Abstract: This disclosure relates to conjugates for targeting bacteria and related uses. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of transferring a molecule of interest into bacteria comprising mixing bacteria with a non-naturally occurring conjugate under conditions such that the conjugate is transported across the bacterial cell wall. Typically, the conjugate comprises an oligosaccharide and a molecule of interest. In certain embodiments, the molecule of interest may be a tracer or an antibiotic.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to conjugates for targeting bacteria and related uses. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of transferring a molecule of interest into bacteria comprising mixing bacteria with a non-naturally occurring conjugate under conditions such that the conjugate is transported across the bacterial cell wall. Typically, the conjugate comprises an oligosaccharide and a molecule of interest. In certain embodiments, the molecule of interest may be a tracer or an antibiotic.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for washing and drying objects includes a rotating washing fluid sprayer having several nozzles to direct washing fluid, e.g., water, at an object being washed in a chamber. A drying fluid is directed at the object in the chamber to dry the object. The drying fluid, e.g., air, is directed in a spiral pattern against the object to urge washing liquid away from the object to dry the object and to push the drying liquid away from edges of the object. The air may be directed at the object simultaneously with the water to increase the energy with which the water impinges on the object and to urge dirt from the object being washed.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to conjugates for targeting bacteria and related uses. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of transferring a molecule of interest into bacteria comprising mixing bacteria with a non-naturally occurring conjugate under conditions such that the conjugate is transported across the bacterial cell wall. Typically, the conjugate comprises an oligosaccharide and a molecule of interest. In certain embodiments, the molecule of interest may be a tracer or an antibiotic.

Abstract: This disclosure relates saccharide analogs such as thiomaltose-based analogs for targeting bacteria and related uses. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of transferring a molecule of interest into bacteria comprising mixing bacteria with a non-naturally occurring conjugate, wherein the conjugate comprises a thiomaltose-based analog and a molecule of interest under conditions such that the conjugate is transported across the bacterial cell wall. In certain embodiments, the molecule of interest can be a tracer or an antibiotic.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for auto-optimization of gamification mechanics. A gamification platform, hosted on any suitable interface, may collect action data from one or more employee. Gamification mechanics are applied to the actions to compute an effectiveness value for each action. An optimization layer of the system may receive performance metrics for the employee from internal systems, or via third party systems. The performance metrics may be employed to update the gamification mechanics by optimizing weights for each action in a fitness function. Effectiveness predictions for future actions are generated using these optimized weights. The updated mechanics and predictions may be provided back to the gamification platform to iteratively repeat the process.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to conjugates for targeting bacteria and related uses. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of transferring a molecule of interest into bacteria comprising mixing bacteria with a non-naturally occurring conjugate under conditions such that the conjugate is transported across the bacterial cell wall. Typically, the conjugate comprises an oligosaccharide and a molecule of interest. In certain embodiments, the molecule of interest may be a tracer or an antibiotic.

Abstract: A base computer system obtains a set of definitions of calculations to be performed, and periodically monitors a data store to see if the data required for the calculations are available. When the required data for a given calculation are available, the base computer system sends the data and calculation instructions to a group of one or more remote computer systems for execution. The remote computer systems may be equipped with Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) for high-performance computation. The base computer system then awaits the return of reports from the one or more remote computer systems.

Abstract: This invention relates to a machine implemented method of executing CPU instructions on a plurality of computers in one or more locations, logically arranged in a weighted, lattice-like structure representing information about CPUs, CPU cores, operating system threads, network interconnects, and computer locations in a many-to-many relationship. This approach, by weighting nodes and costing edges, provides a natural method for commoditizing the execution of a workload. Furthermore, this approach lends itself to a means of determining the incremental value (or cost) of additional nodes. Consequently, the creation of a virtual crowd-sourcing market—in which either CPUs singularly or lattices as a whole are market participants—is a natural extension of the method.

Abstract: An improved method for dividing and distributing the work of an arbitrary algorithm, having a predetermined stopping condition, for processing by multiple computer systems. A scheduler computer system accesses a representation of a plurality of work units, structured as a directed graph of dependent tasks, then transforms that graph into a weighted graph in which the weights indicate a preferred path or order of traversal of the graph, in turn indicating a preferred order for work units to be executed to reduce the impact of inter-work unit dependencies. The scheduler computer system then assigns work units to one or more worker computer systems, taking into account the preferred order.

