Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for determining the amount or activity of one or more luciferases and methods for measuring the luminescent signal generated by one or more luciferases in a sample, the methods comprising incubating the sample with a reactive substrate(s) of the luciferase(s) to be analysed and a reducing agent to inactivate a first luciferase, wherein the first luciferase, in its native form, is a secreted luciferase.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for determining the amount or activity of one or more luciferases and methods for measuring the luminescent signal generated by one or more luciferases in a sample, the methods comprising incubating the sample with a reactive substrate(s) of the luciferase(s) to be analyzed and a reducing agent to inactivate a first luciferase, wherein the first luciferase, in its native form, is a secreted luciferase.

Abstract: A method and program product comprise communicating with a computing system. The computing system being configured to present a sports game and accept wagers on events. A selection of the sports game is communicated to the computing system. A play of the sports game is received. An overlay is received. The overlay comprises a grid structure. The grid structure comprises a plurality of locations arranged in at least a two-dimensional space. The space at least overlaying a playing area of the sports game, wherein a single position on the overlaid playing area is identified by a one of the plurality of locations. A user's wager is communicated to the computing system. The wager at least comprises an event and a one of the plurality of locations for occurrence of the event. An outcome of the wager is received from the computing system.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the production, breeding and use of transgenic non-human animals such as mice in which specific genes, such as serum albumin, or portions of genes have been replaced by homologs from another animal, such as a human, to make the physiology of the animals so modified more like that of the other animal with respect to drug pharmacokinetics and metabolism. The invention also extends to the use of the genetically modified non-human animals of the invention for pharmacological and/or toxicological studies.

Abstract: A soft start-up method is provided comprising: producing an initialization signal on a primary winding side of a transformer; using a comparison of the initialization signal with a signal having a value indicative of a current in the primary winding to control a switch operatively disposed between a voltage source and the primary side; transmitting the initialization signal over a galvanically isolating communication medium from the primary side to a secondary winding side of a transformer; at the secondary winding side, comparing a reference voltage signal with a secondary winding output voltage signal; in response to a match between the reference signal and the secondary winding output voltage signal, transmitting a comparison voltage signal over the galvanically isolating communication medium from the secondary side to the primary side; at the primary side, comparing the initialization signal with the transmitted comparison voltage signal; and in response to a match between the initialization signal the an

Abstract: A delta-sigma modulator circuit comprising: an integrator circuit configured to produce an integrator output signal that represents an integration of an analog input signal, a comparator output signal and a periodic signal; a comparator circuit configured to produce the comparator output signal in response to a comparison of the integrator output signal with a first reference signal; and a periodic signal generation circuit configured to produce the periodic signal.

Abstract: A power converter circuit can be operated in a constant-current mode when a monitored output current exceeds a specified over-current threshold. A value representing an output voltage of the power converter circuit can be compared to a soft-start voltage reference value. The soft-start voltage reference value can be set (or reset) to a value representing the output voltage of the power converter when the difference between the soft-start voltage reference value and the value representing the output voltage of the power converter is greater than a specified threshold. The output voltage of the power converter can be regulated using the soft-start voltage reference value as a target voltage including ramping the soft-start voltage reference value at specified rate to maintain the soft-start voltage reference value within a specified range of a specified regulated output voltage value, such as to constrain a slew rate of the regulated output voltage.

Abstract: Disclosed are cache management apparatus and methods. A mobile device can include a global cache manager (GCM), a processor, and a storage medium. The GCM can manage a cache for an application of the mobile device. The storage medium can store instructions that, upon the processor's execution, cause the mobile device to perform functions. The functions can include: receiving an indication of a triggering event related to memory allocated for the application; the GCM responsively determining an amount of memory allocated to the application; the GCM determining whether a memory limit for the application is within a threshold amount of being exceeded by the amount of memory allocated to the application; and responsive to determining that the memory limit for the application is within the threshold amount of being exceeded, instructing the application to cease utilization of a portion of memory allocated to the cache.

Abstract: A client device, a system and a method for enabling financial transactions for an electronic gaming machine is described. The client device includes an electronic gaming machine processor, a printer, a printer sharing module and a controller. The printer sharing module is electrically coupled to the printer and the electronic gaming machine processor. The controller is electrically coupled to the printer sharing module. The controller reroutes the communications between the electronic gaming machine processor and the printer and allows the controller to communicate with the printer so that the controller instructs the printer to print a voucher. The system also includes a wireless communications module that enables communications with at least one other wireless communication module over short distances using point to point or broadcast packets that allow for bi-directional data transmission between each client device located on a casino gaming floor.

Abstract: A switched-mode power conversion circuit can include a switch control circuit including switch control outputs coupleable to switches included in a bridge network, the switches controllably coupling power input nodes to an isolation transformer according to switch states established by the switch control circuit. A current monitoring circuit can be coupled to the isolation transformer, the current monitoring circuit including an output indicative of a current flowing through a winding of the isolation transformer. A sampling circuit can be coupled to the output of the current monitoring circuit to obtain information indicative of a first current peak during a first sampling duration corresponding to a first current polarity established by the bridge network and a second current peak during a second sampling duration corresponding to an opposite second current polarity established by the bridge network.

