Abstract: A high-throughput method of analyzing multiple tissue samples for nucleic acid material is presented. The method includes providing FFPE blocks containing tissue samples, a heatmap of locations of interest for each sample-containing FFPE block, and a coring device with a hollow punch tip. The sample-containing FFPE block is punched with the hollow punch tip at a location determined by the heatmap in order to obtain a core sample which is subsequently ejected out of the hollow punch tip to a designated receptacle. The hollow punch tip is sterilized after ejecting the core sample. These steps are repeated as needed to obtain desired number and typed core samples from the sample-containing FFPE blocks. The individual core samples are then treated in the individual designated receptacles with an appropriate reagent to extract nucleic acid material which is subsequently isolated and analyzed.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting pathogenetic analytes including exciting a large target input area with radiation to produce scattered light to form an input beam, reformatting, with an optical slicer system, the input beam to produce an output beam, dispersing the output beam to produce an output area, capturing excitation data from the output area; and determining, with a processor, a presence of a particular analyte in the input area based on the excitation data. The input area can be greater than 100 micron squared and less than one million microns squared. The optical slicer system can be a high throughput virtual slit system. SERS analysis detects analytes of interest with both high resolution and sensitivity simultaneously, and is applicable for detection of the presence of viruses.

Abstract: A system and method for use in a standardized laboratory for a specimen including a staining specific for a marker in the specimen. The method includes scanning an image, having an image magnification, of the specimen; and detecting morphologic, histopathologic and pathologic (MHP) features in the image, where the app includes a neural network (NN) trained by (a) importing into the NN, control images and associated annotations, where each of the associated annotations identifies one of the MHP features, (b) analyzing a test image with the NN to generate testing annotations for portions of the test image, (c) assessing whether the testing annotations are satisfactory, (d) enhancing the NN when the testing annotations made by the NN are unsatisfactory by repeating the importing, the analyzing and the assessing, and (e) creating the app including the NN when the testing annotations made by the NN are satisfactory.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting pathogenetic analytes including exciting a large target input area with radiation to produce scattered light to form an input beam, reformatting, with an optical slicer system, the input beam to produce an output beam, dispersing the output beam to produce an output area, capturing excitation data from the output area; and determining, with a processor, a presence of a particular analyte in the input area based on the excitation data. The input area can be greater than 100 micron squared and less than one million microns squared. The optical slicer system can be a high throughput virtual slit system. SERS analysis detects analytes of interest with both high resolution and sensitivity simultaneously, and is applicable for detection of the presence of viruses.

Abstract: A writing pen such as a ballpoint pen having a scented housing or barrel made by including a scented agent (natural or synthetic) into the material (such as plastic) forming the pen housing. In the case of a metal housing or barrel, the pen has a scented coating such as lacquer or enamel. In a preferred embodiment the pen has a grip incorporated into the pen barrel made of a relatively soft, polymeric or rubber material which incorporates a scent giving off the desired aroma. The inventive scented pen is useful as an advertising or other promotional device and includes imprinted advertising, logo or other identification of the source for advertising purposes. The pen has the pleasant aroma of a commercial establishment with which the aroma is associated, such as the aroma of the coffee of a particular coffee house, with the name or logo of the coffee house.

Abstract: The invention concerns a novel nucleic acid fragment of the genome of rice pathogenic fungus Magnaporthe grisea comprising a gene coding for a protein (hereafter referred to as gene 763) whereof the presence and integrity are indispensable for pathogenesis of said fungus with respect to rice and barley. The invention also concerns the promoter of said gene, the gene coding for protein 763, protein 763 and uses thereof for identifying potential biological targets for novel fungicide molecules and for isolating genes coding for proteins controlling biochemical functions essential to the pathogenesis of the fungus Magnaporthe grisea with respect to rice and barley. The invention further concerns compounds inhibiting pathogenesis of fungi related to the expression of gene 763.

Abstract: A writing pen such as a ballpoint pen having a scented housing or barrel made by including a scented agent (natural or synthetic) into the material (such as plastic) forming the pen housing. In the case of a metal housing or barrel, the pen has a scented coating such as lacquer or enamel. In a preferred embodiment the pen has a grip incorporated into the pen barrel made of a relatively soft, polymeric or rubber material which incorporates a scent giving off the desired aroma. The inventive scented pen is useful as an advertising or other promotional device and includes imprinted advertising, logo or other identification of the source for advertising purposes. The pen has the pleasant aroma of a commercial establishment with which the aroma is associated, such as the aroma of the coffee of a particular coffee house, with the name or logo of the coffee house.

Abstract: A new anesthetic composition comprising a specified mixture of acepromazine or its pharmaceutically acceptable salts and midaflur is disclosed. This composition induces a useful surgical plane of anesthesia in mammals while substantially reducing troublesome side effects encountered with the use of midaflur by itself.