Abstract: The instant disclosure relates to microbial decontamination of solid surfaces. The disclosure provides method for reducing or eliminating microbes from a solid surface by employing a combination of quaternary ammonium compound coating onto the solid surface and electric field application. Particularly, the method comprises subjecting a solid surface to an electric field comprising a voltage of 2 kV/cm to 6 kV/cm and a capacitance of 0.002 ?F to 0.06 ?F, to reduce or eliminate the microbes from the solid surface, wherein said solid surface comprises a coating of quaternary ammonium compound. Corresponding products including kit and solid material/device are also provided. The present method has several advantages including but not limiting to high efficiency (>4 log10 or >99.99%) in reducing/eliminating microbial load on solid surfaces; requirement of very low concentrations of quaternary ammonium compound [about 0.01% (w/v) to 1% (w/v)] to achieve said high efficiency; and shorter time-periods.

Abstract: An air decontamination device (100) comprising: an input unit (102); an output unit (103); and a decontamination unit (104) coupled at a first end (122) to the input unit (102) and coupled at a second end (124) to the output unit (103). The decontamination unit (104) comprises: pairs of conducting plates (108), where one conducting plate of each pair is for being positively charged and the other conducting plate of each pair is for being negatively charged. The positively charged plate and negatively charged plate are separated to form an airflow path (212) and a 3D material (110) that is capable of being potentiated by static electric field is coupled to each side of conducting plate (108). When the static electric filed is applied, the surface moieties of the 3D material (110) are realigned to a direction of the static electric field to potentiate the antimicrobial activity of the 3D material (110) for destroying the microbes present in the received air.

Abstract: Techniques described herein improve database security by reducing network attack surface area in conjunction with deep input validation. In an embodiment, a database session receives one or more network packets sent via a network, the database session including a database session state that specifies one or more database privileges. The database session reads said one or more network packets into one or more request-packet-buffers, wherein said one or more request-packet-buffers include an RPC op code for a database operation. Based on the one or more database privileges associated with the user associated with the database session, the database session determines whether the RPC op code may be executed. In response to determining that the RPC op code may be executed by said database session, the RPC op code is executed. In response to determining that the op code may not be executed by said database session, the execution of the RPC op code is prevented.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatuses that implement automatic resizing of statement caches in response to cache metrics. One embodiment provides an approach for periodically calculating a session eligibility index for each session cache, wherein the session eligibility index indicates the priority level of the session cache for resizing, and selecting and resizing one or more cache sessions based at least in part on the session eligibility index.

Abstract: An air decontamination device (100) comprising: an input unit (102); an output unit (103); and a decontamination unit (104) coupled at a first end (122) to the input unit (102) and coupled at a second end (124) to the output unit (103). The decontamination unit (104) comprises: pairs of conducting plates (108), where one conducting plate of each pair is for being positively charged and the other conducting plate of each pair is for being negatively charged. The positively charged plate and negatively charged plate are separated to form an airflow path (212) and a 3D material (110) that is capable of being potentiated by static electric field is coupled to each side of conducting plate (108). When the static electric filed is applied, the surface moieties of the 3D material (110) are realigned to a direction of the static electric field to potentiate the antimicrobial activity of the 3D material (110) for destroying the microbes present in the received air.

Abstract: Techniques described herein improve database security by reducing network attack surface area in conjunction with deep input validation. In an embodiment, a database session receives one or more network packets sent via a network, the database session including a database session state that specifies one or more database privileges. The database session reads said one or more network packets into one or more request-packet-buffers, wherein said one or more request-packet-buffers include an RPC op code for a database operation. Based on the one or more database privileges associated with the user associated with the database session, the database session determines whether the RPC op code may be executed. In response to determining that the RPC op code may be executed by said database session, the RPC op code is executed. In response to determining that the op code may not be executed by said database session, the execution of the RPC op code is prevented.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatuses that implement automatic resizing of statement caches in response to cache metrics. One embodiment provides an approach for periodically calculating a session eligibility index for each session cache, wherein the session eligibility index indicates the priority level of the session cache for resizing, and selecting and resizing one or more cache sessions based at least in part on the session eligibility index.

Abstract: A method for attenuating a microorganism which comprises inhibiting in the microorganism a metabolic pathway essential for viability, by promoting use of the substrate of the pathway in a different metabolic pathway which is non-essential to the microorganism whereby the substrate is unavailable to the essential pathway and the micro organism is attenuated.

Abstract: A method for optimised refolding of a protein which method comprises selecting for the protein at least three control factors which affect refolding of the protein and at least three levels for each control factor, making a Taguchi matrix of the control factors and levels, conducting experiments as required by the matrix, and refolding the protein in a process using the control factors at levels determined by the outcomes of the matrix experiments.

Abstract: A method for attenuating a microorganism which comprises inhibiting in the microorganism a metabolic pathway essential for viability, by promoting use of the substrate of the pathway in a different metabolic pathway which is non-essential to the microorganism whereby the substrate is unavailable to the essential pathway and the micro organism is attenuated.

Abstract: A method for optimized refolding of a protein which method comprises selecting for the protein at least three control factors which affect refolding of the protein and at least three levels for each control factor, making a Taguchi matrix of the control factors and levels, conducting experiments as required by the matrix, and refolding the protein in a process using the control factors at levels determined by the outcomes of the matrix experiments.

Abstract: The present invention provides a spectrophotometric assay for detecting hemoglobin degradation.