Abstract: A method, computer program product and processor for quantitatively registering a 2D endoscopic ROI in a 3D volumetric imaging dataset. An endoscopic dataset and a volumetric imaging are registered to a common coordinate system. A 2D endoscopic ROI is generated within the endoscopic imaging dataset. A 3D surface ROI is generated within the volumetric imaging dataset corresponding to the 2D endoscopic ROI, based on a projection of the 2D endoscopic ROI to the registered common coordinate system.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for determining the amount or activity of one or more luciferases and methods for measuring the luminescent signal generated by one or more luciferases in a sample, the methods comprising incubating the sample with a reactive substrate(s) of the luciferase(s) to be analysed and a reducing agent to inactivate a first luciferase, wherein the first luciferase, in its native form, is a secreted luciferase.

Abstract: Systems, and methods are provided for the electronic purchase of gaming or amusement credits using a transaction device at a patron's location to apply funds from a financial account to the purchase of credits for use with an amusement or gaming device, system, or point of other wagering activity. Such credits are provided at the patron's location in the form of a printed ticket or other physical indicia of equivalent value, credits appearing in the credit meter and on the display of a gaming device, credit issued to a player card confirmed at the patron's location, credit issued to a debit card confirmed at the patron's location, and/or cash or other monetary-equivalents. In addition, physical confirmation of the completed electronic transaction from the patron's financial account may be concurrently provided to the patron in the form of a receipt.

Abstract: A computer system enables a financial institution to award an account reward points when a customer remits a payment in a timely basis. Consequently, the financial institution encourages repayment of debt and recognizes good behavior through reward points every time a payment is received on-time. Each time a customer pays on-time, a credit card company may assign reward points to the customer's account for the amount of the payment. When a payment for a loan has been received in accordance with a reward policy, a number of reward points may be awarded to a customer that is dependent on a payment amount. For example, when the payment amount is at least as great as a minimum due and not greater than a balance due, setting the number of reward points to a constant multiplied by the payment amount. However, the reward points may be determined in a non-linear fashion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for determining the amount or activity of one or more luciferases and methods for measuring the luminescent signal generated by one or more luciferases in a sample, the methods comprising incubating the sample with a reactive substrate(s) of the luciferase(s) to be analyzed and a reducing agent to inactivate a first luciferase, wherein the first luciferase, in its native form, is a secreted luciferase.

Abstract: Disclosed are cache management apparatus and methods. A mobile device can include a global cache manager (GCM), a processor, and a storage medium. The GCM can manage a cache for an application of the mobile device. The storage medium can store instructions that, upon the processor's execution, cause the mobile device to perform functions. The functions can include: receiving an indication of a triggering event related to memory allocated for the application; the GCM responsively determining an amount of memory allocated to the application; the GCM determining whether a memory limit for the application is within a threshold amount of being exceeded by the amount of memory allocated to the application; and responsive to determining that the memory limit for the application is within the threshold amount of being exceeded, instructing the application to cease utilization of a portion of memory allocated to the cache.

Abstract: A switched-mode power conversion circuit can include a switch control circuit including switch control outputs coupleable to switches included in a bridge network, the switches controllably coupling power input nodes to an isolation transformer according to switch states established by the switch control circuit. A current monitoring circuit can be coupled to the isolation transformer, the current monitoring circuit including an output indicative of a current flowing through a winding of the isolation transformer. A sampling circuit can be coupled to the output of the current monitoring circuit to obtain information indicative of a first current peak during a first sampling duration corresponding to a first current polarity established by the bridge network and a second current peak during a second sampling duration corresponding to an opposite second current polarity established by the bridge network.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of producing vaccines directed against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), with the methods comprising culturing, harvesting and/or suspending the MRSA or VEEV in the presence of a radiation-protective composition and irradiating the MRSA with a dose of radiation sufficient to render the MRSA or VEEV replication-deficient and/or non-infective. The radiation-protective compositions used in the methods of the present invention comprise at least one nucleoside, at least one antioxidant and at least one small peptide.

Abstract: Permission to access an organization's resources may be automatically assigned based on one or more structures within that organization. In one example, structural maps of an organization are received, where the structural maps indicate the reporting hierarchy of the organization, geographic subdivisions, substantive subdivisions, etc. Templates are received describing how permissions are to be assigned to particular substructures within the organization. The templates are then fitted to the organization, and permissions to access particular resources are assigned to members of the organization based on the templates. An administrator may modify the assigned permissions. Work requests may be routed to people based on which people have permission to access the resources involved in the work request.

Abstract: Reagents and compositions for use in reactions catalysed by luciferase enzymes, and in particular for use in luciferase-based gene reporter assays are described. The invention also provides methods and compositions for, inter alia, increasing the sensitivity and/or improving the kinetics of luciferase-catalysed reactions.