Abstract: Provided herein modified dehalogenases have extended surface loop regions that provide a location for internal fusion insertions and modulate binding interaction and activation of environmentally-sensitive chemistries.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for predicting response to treatment for a neurological or psychiatric disorder. The systems may include machine learning and run LDA and/or Lasso Regression methods that use psychometric inventories and other forms of patient data such as patient characteristics, treatment history, clinical history, biometric data, neuroimaging data, or a combination thereof, as inputs to generate a predictive model that separates responders from non-responders. The methods may include prediction of response to initial treatment by obtaining baseline, pretreatment data collected through psychometric inventories as well as other forms of patient data.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a spinal shield having a shield body including a plurality of lateral extensions configured to be positioned over an exposed spinal canal for establishing a protective barrier around the contents of the exposed spinal canal are disclosed.

Abstract: A personal display device for displaying virtual images to a wearer. The personal display device includes a frame having a right temple section, a left temple section, a right rear section, a left rear section, a right eye see-through section, and a left eye see-through section; a projection display device connected to the frame for projecting an image to the wearer; at least one waveguide stack module connected to the frame for propagating image-bearing light beams along a length of the at least one waveguide stack module, the at least one waveguide stack module being configured to receive the image from the projection display device and detected touch motions of the wearer sensed by the touchpad including sensing directions of the touch motions of the wearer.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for slicing an item such as a bagel. One slicer has an upper assembly, which has an upper interior portion, and a blade; and a lower assembly, separable from the upper assembly, has a holding plate to support the item when placed within the lower assembly, and movable centering plates to secure the item in a position that lies substantially in the center of the lower assembly to facilitate a substantially even bisection of the item when the upper assembly engages with the lower assembly. Another slicer has an upper assembly with interior vertical rails, and a blade affixed to the upper assembly within the rails; and a lower assembly similar to the first slicer with interior vertical rails containing a vertical slot down the center for receiving a knife for slicing items. The device cuts the item within about +/?one-sixteenth of an inch.

Abstract: A real time Taq-Man PCR assay for detecting multiple serotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) wherein the number of serotypes detected exceeds the number of colorimetric channels for detection. A biological sample is combined with three oligonucleotide primer/probe sets such that the probes and primers anneal to a target sequence. Each primer/probe set is at least preferential for a specific serotype of an organism. The first and second primer/probe sets are degenerate with respect to each other. The third primer/probe set is not degenerate with respect to the first and second primer/probe sets and discriminates for a third serotype. The third primer/probe set has a signal moiety that emits signal at a wavelength that is the same or different from the wavelength emitted by the signal moiety of the degenerate primer/probe set probes. The target sequences, if present, are amplified and detected.

Abstract: This system is directed to a computerized system for development of textiles with modified physical properties through stitching and can include a set of non-transitory computer readable instructions configured for: receiving a design pattern representing desired physical properties of a textile having a higher stiffness area and a lower stiffness area; developing a contiguous stitching pattern constrained by a pattern perimeter boundary and having a continuous stitching path, developing a first stiffness area within the contiguous stitching pattern having a first area of density, developing a second stiffness area within the contiguous stitching pattern having a second area of density wherein the first area of density has more stitch density than the second area of density, and transmitting the contiguous stitching pattern to an embroidery machine configured to provide a textile having the contiguous stitching pattern incorporating into the textile.

Abstract: A retainer apparatus configured to releasably retain an article, comprising a face plate member each having a front face, a plurality of vacuum cups and a plurality of support pins each extending distally relative to the front face, respectively, wherein the vacuum cups and the support pins are laterally spaced from one another, wherein the plurality of vacuum cups retain the article to the retainer apparatus in a presence of vacuum, wherein the plurality of support pins are extendable/retractable relative to the face plate member, wherein each of the support pins have a longitudinal axis, respectively, and are configured to contact the article to support the article against movement along the longitudinal axis and support the article against movement transverse to the longitudinal axis, and a locking mechanism configured to inhibit the support pins from being retractable and extendable when the locking mechanism is engaged.

Abstract: A method of preparing a refined zein-enriched protein hydrolysate composition and/or a refined zein-depleted protein hydrolysate composition comprising enzymatically hydrolyzing a refined zein-enriched protein composition and/or a refined zein-depleted protein composition that have been separated from a refined, destarched corn gluten meal. The refined zein-enriched protein hydrolysate composition has a protein solubility of from about 15% to about 20% at a pH selected from the group consisting of pH 3.4, pH 7.0, and of both pH 3.4 and pH 7.0. The refined zein-depleted protein hydrolysate composition has a protein solubility of from about 20% to about 35% at a pH selected from the group consisting of pH 3.4, pH 7.0, and of both pH 3.4 and pH 7.0. Alternatively, the refined zein-enriched protein composition and/or the refined zein-depleted protein composition have been separated from a corn protein isolate as described herein. Compositions are also provided.