Abstract: Briefly described, embodiments of this disclosure include compounds as described herein, labeled compounds as described herein, pharmaceutical composition including compounds described herein, methods of imaging, method of forming a compound as described herein, and the like. In particular, embodiments of the disclosure include a series of triamino-pyridine derivatives and labeled triamino-pyridine derivatives, methods of synthesizing these compounds, intermediate compounds, methods of treatment using these compounds, methods of imaging, diagnosing, localizing, monitoring, and/or assessing a condition (e.g., corticotropin releasing factor type-1 (CRF1)) and/or related biological events, using triamino-pyridine derivatives, and the like. In addition, the present disclosure includes compositions (e.g., labeled triamino-pyridine derivatives that are ligands for the CRF1 receptor) used in and methods relating to non-invasive imaging (e.g., positron emission tomography (PET) imaging or SPECT imaging).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for washing and drying objects includes a rotating washing fluid sprayer having several nozzles to direct washing fluid, e.g., water, at an object being washed in a chamber. A drying fluid is directed at the object in the chamber to dry the object. The drying fluid, e.g., air, is directed in a spiral pattern against the object to urge washing liquid away from the object to dry the object and to push the drying liquid away from edges of the object. The air may be directed at the object simultaneously with the water to increase the energy with which the water impinges on the object and to urge dirt from the object being washed.

Abstract: Briefly described, embodiments of this disclosure include compounds as described herein, labeled compounds as described herein, pharmaceutical composition including compounds described herein, methods of imaging, method of forming a compound as described herein, and the like. In particular, embodiments of the disclosure include a series of triamino-pyridine derivatives and labeled triamino-pyridine derivatives, methods of synthesizing these compounds, intermediate compounds, methods of treatment using these compounds, methods of imaging, diagnosing, localizing, monitoring, and/or assessing a condition (e.g., corticotropin releasing factor type-1 (CRF1)) and/or related biological events, using triamino-pyridine derivatives, and the like. In addition, the present disclosure includes compositions (e.g., labeled triamino-pyridine derivatives that are ligands for the CRF1 receptor) used in and methods relating to non-invasive imaging (e.g., positron emission tomography (PET) imaging or SPECT imaging).

Abstract: The present invention provides novel amino acid compounds useful in detecting and evaluating brain and body tumors. These compounds have the advantageous properties of rapid uptake and prolonged retention in tumors and can be labeled with halogen isotopes such as fluorine-18, iodine-123, iodine-124, iodine-125, iodine-131, bromine-75, bromine-76, bromine-77, bromine-82, astatine-210, astatine-211, and other astatine isotopes. These compounds can also be labeled with technetium and rhenium isotopes using known chelation complexes. The compounds disclosed herein bind tumor tissues in vivo with high specificity and selectivity when administered to a subject. Preferred compounds show a target to non-target ratio of at least 2:1, are stable in vivo and substantially localized to target within 1 hour after administration. Preferred compounds include 1-amino-2-[18F]fluorocyclobutyl-1-carboxylic acid (2-[18F]FACBC) and 1-amino-2-[18F]fluoromethylcyclobutyl-1-carboxylic acid (2-[18F]FMACBC).

Abstract: The radiolabeled non-natural amino acid 1-amino-3-cyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid (ACBC) and its analogs are candidate tumor imaging agents useful for positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography due to their selective affinity for tumor cells. The present invention provides methods for stereo-selective synthesis of syn-ACBC analogs. The disclosed synthetic strategy is reliable and efficient and can be used to synthesize a gram quantity of various syn-isomers of the ACBC analogs, particularly, syn-[18F]-1-amino-3-fluorocyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid (FACBC) and syn-[123I]-1-amino-3-iodocyclobutane-1-carboxylic (IACBC) acid analogs.

Abstract: A system for remotely monitoring electrical equipment in an enclosed cabinet, having an ultrasonic detector located in the enclosed cabinet and detecting ultrasonic emissions generated by the electrical equipment, e.g., arcing, and heterodyning those ultrasonic emissions into an audio signal, a data converter which generates a digitized version of the audio signal, and a processing unit located remotely from the enclosed cabinet which receives the digitized signal over a transmitting line, and analyzes the digitized signal to determine whether there is an actual or potential failure condition.

Abstract: The invention provides novel amino acid compounds of use in detecting and evaluating brain and body tumors. These compounds combine the advantageous properties of ?-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) analogs namely, their rapid uptake and prolonged retention in tumors with the properties of halogen sustituents, including certain useful halogen isotopes such as fluorine-18, iodine-123, iodine-124, iodine-125, iodine-131, bromine-75, bromine-76, bromine-77, bromine-82, astatine-210, astatine-211, and other astatine isotopes. In addition the compounds can be labeled with technetium and rhenium isotopes using known chelation complexes. The amino acid compounds disclosed herein have a high specificity for target sites when administered to a subject in vivo. Preferred amino acid compounds include [18F] FAMP, ([18F]5a) and [18F]N-MeFAMP, ([18F]5b). The invention further features pharmaceutical compositions comprised of an ?-amino acid moiety attached to eiher a four, five or a six member carbon-chain ring.

Abstract: Systems for generating multiple revenue streams are provided. One such system includes an integrated appliance that incorporates a display. The integrated appliance is operative to display content to a user via the display and provide the user with passthrough communication connectivity so that the user can interconnect a computing device to the integrated appliance and be provided with at least one of passthrough telephone network access and passthrough Internet access. Methods also are provided.