Abstract: Compositions for delivering materials having personal significance to an individual are described herein. The compositions include particles encapsulating a personalizing substance, which can be any material of personal significance. The particles are made from a biocompatible, inert material, preferably a metal. In some embodiments, the composition includes the personalizing particles in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for delivery into the skin. A method for delivering materials of personal significance to an individual are also described. The method includes administering particles containing personalizing substances to the recipient. The material is preferably delivered to the individual's skin. Kits for obtaining a personalizing substance from an end user and kits for delivering the encapsulated personalizing substance to the end user are provided. The kits include equipment for obtaining a sample of the personalizing substance and a vial, or personalizing particles.

Abstract: Compositions for delivering personalizing substances, such as a biological material, sand, soil, metal, water, sea water, holy water, synthetic or biological polymers, ceramics, animal or plant tissue, or another physiologically compatible component having personal significance to an individual are described herein. The compositions include the personalizing substance in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for injection, such as tattoo ink. Also disclosed are methods for administering a personalizing substance to a recipient. In some embodiments, the personalizing substance is added to a tattoo ink and incorporated in a tattoo created on an individual's skin.

Abstract: Compositions for delivering materials, such as a biological material, sand, soil, metal, water, sea water, holy water, synthetic or biological polymers, cremated ash, ceramics, animal or plant tissue, or another physiologically compatible component having personal significance to an individual are described herein. The material(s) are encapsulated in an inert, non-bioerodible, hydrophobic, polymeric material. Methods of making microparticles encapsulating the personalizing substance and methods of use are also provided. The personalizing substance may be encapsulated in a polymeric non-bioerodible microparticle. The encapsulated personalizing substance may be combined with a carrier for delivery to an individual's skin. In some embodiments, the personalizing substance is added to a tattoo ink and incorporated in a tattoo created on an individual's skin. Following injection in the skin, the encapsulated material remains in the microparticles, and is not released over time.

Abstract: Compositions for delivering materials, such as a biological material, sand, soil, metal, water, sea water, holy water, synthetic or biological polymers, cremated ash, ceramics, animal or plant tissue, or another physiologically compatible component having personal significance to an individual are described herein. The material(s) are encapsulated in an inert, non-bioerodible, hydrophobic, polymeric material. Methods of making microparticles encapsulating the personalizing substance and methods of use are also provided. The personalizing substance may be encapsulated in a polymeric non-bioerodible microparticle. The encapsulated personalizing substance may be combined with a carrier for delivery to an individual's skin. In some embodiments, the personalizing substance is added to a tattoo ink and incorporated in a tattoo created on an individual's skin. Following injection in the skin, the encapsulated material remains in the microparticles, and is not released over time.

Abstract: A system for thermocycling biological samples within detection chambers comprising: a set of heater-sensor dies, each heater-sensor die comprising a heating surface configured to interface with a detection chamber and a second surface, inferior to the heating surface, including a first connection point; an electronics substrate, comprising a first substrate surface coupled to the second surface of each heater-sensor die, an aperture providing access through the electronics substrate to at least one heater-sensor die, and a second substrate surface inferior to the first substrate surface, wherein the electronics substrate comprises a set of substrate connection points at least at one of the first substrate surface, an aperture surface defined within the aperture, and the second substrate surface, and wherein the electronics substrate is configured to couple heating elements and sensing elements of the set of heater-sensor dies to a controller; and a set of wire bonds, including a wire bond coupled between the

Abstract: A system and method of manufacture for the system, comprising a set of heater-sensor dies, each heater-sensor die comprising an assembly including a first insulating layer, a heating region comprising an adhesion material layer coupled to the first insulating layer and a noble material layer, and a second insulating layer coupled to the heating region and to the first insulating layer through a pattern of voids in the heating region, wherein the pattern of voids in heating region defines a coarse pattern associated with a heating element of the heating region and a fine pattern, integrated into the coarse pattern and associated with a sensing element of the heating region; an electronics substrate configured to couple heating elements and sensing elements of the set of heater-sensor dies to a controller; and a set of elastic elements configured to bias each of the set of heater-sensor dies against a detection chamber.

