Abstract: Methods and systems for sequencing a biological molecule or polymer, e.g., a nucleic acid, are provided. One or more donor labels, which are attached to a pore or nanopore, may be illuminated or otherwise excited. A polymer having a monomer labeled with one or more acceptor labels, may be translocated through the pore. Either before, after or while the labeled monomer of the polymer passes through, exits or enters the pore, energy may be transferred from the excited donor label to the acceptor label of the monomer. As a result of the energy transfer, the acceptor label emits energy, and the emitted energy is detected in order to identify the labeled monomer of the translocated polymer and to thereby sequence the polymer.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for determining a monomer sequence of a polymer that is translocated through a nanopore. Monomers of the polymer are labeled with fluorescent labels such that in free solution fluorescent labels of adjacent monomers substantially quench each other and wherein the nanopore constrains fluorescent labels within its bore into a constrained state wherein no detectable fluorescent signal can be generated. By exciting the fluorescent label of each monomer as it exits the nanopore and transitions from a constrained state to a quenched state with an adjacent fluorescent label, a fluorescent signal can be generated by the exiting fluorescent label that allows its monomer to be identified, thereby permitting a monomer sequence to be determined from a sequence of fluorescent signals as the polymer translocates through the nanopore.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods and apparatus for detecting sequences of optical signals from parallel reactions on an array of nanostructures, such as nanopores, nanowells, or nanoparticles. In accordance with the invention, an array of nanostructures is provided, each nanostructure comprising a reaction site and each capable of confining a reaction that generates a sequence of optical signals, and the nanostructures of the array being arranged in clusters each comprising a number of nanostructures. Each different cluster is disposed within a different resolution limited area and the number of nanostructures in each cluster is either greater than one or a random variable with an average value greater than zero. Optical signals from reactions in the nanostructures are detected by an optical system operatively associated with the array.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is disclosed, related to a method for associating at least two different medical findings with each other, each of the findings being based on a characteristic area in a different set of images. The location of at least one anatomical landmark in relation to the respective characteristic area is determined in each in each of the different sets of images. Then a reference to the least one anatomical landmark is stored together with the respective finding for each of the at least two findings. Finally, pairs of associated findings based on a comparison of the respective references to the at least one anatomical landmark are identified among the at least two findings.

Abstract: A user interacts with a medical imaging system and a medical reporting system to prepare a medical report. The medical reporting system includes report templates for medical reports. The report templates include placeholder fields with unique placeholder designations and metadata. After a user entry in the medical imaging system to select an image dataset, the image dataset and analysis tools are made available to the user. After a user entry in the medical reporting system to select a report template, a report template is made available. Placeholders contained in the selected report template are displayed with corresponding placeholder designations and metadata, automatically sent to the imaging system, and displayed as data requests. According to the data requests displayed, the data corresponding to the data requests is ascertained or determined by the user and assigned to the placeholder designations. A report editor automatically saves the data in the placeholder fields.

Abstract: A system for evaporating liquefied natural gas (LNG) in a vehicle having an engine which is powered by natural gas, the system including an evaporator for the LNG, and the system including a heat engine for recovering the thermal energy from the exhaust gas of the vehicle, the heat engine including a condenser for condensing a coolant, this condenser being in operative connection with the evaporator for the LNG for the purpose of exchanging heat.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating materials useful for optical detection in microfluidic and nanofluidic devices, such as those used in nanopore-based nucleic acid sequencing are described herein. In certain variations, a method of reducing background fluorescence in a MEMS material may include the step of treating a surface of the MEMS material with a low energy ion beam.

Abstract: Various methods, systems and devices for optical detection and analysis of polymers, such as polynucleotides, using nanopores, e.g., for determining sequences of nucleic acids, are provided herein. In certain variations, methods and systems for determining a nucleotide sequence of a polynucleotide, which include measuring mixed FRET signals as a polynucleotide translocates through a nanopore and determining a nucleotide sequence of the polynucleotide from the mixed FRET signals, are provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems for sequencing a biological molecule or polymer, e.g., a nucleic acid, are provided. One or more donor labels, which are attached to a pore or nanopore, may be illuminated or otherwise excited. A polymer having a monomer labeled with one or more acceptor labels, may be translocated through the pore. Either before, after or while the labeled monomer of the polymer passes through, exits or enters the pore, energy may be transferred from the excited donor label to the acceptor label of the monomer. As a result of the energy transfer, the acceptor label emits energy, and the emitted energy is detected in order to identify the labeled monomer of the translocated polymer and to thereby sequence the polymer.

Abstract: An electrical device having a housing and a lid which may be placed on the housing. A sealing element is situated in a depression of the housing, in particular the wall of the housing, which is disposed between the housing and the lid. The sealing element has a recess for the feed-through of a cable. The cable is inserted into a curved groove of the housing, especially the wall of the housing. The housing has a claw segment, which hooks and/or cuts into into the shielding of the cable.

