Abstract: A mechanical wallet or cardholder can be opened using one hand by sliding a top or second plate along rails parallel to a bottom or first plate. A card arm forces cards in the cardholder (i.e., located between the first and second plates) out a second end of the cardholder in a fanned or stepped fashion. A magnet in the card arm and in a first end of the frame (opposite the second end of the cardholder and frame) cooperate to return and retain the card arm and first plate in the closed position. A card lock at the second end of the frame retains cards in the cardholder when the cardholder is in the closed position and allows the cards to be pushed from the second end of the cardholder by the card arm when the second plate is moved to the open position.

Abstract: A ring for wearing by a user includes a rigid outer annular body and a flexible inner annular body. In one embodiment, the outer annular body is a rigid material formed form a process other than injection molding, and the inner annular body is flexible and formed form an injection molded process. The outer annular body is attached to the inner annular body. The inner annular body may be machined to curve from longitudinal ends of the inner annular body to an inner surface of the inner annular body after the inner annular body is joined to the outer annular body in order to provide a comfort fit. Alternatively, the inner annular body may be molded with the comfort fit curvature. In one embodiment, the outer annular body has at least one strain relief recess in an inner surface thereof, and the inner annular body fills said strain relief recess.

Abstract: A mechanical wallet or cardholder can be opened using one hand by sliding a top or second plate along rails parallel to a bottom or first plate. A card arm forces cards in the cardholder (i.e., located between the first and second plates) out a second end of the cardholder in a fanned or stepped fashion. A magnet in the card arm and in a first end of the frame (opposite the second end of the cardholder and frame) cooperate to return and retain the card arm and first plate in the closed position. A card lock at the second end of the frame retains cards in the cardholder when the cardholder is in the closed position and allows the cards to be pushed from the second end of the cardholder by the card arm when the second plate is moved to the open position.

Abstract: A mechanical wallet or cardholder can be opened using one hand by sliding a top or second plate along rails parallel to a bottom or first plate. A card arm forces cards in the cardholder (i.e., located between the first and second plates) out a second end of the cardholder in a fanned or stepped fashion. A magnet in the card arm and in a first end of the frame (opposite the second end of the cardholder and frame) cooperate to return and retain the card arm and first plate in the closed position. A card lock at the second end of the frame retains cards in the cardholder when the cardholder is in the closed position and allows the cards to be pushed from the second end of the cardholder by the card arm when the second plate is moved to the open position.

Abstract: A mechanical wallet or cardholder can be opened using one hand by sliding a top or second plate along rails parallel to a bottom or first plate. A card arm forces cards in the cardholder (i.e., located between the first and second plates) out a second end of the cardholder in a fanned or stepped fashion. A magnet in the card arm and in a first end of the frame (opposite the second end of the cardholder and frame) cooperate to return and retain the card arm and first plate in the closed position. A card lock at the second end of the frame retains cards in the cardholder when the cardholder is in the closed position and allows the cards to be pushed from the second end of the cardholder by the card arm when the second plate is moved to the open position.

Abstract: A ring for wearing by a user includes a rigid outer annular body and a flexible inner annular body. In one embodiment, the outer annular body is a rigid material formed form a process other than injection molding, and the inner annular body is flexible and formed form an injection molded process. The outer annular body is attached to the inner annular body. The inner annular body may be machined to curve from longitudinal ends of the inner annular body to an inner surface of the inner annular body after the inner annular body is joined to the outer annular body in order to provide a comfort fit. Alternatively, the inner annular body may be molded with the comfort fit curvature. In one embodiment, the outer annular body has at least one strain relief recess in an inner surface thereof, and the inner annular body fills said strain relief recess.

Abstract: A ring for wearing by a user includes a rigid outer annular body and a flexible inner annular body. In one embodiment, the outer annular body is a rigid material formed form a process other than injection molding, and the inner annular body is flexible and formed form an injection molded process. The outer annular body is attached to the inner annular body. The inner annular body may be machined to curve from longitudinal ends of the inner annular body to an inner surface of the inner annular body after the inner annular body is joined to the outer annular body in order to provide a comfort fit. Alternatively, the inner annular body may be molded with the comfort fit curvature. In one embodiment, the outer annular body has at least one strain relief recess in an inner surface thereof, and the inner annular body fills said strain relief recess.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for enabling precise, 3-dimensional, photoactivation localization microscopy (PALM) using selective, two-photon activation of fluorophores in a single z-slice of a sample in cooperation with time-gated imaging for reducing the background radiation from other image planes to levels suitable for single-molecule detection and spatial location, are described.