Abstract: A rack for holding samples and various reagents, wherein the rack may be used for loading the samples and reagents prior to using the reagents. The rack accepts complementary reagent holders, each of which contain a set of reagents for carrying out a predetermined processing operation, such as preparing biological samples for amplifying and detecting polynucleotides extracted from the samples.

Abstract: Femoral heads, mobile inserts, acetabular components, and modular junctions for orthopedic implants, e.g., hip replacement implants, and methods of using femoral heads, mobile inserts, acetabular components, and modular junctions for orthopedic implants are provided. Prosthetic femoral heads, mobile inserts, and acetabular components are provided that can alleviate soft tissue impingement, reduce implant wear, and/or reduce frictional torque. Modular junctions are provided that can minimize the incidence of loosening and micromotion that can occur at modular junctions of orthopedic implants.

Abstract: Compositions for delivering materials, such as a biological material, sand, soil, metal, water, sea water, holy water, synthetic or biological polymers, cremated ash, ceramics, animal or plant tissue, or another physiologically compatible component having personal significance to an individual are described herein. The material(s) are encapsulated in an inert, non-bioerodible, hydrophobic, polymeric material. Methods of making microparticles encapsulating the personalizing substance and methods of use are also provided. The personalizing substance may be encapsulated in a polymeric non-bioerodible microparticle. The encapsulated personalizing substance may be combined with a carrier for delivery to an individual's skin. In some embodiments, the personalizing substance is added to a tattoo ink and incorporated in a tattoo created on an individual's skin. Following injection in the skin, the encapsulated material remains in the microparticles, and is not released over time.

Abstract: Compositions for delivering materials, such as a biological material, sand, soil, metal, water, sea water, holy water, synthetic or biological polymers, cremated ash, ceramics, animal or plant tissue, or another physiologically compatible component having personal significance to an individual are described herein. The material(s) are encapsulated in an inert, non-bioerodible, hydrophobic, polymeric material. Methods of making microparticles encapsulating the personalizing substance and methods of use are also provided. The personalizing substance may be encapsulated in a polymeric non-bioerodible microparticle. The encapsulated personalizing substance may be combined with a carrier for delivery to an individual's skin. In some embodiments, the personalizing substance is added to a tattoo ink and incorporated in a tattoo created on an individual's skin. Following injection in the skin, the encapsulated material remains in the microparticles, and is not released over time.

Abstract: Compositions for delivering materials, such as a biological material, sand, soil, metal, water, sea water, holy water, synthetic or biological polymers, cremated ash, ceramics, animal or plant tissue, or another physiologically compatible component having personal significance to an individual are described herein. The material(s) are encapsulated in an inert, non-bioerodible, hydrophobic, polymeric material. Methods of making microparticles encapsulating the personalizing substance and methods of use are also provided. The personalizing substance may be encapsulated in a polymeric non-bioerodible microparticle. The encapsulated personalizing substance may be combined with a carrier for delivery to an individual's skin. In some embodiments, the personalizing substance is added to a tattoo ink and incorporated in a tattoo created on an individual's skin. Following injection in the skin, the encapsulated material remains in the microparticles, and is not released over time.

Abstract: A system and method of manufacture for the system, comprising a set of heater-sensor dies, each heater-sensor die comprising an assembly including a first insulating layer, a heating region comprising an adhesion material layer coupled to the first insulating layer and a noble material layer, and a second insulating layer coupled to the heating region and to the first insulating layer through a pattern of voids in the heating region, wherein the pattern of voids in heating region defines a coarse pattern associated with a heating element of the heating region and a fine pattern, integrated into the coarse pattern and associated with a sensing element of the heating region; an electronics substrate configured to couple heating elements and sensing elements of the set of heater-sensor dies to a controller; and a set of elastic elements configured to bias each of the set of heater-sensor dies against a detection chamber.