Abstract: A method for regulating a distance of a vehicle from a preceding vehicle (vehicle ahead) based on available information for the subject vehicle's speed, for the distance and for the speed of the vehicle ahead and on data regarding route information includes determining a fuel-saving situation for a fuel saving momentum utilization phase, and precomputing a consumption optimal speed profile for undisturbed travel. The method further precomputes an additional separation requirement to the vehicle ahead that is required to be able to fully implement the momentum utilization phase, and builds up the required additional separation prior to the fuel-saving situation, wherein the additional separation is built up, preferably substantially uniformly, over a separation build-up distance that is longer than the precomputed momentum utilization phase distance and/or is built up with a driver-acceptable, convoy-stabilizing, defined small speed reduction relative to the current speed of the vehicle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mixing channel for an inhalation device, and in particular to a mixing channel with improved injection and mixing properties for injecting and mixing a liquid drug into an air flow streaming in the mixing channel, thereby producing an aerosol to be inhaled by a patient. One aspect of the invention relates to a mixing channel for an inhalation device, comprising an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and an injection zone located between the inlet opening and the outlet opening, wherein the injection zone has a longitudinal center axis, wherein the injection zone comprises (a) a built-in nebulizer, or (b) a detachable nebulizer, or (c) a member adapted to receive a detachable nebulizer, wherein the effective cross sectional area of the mixing channel in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis is smaller in the injection zone than upstream of the injection zone.

Abstract: An inhalation device having a base unit, a mouthpiece, and an aerosol head is provided. The base unit has an air inlet, an air outlet opening, a groove for receiving the mouthpiece, and key lock member(s). The mouthpiece has two segments: a first segment which is insertable into the groove of the base unit and has an air inlet opening and a lateral opening for receiving an aerosol generator and a second segment with an aerosol outlet. The aerosol head has an aerosol generator, a liquid reservoir, and key lock member(s) complementary to those of the base unit. The base unit, mouthpiece and aerosol head are connectable with one another such that when engaging the members of the key lock with the complementary members, the aerosol generator is inserted into the lateral opening of the mouthpiece.

Abstract: A method and system for fully automatic segmentation the prostate in multi-spectral 3D magnetic resonance (MR) image data having one or more scalar intensity values per voxel is disclosed. After intensity standardization of multi-spectral 3D MR image data, a prostate boundary is detected in the multi-spectral 3D MR image data using marginal space learning (MSL). The detected prostate boundary is refined using one or more trained boundary detectors. The detected prostate boundary can be split into patches corresponding to anatomical regions of the prostate and the detected prostate boundary can be refined using trained boundary detectors corresponding to the patches.

Abstract: A cable for the transmission of signals, includes a plurality of leads, on whose inner conductors an electrically conductive end piece is affixed. At least one of the end pieces includes a first latching element. The cable includes a coupler element, and the coupler element has a body having a longitudinal axis. In addition, the body has parallel feed-throughs, electrically insulated from each other, to accommodate the end pieces. At least one of the feed-throughs includes a second latching element. The end piece is inserted into the feed-through such that the first latching element locks into place with the second latching element. The body furthermore has a first surface and a second surface to guide a mating piece of the coupler element, the first surface having a radially outwardly directed normal vector, and the second surface having a radially inwardly directed normal vector.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the operation of at least one light emitting diode (5, 6) by means of a switching regulator circuit (20) preferably designed as a step-down converter, to which an input voltage (VDC) is supplied and which provides, by means of at least one switch (1) clocked by a control unit (10), an output voltage (VOUT) for the supply of the at least one light emitting diode (5, 6) with current that is regulated to be constant at least in the temporal average, wherein the setpoint for the LED current is adjustable for the dimming, wherein the regulation parameters for the regulation loop for the LED current are changed depending on the operating mode of the switching regulator circuit (20).

Abstract: A method for regulating a distance of a vehicle from a preceding vehicle (vehicle ahead) based on available information for the subject vehicle's speed, for the distance and for the speed of the vehicle ahead and on data regarding route information includes determining a fuel-saving situation for a fuel saving momentum utilization phase, and precomputing a consumption optimal speed profile for undisturbed travel. The method further precomputes additional separation requirement to the vehicle ahead that is required to be able to fully implement the momentum utilization phase, and builds up the required additional separation prior to the fuel-saving situation, wherein the additional separation is built up, preferably substantially uniformly, over a separation build-up distance that is longer than the precomputed momentum utilization phase distance and/or is built up with a driver-acceptable, convoy-stabilizing, defined small speed reduction relative to the current speed of the vehicle.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a knee orthosis device for providing support to a patient during a gait cycle are provided that generally include a first support mechanism and a second support mechanism. The knee orthosis device generally includes a central mechanism mechanically connecting the first support mechanism and the second support mechanism. A link of the central mechanism can translate relative to the second support mechanism during the gait cycle. The second support mechanism can include a resistive element configured and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the link therein to provide support to the patient. Exemplary embodiments of a method for providing support to a patient during a gait cycle are also provided.

Abstract: Methods for preparing Ritodrine hydrochloride are provided. Also provided is non-hygroscopic, crystalline, polymorphic Ritodrine hydrochloride of Form I.