Abstract: In a first aspect a fire fighting foaming composition contains a partially acetylated polyvinyl alcohol. In a second aspect the fire fighting foaming composition contains chitosan together with a surfactant such as a protein derived surfactant or a hydrocarbon surfactant which is either amphoteric or non-ionic. The compositions can form effective fire fighting foams in the absence of fluorinated surfactants and other fluorinated compounds.

Abstract: A cartridge is provided for use as a joint between links of an endless track chain. The cartridge is designed for assembly prior to attachment of the cartridge to the links. An associated method is disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that manage routing information in an IP network using extensible indexing and use the indexing to control the network. The indexing and associated controls apply to any router within the routing domain.

Abstract: An endless track chain device, comprises first and second links and a track chain joint. The track chain joint comprises a radial seal unit that inhibits ingress of debris between a bushing of the joint and the second link into a region between a pin of the joint and the bushing.

Abstract: An endless track chain device, comprises first and second links and a track chain joint. The track chain joint comprises a radial seal unit that inhibits ingress of debris between a bushing of the joint and the second link into a region between a pin of the joint and the bushing.

Abstract: A cartridge is provided for use as a joint between links of an endless track chain. The cartridge is designed for assembly prior to attachment of the cartridge to the links. An associated method is disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and compounds, including compositions therefrom, are provided for determining the sequence of nucleic acid molecules. The methods permit the determination of multiple nucleic acid sequences simultaneously. The compounds are used as tags to generate tagged nucleic acid fragments which are complementary to a selected target nucleic acid molecule. Each tag is correlative with a particular nucleotide and, in a preferred embodiment, is detectable by mass spectrometry. Following separation of the tagged fragments by sequential length, the tags are cleaved from the tagged fragments. In a preferred embodiment, the tags are detected by mass spectrometry and the sequence of the nucleic acid molecule is determined therefrom. The individual steps of the methods can be used in automated format, e.g., by the incorporation into systems.

Abstract: A novel class or family of TGF-? binding proteins is disclosed. Also disclosed are assays for selecting molecules for increasing bone mineralization and methods for utilizing such molecules. In particular, compositions and methods relating to antibodies that specifically bind to TGF-beta binding proteins are provided. These methods and compositions relate to altering bone mineral density by interfering with the interaction between a TGF-beta binding protein sclerostin and a TGF-beta superfamily member, particularly a bone morphogenic protein. Increasing bone mineral density has uses in diseases and conditions in which low bone mineral density typifies the condition, such as osteopenia, osteoporosis, and bone fractures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing traffic management for distributed denial of service (DDOS) traffic. Within a communications network, a DDOS detection system monitors network traffic to identify traffic that is designed to attack a particular server within the network and their entry points into the network. A traffic routing control unit is requested to deny service to the DDOS traffic. By selectively manipulating the routing information propagated to network edge routers, the traffic that is denied service is limited to mostly DDOS traffic and is routed to a cleaning center or a null address in the most effective fashion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing traffic management through dynamic and granular definitions of route groups. Within a communications network, a traffic routing control unit (e.g., an intelligent route service control point (IRSCP)) creates route group assignments for each route within a customers network in accordance with a customer's routing plan, determines protocol control values to be set within each edge router of the network to fulfill the group assignments, and uses border gateway protocol (BGP) to set the protocol control values in the edge routers to facilitate fulfilling the route group assignments. Using the traffic routing control unit and programming the protocol control values of the edge routers, enables the network to be flexibly defined and the traffic routing within the network to have very granular control.

Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention, methods are provided for removing double-stranded oligonucleotide (e.g., DNA) molecules containing one or more sequence errors, generated during nucleic acid synthesis, from a population of correct oligonucleotide duplexes. In one embodiment, the oligonucleotides are generated enzymatically. Heteroduplex (containing mismatched bases) oligonucleotides may be created by denaturing and reannealing the population of duplexes. The reannealed oligonucleotide duplexes are contacted with a mismatch recognition protein that interacts with (e.g., binds and/or cleaves) the duplexes containing a base pair mismatch. The oligonucleotide heteroduplexes that have interacted with such a protein are separated, simultaneously with contacting or sequentially in a separate step, from homoduplexes. These methods are also used in another embodiment to remove heteroduplex oligonucleotides (e.g., DNA) that are formed directly from chemical nucleic acid synthesis.

Abstract: Tags and linkers specifically designed for a wide variety of nucleic acid reactions are disclosed, which are suitable for a wide variety of nucleic acid reactions wherein separation of nucleic acid molecules based upon size is required.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for managing route selection in a network. Specifically, the method comprises receiving a set of routes from each of a plurality of routers, filtering each of the sets of routes, and selecting at least one route from each of the filtered sets of routes according to routing information associated with each of the respective routers.

Abstract: Polynucleotides having in excess of 1,000 nucleotides can be prepared using a solid phase synthesis technique. A feature of the technique is the use of a reusable solid support that contains covalently bound oligonucleotide. This covalently bound oligonucleotide is annealed to a bridge oligonucleotide, where the bridge is also annealed to a first oligonucleotide that forms a portion of the target polynucleotide. After the target polynucleotide is synthesized, it can be removed from the solid support under denaturing conditions, and the solid support re-used to prepare additional target polynucleotides. The yield of the target polynucleotide increases when shearing force is applied to the solid support that is linked to the growing oligonucleotide. This shearing force is thought to extend the growing end of the oligonucleotide away from contact with other oligonucleotide bound to the solid support and make that end more accessible to annealing with solution oligonucleotide.

Abstract: Disclosed is a significantly improved synthetic method of producing a set of mutagenized progeny polynucleotides which contain at least one substituted codon encoding for each of the 20 naturally encoded amino acids or any selected subset thereof. This in turn, similarly provides a method for producing from a parental template polypeptide, a set of mutagenized progeny polypeptides in which all 20 naturally encoded amino acids is represented at each original amino acid position or any selected subset thereof. The methods described herein enable the synthesis of defined, complex mixtures of oligonucleotides, in instances where the incorporation of degenerate bases is impractical. These oligonucleotide mixtures are useful for a variety of applications such as recombination methods, site-saturation mutagenesis, or the like.

Abstract: A housing (12) for use in a portable electronic device (10) includes an outer visible surface (14). The outer visible surface (14) is composed of an appearance changing substance responsive to an environmental stimulus.

Abstract: An electronic device (100) is provided with a plurality of activatable indicia (112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 1102) that are located proximate keys buttons (108, 109, 110) that are used to control the communication device (100). The activatable indicia (112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 1102) are activated in order to identify to a user one or more of the buttons (108, 109 110) to be pressed in order to in the course of entering a command, or to indicate to the user to reorient an antenna of the electronic device in order to improve signal strength.

Abstract: An electronic device (100) is provided with a plurality of activatable indicia (112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 1102) that are located proximate keys buttons (108, 109, 110) that are used to control the communication device (100). The activatable indicia (112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 1102) are activated in order to identify to a user one or more of the buttons (108, 109 110) to be pressed in order to in the course of entering a command, or to indicate to the user to reorient an antenna of the electronic device in order to improve signal strength.

Abstract: A housing (12) for use in a portable electronic device (10) includes an outer visible surface (14). The outer visible surface (14) is composed of an appearance changing substance responsive to an environmental stimulus.