Abstract: An apparatus and method were used to track the movement of fluorescent particles in three dimensions. Control software was used with the apparatus to implement a tracking algorithm for tracking the motion of the individual particles in glycerol/water mixtures. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that the tracking algorithms in combination with the apparatus may be used for tracking the motion of single fluorescent or fluorescently labeled biomolecules in three dimensions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method were used to track the movement of fluorescent particles in three dimensions. Control software was used with the apparatus to implement a tracking algorithm for tracking the motion of the individual particles in glycerol/water mixtures. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that the tracking algorithms in combination with the apparatus may be used for tracking the motion of single fluorescent or fluorescently labeled biomolecules in three dimensions.

Abstract: Background luminescence is reduced from a solution containing unbound luminescent probes, each having a first molecule that attaches to a target molecule and having an attached luminescent moiety, and luminescent probe/target adducts. Quenching capture reagent molecules are formed that are capable of forming an adduct with the unbound luminescent probes and having an attached quencher material effective to quench luminescence of the luminescent moiety. The quencher material of the capture reagent molecules is added to a solution of the luminescent probe/target adducts and binds in a proximity to the luminescent moiety of the unbound luminescent probes to quench luminescence from the luminescent moiety when the luminescent moiety is exposed to exciting illumination. The quencher capture reagent does not bind to probe molecules that are bound to target molecules and the probe/target adduct emission is not quenched.

Abstract: Background luminescence is reduced from a solution containing unbound luminescent probes, each having a first molecule that attaches to a target molecule and having an attached luminescent moiety, and luminescent probe/target adducts. Quenching capture reagent molecules are formed that are capable of forming an adduct with the unbound luminescent probes and having an attached quencher material effective to quench luminescence of the luminescent moiety. The quencher material of the capture reagent molecules is added to a solution of the luminescent probe/target adducts and binds in a proximity to the luminescent moiety of the unbound luminescent probes to quench luminescence from the luminescent moiety when the luminescent moiety is exposed to exciting illumination. The quencher capture reagent does not bind to probe molecules that are bound to target molecules and the probe/target adduct emission is not quenched.

Abstract: Apparatus and method enable imaging multiple fluorescent sample particles in a single flow channel. A flow channel defines a flow direction for samples in a flow stream and has a viewing plane perpendicular to the flow direction. A laser beam is formed as a ribbon having a width effective to cover the viewing plane. Imaging optics are arranged to view the viewing plane to form an image of the fluorescent sample particles in the flow stream, and a camera records the image formed by the imaging optics.

Abstract: Single fluorescent molecules in a flowing sample stream are distinguished and identified using only a single laser excitation wavelength. A sample stream is formed containing a dilute mixture of single molecule fluorophores, wherein each one of the fluorophores is serially ordered in the sample stream. The sample stream is illuminated with s single excitation wavelength laser effective to excite each fluorophore one at a time. Fluorescence emission photons from each said fluorophore are detected. A burst size is determined for each fluorophore to identify each fluorophore. A pulsed laser may be used, where burst size and an intra-burst fluorescence decay rate for each fluorophore are determined simultaneously from the detected fluorescence emission photons. The burst size and the decay rate are correlated to identify each fluorophore.

Abstract: The detectability of luminescent molecules in solution is enhanced by reducing the background luminescence due to impurity species also present in the solution. A light source that illuminates the solution acts to photolyze the impurities so that the impurities do not luminesce in the fluorescence band of the molecule of interest. Molecules of interest may be carried through the photolysis region in the solution or may be introduced into the solution after the photolysis region.

Abstract: The detectability of luminescent molecules in solution is enhanced by reducing the background luminescence due to impurity species also present in the solution. A light source that illuminates the solution acts to photolyze the impurities so that the impurities do not luminesce in the fluorescence band of the molecule of interest. Molecules of interest may be carried through the photolysis region in the solution or may be introduced into the solution after the photolysis region.

Abstract: An analyte fluid stream with first molecules having relatively low molecular weight and a corresponding high coefficient of diffusion has reduced diffusional defocusing out of an analyte fluid stream. The analyte fluid stream of first molecules is associated with second molecules of relatively high molecular weight having a relatively low coefficient of diffusion and a binding constant effective to associate with the first molecules. A focused analyte fluid stream is maintained since the combined molecular weight of the associated first and second molecules is effective to minimize diffusion of the first molecules out of the analyte fluid stream.