatively low nickel and molybdenum levels, and exhibiting corrosion resistance, resistance to elevated temperature deformation, and formability properties comparable to certain alloys including higher nickel and molybdenum levels. Embodiments of the austenitic stainless steel include, in weight %, up to 0.20 C, 2.0-9.0 Mn, up to 2.0 Si, 16.0-23.0 Cr, 1.0-7.0 Ni, up to 3.0 Mo, up to 3.0 Cu, 0.05-0.35 N, up to 4.0 W, (7.5(% C))?(Nb+Ti+V+Ta+Zr)?1.5, up to 0.01 B, up to 1.0 Co, iron and impurities. Additionally, embodiments of the steel may include 0.5?(Mo+W/2)?5.0 and/or 1.0?(Ni+Co)?8.0.

Abstract: An austenitic stainless steel composition having low nickel and molybdenum and exhibiting high corrosion resistance and good formability. The austenitic stainless steel includes, in weight %, up to 0.20 C, 2.0-6.0 Mn, up to 2.0 Si, 16.0-23.0 Cr, 5.0-7.0 Ni, up to 3.0 Mo, up to 3.0 Cu, 0.1-0.35 N, up to 4.0 W, up to 0.01 B, up to 1.0 Co, iron and impurities. The austenitic stainless steel has a ferrite number less than 11 and an MD30 value less than ?10° C.

Abstract: An austenitic stainless steel having low nickel and molybdenum and exhibiting comparable corrosion resistance and formability properties to higher nickel and molybdenum alloys comprises, in weight %, up to 0.20 C, 2.0-9.0 Mn, up to 2.0 Si, 16.0-23.0 Cr, 1.0-5.0 Ni, up to 3.0 Mo, up to 3.0 Cu, 0.1-0.35 N, up to 4.0 W, up to 0.01 B, up to 1.0 Co, iron and impurities, the steel having a ferrite number of less than 10 and a MD30 value of less than 20° C.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for analyzing the organismic complexity of a sample through analysis of the nucleic acid in the sample. In the disclosed method, through a series of steps, including digestion with a type II restriction enzyme, ligation of capture adapters and linkers and digestion with a type IIS restriction enzyme, genome signature tags are produced. The sequences of a statistically significant number of the signature tags are determined and the sequences are used to identify and quantify the organisms in the sample. Various embodiments of the invention described herein include methods for using single point genome signature tags to analyze the related families present in a sample, methods for analyzing sequences associated with hyper- and hypo-methylated CpG islands, methods for visualizing organismic complexity change in a sampling location over time and methods for generating the genome signature tag profile of a sample of fragmented DNA.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for analyzing the organismic complexity of a sample through analysis of the nucleic acid in the sample. In the disclosed method, through a series of steps, including digestion with a type II restriction enzyme, ligation of capture adapters and linkers and digestion with a type IIS restriction enzyme, genome signature tags are produced. The sequences of a statistically significant number of the signature tags are determined and the sequences are used to identify and quantify the organisms in the sample. Various embodiments of the invention described herein include methods for using single point genome signature tags to analyze the related families present in a sample, methods for analyzing sequences associated with hyper- and hypo-methylated CpG islands, methods for visualizing organismic complexity change in a sampling location over time and methods for generating the genome signature tag profile of a sample of fragmented DNA.

Abstract: Novel chimeric nucleic acids, encoding chimeric Borrelia proteins comprising OspC or an antigenic fragment thereof and OspA or an antigenic fragment thereof, are disclosed. Chimeric proteins encoded by the nucleic acid sequences are also disclosed. The chimeric proteins are useful as vaccine immunogens against Lyme borreliosis, as well as for immunodiagnostic reagents.

Abstract: Novel chimeric nucleic acids, encoding chimeric Borrelia proteins comprising OspC or an antigenic fragment thereof and OspA or an antigenic fragment thereof, are disclosed. Chimeric proteins encoded by the nucleic acid sequences are also disclosed. The chimeric proteins are useful as vaccine immunogens against Lyme borreliosis, as well as for immunodiagnostic reagents.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for analyzing the organismic complexity of a sample through analysis of the nucleic acid in the sample. In the disclosed method, through a series of steps, including digestion with a type II restriction enzyme, ligation of capture adapters and linkers and digestion with a type IIS restriction enzyme, genome signature tags are produced. The sequences of a statistically significant number of the signature tags are determined and the sequences are used to identify and quantify the organisms in the sample. Various embodiments of the invention described herein include methods for using single point genome signature tags to analyze the related families present in a sample, methods for analyzing sequences associated with hyper- and hypo-methylated CpG islands, methods for visualizing organismic complexity change in a sampling location over time and methods for generating the genome signature tag profile of a sample of fragmented DNA.

Abstract: Novel chimeric nucleic acids, encoding chimeric Borrelia proteins comprising OspC or an antigenic fragment thereof and OspA or an antigenic fragment thereof, are disclosed. Chimeric proteins encoded by the nucleic acid sequences are also disclosed. The chimeric proteins are useful as vaccine immunogens against Lyme borreliosis, as well as for immunodiagnostic reagents.

Abstract: Provided herein are OspA polypeptides from Lyme Disease-causing Borrelia having certain alteration(s). In one embodiment, the alteration(s) increase the conformational stability of the OspA polypeptide containing the alteration(s) while maintaining at least some of the antigenicity of the corresponding unaltered OspA polypeptide. In another embodiment, the altered OspA polypeptide has reduced cross-reactivity to hLFA-1, as compared to the corresponding unaltered OspA polypeptide.