Abstract: A retainer apparatus configured to releasably retain an article, comprising a face plate member each having a front face; a plurality of vacuum cups and a plurality of support pins each extending distally relative to the front face, respectively; wherein the vacuum cups and the support pins are laterally spaced from one another; wherein the plurality of vacuum cups retain the article to the retainer apparatus in a presence of vacuum; wherein the plurality of support pins are extendable/retractable relative to the face plate member, wherein each of the support pins have a longitudinal axis, respectively, and are configured to contact the article to support the article against movement along the longitudinal axis and support the article against movement transverse to the longitudinal axis; and a locking mechanism configured to inhibit the support pins from being retractable and extendable when the locking mechanism is engaged.

Abstract: A direct chemical lysis composition includes an assay compatible buffer composition and an assay compatible surfactant. When combined with a specimen storage composition, such compositions prevent undesired modifications to nucleic acid and proteins lysed from cells in the biological sample. Assays of samples from such compositions do not require expensive and time-consuming steps such as centrifugation and prolonged high temperature processing. The direct chemical lysis composition of the present invention permits direct nucleic acid extraction from the cells in the biological sample without the need to decant off the transport media or otherwise exchange the transport media with assay compatible buffers. There is no need to combine the sample with proteinase K or another enzyme to extract nucleic acids from the cells. A method for lysing cells to obtain target nucleic acid for assay and a kit for combining the direct chemical lysis composition with a sample are also contemplated.

Abstract: Described herein is a corn protein product comprising greater than about 20% corn protein on a dry weight basis and a free sulfite concentration of less than 150 ppm on an as-is basis. Also disclosed herein is a method to obtain this corn protein product including the steps of providing a protein-rich stream derived from a wet corn milling operation, wherein the protein-rich stream comprises greater than 20% corn protein on a dry weight basis, and treating the protein-rich stream with an oxidant, preferably hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: Described herein is as method of reducing fumonisin in a corn protein product, comprising adjusting the pH of the corn protein product to a range between about 5.75 and about 7.5 to reduce fumonisin by at least 70%. The method can further comprise the addition of a divalent cationic salt.

Abstract: A direct chemical lysis composition includes an assay compatible buffer composition and an assay compatible surfactant. When combined with a specimen storage composition, such compositions prevent undesired modifications to nucleic acid and proteins lysed from cells in the biological sample. Assays of samples from such compositions do not require expensive and time-consuming steps such as centrifugation and prolonged high temperature processing. The direct chemical lysis composition of the present invention permits direct nucleic acid extraction from the cells in the biological sample without the need to decant off the transport media or otherwise exchange the transport media with assay compatible buffers. There is no need to combine the sample with proteinase K or another enzyme to extract nucleic acids from the cells. A method for lysing cells to obtain target nucleic acid for assay and a kit for combining the direct chemical lysis composition with a sample are also contemplated.

Abstract: Described herein is a corn protein product comprising greater than about 20% corn protein on a dry weight basis and a free sulfite concentration of less than 150 ppm on an as-is basis. Also disclosed herein is a method to obtain this corn protein product including the steps of providing a protein-rich stream derived from a wet corn milling operation, wherein the protein-rich stream comprises greater than 20% corn protein on a dry weight basis, and treating the protein-rich stream with an oxidant, preferably hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: A dress pack manager for use with a robotic arm having an end-of-arm tool supplied with power or working fluid via a dress pack. A pair of rollers are spaced apart such that the dress pack may pass between them, and such that rotation of the rollers applies friction to the dress pack and causes the dress pack to move. An electric motor rotates one of the rollers in both a forward and backward rotation and is torque-controlled to maintain a constant tension applied to the dress pack by the rollers.

Abstract: An interlocking toy block display mount with a plurality of sides with multiple sides having mail interlocking members or female interlocking members disposed thereon. A plurality of bore holes pass through top, side and end sides of the mount along three axes and intersecting at the substantial center of the mount with a fastener inserted through one of the bore holes to secure the mount to a surface.

Abstract: A composition and method of preparing a corn protein hydrolysate includes obtaining a corn protein composition having a corn protein concentration of at least about 75 wt %, adding an enzyme to a corn protein suspension containing the corn protein composition at a ratio of from about 1:100 to about 1:20 by weight of enzyme to corn protein, controlling the pH and temperature of the corn protein suspension to hydrolyze the corn protein, and terminating the hydrolysis of the corn protein to provide a corn protein hydrolysate that has solubility of from about 7% to about 37% at a pH selected from the group consisting of pH 7.0, pH 3.4, pH 5, and all of pH 7.0, pH 5, and pH 3.4. The corn protein hydrolysate can be used in a variety of food, feed, beverage, and other applications.

Abstract: An air conditioning system for a vehicle including an air curtain assembly. The air curtain assembly includes an outer blower configured to generate an air curtain, and an inner blower configured to generate comfort airflow within the air curtain. The air conditioning system is configured to condition the comfort airflow with respect to at least one of the following: temperature, humidity, odor, particulate matter content, biological matter content, germ content, and infectious agent content.

Abstract: An interlocking toy block display mount with a plurality of sides with multiple sides having mail interlocking members or female interlocking members disposed thereon. A plurality of bore holes pass through top, side and end sides of the mount along three axes and intersecting at the substantial center of the mount with a fastener inserted through one of the bore holes to secure the mount to a surface.