Abstract: A system for thermocycling biological samples within detection chambers comprising: a set of heater-sensor dies, each heater-sensor die comprising a heating surface configured to interface with a detection chamber and a second surface, inferior to the heating surface, including a first connection point; an electronics substrate, comprising a first substrate surface coupled to the second surface of each heater-sensor die, an aperture providing access through the electronics substrate to at least one heater-sensor die, and a second substrate surface inferior to the first substrate surface, wherein the electronics substrate comprises a set of substrate connection points at least at one of the first substrate surface, an aperture surface defined within the aperture, and the second substrate surface, and wherein the electronics substrate is configured to couple heating elements and sensing elements of the set of heater-sensor dies to a controller; and a set of wire bonds, including a wire bond coupled between the

Abstract: Systems and methods that administer a health improvement program and an adjunct medical treatment are provided herein. A method includes tracking performance of a participant in a health improvement program, the health improvement program designed to improve the health condition of the participant, comparing the performance of the participant to a minimum threshold requirement that signals that the participant is not adequately improving under the health improvement program, identifying when the performance of the participant falls below the minimum threshold level, and when the performance of the participant falls below the minimum threshold level, outputting a message to at least one of the participant or a third party that the participant is a potential candidate for an adjunct medical treatment.

Abstract: System and methods for tracking participants in a health improvement program are provided herein. A method includes tracking performance of participants in a group program, the group program having an overall program time frame, the group program having one or more sub-programs that when executed by the participants in the participant group aid the participants in achieving the common heath goal, each of the sub-programs comprising a task to be completed by the participant; and generating, for each participant in the group program, a first visual display that represents a current completion percentage for at least one of a sub-program and the group program, the current completion percentage being calculated from a completion percentage of each of the one or more sub-programs, and a second visual display that represents a current completion percentage of the group program.

Abstract: System and methods for tracking participants in a health improvement program are provided herein. A method includes receiving a plurality of requests to participate in a health program from a plurality of participants, each of the plurality of participants being associated with a health condition requiring improvement, matching participants into a participant group, defining a group program, the group program having an overall program time frame, the group program further having a series of sub-programs that when executed by the participants in the participant group aid the participants in achieving the common heath goal, initiating a first sub-program of the series of sub-programs for all participants at a specified start time, and tracking performance of the participants in the participant group during the series of sub-programs until completion of the group program.

Abstract: Femoral heads, mobile inserts, acetabular components, and modular junctions for orthopedic implants, e.g., hip replacement implants, and methods of using femoral heads, mobile inserts, acetabular components, and modular junctions for orthopedic implants are provided. Prosthetic femoral heads, mobile inserts, and acetabular components are provided that can alleviate soft tissue impingement, reduce implant wear, and/or reduce frictional torque. Modular junctions are provided that can minimize the incidence of loosening and micromotion that can occur at modular junctions of orthopedic implants.

Abstract: System, method, and article to prompt behavior change are provided. Various aspects of the system include health promotion data generated and/or communicated from/to a device; a methodology module associated with software/processor to identify at least one behavior change methodology associated with the health promotion data; and an instruction module associated with a software/processor to initiate the identified at least one behavior change methodology.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated liver stage Plasmodium polypeptides comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1-48 and immunogenic derivatives thereof. The invention also provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding the liver stage Plasmodium polypeptides of the invention, compositions comprising one or more liver stage Plasmodium polypeptides of the invention, methods for inducing an immune response against the liver stage Plasmodium polypeptides, and methods for treating and diagnosing liver stage malaria.

Abstract: A rack for holding samples and various reagents, wherein the rack may be used for loading the samples and reagents prior to using the reagents. The rack accepts complementary reagent holders, each of which contain a set of reagents for carrying out a predetermined processing operation, such as preparing biological samples for amplifying and detecting polynucleotides extracted from the samples.