Abstract: Genomic Signature Tags (GSTs) are the products of a method for identifying and quantitatively analyzing genomic DNAs. The DNA is initially fragmented with a type II restriction enzyme. An oligonucleotide adapter containing a recognition site for MmeI, a type IIS restriction enzyme, is then used to release 21 bp tags from fixed positions in the DNA relative to the sites recognized by the fragmenting enzyme. These tags are PCR-amplified, purified, concatenated into longer molecules, and then cloned and sequenced. The tag sequences and abundances are used to create a GST profile that can identify and quantify the genome of origin within any complex DNA isolate. The total number of GSTs generated from a sample is determined by the incidence of recognition sites for the initial fragmenting enzyme.

Abstract: A semiconductor handling system has a temperature soak assembly to temperature soak a semiconductor structure (e.g., a panel), a test assembly to test the semiconductor structure, and a temperature desoak assembly to temperature desoak the semiconductor structure. The temperature desoak assembly includes (i) a heat sink that defines a surface which is configured to thermally couple with the semiconductor structure, (ii) a fluid guide coupled to the heat sink, and (iii) a fluid controller coupled to the fluid guide. The fluid controller provides a fluid (e.g., room temperature air) which the fluid guide directs over the heat sink to bring a temperature of the heat sink to a temperature of the fluid. This arrangement provides an effective low cost and low power means for temperature desoaking a semiconductor structure.

Abstract: A duplex stainless steel includes less than, in weight percent, 3 percent nickel and 1.5 percent molybdenum. In one embodiment, the duplex stainless steel includes, in weight percent, up to 0.06 percent carbon; 15 to 25 percent chromium; 1 to less than 2.5 percent nickel; greater than 2 percent up to 3.75 percent manganese; greater than 0.12 up to 0.35 percent nitrogen; up to 2 percent silicon; up to 1.5 percent molybdenum; up to 0.5 percent copper; up to 0.2 percent cobalt; up to 0.05 percent phosphorous; up to 0.005 percent sulfur; 0.001 to 0.0035 percent boron; iron and incidental impurities. The duplex stainless steel provided may be provided in the form of an article of manufacture, such as strip, bar, plate, sheet, casting, tubing or piping. A method for making the duplex stainless steel of the invention also is disclosed.

Abstract: A duplex stainless steel includes less than, in weight percent, 3 percent nickel and 1.5 percent molybdenum. In one embodiment, the duplex stainless steel includes, in weight percent, up to 0.06 percent carbon; 15 to 25 percent chromium; 1 to less than 2.5 percent nickel; greater than 2 percent up to 3.75 percent manganese; greater than 0.12 up to 0.35 percent nitrogen; up to 2 percent silicon; up to 1.5 percent molybdenum; up to 0.5 percent copper; up to 0.2 percent cobalt; up to 0.05 percent phosphorous; up to 0.005 percent sulfur; 0.001 to 0.0035 percent boron; iron and incidental impurities. The duplex stainless steel provided may be provided in the form of an article of manufacture, such as strip, bar, plate, sheet, casting, tubing or piping. A method for making the duplex stainless steel of the invention also is disclosed.

Abstract: A duplex stainless steel including, in weight percent, up to 0.06 percent carbon, 15 up to less than 25 percent chromium, greater than 3 up to 6 percent nickel, up to 3.75 percent manganese, 0.14 up to 0.35 percent nitrogen, up to 2 percent silicon, greater than 1.4 up to less than 2.5 percent molybdenum, up to less than 0.5 percent copper, up to less than 0.2 percent cobalt, up to 0.05 percent phosphorous, up to 0.005 percent sulfur, and 0.001 up to 0.0035 percent boron, with the remainder being iron and incidental impurities is disclosed. The duplex stainless steel may be included in an article of manufacture, such as a strip, bar, plate, sheet, casting, tubing or piping. A method for making such a duplex stainless steel is also disclosed.

Abstract: A semiconductor handling system has a temperature soak assembly to temperature soak a semiconductor structure (e.g., a panel), a test assembly to test the semiconductor structure, and a temperature desoak assembly to temperature desoak the semiconductor structure. The temperature desoak assembly includes (i) a heat sink that defines a surface which is configured to thermally couple with the semiconductor structure, (ii) a fluid guide coupled to the heat sink, and (iii) a fluid controller coupled to the fluid guide. The fluid controller provides a fluid (e.g., room temperature air) which the fluid guide directs over the heat sink to bring a temperature of the heat sink to a temperature of the fluid. This arrangement provides an effective low cost and low power means for temperature desoaking a semiconductor structure.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the introduction of unidirectional deletions in a cloned DNA segment in the context of a cloning vector which contains an f1 endonuclease recognition sequence adjacent to the insertion site of the DNA segment. Also disclosed is a method for producing single-stranded DNA probes utilizing the same cloning vector. An optimal vector, PZIP is described. Methods for introducing unidirectional deletions into a terminal location of a cloned DNA sequence which is inserted into the vector of the present invention are also disclosed. These methods are useful for introducing deletions into either or both ends of a cloned DNA insert, for high throughput sequencing of any DNA of interest.

Abstract: Chimeric nucleic acids encoding chimeric Borrelia proteins consisting of at least two antigenic polypeptides from corresponding and/or non-corresponding proteins from the same and/or different species of Borrelia, are disclosed. Chimeric proteins encoded by the nucleic acid sequences are also disclosed. The chimeric proteins are useful as vaccine immunogens against Lyme borreliosis, as well as for immunodiagnostic reagents.